[VHFcontesting] FM Contesting . . .

[S.J.Swanson]

Good Morning: 

In September of 2003 I posted an announcement here of the annual local FM Simplex contest sponsored by The Milwaukee Radio Amateurs' Club. The goal of the contest is to encourage simplex operations, contesting and introduce new hams to a non-repeater format. At the time of that posting there was an ongoing discussion hee about getting more FM activity in the National Contests. In my comments I encouraged folks on this list to contact me for more information in hopes that others would use our ideas to promote FM simplex operations which might spill over into contesting. 

I got inquiries from VE7FO and N1OFZ. I sent them this years rules, as finally formulated, and VE7FO also had some valuable input to our contest committee. Anyway, the contest came off as scheduled in February and was considered a success. Here is a condensed version of the results published in The MRAC Newsletter.  (Four grids come together in Milwaukee county.) 
 
 
"THE MILWAUKEE RADIO AMATEURS' CLUB'S FM SIMPLEX CONTEST generated the following statistics and comments. . . .  

1. Thirty-three call signs showed up on the submitted entries. 

2. There were nineteen entries and check logs submitted. 

3. All logs showed two meter, and fifteen logs had 70-centimeter activity. Thirteen had 6-meter entries and seven included 1.25-meter contacts. . . . 

9. None of the entries that worked all four bands had the sixteen possible multipliers from the Milwaukee Metro area. Also, in spite of the pre-contest publicity, there were no contacts with stations in grids other than the "sweet sixteen" noted. . . . "
 

All contestants I spoke to were enthusiastic about the event and were looking forward to next year.  A one time 50% bonus was built into the scoring for Technician Class entries. The overall winner this year took advantage of this perk but this fellow also has DXCC with his satellite station. Obviously he is not the type that needs recruiting for VHF Contesting! 

Now, prior to the four Spring Sprints I can participate in, I made it known on repeaters when I was mobile, and in a weekly E-mail news letter I send out, that I would periodically put out FM calls during the Sprints. Net result was that I made a total of 62 QSO's in the four contests and six were FM. Four of those were on 1.25 meters which probably reflects the only mode available "out of the box" on that band at this time. 

I will keep trying to promote local FM contest activity in this area, but I sure would like suggestions! I wonder if a sub-category for FM only in the big contests would help. 

73, Sherm KB9Q, (EN52vv)

swanson at ticon.net