[VHFcontesting] ARRL June VHF Contest - K7BV/1 FN31

[K7bv@aol.com]

As usual, all my operating during the ARRL June VHF Contest occurred on 6  
meters. Thanks to all for the action and contacts; it was great to see many old  
friends and what appeared to me to be a lot of new calls.
 
Conditions were a mixed bag but interesting at times on 6 meters.  I  have 
worked hard to get an effective array ( 4 x 7el with elevation) up for 6  and it 
played probably as well as it could with the propagation handed  us in New 
England. I also have a single 7el on another tower that generally  keeps an ear 
on the backside of the wherever the larger array was pointed. My  rig is a 
IC756PROII, a LNA CA50 preamp until I smoked it, converted AL-1500  amp.
 
I experienced some pretty exciting enhanced tropo on a band that was  
generally quieter than normal, making the reach even further.  Es action  was limited 
to Friday evening 0045z -- 0130z. The signals were very strong  but sadly 
spotty - 10 QSOs into EM22, 32, 34, 43, 55.  I think a lot of  folks out that way 
missed out of eastern USA grids because it appears that  portion of the USA 
was working Es to the West at that same time.
 
Meteor scatter action on traditional modes as well as WSJT digital was good  
with sufficient burning rocks to keep one on his toes for a quick new  grid.
 
I lost local power for hours Sunday, AM, an occurrence that took the wind  
out of my sails so I let up on my band activity considerably.  I left the  band 
at 1530z and returned about 2130z to hear the band buzzing away,  literally.  
The Au was incredibly strong and productive until about 0100z  or so when I 
seemed to run out of new stations to work and pulled the  plug.  Nevertheless, 
Au gave me 131 QSO into 65 grids of which 30 were new  ones for the weekend.  
My farthest Au contacts were - West K0HA in  EN10, South - KY5R EM64, North - 
nothing special.
 
Limited action total for 6m after dupes =  487 QSO / 98 Grid
 
Good luck to all and thanks for all the fun
 
73,
Dennis  Motschenbacher K7BV/1
FN31vi - CT  State
www.qth.com/k7bv