[VHFcontesting] June VHF contest

[kentke]

ARRL June VHF Contest 2005

call: KA2LIM
single op
Low power

Operated from Mt. Utsayantha, Stamford, NY
Grid Square FN22

6M       - 145 q's/ 31 grids
2M       - 100q's/ 26 grids
222       - 29q's /14 grids
432       - 41q's /19 grids

total score - 34650

Arrived on site Friday evening shortly after 7:00 pm and proceded to set up. Worked at the setup until dark, went to bed, up Saturday morning, finished setting up. worked a few stations on the four bands to make sure everything was in working order. 

Oh yes, Murphy started in early, found a bad connection on the 6M antenna friday nite, got it repaired, with some good old "scrounging ingunity". Actually improved the swr, lowering it to 1.3:1, not bad.
Had two pre-amps go bad on the 2M station and an intermint problem with the 6M preamp.

The antenna's all preformed very well, makes me feel good because they are all home designed and home built by me.

Watched the storm go all around the mountain all day Saturday and sat nite but Sunday was another story. Storm began to built, so decided to tear down at 12:45 and head for home rather that get caught on the mountain in a bad storm. GOOD DECISION... drove thru some bad storms on the way home. Of course the aurora was on while I was on the road. worked four stations on 6M via AU while driving.
Total operating time was about 16 hours. Not too bad of a count for the short operating time. 

Best distance on 6M was VP5/N4VHF, a couple of 5's via E-Skip for a couple of minutes and that was over. 

Seemed as a wall was up toward the west, could not get past EM90 and EM91. worked lots of 1's with the antenna's pointed SW. Turn to the NE and they were gone. Same story on all four bands. Farthest to the south was FM17. Another wall ?????

Pointed toward Canada a lot  because I operated from Canada last year and remember hearing lots of stations in the US but could not get their attention, but very few VE's.

I began to think that this was a contest to see who had the lousey'est sounding commander amp on 6 and 2 Meters. Splatter all over the place and everyone between 50.125  - 50.180. Even some calling contest in the DX window. What is with you guys ???
On 2 Meters it seemed like everyone was jamed arount 144.200 + or - 20 kc's.  Do not understand why you guys won't spread out. NO one down below 144.160 in the "old" weak signal/low power part of the band.

Had a great time, plan on operating from the same location for the Sep. 05 contest. 

Those of you who need FN22 confirmed, please use www.eQSL.cc (send to KA2LIM/2) (had to create a separate account) or direct (sase) please.

Ken 
KA2LIM