[VHFcontesting] Rural area Sprinting is a waste of time

[Bill Olson]

Hi all, I have to chime in here.. Central Maine (FN54jq) would certainly be 
called a rural area, but then again we ARE on the end of that Eastern 
seaboard megalopolis.. I operated the 2M sprint from Aborn Hill a few miles 
from home with the "rover rig" a barefoot FT100D and 12 element beam 8 feet 
off the ground. In one hour I worked 10 stations in 7 grids. Best DX was 
W2KV in FN20, 400 plus miles away. Conditions seemed decent, but everyone I 
worked said how BAD conditions were..

I'm pretty happy with my score.. Sure did not expect much more, and for me 
just getting on, working a few of the gang, saying hi, making sure the rig 
works, and being a "new grid" for a couple guys made the few hours 
worthwhile. I certainly had no delusions of competing with the guys in the 
metropolitan areas.. I worked a few locals that were on for the local "Pine 
Tree State Weak Signal Net" at 7:30 on 144.225. They were happy to "give me 
a point" and while they were not IN the contest, they certainly show 
activity and just the fact that there is a 2M weak signal net in rural Maine 
is a GOOD thing!!!

Regarding the so-called "decrease in VHF contest activity", I am not sure 
that's true. It's certainly possible that there is more activity but just 
not the logs being sent in as more "casual operators" get on with the 
HF/VHF/UHF multimode rigs. Activity is activity. But I seem to remember that 
even logs are actually UP in the last few VHF contests..

I suppose compared to the 50's and 60's when I first started VHF contesting, 
activity is down, but I still have a lot of fun with it and am not 
particularly discouraged. Deciding NOT to operate because activity in a 
certain area is low is certainly one of those "self fulfilling prophecy" 
things, so I guess i will keep plugging away at it..

seeyall in a week on 222.

bill, K1DY, FN54JQ 50MHz-10gHz..