[VHFcontesting] K7RAT Two Meter Spring Sprint - And a reason why to not crowd 144.200

[k2ad at dougsharp.com]

It all depends upon your local conditions.  I agree with 
Duane, that in populated (or semi-populated) areas there 
is just too much interference on 144.200 MHz to actually 
complete QSOs.  For the past twenty-some years I have 
operated 2-meters from a multi-op in the Northeast. Of the 
hundreds of QSO we make on 2-meters each contest, I could 
probably count the number we made within 10 KHz of 144.200 
MHz on my fingers and toes. We call CQ nearly the entire 
contest somewhere on or around 144.170 MHz.  People seem 
to find us. And when they do call, I can usually hear them 
due to the lower QRM.  And my group is not the only group 
operating "low and high" from the calling frequency.

Does this work everywhere in the country?  No. It all 
depends upon your local environment.  There is not one 
magic silver bullet that works everywhere. But it does 
work on the East Coast. But even those in the less 
populated areas (thus less activity) might find a surprise 
far away from the calling frequency during the next band 
opening.  It might just be W2SZ, K1WHS, K8GP, W3CCX, 
K3YTL, K1TEO, etc ... Stations calling CQ and perhaps a 
new multiplier. All stations that have abandoned the 
calling frequency due to high QRM and poor run rates.

Regards,
Doug, K2AD/0

On Thu, 6 Apr 2006 07:20:28 -0700 (PDT)
  Duane - N9DG <n9dg at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> I did a detailed analysis a few years ago for my log in 
>the
> January 2004 ARRL contest. My conclusions: It is it is a
> counter productive strategy to just cling to the calling
> frequencies. Even if you are a big gun. For that contest 
>a
> full 50% of my my Q's and new (or only time worked)
> multipliers were made on frequencies that were more than 
>10
> kHz away from 144.200. I haven't looked at other 
>contests
> since but suspect that they are generally similar.
> 
> I live in a relatively rural area with pretty solid 
>reach
> into metro areas like Chicago, Milwaukee, Mineapolis. 
>Many a
> time I'd hear people on or near the calling frequencies 
>from
> those areas who cannot hear me because of their local 
>QRM on
> 144.2. The net result is we both lost the Q, and also 
>there's
> a good chance that they missed a new multiplier as well. 
>The
> bottom line is that it does pay to be constantly looking 
>+/-
> 50 kHz or more from 144.2
> 
> See my Jan 04 analysis here:
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/VHFcontesting/2004-04/msg00022.html
> 
> Duane
> N9DG
> 
> --- frank bechdoldt <k3uhf at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
>> Most everyone is on the calling frequency here because 
>>of
>> the sparse
>> population. People often times shut up when they hear a
>> distant qso having
>> problems working.  I guess it is just the nature of the
>> beast in less dense
>> areas and the qrm is part of the contest. A good beam 
>>helps
>> the qrm.  On
>> the other hand I am sure I missed contacts roving 
>>because
>> of congestion of
>> the calling freq but on the third hand I also get piled 
>>up
>> when someone
>> notices tier "qrm" working me out in the middle of 
>>nowhere
>> and aims out
>> there too.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> frank bechdoldt
> 
> 
> 
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