[VHFcontesting] SVHFS 222 Fall Sprint Results and Observations de W4SHG/R

[Steve Gilmore]

Hello all,

You know, can you imagine a rover cooking along trying to get 4 grids
visited in four (4) hours and having a transverter start to oscillate about
qso number 2. Then imagine a vehicle already looking ridiculious with a 15
foot yagi and a rotator on the top of it sitting in a 7/11 with a guy buried
inside a transverter cover off and a soldering iorn.

Is that insane or what?

Yes that was the story during the W4SHG/R run and gun 222 Sprint the darn
XV-222 was oscillating and it was found to be again a poor ground on the
chassis. Seems the painted screws and little blocks are not making good
contact with the ground within the xverter. Had some unpainted screws that
fit so I put a couple in and in FM09 troubles gone. (At least for now)

Conditions were a bit flat as I struggled to work anywhere into the
Northeast. You can tell if you are roving during these sprints as the
activity by 11:00pm falls to near zero as many have given up when conditions
are less favorable. That is what I found on Hogback last night as a hour of
Cqing to both the South and North did not result in terribly many QSO's.

No matter had great fun and met up with W1RT/R to look at the new mast
arrangement on the Jittney-mobile. Awsome job as he can now crank up his
entire microwave antenna system 20+ feet above the vehicle. It should help
in maginal locations. What a setup with relays just clicking away in that
van. (And I thought the soldering iorn and my xverter was odd) look in the
jittney and you will find everything from Freon to Feed horns.

Here is the breakdown for the 222 Sprint

FM18 - 4 Grids & 8 QSO's (Sorry got busy with W1RT/R and a Park Ranger)
FM19 - 8 Grids & 19 QSO's 
FM09 - 9 Grids & 13 QSO's
FM08 - 16 Grids & 19 QSO's

Total 37 x 59 = 2183 SVHFS Points

This was not as good as 2005 222 Sprint and the QSO totals were off about
15% however I think we had some enhancement in 2005 here in these grids.

Thanks to all who braved the poor conditions and hung out till the end.
I will try to make the same trek during the 432 test next Wednesday.

Respectfully submitted
Steve Gilmore - W4SHG