[VHFcontesting] 222 Sprint

[David Olean]

Hello fellow 222 Sprinters,

I was up on the 100 ft 222 MHz tower at 6PM trying to see if I could swap out a rotator to replace the T2X that was broken in the Sept Contest. It has no beam indication, so I cannot tell where I am pointing. The bottom line was that I could not change rotors, so I ran the Sprint with a quad array and no idea of where it was pointing. On the plus side, the view was really nice as the leaves are turning bright reds and yellows.
    So I got on with the busted rotor, and then found that I had a dirty coax relay as the receive signals were always dropping out when I went back to receive. (Strike two!) The first thing I noticed was that the Sprint had started and I could not even tell for about 3-5 minutes. All I heard was loud power line noise at 195 and 227 degrees, my best directions. (Strike Three) Activity was way down, and signals were weak. In the "huge" rush of initial activity, I worked about 15 stations for hour number one. By the end of the contest, I was up to 26 with only 15 grids. Part of the problem was not knowing where the antenna was pointed, but it seemed that activity was way down as well. I think the poor conditions made many quit early after working a few strong (read "the only ones audible") stations.  I solved the rotor indicator problem by peaking on the known power line noise, then turning the rotor West and counting the seconds. 7 seconds was a 270 degree heading. Once I memorized a few times for known beam directions, I felt a little better. It would have been even better if I had worked people at those headings though!
    I did manage to work K1RZ in FM19, but I had a heck of a time getting his attention. I called and called only to hear him calling CQ again. Maybe he had bad power line noise, but I was reduced to checking that I was really transmitting on the correct frequency and that the transmitter was actually working properly and not oscillating on the 243 MHz emergency rescue beacon frequency or something like that. K1RZ was peaking 5X6 on SSB and CW. I finally nabbed him, but I think I aged a few years in the process. 
    I stuck around until 10:30PM hoping I could hear W4SHG/R in FM08. Sure enough at about 10:35 or so I heard Steve calling CQ and answered him right away for a good SSB QSO.  It was almost as if it was preplanned. I had told WA1T and AF1T just two or three minutes before, that W4SHG was supposed to show up and then, there he was!!
    So, not much of a score. I missed FN53,FN44, FN33, (all bordering my own grid) I only worked K1DY in FN54 for my only station North and East of me. Also missed everything in Western NY save for FN02.  Grids FM29, FN30, FN21, FN22 and others were all AWOL from Maine. Final score was 26 QSOs in 15 grids. I hope activity is better for the 432 Sprint. I should have gone bar hopping. WZ1V's Lithuanian brandy also comes to mind. Then I know I would have heard more grids for sure.

Dave K1WHS