[VHFcontesting] Farthest FM Contact

[Sean Kutzko]

I owe my interest in 2m SSB to an FM QSO. I'd gotten interested in FM simplex in late 1999 when I was still living in Illinois and had a 50-watt mobile rig and a Ringo Ranger at about 40 feet. I was monitoring 146.52 one evening when there was a tropo opening. I worked from EN50 to FN03, along with a few other grids in Ohio and Pennsylvania. I'd never experienced anything like that before. 
   
  After doing my homework and asking a couple hams (Zack, W9SZ in particular), I discovered the real action was on SSB/CW. I borrowed an old Icom 10-watt 2m all-mode rig, took down my 4-element 2m beam I used for packet cluster, made it horizontal and stuck it on a 20' mast just outside my ham shack window. I rotated it by hand. Within a month, I'd worked several grids and even worked South Dakota via aurora. I was hooked.
   
  Sean KX9X

Zack Widup <w9sz at prairienet.org> wrote:
  
That "dumb luck" factor comes into play quite a bit. There was evidently 
a nice tropo opening between EN50 and the east coast the other day. I 
missed it.

I heard it went up at least as high as 1296, though. I don't think I've 
worked beyond about 250 miles on that band and would really like to catch 
a big opening one of these days.

Aside from the dumb luck, which you can't buy or build, I'd put my money 
first into antennas, which you CAN buy or build, and then power after 
that.

73, Zack W9SZ

On Tue, 14 Aug 2007, Bill Bailey, KG4NZR wrote:

>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill Burgess" 
> To: 
> Sent: Monday, 13 August, 2007 8:51 PM
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Farthest FM Contact
>
>> I note with much interest the distance worked by Ev on FM, the power too.
>
> During a nice 70cm tropo opening, 78 miles on 50 mw over essentially flat
> terrain. Kenwood TH-F6A HT using a Diamond tri-band antenna.
>
>> Power is king and antenna is queen? I think the reverse is true, based on
>> my past experiences.
>
> There is a lot to be said for dumb luck, too.
>
> Bill Bailey, KG4NZR
> Kissimmee, FL
> Osceola County, Grid EL98hh
>
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