[VHFcontesting] VHF/UHF Activity

[David Olean]

Amen!
One really good way to foster activity is to run extended range skeds on any 
of the VHF bands. That is a great way, to generate interest and build 
activity on the air. When I was a kid, I used to listen to K2IEJ (Long 
Island NY)  run a daily sked with Art, W8KAY (Akron, OH) on 144 MHz. I could 
never even hear W8KAY, but I would always listen in with my single yagi on 
the roof and RG-59 coax. It seemed that the whole East Coast around NYC 
would do likewise, and many people would call and it got people on the band. 
W1COT has done that in New England, for quite awhile with Andy, W8ANS, and 
there is always a crew in there listening and checking out the band! Many 
times you will hear comments like "Gee the Hepburn Map did not predict this 
opening!"   At the same time there are other daily skeds of a local nature 
that attract all sorts of participants. In short we need some regular and 
dependable operation to provide an incentive for others to listen. We have 
to use the bands, not monitor the internet for propagation indices and DX 
reports.
    I really miss having a  good shack at my house, or I would be running 
some sort of sked, any sked, too!  I past years, I ran daily skeds with 
K0MQS,  WA4CQG, WA4GPM and K1FJM/4. It was fun to get on each morning before 
work, and I was always amazed at the stations who would often show up. The 
skeds with WA4GPM were tropo. He was 535 miles away, and we could work on CW 
everyday. Some days were SSB. With my shack away from the house now, and 
with no heat, it really curtails random activity. I am waiting for Spring 
though, and am stocked up with generator diesel fuel!


Dave K1WHS

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric NM5M" <nm5m at aol.com>
To: <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 2:34 AM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] VHF/UHF Activity


>
> Hams across the country whine about the lack of activity on the VHF and 
> UHF bands by new hams.  If you want to increase activity it's quite simple 
> just do the following:
>
> 1. Make presentations to local clubs introducing this aspect of the hobby 
> to prospective amateurs (who cares if they have been licensed 30 minutes 
> or 50 years as long as they get on the air)
>
> 2.  Stop listening 24/7 to 144.200 and make some noise.  Activity creates 
> activity.
>
> 3.  Make local or regional operating activities to stimulate activity, I 
> can tell you from personal experience this does wonders to get folks on 
> the VHF bands.
>
> 4.  Educate old and new hams on how to get on the VHF and above bands with 
> indoor or hidden antennas as most live in deed restricted areas and 
> believe that it takes a ton of steel and aluminum to enjoy those bands.
>
>
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