[VHFcontesting] W9SZ UHF Contest

[Zack Widup]

                      ARRL UHF Contest

Call: W9SZ
Operator(s): W9SZ
Station: W9SZ

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EN50rl
Operating Time (hrs): 9

Summary:
   Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    222:   15    14
    432:   24    18
    903:    8     7
    1.2:   10     9
    2.3:    6     5
    3.4:    6     5
    5.7:    2     2
    10G:    5     4
-------------------
Total:    76    64  Total Score = 28,992

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

All I can say is WOW.  Best conditions I have ever seen in this contest. I 
set up on a hilltop in EN50rl at about 00Z on Sunday (7 pm Saturday local 
time. Started right off working K2DRH through 3456 MHz and then K3SIW 
through 10 GHz. I had to shut down at 1430Z on Sunday morning as a 
thunderstorm loomed. Got everything taken down and packed away 5 MINUTES 
before it started pouring! Weather was perfect up to the time the storm 
hit.

During the time I was active, conditions were generally excellent with 
signals on 222 and 432 being the best I've ever heard them and microwave 
signals being even better. Most microwave signals ranged from S9 to 
pinning my S-meter. So the Hepburn tropo forecast for my area was correct 
for this time. I worked into EM63 and EM64 on all bands through 10 GHz 
(except K4XR didn't have 5760). This was my best DX to date on 10 GHz 
(470 miles). Not bad with 2 watts and a 20 inch dish.

On Sunday morning there was so much activity that I had a hard time 
following it.  I actually had some small pileups on me, with people 
wanting to work up the bands.  I missed out on some because I couldn't 
keep track of everyone. So if I missed out on working you on one or more 
bands, sorry about that. Wish I'd had more QSO's with K8TQK, K2YAZ and 
W9FZ/R and wish I'd worked K8MR and NE8I.

My equipment:

10 watts to 8 el Yagi on 222
100 watts to 12 el Yagi on 432
10 watts to 18 el loop Yagi on 903
10 watts to 24 el loop Yagi on 1296
8 watts to 20 inch dish with WA3RMX feed on 2304
2 watts to same dish and feed on 3456
2 watts to same dish and feed on 5760
2 watts to same dish with dipole/splash plate feed on 10368

Two HTX-100 IF rigs (one as a 28 MHz IF for 222 and 432; one with a 
built-in 144 MHz transverter as microwave IF). All UHF/microwave 
transverters and antennas homebrew.

I hope we have a repeat in the September contest. See you then.

73, Zack W9SZ