[VHFcontesting] FW: [PNWVHFS] Re: Enterprize trip

[Bruce Junkin]

-----Original Message-----
From: PNWVHFS at googlegroups.com [mailto:PNWVHFS at googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of ki7ja at msn.com
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 8:25 PM
To: PNWVHFS
Subject: [PNWVHFS] Re: Enterprize trip


Well, I had fun, but this was also frustrating as well.  Operating
from home is challenging because of high Powerline noise on all bands
(even 1296), but somehow I managed to do ok, (I guess).

Being able to work Len, WA6KLK on 432 over a 425 mile path always
takes my breath away and I am always wow'ed that it is even possible.
I wish I could work Len on 6M, but haven't yet.  I did work AJ6T in
CM87 via Meteor Scatter on CW, but there were many other California
stations coming in via Meteor Scatter, but did not hear me.  W6YX
heard me, but was too quick with his call for me to copy via Meteors
on CW.  The bursts were just too fast for one time calls.  If he had
sent the call sign several times, it may have been possible.  I
finally got his call when K7CW worked him, but he was gone after
Paul's contact.

I have a new 300w amp on 6M, and a new M2, 6M5X (5 el, 18' boom, 9.4
dbd) yagi, and had trouble getting thru to even the guys up north just
100+ miles away.  Extremely frustrating.

Once I began to hear Eric and crew in Enterprize II, things did pick
up.  I worked the Enterprize crew 18 times from DN03, CN93, CN94,
CN95, CN85 and CN86.  I wish that I could have worked them when they
heard me in CN80.  That would have been a new grid for me.  Thanks
much for going out and providing new and many grids for many people,
guys, my hat's off to you!!

The 60w amp on 1296 made contacts possible that would not have been
there otherwise.  Working KB7W in CN93 on 1296 was difficult going
from 1 db above mental telepathy to barely copiable but we were
somehow able to complete the contact.  Later, when Mike worked Eric
from the South side of Mt. Hood, I heard him better than when we
worked.  I heard both sides of the QSO.  It would have been nice to
work Jeremy as he drove east, but I was busy working other directions,
and the bands were too crowded at that time.

I am glad that I decided to stay home rather than venture out braving
the cold in a nylon tent.  After my trip to CN94 in January of '06, I
vowed that I would never do that again with 17 degree weather and snow
collapsing the roof of the tent.  Perhaps I will head out somewhere
for the June or September contests or, who knows, maybe the CQWW VHF
contest in July.

On another rabbit trail, Murphy was alive and well here.  About half
way through the contest, my 222 module in the 736R started
misbehaving.  I was getting reports of distortion on SSB and crackling
sounds on CW.  I did manange 15 contacts in 5 grids on 222, but stayed
mostly on the other bands after the reports of distortion.  By the end
of the contest, I was also copying my 2M xmitted signal on 432 as
well.  I think this radio is in need of serious repair, but as I
understand it, Yaesu is no longer going to support the FT-736R because
of it's age.  When these radios begin failing, what are the choices
for 222?  For 1296 there are several options, and of course, most
radios now include 2m and 432, but not 222.  Transverters are
expensive, but I guess that will be the only option unless
manufacturers finally wake up and start building radios for 222 all
mode (like thats going to happen).  I also found a bad coaxial jumper
on Sunday (found one on 1296 before the contest also).

Anyway, congrats to the Enterprize team and many many thanks.  I may
list a summary of my activity later.  Best 73's and thanks to all for
the contacts on all bands.

Bruce, KI7JA  CN85rl


On Jan 21, 7:14 pm, "Len Gwinn" <comp... at instawave.net> wrote:
> Hello to all from WA6KLK.   First, thanks to the Enterprize crew for the
grids activated !!  They did a super job and really rolled along.  It is
nice that some folks will dedicate the whole weekend and dollars for the
rest of us stay at home folks, altho I will do some mountain tops but no
roving.
>
> I had all antennas turned to the coast of Oregon from the start of the
contest until well into the evening, altho the later part was towards the
upper Sacramento Valley.  I had to be away from the radios for about an hour
and a half prior to hooking up with the crew in CN 71.  DRATS  !!  I am sure
I would have been able to work them in 72 if not also 73.  Well, other
duties were requested of me and she had a higher priority.  
>
> Good signals were heard and considering the in motion operation and the
antennas fixed--I think--it all went well. I made a few calls on the air to
alert others of the operation as some need 71 and others wanted to know.
 Apparently the signals went where the Enterprize was aimed.  Too bad as I
know folks were listening.  Might have attracted more attention if they had
been on 144.200 as the folks down here seem to usually have ""broken""
tuning knobs and the radios become fixed frequency !!!   I tried to tell
everyone that they needed to go to 144.210 but some said the rover should
move.  I said "Oh well".  
>
> Loops might have helped in the upper Sacramento Valley crossing but who
knows, altho I have worked mobiles with loops in that area before from home
here.
>
> Any way, my THANKS to the crew of the Enterprize for their time and
efforts, and a couple of grids that are usually not on the air.
>
> Here in CM89hi as a Single Op High Power, and not all that much time on
the air, the results look like this:
>
> 50    22 qs by 11 grids
> 144    42 qs by 15 grids
> 222    10 qs by 6 grids---all fm
> 432    18 qs by 11 grids
> 1296    5 qs by 4 grids
>
> That is about 6,580 points BUT I have not yet duped the paper log.
>
> Northern stations worked were W7MQY  CN82 144;  KB7DQH/r  CN71 50/144/432;
 KB7DQH/r  CN70  50/144/432;  and  KI7JA  CN85  144/432.  Not all that many
folks on to the south but many of them were of the fifty watt level and
small antennas and ""broken tuning knobs"" !!!!   In addition the majority
iof them dont know or are uable to use cw.  The QRM is hard to get thru from
out here in the wilds of Mendocino County  and I did not really feel like
trying that hard.  It was also noticed that quite a bunch of the regular big
guns were missing from this contest.
>
> Any way, it was fun, sorry I did not work more of you to the north.   I
have recently gotten a Rigblaster with all the digi stuff and have yet to
hook it up.  Soon I hope, and then the learning curve.  Have already been
offered a laptop for portable operations but need to learn the programs
first.
>
> Take care all and enjoy, hope to catch you in the future.  Do have a
trusty straight key for skeds if wanted.  Also have a new--no call not yet
received but this week--ham in the area on another mountain top and altho I
think he is mostly interested in hf, I will do my best to get him on at
least 144 and 50.  He is a good cw man too!!!!
>
> Thanks again, take care, enjoy.
>
> 73   Len   WA6KLK   CM89hi
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