[VHFcontesting] VHF sked alternative

[Chet, N8RA]

This is precisely why I put up the antenna that I did for 2M contesting. It
is a four stack of 3 element yagis. It analyzes to have 14.6 dBi of gain
with a 60 degree horizontal beamwidth to the -3 dB points. And it's really
not that hard to construct if you already have an HF yagi with a decent boom
on top of your tower- just attach the middle of the stacking mast out on the
HF boom a foot or so and end mount the yagis. 

And, if there is some ice, I think having 4 driven elements will retain a
better match and pattern than if there was only one with a lot of sensitive
parasitic ones. 

73
Chet, N8RA


-----Original Message-----
From: vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com On Behalf Of Zack Widup
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] VHF sked alternative

This can be summed up with "highly directional antennas". On HF, for
instance in SS, if I call CQ with a dipole, a good part of the target
audience is going to hear me.  Even with a beam, if I'm pointed toward the
southwest, a large part of the country will hear me.

VHF+ beams/dishes have such so narrow patterns that it doesn't work this
way.  Unless they're both running lots of power, both stations have to be
pointed toward each other to make a QSO. 

On Fri, 25 Jan 2008, George Fremin III wrote:

> One of the things about the VHF contest culture that I have never 
> really understood is this need / desire to make skeds, or have some 
> sort of spotting via APRS or even via telephone (still happens via 
> telephone) or some other prearranged or automated means for making
contacts happen.
>
> Why can't we just get on the radio and call CQ and tune the bands 
> answering CQs and make contacts.  This is how I have been doing it for 
> years and I think the results have been pretty good.  My results would 
> be even better if everyone else did this too and for more of the 
> contest period and in more directions - all of our scores would be 
> better.
>