[VHFcontesting] A new band, lesson re-learned, and "See you in September"

[Les Rayburn]

There are still about eight hours to go in the ARRL VHF September contest, and my results so far have been disappointing. They say numbers don't lie, so here's the bitter truth so far: 

Total QSO's: 16
QSO Points: 25
Multipliers: 14
Score: 350

Now, I'm hoping to improve on these numbers before the end of the event, but it's clear that my numbers are going to be low, even for a guy with indoor antennas. The reason? I committed the cardinal sin of VHF contesting. Missing the first hour of the event. 

I confess...I went on a "honey-do" errand on Saturday morning. Leaving nearly three hours before the start of the contest, I thought there was zero chance that I'd miss the starting gun. But the fates conspired against me, and the contest was nearly six hours old before I turned on a rig! AHHH! In this part of the world, VHF contesting can be easily divided into two classifications. The "hard core" group, who are on for virtually all of the contest, and the "Just Checking" crowd, who seem to sign on for the first hour or two, and then disappear like ghosts after Halloween. 

When I've queried some of this group at club meetings, they always provide the same answer. "I just like to test the waters, hand out a few contacts, and see how propagation is". News flash kids. Thanks to the league's wisdom, 1800 UTC practically guarantees that propagation will be nonexistent unless the six meter band is open. So not surprisingly, when new grids/states fail to materialize, this group of fair weather VHF'ers quickly lose interest and tune in SEC football instead. 

Even as a newbie, I'm well aware of this phenomenon, yet still I allowed myself to miss that crucial first hour, and my score reflects my mistake. 

On a positive note, I managed my first ever 900mhz contact during this contest, using a modified Kenwood TK-981 FM transceiver and a loop Yagi. I managed to work local big gun, Jimmy Long, W4ZRZ. I'm hoping to find a transverter for the band at a price I can afford before the January or maybe even the Fall Sprints. It was really fun to look at the contest log and see a new band represented. 

The contest also yielded two new grids on six meters, and several new stations worked. Even if my final score turns out to only be 350, I've still had a ball as usual. VHF Contesting is great fun...but heed my advice and get all your "honey do's" done way in advance. See you in September 09! 

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114