[VHFcontesting] WA4ZKO - 144 Mhz Spring Sprint wrap up/soapbox

[Jeff Thomas]

Dan,

You know it's bad when you can win your own "state" by just making ONE  contact, grin! The sprints have never been super hot beds of activity, but wow activity has clearly been in decline around here for the last couple years.

Looking through this, so far I think I'm the only KY station (4-lander calls at least):
http://groups.google.com/group/springsprints/web/144-mhz-logs-received

Here's who I worked:
W9JDT             EM79 
KA1ZE/3           FN01 
WZ8D              EM89 
K9ZF              EM78 
K9EA              EN71 
W9GA              EN53 
KB8DDZ            EM79 
K4QI              FM06 
KF8PO             EM79 
W8ZN              FM19 
K9LQZ             EM68 
W8ULC             EM79

K9LQZ struck me as a new one. KF8PO said he was new to the scene, good deal there. So I guess there's hope to the north. Seems to be more activity from the west up to NW. Chicago and Southern Wisconsin area seems to be a lot more active than it used to be...which is great! Ohio used to be a ton of activity, but was pretty thin Monday night. Didn't even work old faithful K8TQK.

I don't know what's happened to K4TO, he used to be super active. N4QWZ and N4GN are some of the other "MIA" ones that I was talking about. N4GN used to be on a lot from down in l-ville. Used to be a good half dozen or more Southern KY and TN guys on. N8UM, KG4BMH, K1LH, just off the top of my head. I know there's a 6-meter net on 50.175 (Tuesday nights?) down on the south side of Louisville, haven't checked it lately to see if there's still much activity there. N4JOH (think that's the call) is another semi-local that I haven't heard for ages. Haven't hear a soul up on Roan Mtn (NC) in ages. Used to hear 2-3 rovers down in the NC/east TN area.

I bet some of those guys have tower/antenna damage. The Sept 2008 wind storm and the big ice storm back in February probably did a number on many stations down there. I gather the ice was really bad down in Western Kentucky and parts of TN. My beams were drooping pretty bad from the ice storm, but held up fine. I know Rod WG9F took some bad ice damage, his main mast was bent over 90 degrees. We didn't get the ice storm nearly as bad as the folks on further south. May explain some of it, but I think I noticed the decline last year.

When is the 2m net and freq? I'll have to try and check in, didn't know you were doing it. I'll put it on our local mailing list too. 

I've got a local that just moved and may get active again (AB4WS) once he gets a tower up. Loaned a 6m rig to a new ham local (KI4WEF) and trying to get him to jump in on the 6m contests/openings. I'm kinda trying to get the "locals" together informally on our little mailing list and motivate activity/interest as I can versus only fussing about it. Thus I can appreciate your efforts on the net. Little effort here, little there, talking things up, and thanking the rovers are good starts. I think the KYHAM list is back up and running, I might sign up and make sure to mention upcoming contests from time to time. 

Was the first of the spring/summer contests, maybe things will pick up as everyone gets back in the contest grove around here. Time will tell!


73
Jeff
WA4ZKO

Support Ham Radio in Kentucky, get involved, get on the air!
http://twitter.com/wa4zko  (ham activity notes & etc)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kyaprs/   KY APRS - (KY only)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kypacket/   KY Packet Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hspacket/  High Speed Packet Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/425echo/   444.425+ EchoLink Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nkdxe/   NKDXE KY area VHF/UHF DX'ers.


--- On Fri, 4/10/09, Dan Evans <x> wrote:

> From: Dan Evans <>
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] WA4ZKO - 144 Mhz Spring Sprint wrap up/soapbox
> To: 
> Cc: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Date: Friday, April 10, 2009, 7:41 PM
> Hi Jeff,
> 
> Well, my friend, you doubled my score!  Which is fitting
> since you likely have at least twice the station as I have,
> hi hi.
> 
> Yes, activity is pretty low in our area.  Whatever happened
> to N4GN around Louisville?  Haven't heard him in a few
> years. 
> Also didn't hear K4TO, or N4QWZ.  Usually work both of
> them in every contest.
> 
> Anyway, this was the motivation for kicking off the  IN/KY
> 2m SSB net, which is going very well.  Hopefully this well
> get some new folks motivated to stay with weak signal
> operating.
> 
> 73
> Dan
> -- Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Clark County Indiana.
> EM78el
> K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269 Check out the Rover
> Resource Page at:
> <http://www.qsl.net/n9rla> List Administrator for:
> InHam+grid-loc+ham-books
> Ask me how to join the Indiana Ham Mailing list! 
>