[VHFcontesting] Grid square beam headings

[Zack Widup]

Wingrid is great if you have the grid squares, preferably the 6-character
grids for both ends of the QSO.  I used it in the 10 GHz contest.

If you have a massive 432 array I can see getting the exact beam heading a
necessity, but my 15 element beam which I use for portable operation seems
to hear the other station if I can get within maybe 10 degrees or so. Then
it's just a matter of peaking on the signal.

In the 2008 ARRL UHF contest I experienced a phenomenal tropo opening (to me
anyway) and worked up to 500 miles all the way through 10 GHz. I had no
trouble on the microweave bands once I had the dish peaked on 2304 (I had
the widest beam width on that band).

73, Zack W9SZ


On 1/8/09, Chet, N8RA <chetsubaccount at snet.net> wrote:
>
>  Thanks Zack. That's something about the windmills.
>
> I am just venturing into 70cm where the antennas are a bit more
> directional, and, because of terrain, signals may be weaker, so which way to
> point in even my own grid seems more important. I've heard others ask the
> other station for their 6 digit square so they then know precisely where to
> point, so I thought there must be a simple aid out there somewhere. The
> Wingrid recommendation looks very good.
>
> 73
> Chet, N8RA
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* Zack Widup [mailto:w9sz.zack at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:28 AM
> *To:* Chet, N8RA
> *Subject:* Re: [VHFcontesting] Grid square beam headings
>
>  Since I'm usually QRP-portable and not logging on a computer, I take a
> map with me and use a compass if necessary to find the beam heading. Also,
> my 902 and 1296 antennas are broad enough that I can get close and peak on
> those bands, then use that beam heading for the higher bands where I use a
> dish.
>
> The site I like to use now has about 200 windmill generators to the west
> and southwest. I've found by doing some tests that these things
> significantly alter the heading (and spread out the signal) on the microwave
> bands but don't have much effect on the VHF and UHF bands. I can still work
> people in those directions but I have to search around for the best signal -
> and it doesn't come from the expected heading.
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 8:22 AM, Chet, N8RA <chetsubaccount at snet.net>wrote:
>
>> What are folks using for getting a beam heading to another station when
>> taking them "through the bands".
>>
>> I'd like to find a dedicated app that can run in its own window in the
>> background, and not integrated in with a particular logging program or
>> WSJT.
>>
>>
>> Any recommendations?
>>
>> Chet, N8RA
>> _______________________________________________
>> VHFcontesting mailing list
>> VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
>>
>
>