[VHFcontesting] T Minus 9 and Counting...

[Les Rayburn]

My quest for achieving 2 Meter VUCC using indoor antennas began in 2008 
after reading an inspiring column in QST authored by Gene Zimmerman, 
W3ZZ. It was entitled "Chasing VUCC" and I read it shortly after 
reluctantly moving into a single story home in a deed restricted 
neighborhood.

After being very active on low frequency (Lowfer) weak signal operations 
for years, and also on 160 Meters, I didn't like my ham radio prospects 
with strict covenants against outside aerials. I had resigned myself to 
a few vertical antennas in my large attic for local repeater work, and a 
makeshift longwire antenna stapled inside my privacy fence on 20 Meters.

But after reading Gene's column, I went upstairs into my attic, and 
flipped my four element beam that I used for distant repeaters from 
vertical to horizontal. Went back downstairs, and called CQ on 
144.200---and haven't looked back since. I quickly filled my attic with 
the largest Yagi's possible, low noise pre-amps, and 1/2" hardline. 
Anything to gain another db, lower the noise floor, or work a new grid. 
6 Meter VUCC came quickly, but 2 Meters has been one of the biggest 
challenges of my life in ham radio.

102 of those grids were worked with the indoor beams, while the other 
eight were worked from a high spot near my house during contest roving 
trips. Well over half were worked using WSJT digital modes on meteor 
scatter. Thank you Joe Taylor!

Now thanks to the help of my local VHF elmers, and a lot of expertise 
from these lists, I've managed to work 110 grids on 2 Meters. Of those 
91 have confirmed, leaving me with only nine more to go.

Recently, I sent out a second round of Self Addressed Stamps Envelopes 
(SASE) and cards. Some of those unconfirmed QSO's date as far back as 
2008. I've worked stations in the following grids but have been unable 
to confirm them:

DM98
EL18
EL79
EL87
EL88
EL99
EM00
EM02
EM20
EM22
EM26
EM30
EM49
EM51
EM80
EN63
EN93
FN25

If you live in one of those grids, and are active on digital modes or 
closer in, willing to QSL, I'd love to work you. I'm going to try a 
third round of QSL requests using special postcards I had printed with 
the QSO information filled in. All they require is the operator's 
signature to confirm the contact.

If anyone has any suggestions on what else to try, please let me know. 
I'm so close now, I really have a drive to finish it off. Thanks again 
for all the help along the way.
-- 
--
73,

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

6M VUCC #1712
AMSAT #38965
Grid Bandits #222
Southeastern VHF Society
Central States VHF Society Life Member
Six Club #2484

Active on 6 Meters thru 1296, 10GHz & Light