[VHFcontesting] Sept VHF Contest

[George Sintchak]

2013 ARRL Sept. QSO Party
 WA2VNV  FN30kv  NLI Section
SINGLE-OP Low Pwr 
Op Time  ~18 Hrs

    Band  QSOs Grids
    -----------------------
    50      62  15
    144    78  22 
    222    39  16 
    432    46  17 
    903    12    9 
    1296   20   9
    -----------------------
    TOTALS  257  88
  Claimed score =  35728 

Even with no 6M E-skip, flat conditions and low activity at times due to family, religious, sports, and other activities, etc., I did better this Sept than in the June (also no 6M E-skip here) contest by about 10K points with only 15 more total Q's and working 14 more total grids on 222 & the higher up bands thru 1296. I think maybe the lower activity made for more stations digging for the weaker low pwr stations like mine. Just a guess. I'm running all the same equipment for both contests and approx same total operating times.  I run low NF mast preamps on all bands except 6M and have 150 ft 1/2" & 7/8" coax runs to my 65 ft tower. So, I'm a rabbit station! Now I only wish I could eliminate some of the tall trees (not on my property) blocking some directions and the broadband RF noise to my N & NE from a big hospital complex ~1 mile away. Thanks go out to all the rovers who spend their time and money helping to activate those high hill and mountain sites. 

Now for some editorial comments about "Contest Confusion"...... I have to agree with Buddy, WB4OMG, when he says "I made no phone calls, sent or received no e mails and did not visit any chat rooms. But, I would be in favor of (almost) anything that would increase activity." Same goes for me too. 
I think anything you can do to improve the probability of a making a contact will help get more activity and interest - knowing that you still have to make the valid contact call sign & grid exchange to put it in the log. Maybe internet spotting activity (gasp!) will improve the probability for ALL contesters, single & multi OP's - but time in the chair, and on the air - is also necessary. Like they say about the lottery, "You gotta be in it to win it!".  Well,  you gotta make "noise" and your presence known to be make a contact. When activity gets slow and/or real quiet, I use the auto repeat "CQ contest" audio wave file I recorded to use with the W3KM excellent VHF logger free software I've been using for many years now. Saves your vocal chords too! No more sore throat after the contest.  Also does CW auto CQ'ing. You do have to interface it to your PC with some type of a "Rig Blaster" to control the radio. Thanks go to Dave, W3KM, for his continued devotion and update support of this (and his other) programs. There are a lot of extra "features" within the program you can use if you look. 

Maybe by the next contest, I'll get something running like Phil, K3TUF, describes to find the really weak signals. Also, WSJT for EME or MS would be good too. YMMV.

73's, George, WA2VNV
HF+50-1296, SOLP, FN30kv