[VHFcontesting] A "newbie" view

[Joseph Bucci]

I'm new to amateur radio (licensed in 2011, shortly after retirement)  
and just participated in my first VHF contest. I have a 5 watt U/V  
portable and decided to be a rover and visit several grids in my  
immediate area of Northeast PA grid FN21ew. My time on the air was  
short due to family obligations but nevertheless I visited a couple of  
hilltops with my portable and homebrew 2 meter Yagi antenna. I thought  
my best chance of contacting anyone would be to point my antenna north  
and slightly west towards Binghamton and Broome County New York. I  
heard one call but couldn't make contact. After several hours I moved  
to another grid, still in PA but closer to New York. Was very excited  
to hear W2LV call with full quieting. I tried and tried to get back to  
him but no answer. Had I more experience I would not have assumed the  
call was from New York, but rotated my antenna in all directions until  
I made a contact. When I returned home and looked up the call sign on  
QRZ.com I found that the call was from a club in Northern New Jersey.  
My total score for the weekend was "0", but I'll be ready for the next  
contest. I'm not discouraged only determined to make some contacts,  
without any assistance or announcements.

Joe  KB3WMM