[VHFcontesting] 222 Fall Sprint result

[Patrick Thomas]

>Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:10:24 -0400
>From: Rhinosix <rhinosix at aol.com>

>[...] More clubs will have to get their member out and about
>To get more activity on the simplex channels.[...]
>Jerry, W2JCN  

Right, key to "VHF contesting" is having participants!  I even announced the FM-only category in the then-upcoming Sept VHF contest ON A TWO METER NET, and still bupkis.

Maybe we need annual simplex week when people turn off repeaters nationwide!  After all, what good is an emergency communication network that relies on a repeater with a commercial antenna on top of a local building, maybe not even with battery power?!

Hopefully it's not too remedial to remind everyone of the ARRL "activity nights" - look at it as an un-graded sprint nearly every day of the week! :)

6m - Sunday @ 6pm
2m - Monday @ 7pm
222 - Tuesday @ 8pm  ("Two-twenty-two's day" - doesn't get easier to remember!)
70cm - Weds @ 9pm
23cm - Thurs @ 10pm
33cm - Friday @ 9pm (guess they came up with the schedule before 1985!)
(I guess that leaves 5pm Saturday for 13cm and up?)

And "activity night" doesn't necessarily mean "SSB roundtable" - there's always CW, JT65, FM simplex, or - dare I say it - AX.25 packet!  So yeah, absolutely agree that clubs should help spread the word on this.  I'm trying to help motivate the local club here!

Use it or lose it, etc.!

Patrick
KB8DGC