[VHFcontesting] K5QE and 222MHz....

[Marshall-K5QE]

Hello to everyone active on 222. This year, the ARRL January VHF Contest 
will be held the weekend of January 21st and 22nd.  We want to work as 
many stations on 222 as possible to increase our grid count.....we are 
not picky, we will be glad to work you on 222 EME or meteor scatter.  
222 meteor scatter is a LOT easier than most folks think.  SO, please 
help us with this event by working us on 222.  Thank you very much.

The 222 EME station antenna is 8 x 222XP40s from M2.  We have the new 
Communication Amplifiers 222 amp on line for this contest.  The TX power 
will be a full 1500W with a tower mounted preamp.   We will be running 
on 222.085MHz.  If you are 222 EME capable,
please try to work us during the contest.  Two nights ago, I worked a 
VE2 in QC that was running 2 x 16 and 300W, so I can work many of the 
smaller stations.

For 222 meteor scatter, we run 2 x 23el at 135ft, so we are well 
equipped for 222.  We will be using MSK144 for meteor scatter as it has 
now replaced the older FSK441.  IF you cannot run MSK144, just contact 
us on PingJockey and request an FSK441 run.  We will run meteor scatter 
from 7PM CST until our moonrise at 2:50AM(=0850Z).  At that time we will 
begin EME operations. However, we can revert to meteors if you need to 
work us after our moonrise....just contact us on the EME-1 page and we 
can move to the PingJockey page.

Our only moon pass during the contest is on Sunday...our moonrise time 
is 0850Z.  That is just a bit before 3AM our local time.  AAAaaaaRGH!!  
Stations to the west of us with good tropo stations can work us AFTER 
that on your rising moon.

Our moonset is 1930Z, so if there are any tropo stations east of us with 
good yagis and high power, we would like to work you BEFORE THAT on your 
setting moon.  For the last few hours of our moon time, we will be 
looking specifically for US stations, so if you have a big 222 tropo 
station, look for us then.  We will be looking for EME contacts the 
entire moon pass.

We will be watching the N0UK EME-1 reflector whenever the moon is up for 
us.  The reflector is a wonderful resource, so feel free to use it 
liberally.  The new ARRL rules allow us to make schedules on the EME-1 
page, so don't be shy about chatting with us there.  If we are doing 
meteor scatter, we will be on the PingJockey page.  NOTE:  NO contact 
information can be exchanged on the reflector.

We will take the Second sequence and we will call CQ whenever we can.  
If you can, please try to work us on 222.085MHz.  IF you are in meteor 
range, we can run some 222 meteor scatter using MSK144.  Just visit with 
us on the PingJockey page or the EME-1 page.

We will also be operating 2M EME on 144.142MHz, taking second sequence, 
with 8 x 18el and QRO.  We will be operating 432 EME on 432.080MHz 
second sequence with 16 x 28el and QRO.  If you have 432 and 2M, please 
try to work us on all three bands.  We do thank you for the extra 
contest points.

Good luck to everyone in the contest and we hope to see you there.  
Thanks and GL...

73 Marshall, K5QE - EM31cj
www.k5qe.com
East Texas, USA

P.S.  I still need several states for 222 WAS.  I really would like to 
get some scheds with these states:
AK, CT, DE, HI, KY, ME, MT, NV, OR, RI, SD, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, and WY.  
Many of those are within easy meteor scatter range. Please contact me 
direct if you can help out here.  Thanks a lot.