[VHFcontesting] FM antennas

[Mark Spencer]

Yes... I agree.  At times I've found I can generate a certain amount of activity by publicizing my efforts via the local radio clubs.   Most of this activity tends to be on FM.   I usually only do this if I am planning on operating in my home grid (CN89.)  Casual FM operators in CN89 (Metro Vancouver) are a stretch to work from my usual roving sites in the adjacent grids.

73

Mark S
VE7AFZ


mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Nov 29, 2017, at 7:03 PM, N6Ze <n6ze at aol.com> wrote:
> 
> One thing i do when i rove in SoCal is to post ahead of time  on various chat sites: radio club sites, wswss, vhf-contesting, arrl sb section site, etc to alert occasional users of 50mhz & up and typical motivated vhf operators that i’ll be out roving.  
> (I local ham radio club member always telephones me on sunday afternoon to make skds!) 
> 
> N6ZE
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Nov 29, 2017, at 13:31, Sean Waite <waisean at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Mark,
>> 
>> That's basically how we operate (or are planning to, depending). FM mobiles
>> on 2/1.25/70 with whips. We haven't been too good about leaving them on
>> listening for contacts, but are going to try more in the future. Every once
>> in a while we'll toss out a call seeing if anyone is listening. It's
>> productive enough to warrant it. I guess I'm just trying to figure out if
>> while stopped it'd be more productive to have more gain/directivity on FM.
>> We actually got a whole pile of FM contacts in September, but we had
>> stopped by Boxboro for the ARRL convention and cleaned up a bunch there.
>> 
>> There's a few things with FM contacts. They are out there, and might even
>> be that mult you're looking for, or at least a 70cm contact worth a couple
>> points. However, most will be using mobile whips or HTs so their range is
>> limited, and they are sparsely spread out. More gain will help you reach
>> out and grab them, but it may also mean when they pop up they'll be off the
>> side of the beam and you'll miss them, where a vertical would hear them (if
>> they were close enough). I'm a little confused as to whether FM beams will
>> be a benefit or a loss...
>> 
>> Sean WA1TE
>> 
>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 2:57 PM Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> My $.02 worth...
>>> 
>>> I focus most of my contesting on modes other than FM.   That being said I
>>> try to have a reasonable FM setup for 2M and 1.25M running all the time.
>>> I usually just run mag mount whips on top of the cab of my pickup truck
>>> while roving.
>>> 
>>> 6M, 70 cm, 33 cm and 23cm FM is possible for me but only by prior
>>> arrangement.   I don't recall ever making a 6M contest qso.
>>> 
>>> I believe I have made enough random FM qso's on 2M and 1.25M to make the
>>> effort worthwhile.
>>> 
>>> Last contest I made a conscious effort to cut down on clutter in the
>>> truck and left the 1.25M whip at home, I ended up picking it up at the tail
>>> end of the contest to gain a final multiplier and had to enter as an
>>> unlimited rover as a result.   I won't make that mistake again.
>>> 
>>> 73
>>> 
>>> Mark S
>>> VE7AFZ
>>> 
>>> mark at alignedsolutions.com
>>> 604 762 4099 <(604)%20762-4099>
>>> 
>>>> On Nov 29, 2017, at 10:49 AM, Sean Waite <waisean at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Since we're always thinking of the next station improvement, I've been
>>>> thinking about the best way to implement FM in the rover.
>>>> 
>>>> We've found that it's worth carrying the gear. We don't get many
>>> contacts,
>>>> but they are out there and having the ability to make them on demand does
>>>> get us points. Right now, I have a 2/70 vertical that is used for FM,
>>> just
>>>> a mobile whip. In January for our run 'n gun I'll probably move to a
>>>> triband whip.
>>>> 
>>>> For the stop and shoots, though, we'll be better set up to run beams. We
>>>> have a couple of the small Arrow yagis available that wouldn't be too
>>>> difficult to strap onto a mast and have a v-pol beam available for the FM
>>>> radios. Small LPDAs like the Elk satellite antenna are also another
>>> option.
>>>> 
>>>> This would give us positive gain on FM...but i'm not sure it's worth it.
>>> FM
>>>> contacts are mostly opportunistic, either a periodic call on 146.52 or
>>> just
>>>> hearing someone and grabbing the mic real quick. The directivity a yagi
>>>> would give us might blind us to some of the nearby stations calling
>>> (though
>>>> the arrows aren't particularly narrow) if they are off the side of the
>>>> beam. The other drawback is that it'll take a little longer to set up if
>>>> we've got another beam or three to attach to the mast and cable up.
>>>> 
>>>> What do other people do? Maybe better to have some always-connected, more
>>>> efficient verticals on the roof the car and sacrifice a bit of gain?
>>>> 
>>>> Looking forward to your thoughts.
>>>> 
>>>> 73,
>>>> Sean WA1TE
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