[VHFcontesting] ARRL Sept: KM4KMU FM only.

[nosigma at aol.com]

Call: KM4KMU
Class: SO FM LP
Operating Time (hrs): 27


Summary:  
Band	QSOs	Mults
6:	24	7
2:	60	14
222:	21	9
432:	32	9
Total:	137	39	Total Score	7,410
 
Less activity on FM than last year.  Strange conditions, 446 and 223.5 were
outstanding with as good or better propagation and much lower noise than 2m
despite the 2m having equal or better VSWR, power, line losses and impedance
match.  223.5 was by far the best band going.  I just wish more people had it.


With the new 5 element 6m beam the 6m band was no slouch.  Many of the 6m
contacts were with horizontally polarized stations tuned for SSB freqs who ran
5 watts to minimize their reflected power at 52.525 MHz.  Racking my beams
over to 45 degrees really paid off when working those SSB HPol stations who moved
over to FM.  


N3GOV went the extra mile again this year, 3 bands from the QTH
and then two bands from two grid squares after going mobile.  Thanks to AA3TQ
(FM29) and N3NGE(FN20) for a couple of distant (for FM) grids.  AA4ZZ was
impossible to reach on Saturday in EM96 but on Sunday we easily worked the 3
high bands.  Later on Sunday after working a sched with WB3CEH 165 miles away
over several co-altitude ridge lines with his omni on 2m & 50W he shocked
me when he can back twice a strong several hours later using the same dual band
omni with half the power on 70cm.  Like I said the band conditions were very
very weird, especially on Saturday were strong station simply disappeared mid
exchange like someone threw a switch only to reappear equally strong several
seconds or hours later. This was especially prevalent on 2m. 


I got to talk to a number of evacuees and recovery personnel heading out of or
into Florida along I-81.  Both inspirational and sad.  Love FM where you have
time for a little rag chewing before calling CQ again.


It was a great weekend to be in Va on a 4,500' bald knob with a radio.
Both the claimed score and the claimed multi's are in FM record territory, I
hope they hold up.  


73
John
KM4KMU