[VHFcontesting] 222 Sprint, FN55 status, plans

[N1BUG]

> FN42 I heard you calling on CW and responded a couple times, but I guess
> you couldn't hear me.

Sorry, I didn't. Conditions were wildly up and down, or I may not
have had the antenna quite on you. This 22 element yagi is pretty sharp.

> Are you planning on operating in the June and September contests?

Yes! Definitely!

> having a big station on three bands would be pretty huge for us
> rovers.  That's three mults and contacts from probably three or four
> local grids.

Working rovers would be huge for me too. The big issue remains how
to connect with not only rovers, but everyone. Calling CQ on 2
meters for hours rarely results in a QSO, yet I can work stations
450-500 miles out doing search and pounce. Announcing a CQ frequency
in advance really doesn't seem to help. Eventually I will figure out
something that works... I hope!

> Adding 6m would be even better.

I have 1500w and a 7 element yagi at 105 feet but it got orphaned a
year and a half ago due to not enough feedlines to the far tower. I
now have plenty of big low loss cable but need to make a decision
and commit to making something happen. I have three options:

1. Dig up 250 feet of direct buried cables to add another run.

2. Add relays to allow two bands to share one coax run.

3. Move one antenna to the other tower (but this would then use up
the big cable I was reserving for future 1296 unless I can squeeze
another run through the buried conduit to that tower.

Decisions! They'll be the death of me yet! ;-)

I like option 2 the best as it keeps more future expansion
possibilities open. But due to cost if I go that route I may not get
6m back this year. Nothing is cast in stone at this point, I'm still
juggling these options around in my head.

73,
Paul N1BUG FN55mf