[VHFcontesting] Did anyone else have fun in the January VHF/UHF contest?

Thu Jan 23 09:44:20 EST 2020

LOL.... Punishing the body and   and 15MPH wind. Again on Saturday morning
when I forget to seal up a connection.

Overall, had a blast. Best score ever for us (multi unlimited). 27hrs in the
shack.

I've seen comments about cw/ssb/DIG, operating times etc. The bottom line is
you prep the best you can, keep your butt in the chair and have fun.

I like Multi op because of the banter in the shack and introducing new hams
to this portion of the spectrum. Found a newbie that loves digital. Awesome!
His girlfriend is also getting her license and wants to use her call
sign....Even better. Better start building a station...lol

Did anyone have any luck moving stations to upper bands using digital? I
tried but unsuccessfully.

I'm thinking of splitting out 222 and setting it up for all mode so we can
monitor/CQ at 222.080.

How many run digital on 222?

After every contest we see the deficiencies and plan for the next one. I'm
in that mode now.

New mast mount PA for 6M, get 903 actually running vs paperweight, update
coax on 432 for lower loss and others. All balanced by budgets.

It's a hobby; food comes first. But swap and sell and plumbing some things
in the shack will get us on.

Fyi..... for full disclosure for the stations that worked me: ASL 345
surrounded by hills. My best takeoff is in the middle of the Atlantic. Still
looking for ships at sea.

I make the best lemonade I can with the lemons I got; then add vodka.

Thanks all that found us. Testing on the upper bands is always welcomed.

Until the sprints....73

6M 2X7el 1KW
2m 1200w 2x 18xxx mast mount pa
222 100w 15 el
432 30el 550w
903 (maybe 10ws????) 33 el
1296 50w pa in shack, 55el
In storage: 2.3g 3.5g, 5g & 10 g. Useless without a hill.

Paul Rollinson, KE1LI
FN41AU
860-928-5147
860-208-8814 Cell/Text
Paulrollinson at sbcglobal.net

Representing Component Part 
Manufacturers for over 35 years

-----Original Message-----
From: VHFcontesting
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+paulrollinson=sbcglobal.net at contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Ron Klimas WZ1V
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2020 9:10 AM
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Did anyone else have fun in the January VHF/UHF
contest?

Hi Chet: Spot on -
anyone's who's still VHF contesting as long as we have are gluttons for
punishment - bring on the pain we love it ! 
Lot's of good contacts made despite challenging condx. 
-73 Ron WZ1V

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chet S" <chetsubaccount at snet.net>
To: <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2020 08:59:41 -0500
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Did anyone else have fun in the January VHF/UHF
contest?

> Hi John,
> 
> I believe you are misinterpreting the reports from the contest. These may
be bragging reports, not disgusted tirades. The January contest presents
challenges and problems for many, but hams like to persevere, engineers like
to solve problems, and all like to talk about it afterward.
> 
> Think of it like sailors or fishermen having a few beers in the cozy pub
after a big storm. Do they talk about how beautiful the storm clouds and sky
were, or do they tell tales of how tough a time it was getting through it.
Still had a kind of fun, maybe a man thing. 
> 
> 73,
> Chet, N8RA
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: VHFcontesting 
> <vhfcontesting-bounces+chetsubaccount=snet.net at contesting.com> On 
> Behalf Of John Young via VHFcontesting
> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2020 10:58 PM
> To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Did anyone else have fun in the January VHF/UHF
contest?
> 
> So I have been reading the 3830 and ARRL Soapbox posts.  The vast majority
of posts include a lot of commentary on poor turnout, poor conditions, dead
bands and weather difficulties.  Some even question if its worth taking part
in these contests. My experience and those of several others who worked FM
in Northern VA or MD was very much the opposite. There was great activity
from 2pm until 10pm Saturday and it wasn't what I would call slow (no 30
minute breaks between Q's) all the way up to 1 am.  Even when I got back on
the air at 0330 Sunday there was activity to be had.  I didn't work through
to the bitter end (or should I say bitterly cold end) but from the private
emails it appears it never got boring.  Its not like we had great weather
here by any stretch.
> What made it so much fun?
> Turn out and constant activity.  Working hard to get a weak contact.Rag
chewing with truckers all night to add points as they cross grids.Making
scheds with FM and multi-band rovers along with big fixed stations at "long
range".Passing contacts between stations to build each others scores.Making
a Q with people who never imagined a 100 mile Q was possible on FM
simplexHaving a paraplegic 15yr old build a tape measure yagi so he can make
a QSO with you (2017).People dusting off rigs they have not used in years or
going mobile to a nearby hill top to give you another contact or multi.
> A big part of what generated the activity was a coupe guys sending out a
lot of emails to get people up on the air in our area.  That has over time
generated a lot of turn out, both casual operators, new fixed site
contesters as well as regional FM or FM/SSB rovers.  
> 
> Was having fun this January just an FM thing?  All our contacts are
regional, propagation is not a big factor.  There are no digital modes,
clickety Q, clickety Q.Its just you, a microphone, a radio, a cable and an
antenna.  Pretty basic stuff.
> 
> Did anyone else have a good time?Post something if you did.  All that
reading is pretty depressing right now.
> 73JohnKM4KMU
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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