[VHFcontesting] Brief 50.313 Mhz & Up Sitrep From DM04

[peter h]

On Thursday evening, just as the Summer Sporadic E Season is petering out, SoCal was treated to a nice 2 hour opening to JA-land, with occasional decodes from KL7HBK on the Kenai Peninsula, & a few W7s. I worked a couple of JAs & practiced calling Alaska.
The ARRL's 222 MHz & Up Contest will be held this weekend and the weather is projected to be 98F on Saturday, with a huge temperature drop to 90F on Sunday. Northeasterly Santa Ana winds are forecast for mid day. A number of Ventura County operators (DM04) probably will get on the air to make some 70cm contacts, now that they have tried out VHF operating during Field Day 2020 and the CQ VHF Contest. Through the rumor machine, I've heard that most SW Division contesters are not going to get on the air for this contest, but are planning to operate in the mid August 10 GHz & up event instead. I do not hold out high hopes from much in the way of DX, but hope that I am able to work a bunch of local stations from several minor hilltops near Thousand Oaks.I plan to operate on 135cm, 70cm, 33cm, & 23cm (222.1USB/223.5FM; 432.1USB/446.0FM; 927.5FM; & 1296.1USB/1294.5FM). I tentatively plan to do some operating just after 11 AM on Saturday; some before dusk on Saturday; and most of Sunday morning until 11 AM. (Contest runs 11AM Sat - 11AM Sun). Good Luck to all.
bt73Pete, N6ZE in DM04ne today