[VHFcontesting] 222 & Up Contest from FN55

[N1BUG]

One thing I have finally learned since my return to VHF/UHF contesting 
five years ago: There is no point in beating myself up to be there for a 
whole 24 or 33 hour contest. 20 to 30 years ago I could make 80 to 90 
QSOs on 2 meters in the June or September VHF contest. Now, even using 
digital modes, the number is about one third of that, despite having a 
much more capable station now than I did back then. It's even less for 
the 222 & Up. I'm not sure if it is lower activity overall, declining 
number of big stations, or fewer people looking this way. I suspect it 
is mainly a combination of the last two. All I know is that this is how 
it is, and there is no point in being there for 24 or 33 hours for one 
QSO per hour. That just makes it work instead of fun.

As always, I heard a lot of stations working K1WHS and even K1DY one 
grid south of me that I never had a chance to work. They seem to 
magically appear and I can hear them. But I never hear them calling CQ 
and no matter how much I CQ they don't show up. This is very 
frustrating, but it's another of those things that just is what it is. I 
know I could work most of them if I were to break in, but I'm not going 
to do that in a contest.

My strategy from now on is to try to keep aware of conditions and 
activity, picking a few one or two hour windows to be in the operating 
chair. I probably miss a few that way, but at least it keeps the fun in 
contests that otherwise would lead to burnout at one QSO per hour.

Highlights this time were working AA9MY at 1090 miles on 222 meteor 
scatter, K1TEO at 345 miles on 432 SSB with my 25 watts, and N3NGE at 
497 miles on 222 CW.

Thanks to all who were on and made the effort, and a special thanks to 
the remaining big stations for making magic and exciting moments possible.

I am quite happy with the performance of my 222 setup for what it is. I 
run about 900 watts from one of the Harris channel 11 amplifiers (mine 
won't do more than that as many of them will) to a K1FO-22 currently at 
117 feet, and a tower mounted preamp.

On 432 I have a K1FO-40 at 113 feet and tower mounted preamp, but only 
25 watts since the old klunker of a Motorola repeater amp bit the dust 
in the June VHF. I did work several stations in the 300 to 350 mile 
range on SSB and CW so the antenna must be working OK!

ASAP after the Perseids, I am taking down the 144/222/432 antennas for 
minor modifications to boom to mast clamps and boom trusses, then 
restacking the mast for (bottom to top) 50, 432, 222, 144. My hope is to 
have this done before September VHF but much depends on weather and how 
I am doing day to day.

73,
Paul N1BUG