[VHFcontesting] 222 & Up Contest from FN55

[N1BUG]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the very interesting comments. I have been thinking it was 
probably just me who was experiencing the phenomenon of hearing stations 
work others that I never hear again. It is very enlightening to hear 
that you, a much bigger station further south, experience the same 
thing. One factor for me may be reduced activity up this way compared to 
the past, making it less appealing for people to spend much time looking 
this way. We have lost a lot of VHFers up in my neck of the woods and 
further north/east for various reasons. I'm doing my best to see that 
FN55 doesn't go quiet as some other grids have!

I had similar results listening to you running meteors with W0VTT. We 
seemed to hear him at different times. I think that is pretty common 
with meteors and is one reason so many stations can effectively share a 
frequency without many collisions.

That phenomenon you have with MSK144 transmissions starting late is very 
curious. When I first noticed it, I suspected my clock but I checked and 
it was exactly correct. Then I noticed your transmissions were ending 
exactly on time. Hopefully you will be able to figure out what's causing it!

73,
Paul N1BUG



On 8/8/21 4:26 PM, David Olean wrote:
> Hi Paul
> 
> Well I think you did a smashing job from FN55.  I have noted the same 
> situation here as I tune around and hear stations working K1TEO. They 
> are audible and workable, but they disappear after working Jeff,  and I 
> never hear them ever call me.  It is exactly the same situation as you 
> describe. Why that happens is beyond me, but I think it has to do with 
> how serious some stations are at working new stations. Then there is the 
> so called "Pack Rat Effect" where those stations can work themselves, 
> but, due to water ingress and other common failings with antenna 
> systems, they do not hear the weak ones.  Keeping several bands at 100% 
> is not easy.  I used to spend the entire Summer tweaking the antenna 
> farm to be ready for the September Contest. The effort would always 
> point up all sorts of small problems that tended to affect the receive 
> side more than the TX end of things.
> 
> As for meteors, I listened in on your AA9MY contact. It was interesting 
> that we heard different meteor bursts from the same station.
> 
> My best 222DX included AA9MY at 1567 km, KA9CFD at 1667 km, W2RMA/r at 
> 801 km, KO4YC at 821 km, and VE3ZV at 752 km.  WA1T was at 9 km from the 
> grid square centers, but is really about 4 or 5 km from me as the crow 
> flies! He was the closest station!  As you know, I was only on 222.
> 
> Lots of people break in on me to nab a new station, when I am working 
> someone. It happens fairly often. Feel free to yell out and I will let 
> you try before they get away!  I should hear you off the back of my beam.
> 
> One thing that is bugging me now is your comment about how my digital 
> transmission is sort of short compared to others.  Now I am curious. My 
> transmissions start a bit late for some unknown reason. I do have a DEMI 
> sequencer that slows it down some more. I can see that, but the WSJT-x 
> audio starts late and the exciter gets keyed late by the software. I set 
> the TX delay in WSJt-x at 0.1 second. I don't know what else to do. The 
> PC timing is synched to NIST. My clock is accurate. (?) I am obviously 
> overlooking an important "feature".
> 
> 73
> 
> Dave K1WHS