[VHFcontesting] 222 Activity Night

[David Olean]

Hello VHFers,

Get ready for the fantastic operating event called 222 Activity Night. 
Circle your calendar for the evening of July 13th.

Way back in the dark ages,  VHF activity nights were the norm. In 1970, 
after dinner, the ham of the house looked around and weighed his 
options. He could replace the spark plug wires on his Studebaker Lark, 
or turn on the TV set, wait for the tubes to warm up,  and jiggle the 
vertical hold adjustment until "Mork and Mindy" came in just fine.  
Faced with these choices, most of us retired to the ham shack and got on 
the VHF bands.  Monday was for 144, Tuesday was 220 etc.

All it takes is a bit of behavior modification today to accomplish the 
same results. Instead of hanging out on Twitter or one of the Internet 
linked DMR repeaters, you could be firing up your 222 MHz rig and 
looking for contacts with real "hooman beans". Instead of channel 
surfing thru Hulu, Netflix, or Sling TV, you could be evaluating the new 
400 ft RG-8X feedline you just installed! Working a station on 222 can 
give you a good idea of how well that 400 ft run of RG-8X is working!  
Tuesday night is when this is all possible. There will be stations on 
222 for you to contact!

An added bonus could be working KA6U/4  who is located at the tip of the 
Delmarva Peninsula and has a big amplifier and 2 X 16 el 222 yagis for 
EME. I have asked Peter to try to get on and provide a rare grid to the 
people within tropo scatter range. I know that I will be looking for him 
on Tuesday evening starting at 2300 UT or 7 PM EDST.  FM26 should be 
workable for the southern New England folks. It might be possible for us 
in northern New England as well if KA6U has a good takeoff shot.

So clear your schedule. Store those Studebaker spark plug wires, and get 
on 222 for some fun!

73

Dave K1WHS