[VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity Night

Fri Jun 4 08:37:54 EDT 2021

I forgot to include N3RG in my log. I worked Ray just before contacting 
K1RZ in FM19. I actually had two stations calling at the same time. Ray 
called at the same time as K1RZ was calling. This constitutes a BIG 
pileup on VHF as we all know. (heh heh)  In all the excitement, I 
neglected to log Ray!

For the first time in my life, I have been playing on the HF bands in 
the past few years, mostly on 160 & 10. My hardest time was grappling 
with the huge pileups. My CW skills were all skewed towards pulling a 
single signal out of the noise. S/N ratios were typically -6 or -8 dB. 
Then, on HF, I ran into 30 or 40 stations all S7 or better on CW calling 
at once.  When I heard two stations calling me at the same time on 222, 
I smiled.

I have been getting some nice comments on starting up the 222 activity 
nights, but I must point out that the success of the effort is due to 
everyone who get on and tries to make contacts on any Tuesday evening. 
All of you who block off some time on Tuesdays and turn on your 
transmitter and tune to 222 MHz are the real movers and shakers who are 
trying to make a difference. This is a group effort!

On a similar note, I looked at the Hepburn maps for the coming week, and 
I see that some good conditions are finally heading north and moving 
over the NE and Midwest. In past weeks, New England has been devoid of 
anything. Now I am starting to see some colors there. WooHoo!

Dave K1WHS

On 6/3/2021 12:59 PM, David Olean wrote:
> I got on for 222 MHz activity night on Tuesday, and had a blast. A few 
> new faces showed up, which is very good. WA1LWC had a great signal 
> with 5 watts and a HB quagi from Upton, MA, near Worcester.  AF1T was 
> on as well from FN43 and made a few contacts . My total QSO tally for 
> the night was 14 stations. I never did complete with K3WHC. We had a 
> nice start to a QSO, but then Steve disappeared. A very high noise 
> level was the culprit. Later on, I called him again but he could not 
> hear me due to the same noise level. He was a good 559 here in Maine.
>
> I read WZ1V's report, and was amazed at the stations he worked that I 
> did not hear.  I was pretty busy all night and I guess that means that 
> everyone else in the NE was busy too and we never got to the bottom of 
> the barrel!  It is just a matter of lining up the beams at each end at 
> the right time and making noise!
>
> Terry, W1TR listened at 7:30 PM and heard no one on 222.100. I can't 
> believe that he didn't hear anything. I was right on 222.100 at that 
> time making noise.   I moved off .100 when the activity started 
> picking up, but I was there at 7:30 PM.  Before 7:30, the only people 
> I heard on 222  were KA2LIM and W9KXI, both in FN12. Others started 
> showing up after 7:30 PM.   Here are my log entries for the evening:
>
>
> 23:15  KA2LIM  FN12    309 Miles
> 23:24    W9KXI  FN12  311 miles
> 23:37    KA1SU  FN42    36 miles
> 23:40    K3WHC    FN10  378 miles    not complete
> 23:49    WA1LWC    FN42   92 miles  5 watts
> 23:51    AF1T    FN43    46 miles
> 00:04    WZ1V    FN31    166 miles
> 00:05    WA1T    FN43    2.5 miles  (My closest distance record!)
> 00:34    KO4YC    FM17    513 miles
> 00:36    K1PXE    FN31    188 miles
> 00:45    K3WHC    FN10    378 miles   not complete
> 00:49    WB2RVX    FM29    322 miles
> 0100    NZ3M    FN10    372 miles
> 01:06    W1GHZ    FN34    95 miles
   01:13     N3RG    FM29    354 miles
> 01:15 K1RZ        FM19    431 miles
> 01:32    VE3DS    FN03    430 miles
>
> K3WHC was having noise problems which prevented a complete QSO. He was 
> 559 here for both attempts.  A few regulars did not show up last 
> night. Often, it is possible to work VE3ZV in EN93 at 467 miles, and 
> VA3ELE in FN03 at 437 miles. For some reason, I missed VE2XX near 
> Montreal. He was on, but I missed him.
>
> CU all next week on 222 MHz. With the month of June we are getting 
> into better meteor scatter times. Maybe we can pull off an MS QSO on 
> activity night?
>
> 73
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
> On 6/2/2021 9:26 AM, w1tr at yccc.org wrote:
>
> I took a brief listen on 222.100 MHz about 7:30 pm after the HF MARS 
> net...
> I heard the 222 beacon but no activity...
> SO... I moved on to other activities around here.
> SORRY. But I DID take a look!
>
> On 6/1/2021 2:13 PM, David Olean wrote:
>> Hi VHFers
>>
>> It is Tuesday and the night for 222 MHz activity. The Hepburn map 
>> shows stinko conditions just about everywhere, so all the more reason 
>> to get on the band and see what you can do.  I usually start after 
>> dinner at about 7 to 7:30 local time and make noise on 222.100 plus 
>> or minus.  Things usually slow down at 0130 or 0200 UT, but I try to 
>> stay active until after 0200UT or 10 PM local time. If we ever get 
>> some tropo or an aurora on a Tuesday, I am sure I could stay busy 
>> much later. A rip snortin' aurora is reason enough to stay up all night!
>>
>> If you have not been on for the activity night yet, it is a good idea 
>> to check the ON4KST chat page (144-432 Region 2)  Lots of folks set 
>> up skeds using ON4KST.  Then there is Ping Jockey and HB9Q as well 
>> for meteors and EME as well.  The real reason to get on is to have 
>> some guaranteed activity on one day a week so that people can get on 
>> the band and hear something rather than just band noise. Local 
>> activity is just as good as long haul CW skeds or digital MS 
>> contacts. The idea is to get on and occupy the band.
>>
>> I am looking forward to having my HV supply turn on gently all by 
>> itself. I finally got it running just as I want it.  Now the next 
>> task is to make an aluminum cover to keep falling things and curious 
>> fingers out of the HV supply.
>>
>> CU tonight, I hope.
>>
>> Dave K1WHS
>>
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