[VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 activity night

[David Olean]

Hello 222 ops,

I was watching the ON4KST Chat page during 222 Activity Night, and it 
was very gratifying to hear many stations on from the midwest and south. 
I knew that I would not remember all the calls so I wrote them down last 
night and want to personally thank these folks for getting on and making 
noise. I would check to see.  how far away each station was, and it was 
way too far for me to have even a prayer of being heard, but I sure 
wanted to try!  NV4B / EM63, apparently set up in a portable location 
for the evening. That gives me an idea for mid winter when I can't 
easily operate from the shack way up in the back yard. I can go portable 
in my truck!! I could swing 25 watts and a single yagi.    Other 
stations that were on include N8WNA, AJ6T in EM66, AA9MY, WG8S EM64, 
W5EME in EM32, and K8TQK in EM89.  There was a lot of sked making going 
on.  Bob K8TQK is about 700+ miles from me and closer, so we tried a few 
minutes on CW and heard nothing.  I see that W9KXI worked Bob for a 
great DX contact.  Others who get on very often include K9MRI and N1GC 
from EM95 in NC. Last Saturday morning we had some tropo and N1GC and I 
had a very FB SSB contact on 222 MHz.  That is a 750 miles path.  There 
were stations in GA and AL on 144, but no one on 222 MHz, so some great 
DX contacts were missed. New England stations on 144 were working down 
into Alabama on Saturday morning.

Weather in the NE was generally terrible with snow moving into northern 
areas and a cold rain farther South. Howard, WA3EOQ, was all iced up and 
his antenna was most likely working better off the back. So no attempts 
with WA3EOQ at 503 miles, but Cornell was on and we managed to work on 
CW. That big storm swirling around between us made signals weaker than 
normal, but a 530 mile contact was still possible on CW.  Many other 
contacts were made as Ron and Mike N1JEZ have recorded. Signals were not 
strong but stations over 300 miles away were still good copy.  WA3NUF 
was S7 or S8 and W9KXI was almost as loud here as well.  I quit a few 
minutes before 9PM and scurried home for a 40 meter QRP fox hunt when 
the 222 activity dwindled. (don't tell anyone that I run QRP!)

I am also still revamping the station and removed the 144 MHz gear from 
the newer building that also houses 28 and 50 MHz. The 144 stuff is now 
going in the older building that is still mouse proof!  All the 144 gear 
was a mess from mice running along cables and across the amps and such. 
I have it all down at the house for a good bath and cleaning before it 
gets put back in the new rack next to the 222 MHz and 432 gear.  Have I 
ever mentioned that mice are the dirtiest animals on the planet and do 
not deserve to even inhabit this planet.  I say this after taking the 
big amplifier apart and scrubbing away dried mouse poop off the aluminum 
panels. and cables.  I got everything cleaned up and it is ready to be 
installed.

73

Dave K1WHS

On 11/16/2022 2:06 PM, Allen Oldfield wrote:
> Nicely done, brother Ron!
>
> My results:
> WZ1V FN31 SSB
> N1JEZ FN44 SSB
> K1WHS FN43 SSB
> WA3NUF FN20 SSB
> W1GHZ FN34 SSB
> K8TQK EM89 CW   After we finished that contact, I heard him on SSB (51 to
> 52) so, I worked him on SSB.
> K8TQK EM89 SSB
>
> Obviously K8TQK was the best DX.
>
> 73,
> Al - W9KXI
> FN12NE82bd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: newsvhf-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:newsvhf-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron Klimas WZ1V
> Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 8:54 PM
> To: newsvhf at mailman.qth.net
> Cc: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Subject: [NEWSVHF] 222 activity night
>
> A cold rainy night on 222, good to be indoors. Thanks QSOs:
> WA1NLG FN41, WA3NUF FN20, K1WHS FN43, N2SLO FN30,
> K1PXE FN31, N1JEZ FN44, W9KXI FN12, W1GHZ FN34,
> N1YCQ FN41, WA1T FN43, W1JR FN42, W1AIM FN34,
> KC0IYT FN42, and KO4YC FM17.
>
> 73, Ron WZ1V FN31RH
>
>