[VHFcontesting] Start shining up your VHF antenna elements.

[David Olean]

The latest VHF opening that affected the entire midwest down to the Gulf 
and over to the Virginia and mid Atlantic states was quite a fantastic 
period and many ops added a huge number of states to their totals on VHF 
and up into the microwaves. In New England, only portions of Connecticut 
got in on the festivities. For us goobers up in northern New England, 
the result was zilch nada nothing. We were skunked big time.

In looking at the Hepburn maps, it looks like another slow moving high 
pressure area is setting up for Friday night and Saturday coming up on 
the Memorial Day weekend.  I have already informed the family that I 
will not be at our camp on Friday evening and Saturday morning. This 
time it looks like  Northern New England will be included if things stay 
as they are. Areas of the midwest are included from Michigan down into 
Missouri and Arkansas. The East Coast will be totally involved  so, if 
things continue, we could be in for another good bout of enhanced 
conditions.  I am also reminded that these things can fizzle out as we 
get closer to the appointed times.  Note that there will be a hurricane 
moving up the Atlantic just off the US coast. Hurricanes are always 
worth watching for enhanced tropo. They bring a huge amount of humidity 
into the equation.

Tuesday evening is coming up, and I will be on 222.100 starting just 
before 2300 UT. The conditions here in the NE will be typical with rain, 
drizzle and fog. No thunderstorms are predicted, so I am hoping there is 
no rain static.

Stay tuned!

Dave K1WHS