[VHFcontesting] 222 Activity Night Summary

[David Olean]

Well it was a nice relaxing evening on 222 MHz. I didn't need any more 
disasters.  I started out about 15 minutes before 00:00 UT here which is 
7 PM. The fitst station heard was K1FSY in Connecticut. He was very loud 
and I had just about mentioned how good he sounded when the band dropped 
out on us and signals dropped a whole bunch.  Whole bunch is actually a 
very technical term that described the state of things rather nicely. 
There was a lot of QSB on just about everybody.  Here is a tabulation of 
stations heard from Mumbo Jumbo Land, FN43mj.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DATE     TIME CALLSIGN        LOCATOR TX       RX       BAND MODE 
PRO.REMARKS                                        QRB (km)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

02/13/2024 23:45 K1FSY               FN31LN  57       57       220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 266
02/13/2024 23:50 KC1V                FN31SX  57 220 MHzSSB  
TR                                                 200
02/13/2024 23:55 W2TMA           FN3ØHV  57       57       220 MHzSSB  
TR        20 watts                         342
02/13/2024 23:58 WA1T                FN43LK  59       59       220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                   8
02/14/2024 00:06 WW1Z            FN42ET  59       59       220 MHzSSB  
TR                                                  84
02/14/2024 00:09 K1PXE               FN31KE  59                220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 303
02/14/2024 00:15 W2BYP           FN13IB  58       58       220 MHzSSB  
TR                                                 514
02/14/2024 00:18 N2YB                FN12DT  58                220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 551
02/14/2024 00:19 N2JQR               FN13CE  58                220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 553
02/14/2024 00:21 K2AEP               FN32OW  58                220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 157
02/14/2024 00:31 N1LHP               FN42KM  59       59       220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                  98
02/14/2024 00:37 N1SV                FN42EP  59 220 MHzSSB  TR     99
02/14/2024 00:46 WA1MBA          FN51AS  549      579      220 MHzCW   
TR  antenna aimed directly at Cape Cod. Vey weak   198
02/14/2024 00:57 WA3NUF          FN2ØKE  +16                   220 
MHzFT8  TR                                                 496
02/14/2024 01:03 VE2XX               FN25WK  59       59       220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 339
02/14/2024 01:03 W1AIM               FN34UJ  59       59       220 
MHzSSB  TR                                                 154
02/14/2024 01:27 WZ1V              FN31RH  599      5999     220 MHz CW  
TR                                                 266
02/14/2024 01:27 K3SK                FMØ7TH  -26      -18 220 MHz Q65B  
EME 922
02/14/2024 01:44 W5EME           EM32AI  -22      -23          220 MHz 
Q65B  EME                                               2350
02/14/2024 02:30 WA3EOQ          FMØ9JO  429      429      220 MHzCW   
TR                                                     805
Number of QSO listed: 20

Starting at about 01:20 or so things had quieted down so I started 
looking for the setting Moon. Then Good Buddy Ron WZ1V showed up after 
shoveling out from the latest storm. After working Ron I went back to 
looking at the Moon and worked both K3SK and then W5EME rather quickly. 
We were all making noise in hopes that others might hear or decode 
something. PJ4MM was on listening. I do not think that he decoded 
anything which is frustrating. A few afternoons ago I copied him three 
times as my Moon was setting here in Maine. I believe that a contact is 
possible. Martin has about 250 watts output. The Moon was positioned to 
be a good test for East Coast stations to see if they could copy 
anything via the Moon route. Moonset for me was at about 0300 UT for 
me.  I know that a few were listening in. So far a few reports have 
gotten back. WA1NLG in FN41  copied me CQing at about a -26 level. I 
think he has a single yagi. Howard WA3EOQ tried to listen right after we 
worked an 805 km path on tropo and he had pretty good copy at -23.   
W5EME has a real EME system in Louisiana and was listening in. As the 
Moon dropped  behind the trees, he switched to his single 15 element 
yagi up on his tower with a better view. He copied me at about -24 right 
down to about minus 0.4 degrees on my end. Not too bad. The Moon was 
still up at 14 degrees for him. I am sure there were other stations 
listening in. If you heard anything, let us know.

I was hoping that PJ4MM would have some luck, but it is slow coming. He 
has a single big LFA yagi.  He did not hear anything. A few new 
countries on 222 MHz would add some excitement to the band for sure.

It is late

73

Dave K1WHS