[VHFcontesting] 222 MHz Activity Report

[David Olean]

A very interesting evening. I am sure many ops were burned out from the big January Sweepstakes, so Thanks to those who made it on the band this evening.
Some stations were very weak this evening, while others seemed rather normal. That was the observation here in Mumbo Jumbo Land. There was a huge swath of bad weather moving in from NE to SW between Maine and the CT shoreline as well as out west to New York state. I suppose we can blame the weak signals on this disturbed area. Several ops noted the same degradation.
Stations worked include
KA6U	EM31	EME	very loud
K1FSY	FN31	much QSB
WW1Z	FN42
N1LHP	FN42
WW2Y	FN20	fantastic signals ?
WA1NLG	FN41
W1GHZ	FN34
WA1PBU	FN42
K1PXE	FN31
N2JQR	FN13
N2JMH	FN13
W2BYP	FN12
K2AEP	FN32
VE2XX	FN25	much QSB good peaks though.
K3SK	FM07	EME
K1FMS	FN32
W1AIM	FN34
VE3FN	FN25	much QSB 599 to 559	
WA2LTM	FN20	Good signals
WB2RVX	FM29	Good signals
WZ1V	FN31	weaker than normal.
KC3BVL	FM29	QSB
WA3EOQ	FM09	weak but relatively easy.
W9KXI	FN12	much QSB
I tried an impossible shot with N8EMS almost into Illinois. Nil heard. I also tried with K8TQK at about 700 miles with no results. I did work K3SK vis EME but had no luck over the horizon at 575 miles.  WA3EOQ was an easy contact but there was an unusual flutter on Howard's signal at just over 500 miles.
The Moon was well up at 23:00 UT and KA6U was banging away via the Moon route from the K5QE station in Texas. Even with my damaged antenna system, he was peaking at -12 dB  on Q65. K3SK was also QRV on the Moon. No other lunar signals were copied here.

It looks like only WZ1V has produced the required 20 contacts so far, to qualify for the all expense paid vacation package. Hopefully, some more winners will surface in the coming hours and days.  The 222 Activity Committee has been very generous this week with such a fantastic award. Thanks to all who got on and made noise on 222 this evening.
73
Dave K1WHS