[VHFcontesting] 222 mhz activity night summary k1whs

[David Olean]

I was on a few minutes before 23:00 ut looking for contacts. i was only 
able to use one hand, so I was glad no re arranging of shack things was 
needed. I checked the packrats beacon and it was quite steady and a bit 
louder than usual. it was moving the s-meter last night. activity was 
quite good and I ended up with 36 qsos with 35 stations. i worked WA1T 
with his regular setup and then he called again with his Quansheng on 
dsb. he was walking around his house using that little rubber duckie 
antenna.  I worked about the same station list as GB Ron WZ1V, but I 
missed N1ROZ, K3SK, and W2TMA.  I don't have the log in front of me, so 
am not sure who else I nabbed, but I did try with K9MRI and after 15 
minutes we still did not have a contact, so we quit. That was unusual, 
but normally, Joe hears me a lot. This time, I heard him often at the 
start. I got full calls before I could even type in his call in the WSJT 
call box!.  I tried FT8 with K3SK but nil heard. We attempted a Q65 
sked, but I was late getting there, so that did not work. It was quite 
busy with all sorts of signals around the NE.  I did work KJ1K over on 
the side of Mt Greylock, but Sigurd's rig was complaining loudly and he 
had to repeat everything a few times as he was  cutting out with all 
sorts of burbling sounds.  I tried a sked with W7JW in Michigan using 
meteors and we worked in about 15 minutes.

Signals were generally good but I noted that W1XR in FM19 and WA3DRC in 
FM28 were not as loud as typically heard. I suspect thunderstorms in the 
path. They churn up things.  N2JMH in eastern NY was very loud on FT8. I 
think the little WSJT readout said +31. Such levels can melt some steel 
alloys.   WA3EOQ at 500 miles was an easy contact too. I copied Howard 
right off and we had a quick contact. I heard Pete K1PXE call him right 
after. I hope Pete got him then as he was complaining about getting 
stomped on all evening! Pete was pretty good copy as I heard him off the 
back of his beam and he is 185 miles away.  K2RMX was loud all evening. 
WC2K was blasting in with his amp in line.  I tried with WG3K but heard 
nil. I missed W3IP, who got on a bit late. K3TUF was not in my log 
either. The bottom line was that there were plenty of signals and it was 
easy to miss a few as the activity level was quite high. I did note that 
W5EME and AAJ6T worked on FT8 over a 492 mile path. Walt AJ6T is running 
about 30 watts I think. That is an incredible distance. I keep thinking 
about the Mississippi Valley propagation.  Corn and soy bean crops can 
produce lots of moisture into the air.I wonder if corn has anything to 
do with their great success?

I am hoping to be on for the 222 and up contest. I threw 12 gallons of 
diesel in the tank just for that purpose!  My two bands are 222 and 
432.  There was one Earth directed CME that hit at 00:00 UT on the 30th, 
but nothing after that. The K index went to 5 for a short period then. 
Kp of 5-6 is predicted for July 31 and August 1, so keep monitoring for 
a possible storm and maybe some VHF aurora.  I am not holding my breath, 
but you can never be sure.

73

Dave K1WHS