[VHFcontesting] Hey don't forget it is TUESDAY. That means plenty of action on 222 MHz.

[David Olean]

I was doing some work up at my VHF shack. I hauled up the three guy 
wires to the 78 ft level. The guys are all 5/16" EHS and weigh a ton. I 
got the guy bracket installed and hooked them up. I then went and turned 
on my solar system inverter and listened on 222 MHz to the beacons that 
are audible here in Mumbo Jumbo Land. I figured I would update my beacon 
list that sits next to the operating position. (Being an old geezer, I 
need to write everything down so I can remember)  heard K2DLL inFN23 
very loud. W3CCX in FN20 was loud and had almost no QSB. WB2VVV/b is a 
new beacon up near Waterville Valley in FN43. VE2FUT is on 222.281 (FSK) 
. I did not try to listen for W2UTH on 222.050. Not sure if it is still 
on the air or strong enuf to make its way to Maine. I used to hear it 
occasionally on QSB peaks. Does anyone in WNY confirm that it is still 
radiating?  I think K1RT.b in CT went away. K1MAP/b must be back in NC 
and I did not hear it. Did I miss anything in New England?

Anyway, the band sounded nice and stable and I am hoping that we have 
some good conditions thiss evening on 222 Night.  Activity starts around 
2300 and goes until the participants have had enough of the raw 
excitement and go to bed.  I will be there around 222.100 a bit before 
2300 UT.

The 222 MHz Activity Committee expressed some interest in last weeks 
session and urges everyone to try to decode W3SZ's  whistled Q65B audio 
tones. I am not sure of the prize, but they promise something really 
really good if you get a decode of W3SZ and his tones.  Now the 
committee is not known for being skimpy on the awards. Who can possibly 
forget the all expenses paid trip to the Chernobyl site in early 
February of this past winter?   The Committee is also awarding any 
contact with WZ1V as counting as two points rather than as a single 
contact point. This is done to encourage people to contact Ron in an 
effort to compensate for his puny TX signal these days. Heis amplifier 
is only running on one cylinder rather than the four cylinders that were 
originally there.  Please give GB Ron a call.  So please get on and see 
what you can work on our fantastic VHF band. Two weeks ago N1JEZ had a 
CW QSO with K9FW. It was some kind of atmospheric alignment that was 
only detected because someone was on each end of the path. So rotate 
those beams and don't think any sked attempt might be a waste of time. 
You might catch a huge meteor or a drifting patch of enhanced tropo 
scatter.   It promises to be a fun filled evening.

73

Dave K1WHS