[VHFcontesting] It is 222 Night.

[David Olean]

Yes another Toosday is upon us. I am settled in and doing very well here 
in EL79mr.  I just wanted to remind everyone that this is the evening to 
try for some of that great propagation that always seems to occur on 222 
MHz on Tuesday evenings.  Being "stuck" here  in EL79 puts a bit of a 
cramp in my operating as my remote station is not operational yet, so I 
have to be content with eating oysters and drinking Apalach IPA to wash 
them down. Yes it is tough, but those oysters will not eat themselves as 
far as I know.

The Moon looked great last night as it set above Apalachicola Bay. It 
was a rather small sliver, but it promises to be up and properly 
positioned on Tuesday evening. When the local activity in the Northeast 
slows down around 01:00 UT (9 PM) the Moon will be low in the West with 
very low degradation. Check the HB9Q 222 MHz Chat page and listen in if 
you see anyone looking for 222 action on their setting Moon. Moonset in 
Maine is at 0200 UT, but the Moon is still up at 10 degrees out in 
Indiana at the same time. Howard, WA3EOQ has a mast mounted preamp and a 
single yagi with no elevation, and hears loud signals via the moon there 
in FM09. Give it a try and you may surprise yourself. If you do not 
detect anything after a few tries, that means your RX is broken so some 
fixing is required. (Mast mount your preamp hint hint!)

On Wednesday I am off for the annual DEMI visit in Live Oak FL. I am not 
sure about what will be accomplished there. I may be digging up cactus 
plants or tuning up a 160 meter vertical.  We could also do some 
trolling in Lake DEMI for our dinner.  It will be exciting. Apalach is a 
lot of fun too. My XYL likes to visit her friend Woozie Suzie and I tag 
along and eat oysters.  I am heading northward  for home on the 15th of 
March so I will make the next 222 night after this one.  I am picking up 
a 222 KW amplifier along the way for N1SV during  my travels, so expect 
to hear another loud signal from Massachusetts in a few weeks. WA1ZMS 
did a great job converting a 1000 watt Larcan.  Temps in Maine are 
hovering in the high 40's or low 50's and I am looking forward to better 
propagation. I have a lot of antenna projects planned. What better way 
to test the prop princess than to make a few tropo or MS skeds and try 
ur luck at DX on a Tuesday night. The action starts after dinner and 
goes until you either get tired or sick of all the DX.  The ON4KST Chat 
page is a good place to gather to set up skeds.   Choose 144/432 Region 
2 Chat.  I sure hope we have  a good turnout.

CU next tuesday


Dave K1WHS