[VHFcontesting] 222 MHz Night Activity Summary K1WHS

[David Olean]

It sure was great to sit and watch the skeds being attempted on the 
ON4KST Chat page last night. It looks like activity was quite high in 
many areas of the country. WA3EOQ was working some folks in the midwest. 
The band was very busy last night!  I noted an increase in activity here 
in northern New England too, and ended up with thirty contacts, of which 
all but three were made on CW or SSB. I do not have the log in front of 
me so have to go on my memory, but stations worked include N1JEZ FN44, 
K1MAP FN32, KA3FQS FN20, WA1PBU FN42, WW1Z FN42, WA3EOQ FM09, WB2VVV 
FN41,  WZ1V FN31, K1PXE FN31, W1AIM FN34, W1GHZ FN34, VE2XX FN25, WA2LTM 
FN20, WA3NUF FN20, WA3DRC FM28, AA2SD FM29, WA1RKS FN32,  WB2SIH FN31, 
VE3KG  FN24, KA3FQS FN20, WA4YA FN42, K9MRI EN70, K1ZK FN34, K1FSY FN31, 
N1ROZ FN32, KC1V FN31, N3RG FM29, WB2RVX FM29, K2AEP FN32, and KA1OJ in 
FN32.   WA4YA and WA3DRC were on FT8.  AJ6T and K9MRI were on MSK144.  I 
also heard WA4YA and K1ZK trying on Q65B. Not sure if they made it, but 
WA4YA was hearing K1ZK when I stopped listening.

I had a semi difficult time with Howard WA3EOQ at 502 miles. His signal 
was weaker than I have heard during the winter.  One or two listening 
periods were devoid of any signal. His CW hovered at just barely 
copyable at best.  Still, I am always amazed that a 100 watt signal can 
make the 502 mile path at all on 222 MHz.  I know that Howard can tun 
his beam and easily work the likes of AA9MY and K9MRI as well. He sure 
has his station percolating well. It makes me think that I need to 
repair a few more bent elements on this end!!

I tried running an MSK144 sked with AJ6T near Nashville, TN, and heard 
one ping from Walt that had so much doppler that it would not decode. He 
was concerned about his frequency accuracy but then he got a good burst 
from me and determined that he was spot on. We were within 50 Hz or so.  
I could not get another RRR decode in the few minutes that we tried, but 
I am encouraged that we can make a contact. Distance is 991 miles.  I 
then tried with K9MRI, who is closer at about 750 miles and we completed 
in a few minutes for my QSO #30 for the night.  It is not every day that 
you can work thirty people on 222 MHz, so the activity level was way up 
for sure last night.  Some stations within normal range were missing for 
the night.   Guys like K1TEO, W9KXI, WA1T, N1GLT, W2BPY, N2JMH, VE3DS, 
VE3FN, WA1MBA, N1SV and WA1NLG were all absent.  I am sure they had good 
reasons and a note from their Moms. Will we start seeing nights when 
contact totals approach forty? I sure hope so. So keep talking up 
Tuesday nights in your area. Good activity can spread and all it takes 
is a little missionary work  by all of us to make it happen.

My efforts to find a suitable recipient for a self contained 500 watt 
222 MHz station in New Brunswick, PEI, or Nova Scotia have met with 
failure so far.  I am imploring VE1 ops to scour the hills and find a 
suitable ham who will pick up the gauntlet and install the gear for some 
Tuesday night activity.  What you get is a complete transverter and 500 
watt solid state amplifier similar to what WZ1V, VE3KG, and W3CMP have. 
I know GB Ron has his running and it works pretty well.  I am building 
up the GPS synthesized LO and transverter and W9KXI has offered to 
supply an antenna. The 500 watt amp is a modified Larcan driver with two 
MRF151G FETs and it is fitted out with LP filters and protection 
circuits.  I found a decent 50 volt power supply that will provide 25 
amps so the whole station only needs a feedline and a 28 MHz exciter 
that can provide 1 milliwatt of drive.  I will even drive to the 
Canadian border to deliver it.  We really need more stations Northeast 
of my location. I was the only Maine station on last night. I never even 
turned my antenna Eastwards! Only KV1J, N1BUG and K1DY are QRV from 
Maine now on 222 and there is no VE1 activity at all! It did not used to 
be like that. There was fair 144  thru 432 activity in the past. I could 
easily work stations out in FN95 and in PEI when I turned my beam. Now 
all the gears on that half of my rotator are clean and have no wear at 
all!! There is no one there!!  Pretty sad, so we need to do something 
about it. A big Thanks you to W9KXI and all who are helping to increase 
activity by supplying extra hardware where needed.

73

Dave K1WHS