[VHFcontesting] 222 MHz Activity night

[David Olean]

Yeah, I know, Everyone is tired out after the big Sept Contest weekend, 
but I hope you all show up tonight for 222 MHz Activity Nite and also 
the  222 MHz Sprint.  I hope activity is high and everyone has a Pile-O- 
Fun.

I will be there on 222 MHz making noise.  SSB and CW are the preferred 
modes, but I usually check FT8 when things slow down on SSB & CW later 
in the evening.  A few things could happen this evening. I suspect a bit 
of Western tropo across Lake Ontario and Erie.  It could happen and 
reduce path loss by 10 dB or so.   The Moon is also rising as the Sprint 
starts. At 2300 UT (7 PM EDST) The Moon is just rising in Maine. The 
Moon will peek over the horizon at WQ0P in EM19 just a few minutes after 
00:00  UT.   The Moon will rise at 01:50 UT in California, so  just 
about everyone in the USA will have a moonrise during the 222 Sprint. I 
will keep one eye on the HB9Q Chat page  (220 MHz) looking for anyone 
who wants to attempt a rising Moon sked using Q65B-60.  I am hoping 
other capable 222 MHz EME ops use this time to get on. That will help 
insure that signals are heard. Faraday rotation can be a problem on 222 
MHz with linear polarization. I use my tropo antenna on EME, so it 
suffers if the Faraday Rotation is wrong.

My plan is to be ready to go at 23:00 UT.  If anyone shows up for a 
moonrise try I will accomodate that as best as I can.   You should have 
500 watts or so and a single long yagi for best results. I am not able 
to work 100 watt stations.  E mail me before hand if you want to try a 
rising moon try. If I can work you direct, don't bother with the moon 
route, we can try a moon sked another day when things are slower!!  Good 
luck and I hope to work a bunch of stations!!

Dave K1WHS