[VHFcontesting] The 222 MHz Fall Sprint K1WHS Summary

[chetsubaccount at snet.net]

Hi Dave, 

Perhaps we are looking at the contest woes all wrong. Since the expansion of the rules to 14 pages seems to have demotivated VHFers, maybe there are just not enough rules and regs yet, so I propose more changes to expand the breadth of diversity and inclusion. Here goes:

Scoring- count a quarter point for every station heard but not worked. If that station was on CW, make it a half point. This will lower boredom during slow times and encourage timid newbies and SWLs to participate.

Make a scoring choice subcategory that leaves it up to the participant to choose classic or anti-digi, and texts and chat room assistance or not.

Encourage CQing. Score one point for every 10 CQ’s in a row without an answer.

Bonus points that can be claimed if you fixed something or improved your station since the last contest. Suggestions for the list are welcome.

Personalized category overlays. You can create your own when submitting your log. For example, “single op, low power. Windows 10, Middlesex county, 5 antennas or less”! Wow, I am sure to win a printable certificate now. Everyone will be happy.

Any others?

73,
Chet, N8RA

-----Original Message-----
From: VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting-bounces+chetsubaccount=snet.net at contesting.com> On Behalf Of David Olean
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 7:12 PM
To: NEWSVHF at mailman.qth.net; vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: [VHFcontesting] The 222 MHz Fall Sprint K1WHS Summary

Hi 222 Fanatics,

I just participated in the Fall 222 MHz Sprint for four hours, and actually exceeded my 222 MHz score for the entire  ARRL September QSO Party that takes place over a 33 hour period. There was no difference in band conditions. Both the weekend and this past Tuesday night had typical conditions with no enhancements out of the immediate area. It was a good comparison, so why did I do better in four hours vs the 33 hours that were available to me in the ARRL contest?  I think it demonstrates that we have serious problems in the implementation of the ARRL contest.  Between switching between all the bands, we also have switching between frequencies in the analog vs digital realm.  Throw in all of the categories available now and things really get interesting. 
Gee, I can enter this category with four bands, or these categories with three bands needed. What should I do this time?     I have never been in favor of adding new entry categories.  I call it the Balkanization of VHF contesting. All of these rule changes have brought us to the point where experienced VHF ops do not even want to participate anymore. I can cite one anecdotal example right in my back yard. I have a 100 ft tower with  four big seven element yagis all mounted on TIC Rings. They are fed with four phase matched lengths of 7/8" heliax feedlines with a phase switching matrix indoors that can control beam patterns and elevation angles.  There is a nice 3CX3000A7 single band amplifier that can supply 1500 watts of RF in an almost Class A arrangement. It all has sat idle for a few years. The reason is that the June and September contests are not fun for anyone who has been brought up in a contesting environment.   No one wants to operate it anymore.  I am thinking of giving the entire setup away.   One of the reasons that SSB and CW activity has diminished in contests is because the contests do not bring excitement or fun into the equation like they used to.  VHF is hard enough with poor conditions. Most HF contesters do not see the point of being there with a 12 per hour rate. Anything below 100 per hour tends to incite boredom. Experienced VHF ops are a bit more stoic I think! By reducing the FUN factor of VHF contesting, now the experienced VHF ops are sitting out those weekends. THEY ARE BORED.

Activity breeds activity.  I believe that an entire new regimen is needed to bring the contests back in popularity.  It is not an easy task as the pool of operators has shrunk as old and experienced VHFers pass on. No one takes their place. That also has to change or we are doomed. K1PXE had a good take on that problem. We need younger hams interested in VHF.

I ended up with 50 QSOs in 23 grids. I almost had  24 grids as I came awful close to completing a meteor scatter QSO with K9MRI at the end of the evening.  Joe needed only a final RR from me, but it did not happen. 
I figure that another two or three minutes and it would have worked. Other good QSOs were made with the same folks who can always be worked on CW at the extreme distances. VE3ZV EN92 752 km  55 on SSB, W8ZN FM09
785 km 539 CW,  WA3EOQ FM09  805 km (very weak on CW)   I had some good results with the rising Moon. It rose at 23:00 in Maine and was coming up across the country as the Sprint went along.  I caught W5EME with his single yagi in Louisiana and EM32 on his Moonrise. That was easy. He was actually quite loud!   WQ5S also heard me well in EM13, but I was not hearing him. Other contacts were made with W7JW and K3SK in EN82 and FM07.  I did not experience any enhancement out to the West. The RI and Cape Cod stations were quite loud, but no other good conditions arose for us here in the Northlands.

A look at the missed grids is very disappointing. To my NE I only nabbed
FN54 and 53 with K1DY and K1HC.  To my SW I missed FN24, FN23, FN21, FN15,FN14, FN11, FN10, FN02, FN01, FN00, & FM28 among others.  Throw in the empty grids to my NE and there were about 30+ grids easily available with any station who would go there.  I am hoping to help improve things by sending a complete 222 MHz station to some deserving VE1 amateur. The problem is that no one wants it up there. I am still looking.

How about a contest with FT8 allowed but worth 25% of a SSB or CW contact. That would make FT8 good for adding grids but terrible for adding QSOs.  All regular activity would be on voice.  Some elusive DX could be FT8. Then throw in activity periods that will discourage running the bands.   I am not sure how to implement that, but a complete re write of rules seems necessary. Some HF contests limit band changes. 
A similar rule could be employed in VHF contests. Say that once you make a band change, you have to stay on that band for one or two hours. Such a rule would apply to single operators and not multi operators or Rovers.   Such a rule change would discourage running the bands. It would also make having activity hours a viable way to achieve a maximum contact rate and make things exciting in areas with some activity.. 
Remember that there are 33 hours available.  Software would be required to check the logs.   Remember that areas of the country with almost no activity get their bread buttered by having rovers trying to cover as many grids as is humanly possible. They all work the same few stations in a Bazillion grids. It is called "Run 'N Gun". Rovers would have to be able to contact single op stations on all their bands in a short time, so they can move on to their next spot. It does get complicated. One problem is determining who is a multi muti and who is a single op. Rovers all sign /R so that can be determined.  Do multis become /M? 
Anyway this is all food for thought and off the top of my head. One problem in the June contest is that no one would get off 50 MHz in hopes that it might open up. More thought is needed.




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