[VHFcontesting] 222 MHz Activity Night Summary K1WHS

[David Olean]

Hello VHFers

A rather unusual evening as I ran into a bunch of problems. The first 
being that the VHF radio was dead. It turns out that my band changing 
data plug worked loose so my band decoder would not work. All I needed 
was a small screw driver, but, being 1/2 mile away and an unheated 
building, I do not leave delicate tools there to rust and corrode. I had 
no way to tighten the DB9 plug. My only screw driver was way too big. 
When I got up to the shack I was happy to see the 222 antenna looking 
straight and in OK shape.  It has been a hard winter for sure with lots 
of very high winds. Thank goodness there was no significant ice damage, 
although my 432 side mounted antenna is all bent up from falling ice. 
Hardly any snow is visible.

I got on 222.105 and started CQing on CW and my first QSO was with W8ZN 
in FM09te at 776 km. He was good at times with a nice 559 CW report.  
Later on towards the end of the evening, I caught Terry again on FT8 and 
exchanged reports around the 0 dB level. Things were going along well. 
The electric heater was warming things up and all looked great until I 
elevated the array for some EME.  I heard K3SK and VE6TA  were on with 
NH6Y in Hawaii. I think I detected all three of hem but when I started 
calling, My amplifier grid and plate current looked squirrely. I flipped 
to reflected power and saw 300 watts reflected. That was not good. When 
I elevated the antenna, something must have let go, or maybe water got 
moved around.  I look at it as just another way for Mother Nature to put 
it to me.   I suspect my Superflex jumper between preamp box and the 
power divider has issues. I went back to the horizon and was dealing 
with the intermittent VSWR problems all night.  I missed a few stations 
that Good Buddy Ron WZ1V vacuumed up. K2RMX, KA3FQS, and WA2LTM never 
made it into my log. I did manage contacts with K2AEP, W1AUV, W1XR in 
FM19, K3MQS (who was very loud on SSB!), N1LHP, and then VE6TA and NH6Y 
on EME. I heard N1ROZ in a pileup of callers. I was not sure who was 
calling who, but I did definitely acknowledge N1ROZ.   I heard K3SK 
numerous times via the Moon, but Dave could never hear me. I suspect 
whatever is wrong with my 222 antenna had something to do with it. I 
never heard good echoes from my transmitter.  Still, anytime that you 
can work Hawaii from Maine is a good night on any band.  I tried looking 
for K8TQK and a few others on FT8 but had no luck. I never heard K3SK 
via FT8, but that is a typical result. We are just too far apart for 
tropo at 575 miles.

I did not try any MSK144 skeds, but I would think that meteors are 
slowly getting better even for an evening try on 222 MHz. I ran out of 
gas about 01:30 UT or 9:30 PM EDST. I missed WA3EOQ but was rather 
bummed about the VSWR problem.  The high temps today are in the high 
30's so I will hope for slight warming in the next few days to allow 
some tower work. Tomorrow looks like more snow and some rain. Friday 
should be warm and I will check out my VSWR problem then.


QSO  by K1WHS (FN43MJ) on 220 MHz
Type of propagation: All                Mode: All mode
 From 04/01/2025 to 04/02/2025           Distance over: 0 Km.            
Page: 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DATE     TIME CALLSIGN        LOCATOR TX       RX       MODE 
PRO.REMARKS         QRB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
04/01/2025 22:56 W8ZN            FMØ9TE  559      559      CW 
TR                  776
04/01/2025 23:02 K1KG            FN42ID  59       59       SSB 
TR                  142
04/01/2025 23:11 N1JEZ           FN44AR  59                SSB 
TR                  168
04/01/2025 23:12 K1PXE           FN31    59                SSB 
TR                  265+-
04/01/2025 23:12 WA1MBA          FN51AS  59                SSB 
TR                  198
04/01/2025 23:14 WA3NUF          FN2ØKE  59                SSB 
TR                  496
04/01/2025 23:16 K2AEP           FN32OW  59                SSB 
TR                  157
04/01/2025 23:29 W1AUV           FN32II  55                SSB 
TR                  223
04/01/2025 23:33 W9KXI           FN12NE  55                SSB 
TR                  501
04/01/2025 23:34 W1XR            FM19HX  55                SSB 
TR                  654
04/01/2025 23:35 WB2SIH          FN31DD  55       55       SSB 
TR                  337
04/01/2025 23:38 WA3DRC          FM28AS  55                SSB 
TR                  663
04/01/2025 23:39 K3MQS           FN2ØJF  55                SSB 
TR                  498
04/01/2025 23:41 N1LHP           FN42KM  55                SSB 
TR                   98
04/02/2025 00:10 VE6TA           DO33GS  -23      -19      FSK TR  
peaked at -14  3273
04/02/2025 00:15 W2BYP           FN13IB  559      559      CW 
TR                  514
04/02/2025 00:20 KA1OJ           FN42EH  59       59       SSB 
TR                  132
04/02/2025 00:21 WZ1V            FN31RH  59       59       SSB 
TR                  266
04/02/2025 00:24 WA4YA           FN42KJ  +01      +01      FSK 
TR                  112
04/02/2025 00:48 W8ZN            FMØ9TE  +01               SSB 
TR                  776
04/02/2025 00:51 WB2RVX          FM29MT  +01               SSB 
TR                  519
04/02/2025 00:51 W1AIM           FN34    +01               SSB 
TR                  203+-
04/02/2025 00:59 W1UJ            FN42    +00      -13      FSK 
TR                   97+-
04/02/2025 01:16 NH6Y            BL1ØIL  -18      -19      FSK 
TR                 8171
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of QSO listed: 24


73

Dave K1WHS