[VHFcontesting] 22 July 222 MHz... Do you see a pattern?

[David Olean]

The stars have aligned as 222 Night turns out to be the 22nd day of the 
month. With all those twos around, there is no excuse NOT to get on the 
222 MHz band tonight.  I looked at the prop forecast (The hepburn map)  
and things do not look good for DX from New England.  A cool high 
pressure system from Canada insures that there will be no water vapor 
available to enable any long distance contacts from New England.Other 
areas should be OK.  To combat the lack of propagation, we can all get 
on and make some noise to make the night interesting.  There have been a 
few new ops showing up on 222. Why not plan to get on this evening and 
see who you can hear.  K1HC in FN53 was quite popular two weeks ago.  
  Don't forget to monitor ON4KST 144/432 MHz Region 2 Chat page to 
facilitate lining up contacts. If you are not in the NYC/Philly area, 
posting on ON4KST will alert those centrally located operators to turn 
their beams towards you.

I hope to be QRV at about 21:30 UT.  The Moon will be setting here and 
it will be close to the Western horizon.  THe problem is that the Sun is 
almost in the same spot. I think it can still work if you skew your yagi 
away from the Sun a few degrees. Moon will be at 14 degrees here at 2130 
UT. I can work a single yagi station via EME, so you might want to 
listen on 222.080 if you can. I monitor the HB9Q 222 MHz Chat page for 
EME.  All you need is about 200 watts or so. I have worked 100 watt 
stations, but it is difficult. Everything has to line up perfectly with 
100 watts.  I will be on 222.080 2nd  on Q65B-60.    I will be on 
222.100+ after Moonset  at 2300 UT  (7PM EDST) looking for non EME signals.

Don't forget to get on 222 MHz this evening. Rumor has it that whoever 
works the most stations with a "2" in the call, might win a bass boat 
and trailer.

Dave K1WHS