[VHFcontesting] VHF Contest from K5N

[Chuck Clark]

Hello to all our friends in the VHF world from the K5N contest 
team....K5N will be operating in the ARRL September VHF Contest and 
would really appreciate any contacts that we can make during the 
contest.  We will begin normal operation at the beginning of the 
contest--1PM CDST on Saturday, June 14th.  We will be operating as a 
Limited Multi--6M, 2M, 432, and 1296MHz--our 1296 operations will be EME 
only as I don't have an terrestrial antenna for 1296.  The contest ends 
at 10PM CDST Sunday night.

We want / need to make contacts with as many stations as possible that 
are "fairly close" to us using SSB, CW, or digital(FT8).  Fairly close 
stations may be up to 350+ miles away.  We should be able to work you, 
especially on the lower bands, and need to hear from you.  Please call 
in on 2M on 144.200MHz or ring us up on the phone.  We will work you 
there and on all the other bands that we can.  We really appreciate your 
helping us out with contacts where ever possible.

Thanks to the VHF contesting rules, all stations are allowed 
Assistance.  That means that you can look at the Internet resources and 
also post to them.  When we are operating meteor scatter or FT8, we will 
be on the PingJockey reflector.  When we are operating EME, we will be 
on the N0UK EME-1 page(2M) or the HB9Q reflector(432 and 1296).  Look 
for us there and coordinate accordingly.  Remember, NO CONTACT DETAILS 
may be posted.

If there is Es on 6M, you can easily work a new station on SSB in 10sec, 
so clearly that is where everyone should be.  However, IF 6M is NOT OPEN 
to Es, we will try FT8 first and then MSK144 meteor scatter.  I tend to 
think that FT8 will be best in the late afternoon and early evening.  
Then later, MSK144 meteor scatter will prevail.  This may be all wrong, 
however.  Everyone is going to have to pay attention to the propagation 
and coordinate on the PingJockey reflector page.

The new FT8 mode in WSJT-X is sweeping the VHF world, especially on 6M.  
We can switch to FT8 from MSK144 or SSB easily, but we have to know 
where you are looking for us.  SO, be sure to use the PingJockey page to 
coordinate.  On 6M, we will use 50.313MHz for FT8 on 6M and 50.260Mhz 
for meteor scatter(MSK144).

We will use 144.174MHz for FT8 and 144.150MHz for MSK144, but will use 
144.200MHz for SSB/CW.  Use the PingJockey page for coordination.

Thanks in advance.

EARLY MORNING OPERATIONS:
Especially on 2M and 432, if you are an intermediate range station, 
please look for us carefully in the early AM hours of Sunday morning, 
say from 7AM to 10AM, when we have the best chance of a tropo opening.  
It is amazing how far you can work during those "magic hours" if you 
just get a bit of enhancement.  After working us on 2M or 432, then we 
can try to get you on 6M.  This may be one of the places where the new 
FT8 mode will really shine.

LATE NIGHT OPERATIONS:
After about 7PM CDST, we will operate 6M digital meteor scatter(MSK144) 
on 50.260MHz.  We can also run FT8 on 50.313Mhz.  Check with us on 
PingJockey.  On 2M, we will be operating MSK144 on 144.150MHz OR FT8 on 
144.174MHz.  Remember that for the contest, GRIDS not a number are the 
contest exchange, so be sure the NA Contest Mode box is checked. ASIDE:  
You should be using WSJT-X v2.2.4 or better by now, so be sure to 
upgrade if you have not already done so.

If you see us or work us on meteor scatter(MSK144), FT8, or EME, please 
post us on PingJockey or the EME-1 page so that others can find us.  
PingJockey and the EME-1 page are valuable resources, USE THEM!!

Thank you in advance for spending some time to work us in the contest.

73 Chuck AF8Z
AF8Z at earthlink.net
EM31cj, East Texas
Contest station phone is 409-787-3831 if you want to ring us up....