[VHFcontesting] [222Activity] Activity Night for February 3, 2026

[K3SK at buckwalter.co]

My plans are to be active from FM07 again tonight, but that all depends on ambition and progress without interference from Murphy.   For the past 3 days while being forced inside (below freezing here in the deep south for the last 8 days),  I have been attempting a complete reconfiguration of my operating desk.   (There are a lot of cables and wires behind it).   I am about 1/2 done and the 222 station is still scattered around the room.  It will be a challenge. 

K1WHS - On a different subject, you are missing a mathematical exponent in your 222 Tuesday announcement 2nd paragraph.  While trying to calculate your remaining operating time up there in frozen Mumbo Jumbo land I realized your omission.   Rather than extrapolate with some made up value I gave up my attempt to determine just how many .6 gallons are in a quarter tank.   It's easier to figure out that when a train leaves Chicago heading SE at 84mph while the wind is coming from the west at 22mph and a train on the same track leaves Jacksonville headed toward Dallas at 105mph, because it's Tuesday, dinner will be at 6PM.


Dave - K3SK

. . . . . . . . . .   now to get that station back together.



-----Original Message-----
From: 222Activity at groups.io <222Activity at groups.io> On Behalf Of David Olean
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 9:18 AM
To: NEWSVHF at mailman.qth.net; vhfcontesting at contesting.com; 222 >> 222Activity at groups.io <222Activity at groups.io>
Subject: [222Activity] Activity Night for February 3, 2026

Ok, it is in the middle of Winter. it is cold.  All the birds have flown south to Mexico and the Caribbean. All of your friends are at a Sandals resort on some tropical island with swaying palm trees,  and drinking martinis at poolside. You are stuck in Podunk, all tired out from shoveling snow and scraping ice. There is an icicle forming on your nose.  what better way to forget your problems than to get on the 222 band for an evening of fun and excitement with all your other compatriots who also have icicles on their nose.  I am snowed out here in Maine with deep snow that prevents me from driving up to the shack, but I am planning on breaking a trail this evening with my trusty snow shoes.  The temps have moderated and a high of 30 is predicted, so I won't freeze to death.  A quick look at the weather map shows some slight precip coming into western PA and New York state, plus another band a bit SW of that. No big storms are in sight. To make matters more interesting the moon rises here at 00:30 near the start of traditional
222 Activity Night. At about 02:30 UT (9:30 PM Eastern time)  It will be rising in Texas. So there are all sorts of possibilities for horizon only stations. I am hoping to be on EME as well, and will be looking for some Lunar activity. I can be QRV late tonight as the Moon rises across the West. Dust off the 222 amp and synchronize your computer clock for some real excitement this evening.

As if that is not enough to get the blood flowing, the sun has been burping and belching of late with X Class flares. While no BIG storm is predicted, it is always a good idea to keep monitoring the bands for any Aurora possibilities.  If we get some great AU condx in the next few days, I am worried about my Diesel fuel supply to power the shack running out. With all the deep snow, I cannot bring up needed fuel for the generator. It drinks about 0.6 gallons per hour if I run a single band. It is sitting at about 1/4 of a tank right now. I use electric heat for heating the shack.  No diesel means no QRV!

So please try to get on starting at about 00:00 UT. That is 7 PM on the East Coast. Fire up your 222 gear and log into the ON4KST Chat page to let folks know where you are.They will turn their beams to find you if you are in the hinterlands.  Another fun fact to know is that W1aW/1 in Vermont will be active after 0200 UT on 222.100 from FN34 near Burlington, VT. It would be nice for W1AW/1 to have a bunch of 222 MHz contacts in the log! So between nice weather and no big winds, a rising Moon, and W1AW/1 on 222 MHz, what excuse do you have to not get on the band this evening?  I am told the 222 MHz Activity Committee will be monitoring and taking names. You are forewarned!   CU on 222.

Dave K1WHS



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