[VHFcontesting] 222 MHz Activity night

[Dave Olean]

The storm of the century turned out to be just another snow storm for us 
in Northern New England. I measured about16.5 to 16.75 inches of snow 
here. That is enough to seal off access to the VHF ham shack here, so I 
am only able to operate by snow shoeing up the hill.  With such deep 
snow I doubt that I can make the trek up there.   I saw that heavy icing 
was all over the south including Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and 
other states. I hope many of our 222 friends in those areas made out OK. 
I get scared everytime I hear that icing is possible. Things start 
breaking when the coating goes up past 3/4". Our worst event here was in 
1998, when we had 4 1/4' of ice. Almost nothing survived. Many towers 
collapsed under the weight.

Don't forget to check in to the 222 band this evening and make some 
noise around the 222.100 calling frequency.  See who you can work!  Use 
the ON4KST chat page and let people know that you are active.

I have been reading up on auroras and the mechanics of making contacts. 
The more I read, the more I am getting confused.  I think that I need to 
discuss things with someone who is well versed in auroras.  If anyone 
has any contacts, please let me know. In the meantime, I am looking 
through various scientific papers. I am planning a trip to the local 
university in hopes of finding papers that I can read without shelling 
out $40.00 a pop via the internet!

73

Dave K1WHS