From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sat Jan  1 16:29:22 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 12:29:22 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] NET: 1 Jan. - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
References: <e9cb15eb-8cc4-c68c-db49-75783b140c4c@acsalaska.net>
	<755104EC-74D4-42D6-A201-FE497383523B@telmore.com>
	<a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <b8c60b39-b555-682b-5397-3a06d42678bc@acsalaska.net>

Net report:

144.200:
KL3WF - S7
KL7XJ - S7
KL6M - S6

223.50:
KL7XJ - 2 bar

50.125:
None

On 12/31/2021 5:03 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
> Happy New Year!? First net of 2022 will begin at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.
> Also monitoring 223.50 FM and 50.125 USB
> 
> Grab that coffee and join us starting out the new year!
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> 
> 144.200 USB: 120w into KLM11 yagi or ARX-270 vertical
> 223.50 FM 30w into two 11-element yagis
> 50.125 USB: 80w into two 7-element LFA yagis
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Tue Jan  4 12:38:13 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2022 08:38:13 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Success on Quadrantids MS in AK
Message-ID: <bcbba233-2c2c-d88e-1081-acb80f5dbb1b@acsalaska.net>

Today, I worked Ken-NL7B In Fairbanks (BP64AT) 305 miles north of me
on 6m Meteor Scatter using MSK144 (1640utc/7:40am).

Kens' signals were +05 to +07 and he copied me +09.

Ken was running 200w to a dipole!
I was running 500w to dual 7-element LFA yagis.
My noise at a=19 degrees was low (S3) which certainly helped.

We ran FT8 afterward but no decodes though both seeing signal.
Ken can see Mt. Denali from his qth so I think when he gets his
6m yagi put up we can work mountain-bounce on FT8 pretty well.

Denali and ken both in same direction from me.

73, Ed - KL7UW

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Tue Jan  4 21:20:42 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2022 02:20:42 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] Success on Quadrantids MS in AK
In-Reply-To: <bcbba233-2c2c-d88e-1081-acb80f5dbb1b@acsalaska.net>
References: <bcbba233-2c2c-d88e-1081-acb80f5dbb1b@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <lyk7_V0j4hg1Gwn5MU9M-vYTh6SK4UNC_MgIEfdhp5nEAEdKOCRWXq-oVUmq3nB5MdLX7y6v8VZHrzkKwrfNRcvc9VZScZPQ1l_hYbA0ep0=@protonmail.com>

That's very cool about working FBX on meteor scatter. I'll have to try that with you guys the next time you make an attempt. I have that two-element Yagi up on the roof now. It isn't much gain, but with today's digital modes it just might work. It would also be interesting to try "Denali-bounce" some time as well.

Ed, do you know if anyone else in Fairbanks is set up for 6 M work? I know that we have reached out to a bunch of stations on the Kenai and Anchorage bowl, and there is a lot more 6 M capability here than there used to be. I'm not sure about Fairbanks though.
Brandon

Sent from ProtonMail mobile

-------- Original Message --------
On Jan 4, 2022, 08:38, Ed Cole wrote:

> Today, I worked Ken-NL7B In Fairbanks (BP64AT) 305 miles north of me
> on 6m Meteor Scatter using MSK144 (1640utc/7:40am).
>
> Kens' signals were +05 to +07 and he copied me +09.
>
> Ken was running 200w to a dipole!
> I was running 500w to dual 7-element LFA yagis.
> My noise at a=19 degrees was low (S3) which certainly helped.
>
> We ran FT8 afterward but no decodes though both seeing signal.
> Ken can see Mt. Denali from his qth so I think when he gets his
> 6m yagi put up we can work mountain-bounce on FT8 pretty well.
>
> Denali and ken both in same direction from me.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Wed Jan  5 09:38:10 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:38:10 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] Success on Quadrantids MS in AK
In-Reply-To: <3bcf6a7d-d359-4e44-7510-a4cd3be98ea3@acsalaska.net>
References: <bcbba233-2c2c-d88e-1081-acb80f5dbb1b@acsalaska.net>
	<lyk7_V0j4hg1Gwn5MU9M-vYTh6SK4UNC_MgIEfdhp5nEAEdKOCRWXq-oVUmq3nB5MdLX7y6v8VZHrzkKwrfNRcvc9VZScZPQ1l_hYbA0ep0=@protonmail.com>
	<170ccc72-6649-bd23-36c9-b102f2cc4ddd@acsalaska.net>
	<1710491747.1755663.1641363013820@mail.yahoo.com>
	<3bcf6a7d-d359-4e44-7510-a4cd3be98ea3@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <5GhozUTtE9_wh7WRULR_qyLf54RxNolQ3jBdoLjmxbwJpmdYNvrchpDS0kFmSL34tzs7ujsVdetH97NADgW7r9lfADB-5xjw20eIPHFtZhw=@protonmail.com>

What about setting something up for the Saturday/Sunday of the January contest?

I'm planning to operate from home this time around, so I'll have my antennas available. If we were to reach out to some of the other stations it would be a good time to try MS or general FT8/JT65 for the really weak paths.

It wouldn't be traditional contesting per SE, but it would sure be fun to get a few stations together and try different paths around Alaska. Depending on band conditions we could coordinate using an HF voice channel.
73,
Brandon

Sent from ProtonMail mobile

-------- Original Message --------
On Jan 4, 2022, 22:56, Ed Cole wrote:

> I've heard John-KL7HBK working FT8 and 6m-eme. He's located 60-miles
> south of me. Also in Nikiski is Stephen-KL7SB who bought the KL7RA
> Super Contest Station and is often on 6m when openings exist. Not sure
> if he does MS.
>
> VE8RT-Ron is a member of AK-VHF and lives in Yellow Knife, NWT. He has
> some stuff on 2m and I've discussed with him 6m MS. Don't know his
> current status, but he is quite interested in VHF. He should be able to
> work stations in AB, YT, and AK.
>
> Al Noe was well known on 6m and I worked him a few times. Didn't know
> he was on Murphy Dome but that is a fine spot for VHF.
>
> Be good to be in contact with some of these gentlemen that are on 6m.
> if we could get a little activity going with FT8 & MS perhaps other AK
> stations would join us. Certainly that would sort out good pathways
> over the AK Range. Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue are all in MS range of FB and
> Anch. Anyone who does HF with a 100w transceiver probably has 6m as
> well...just needs a 6m antenna.
>
> I have worked KL7EDK on 2m-SSB with only 150w by using the Denali path.
> We both run four yagi stations which helps. Having more than one 6m
> yagi is an engineering challenge. I think I am the only AK station with
> two yagis.
>
> Definitely encourage you both to try working via MS.
>
> GL & 73,
> Ed - KL7UW
>
> On 1/4/2022 9:10 PM, Ken K wrote:
>> Over the last few years, I've worked John KL7HBK in BO40 and others in
>> BP51 from Fairbanks, using 100 w and my 3-el yagi with a closed band.
>> Two or three years ago during the Perseids, he and I ran MSK144, FT8,
>> and CW qsos all within 10 minutes, with the band closed. Last summer, I
>> was in Fort Yukon, BP76, and worked John with FT8, about 500 miles,
>> running 50 w from a 12v battery and the 3-el. John has a 6-el LFA and
>> 900w, so he was doing most of the work. But FT8 and MSK144 are extremely
>> weak signal modes, perfect for poor band conditions even over the Alaska
>> range. With yagis on both ends, I haven't had to bounce a signal off Denali.
>>
>> Brandon, I recall suggesting last July that we try it with your 2-el
>> yagi; at the time, I had a 5-el LFA and a 500w amp in the rover. I still
>> think we should try some time. Unfortunately, we just moved across town,
>> and the covenants prohibit yagis at the new house. I managed to hide a
>> dipole in the trees up about 50 ft, and it tunes up on 40, 20, 17, 10,
>> and 6m! The rover is buried under 4 ft of snow, but when it warms up
>> (still -30) I'll start digging it out.
>>
>> There are maybe 6-12 guys on 6m here in the summer-I hear most of them
>> when the band starts opening up in May; a few of them will even work the
>> June contest with me, and I heard Dan KL1JP during last years Perseids
>> (I was down in Tok aiming to PNW). Al, KL7NO was THE 6m station in
>> Fairbanks for 30+ years-he was always on, and gave out AK qsos to
>> hundred of guys who needed it for WAS 6m. He lived up on Murphy Dome,
>> which is where I often operate with the rover. Unfortunately, he passed
>> away 2 years ago-nice guy.
>>
>> I've worked Cliff VE8CK in Yellowknife with MSK144 as well, about 900
>> miles. He's very interested in meteor scatter, on both 6 and 2, always
>> up for trying a qso.
>>
>> 73,
>> Ken
>> On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 07:29:43 PM AKST, Ed Cole
>> <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Brandon,
>>
>> I was mulling the topic of what's the minimum needed for 6m MS and came
>> up with 3-element yagis + 100w on both ends. Today Ken had 2.15dBi gain
>> from his dipole and I had 15.75 dBi; combined that is approx 18 dBi.
>>
>> Two antenna with 9 dBi would be equivalent (that is pretty close to 3 or
>> 4-element yagis). If Ken can get his 5-element yagi he should be able
>> to see your 2-element yagi if you both run at least 100w.
>>
>> BTW years ago I copied a MS signal from Ketchikan which was running
>> 1000w to a 6-element yagi (solid for 1-1/2 hours) with my 3-element
>> yagi. He didn't see my 150w but he had high noise on his end (i've
>> since sold the 150w amp; I have either 80w or 1000w on FT8/JT65/Q65A -
>> but my amp only ran 500w on MSK144 for some unknown reason).
>>
>> You might be limited to meteor showers vs random meteors.
>>
>> Of course more power and bigger antennas is better. I think 4-5 element
>> yagis + 100w is considered standard.
>>
>> I was seeing Ken's 200w + dipole on FT8 but not strong enough to decode.
>> Using yagis to bounce off Denali should improve signals enough for FT8
>> to work at lot of the time.
>>
>> I cc Ken to answer your question about 6m activity in FB.
>>
>> 73, Ed
>>
>> On 1/4/2022 5:20 PM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
>> > That's very cool about working FBX on meteor scatter. I'll have to
>> try that with you guys the next time you make an attempt. I have that
>> two-element Yagi up on the roof now. It isn't much gain, but with
>> today's digital modes it just might work. It would also be interesting
>> to try "Denali-bounce" some time as well.
>> >
>> > Ed, do you know if anyone else in Fairbanks is set up for 6 M work? I
>> know that we have reached out to a bunch of stations on the Kenai and
>> Anchorage bowl, and there is a lot more 6 M capability here than there
>> used to be. I'm not sure about Fairbanks though.
>> > Brandon
>> >
>> > Sent from ProtonMail mobile
>> >
>> > -------- Original Message --------
>> > On Jan 4, 2022, 08:38, Ed Cole wrote:
>> >
>> >> Today, I worked Ken-NL7B In Fairbanks (BP64AT) 305 miles north of me
>> >> on 6m Meteor Scatter using MSK144 (1640utc/7:40am).
>> >>
>> >> Kens' signals were +05 to +07 and he copied me +09.
>> >>
>> >> Ken was running 200w to a dipole!
>> >> I was running 500w to dual 7-element LFA yagis.
>> >> My noise at a=19 degrees was low (S3) which certainly helped.
>> >>
>> >> We ran FT8 afterward but no decodes though both seeing signal.
>> >> Ken can see Mt. Denali from his qth so I think when he gets his
>> >> 6m yagi put up we can work mountain-bounce on FT8 pretty well.
>> >>
>> >> Denali and ken both in same direction from me.
>> >>
>> >> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>> >> ______________________________________________________________
>> >> ak-vhf mailing list
>> >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf>
>> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
>> >> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net <mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net>
>> >>
>> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>
>> >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
>> > ______________________________________________________________
>> > ak-vhf mailing list
>> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf>
>> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
>> > Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net <mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net>
>> >
>> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>
>> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
>> >

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Wed Jan  5 13:02:57 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2022 09:02:57 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Success on Quadrantids MS in AK
In-Reply-To: <5GhozUTtE9_wh7WRULR_qyLf54RxNolQ3jBdoLjmxbwJpmdYNvrchpDS0kFmSL34tzs7ujsVdetH97NADgW7r9lfADB-5xjw20eIPHFtZhw=@protonmail.com>
References: <bcbba233-2c2c-d88e-1081-acb80f5dbb1b@acsalaska.net>
	<lyk7_V0j4hg1Gwn5MU9M-vYTh6SK4UNC_MgIEfdhp5nEAEdKOCRWXq-oVUmq3nB5MdLX7y6v8VZHrzkKwrfNRcvc9VZScZPQ1l_hYbA0ep0=@protonmail.com>
	<170ccc72-6649-bd23-36c9-b102f2cc4ddd@acsalaska.net>
	<1710491747.1755663.1641363013820@mail.yahoo.com>
	<3bcf6a7d-d359-4e44-7510-a4cd3be98ea3@acsalaska.net>
	<5GhozUTtE9_wh7WRULR_qyLf54RxNolQ3jBdoLjmxbwJpmdYNvrchpDS0kFmSL34tzs7ujsVdetH97NADgW7r9lfADB-5xjw20eIPHFtZhw=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <921bc4f3-bc88-e1f7-23a0-1ab7df1800fe@acsalaska.net>

Brandon,

Good idea so I am posting this to the AK-VHF List plus being a advance
announcement of the upcoming ARRL January VHF Contest: 10am Jan-15 until
6:59pm Jan-16.  All bands and modes 6m and above.

6m contest activity in the lower-4 has almost become 100% FT8 so that is 
a good mode for us to use up here.  Sporadic-E openings are unlikely to 
happen in January but then who knows?

All 6m FT8 is done on 50.313 MHz.  WSJT-X software is required to 
operate FT8.  The program allows one to shift audio frequency over a 
2500-Hz bandwidth so stations do not interfere. Details:
https://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
latest version is 2.5.4
manual can be downloaded from the program tab or the above link

we can discuss this during next Saturday's net

3920 or 3933 are two good frequencies for working between Alaskan 
stations.  VHF can also be used by local stations (e.g. 147.30 repeater 
or 146.52 simplex).

MSK144 is used for meteor scatter and is one of the programs included in 
WSJT-X (selected by mode Tab).

If some stations want to try 2m MS the calling freq is 144.144

I suggest northern stations call in the 1st/even sequence and southern 
in the 2nd/odd sequence.  You take turns calling in half-minute 
sequences so you computer clock needs to be withing 1 second accurate 
with WWV or online NIST sources (info on this in the manual).

So hope this is tried out!

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/5/2022 5:38 AM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
> What about setting something up for the Saturday/Sunday of the January contest?
> 
> I'm planning to operate from home this time around, so I'll have my antennas available. If we were to reach out to some of the other stations it would be a good time to try MS or general FT8/JT65 for the really weak paths.
> 
> It wouldn't be traditional contesting per SE, but it would sure be fun to get a few stations together and try different paths around Alaska. Depending on band conditions we could coordinate using an HF voice channel.
> 73,
> Brandon
> 
> Sent from ProtonMail mobile
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> On Jan 4, 2022, 22:56, Ed Cole wrote:
> 
>> I've heard John-KL7HBK working FT8 and 6m-eme. He's located 60-miles
>> south of me. Also in Nikiski is Stephen-KL7SB who bought the KL7RA
>> Super Contest Station and is often on 6m when openings exist. Not sure
>> if he does MS.
>>
>> VE8RT-Ron is a member of AK-VHF and lives in Yellow Knife, NWT. He has
>> some stuff on 2m and I've discussed with him 6m MS. Don't know his
>> current status, but he is quite interested in VHF. He should be able to
>> work stations in AB, YT, and AK.
>>
>> Al Noe was well known on 6m and I worked him a few times. Didn't know
>> he was on Murphy Dome but that is a fine spot for VHF.
>>
>> Be good to be in contact with some of these gentlemen that are on 6m.
>> if we could get a little activity going with FT8 & MS perhaps other AK
>> stations would join us. Certainly that would sort out good pathways
>> over the AK Range. Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue are all in MS range of FB and
>> Anch. Anyone who does HF with a 100w transceiver probably has 6m as
>> well...just needs a 6m antenna.
>>
>> I have worked KL7EDK on 2m-SSB with only 150w by using the Denali path.
>> We both run four yagi stations which helps. Having more than one 6m
>> yagi is an engineering challenge. I think I am the only AK station with
>> two yagis.
>>
>> Definitely encourage you both to try working via MS.
>>
>> GL & 73,
>> Ed - KL7UW
>>
>> On 1/4/2022 9:10 PM, Ken K wrote:
>>> Over the last few years, I've worked John KL7HBK in BO40 and others in
>>> BP51 from Fairbanks, using 100 w and my 3-el yagi with a closed band.
>>> Two or three years ago during the Perseids, he and I ran MSK144, FT8,
>>> and CW qsos all within 10 minutes, with the band closed. Last summer, I
>>> was in Fort Yukon, BP76, and worked John with FT8, about 500 miles,
>>> running 50 w from a 12v battery and the 3-el. John has a 6-el LFA and
>>> 900w, so he was doing most of the work. But FT8 and MSK144 are extremely
>>> weak signal modes, perfect for poor band conditions even over the Alaska
>>> range. With yagis on both ends, I haven't had to bounce a signal off Denali.
>>>
>>> Brandon, I recall suggesting last July that we try it with your 2-el
>>> yagi; at the time, I had a 5-el LFA and a 500w amp in the rover. I still
>>> think we should try some time. Unfortunately, we just moved across town,
>>> and the covenants prohibit yagis at the new house. I managed to hide a
>>> dipole in the trees up about 50 ft, and it tunes up on 40, 20, 17, 10,
>>> and 6m! The rover is buried under 4 ft of snow, but when it warms up
>>> (still -30) I'll start digging it out.
>>>
>>> There are maybe 6-12 guys on 6m here in the summer-I hear most of them
>>> when the band starts opening up in May; a few of them will even work the
>>> June contest with me, and I heard Dan KL1JP during last years Perseids
>>> (I was down in Tok aiming to PNW). Al, KL7NO was THE 6m station in
>>> Fairbanks for 30+ years-he was always on, and gave out AK qsos to
>>> hundred of guys who needed it for WAS 6m. He lived up on Murphy Dome,
>>> which is where I often operate with the rover. Unfortunately, he passed
>>> away 2 years ago-nice guy.
>>>
>>> I've worked Cliff VE8CK in Yellowknife with MSK144 as well, about 900
>>> miles. He's very interested in meteor scatter, on both 6 and 2, always
>>> up for trying a qso.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Ken
>>> On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 07:29:43 PM AKST, Ed Cole
>>> <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Brandon,
>>>
>>> I was mulling the topic of what's the minimum needed for 6m MS and came
>>> up with 3-element yagis + 100w on both ends. Today Ken had 2.15dBi gain
>>> from his dipole and I had 15.75 dBi; combined that is approx 18 dBi.
>>>
>>> Two antenna with 9 dBi would be equivalent (that is pretty close to 3 or
>>> 4-element yagis). If Ken can get his 5-element yagi he should be able
>>> to see your 2-element yagi if you both run at least 100w.
>>>
>>> BTW years ago I copied a MS signal from Ketchikan which was running
>>> 1000w to a 6-element yagi (solid for 1-1/2 hours) with my 3-element
>>> yagi. He didn't see my 150w but he had high noise on his end (i've
>>> since sold the 150w amp; I have either 80w or 1000w on FT8/JT65/Q65A -
>>> but my amp only ran 500w on MSK144 for some unknown reason).
>>>
>>> You might be limited to meteor showers vs random meteors.
>>>
>>> Of course more power and bigger antennas is better. I think 4-5 element
>>> yagis + 100w is considered standard.
>>>
>>> I was seeing Ken's 200w + dipole on FT8 but not strong enough to decode.
>>> Using yagis to bounce off Denali should improve signals enough for FT8
>>> to work at lot of the time.
>>>
>>> I cc Ken to answer your question about 6m activity in FB.
>>>
>>> 73, Ed
>>>
>>> On 1/4/2022 5:20 PM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
>>>> That's very cool about working FBX on meteor scatter. I'll have to
>>> try that with you guys the next time you make an attempt. I have that
>>> two-element Yagi up on the roof now. It isn't much gain, but with
>>> today's digital modes it just might work. It would also be interesting
>>> to try "Denali-bounce" some time as well.
>>>>
>>>> Ed, do you know if anyone else in Fairbanks is set up for 6 M work? I
>>> know that we have reached out to a bunch of stations on the Kenai and
>>> Anchorage bowl, and there is a lot more 6 M capability here than there
>>> used to be. I'm not sure about Fairbanks though.
>>>> Brandon
>>>>
>>>> Sent from ProtonMail mobile
>>>>
>>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>>> On Jan 4, 2022, 08:38, Ed Cole wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Today, I worked Ken-NL7B In Fairbanks (BP64AT) 305 miles north of me
>>>>> on 6m Meteor Scatter using MSK144 (1640utc/7:40am).
>>>>>
>>>>> Kens' signals were +05 to +07 and he copied me +09.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ken was running 200w to a dipole!
>>>>> I was running 500w to dual 7-element LFA yagis.
>>>>> My noise at a=19 degrees was low (S3) which certainly helped.
>>>>>
>>>>> We ran FT8 afterward but no decodes though both seeing signal.
>>>>> Ken can see Mt. Denali from his qth so I think when he gets his
>>>>> 6m yagi put up we can work mountain-bounce on FT8 pretty well.
>>>>>
>>>>> Denali and ken both in same direction from me.
>>>>>
>>>>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>>> ak-vhf mailing list
>>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf>
>>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
>>>>> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net <mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net>
>>>>>
>>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>
>>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>> ak-vhf mailing list
>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf>
>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
>>>> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net <mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net>
>>>>
>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>
>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
>>>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Fri Jan  7 15:36:55 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2022 20:36:55 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] vhf contest
In-Reply-To: <44c9b5f3-c04b-9da4-987e-5de1995ac373@acsalaska.net>
References: <1980561458.2160444.1641446275049.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<1980561458.2160444.1641446275049@mail.yahoo.com>
	<44c9b5f3-c04b-9da4-987e-5de1995ac373@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <DrstQ-GUCTu0AtS6K_9X2y6zAg5cKFJRJAGK6c6iXhTvzqgCEhLXPk5w2q45pp3tSTUj6TLoX3FoFb4OXRtsgIQEqd9FG9iLFO8rNY12wyU=@protonmail.com>

Good morning guys,

That sounds like a fun idea. I have a pretty decent shot north, especially in the winter when the trees are mostly bare. I've been running a lot of FT8 on HF lately, so switching to 6 M is easy enough.

Should we plan on noon to 1 for the "Fairbanks connection" (weather permitting)?
73,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.

??????? Original Message ???????

On Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 at 23:10, Ed Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:

> OK Ken,
>
> Sounds like a lot of work but if its possible I am ready.
>
> My shot north has to clear hills 20-foot higher about 10-miles north of
>
> me and then over Mt. Susitna (but that is over the horizon from me).
>
> Same heading as I used for our MS shot.
>
> BTW that shot is directly over Talkeetna where there are a couple
>
> members: Roger-KL4R and Kristie-KL4K BP52AG. I do know what they have
>
> for 6m.
>
> We are in for several cold days near zero, so not that interested in
>
> outside work. But if I can will try getting 100w 432 and 50w 1296
>
> systems running for the contest. Involves a lot of shoveling to reach
>
> the tower.
>
> 73, Ed
>
> On 1/5/2022 8:17 PM, Ken K wrote:
>
>> If it ever warms up here, I might be able to dig out the rover, find a yagi, and drive up to one of the local high spots in BP54 or BP64 for an hour of FT8 during the contest next Sat 15th. We could plan it for noon or 1, after you guys get warmed up with some local contacts. Anyone with a yagi and 100w should be doable, especially if they have a relatively unobstructed view north. If this sounds good, I'll get back to you mid-week when I see the weekend wx forecast.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Ken

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Fri Jan  7 16:05:59 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2022 12:05:59 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] vhf contest
In-Reply-To: <DrstQ-GUCTu0AtS6K_9X2y6zAg5cKFJRJAGK6c6iXhTvzqgCEhLXPk5w2q45pp3tSTUj6TLoX3FoFb4OXRtsgIQEqd9FG9iLFO8rNY12wyU=@protonmail.com>
References: <1980561458.2160444.1641446275049.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<1980561458.2160444.1641446275049@mail.yahoo.com>
	<44c9b5f3-c04b-9da4-987e-5de1995ac373@acsalaska.net>
	<DrstQ-GUCTu0AtS6K_9X2y6zAg5cKFJRJAGK6c6iXhTvzqgCEhLXPk5w2q45pp3tSTUj6TLoX3FoFb4OXRtsgIQEqd9FG9iLFO8rNY12wyU=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <0eb41494-670b-bda2-73fa-1d0c5f7c4e45@acsalaska.net>

That is fine with me.  Ken-NL7B?

VHF Net 9:30am-10:30am; Swap Net 11:00am on 3920 should be done by noon 
so might be a good freq for coordination if Ken can hear us.

One issue using 80m is I use the same radio for 6m so cannot monitor 80m 
while running on 6m.

Otherwise the ON4KST-Region2 chat room could be used.  Ken and I used 
that for the MS shot.

Ed - KL7UW

On 1/7/2022 11:36 AM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
> Good morning guys,
> 
> That sounds like a fun idea. I have a pretty decent shot north, especially in the winter when the trees are mostly bare. I've been running a lot of FT8 on HF lately, so switching to 6 M is easy enough.
> 
> Should we plan on noon to 1 for the "Fairbanks connection" (weather permitting)?
> 73,
> 
> Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
> https://brandonclarklabs.com/
> 
> Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.
> 
> ??????? Original Message ???????
> 
> On Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 at 23:10, Ed Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:
> 
>> OK Ken,
>>
>> Sounds like a lot of work but if its possible I am ready.
>>
>> My shot north has to clear hills 20-foot higher about 10-miles north of
>>
>> me and then over Mt. Susitna (but that is over the horizon from me).
>>
>> Same heading as I used for our MS shot.
>>
>> BTW that shot is directly over Talkeetna where there are a couple
>>
>> members: Roger-KL4R and Kristie-KL4K BP52AG. I do know what they have
>>
>> for 6m.
>>
>> We are in for several cold days near zero, so not that interested in
>>
>> outside work. But if I can will try getting 100w 432 and 50w 1296
>>
>> systems running for the contest. Involves a lot of shoveling to reach
>>
>> the tower.
>>
>> 73, Ed
>>
>> On 1/5/2022 8:17 PM, Ken K wrote:
>>
>>> If it ever warms up here, I might be able to dig out the rover, find a yagi, and drive up to one of the local high spots in BP54 or BP64 for an hour of FT8 during the contest next Sat 15th. We could plan it for noon or 1, after you guys get warmed up with some local contacts. Anyone with a yagi and 100w should be doable, especially if they have a relatively unobstructed view north. If this sounds good, I'll get back to you mid-week when I see the weekend wx forecast.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>>
>>> Ken
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Fri Jan  7 23:37:12 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2022 19:37:12 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] NET: 8 Jan. - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
References: <e9cb15eb-8cc4-c68c-db49-75783b140c4c@acsalaska.net>
	<755104EC-74D4-42D6-A201-FE497383523B@telmore.com>
	<a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <a4e5facd-d208-e4f2-d1ce-4dba10887ce4@acsalaska.net>

The net will begin at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.  I will also
monitor 223.50FM and 50.125 USB.

Recent discussion has regarded running 6m FT8 during next
weekend's ARRL VHF Contest.  This is encouraged as most
activity on 6m in the lower-48 has moved to FT8 from SSB
or CW.

FT8 definitely improves sensitivity at least by 10-dB over
SSB so one can make longer distance contacts and include
weaker stations who maybe run smaller antenna/power.

After the net tomorrow, a few of us will try making 6m FT8
contacts on 50.313 between Nikiski, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.
NL7B-BP64, KL7BSC-BP51, and myself KL7UW-BP40 will begin on
50.313.  Nl7B will transmit 1st 30-second sequence and the
southern stations on the 2nd 30-second sequence.  KL7BSC
and KL7UW can both transmit by operating on separate tone
frequencies and not interfere with each other.  We plan to
start at 12:00 noon until 1:00pm.

We welcome other 6m stations to join in this test if you are
set up for FT8.

We may discuss what it takes to setup and operate during
the VHF-AK Net.

See you tomorrow.

73, Ed - KL7UW


From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sat Jan  8 18:48:07 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2022 14:48:07 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] NET: 8 Jan. - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <a4e5facd-d208-e4f2-d1ce-4dba10887ce4@acsalaska.net>
References: <e9cb15eb-8cc4-c68c-db49-75783b140c4c@acsalaska.net>
	<755104EC-74D4-42D6-A201-FE497383523B@telmore.com>
	<a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
	<a4e5facd-d208-e4f2-d1ce-4dba10887ce4@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <e6f9810c-b0c6-8e07-5eb1-fe66f8d7deb1@acsalaska.net>

Net Report:

144.200:
KL0YO - S1 but Q5
KL7CA - S0 but semi-readable
KL7XJ - S9
KL3WF - S8
KL6M - S9
KL7H - S9

223.50:
KL7XJ - 2bars
KL7H - 2bars
3bars is max

50.125 (noise is S5):
KL3WF - S6
KL7H - S9

Next week net will start at 9:30am-10am when
Jan. ARRL VHF Contest will being.

I will run 6m, 2m, 222, 432, and possibly 1296.
Contest info: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/7/2022 7:37 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
> The net will begin at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.? I will also
> monitor 223.50FM and 50.125 USB.
> 
> Recent discussion has regarded running 6m FT8 during next
> weekend's ARRL VHF Contest.? This is encouraged as most
> activity on 6m in the lower-48 has moved to FT8 from SSB
> or CW.
> 
> FT8 definitely improves sensitivity at least by 10-dB over
> SSB so one can make longer distance contacts and include
> weaker stations who maybe run smaller antenna/power.
> 
> After the net tomorrow, a few of us will try making 6m FT8
> contacts on 50.313 between Nikiski, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.
> NL7B-BP64, KL7BSC-BP51, and myself KL7UW-BP40 will begin on
> 50.313.? Nl7B will transmit 1st 30-second sequence and the
> southern stations on the 2nd 30-second sequence.? KL7BSC
> and KL7UW can both transmit by operating on separate tone
> frequencies and not interfere with each other.? We plan to
> start at 12:00 noon until 1:00pm.
> 
> We welcome other 6m stations to join in this test if you are
> set up for FT8.
> 
> We may discuss what it takes to setup and operate during
> the VHF-AK Net.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Mon Jan 10 23:17:25 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2022 19:17:25 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK VHF 2022
In-Reply-To: <uHWS1S0o9HGhUl1cRPY0vNDY5Sfd3DNnUaOPK2qBC88rDbFKNLkF3hlukOYIKt4ikT9ZLt2FgmsXwrwOX-doLy7GTC3Y-qupu3KSVkgqXjc=@protonmail.com>
References: <Mz7X82x0SiGC6WkA3HQnSNCdOyKx-vivVjJ-vzDlhtrQ0Em8pENH6XIgnlTXVUJFQoXoK9lJUSjbFFusuiG2RhtQW1XADdVR5SkQmFDfL0M=@protonmail.com>
	<e2304dc5-2c90-3a27-db21-516daa703477@acsalaska.net>
	<EI4PVLQe25Pm8BkY7-09SdfzJZ2BgRWx1AL_ljRoPQyW_D7jXiSJa0ZhHnNZc8Jgo4W5wxlzDK1HxFMsL6WHZ4yAbmYNHcKzLWcKsO-aelk=@protonmail.com>
	<ccc23e78-2542-aa54-f7f9-83e85bafba46@acsalaska.net>
	<uHWS1S0o9HGhUl1cRPY0vNDY5Sfd3DNnUaOPK2qBC88rDbFKNLkF3hlukOYIKt4ikT9ZLt2FgmsXwrwOX-doLy7GTC3Y-qupu3KSVkgqXjc=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <44422484-9c91-df26-f338-7d0545f41dbf@acsalaska.net>

More comment:

In fact the Saturday net has become a 3-band net thru default:
2m SSB or FM
223.50 FM (no SSB as there are only a couple stations capable*)
and
50.125 SSB (no FM as that is not a weak-signal mode which the club is 
promoting)

*Note: that 927.50 FM is also a band that has very few SSB stations
Both 222 and 900 have defaulted to single frequency/mode operation, for 
the most part

Not everyone has equipment/antennas for all these but we frequently get 
check-ins on these band.  I announce on 2m that I going to a either 6m 
or 1-1/4m to invite check-ins.  Sometimes I get a request to activate 
another band (Usually by KL7H).

There are more stations on 2m then the other two.

Originally the net was set up so anyone could suggest trying another 
band (usually 6m thru 23cm, as few have equipment above that).  This has 
not happened quite as I visualized but that is OK.

The Wednesday simplex net was organized to activate a lot of bands with 
check-ins but not for chatting.  The original idea was exercising VHF 
stations for contacting without assistance of repeaters for emergency 
preparedness.  It has changed a bit and added many HF bands.  They have 
a fairly rigid sequence of band activation.  6m FM and SSB are included. 
  Even a nod to digital in the sense of packet check-ins (but no other 
modes until recent addition of D-Star).

I do not want to duplicate that form of net.  I think our participants 
like the round-table chat form we are using.  Extending that to FT8 will 
be hard as its not designed for chatting, but hopefully folks will pick 
up that its great for working longer distances than CW or SSB.  A 
separate 6m net can be a platform for promoting other 6m  modes such as 
FT8 and propagation such as sporadic-E, meteor scatter, and eme ...

FT8 & MSK144 offer great opportunity for VHF contacts over longer range 
- getting a few involved is the challenge.

Ed
decided to share this discussion with the group for comments/discussion

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Tue Jan 11 01:19:41 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2022 06:19:41 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK VHF 2022
In-Reply-To: <44422484-9c91-df26-f338-7d0545f41dbf@acsalaska.net>
References: <Mz7X82x0SiGC6WkA3HQnSNCdOyKx-vivVjJ-vzDlhtrQ0Em8pENH6XIgnlTXVUJFQoXoK9lJUSjbFFusuiG2RhtQW1XADdVR5SkQmFDfL0M=@protonmail.com>
	<e2304dc5-2c90-3a27-db21-516daa703477@acsalaska.net>
	<EI4PVLQe25Pm8BkY7-09SdfzJZ2BgRWx1AL_ljRoPQyW_D7jXiSJa0ZhHnNZc8Jgo4W5wxlzDK1HxFMsL6WHZ4yAbmYNHcKzLWcKsO-aelk=@protonmail.com>
	<ccc23e78-2542-aa54-f7f9-83e85bafba46@acsalaska.net>
	<uHWS1S0o9HGhUl1cRPY0vNDY5Sfd3DNnUaOPK2qBC88rDbFKNLkF3hlukOYIKt4ikT9ZLt2FgmsXwrwOX-doLy7GTC3Y-qupu3KSVkgqXjc=@protonmail.com>
	<44422484-9c91-df26-f338-7d0545f41dbf@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <wXoWfeEBJz0CJEtsWcDOtazv8j0dceroqacJItA0IMbdyvu56G0hcau60W9pBBBXjpBDsbZrMvu-X1RdsY4y5Dyxm_7kXfVG9l42noTb55o=@protonmail.com>

Hi Ed (and group),

When it comes to adding 6 M time, I completely agree about not duplicating the Wednesday simplex net. I think the strength of the Saturday net is, as you put it, the round table format. Hams can chat, get assistance, plan activities, etc.

Maybe the key to a 6 M digital segment would be to run whatever modes the participants are interested in that day? Much like how the Saturday net will QSY to other bands depending on who shows up that day.

In my POTA activations I've begun putting RTTY and PSK31 back in the mix, using fldigi in the computer. Either of those modes would make a good "anchor" mode to try on a 6 M digital segment. be great to use for the round table format. FT8 is the most popular mode right now, but on HF I'm still finding a lot of use of other modes, like RTTY and PSK31, both of which have lots of tutorials online.

Getting set up on fldigi requires the exact same hardware as FT8. With the popularity of FT8 many hams with HF+6 rigs already have the gear they need. They would just have to install fldigi, and then that opens up tens of different modes.

Brandon

Sent from ProtonMail mobile

-------- Original Message --------
On Jan 10, 2022, 19:17, Ed Cole wrote:

> More comment:
>
> In fact the Saturday net has become a 3-band net thru default:
> 2m SSB or FM
> 223.50 FM (no SSB as there are only a couple stations capable*)
> and
> 50.125 SSB (no FM as that is not a weak-signal mode which the club is
> promoting)
>
> *Note: that 927.50 FM is also a band that has very few SSB stations
> Both 222 and 900 have defaulted to single frequency/mode operation, for
> the most part
>
> Not everyone has equipment/antennas for all these but we frequently get
> check-ins on these band. I announce on 2m that I going to a either 6m
> or 1-1/4m to invite check-ins. Sometimes I get a request to activate
> another band (Usually by KL7H).
>
> There are more stations on 2m then the other two.
>
> Originally the net was set up so anyone could suggest trying another
> band (usually 6m thru 23cm, as few have equipment above that). This has
> not happened quite as I visualized but that is OK.
>
> The Wednesday simplex net was organized to activate a lot of bands with
> check-ins but not for chatting. The original idea was exercising VHF
> stations for contacting without assistance of repeaters for emergency
> preparedness. It has changed a bit and added many HF bands. They have
> a fairly rigid sequence of band activation. 6m FM and SSB are included.
> Even a nod to digital in the sense of packet check-ins (but no other
> modes until recent addition of D-Star).
>
> I do not want to duplicate that form of net. I think our participants
> like the round-table chat form we are using. Extending that to FT8 will
> be hard as its not designed for chatting, but hopefully folks will pick
> up that its great for working longer distances than CW or SSB. A
> separate 6m net can be a platform for promoting other 6m modes such as
> FT8 and propagation such as sporadic-E, meteor scatter, and eme ...
>
> FT8 & MSK144 offer great opportunity for VHF contacts over longer range
> - getting a few involved is the challenge.
>
> Ed
> decided to share this discussion with the group for comments/discussion

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Tue Jan 11 03:03:57 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:03:57 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK VHF 2022
In-Reply-To: <wXoWfeEBJz0CJEtsWcDOtazv8j0dceroqacJItA0IMbdyvu56G0hcau60W9pBBBXjpBDsbZrMvu-X1RdsY4y5Dyxm_7kXfVG9l42noTb55o=@protonmail.com>
References: <Mz7X82x0SiGC6WkA3HQnSNCdOyKx-vivVjJ-vzDlhtrQ0Em8pENH6XIgnlTXVUJFQoXoK9lJUSjbFFusuiG2RhtQW1XADdVR5SkQmFDfL0M=@protonmail.com>
	<e2304dc5-2c90-3a27-db21-516daa703477@acsalaska.net>
	<EI4PVLQe25Pm8BkY7-09SdfzJZ2BgRWx1AL_ljRoPQyW_D7jXiSJa0ZhHnNZc8Jgo4W5wxlzDK1HxFMsL6WHZ4yAbmYNHcKzLWcKsO-aelk=@protonmail.com>
	<ccc23e78-2542-aa54-f7f9-83e85bafba46@acsalaska.net>
	<uHWS1S0o9HGhUl1cRPY0vNDY5Sfd3DNnUaOPK2qBC88rDbFKNLkF3hlukOYIKt4ikT9ZLt2FgmsXwrwOX-doLy7GTC3Y-qupu3KSVkgqXjc=@protonmail.com>
	<44422484-9c91-df26-f338-7d0545f41dbf@acsalaska.net>
	<wXoWfeEBJz0CJEtsWcDOtazv8j0dceroqacJItA0IMbdyvu56G0hcau60W9pBBBXjpBDsbZrMvu-X1RdsY4y5Dyxm_7kXfVG9l42noTb55o=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <960008ab-425e-b6d9-33c4-edb4658adb1d@acsalaska.net>

Well put, Brandon.

I've not done any RTTY but my first entry into the digital world was 
psk-31 (mainly on 20m) back in the late 1990's.  Both are great Text 
Modes so provide a digital chat opportunity.

FT8 and the WSJT-X suite of programs are suited to long-range and 
weak-signal work.  FT8 on 50.313 MHz is now the standard mode for "DX" 
openings; I worked many lower-48 stations and Japan on 6m using it.

I had FL-digi installed on my old win-xp computer.  I'll download it to 
the new i5 win-10pro computer.  It also offers keyboard CW sending which 
I find easier than using a key, these days.

The Moosehorn club (Kenai-Soldotna) was using some of the digital modes 
offered from FL-digi on 80m and 40m for reaching out over the Peninsula 
for support of emcomm activities with mixed success.

Anyone else have comments about what we are discussing?

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/10/2022 9:19 PM, Brandon Clark wrote:
> Hi Ed (and group),
> 
> When it comes to adding 6 M time, I completely agree about not 
> duplicating the Wednesday simplex net. I think the strength of the 
> Saturday net is, as you put it, the round table format. Hams can chat, 
> get assistance, plan activities, etc.
> 
> Maybe the key to a 6 M digital segment would be to run whatever modes 
> the participants are interested in that day? Much like how the Saturday 
> net will QSY to other bands depending on who shows up that day.
> 
> In my POTA activations I've begun putting RTTY and PSK31 back in the 
> mix, using fldigi in the computer. Either of those modes would make a 
> good "anchor" mode to try on a 6 M digital segment. be great to use for 
> the round table format. FT8 is the most popular mode right now, but on 
> HF I'm still finding a lot of use of other modes, like RTTY and PSK31, 
> both of which have lots of tutorials online.
> 
> Getting set up on fldigi requires the exact same hardware as FT8. With 
> the popularity of FT8 many hams with HF+6 rigs already have the gear 
> they need. They would just have to install fldigi, and then that opens 
> up tens of different modes.
> 
> Brandon
> 
> 
> Sent from ProtonMail mobile
> 
> 
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> On Jan 10, 2022, 19:17, Ed Cole < kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>     More comment:
> 
>     In fact the Saturday net has become a 3-band net thru default:
>     2m SSB or FM
>     223.50 FM (no SSB as there are only a couple stations capable*)
>     and
>     50.125 SSB (no FM as that is not a weak-signal mode which the club is
>     promoting)
> 
>     *Note: that 927.50 FM is also a band that has very few SSB stations
>     Both 222 and 900 have defaulted to single frequency/mode operation, for
>     the most part
> 
>     Not everyone has equipment/antennas for all these but we frequently get
>     check-ins on these band. I announce on 2m that I going to a either 6m
>     or 1-1/4m to invite check-ins. Sometimes I get a request to activate
>     another band (Usually by KL7H).
> 
>     There are more stations on 2m then the other two.
> 
>     Originally the net was set up so anyone could suggest trying another
>     band (usually 6m thru 23cm, as few have equipment above that). This has
>     not happened quite as I visualized but that is OK.
> 
>     The Wednesday simplex net was organized to activate a lot of bands with
>     check-ins but not for chatting. The original idea was exercising VHF
>     stations for contacting without assistance of repeaters for emergency
>     preparedness. It has changed a bit and added many HF bands. They have
>     a fairly rigid sequence of band activation. 6m FM and SSB are included.
>     Even a nod to digital in the sense of packet check-ins (but no other
>     modes until recent addition of D-Star).
> 
>     I do not want to duplicate that form of net. I think our participants
>     like the round-table chat form we are using. Extending that to FT8 will
>     be hard as its not designed for chatting, but hopefully folks will pick
>     up that its great for working longer distances than CW or SSB. A
>     separate 6m net can be a platform for promoting other 6m modes such as
>     FT8 and propagation such as sporadic-E, meteor scatter, and eme ...
> 
>     FT8 & MSK144 offer great opportunity for VHF contacts over longer range
>     - getting a few involved is the challenge.
> 
>     Ed
>     decided to share this discussion with the group for comments/discussion
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Tue Jan 11 12:43:55 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2022 08:43:55 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Fwd: [Mw] ARRL January VHF Contest,
 1900 UTC Saturday January 15 - 0359 UTC Monday, January 17
In-Reply-To: <1632038833.2353226.1641920938296@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <1632038833.2353226.1641920938296@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <886fac89-7758-2165-7fed-148c29bb77b3@acsalaska.net>

forwarded from the microwave e-mail list server:
good synopsis of the contest


-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [Mw] ARRL January VHF Contest, 1900 UTC Saturday January 15 - 
0359 UTC Monday, January 17
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:08:58 +0000 (UTC)
From: Mark Thompson via Microwave <microwave at mailmanlists.us>
Reply-To: Mark Thompson <wb9qzb_groups at yahoo.com>
To: main at slams.groups.io <main at slams.groups.io>, NIMRODS 
<nimrods at groups.io>, Midwest Microwave <midwest-microwave at groups.io>, 
Mid-America Microwave Society <mams at mailman.qth.net>
CC: Microwave <microwave at mailmanlists.us>, NEWS VHF Reflector 
<newsvhf at mailman.qth.net>, VHF Contesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>


ARRL January VHF Contest

About

Contest Objective:?For amateurs in the US and Canada (and their 
possessions) to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 
degrees x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized 
frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US & Canada (and their 
possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and 
Canada.

Dates: The third or fourth full weekend in January as 
announced.?(January 15-17, 2022)

Contest Period:?Begins 1900 UTC Saturday, ends 0359 UTC Monday.

Contest rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document.

Click Here for Complete ARRL?January VHF Contest Rules (PDF)

For contest information contact?contests at arrl.org?or (860) 594-0232

All legal modes are permitted (while CW?and SSB/Phone are most common, 
MSK144, FT8 and FM-Only are gaining popularity - other popular modes 
include PSK31, FSK441 and JT65). For Cabrillo file mode definitions, 
Digital modes should be represented as "DG" (for all things digital), 
SSB Phone as "PH", FM voice as "FM", and CW as "CW".

Stations in KH0-9, KL7 & KP1-KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE stations and 
can be worked by DX stations for contest credit.

Log Submission Deadline

Logs are due within TEN (10) days after the event is over. Logs may be 
submitted either online or via mail, but electronic Cabrillo logs are 
the preferred method. Electronic logs must be submitted via our web app 
at?contest-log-submission.arrl.org/

Logs that have been?submitted electronically?are listed on the?Logs 
Received?page. Click the contest name to see a list of submitted logs 
sorted by call sign and club name.

Online Log Submission?-?Cabrillo formatted logs must be uploaded via our 
web app at?contest-log-submission.arrl.org.


Submitting Paper Logs By Mail?- Be sure to mail your completed Summary 
Sheet and Log Sheets postmarked before the log submission deadlines.

Paper Entry Forms:

January VHF Summary Sheet

VHF/UHF Log Sheet

Send completed Summary Sheets and logs to:

ARRL - January VHF Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111

If submitting a paper log, it is strongly suggested you use a delivery 
method that offers a tracking number.

If you wish to convert your log into a Cabrillo formatted log for 
electronic submission, visit?www.b4h.net/cabforms/?and select the event 
of interest. You can input your log data which will be converted to a 
Cabrillo formatted log for you (it will generate a log and return it to 
you), and then you can in turn submit your Cabrillo log online via the 
web app at?contest-log-submission.arrl.org/.

Awards:

Downloadable Certificates will be awarded in the following categories 
at?ARRL Available Certificates


| | |  | ARRL Available Certificates


  |

  |

  |




Single Operator:

- Top Single Operator in each ARRL/RAC Section for high and low power.

- Top Single Operator on each band (50, 144, 222, 432, 902, 1296 and 
2304-and-up categories) in each ARRL/RAC Section where significant 
effort or competition is evident. (Note: Since the highest score per 
band will be the award winner for that band, an entrant may win a 
certificate with additional single-band endorsements.) For example, if 
KA1RWY has the highest single-operator all-band score in the CT Section 
and her 50- and 222-MHz scores are higher than any other CT single 
operator?s, she will earn a certificate for being the single-operator 
Section leader and endorsements for 50 and 222 MHz.

- Top Single Operator Portable in each ARRL/RAC Section where 
significant effort or competition is evident. (Single Operator Portable 
entries are not eligible for single-band awards.)

- Top Single Operator, 3-Band in each ARRL/RAC?Section where significant 
effort or competition is evident.(Single Operator, 3-Band entries are 
not eligible for single-band awards.)

- Top Single Operator, FM Only in each ARRL/RAC?Section where 
significant effort or competition is evident. (Single Operator, FM Only 
entries are not eligible for single-band awards.)

Rover:

- Top Rover, Limited Rover and Unlimited Rover in each ARRL Division and 
Canada where significant effort or competition is evident. (Rover 
entries are not eligible for single-band awards.)

Multioperator:

- Top Multioperator score in each ARRL/RAC Section where significant 
effort or competition is evident. (Multioperator entries are not 
eligible for single-band awards.)

- Top Limited Multioperator in each ARRL/RAC Section where significant 
effort or competition is evident. (Limited Multioperator entries are not 
eligible for single-band awards.)

DX:

- Top DX stations where significant effort or competition is evident.


_______________________________________________
Microwave mailing list



From nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com  Fri Jan 14 20:29:58 2022
From: nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com (Ken K)
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2022 01:29:58 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest tomorrow
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>

For?those?interested?in?trying?ft8?on?6?meters?during?the?VHF?contest?tomorrow,?I?will?be?operating?the?rover?from?several?grids?in?and?around?Fairbanks,?pointed?south?toward?Anchorage.?I?willcall 1st, at 50.313, starting at 12:00 local, from Grid BP64. I'll be using a 3-el yagi and 200w. I've used this combination a number of times to work down into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula. I'll be using the NA VHF contest mode. If you don't want to use the contest mode, no problem, just make sure you transmit your grid in the sequence.

If I get a few contacts, I'll move over to BP54 and start calling at 14:00 local. Again, if that goes well, I will shoot up to BP65 and start calling at 16:00.

If I get set up before my scheduled start times, I'll be at 50.125 calling CQ on CW.

 If you have at least a small yagi, 100w, and an unobstructed view north, lets give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on 6m tomorrow.

73,
Ken NL7B

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Fri Jan 14 21:32:37 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2022 17:32:37 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] NET: 1 Jan. - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
References: <e9cb15eb-8cc4-c68c-db49-75783b140c4c@acsalaska.net>
	<755104EC-74D4-42D6-A201-FE497383523B@telmore.com>
	<a01b4fc0-9b0f-2cd2-0833-97751e8e81ee@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <729f1b56-53f6-1ae5-0a35-ac0bbf0d3756@acsalaska.net>

Net will begin tomorrow at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.  At 10:00am the 
January ARRL VHF Contest begins so the net will end then.  Most begin 
the contest calling on 144.200.  That frequency also works well to 
coordinate working on other bands.

Contest ranges from 6m all the way to mw.  In SC Alaska 50-1296 is most 
worked bands.  You can use any mode for making contacts including FM 
simplex (Use of repeaters not allowed for contacts but you can spot 
stations via repeaters or invite stations to work on a simplex freq. 
Thee is even a award for all FM.

Around noon several stations may be on 50.313 using FT8 to work long 
range for more grids.  Gird squares give you multipliers on your score.

KL7BSC and I may also try psk31 on 50.250.

I will be QRV:
50.125 USB & 50.313 FT8
144.200 USB & 144.52 FM
223.50 FM
432.200 USB & 446.00 FM

At this point I do not have 900 or 1296 operational, but may able to get 
1296.100 USB running later in the weekend.

http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf

73, Ed - KL7UW



From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sat Jan 15 23:54:43 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:54:43 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest tomorrow
In-Reply-To: <704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>

Just a note that Ken-NL7B/R will try again from BP54 (Murphy Dome) at 
11:00am on Sunday.  He will run 50.313 1st FT8 with approx 200w + 3 
element yagi.

Afterward might be a good opportunity to work a few stations on 
6m/2m/223.50/70cm for the VHF contest which runs until 18:59.  Maybe 
propagation will be better than today.

BTW all modes are permitted so don't forget FM-simplex.  Spotting and 
coordination is allowed on repeaters (within reason).

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/14/2022 4:29 PM, Ken K wrote:
> For?those?interested?in?trying?ft8?on?6?meters?during?the?VHF?contest?tomorrow,?I?will?be?operating?the?rover?from?several?grids?in?and?around?Fairbanks,?pointed?south?toward?Anchorage.?I?willcall 1st, at 50.313, starting at 12:00 local, from Grid BP64. I'll be using a 3-el yagi and 200w. I've used this combination a number of times to work down into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula. I'll be using the NA VHF contest mode. If you don't want to use the contest mode, no problem, just make sure you transmit your grid in the sequence.
> 
> If I get a few contacts, I'll move over to BP54 and start calling at 14:00 local. Again, if that goes well, I will shoot up to BP65 and start calling at 16:00.
> 
> If I get set up before my scheduled start times, I'll be at 50.125 calling CQ on CW.
> 
>   If you have at least a small yagi, 100w, and an unobstructed view north, lets give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on 6m tomorrow.
> 
> 73,
> Ken NL7B
> 

From nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com  Sun Jan 16 15:08:30 2022
From: nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com (Ken K)
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2022 20:08:30 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest tomorrow
In-Reply-To: <08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <507215865.1250149.1642363710350@mail.yahoo.com>

 On top of Murphy some, calling now
    On Saturday, January 15, 2022, 07:55:16 PM AKST, Ed Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:  
 
 Just a note that Ken-NL7B/R will try again from BP54 (Murphy Dome) at 
11:00am on Sunday.? He will run 50.313 1st FT8 with approx 200w + 3 
element yagi.

Afterward might be a good opportunity to work a few stations on 
6m/2m/223.50/70cm for the VHF contest which runs until 18:59.? Maybe 
propagation will be better than today.

BTW all modes are permitted so don't forget FM-simplex.? Spotting and 
coordination is allowed on repeaters (within reason).

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/14/2022 4:29 PM, Ken K wrote:
> For?those?interested?in?trying?ft8?on?6?meters?during?the?VHF?contest?tomorrow,?I?will?be?operating?the?rover?from?several?grids?in?and?around?Fairbanks,?pointed?south?toward?Anchorage.?I?willcall 1st, at 50.313, starting at 12:00 local, from Grid BP64. I'll be using a 3-el yagi and 200w. I've used this combination a number of times to work down into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula. I'll be using the NA VHF contest mode. If you don't want to use the contest mode, no problem, just make sure you transmit your grid in the sequence.
> 
> If I get a few contacts, I'll move over to BP54 and start calling at 14:00 local. Again, if that goes well, I will shoot up to BP65 and start calling at 16:00.
> 
> If I get set up before my scheduled start times, I'll be at 50.125 calling CQ on CW.
> 
>? If you have at least a small yagi, 100w, and an unobstructed view north, lets give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on 6m tomorrow.
> 
> 73,
> Ken NL7B
> 
  

From nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com  Sun Jan 16 15:30:08 2022
From: nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com (Ken K)
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2022 20:30:08 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest tomorrow
In-Reply-To: <08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <836470845.1230731.1642365008766@mail.yahoo.com>

 No decodes on FT8, I?m switching to msk144 at 50.260, calling 1st, 30 sec interval, . Will call until 1200
    On Saturday, January 15, 2022, 07:55:16 PM AKST, Ed Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:  
 
 Just a note that Ken-NL7B/R will try again from BP54 (Murphy Dome) at 
11:00am on Sunday.? He will run 50.313 1st FT8 with approx 200w + 3 
element yagi.

Afterward might be a good opportunity to work a few stations on 
6m/2m/223.50/70cm for the VHF contest which runs until 18:59.? Maybe 
propagation will be better than today.

BTW all modes are permitted so don't forget FM-simplex.? Spotting and 
coordination is allowed on repeaters (within reason).

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/14/2022 4:29 PM, Ken K wrote:
> For?those?interested?in?trying?ft8?on?6?meters?during?the?VHF?contest?tomorrow,?I?will?be?operating?the?rover?from?several?grids?in?and?around?Fairbanks,?pointed?south?toward?Anchorage.?I?willcall 1st, at 50.313, starting at 12:00 local, from Grid BP64. I'll be using a 3-el yagi and 200w. I've used this combination a number of times to work down into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula. I'll be using the NA VHF contest mode. If you don't want to use the contest mode, no problem, just make sure you transmit your grid in the sequence.
> 
> If I get a few contacts, I'll move over to BP54 and start calling at 14:00 local. Again, if that goes well, I will shoot up to BP65 and start calling at 16:00.
> 
> If I get set up before my scheduled start times, I'll be at 50.125 calling CQ on CW.
> 
>? If you have at least a small yagi, 100w, and an unobstructed view north, lets give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on 6m tomorrow.
> 
> 73,
> Ken NL7B
> 
  

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Mon Jan 17 01:57:31 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2022 21:57:31 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest
In-Reply-To: <08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>

Hope everyone enjoyed the contest.

Very little activity except on 6m-FT8 for me:
Happy to work three grids: BP51, BP64, BO49

Working Ken-NL7B/R in Fairbanks in grid BP64 on FT8 was the most 
gratifying.  We also tried from Murphy Dome (BP54) both days but Ken 
could not see me.  I got his FT8 signals both days and his MS using 
MSK144 on Sunday.

Ken was using a 3-element yagi so guess it was not quite enough from BP54.

KL7HBK BO49 was a nice surprise which increased my grid count to three.
Final score 45
1 144
1 222
6 50

Please consider submitting a log and indicating club membership of "AK 
VHF-Up Group" if a member.  Club gets mention in contest results if 
three logs or more are submitted.

Go to: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf

use: www.b4h.net/cabforms/ to make a cabrillo log
it will link you to the log submission form after you complete your log 
entries.  Note: voice modes are entered as ph, digital modes as dg, cw 
as cw.

73, Ed - KL7UW


From nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com  Tue Jan 18 01:08:51 2022
From: nl7binbp64 at yahoo.com (Ken K)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:08:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest
In-Reply-To: <389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
	<389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <412057748.1728490.1642486131284@mail.yahoo.com>

 Thanks to everyone who listened for me. In addition to working KL7UW and AL7LO on Saturday, I also decoded K7YK a few times. I?ve used the 3-el yagi and less power for previous QSOs into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula when the band was closed. Since stations south of the range apparently decoded me much more frequently than I decoded them, I think the lack of contacts may have been related to a very strong inversion going on here this weekend. A common occurrence here when warm air pushes in over a very cold stable air mass; it often results in vivid displays from Fairbanks of a phenomenon known as Fata Morgana, a type of mirage that reflects images directly above themselves. 

Saturday was typical; from my vantage points, I could see the peaks of the Alaska Range reflected upside down above the range. It?s a cool thing to see. I?m guessing refraction of radio waves blocked my reception somehow. Here?s a good site for descriptions of tropospheric dx modes: https://www.dxinfocentre.com/propagation/tr-modes.htm. The Twitter feed for the National Weather Service Fairbanks office Jan 14 has a good description and picture of the Fata Morgana. It was still happening this afternoon.

I'll send a check log in for the contest. Lets try again this spring; I think we?ll have better luck.

73,
Ken NL7B 
     On Sunday, January 16, 2022, 09:58:13 PM AKST, Ed Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:  
 
 Hope everyone enjoyed the contest.

Very little activity except on 6m-FT8 for me:
Happy to work three grids: BP51, BP64, BO49

Working Ken-NL7B/R in Fairbanks in grid BP64 on FT8 was the most 
gratifying.? We also tried from Murphy Dome (BP54) both days but Ken 
could not see me.? I got his FT8 signals both days and his MS using 
MSK144 on Sunday.

Ken was using a 3-element yagi so guess it was not quite enough from BP54.

KL7HBK BO49 was a nice surprise which increased my grid count to three.
Final score 45
1 144
1 222
6 50

Please consider submitting a log and indicating club membership of "AK 
VHF-Up Group" if a member.? Club gets mention in contest results if 
three logs or more are submitted.

Go to: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf

use: www.b4h.net/cabforms/ to make a cabrillo log
it will link you to the log submission form after you complete your log 
entries.? Note: voice modes are entered as ph, digital modes as dg, cw 
as cw.

73, Ed - KL7UW

  

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Tue Jan 18 03:19:43 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2022 23:19:43 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest
In-Reply-To: <412057748.1728490.1642486131284@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
	<389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
	<412057748.1728490.1642486131284@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <67d91102-9b3b-c952-f2b5-02bfba3edf0f@acsalaska.net>

Ken,

Certainly strange phenomena.  Signals south-bound were refracted but not 
signals north-bound.

You know I even ran 800w-FT8 and 500w-MSK144 for the latter half on 
Sunday.  Also wondered if additional height at Murphy Dome might have 
put you above an inversion layer?

KL6M on the Anchorage hillside is about 1,000 foot ASL and times he is 
on wrong side of an inversion causing signal loss on 2m.  Usually an 
inversion helps the path from Nikiski to Anchorage.

Saturday we had snow falling which seems normally to add some 
attenuation to VHF signals; Sunday was clear-sunny in Nikiski.

I got a lot of experience with snow/rain fade at UHF when I worked in 
Nikiski as comm tech.  Our company had comm gear on top of Mt. Bede 
(3300-foot ASL) at southern end of the Peninsula and tested the UHF 
control link weekly.  Rainy/snowy wx often lowered the link signal 
margins by up to 6-dB (Fade margin was 10-12 dB so we did not lose the 
link).

Looking at the direct path between BP64 and BP40 it passes over the AK 
Range and Cantwell, and runs to the east of Talkeetna.  The path is 
also east of Mt. Susitna.

Another thing that might be affecting the signal is my 6m ground-gain 
lobe is 8.4 degrees elevation which maybe puts my signal too high.  I 
regularly used ground-gain on 6m-eme so have that well established.

I would like trying 2m and 6m over this path (once I have my four-yagi 
2m array back in-service).  Several years ago I worked KL7EDK using it 
on SSB running 150w via Mt. Denali bounce (and enhanced tropo conditions).

Thanks for the contact from BP64 and attempts from BP54.


73, Ed - KL7UW



On 1/17/2022 9:08 PM, Ken K wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who listened for me. In addition to working KL7UW and 
> AL7LO on Saturday, I also decoded K7YK a few times. I?ve used the 3-el 
> yagi and less power for previous QSOs into Southcentral and the Kenai 
> Peninsula when the band was closed. Since stations south of the range 
> apparently decoded me much more frequently than I decoded them, I think 
> the lack of contacts may have been related to a very strong inversion 
> going on here this weekend. A common occurrence here when warm air 
> pushes in over a very cold stable air mass; it often results in vivid 
> displays from Fairbanks of a phenomenon known as Fata Morgana, a type of 
> mirage that reflects images directly above themselves.
> 
> Saturday was typical; from my vantage points, I could see the peaks of 
> the Alaska Range reflected upside down above the range. It?s a cool 
> thing to see. I?m guessing refraction of radio waves blocked my 
> reception somehow. Here?s a good site for descriptions of tropospheric 
> dx modes: https://www.dxinfocentre.com/propagation/tr-modes.htm. The 
> Twitter feed for the National Weather Service Fairbanks office Jan 14 
> has a good description and picture of the Fata Morgana. It was still 
> happening this afternoon.
> 
> I'll send a check log in for the contest. Lets try again this spring; I 
> think we?ll have better luck.
> 
> 73,
> Ken NL7B
> On Sunday, January 16, 2022, 09:58:13 PM AKST, Ed Cole 
> <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed the contest.
> 
> Very little activity except on 6m-FT8 for me:
> Happy to work three grids: BP51, BP64, BO49
> 
> Working Ken-NL7B/R in Fairbanks in grid BP64 on FT8 was the most
> gratifying.? We also tried from Murphy Dome (BP54) both days but Ken
> could not see me.? I got his FT8 signals both days and his MS using
> MSK144 on Sunday.
> 
> Ken was using a 3-element yagi so guess it was not quite enough from BP54.
> 
> KL7HBK BO49 was a nice surprise which increased my grid count to three.
> Final score 45
> 1 144
> 1 222
> 6 50
> 
> Please consider submitting a log and indicating club membership of "AK
> VHF-Up Group" if a member.? Club gets mention in contest results if
> three logs or more are submitted.
> 
> Go to: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf <http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf>
> 
> use: www.b4h.net/cabforms/ to make a cabrillo log
> it will link you to the log submission form after you complete your log
> entries.? Note: voice modes are entered as ph, digital modes as dg, cw
> as cw.
> 
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Tue Jan 18 13:17:49 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 09:17:49 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Good tutorial on VHF propagation modes
Message-ID: <7af819f8-d17c-44db-d633-8fd77e21dda7@acsalaska.net>

 From Ken-NL7B:
Here?s a good site for descriptions of tropospheric dx modes: 
https://www.dxinfocentre.com/propagation/tr-modes.htm.

Good link for an overlook of the various modes of propagation seen on 
VHF and higher frequencies.

I recall my friends in the SBMS* talking about inversions and 
tropospheric "pipes" or "waveguides" appearing on the microwave bands.

*San Bernardino Microwave Society: http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/
I was member in the 1970's when I lived in Southern CA.

Also check out North Texas Microwave Society: http://www.ntms.org/
and Roadrunners Microwave group: https://k5rmg.com/

73, Ed - KL7UW

Note to Brandon: maybe add the top link to our website?

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Tue Jan 18 16:13:19 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 21:13:19 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] contest
In-Reply-To: <412057748.1728490.1642486131284@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
	<389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
	<412057748.1728490.1642486131284@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <w-bXNXzf8E9ODWap_tUAuXMt_PBk8yJ4-MvXd3H-pFkCYqcbJ32kaTf1f_oPeIgHQCXul6laaG9kU0923G-cIjIIFLvCO8t-ZZOXIH2d0b4=@protonmail.com>

Hi Ken,

Thanks for going to the effort to set up a rover station up there. Going out as a rover is a lot of work, but it sure is fun to have another station to chase.

I'm planning to do rover runs in both June and September this year, so keep in touch and let me know what your plans are. I'm thinking that one of my rover runs will be down to Homer, but I'm not sure about the other. I might try a run north up to Fairbanks and make some contacts up there on a Sunday.
73,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with ProtonMail Secure Email.

??????? Original Message ???????

On Monday, January 17th, 2022 at 21:08, Ken K via ak-vhf <ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Thanks to everyone who listened for me. In addition to working KL7UW and AL7LO on Saturday, I also decoded K7YK a few times. I?ve used the 3-el yagi and less power for previous QSOs into Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula when the band was closed. Since stations south of the range apparently decoded me much more frequently than I decoded them, I think the lack of contacts may have been related to a very strong inversion going on here this weekend. A common occurrence here when warm air pushes in over a very cold stable air mass; it often results in vivid displays from Fairbanks of a phenomenon known as Fata Morgana, a type of mirage that reflects images directly above themselves.
>
> Saturday was typical; from my vantage points, I could see the peaks of the Alaska Range reflected upside down above the range. It?s a cool thing to see. I?m guessing refraction of radio waves blocked my reception somehow. Here?s a good site for descriptions of tropospheric dx modes: https://www.dxinfocentre.com/propagation/tr-modes.htm. The Twitter feed for the National Weather Service Fairbanks office Jan 14 has a good description and picture of the Fata Morgana. It was still happening this afternoon.
>
> I'll send a check log in for the contest. Lets try again this spring; I think we?ll have better luck.
>
> 73,
>
> Ken NL7B
>
> On Sunday, January 16, 2022, 09:58:13 PM AKST, Ed Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:
>
> Hope everyone enjoyed the contest.
>
> Very little activity except on 6m-FT8 for me:
>
> Happy to work three grids: BP51, BP64, BO49
>
> Working Ken-NL7B/R in Fairbanks in grid BP64 on FT8 was the most
>
> gratifying. We also tried from Murphy Dome (BP54) both days but Ken
>
> could not see me. I got his FT8 signals both days and his MS using
>
> MSK144 on Sunday.
>
> Ken was using a 3-element yagi so guess it was not quite enough from BP54.
>
> KL7HBK BO49 was a nice surprise which increased my grid count to three.
>
> Final score 45
>
> 1 144
>
> 1 222
>
> 6 50
>
> Please consider submitting a log and indicating club membership of "AK
>
> VHF-Up Group" if a member. Club gets mention in contest results if
>
> three logs or more are submitted.
>
> Go to: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf
>
> use: www.b4h.net/cabforms/ to make a cabrillo log
>
> it will link you to the log submission form after you complete your log
>
> entries. Note: voice modes are entered as ph, digital modes as dg, cw
>
> as cw.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>
> ak-vhf mailing list
>
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Tue Jan 18 16:24:21 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 21:24:21 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] Weekend VHF/UHF Digital
Message-ID: <LXl3DINxgrMc95_yE0S4q9TeFsw3A8qDtG7wac4NAoXueLgDMo9XPmNGuXmKtUzjTgebklAY98tZYprsoJcXFsAYi_srtvi2UZBYg_eueP8=@protonmail.com>

to Ed and the group,

There has been some discussion about trying digital modes more, so I was wondering who else might want to run some digital after the Saturday net?

I'm been doing a lot of work on my station over the last few months, and am now set up to run both WSJT modes and anything in the fldigi suite on 6 M, 2 M, 70 cm, and 23 cm. FT8 is the hot mode lately, but I've been finding lots of activity on PSK31 and RTTY, on HF.

Running digital could also be a lot of fun in the contests: even smaller stations with basic 6 M antennas would gain big advantages using digital when compared with running SSB voice.
Any takers,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Fri Jan 21 21:17:30 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2022 17:17:30 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Net on Jan. 22 - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
	<389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <087fdce9-dc39-34bf-d2dc-327a1bb9a5a7@acsalaska.net>

Net will begin at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.  I will also monitor 223.50 FM 
for check-in's.

Brandon-KL7BSC and I have been discussing starting a 6m Net, so as an 
experiment we will hold a 6m Net at end of the AK-VHF Net (10:30pm). 
Initial 15-minutes will be on 50.125-SSB, then at 10:45-11:00am we will 
try using digital modes.  This week we will run 50.250 psk-31.

If the idea of a 6m Net is received well, then other modes such as FT8 
or RTTY might be tried in subsequent weeks.  Also, to consider if 
another day or time is better for a 6m Net.

Wx predicts nasty for tomorrow - hope to hear you!

73, Ed - KL7UW

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Sat Jan 22 16:32:30 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2022 21:32:30 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] 6 Meter Digital Success
Message-ID: <lVMs-AJcF4TCIHdjnw6JbPIjPOVJczQ5iq090OYcTl7rI2fgVKKDs0a3y60_iLjMZUB0eeQqZxNDS83LYKRu3JFfYKkEsGR1X8I0ip4SyRc=@protonmail.com>

Hello group,

Ed and I did some testing after the net this morning and had excellent results using PSK31 on 50.250 MHz.

I'm in midtown Anchorage and usually can't work Ed's location in Nikiski on voice. Both sites are too low in elevation, there are trees in the way, etc.

Using PSK31 we had perfect copy the whole time. The narrowband properties of that mode really helped boost signal strengths and made conversation easy.

The hardware requirements are identical to what you need for modes like FT8, so if you can run that on HF then you already have what you need. Your tuner might already be able to get you on 6 M.

We were using fldigi software, which is tricky to set up but works great once it's running. Feel free to reach out to me if you want some assistance getting set up, or doing tests on-air. And keep an eye to the mailing list for future digital operating.
73,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC

Sent from ProtonMail mobile

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sat Jan 22 18:20:11 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2022 14:20:11 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] Net on Jan. 22 - 144.200 USB
In-Reply-To: <087fdce9-dc39-34bf-d2dc-327a1bb9a5a7@acsalaska.net>
References: <704224115.888094.1642210198556.ref@mail.yahoo.com>
	<704224115.888094.1642210198556@mail.yahoo.com>
	<08535e5b-b9b6-f7d2-73f3-b391478af430@acsalaska.net>
	<389fa71b-9105-4090-747e-789ecfd6808a@acsalaska.net>
	<087fdce9-dc39-34bf-d2dc-327a1bb9a5a7@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <dc9cbcbe-ec42-d0cc-454e-7a274087a665@acsalaska.net>

Net report:

144.200:
KL0YO - S0 (signal was fading in/out)
KL3WF - S8
KL7H - S1 and later S8 when he had his antenna pointed toward me
AL7LO - S1 (weak but readable)
KL7XJ - S8
KL6M - S7

223.50:
KL7H - 2bars
KL7XJ - 3bars (max reading on my BCM-220 s-meter)
KL6m - 2bars

50.125 (noise S4):
KL6M - S8
KL7BSC - S5/6 (difficult copy of his 2-elem yagi)
KL0YO - by relay (not heard)
KL3WF - S6
*I was not heard at first as I forgot and had antenna attached to my 
kilowatt amp which was powered off; I switched antenna to my 80w amp and 
was heard well.  A "duh" moment.

50.250 PSK31:
KL7BSC - excellent copy (he reported in more detail on this).
noise was running S5 during this test.

Next week the net will meet on 146.52 FM 9:30-10:30 and we will repeat 
the 6m net starting on 50.125 USB and finishing on 50.250 psk31.

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/21/2022 5:17 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
> Net will begin at 9:30am on 144.200 USB.? I will also monitor 223.50 FM 
> for check-in's.
> 
> Brandon-KL7BSC and I have been discussing starting a 6m Net, so as an 
> experiment we will hold a 6m Net at end of the AK-VHF Net (10:30pm). 
> Initial 15-minutes will be on 50.125-SSB, then at 10:45-11:00am we will 
> try using digital modes.? This week we will run 50.250 psk-31.
> 
> If the idea of a 6m Net is received well, then other modes such as FT8 
> or RTTY might be tried in subsequent weeks.? Also, to consider if 
> another day or time is better for a 6m Net.
> 
> Wx predicts nasty for tomorrow - hope to hear you!
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Mon Jan 24 14:10:38 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2022 19:10:38 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] Saturday (29th) POTA and WFD
Message-ID: <miQsXHdYnjpmDMV3sIyEHYzBucauRLio41ZjnVM_9316AMm_P-HHbqJX_7PyIEEaySE_53So_pf1nB-_uqls5v_E_97qzB8Y7doK-C1xuxw=@protonmail.com>

Hello group,

Next Saturday the 29th is the start of Winter Field Day. The event runs from 1000 Saturday to 1000 Sunday (local time). Full information is at:
https://www.winterfieldday.com/

Like the ARRL's Field Day in June, WFD is technically an emergency exercise, but most of us just have fun with it and make a bunch of contacts. There is even a cool map of stations announcing their plans to be on-air:
https://winterfieldday.org/siteLocator.htm

To join in you just make contacts on the non-WARC bands, including VHF and UHF. For us in Alaska the exchange is our ARRL section (Alaska), the number of transmitters you are using, and whether you are a Home station, Outdoor station, or Indoor station.

I'm going to be hot tent camping at Shem Pete Lake, in Nancy Lake State Recreation Area, which is also Parks on the Air unit K-7220. There will be a LOT of POTA activity over the weekend, so it's also a great time to get some new park units in your logbook.

My VHF/UHF gear is going to be a little limited, but should work ok. I'll have a dual-band j-pole antenna for 2 meter and 70 centimeters, and will be rigging up a horizontal dipole for 6 meters. On 2 M and 70 cm I'll only have 5 watts available, but I have a lot more power available on 6 meters.

Keep an ear out for me during the Saturday morning net at 0930 on 146.52 FM (I'll need a relay). After the net I'll switch over to one of the repeaters and coordinate from there.
Happy operating,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Thu Jan 27 22:58:57 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2022 03:58:57 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] WFD/POTA Update
Message-ID: <vAkk0tY4xFt-njR8tu8ExJUHtJRZNbBIkp9f0RWbdUbF-Ve5paPpMWhJoy1hIJ79NgqXzl75PEIHKHiuJfK0qvIa-qlwUIMx2ktxRZl10jQ=@protonmail.com>

Hello group,

Everything is on for my snowshoe and camp out at Nancy Lake. There is one change to my comms plan though: I wasn't able to complete the 6 M dipole in time.

I'll still be on during the 6 M PSK31 time, but I'll be using my HF vertical through a tuner. Performance is an unknown, and I'll be cross-polarized to most stations, so don't be surprised if you hear me on that mode.

Heading out tomorrow at 0800. Wish me luck.

Also, there is going to be another POTA activation from down on the Kenai. Eric Fell will be on a variety of bands throughout the weekend, so keep an ear out for him.
73,

Brandon, KL7BSC

Sent from ProtonMail mobile

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Fri Jan 28 02:50:51 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2022 22:50:51 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] WFD/POTA Update
In-Reply-To: <vAkk0tY4xFt-njR8tu8ExJUHtJRZNbBIkp9f0RWbdUbF-Ve5paPpMWhJoy1hIJ79NgqXzl75PEIHKHiuJfK0qvIa-qlwUIMx2ktxRZl10jQ=@protonmail.com>
References: <vAkk0tY4xFt-njR8tu8ExJUHtJRZNbBIkp9f0RWbdUbF-Ve5paPpMWhJoy1hIJ79NgqXzl75PEIHKHiuJfK0qvIa-qlwUIMx2ktxRZl10jQ=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <cffae524-4754-2b82-35fe-7c867a49541f@acsalaska.net>

Brandon,

Thanks for the update.  psk31 on 6m (50.250) at 100w into your vertical 
may still reach me with enough signal strength.  Your 2-element yagi 
last week was putting very strong signal down to me (plaingly heard in 
speaker).

Note Ken-NL7B is going to try running FT8 during the WFD:
"My plan is to run WFD on 20 and 15, CW/SSB Saturday, maybe 40 Sat 
evening. But I'll plan on listening on 6 ft8 for you guys at 1045 off 
the dipole, though I may not have enough time to get the 6 yagi back 
up." per NL7B

I sent him e-mail that we would be running psk31 at 10:45 instead of 
FT*, but that I would try to be looking for him at 11:00am on FT8 (50.313).

Both of you subscribe here so will get this message.

I will probably focus on 6m, but maybe take at look on 20m-SSB, for 
awhile.  Depends on wx:  if good I'm likely to work on my 2m eme array 
vs operating.  Tomorrow, if snow stops in afternoon I will be shoveling 
out the 50+ foot path to the tower (again for the third time this week).

Drifted snow is hard-packed so a shovel will not cut it - have use a 
pick-axe to break it up so shovel can be used.  Snow drifts are 2-foot 
deep.  Today a neighbor came over to remove 3-foot drifted snow from our 
drive with his John Deer tractor/snow blower.  Snow is piled 5-foot high 
along the road by the house by graders.  So glad that winter is antenna 
time in AK <cough-cough>

73, Ed - KL7UW
Note Saturday net is 146.52 FM 9:30-10:30am

On 1/27/2022 6:58 PM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
> Hello group,
> 
> Everything is on for my snowshoe and camp out at Nancy Lake. There is one change to my comms plan though: I wasn't able to complete the 6 M dipole in time.
> 
> I'll still be on during the 6 M PSK31 time, but I'll be using my HF vertical through a tuner. Performance is an unknown, and I'll be cross-polarized to most stations, so don't be surprised if you hear me on that mode.
> 
> Heading out tomorrow at 0800. Wish me luck.
> 
> Also, there is going to be another POTA activation from down on the Kenai. Eric Fell will be on a variety of bands throughout the weekend, so keep an ear out for him.
> 73,
> 
> Brandon, KL7BSC
> 
> Sent from ProtonMail mobile
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sat Jan 29 00:40:32 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2022 20:40:32 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK-VHF Net: 29 Jan - 146.52 FM
Message-ID: <1fb3762a-a6f5-8fd1-311c-c9986ec5a7a6@acsalaska.net>

Being the last Saturday of January the net will be held on 146.52 FM 
starting at 9:30 am.  I will also monitor 223.50 FM.

We have a new member (93) to the Group, Craig-KL7HG from Sterling that 
is a new ham with a dual-band HT (no external antenna, yet).  I met 
Craig for lunch on Thursday to give him some info on our club & net and 
some general info for getting started in ham radio.  He may try to check 
in on 2m, tomorrow.  KL7GRM or KL7RHJ may hear him.

We will dove-tail 6m-SSB on 50.125 after the net at 10:30 and at 10:45 I 
will be attempting to work KL7BSC/KL7 on 50.250/psk31 in the Nancy Lake 
area who is working the WinterFieldDay (WFD).  He will be using an HF 
vertical on 6m with 100w.  Brandon has posted his plans to the list a 
few days ago.

73, Ed - KL7UW

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Sun Jan 30 01:13:43 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2022 21:13:43 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK-VHF Net: 29 Jan - 146.52 FM
In-Reply-To: <1fb3762a-a6f5-8fd1-311c-c9986ec5a7a6@acsalaska.net>
References: <1fb3762a-a6f5-8fd1-311c-c9986ec5a7a6@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <14e23e1a-64cd-9027-df7b-4c8b2f336003@acsalaska.net>

Net Report:

146.52 FM (noise was S4/5 which is unusually high):
KL7XJ - S5 on yagi, S7 on vertical
KL7HJ - S9 on yagi*, S5 on vertical
KL6M - S7 on yagi, S5 on vertical
* off back of the beam

223.50 FM
KL7XJ - 2bars
KL6M - 2bars

Never activated 6m SSB because talked too long on 223.50
attempts to reach KL7BSC/Nancy Lake area unsuccessful at 10:45

decided to shovel snow in afternoon (knee deep) so did no more ham radio.

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/28/2022 8:40 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
> Being the last Saturday of January the net will be held on 146.52 FM 
> starting at 9:30 am.? I will also monitor 223.50 FM.
> 
> We have a new member (93) to the Group, Craig-KL7HG from Sterling that 
> is a new ham with a dual-band HT (no external antenna, yet).? I met 
> Craig for lunch on Thursday to give him some info on our club & net and 
> some general info for getting started in ham radio.? He may try to check 
> in on 2m, tomorrow.? KL7GRM or KL7RHJ may hear him.
> 
> We will dove-tail 6m-SSB on 50.125 after the net at 10:30 and at 10:45 I 
> will be attempting to work KL7BSC/KL7 on 50.250/psk31 in the Nancy Lake 
> area who is working the WinterFieldDay (WFD).? He will be using an HF 
> vertical on 6m with 100w.? Brandon has posted his plans to the list a 
> few days ago.
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 

From KL7BSC at protonmail.com  Mon Jan 31 17:30:30 2022
From: KL7BSC at protonmail.com (Brandon Clark)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 22:30:30 +0000
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK-VHF Net: 29 Jan - 146.52 FM
In-Reply-To: <14e23e1a-64cd-9027-df7b-4c8b2f336003@acsalaska.net>
References: <1fb3762a-a6f5-8fd1-311c-c9986ec5a7a6@acsalaska.net>
	<14e23e1a-64cd-9027-df7b-4c8b2f336003@acsalaska.net>
Message-ID: <mHWnjmiogzq4JO3EcnQ4dm3TzSGu_6i6vd5x3HSejwaXd9fbStJYBRcjnZyaMrdg4YHer8ce1Hrnvkb072lHTyan1E-x5Nf5XHHKMycM5uM=@protonmail.com>

Hello group,

The trip went pretty well, although I ran into more issues than I expected. To start, when I got to Shem Pete Lake I got North and East mixed up (lazy routefinding on my part, and fatigue), so I set up camp with a sizeable hill to the south-east. That blocked a lot of lower-48 signals that I needed for the contest, and prevented good VHF/UHF reception to Wasilla.

Also, right before the event I put together a 2m/70cm j pole and didn't have time to test it. When I hooked it up for the Saturday net there was a high SWR issue, so I had to switch to a backup 5/8 wave that didn't give me nearly good enough reception. I could hit the repeaters well enough, and chatted up a few people on there, but repeater contacts don't count.

My HF antenna was a new one that I built, based around an LDG 4:1 unun. Electrically it is a non-resonant vertical antenna, utilizing a tuner to work multiple bands. The 4:1 unun brings the impedance down to within range of my autotuner. It worked well, but I needed a taller support for it than the fiberglass fishing pole that I brought along. The radiating element was strung out at about 45 degrees, instead of vertical. I also should have spread out the ground wires a little more, but I got lazy and didn't want to trudge out a whole lawn worth of snow to set up the ground wires. (I have a plan to address that next year.)

Also (and very surprisingly) the tuner couldn't match that antenna on the 6 meter band. I couldn't get in on there to try PSK31 with the group. Goes to show: always be sure your gear is adequately tested before going afield.

Anyway, WDF contacts were pretty light with the bad location, minimal VHF capability, and hill to the south-east. Nonetheless, I managed to wrangle a few contacts on 20 meters using PSK31. With my compromised antenna setup and the tree-covered hill in the way I decided to fall back on a strictly-POTA activation, and ran FT8 most of the day. I ended up with about 50 contacts in total, covering the US, Canada, Japan, and Asiatic Russia. Not bad for compromised antennas, portable gear, and a campsite in the middle of nowhere.

Photos of the activation can be viewed at:
https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=kZRP1cXZmjCIS6JWRP4K2O9hRuvzFbGRc4qV

The link above also has a map of the grids I worked. In a few weeks I'll be putting together a full write-up of the activation on my website. I also got a ton of videos from camp and the trail, so I'm looking into getting those available on Vimeo around the same time. Stay tuned.
73,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.

??????? Original Message ???????

On Saturday, January 29th, 2022 at 21:13, Ed Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:

> Net Report:
>
> 146.52 FM (noise was S4/5 which is unusually high):
>
> KL7XJ - S5 on yagi, S7 on vertical
>
> KL7HJ - S9 on yagi*, S5 on vertical
>
> KL6M - S7 on yagi, S5 on vertical
>
> -
>
> off back of the beam
>
> 223.50 FM
>
> KL7XJ - 2bars
>
> KL6M - 2bars
>
> Never activated 6m SSB because talked too long on 223.50
>
> attempts to reach KL7BSC/Nancy Lake area unsuccessful at 10:45
>
> decided to shovel snow in afternoon (knee deep) so did no more ham radio.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>
> On 1/28/2022 8:40 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
>
>> Being the last Saturday of January the net will be held on 146.52 FM
>>
>> starting at 9:30 am. I will also monitor 223.50 FM.
>>
>> We have a new member (93) to the Group, Craig-KL7HG from Sterling that
>>
>> is a new ham with a dual-band HT (no external antenna, yet). I met
>>
>> Craig for lunch on Thursday to give him some info on our club & net and
>>
>> some general info for getting started in ham radio. He may try to check
>>
>> in on 2m, tomorrow. KL7GRM or KL7RHJ may hear him.
>>
>> We will dove-tail 6m-SSB on 50.125 after the net at 10:30 and at 10:45 I
>>
>> will be attempting to work KL7BSC/KL7 on 50.250/psk31 in the Nancy Lake
>>
>> area who is working the WinterFieldDay (WFD). He will be using an HF
>>
>> vertical on 6m with 100w. Brandon has posted his plans to the list a
>>
>> few days ago.
>>
>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>
>> ak-vhf mailing list
>>
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>
>> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ak-vhf mailing list
>
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>
> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

From kl7uw at acsalaska.net  Mon Jan 31 19:30:00 2022
From: kl7uw at acsalaska.net (Ed Cole)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:30:00 -0900
Subject: [AK-VHF] AK-VHF Net: 29 Jan - 146.52 FM
In-Reply-To: <mHWnjmiogzq4JO3EcnQ4dm3TzSGu_6i6vd5x3HSejwaXd9fbStJYBRcjnZyaMrdg4YHer8ce1Hrnvkb072lHTyan1E-x5Nf5XHHKMycM5uM=@protonmail.com>
References: <1fb3762a-a6f5-8fd1-311c-c9986ec5a7a6@acsalaska.net>
	<14e23e1a-64cd-9027-df7b-4c8b2f336003@acsalaska.net>
	<mHWnjmiogzq4JO3EcnQ4dm3TzSGu_6i6vd5x3HSejwaXd9fbStJYBRcjnZyaMrdg4YHer8ce1Hrnvkb072lHTyan1E-x5Nf5XHHKMycM5uM=@protonmail.com>
Message-ID: <3e892df0-a153-79f2-7a67-07de5e74de16@acsalaska.net>

Brandon,

Aww yes - experience the teacher!  My eight years volunteering as a ham 
on the Iditarod as a ham (1982-1988) did that.  After a few times I 
developed workable antennas and a good check-list for packing up what I 
needed (flown 3-times into the Alaska Range staying in a one-room cabin).

A compass is handy.  If you have cell coverage some cell phones will 
work as a compass.  Then there is the old backwoods use of the position 
of the sun (if sky is clear).  In my old backpacking years I took along 
USFS maps which one could identify mountains or lakes, etc.  Of course 
there were usually well defined trails in the seasons I hiked.  I did 
only day trips on xcountry skiis (nice warm condo at night).

How long is your vertical?  A 30-foot telescoping pole is useful (but 
not to pack in with).  Those stackable 5-foot fiberglass poles might be 
the solution (but would require six).

I used a wire dipole cut for the lowest band and often only 10-12 foot 
off ground.  I cut the wires at the point to make shorter dipoles and 
used a short piece of 1/8-inch nylon cord as insulator with alligator 
clip on the short jumper to connect for lower band.  I can see a 
80/40/20m/6m dipole made this way.  Of course you need trees or poles to 
string it,  No radials needed and only path under the dipole to stomp 
out with snowshoes.  Tuner might be useful (or not); I never had one.

I did take 2m-SSB/FM with yagi on some of my trips where 2m would reach 
another checkpoint (over 70-miles in some cases, but I had 150w amp). 
Of course a ski plane flew me in so I could pack more than one can carry 
on their back (2-3 boxes), 600w gen & gas, sleeping bag and pad.

I was almost late for our psk31 sked and so no trace of any signals. 
Didn't operate 0n HF as I shoveled snow in the afternoon.  FT8 sure 
works weak signals well!  :-)

I got WL7PM (Homer) on 3940 at S9+30 (he gave me S5) for the swap net at 
11am.  My inverted-V is 40-feet at the feed point and about 15-foot on 
the ends.  Kind of hard to do that on a hike-in scenario.

73, Ed - KL7UW

On 1/31/2022 1:30 PM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
> Hello group,
> 
> The trip went pretty well, although I ran into more issues than I expected. To start, when I got to Shem Pete Lake I got North and East mixed up (lazy routefinding on my part, and fatigue), so I set up camp with a sizeable hill to the south-east. That blocked a lot of lower-48 signals that I needed for the contest, and prevented good VHF/UHF reception to Wasilla.
> 
> Also, right before the event I put together a 2m/70cm j pole and didn't have time to test it. When I hooked it up for the Saturday net there was a high SWR issue, so I had to switch to a backup 5/8 wave that didn't give me nearly good enough reception. I could hit the repeaters well enough, and chatted up a few people on there, but repeater contacts don't count.
> 
> My HF antenna was a new one that I built, based around an LDG 4:1 unun. Electrically it is a non-resonant vertical antenna, utilizing a tuner to work multiple bands. The 4:1 unun brings the impedance down to within range of my autotuner. It worked well, but I needed a taller support for it than the fiberglass fishing pole that I brought along. The radiating element was strung out at about 45 degrees, instead of vertical. I also should have spread out the ground wires a little more, but I got lazy and didn't want to trudge out a whole lawn worth of snow to set up the ground wires. (I have a plan to address that next year.)
> 
> Also (and very surprisingly) the tuner couldn't match that antenna on the 6 meter band. I couldn't get in on there to try PSK31 with the group. Goes to show: always be sure your gear is adequately tested before going afield.
> 
> Anyway, WDF contacts were pretty light with the bad location, minimal VHF capability, and hill to the south-east. Nonetheless, I managed to wrangle a few contacts on 20 meters using PSK31. With my compromised antenna setup and the tree-covered hill in the way I decided to fall back on a strictly-POTA activation, and ran FT8 most of the day. I ended up with about 50 contacts in total, covering the US, Canada, Japan, and Asiatic Russia. Not bad for compromised antennas, portable gear, and a campsite in the middle of nowhere.
> 
> Photos of the activation can be viewed at:
> https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=kZRP1cXZmjCIS6JWRP4K2O9hRuvzFbGRc4qV
> 
> The link above also has a map of the grids I worked. In a few weeks I'll be putting together a full write-up of the activation on my website. I also got a ton of videos from camp and the trail, so I'm looking into getting those available on Vimeo around the same time. Stay tuned.
> 73,
> 
> Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
> https://brandonclarklabs.com/
> 
> Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com/) Secure Email.
> 
> ??????? Original Message ???????
> 
> On Saturday, January 29th, 2022 at 21:13, Ed Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:
> 
>> Net Report:
>>
>> 146.52 FM (noise was S4/5 which is unusually high):
>>
>> KL7XJ - S5 on yagi, S7 on vertical
>>
>> KL7HJ - S9 on yagi*, S5 on vertical
>>
>> KL6M - S7 on yagi, S5 on vertical
>>
>> -
>>
>> off back of the beam
>>
>> 223.50 FM
>>
>> KL7XJ - 2bars
>>
>> KL6M - 2bars
>>
>> Never activated 6m SSB because talked too long on 223.50
>>
>> attempts to reach KL7BSC/Nancy Lake area unsuccessful at 10:45
>>
>> decided to shovel snow in afternoon (knee deep) so did no more ham radio.
>>
>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>
>> On 1/28/2022 8:40 PM, Ed Cole wrote:
>>
>>> Being the last Saturday of January the net will be held on 146.52 FM
>>>
>>> starting at 9:30 am. I will also monitor 223.50 FM.
>>>
>>> We have a new member (93) to the Group, Craig-KL7HG from Sterling that
>>>
>>> is a new ham with a dual-band HT (no external antenna, yet). I met
>>>
>>> Craig for lunch on Thursday to give him some info on our club & net and
>>>
>>> some general info for getting started in ham radio. He may try to check
>>>
>>> in on 2m, tomorrow. KL7GRM or KL7RHJ may hear him.
>>>
>>> We will dove-tail 6m-SSB on 50.125 after the net at 10:30 and at 10:45 I
>>>
>>> will be attempting to work KL7BSC/KL7 on 50.250/psk31 in the Nancy Lake
>>>
>>> area who is working the WinterFieldDay (WFD). He will be using an HF
>>>
>>> vertical on 6m with 100w. Brandon has posted his plans to the list a
>>>
>>> few days ago.
>>>
>>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>>
>>> ak-vhf mailing list
>>>
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>>
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>>
>>> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>>
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>> ak-vhf mailing list
>>
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>
>> Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> ak-vhf mailing list
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> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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> 
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> 

