[BARC-List] FD 2002 post mortem

[David P. Goncalves]

> - 2M did very poorly.  6M wasn't much better.  220, 440, and 1.2
>   got us nothing.  What's wrong here?

Here is what I know.

220: Nobody was out there, or at least, I could not hear them.
     I gave it a good shot for all of Saturday, scanning SSB and FM
     simplex frequencies. Nothing - even called CQ four a couple of hours.
     Also, the IC38 220 FM was wonderful at picking up soccer games.

440 FM: We didn't have a radio set to 440 'till I shut down my
     packet operation. Gave calls on Sunday morning, got a
     couple of people.

1.2GFM: Couln't hear anybody, nobody heard me. Using a whip on a cookie
        sheet. Also, didn't touch it until sunday morning.

2M FM: There was a radio set to a simplex frequency on Saturday,
     I didn't touch it until Sunday morning. Got a couple people
     that were ARRL affiliated (two of the contacts I made arrived at
     our FD site that morning). Not having a calling frequency also hurt.
     People had to have run into me by scanning.

>   Just because nobody was manning those stations?

Yes! I do not think many knew it was available (I was afraid to touch it
until Sun.) and the table it was on was MUCH too packed to allow more than
2 people to use it. My computer was blocking two of the mobile rigs.

>   All the mobiles now have HF in the car and were on 40M?
>   Propagation?  Next year, I'd drop everything above 6M except for
>   2M talkin unless there is a concerted effort to get contacts on
>   2 from 1C/1D non-active participants out there.  It's just not
>   worth hauling all that stuff for that miniscule return.

If somebody decides to do VHF/UHF again, we need an improvement in the
antenna system, and more space. One table isn't enough.

Even with that, 220 and 1.2G FM isn't worth hauling up the hill.


David P. Goncalves, N1XZB
N.U. Wireless Club, W1KBN