[InHam] [Fwd: [SMC] 144.250 net *ON* tonight -- 8:30pm]

[Dan Evans]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[SMC] 144.250 net *ON* tonight -- 8:30pm
Date: 	Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:31:04 -0600
From: 	Todd Sprinkmann <sprinkies at excel.net>
To: 	badgercontesters at mailman.qth.net, SMC at w9smc.com



   I'm looking forward to our net tonight.  Lots to discuss, and 
I'd like to hear other people's perspectives.  

   We had an explosion of new contesters near La Crosse and 
around the Milwaukee areas.  Mostly FM, but some with SSB 
too.  Some who truly sounded like they were getting the hang 
of it as the hours went by.  Also some who sounded like they 
were really excited by the whole contest experience.  

  146.55 FM was packed for a time on Sat. afternoon on my 
rig.  Saw all sorts of guys being run up to 446.00 and 223.5 
as well.  W9FZ Bruce said that he was getting pileups from the 
La Crosse area when he'd enter a new grid.  We had a few new 
rovers, even in January.  Some of the new contesters were still 
going for it on Sunday, as well.  They were no longer taking baby 
steps, but really contesting.   

  I worked very hard to make this happen, but I honestly wasn't 
sure if they'd jump on board.  I was on pins and needles the 
weeks leading up to the contest, and I've been on Cloud 9 since 
mid-Saturday, when I could see (hear) it was working.   

   I'd be most curious to hear from the fellows in and around 
Chicago to see if this all-out push for new contesters affected 
their area.  Or if it didn't. 

   I'd also like to thank anyone who helped spread this word.  
If you didn't help, I'd like to kindly encourage you to take a 
few minutes and think about how you can help VHF and 
contesting activity in your backyard.  John W9RPM out in 
EN43 asked me back in fall if he could forward the net 
announcements to some non-VHF groups in his La Crosse 
backyard.  

  Well something happened out that way.  I have no idea 
how, but there were at least a dozen new calls on from that 
area this weekend.  Did I work all of them?  No.  But it's 
not about that.  It's about CREATING MORE OVERALL 
ACTIVITY IN ALL DIRECTIONS. 

   Others can do this as well.  If you are thinking you'd like 
the net on a different date/time/band, then start your own.  :)  
Even if you can only do it once or twice a month.  Network 
with a few of your buddies and take turns.  Email guys from 
different groups near you.  Talk it up on repeaters, if you 
get on repeaters.  There's plenty of effective ways to make 
VHF better.    


   So we're going to have a net tonight, and with warmer 
weather, I'm optimistic that my rotor will turn better.  

   If I do get stuck (as I frequently did this weekend), I may 
have to ask someone near me to take things over for a time.  
Just be aware of that possibility, if you hear some dead air 
at an unexpected time.  

   73,
   Todd  KC9BQA   EN63ao    40 N of Milwaukee
   50 thru 2304


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73
Dan
-- 
Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Clark County Indiana.
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