[MNham] Fwd: 2m Nets Wed + VHF Contest rah-rah you can use

[Douglas H Reed]

Hi all.

Just in case you have an all-mode VHF/UHF radio and don't know what to
do with the button marked "USB", the email below includes some links
to upcoming activities that make full use of the 6M and up sideband
modes of your radio. If you only have FM radios, you can still
participate but in a more limited way....

Probably 90% of the activity on VHF is on the FM frequencies. But
there are a lot of people who own all-mode radios that include some
VHF/UHF bands. The nets mentioned below are specifically for those
all-mode radios since the nets are held using upper sideband, USB. If
you want to try that mode, those nets are your weekly opportunity.

The email also mentions up-coming VHF/UHF contest activity. Two of the
larger VHF/UHF contests are right ahead, one on this coming weekend,
the other in mid-July. Those contests will provide the best possible
opportunity for anyone with an all-mode VHF/UHF radio to get out and
play with sideband voice operation on VHF/UHF bands. If you really
want to know what your radio can do on these bands, the contests are
the time to find out.

On 2M, you are probably used to working FM repeaters 15 to 30 miles
from your car. Or maybe you've worked them 40 to 80 miles away from
your home. On USB, preferably with a small beam, you should be able to
double any of those distances. If you get hooked enough to play with
some specialized digital modes, you can get out toward 1000 miles.

Or maybe you'd prefer to take some time and build a simple beam or
dipole antenna for 6M before the weekend. This time of the year you
can work stations all over the mid-west on 6M USB, and with some
diligence you could talk all over the country, easily out to the
coasts and into Canada. Chances are good that you can make some
distant QSOs if you just try FM on 52.525MHz simplex this weekend.

The last set of links below are for a series of articles he calls VHF
Contesting School. I haven't looked at them but if you think you have
any interest at all in trying to work the contest, you should at least
take a look at those articles and then be sure to check out the rules
for the ARRL VHF QSO Party this weekend.

If any of this sounded interesting but you don't have an all-mode
radio, you can still get a good taste if you monitor 146.55MHz or
146.57MHz simplex in the Twin City area. There is always some contest
activity there. If you find it interesting, tune around the other
simplex frequencies too, including 52.525MHz and 446.000MHz if you
have them. You might find contest activity anywhere between 146.415MHz
and 146.595MHz simplex, excluding the 146.520MHz national simplex
frequency.

Ideally you should keep a log for the contest and send it in to join
the contest or simply as a check log for the other participants. The
log doesn't need to be fancy. I usually use a lined notepad with one
column for date-time, one for call, one for the exchange, and space
left over for comments. That is all you need to start with and you can
get fancy later if you want to do it again....

I hope to hear some new calls during the contest!

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Todd Sprinkmann <sprinkies at excel.net>
Date: Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 8:43 PM
Subject:  2m Nets Wed + VHF Contest rah-rah you can use


   Every Wed. night, we have multiple 2m SSB nets for you to
monitor or say hello to.   This week's net details are easy to
access at <www.kc9bqa.com>, the very top post.

   The following info may seem very basic to experienced
VHF'ers.  I pass it along in case any of you want to share it
with hams who might be VHF-curious.  We need to try
harder to keep our bands active.  Thanks for listening.  A
special thanks to those of you who have helped put new
VHF'ers on the air.


  This weekend is the first major VHF contest of the season.
The ARRL June VHF QSO Party starts at 1pm central time on
Saturday and runs 33 hours until 10pm Sunday.  A VHF contest
is the single-most active time on V/UHF bands like 50, 144, 432
and 222 MHz.   If you want a taste of the action, I have a variety
of links that will help you.

   The ARRL rules are at <http://www.arrl.org/june-vhf-qso-party>

   Summer is the best time of year for openings and DX on the
VHF bands.  A summer V/UHF contest calendar is here:
<http://kc9bqa.com/?p=4624>

   Want to see how we help drum up more activity in a contest?
Visit this link for a Google spreadsheet that details dozens of
stations that will be on.  Add your own plans, by all means.
<http://kc9bqa.com/?p=4802>

    You might worry that you have no idea how to "do" a
VHF/UHF contest.  That's a valid concern.  It's one I had 8
years ago, when I was just getting on the air.  To help hams
everywhere get comfortable, I have written a series of articles
I call VHF Contesting School.  I broke them down into bite-
sized pieces.  Check the articles out at  this link:
<http://kc9bqa.com/?p=4676>

    Those articles are designed to get you comfortable with
trying a VHF contest, even if you have no experience.  Give
them a read and see if it captures your interest.   You are free
to share any of the above info with hams everywhere.  We can
always use more signals on the VHF/UHF bands.

    Enjoy, 73,
    Todd   KC9BQA      EN63ao     40 N of Milwaukee
    www.kc9bqa.com   For Frequent VHF/UHF Updates
    www.wivuch.com   WI VHF/UHF County Hunter Awards