[NLRS] CQ WW VHF halftime update (Sat. night)

[Todd Sprinkmann]

    I started hearing thunder about 20 minutes ago and
pulled the switches for the night.  Tropo forecasts at
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html  for our
area tomorrow look very promising, so I'll be up
early and back at it.

    The score so far here at KC9BQA is 12432.
I have 88 Q's in 32 grids on 6 meters and 67 Q's in
24 grids on 2 meters.

     Worked WB8BZK/R and N9TTX/R a bunch so
far.  Also caught WA0VPJ/R earlier this afternoon
EN43.  Heard him at least once or twice more, but
couldn't raise him.  Didn't hear from N0DQS/R, but I
was hitting northwest thru southwest hard in mid-late
afternoon, before the storms roared thru those areas.
Worked KA0PQW in EN33 pretty easily.  We always
seem to have a good path.

      2 meters seemed somewhat enhanced.  Had good
signals from N8LIQ up in EN56 and was also able to
complete on both bands with the N9LR operation up
in EN67.  Heard plenty of others who also worked them.
Good for N9LR and K9CT; they've got a first-rate deal
working up there.  Make sure to look for them if you
haven't already.

      6 meters was a bit frustrating.  At the start of the
contest, there were at least 3-5 VE6's and 7's all on
50.125.  I tried spreading out toward 50.140 and had
no takers at all.  Then 10-15 minutes later, it seemed
as though it had all faded away.

      6 meter Es has been like that all day right here.  Lots
of tantalizing little bursts (west coast, east coast, mid-Atlantic
and some Gulf coast as well)  But no sustained strong signals
to really run with.  Just couldn't find that sweet spot, I guess.

    It's time for bed.  Hope to work many more of you tomorrow.

    In case you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about, this
is the CQ WW VHF contest, 6 and 2 meters only, and it runs
until 4pm central time today -- Sunday.  Here are the rules:

 http://www.cqww-vhf.com/rules.htm

    73,
    Todd  KC9BQA  EN63ao  40 miles north of Milwaukee