[NLRS] EN37 Weekend VHF results

[Bill Davis]

  Was there a contest? From the "activity" it would be hard to prove. To prove the point, I had 22 QSOs on 2 meters for the entire contest! This is the lowest number of 2m QSOs I have EVER recorded for a contest since I started keeping record. (15yrs) The average number of 2m QSOs for a January contest here is 48 QSOs!!


  A little 6m Es into Texas Saturday evening provided 10 or 11 DX grids that gave a few more points to an otherwise "black hole". I'm trying to be positive here, wouldn't what you to know what I really think!

  Highlights .... 


(1) Thanks Jon W0ZQ and Gary W0GHZ for braving the 35mph wind and and 30deg temps working me on 10GHz snow scatter. FUN ... Nice to have TWO 10GHz QSOs in the log (13% of my total score). A very nice way to start the first 5min of the contest. Pure snow scatter S2-3 and both were observed on their first timed sequence with QSOs completed in quick consecutive sequences. Good operators and gear :-)


(2) Nice "Northland QSOs" with W0PHD, NT0V, VE3KRP, K0MVJ, W0ANH. Very nice to see grids north/ east/ west in the log. Thanks guys. Your activity far from the center of the VHF universe is very special to this OM, keep the fire burning.


(3) K9JK/R was worked in two grids down TX way on 6m Es. Fun to work John in the sunny south and in two grids no less. So I can forgive him a little bit for abandoning us during the winter.


(4) Nice 2m and 222 Qs with N9DG (317miles), N9LB (359miles), W9EWZ (2m only, 374 miles) then of course K2DRH (411 miles). Bob was pretty tough on 222 and 432 except for the aircraft scatter. We ended up using JT65 for both of those QSOs. CW was fine for 6 and 2m, no chance for SSB except I heard Bob VERY well on 2m SSB Sunday afternoon. This is very common for Bob. I don't know if he just looks more to the NW on Sunday afternoons or what?


(5) Matt K0BBC, thanks for your VHF enthusiasm. I think this is 3 contests in a row for us on 2m. I sure was pleased to see your fondness of VHF displayed on your QRZ page, well done. I look forward to many more VHF QSOs with K0BBC.


(6) My rotator DID turn, even at -20d F Sunday morning. That had been a worry before the contest. Slow turning for sure. When I got my 4hrs of shut eye I staged the rotator on Bob K2YAZ's heading figuring that it very well might not turn after it's cold sleep Saturday night, but it did!

  Low points ....

(1) Lack of activity. Sunday was just awful.


(2) Mostly poor propagation, but at times especially Sunday afternoon, 2m was quite good for brief periods. 


(3) 432 amplifier issues. The old 432amp built in March 1972 hiccuped. First real problem I have had with it all these years. It is a homebrew 4CX250 cavity amp running at 250watts out. The amp started tripping the screen overload protection relay as soon as I went to TX, even with no drive. Repeated application of PTT would at last provide normal operation, but might require 5sec or more delay. The amp finally blew a screen supply fuse during my last 432 attempt (and QSO). So I have a repair job.

(4) The football payoffs being such GOOD games, that they were more fun than the radio.


 For those of you that managed to get on the air, THANK YOU. With the day to day lack of VHF activity, unlike when I got bit by the VHF bug over 50yrs ago, contests are almost the ONLY chance to enjoy VHF, the "RADIO love of my life". The last 15-20yrs have NOT been encouraging to me for the future of VHF/UHF. 10GHz is a blast, but there is NOTHING wrong with the VHF/UHF/microwave bands a bit lower.

 


End results of K0AWU -- EN37ed January 2012 VHF Contest

Band    Qs   Grids   Points 

50     35    26     2170  
144    22    15     1364
222   10     9     1240
432    11     9     1364
902     1     1      248
1296    1     1      248
10Ghz   2     1      992


Total  82 Contacts  62 Grids  7,626 points  <<<<<< 


Bill  K0AWU  EN37ed