[NLRS] EN37 Weekend VHF results

Mon Jan 21 11:59:07 EST 2013

I never made it on. Saturday was out because I had other commitments. I
planned on operating on Sunday if the weather cooperated but when I got to
the hill the wind was so strong I couldn't even get the antennas up. Plus
wind chill in that wind was way below zero. I just went back home.

Funny thing is, the wind died down later when I was home. I might have
managed 4 hours on Sunday but I don't know if it was worth it driving an
hour each way and spending an hour and a half putting everything up and
another hour and a half taking it down.

I'm hoping the next vehicle I get allows me to quickly set up the antennas
on it rather than putting masts, guy ropes, etc. out in a field. I'd still
prefer the QRP Portable class rather than be a Rover. I'm going to build
the K5GW 10-element Yagi on a 17 foot boom for 144 MHz. That should be an
improvement on that band.

73, Zack W9SZ

On Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 10:31 AM, Bill Davis <cqbilld at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
>   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
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