[NLRS] 222Mhz Rises Again! Sept VHF N9ISN (long)

[Allan W Schlaugat]

Didn't plan on getting on for this one but I was doing some shack work
Friday with the pending arrival of my new Microham MK2R+ next week and got
motivated. I decided to get my 222 Mhz station up and working since I tore
my shack apart 4 years ago for a remodel. I just never reconnected my 222
transverter up when I got everything back together again. The September
contest arrived and it was a good time to shake the dust out on 222 Mhz. 
Straight off I had problems with the DEMI AOS-28 interface. I had 6:1 SWR
and low power output from my FT-847 exciter to the DEMI 222-28. The
transverter was only putting out about 1 watt; not nearly enough to drive
the amp to any output. The antenna was checked good! 
I made two local contacts with my crippled 1 watt system Saturday. One was
with Charlie, N0AKC who offered to swap his spare AOS-28 with mine. After
the swap was made, it was found that Charlie's AOS-28 didn't work at all.
But Charlie found what was wrong with mine (a bad solder connection on the
resistor board). So he drove out to my house Saturday night and he got
everything up and working 100%!! Full output from the transverter (20w)
with 100 watts out of the brick amp. First 'DX' contact on 222 Mhz was with
Bill, K0AWU in EN37 at midnight. All 4 VHF bands were now working perfect
for the first time since 2009!
I spent most of Sunday trying to reach the stations that I knew had 222 but
I only worked them on 3 bands on Saturday and give them the new 4th band.
K2DRH was found, so was N9DG and KA0PQW. While cruising the 222Mhz band, I
made a random contact with K0KAN in EM19. Also got ND0B in EN07 on all 4
bands (a first!). In all, I worked 10 stations for 4 band sweeps including
2 rovers. Thanks!
While getting 222 Mhz working again was the priority, I found and repaired
a issue I had with 432 Mhz during the tropo openings last week. I was only
getting 30 watts out and everyone seemed 'weak' so I checked everything and
found a bad coax jumper. After replacement, a full 50 watts out was
achieved and I felt I could hear a pin drop in Iowa again! 

Highlights: 222 Mhz and 432 Mhz working 100%!! Rovers Rovers Rovers thanks
for being there!!  EM19 on 222; ND0B on 4 bands; 

Lowlights: Unable to work a loud WD0T in DN94 on 144.200 due to the
frequency 'in use'. That would of been my all-time first DN grid worked on
2m. Except for N9DG, worked nothing SE/E. 

This was my first September VHF contest since 2007......

N9ISN  Single Op Low Power  Grid EN44

50Mhz:  18Q  11 grids
144 Mhz:  22Q  12 grids
222 Mhz:  13Q  9 grids
432 Mhz:  16Q  8 grids

69 Q's  40 grids:  3920 points
Time On: 10 hours

73  Al  N9ISN

-- 
Allan W. Schlaugat                    Albertville, WI  USA
Amateur Radio: N9ISN            Home Page:   www.n9isn.com
American Philatelic Society #186089            CWOP: AU450                 

'Invisible airwaves crackle with life
Bright antenna bristle with the energy
Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free'
-Rush "The Spirit of Radio" 1981