[NLRS] Summer VHF & Up Contest Season almost here

[Matt Holden]

I share your enthusiasm.  Winning the South Dakota rover title isn't
such a big thing when you're the only one (or two) rovers in the
state.  The reason why we travel there is to hand the new grid and
hear "thanks for the new one!"
WØZF and I plan to push further West this year.  We plan to start the
June VHF contest at the corner of DN74, DN75, DN84 and DN85 and spend
most of Saturday in this locale.  Demand for DN75 and DN85 has grown
and we hope ole sporadic E helps us deliver the QSOs.  Sunday is
"pedal to the metal" day across U.S. Highway 212 stopping to graze in
DN95, EN05, EN15 and ending at the corner of EN24, EN25, EN34 and
EN35.  Last year we added 220 MHz to the arsenal.  This year, we
depart the limited rover category because 1.2 GHz is on board.  This
should boost the multiplier count at the Summit, SD rest area and
stops East of interstate 29.  If you have any advice for suggested
high points and/or stopping places, Dave and I welcome your thoughts.
Even if ole sporadic E doesn't deliver, Saturday night is prime rib
night at the steakhouse in Faith, SD.  73 Matt KØBBC

On Tue, May 20, 2014 at 10:42 AM,  <tosca005 at umn.edu> wrote:
>
>
> Hello, all. The Summer VHF, UHF, and Microwave contest season is almost upon
> us in earnest, at least for ARRL-sponsored contests. (I know that this
> year's SBMS contest is already in the past, as well as some of the Spring
> Sprints. I don't mean to denigrate those but I've not been very active in
> them, except for the SBMS contest in years when I lived in MN and there was
> someone to talk to on the bands from 2.3 GHz and up.)
>
> Anyway, I got a surprise in the mail from ARRL, a certificate for first
> place in the SOLP category for the June VHF contest in the Dakota Division.
> I did not expect this, because my "victory" does not show up in the QST
> article which does not drill down below the Regional level, and I didn't
> place within the top 10 of the Midwest Region. It is only when I went to the
> "Expanded Results" article or ran through the results database that I found
> that I did, indeed, lead in either the Minnesota Section or the Dakota
> Division in that category. Note that I am *NOT* saying this to brag, much to
> the contrary I am complaining about how poor our showing has been recently
> in the summer contests (with the notable exception of the 10 GHz contest
> where WB0LJC placed first in the country and many NLRS folks appeared in the
> top ten nationwide). I took a look at the August UHF and September VHF
> contest results and again the NLRS and the upper Midwest in general showed
> low participation and low scores.
>
> Is there any chance we can turn that trend around this summer? I would love
> to see a lot of activity in the June, August, and September contests by our
> group, in addition to a continuation of our outstanding participation in the
> 10 GHz contest. (Gary, W0GHZ, assures me that my 10G system has been
> repaired and is in good shape for this summer's contest season! Thanks very
> much, Gary.)
>
> For the present, my station situation is unchanged. Decent (though far from
> outstanding) antennas on the roof tower on my garage for 50 through 1296
> MHz; higher bands (2304, 3456, 5760, 10368) only if portable, and still QRP
> on 5.7G at present. But much as I'd like to put the 2304 and 3456 systems up
> on the tower, the truth of the matter is that I probably need to be thinking
> about taking ALL of it DOWN soon and selling the house in Apple Valley.
> Nothing is imminent or certain, but it's going to have to happen in the next
> few years at least and could be sooner rather than later. But NOT this
> summer!
>
> If I'm going to be contest-active down here in Texas, it looks like I will
> have to either go out roving (as I have done for the last few Januaries
> without a lot of success) or buy a home in an area without antenna
> covenants, preferably on a high hill. That presents a Catch-22 of sorts,
> because I can't afford an RF-friendly QTH in Texas unless I dismantle
> everything in my Apple Valley home station and sell the house. Decisions,
> decisions...
>
> Anyway, not to be depressing or anything. I would like to encourage y'all to
> get into contest mode this summer. I realize that work and life in general
> can be significant impediments to Ham contesting, and in my retirement, I
> should not be preaching to the gainfully employed about getting on the air.
> But I long for the days when a measly 10K score didn't count for first place
> no matter how far you drill down from national to regional to division to
> section.
>
> What do you think?
>
> John P. Toscano, W0JT/5
>  EL09ro October-May
>  EN34js June-September
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