[NLRS] 2014 September contest 144 mhz Report de KA0RYT ( SOHP )

[Ronald Bergantzel via NLRS]

Hello - The contest was alot of fun this year and it seemed that activity was average untill Sunday evening when it picked up considerably . The 144 mhz conditions were at a fall 'average' but improved steadily on Sunday afternoon through the contest end. Last year's September contest was mediocre here with a 144 mhz tally of 85 QSOs by 39 grid multipliers, this year  I was able top that 2 meter tally with 104 QSOs by 43 grid multipliers  ( this includes 12 EME QSOs  - 11 JT65 and 1 CW ) .  I chose to run only 2 meters this year as I felt that I was getting a little 'burnt out" from  EME contesting , working multiple 2 meter EME dxpeditions , etc and wanted to pace myself a bit , This year , I had better openings to several VE4's ( Hi Barry ) , to VE3 , southward to grids EN60s and west to DN94 ( WD0T was workable and consistantly heard throughout the weekend !! ) Thanks to all the rovers that were worked - KA9VVQ/R , N0LNO/R , K0BBC/R , KC0P/R + N0HZO/R
 , KC0SKM/R , WBOLJC/R and KF8QL/R !!  Best DX Grids worked were KP40 ( RU1AA ) and KM64 ( Cyprus DXpedition 5B/PE1L ) of course via EME .    Equipment used here was - TS2000X , using KA0RYT  , 2 - stage preamp system ,  and GS35 amplifier running 1.5 kw . Antenna system is a single - M Squared 2M12 at aprox 50ft for terrestial and for 144 EME , am using a single modified 17B2 with homebrew full elevation system which is only a temporary ground - level setup at the farm ( read : an extra 60 + minute prep / setup ) . I do use different 1st stage preamps for the 2 different antenna setups : on terrestial is a .40 db NF at 24+db gain - KA0RYT ATF 54143 "no-tune" preamp and on the EME is a cavity input preamp running .22 db NF at 26 db gain  ( 2nd Stage is an MMIC : PGA103  at 0.45db NF at 20db gain - it is easy to build preamps that are better than the ones in today's xcvrs !! )  .....
Thanks to everyone for all the contacts !! I will be sending in my ARRL contest log this week AND sending in a log to DUBUS for the single CW EME QSO .   
73 !! KA0RYT Ron Bergantzel  - EN35ct , Minnesota