ARRGHHH!!!!!!
I am laughing so I dont cry. However this actually makes me feel real good
about my set ups performance. From the crappy location I was at if I count
those additional QSO's and grids I got more than half of my targeted grid
square multipliers and a little over half of the total number of contacts
needed to place really well. Makes me very hopeful for what I can accomplish
from the desired location with 360 degree instead of 120 degree LOS arc and
4400 instead of 3300 feet. Add a strong push for promotion, 1.25M, 6M and to
steal a phrase..... "I coulda been a contenda"
Really getting anxious for June now. It may not be a "throw away" weekend after
all.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Zack Widup <w9sz.zack@gmail.com>
To: VHF Contesting Reflector <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Sent: Sat, Apr 2, 2016 1:28 pm
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Next Steps - scoring
Yes, if the other person does not send in a log, the QSO's still very
definitely count as valid contest QSO's. One very well-known
VHF/UHF/microwave op in this area NEVER sends in logs. He just wants to
work people. The ARRL has always accepted my QSO's with him.
I would hope that cheating is less prevalent on VHF+ contests than in HF
contests.
If the ARRL (or whoever sponsors the contest) really has doubts, they could
always ask the other station to send them a log.
73, Zack W9SZ
On Sat, Apr 2, 2016 at 12:19 PM, John Young via VHFcontesting <
vhfcontesting@contesting.com> wrote:
>
> Kim,
>
>
> Question: Are you saying that even if the other stationdoes not submit a
> log the exchange counts towards not just claimed scores butfinal scores? I
> would think cheatingwould be rampant (like in "stock" class racing) with
> people using QRZto just look up calls and claim submit fake contacts with
> the "best"cheater winning.
>
>
> 73, John, KM4KMU
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: whensley11 <whensley11@comcast.net>
> To: nosigma <nosigma@aol.com>
> Sent: Thu, Mar 31, 2016 3:41 pm
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Next Steps - scoring
>
>
>
> Hi, John! Hope your day has been good!
>
> I read another email reply to you, and I forgot to comment about scoring.
>
> You submit a log for YOUR contacts, regardless of whether the other
> stations submit logs or not. For 100 Q's, assuming no duplicates, you have
> at least 100 points, if not more. If a contact is not in the contest, as
> long as you have a valid exchange, LOG the station. It counts.
>
> 73,
> Kim - WG8S
>
>
>
>
> From: "nosigma" <nosigma@aol.com>
> To: whensley11@comcast.net
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2016 9:25:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] New to VHF/UHF Contesting: Next Steps
>
>
>
> Kim,
>
>
> Great response, thank you.
> Bang for the buck is precisely what I am looking to accomplish with any
> changes or improvements.
>
>
> I am not frustrated at all, sorry if I gave that impression. FM is low
> scoring, I knew that going in. It was in fact one reason I choose it.
> January is tough sledding due to limited access of high altitude on the
> east coast, which I was hoping would be my "Unfair Advantage", I could get
> altitude when no one else could. Never expected a huge storm to hit the
> weekend before. My measly 60 points, if they hold, puts me dead in the
> middle of the pack for scoring which is comforting especially considering
> the bad location I ended up in. I definitely did not expect to get
> anywhere close to the scores of the Rochester folks. The competition is
> pretty intense on SSB and you end up playing with the big dog blow torches
> who score thousands of point and have iron bottoms, not me, at least not
> yet.
>
>
> I had planned on going back up there for the VA QSO event in March to see
> if the set up I built met performance expectations but I got roped into
> other activities. Your comment about going to my planned location for the
> June contest with my now 3 band capability and slightly reduced losses is
> in fact what I am planning on doing so I can fairly baseline my systems
> capability. It may not be "broke" so it may not need "fixed".
>
>
> I will definitely work on advertising, thats a great idea. Perhaps going
> up there the weekend before and hitting all the regional repeaters and
> asking for folks to listen for me and call me would be beneficial. Any
> suggestion on how to advertise?
>
>
> About half my contest contacts were from non contesters who I "talked
> into" submitting logs an later sent detailed instructions to via eamil (no
> log scrubbing though). I sure hope they follow through.
>
>
> Sure appreciate the suggestions an I will follow them.
>
>
> 73
> John, KM4KMU
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: whensley11 <whensley11@comcast.net>
> To: nosigma <nosigma@aol.com>
> Sent: Wed, Mar 30, 2016 9:52 pm
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] New to VHF/UHF Contesting: Next Steps
>
>
>
> John,
>
>
> If you are determined to spend money, I would go for the "best bang for
> the buck".
>
>
>
> However... I would say ... WAIT.
>
>
>
> Do the June contest from your high peaks and see how it goes.
>
>
>
> MOST of the activity is SSB and CW. I don't want to discourage you from
> trying, but if you are determined to try FM for now, get the word out
> (publicize yourself) for the June contest on FM.
>
>
>
> At that time, do an evaluation. In other words, save your money for SSB
> and CW if "conditions" point in that direction.
>
>
>
> If you are inclined to spend money, spend it on things that will do both
> FM and SSB.
>
>
>
> Just my 2 cents.
>
>
>
> I want to see you active... but not frustrated.
>
>
>
> Or... this is what I had to do. I'm severely restricted at my QTH, so...
> I joined a contest group (W4NH), and that's my outlet.
>
>
>
> 73!
>
>
>
> Kim - WG8S
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: "John Young via VHFcontesting" <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
> To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2016 8:32:43 PM
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] New to VHF/UHF Contesting: Next Steps
>
>
>
> Looking for some advice on what to do next when it comes to improving my
> expedition type set up.
>
>
>
>
> Background:
> I picked up my Technician and General license at Dayton in 2015. Last
> fall I decided to combine my love of off roading (rock crawling) with
> amateur radio and take part in the January VHF/UHF contest. I decided to
> enter the FM only category since it does not require a high level of
> sophistication or a huge investment in equipment. Living in Northern
> Virginia I am near several large population centers. Since FM range is LOS
> dependent and altitude is king I felt I might just have a big advantage in
> setting up my Jeep Cherokee to carry my radio gear up to 4,000+ feet in the
> dead of winter to either of two locations that would give me access to
> between 12-15 grid squares and hopefully 800-1200 points. The big snow
> fall put 6-8 foot drifts on the trails I needed to use, I am OK with 3-4
> feet but 6-8 feet just wasnt doable so I ended up in a highly compromised
> location with mountain tops 1000' above me on 3 sides. I did get a couple
> of 150+ mile FM contacts but I got totally sh
> ut out of major population centers. As a result I got "smoked", around
> 100 QSO's but only 60 points worth of contest contacts. June, September
> and especially next January beckon.
>
>
>
>
> Current Set Up:
> 15 foot fold over mast mounted through roof that drops into a manual
> rotator attached to the cargo floor of the Cherokee. Mast cross arm is 15
> feet above the roof, 23 feet above ground level. Cross arm support a
> Cushcraft A14810s for 2 meters, a Cushcraft A44911S for 70cm and a Diamond
> X-30A omni. All antenna cabling is LMR-400. Connectors are UHF. Cables
> run inside the mast down into the vehicle. Radio is a Yaesu FT-8800 (50W
> 2M, 35W 70cm) that is mast mounted inside the vehicle with the remote head
> on a work table for logging (all manual). I was using a diplexer between
> the two Yagi's and a two position switch to select between the Yagi's and
> omni. I have since deleted the diplexer due to losses and run the cables
> to an Alpha Delta 4 position switch. I am adding 220MHz using an older
> Kenwood radio (35W 1.25M) and switching out the dual band monopole for a
> triband omni of higher gain. I will probably modify the mast cross arm to
> add a 220MHz Yagi once I settle on a
> design for the cross arm and antenna locations that dont have
> interfering capture areas and decide if I want to phase in a second set of
> Yagi's. I have spent quite a bit of time minimizing cable and connector
> losses (under a dB on all bands from radio to antenna connector and
> minimizing VSWR which is 1.2 or less at 144 & 220 and under 1.5 at 440.
>
>
>
>
> Here is is link to some photo's of the set up if you are interested:
> http://s49.photobucket.com/user/nosigma/library/XJ%20Radio%20Rig?sort=3&page=1
>
>
>
>
> Questions:
> Where should I go next for the next performance improvement for this FM
> only system?
> Phase a second Yagi at each band for 2-3 dB? Add an RX pre amp on each
> band (if you cant hear them you cant work them)? Add a TX amplifier to get
> up to the allowed 100W for 3-4 dB? If the answer is amps then should I
> mount them at the antenna for minimum loss or are my losses low enough at
> under 1dB that its not worth the extra set up hassle? If the answer is
> RX/TX amps can I get away without having to run a sequencer? Am I missing
> something more basic, like the radio or driving up to north eastern PA for
> the next contest? A KX3, transverters and amplifiers are NOT in the
> budget, maybe someday but I want to keep this as basic and as simple as
> possible for now.
>
>
>
>
> Looking for some suggestions.
>
>
>
>
> 73
> KM4KMU
> John
> _______________________________________________
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> VHFcontesting@contesting.com
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>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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