Re: [VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity night. The FIRST ONE FOR

To:	David Mackey <k1ka@comcast.net>
Subject:	Re: [VHFcontesting] [NEWSVHF] 222 MHz Activity night. The FIRST ONE FOR 2021!
From:	David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>
Date:	Sat, 17 Apr 2021 17:22:05 -0400
List-post:	<mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>

Well, I figure we have to start somewhere! I used to love those activitynights. There was a small local group in MA back in the 70's includingW1XP and a few others. We all got on and had fun. I think using HB9Q orON4KST to arrange long haul skeds is a great use for that. In the pastsome DXers had nightly skeds on 144 and other bands. I remember K2IEJ onLong Island running with W8KAY in Ohio every night. That is when Irealized that Long Island was a hot DX location on VHF. Between thewater and flat land for miles, it really worked! I lived in CT andcould barely detect W8KAY usually. There were other skeds with W8PT inMichigan etc. That was an awful long time ago, but those guys weretrying the same thing...forcing long haul activity!

I hope we can start something. As the wx warms, I am not here, but at mycamp in semi-northern NH. I'll try to make some Tuesdays then too.


Dave K1WHS

On 4/17/2021 4:34 PM, David Mackey wrote:

Fantastic Dave. That’s what we need, a big station to take the lead to 
reestablish activity nights. Tuedays on 222 is a good place to begin. Wish I had 222 
gear. The usage of the ON4KST site should help with coordinating laser sharp antenna 
patterns and maybe pull a few more on the air.

I’ll at least be watching the chat page.

73 Dave K1KA

David Mackey
K1KA@comcast.net

On Apr 17, 2021, at 15:36, David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net> wrote:

OK

This coming Tuesday 20April, will be 222 MHz Activity night for Dave K1WHS.  I 
am located in FN43mj (mumbo Jumbo)  I will be on 222 starting about 7:30 PM 
looking for contacts.  I will also monitor ON4KST Chat. Now that I have two 
decent laptops that I can drag up to the shack, I can keep one of them on the 
chat page(s). My cell phone for the hill QTH is 207 608 5317.

Rig is 1500 watts RF out with 4 X 22 Element long yagis at 100 ft,  8 X 5 
Element LVA fixed SW towards New York City,  and 2 X 8 Element yagis rotatable 
to the north and NE.

This is the evening before the 432 Sprint, so you can test out 432 and then 
come on down to 222.100 and look for QSOs.  I am 545 miles from K8ZR in Ohio, 
and figure that we might have a possible path if we are both lined up. KO4YC is 
in the 550 mile range as well, and that would be a fantastic shot as well.  We 
have all night! All the bars are closed, so you have no excuse but to get on 
222 MHz on Tuesday! Who knows? You may make a contact. Just because you are too 
far away from me does not mean all is lost. All are invited to make Tuesday the 
222 Night nationwide.

I will have my receiver overload problem repaired by then. I will start off 
near 222.100 and call CQ. I hope to work a few stations. I plan to be there 
until at least 10:30 PM.  In UTC time, that is April 20 at 23:30 up to April 21 
at 02:30 UT.

I hope to hear you on 222!  Spread the word!

Dave K1WHS

On 4/16/2021 5:09 PM, ww1z_1@juno.com wrote:
The old NEVHFA used to promote activity nights. I do not remember if the
concept originated there or some where else.  First thing it takes is
stations actually on the air calling CQ. The club reflector can be a big
help. Maybe on Sunday you announce you are going to be on for the 222 MHZ
activity night. With time and frequency giving people a heads up and on
Tuesday afternoon or early evening announce it again.  Maybe if a few
decent stations could be on regularly and announcing it. This could
encourage others into developing the habit of getting on. But it will not
be easy.

John WW1Z

On Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:28:56 -0400 Dave Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>
writes:

Hi Dave

Activity nights would be a great thing to do.  No reason why
Tuesday
night can't be a 222 MHz time.  Along those lines, I am trying to
get a
battery operated 222 station running at a few hundred watts.  I
need
some new lithium batteries to do it, and they are very expensive for
a
few hundred AH of power.  I am working on some solid state amps for

400-500 watts.

I tried to get some small contests started with rover-centric rules
to
build activity. It requires local clubs to assume responsibility for

administration.  It takes some work! The idea died, but I think
small
activity events would help immensely. You need a reason to get on
the air.

It is snowing today. A few inches on the ground already. No antenna
work
today.

Dave K1WHS

On 4/16/2021 11:26 AM, David Mackey wrote:

I agree. The further north you go the further south you wish you

were. We used to have activity nights back in the 70s and 80s.
Monday was 2m, Tuesday 222 (220 in those days), 432 on Wednesday,
etc. There was an ARRL ad hoc VHF committee in the late 70s with the
goals of addressing contest activity problems, grids vs. Sections,
those new rovers, and other issues. It eventually did away with
sections as multipliers and went to grids, and sanctioned rovers. I
suggested the idea of a Sprint contest to introduce this new grid
multiplier system. It was based, at the time, popular HF Sprints,
and that they should follow the format of the existing activity
nights. The VHF/UHF Sprints are still here but the activity nights
faded.

Why can�t we bring them back? The Packrats have multiple nets on

Mondays, and NEWS has a Thursday 2M net, which is great, but if you
are out of range, you might as well watch TV. If activity nights
were restarted, it could hopefully bring in stations on the
�fringes� of normal range from he more active areas. Another
issue these days is everyone has bigger more directional antennas. A
methodical way of pointing in less popular directions would also
help. The Clubs would have to get behind it.

Ideas?

73 Dave K1KA

David Mackey
K1KA@comcast.net

On Apr 16, 2021, at 10:27, David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net>

wrote:

?I had a blast playing in the 222 Sprint. The 222 setup was

almost back to normal at about 75%. I had a flakey rotor readout and
excessive noise due to front end overload from a CH11 station that
is 18 miles away and running 316 KW EIRP. I can see the lights on
their tower. Both problems are easily fixed. I just need the time.
(Fly fishing season is just starting!)

So I got to thinking at how bad off we hams are in the northern

part of New England. A lack of 222activity in a region begets less
activity there, as  the few hearty souls who try it, lose interest
after awhile due to lack of success.  There is no activity to my
northeast other than Bill, K1DY and N1BUG. In the summer  KV1J gets
on, which is great. All of eastern Canada is empty. There are so
many empty grids there that are   easy to work if only someone was
there. All of the bands above 144 MHz get worse as you go higher.

So how bad is it? I looked at the grid map and checked my spot in

the middle of FN43 with my old QTH near K1TEO in CT, and then with
someone in the middle of FN20.  How many more grids are available at
each location that are not reachable from up north in New England?
I went  out 500 miles, which is a good distance for a serious
station on 222.

Additional grids available from FN31:

EN80    EM99    FM06    FM16
EN81    EM98    FM07    FM25
EN82    EM97    FM14    FM26
EN83    EN90    FM15     EM96


Additional grids available from FN20:

EN70    EN82    EM87    EM98    FM06    FM25
EN71    EN83    EM86    EM99    FM07    FM26
EN72    EN90    EM95    FM03    FM14
EN80    EM89    EM96    FM04    FM15
EN81    EM88    EM97    FM05    FM16

I realize that there is an activity problem all over, and many of

these additional grids have no 222 MHz activity, but many of them
have some activity even if it is sporadic. I also ignored the grids
in Ontario and Quebec Canada, as there are many up there that are
empty as well.  I would be curious to hear about which of these
grids have activity on the higher bands. What grids are typically
workable?

73

Dave K1WHS


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