ARRL June VHF Contest
Call: K1RZ
Operator(s): K1RZ
Station: K1RZ
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: FM19jh
Operating Time (hrs): 28.2
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 205 110
2: 145 45
222: 66 26
432: 74 28
903: 30 17
1.2: 34 17
2.3: 23 14
3.4: 9 6
5.7: 4 4
10G: 8 5
24G:
-------------------
Total: 650 273 Total Score = 286,650
Club: Mt Airy VHF Radio Club
Comments:
A June Contest with some E-Skip. Plus WSJT-x. Plus Rovers! And then throw in
a few Thunderstorms with close by lightning. Quite a combination. But when all
considered, it was Great fun! But then EVERY contest on VHF is great fun!
First few hours spent working all bands 50 through 10 GHz, chasing Rovers
(WA3PTV/R, KD3PD/R, NN3Q/R, K2EZ/R, W3ICC/R, N2XRE/R, KF2MR/R - calling CQ,
tuning the bands, shutting down when the lightning got close, turning back on,
moving stations up the bands - normal operations. Reaching out to the
multi-ops where possible. Bouncing to FT8 for short periods. Starting at 2047z
for half an hour worked KE4AZZ, N2RM, K5RQ, K1KNQ, N4TWX and AC4TO on 6m phone
in EL87 / 88 / 89 / EM70...thinking "OK - IT is starting", like it had
earlier in the week. But the "IT" didn't start at that point.
Continued with normal non-E Skip regional operations. Later at 2316z worked
K4QD on FT8 - no other distant stations. Returned to local operations running
the bands, etc. At 2355z worked K1TO and WB4TDH (both EL87) on Phone, and then
WB4TDH (EL87) on CW. In next few minutes there was K2PH (EL98) and WD5F (EL87)
on CW and then WD4AB (EL95) and KG4QIV (EL86) on 6m Phone. Still wondering if
the "IT" was here yet. No - not yet. More fixed stations, multiops
W3RFC, W3CCX - the Rovers, now with VE3SMA/R - all in the region. Reasonable
tropo conditions to Stephen VE3ZV (EN92) and Peter VA3ELE, both through 2304.
Local station Chip WA4VHF with 8 bands using vhf rigs, mixers, amplifiers and
broadband antennas, off his deck. Looking down at me at 42km.
W3CCX - thank you PackRats for bringing it all together again on Camelback
FN21hb. Sorry I missed it on that end, but glad we could work you easily on the
Ten Bands. And we completed with an 8 band run from 222 MHz to 10 GHz in only
Ten Minutes. You guys are outstanding on "interior communications".
Just after midnight local switched to MSK144 on 6m and 2m and picked up some
distant grids through the morning hours. Slow but rewarding some grids.
Enjoyed running into the regulars on that mode. About 1300z back on 2m FT8
picking up KE1LI (FN41), VE3WCC (FN15), W2SZ (FN32), and both KV1J and N1JEZ
(FN44). Then Bill W2RMA/R from Pittsburgh checked in to say intense storm
front over the Allegheny mountains. I checked K0SM's Rainscatter program and
there was graphical analytics, pulling in the various NOAA weather radars
showing we had an excellent chance for Rainscatter on 10 GHz. Worked Bill
easily on 10 GHz Rainscatter for EN90xh 267 km's distance. K0SM's rainscatter
program showed several other locations in the region could have also been
worked. [This summer Bill and I decided to test Rainscatter between ourselves
and with our GHz neighbors, everytime we see storm fronts in the region].
Worked more W2RMA/R through 2304 from EN90xh. Worked more Rovers K2EZ/R and
WA3PTV/R. Worked regular contact Paul K1GX through 2304. Paul had extra
duties this, as he was filling in for Jeff K1TEO who lost a tower and all
antennas in May to a micro-burst type weather event. Jeff was back on 6m, and I
missed him. :( Jeff - please know everyone misses you on the bands, look
forward to when you will be back in the seat again with new antennas - ready
"to continue to set the gold standard" in this fun pass time.
Then at 1747z I returned to 6m with friend W3HMS (FN10), finishing a 5 band run,
and there was N7VD in DM43, with my antenna still to the north to work John!
This WAS "IT"! The elusive "IT". Turned west and stayed
there rest of the afternoon. Mostly phone, and a few CW contacts, and a few FT8
contacts when things slowed for a few minutes before the 50 MHz came back strong
again. Breaking every so often - K2EZ/R (thanks Ria N2RJ, and Andrea), and
thanks W3ICC/R (Drex and Paul W2PED). Thanks W4IY multiop - you are always
there for FM08. Thanks W3SO multi-op in FN00. We all appreciate the massive
efforts you use to bring your stations on the air for these contests. Thanks
K2LIM multi-op in FN12mg, Ken, Al, and others, plus guest op Ray N3RG. You guys
have been solid for years. Will miss you all beginning in 2019.
Switched to 6m FT8 at 1924z as could see PZ5RA (GJ25) and VP9I (FM72) on DXMaps.
My only DX. Could see incredible station density across the whole central and
eastern part of the country solidly represented on the DXMaps map. I should
have used DXMaps more often. I heard others say Europe was in, but I did not
work any.
At 2016z took short break to work Bob W2SJ thru 3456 and Mike N2DEQ thru 902,
both stations in FM29. More with Rovers W3ICC/R, VE3SMA/R and K2EZ/R. And then
back on 6m as it was still solid with signals at 2103z, starting with N4OGW
(EM53), N9UDO (EN53), KY0O (EM29), and more central US. Worked Jerome K3GNC
through 2.3 GHz, plus others in the region. Back to 6m 2243z starting with
KP4TR (EL87), AF4K (EL98) and K4EA (EM74) to end my E-Skip operations for the
contest at 2245z.
Two more grids with Drex and Paul W3ICC/R. K1KG (FN42) thru 902. N1JEZ (FN44)
on 222 and 432. My neighbor Maurice through 10 GHz. My close neighbor Ed
W3EKT, now with the addition of 5 & 10 GHz, for ten bands. Glad you guys
were on. Finished 6 bands with close neighbor Mike W3IP. Mike thanks for
your help earlier this year to get my 222 and 432 xvtrs stabilized to
effectively work FT8 on those bands. These mods allowed me to complete FT8
contacts with Ken KU8Y in EN51 on 222 (0240z)and 432 (0242z) under extremely
unstable atmospheric conditions across the region.
Thanks Lenny W2BVH (FN20up)for working me through 1296. Always good to get to
talk with you. Good to finish off the bottom four with you Bill AA2UK. and
Bill - thanks for all the wisdom and advice you bring to us all regards finer
points of FT8, and MSK144. And thanks Terry W8ZN and Margie K4MEP for working
me through 3.4 GHz. You guys are awesome! I know you will soon be on as
beacons from your new QTH at FM09te. Also glad to hear you Brian K3MEC (N3IQ)
as you continues to build your mountain station, close by at FM09. Mike WB2RVX
- thanks so much for connecting with me right at the end to work all our bands
through 10 GHz. Thanks Ken KU8Y (EN61uw) for 144 (CW), 222 and 432 (both
FT8) contacts near the end. And finally Glenn WB2JAY (FN30) - your patience
got us the 222 contact! Next time we start 1 minute earlier for the 432
contact. Thank you Glenn.
Finally I am so glad we all have ON4KST 144/432 Region 2 chat page to set-up
these contacts. Those folks are amazing for facilitating this essential chat
page.
See you in the ARRL 222 and Up Distance Contest first weekend in August. And
the 10 GHz and Up contest in August - I'll be at FN41ee with Dale AF1T and
Mickie W1MKY. 10, 24 and 47 GHz times 3.
Dave K1RZ FM19jh 50MHz thru 10 GHz. dit dit
k1rz@arrl.net
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