ARRL June VHF Contest - 2021
Call: N6GP/R
Operator(s): N6GP
Station: N6GP/R
Class: Limited Rover LP
QTH: LAX
Operating Time (hrs): 13
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 130 33
2: 88 8
222: 53 5
432: 52 7
903:
1.2:
2.3:
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
-------------------
Total: 323 57 Total Score = 24,396
Club: Southern California Contest Club
Comments:
This contest pretty much panned out the way I had expected, with about a 1/3
reduction in activity from the pandemic enhanced numbers from last year. I made
495 QSOs last year (almost all local) vs only 323 this year. A lot of the
regulars were not on, plus the ARES/RACES/ACS emcomm groups did not show up like
last year. I hadn't planned it this way, but 100% of my rover locations were in
L.A. County (LAX Section). I was thankful for very cool weather.
First stop was in the Santa Monica mountains. Much less motorcycles and sport
cars there vs last year. I am somewhat dis-satisfied with this site, because it
is blocked due east. There wee a lot of stations I could not hear. Plus, the
drive along PCH in Santa Monica is brutal. Might look for something on the east
end of DM04 next year.
Arrived on Signal Hill about 4PM. We finally got some nice 6m openings to VE7,
Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming! Lots of DN70s to work. Did both FT8 and
SSB. My SSB QSO with K5ZG was funny. I told him that his DM88 seems like a
rare grid. He said "It was, before I moved here". A car of women in
their 20's drove by and asked what I was doing. I told them about amateur radio,
and that I was in a competition his weekend. They said "Oh wow! That's
dope!" Endaf N6UTC/R on the same hill, reported later that the women asked
him if he was in a competition.
Arrived in Diamond Bar Sunday morning for DM13. Was great to eek out some CW
QSOs with N6MI and his amazing van for DM15. With no openings, tore down early
around 1815z, and made a smart decision to move only 1 mile away to Pantera
Elementary for DM14. Actually operated from the parking lot this year, with a
better shot to DM03. Worked a good number of locals, especially out in the
Valley in DM04 that I never would have gotten from Table Mountain. Made 32 QSOs
there in 75 minutes. Took brief lunch break and headed to Table Mountain in the
Wrightwood area at about 7200' elevation.
Got setup around 2200x. Worked a couple grids in the desert on 6m FT8 like
DM16, DM24, DM26. Unable to move them to 2m. There were fake openings all
afternoon up there, just on meteor scatter. K7CW would pop in, so would WO7I in
Nevada, and so did Arizona. Very frustrating, like chasing my tail. Seemed to
work OK into the Los Angeles area, with big sigs. Only managed 20 QSOs up
there, including 3 from a sked with W7OJT. I shut down early at 0100z, with
hopes of returning to DM13 for a few more QSOs. That plan was ended by a
traffic jam from a pretty bad car accident. Managed a mobile QSO with Dave
N6TEB to finish the contest.
Things to try next year: Try CW. N6MI got 47 QSOs on CW! Maybe try Meteor
Scatter MSK144. Also need to do grid circling to compete with the Texans who do
that. My new Alinco 25W rig was a big help this year, vs my old HT. Thanks to
the So. Calif. hams who showed up to help me stay competitive natinally.
QSOS by grid:
DM04 100
DM03 105
DN13 64
DM14 53
Rig: Icom Ic-7000
Ants: 6m moxon
Diamond X30 Vertical for 2m and 440
220 5/8 mobile whip
2m and 440 beams for W7OJT QSOs
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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