On Mon, 5 May 2003, David A. Pruett wrote:
> Somewhere in all of this discussion about increasing VHF contest activity
> and rovers (captive, captivated, or otherwise) there is the seed of an idea.
>
> There are a very large number of hams who have bought IC-706s (of *some*
> vintage), FT100s, FT847s, and other HF radios with VHF capabilityand yet
> have never made a weak signal VHF QSO. Some of the people are interested
> in VHF, but hesitate to make a commitment to VHF due to the additional
> expense for antennas and feedlines. Three small yagis (for 50/144/432) and
> three feedlines will set you back the better part of $500. VHF is not like
> HF, where some wire and cheap coax hung from a tree will allow you to make
> QSOs.
>
I never had that consideration. I always tried with whatever I had. In
one of my first VHF QSO parties I put a 4 element homebrew 144 MHz yagi on
a tripod in my second-floor apartment, ran about 5 watts and worked about
6 people. Later on, I took the same setup to a hilltop and worked a dozen
people and doubled my score from the previous contest. Hey, it's better
than nothing!
Maybe I'm a bit different in that when someone tells me it won't work, I
try it anyway and if it doesn't, fine; I find it often DOES work.
73, Zack W9SZ
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