If you think its tough with a Flat band, try it from a "Really Flat"
peninsula, namely Florida. 100 Grids on 2M, Heck, I'm happy with 100
QSO's on 2 M when there is no enhancement.
Here in Florida the Bread and butter band is 6M for the June contest
(forget about January, There are times I had to struggle to make 100
QSO's total on all bands 50-2304).
When I was in the Northeast I could run 100 qsos in a couple of hours
even with a flat band with 160W and a 15 el Jr Boomer at 30' Here in
Central Florida with a Stacked pair of M2 2M-5WLs I struggled to
make 12 Grids. Same results on 432 with a pair of 432-13WLs.
When we get tropo across the Gulf of Mexico I'm in Hog Heaven. Its
work'm starting on 2 M and running them up the bands through 2304
(hopefully I'll get the 3456 and 10 G running for this year's June test.
As to raising the activity level, Get the local club involved. Show
the people what is possible with those DC-Daylight Rice Boxes. I
have hosted many a "Saturday in the Park Bar-B-Q" sponsored at my QTH
and hooked more than one person into VHF/UHF contesting. Its a more
laid back mood than the "Point and Shoot" of HF Contesting (I enjoy
that as well to increase the DXCC count and keep the Code speed
up). So get the local Ham Group to buy the burgers and drinks, heat
up the barbecue There is plenty of time to eat and explain the ins
and outs of VHF/UHF contesting before the 2PM EST Start time. Trey
it, You'll like it. Get them hooked before they all migrate down to
HF now that the Code requirement is gone!
By the way the January Grid count from here in EL98 was:
50 - 11
144 - 12
222 - 8
432 - 12
902 - 5
1296 - 6
2304 - 4
3456 - Thank you Mr Murphy = 0
10GHz - was too lazy to drag out the dish for 1 o2 2 QSOs.
Grand total 154 QSOs (overall not too bad for January at least no
Ice on the Antennas like up north of Interstate 10).
VRY 73
Bob Cumming
W2BZY
QRV 160 M-3CM (no 5760 yet)
At 03:53 PM 2/26/2007, you wrote:
>I havejust heard from NX9O, our official log guy. I was wrong about
>working 100 grids on 2 during a contest. The largest number of grids we
>have worked on 2 meters during a context in the last 10 years (while using
>W4NH) was 69 in September 1997 operating from Bald Knob in FM07. More
>recently, we worked 66 grids on 2 from our present location (Soco Bald in
>EM85) in June 2005. We run stacked K2RIWs, 1000 Watts TX, low noise preamp
>on RX, etc. so we are pretty serious. Bottom line is, Gene is right,
>working 100 grids on 2 meters during a contest is really hard. Anyone who
>does should get an award for just that. Thanks to NX9O for straightening me
>out.
>
>73
>Jim, W4KXY
>
>
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