Hi Steve,
I heard the guy calling you on CW when you were in FM08US. It was W2GIO. He
was in FN31. Another interesting thing was that the only time I ever heard
K1TR was when he called you. I never worked him and he is almost line of
sight from my antenna in Southern NH!! What's up with that? Maybe he is a
"captive home station for" W4SHG/R. Maybe I should bitch about it to the
ARRL!
I miss my amplifiers. Like they say, Life is too short for QRP! I am
glad you copied me on CW. You were anywhere from S2 to about S8 or 9 at one
point. I almost called on SSB but you sounded busy. Condx here were not
good. I was hearing none of the tropo that they had in Southern NE.
Thanks for your efforts. The story about the Mayberry cops was
priceless.
Dave K1WHS
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Gilmore" <shg@midatlanticbb.com>
To: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 12:52 PM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] W4SHG/R Fall 222 Mhz Sprint Score and Observations
>
> Good Morning to all
>
> The W4SHG/R was out in trek mode for the running of the 222 mhz Fall
> Sprint
> 2007.
>
>>From the looks of this test at the start it appeared conditions were up
> slightly to the Northeast but flat elsewhere. I started in FM18XX at Sky
> Meadow State Park and from 7:00 to 7:40 called CQ pretty hard. K1TEO was
> very loud, more so than normal from FN31 and WZ1V was equally loud leading
> me to believe conditions were up a bit. The CCX beacon from FM18XX was S2
> to
> S3 which is not bad from the rover with the antenna only 11 feet off the
> ground.
>
> After 30 minutes I managed to run down 12 contacts and 7 Grids an noticed
> long calling on 222.122 lead to nothing and if I wanted to find some Q's I
> better go down to below .106. When I did that I gathered up FM16 and found
> WA4PGI in FM07. These are reasonably rare grids during the sprints so
> getting them would not have happened unless I left my calling frequency.
> It
> appears the hunt and pounce method must be used in the rover as folks just
> don't seem to leave their calling frequency.
>
> I was a little disappointed in the activity but all in all 12 and 7 from
> FM18 wasn't band and I knew that Mt. Weather was going to be much better
> so
> off I go. I called CQ in route on .122 the entire event. That often yields
> a
> QSO or two but in this test it yielded very little. I only worked W3ZZ on
> the way up the mountain and once their, I pointed NE and nothing. It
> appeared that the band conditions changed a bit as the CCX beacon was
> still
> S3 at 1800ft ASL. What was going on here? So I found WZ1V and K4QI called
> from the back of the rover beam and right then a knocking with a
> flashlight
> on my window startled me.
>
> It seems in my zest for finding that rare grid I didn't notice the blue
> flashing light directly behind my vehicle. This is because "Barney" pulled
> up right up on the bumper. Yes, "Barney is a Mt. Weather policeman
> standing
> about 5' 2" balding with a bit of a stutter. He asked what I was doing and
> who I worked for, yes he was sure I was a Spy of some sort. I gave him my
> information and he immediately asked me to get out of the car. Then two
> more
> Mt. Weather police show up as "Goober" and "Gomer" get out and accuse me
> of
> direction finding at a National Security site. Then they put me on the car
> and frisk me sure I was packing some arsenal of life threatening hardware.
> K4QI was in the middle of a QSO and didn't understand why I did not
> respond.
> As you can see I was a bit busy.
>
> After the "Law" settled down they called "Andy" who showed up in a pickup
> truck, more blue lights. He asked again what I was doing and why I was
> doing
> it and gave him the sponsors (SVHFS) web page. They called in my license
> plate wanted my proof of insurance, wanted my registration and a number
> where I work.
>
> Now at this point I am getting a little "ticked off" and I told them I was
> going to operate while than ran my wrap sheet. To my amazement "Barney"
> stated "At this point you can operate but you must cease upon my order" Ha
> Ha cracked me up, I wonder if his gun was loaded? :)
>
> So while the blue lights were in abundance I re-worked K4QI, picked up
> FM16
> and WZ1V in FN31 but when I moved the antenna back to the Northeast it was
> more than "Barney" could handle. He came back and "ordered" me to stop and
> I
> promptly asked him specifically what law I was breaking? He had to go back
> to the car and call in because he didn't know. I continued to operate for
> 10
> or so minutes then "Gomer" came up and said you are "OK" but you need to
> leave. I asked him why do I need to leave this public area outside the
> gates
> on Mt. Weather and what law was I violating if any? He went back to the
> car
> and finally "Andy" came over said, Sorry for the trouble and asked how
> long
> was I going to be there? I said 2 more minutes as I am behind my schedule.
> Upon my departure I told them it was fun and I plan to do it again next
> week
> for the 432 Sprint. The three of them "Andy", "Gomer" and "Barney" just
> looked at each other. I wish I had a picture of this, it was classic.
> Maybe
> next time I can round up "Goober"
>
> My goodness, I have used this spot for three (3) years now. Ahrggg . I
> guess
> the only thing this tells me as that there are no wants or warrants on me
> personally and the car isn't stolen and my insurance is OK, I guess. They
> really tried to take the W4SHG/R out of play but off the FM09 with another
> painfull 11 Q's and 9 grids regardless of the "Mayberry Effect".
>
> After surviving this ordeal I thought FM09 might be OK as it is rare in
> these events, I found my spot and then a little better knoll at the top of
> the hill. FM09 was OK but just OK as 11 Q's and 8 Grids finding K3CB in
> FM28
> pretty rare in the sprints.
>
> So off I went to FM08 to Hogback at 3500 plus feet and while in flight
> calling CQ the entire time. I Worked W3ZZ and Bob K8TQK in EM89 while low
> on
> the way up. Bob was very loud so I figured maybe some enhancement to the
> West. While in route the entire way up the mountain no one else except
> W4DEX
> in EM95 again loud. Getting excited I got to the Devils stairs where I
> stop
> for a look South and called for 20 minutes on .122 and then .100 and .103
> looking for southern stations. I found nothing at all. Then off I went the
> Hogback where I found the CCX beacon and S1. Ahrrrg this is not good. And
> with some nice exceptions including VE3TFU in EN92 and K1WHS on CW in
> FN43,
> K1PXE in FN41 and K1TR in FN42 conditions were very flat if not poor from
> that site for this event.
>
> Thanks for K4QI, W3ZZ and WZ1V for the sweeps. Toward the end some poor
> soul
> was sending me CW. A 2 call and no matter what I could do O could not get
> the call. The peaks and valleys were so bad it was like the RF was being
> vacuumed up there last night.
>
> I hope to see you all next week on the 432 Sprint, if I can stay out of
> jail. I haven't totaled everything yet but 60 Q's and probably 38 grids or
> so. Not bad but certainly not great. That score added to the "Rover being
> frisked and being accused of direction finding at a National Security Site
> Bonus" of 100,000 points I think I won this event hands down :)
>
> Respectfully submitted
> Steve Gilmore - W4SHG/R (the outlaw)
>
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