Truly an outstanding effort and score. Congrats to K5QE and crew.
Some history - back in June 1987 the WB0DRL mulit-op came close to
beating W2SZ/1 and taking first place unlimited multi. There were
big Es openings that year, 2M Es, and tropo from KS to the east
coast that June. The first 220 MHz Es QSO was made in that contest.
It was 220 Mhz back then.
We didn't have enough operators Sunday morning to man all the
positions. I was the main 6M op - but had to cover the 220 station.
I worked all the way to W1. When 2M opened up for Es, I tried
to make the first 220 MHz Es QSO. But missed many Qs and grids on 6M.
If we had just done a little better on 6M... on the other hand we
would have made history by completing the first 220 Es QSO. What would
you have done?
"Perhaps the most remarkable recent achievement came with a report of
the first 220MHz sporadic-E contact. In an event long predicted and
anticipated by amateur VHF enthusiasts, and preceded by several near-misses,
Bill Duval, K5UGM, and John Moore, W5HUQ/4, finally broke through a
1,500km path from Texas to Florida on June 14, 1987, during the
ARRL VHF QSO Party, Undoubtedly, this feat will be repeated in the
future as the popularity of the 220-MHz band grows." - W3EP
We felt that for a midwest or Gulf Coast station to beat the big
east coast multis it would take a big Es opening, 2M Es, tropo
and good use of the microwaves with help of Rovers.
Looks like K5QE was "in the catbird seat" with the prop. And they had
the station and ops to take advantage of it.
- N0JK
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