I forgot to include N3RG in my log. I worked Ray just before contacting
K1RZ in FM19. I actually had two stations calling at the same time. Ray
called at the same time as K1RZ was calling. This constitutes a BIG
pileup on VHF as we all know. (heh heh) In all the excitement, I
neglected to log Ray!
For the first time in my life, I have been playing on the HF bands in
the past few years, mostly on 160 & 10. My hardest time was grappling
with the huge pileups. My CW skills were all skewed towards pulling a
single signal out of the noise. S/N ratios were typically -6 or -8 dB.
Then, on HF, I ran into 30 or 40 stations all S7 or better on CW calling
at once. When I heard two stations calling me at the same time on 222,
I smiled.
I have been getting some nice comments on starting up the 222 activity
nights, but I must point out that the success of the effort is due to
everyone who get on and tries to make contacts on any Tuesday evening.
All of you who block off some time on Tuesdays and turn on your
transmitter and tune to 222 MHz are the real movers and shakers who are
trying to make a difference. This is a group effort!
On a similar note, I looked at the Hepburn maps for the coming week, and
I see that some good conditions are finally heading north and moving
over the NE and Midwest. In past weeks, New England has been devoid of
anything. Now I am starting to see some colors there. WooHoo!
Dave K1WHS
On 6/3/2021 12:59 PM, David Olean wrote:
I got on for 222 MHz activity night on Tuesday, and had a blast. A few
new faces showed up, which is very good. WA1LWC had a great signal
with 5 watts and a HB quagi from Upton, MA, near Worcester. AF1T was
on as well from FN43 and made a few contacts . My total QSO tally for
the night was 14 stations. I never did complete with K3WHC. We had a
nice start to a QSO, but then Steve disappeared. A very high noise
level was the culprit. Later on, I called him again but he could not
hear me due to the same noise level. He was a good 559 here in Maine.
I read WZ1V's report, and was amazed at the stations he worked that I
did not hear. I was pretty busy all night and I guess that means that
everyone else in the NE was busy too and we never got to the bottom of
the barrel! It is just a matter of lining up the beams at each end at
the right time and making noise!
Terry, W1TR listened at 7:30 PM and heard no one on 222.100. I can't
believe that he didn't hear anything. I was right on 222.100 at that
time making noise. I moved off .100 when the activity started
picking up, but I was there at 7:30 PM. Before 7:30, the only people
I heard on 222 were KA2LIM and W9KXI, both in FN12. Others started
showing up after 7:30 PM. Here are my log entries for the evening:
23:15 KA2LIM FN12 309 Miles
23:24 W9KXI FN12 311 miles
23:37 KA1SU FN42 36 miles
23:40 K3WHC FN10 378 miles not complete
23:49 WA1LWC FN42 92 miles 5 watts
23:51 AF1T FN43 46 miles
00:04 WZ1V FN31 166 miles
00:05 WA1T FN43 2.5 miles (My closest distance record!)
00:34 KO4YC FM17 513 miles
00:36 K1PXE FN31 188 miles
00:45 K3WHC FN10 378 miles not complete
00:49 WB2RVX FM29 322 miles
0100 NZ3M FN10 372 miles
01:06 W1GHZ FN34 95 miles
01:13 N3RG FM29 354 miles
01:15 K1RZ FM19 431 miles
01:32 VE3DS FN03 430 miles
K3WHC was having noise problems which prevented a complete QSO. He was
559 here for both attempts. A few regulars did not show up last
night. Often, it is possible to work VE3ZV in EN93 at 467 miles, and
VA3ELE in FN03 at 437 miles. For some reason, I missed VE2XX near
Montreal. He was on, but I missed him.
CU all next week on 222 MHz. With the month of June we are getting
into better meteor scatter times. Maybe we can pull off an MS QSO on
activity night?
73
Dave K1WHS
On 6/2/2021 9:26 AM, w1tr@yccc.org wrote:
I took a brief listen on 222.100 MHz about 7:30 pm after the HF MARS
net...
I heard the 222 beacon but no activity...
SO... I moved on to other activities around here.
SORRY. But I DID take a look!
On 6/1/2021 2:13 PM, David Olean wrote:
Hi VHFers
It is Tuesday and the night for 222 MHz activity. The Hepburn map
shows stinko conditions just about everywhere, so all the more reason
to get on the band and see what you can do. I usually start after
dinner at about 7 to 7:30 local time and make noise on 222.100 plus
or minus. Things usually slow down at 0130 or 0200 UT, but I try to
stay active until after 0200UT or 10 PM local time. If we ever get
some tropo or an aurora on a Tuesday, I am sure I could stay busy
much later. A rip snortin' aurora is reason enough to stay up all night!
If you have not been on for the activity night yet, it is a good idea
to check the ON4KST chat page (144-432 Region 2) Lots of folks set
up skeds using ON4KST. Then there is Ping Jockey and HB9Q as well
for meteors and EME as well. The real reason to get on is to have
some guaranteed activity on one day a week so that people can get on
the band and hear something rather than just band noise. Local
activity is just as good as long haul CW skeds or digital MS
contacts. The idea is to get on and occupy the band.
I am looking forward to having my HV supply turn on gently all by
itself. I finally got it running just as I want it. Now the next
task is to make an aluminum cover to keep falling things and curious
fingers out of the HV supply.
CU tonight, I hope.
Dave K1WHS
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