One thing I have finally learned since my return to VHF/UHF contesting
five years ago: There is no point in beating myself up to be there for a
whole 24 or 33 hour contest. 20 to 30 years ago I could make 80 to 90
QSOs on 2 meters in the June or September VHF contest. Now, even using
digital modes, the number is about one third of that, despite having a
much more capable station now than I did back then. It's even less for
the 222 & Up. I'm not sure if it is lower activity overall, declining
number of big stations, or fewer people looking this way. I suspect it
is mainly a combination of the last two. All I know is that this is how
it is, and there is no point in being there for 24 or 33 hours for one
QSO per hour. That just makes it work instead of fun.
As always, I heard a lot of stations working K1WHS and even K1DY one
grid south of me that I never had a chance to work. They seem to
magically appear and I can hear them. But I never hear them calling CQ
and no matter how much I CQ they don't show up. This is very
frustrating, but it's another of those things that just is what it is. I
know I could work most of them if I were to break in, but I'm not going
to do that in a contest.
My strategy from now on is to try to keep aware of conditions and
activity, picking a few one or two hour windows to be in the operating
chair. I probably miss a few that way, but at least it keeps the fun in
contests that otherwise would lead to burnout at one QSO per hour.
Highlights this time were working AA9MY at 1090 miles on 222 meteor
scatter, K1TEO at 345 miles on 432 SSB with my 25 watts, and N3NGE at
497 miles on 222 CW.
Thanks to all who were on and made the effort, and a special thanks to
the remaining big stations for making magic and exciting moments possible.
I am quite happy with the performance of my 222 setup for what it is. I
run about 900 watts from one of the Harris channel 11 amplifiers (mine
won't do more than that as many of them will) to a K1FO-22 currently at
117 feet, and a tower mounted preamp.
On 432 I have a K1FO-40 at 113 feet and tower mounted preamp, but only
25 watts since the old klunker of a Motorola repeater amp bit the dust
in the June VHF. I did work several stations in the 300 to 350 mile
range on SSB and CW so the antenna must be working OK!
ASAP after the Perseids, I am taking down the 144/222/432 antennas for
minor modifications to boom to mast clamps and boom trusses, then
restacking the mast for (bottom to top) 50, 432, 222, 144. My hope is to
have this done before September VHF but much depends on weather and how
I am doing day to day.
73,
Paul N1BUG
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