Hello VHFers
A rather unusual evening as I ran into a bunch of problems. The first
being that the VHF radio was dead. It turns out that my band changing
data plug worked loose so my band decoder would not work. All I needed
was a small screw driver, but, being 1/2 mile away and an unheated
building, I do not leave delicate tools there to rust and corrode. I had
no way to tighten the DB9 plug. My only screw driver was way too big.
When I got up to the shack I was happy to see the 222 antenna looking
straight and in OK shape. It has been a hard winter for sure with lots
of very high winds. Thank goodness there was no significant ice damage,
although my 432 side mounted antenna is all bent up from falling ice.
Hardly any snow is visible.
I got on 222.105 and started CQing on CW and my first QSO was with W8ZN
in FM09te at 776 km. He was good at times with a nice 559 CW report.
Later on towards the end of the evening, I caught Terry again on FT8 and
exchanged reports around the 0 dB level. Things were going along well.
The electric heater was warming things up and all looked great until I
elevated the array for some EME. I heard K3SK and VE6TA were on with
NH6Y in Hawaii. I think I detected all three of hem but when I started
calling, My amplifier grid and plate current looked squirrely. I flipped
to reflected power and saw 300 watts reflected. That was not good. When
I elevated the antenna, something must have let go, or maybe water got
moved around. I look at it as just another way for Mother Nature to put
it to me. I suspect my Superflex jumper between preamp box and the
power divider has issues. I went back to the horizon and was dealing
with the intermittent VSWR problems all night. I missed a few stations
that Good Buddy Ron WZ1V vacuumed up. K2RMX, KA3FQS, and WA2LTM never
made it into my log. I did manage contacts with K2AEP, W1AUV, W1XR in
FM19, K3MQS (who was very loud on SSB!), N1LHP, and then VE6TA and NH6Y
on EME. I heard N1ROZ in a pileup of callers. I was not sure who was
calling who, but I did definitely acknowledge N1ROZ. I heard K3SK
numerous times via the Moon, but Dave could never hear me. I suspect
whatever is wrong with my 222 antenna had something to do with it. I
never heard good echoes from my transmitter. Still, anytime that you
can work Hawaii from Maine is a good night on any band. I tried looking
for K8TQK and a few others on FT8 but had no luck. I never heard K3SK
via FT8, but that is a typical result. We are just too far apart for
tropo at 575 miles.
I did not try any MSK144 skeds, but I would think that meteors are
slowly getting better even for an evening try on 222 MHz. I ran out of
gas about 01:30 UT or 9:30 PM EDST. I missed WA3EOQ but was rather
bummed about the VSWR problem. The high temps today are in the high
30's so I will hope for slight warming in the next few days to allow
some tower work. Tomorrow looks like more snow and some rain. Friday
should be warm and I will check out my VSWR problem then.
QSO by K1WHS (FN43MJ) on 220 MHz
Type of propagation: All Mode: All mode
From 04/01/2025 to 04/02/2025 Distance over: 0 Km.
Page: 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE TIME CALLSIGN LOCATOR TX RX MODE
PRO.REMARKS QRB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
04/01/2025 22:56 W8ZN FMØ9TE 559 559 CW
TR 776
04/01/2025 23:02 K1KG FN42ID 59 59 SSB
TR 142
04/01/2025 23:11 N1JEZ FN44AR 59 SSB
TR 168
04/01/2025 23:12 K1PXE FN31 59 SSB
TR 265+-
04/01/2025 23:12 WA1MBA FN51AS 59 SSB
TR 198
04/01/2025 23:14 WA3NUF FN2ØKE 59 SSB
TR 496
04/01/2025 23:16 K2AEP FN32OW 59 SSB
TR 157
04/01/2025 23:29 W1AUV FN32II 55 SSB
TR 223
04/01/2025 23:33 W9KXI FN12NE 55 SSB
TR 501
04/01/2025 23:34 W1XR FM19HX 55 SSB
TR 654
04/01/2025 23:35 WB2SIH FN31DD 55 55 SSB
TR 337
04/01/2025 23:38 WA3DRC FM28AS 55 SSB
TR 663
04/01/2025 23:39 K3MQS FN2ØJF 55 SSB
TR 498
04/01/2025 23:41 N1LHP FN42KM 55 SSB
TR 98
04/02/2025 00:10 VE6TA DO33GS -23 -19 FSK TR
peaked at -14 3273
04/02/2025 00:15 W2BYP FN13IB 559 559 CW
TR 514
04/02/2025 00:20 KA1OJ FN42EH 59 59 SSB
TR 132
04/02/2025 00:21 WZ1V FN31RH 59 59 SSB
TR 266
04/02/2025 00:24 WA4YA FN42KJ +01 +01 FSK
TR 112
04/02/2025 00:48 W8ZN FMØ9TE +01 SSB
TR 776
04/02/2025 00:51 WB2RVX FM29MT +01 SSB
TR 519
04/02/2025 00:51 W1AIM FN34 +01 SSB
TR 203+-
04/02/2025 00:59 W1UJ FN42 +00 -13 FSK
TR 97+-
04/02/2025 01:16 NH6Y BL1ØIL -18 -19 FSK
TR 8171
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of QSO listed: 24
73
Dave K1WHS
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