Re: 2m SSB for contesting?

[K7YO]

Contact W7MEM, Mark in Rathdrum, ID.  He's all that I ever hear anymore.  20 years ago there were stations in Boise area that made it out here to Portland area.

The next VHF contest is January 20-22, 2024.

Jim K7YO

On Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 7:25:37 PM UTC-7 Scott W7IMC wrote:

Greetings from DN13 Nampa ID.   I'm brand new to this group and fairly new to VHF contesting

I've done some SOFM Only and have that down pretty good from 6m thru 1.2 and am looking to do some SSB on 2m and 6M analog only in Jan and have a 4 element 6m Yagi coming shortly

Two questions for this group

1 - given the distance from the Boise to Portland/Seattle is 2m SSB worth the expense and would I be likely to make any contest contacts  beyond the 150 mile distance I can currently make?

2-  I am not a digital user yet, but am curious if any you are making 2m or 6m CW contest contacts and what your range might be?

Thx and 73  Scott W7IMC

[Mike Lewis]

Welcome to the group Scott.

There may be a few VHF Society members in your area.  If you get on 2M SSB you may incite local activity.   On a regular basis there have been very few, maybe no stations on from the Boise area heard in Puget Sound that I am aware of.  W7MEM in the panhandle near Spokane is easily heard in Puget Sound but he runs a very large station.  There are a few stations in eastern WA that may be able to work you.  Some work Puget Sound via mountain bounce.  I have been a rover from Steptoe Butte south of Spokane and could work into Puget Sound to some stations.   

Boise will be very tough especially without major antenna and power.  Maybe someone else on the list recalls some past success from that area for comparison.

Going digital will increase your chances of being heard long distances.  You can start with trying to operate FT-8 on 144.174 during the weekly 8pm Thursday night FT8 activity night.   You can also take a listen each Sunday 8am and Tuesday 8pm 2M SSB net.  If you sign on to the spreadsheet they use you can get an idea of who is on and where, and let net control know you are on so people can turn their antennas your direction.  There are a number of stations on in the Portland area that may have a better shot to you than Seattle does.  After the Thursday event a report is issued from data pushed to PSK reporter showing stations heard by whom.  You can also look in real time at PSK Reporter.   If FT-8 mode does not work some other more sensitive modes might be worth a try.

In practice, CW is used mostly when SSB QSO exchange attempts have failed.  It is also used often when no one hears your calls or responses.  Low power or remote located rover stations often call on CW during contests.  You can reply back to SSB stations with CW.  Make sure you are offset slightly, not zero-beated on the SSB user so they will hear you.   Some radios automatically offset 600Hz, some do not.   On 6M you will get some CW only activity particularly when the band is open (such as in the early summers).  6M has major FT-8 activity for all contests, especially when the band is open to pick up more grids for scoring.

In the right circumstances SSB/CW/FT-8 on 2M can make 250-300-mile contacts.  It is done often on Thursday nights as seen in the reports and during the SSB nets (mostly north-south).  In other geographies even further.  The mountains present a challenge here.  The only way to know for sure is to try it and be sure to do so when someone is listening.  It may take big power and long antenna, location always helps.

In summary you have a very tough path west but maybe you have the perfect QTH? 🙂.  I would start with what gear you have on the Thursday FT-8 nights and see what you can hear.  Take a look at the club roster and reach out to members in your general area to see what they have tried, or get then on the air for local activity.

• Mike K7MDL CN87

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From: pnw...@googlegroups.com <pnw...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Scott W7IMC <bigwin...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2023 7:25 PM
To: PNWVHFS <pnw...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [PNWVHFS] 2m SSB for contesting?

 

Greetings from DN13 Nampa ID.   I'm brand new to this group and fairly new to VHF contesting

I've done some SOFM Only and have that down pretty good from 6m thru 1.2 and am looking to do some SSB on 2m and 6M analog only in Jan and have a 4 element 6m Yagi coming shortly

Two questions for this group

1 - given the distance from the Boise to Portland/Seattle is 2m SSB worth the expense and would I be likely to make any contest contacts  beyond the 150 mile distance I can currently make?

2-  I am not a digital user yet, but am curious if any you are making 2m or 6m CW contest contacts and what your range might be?

Thx and 73  Scott W7IMC

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[N6WJA / Edward Clayton]

You ask it is "worth" it.  Only you can answer that for yourself.  For me yes.  I don't get to do as much vhf and above contesting as I would like, but when I do it is a lot of things for me.  I usually operate portable or as a ROVER, and if possible I like to find an elevated location and get joy from every contact on vhf/uhf ssb.  Obviously everyone needs to find that worth for themselves.  Longest haul on 2m ssb has been in the 400 mile range while operating from 4000 ft elevation. In the flat lands I have made 250 miles from Milwaukee WI to Mackinac Island across Lake Michigan. (Maybe with the help of ducting).  

Good luck with making a decision but I hope you will consider 2m and above ssb.

Ed  N6WJA 

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[Paul WA9BTV]

Hello Scott and welcome, 

I just wanted to add that I’ve worked my most distant stations regularly on 2M on Thursday evening for the FT8 activity night and on 6M FT8 when the band is open.  Location is always challenge depending on QTH and where you are trying to operate to. 

My experience has been most successful North/South and vice versa.  I regularly work W7MEM  - DN17 (255 miles) from my QTH CN88ul and going South is K7POJ - CN83 (366 miles) from my QTH

I am running a 15 ele beam and some power and have elevation, so there are many variables.   As Mike (K7MDL) suggested, get on the air on the FT8 activity night and the 2M SSB nets, and see who and where you can hear or make contact with.  That will suggest your path forward.  

73,

Paul

WA9BTV

CN88ul

Sent from Paul's Iphone 

On Sep 24, 2023, at 9:26 AM, N6WJA / Edward Clayton <egcl...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Scott W7IMC]

Thank you all for your prompt and candid responses.  Our QTH on the small hill in DN13 is roughly 200ft above the Treasure Valley floor and 90% of the local population.  We can see the Oregon border 19 miles away on Pole Creek Ridge due west with no obstructions and just a few houses to the NW.    On a very clear day we can see Eagle Cap north of Baker City.  I've made a few 2m FM contacts into Baker City and Joseph OR and a few due north to two Forest Service lookouts who have a amateur license.  I was able to work a rover station on 6m SSB near Pendleton using a Moxon.  FM contacts to the east and south are vary rare.  

It's almost impossible to get above 4,000ft in Jan since most of the public lands roads are gated and locked or impassable.  We can get above 8,000ft locally Jul thru Sep with 4wd and sturdy tires

I'll have to save my nickels and dimes for a 991A to work digital.  I've done some PSK with a Signalink and an 897 in the past and have not done any FT-8 yet.  For the short term I'll get a four element 6m Yagi and a push up mast and brush up on my limited CW skills.  I'm pretty sure FT-8 is in my near future but have other reasons to use CW (I'm getting a little long in the tooth to keep packing HF SSB gear for SOTA) Right now I'm using old Kenwood mobiles for 220 , 900, and 1.2 and newer Kenwood and Yaesu mobiles for 144 and 446 and an 891 for 6

m FM and SSB.  I do have an old Mirage 80w 2m amp for SSB

K7SYS John mentioned the "in between land" from the Cascades to the Rockies.    Locally we call the land to the east and south "the Big Empty"

thx again and 73  Scott W7IMC DN13ql

[Jeremy w7eme]

Hi Scott,

You'll be popular! There used to be a handful in Boise, Eagle and Caldwell. It's quiet there now and will be great to have an active station in DN13.

I'm out on the beach in Tillamook, CN85. Boise was fairly common on the 2m Sunday morning net from my QTH, phone and cw.

Likewise, from my QTH in McCall, DN14 it was common to work west on 2m phone or cw and of course MEM Mark up north.

I am no authority on 6m. However there are formidable big guns on this group that are.

VHF weak signal is fun. I'm sure you'll soon be infected!

73 Jeremy

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[Jamie GOLLY]

Hi Scott, lots of great advice from some real VHF veterans. Digital modes have really allowed VHF operators to make contacts that use to be extremely rare. Make use of them! 

Phone and CW are great but so many people are now using digital, I had join the crowd or be a lonely station during VHF contest. 

The other thing many people are doing is to use an SDR for receiving and use whatever all mode radio they have for TX only. Pretty cool stuff!!!

https://youtu.be/GCTTUvajQ_U?si=8uAUvBAwYGgUBfDI

73, Jamie K6NGN CN81 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 23, 2023, at 7:25 PM, Scott W7IMC <bigwin...@gmail.com> wrote:

Greetings from DN13 Nampa ID.   I'm brand new to this group and fairly new to VHF contesting

I've done some SOFM Only and have that down pretty good from 6m thru 1.2 and am looking to do some SSB on 2m and 6M analog only in Jan and have a 4 element 6m Yagi coming shortly

Two questions for this group

1 - given the distance from the Boise to Portland/Seattle is 2m SSB worth the expense and would I be likely to make any contest contacts  beyond the 150 mile distance I can currently make?

2-  I am not a digital user yet, but am curious if any you are making 2m or 6m CW contest contacts and what your range might be?

Thx and 73  Scott W7IMC

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