CQWW-VHF at K7CW

[Paul Kiesel]

Gabor was right. You had to really dig in this one, as we were not blessed with any sporadic-E until near the end of the contest.

I thought we had very good rover participation. Definitely interesting was WW7D/R's flying his plane from location to location. I agree with Gabor about K7HPT. He knows how to launch a good rover signal. Working him all the way over in DN27 was a treat for a lot of folks.

We did have some nice tropo enhancement on six meters during the contest. I also worked the two stations in DN09, both of which were quite strong. KI7JA put in a good signal from DN04, as well.

I heard a lot of KD7UO, who apparently found himself a pretty nice perch over in CN96. 

I spent more time (still, very little) on FSK441 digital mode. I worked 10 distant stations which bolstered my multipliers.

My contest entry will be for 50 MHz only, but I did get on 144 MHz for an EME contact with K5QE. I sent in a check log for that contact. Marshall had a decent signal off the moon. Many of the members of the Society would have been able to work him had they tried.

I thank all who, though they weren't competing, got on and gave out points to those who were. Thanks also to the rovers for going out and adding a little color to a contest fairly drab propagation-wise.

My score: 155 QSOs times 47 grids = 7,685 points.

73, Paul K7CW

[Jeremy Alexander]

I got on the moon late Saturday night and worked 28 staions with the single yagi at cn72.   Largest signal on 144 was the new revamped NR5M. Copy was as good as -12dB which is a bunch for my single antenna, however I was not able to complete with George, he never heard me :( ... he may have been on opposite rx polarity at the time   A video tour of this Texas sized contest station is way impressive, look at all those Alphas:   http://www.nr5m.com/main/page_video_tour_.html   Jeremy

[Dale KD7UO]

Since Paul mentioned me, I'll chime in with a report. I went into
CN96 30mi out of Ellensburg with all the best of intentions. There's
a ridge that looked good on Google Earth. The planned route had a
road washout so I spent hours Friday afternoon trying to land on it
via alternative paths. My TomTom abandoned me partway into the hills;
apparently her database of WA Recreation Land isn't nearly as good as
she's been in past years with National Forest land. Then it became a
random game of left, right, left, left at each trail intersection. As
the sun got low I started to panic about a number of things: Where
exactly am I? I wonder how sharp these rocks are on my new tires?
Why didn't I top off the gas tank? At dusk I finally found an
acceptable plateau at 4500ft but completely blocked 500 yards to the
west. So much for easy CN87 contacts. But any port in a storm.

Thanks to all the DN stations to the east. A real treat to get S9+
signals from the rovers and guys over in DN05, 06, 07,16,17,18, 27.
Bruce KI7JA in DN04 was ear-shattering. The big guns in CN85 & 87
bounced their way through the mountains but my total Q count was low
because I just couldn't hear the more typical 100W stations on the wet
side. I only snagged a couple of out-of-area stations in DM03 and
DM42 on the briefest of openings. I heard tons of central Calif
stations on meteor bursts but never long enough to complete.

I shut down Sunday at 1130am local, so if the band opened up at 1135
you can thank me. Still lost, I seriously considered giving K7CW my
latitude/longitude to pass on to next of kin if I was never seen again
but in the end figured I might as well go down like a man. As it
turns out the trip back was easy - at each intersection pick the one
headed most downhill. An hour later I broke out into familiar
territory with gas still in the tank and only one leaking tire. Good
times. And I'll do it all over again for the next contest...maybe
with a better map.

73
dale kd7uo

[Barry Hansen]

Since Dale mentioned me (DN16), I'll add my report here too. I went
hilltopping in the foreign land of Pullman in eastern Washington, DN16jr,
and provided points and a grid to the people who stuck around on 2m. I have
50 watts 2m SSB and a 3el beam.

I had some nice contacts with K7HPT in two grids; wow he must have done a
lot of driving, thanks! Great signal from Dale. I heard a few stations
W7GLF, W7MEM, K7SMA, VE7DXG that didn't quite hear me but that was fun and
exciting anyway.

I'm new to VHF and just getting equipped and didn't know what to expect. But
didn't really expect 2m to empty out after the first half hour. Did 2m go
dead or did everyone abandon it after they thought they worked everyone
else? I was disappointed after the first hour to be calling CQ for two more
hours with no answer. I was hoping to get lots of Spokane contacts from what
seemed like my favorable location 60 miles to their south. And hoping to get
someone in the Tri-Cities but, no. It was nice to hear lots of activity when
the contest started but then it seemed like nobody wanted to bother with the
band. Is this typical? Just curious.

There was a flurry of 2m activity Sunday morning after the PNWVHF weak
signal net. That was great fun and I doubled my score.

I parked on a hilltop near a water tower bristling with cellphone antennas.
This was actually rather handy. In a fit of boredom I used my cellphone and
ordered a 6m antenna from HRO for my next contest. I wish I'd planned ahead
and borrowed one for this trip.

Operating time 3 hours Saturday and 2 hours Sunday, 2m only, 6 contacts, 5
grids, 60 points.

One nice thing about hilltopping is at least I'm parked in a lovely scenic
location!

73 Barry WA7KVC
PS - Your suggestions for the top three things to improve my score is
invited.

[Mark Van Winkle]

Hi Barry and Eastern WA,

Although I have worked several contest from DN16 (I am part owner of a
repeater on Kamiak Butte between Colfax and Pullman) I think you are the
first contact I have worked that was in DN16. Thanks. You are right. It is
very disappointing that Spokane, Tri Cities, Walla Walla and Moses Lake
don’t provide more contacts. WAKE UP GUYS! I know there are a lot of PNWVHFS
members in the area.

Thanks for activating DN16.

Mark
K7HPT
DN17

73
dale kd7uo

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[Paul Kiesel]

Speaking of DN16.... I've been at this location for over 20 years and have even operated the June contest from Big Butte in DN16 three times. But, I still do not have DN16 confirmed on two meters!! If I had known you were going to be operating from there, I would have made a special effort to work you, Barry.

My three suggestions for you, Barry:

1. Operate 6 meters with at least 100 watts and a 5 element beam.

2. Announce on the reflector where you will be and on what bands/frequencies. Repeat your announcement on the day before the contest.

3. Stick it out. When things get slow, the guys who want to do well will be digging harder for the tough-to-get contacts.

Thanks for putting DN16 on. Hope to work you there in the September contest!

73, Paul K7CW    CN87

---

From: Mark Van Winkle <markva...@comcast.net>
To: pnw...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 3:55 PM
Subject: RE: [PNWVHFS] CQWW-VHF at WA7KVC

[Paul Kiesel]

Oh, and let me add a 4th very important suggestion:

4. If you can't get someone's attention calling on SSB, call them on CW!!!! The likelihood is that they are going to hear you well enough to copy you.

73, Paul

---

From: Paul Kiesel <k7...@yahoo.com>
To: "pnw...@googlegroups.com" <pnw...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [PNWVHFS] CQWW-VHF at WA7KVC

[Mark Van Winkle]

Paul, looks like that may be my fault. I have your card showing that we worked 18 Jan 2009. That matches with my records so I will send you my card. I also show that we worked 2010-01-24.

 

I am not good about sending out cards.

 

Sorry

Mark

K7HPT

[Barry Hansen]

Thanks James! I am quite attracted to the idea of being the DX for a change, and I’ve got a choice location in Pullman to operate from. Sure it has good HAAT but better yet it’s only two blocks from the best cook in eastern Washington, my mother-in-law. J

 

It’s nice to hear that DN16 is relatively rare, as I travel there several times a year. Next time I’ll give everyone a heads-up on the reflector. I’ll get all this figured out with more practice.

 

Thanks for the antenna tip. I have my 3-element 2m beam tuned up nicely and working well, and I’ve been happy with it so far. But it’s good to know that 9-12 elements has a good chance of paying returns. I’ll get there sooner or later, but first I need to amortize all the equipment I’ve recently acquired; the contest last weekend is working out to about $300 per contact. Time to do more operating and bring down the average! lol

 

My little 2-element 6m beam arrived today, this will be a valuable addition to my hilltopping arsenal. At least I’ll be on the air having fun and gaining some experience.

 

73 Barry WA7KVC

 

-----Original Message-----
From: James Christiansen [mailto:k7...@att.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 3:52 PM
To: ba...@coilgun.info
Subject: Re: [PNWVHFS] CQWW-VHF at WA7KVC

 

Hello,

 

    My 2m antennas are on the ground these days.  Even worked on one this

afternoon.

 

    There aren't a LOT of stations on 2m ssb in the Spokane area and fewer yet

in the Tri-Cities area.

 

    Your biggest shortcoming was probably the 3el antenna.  But its a good

start.  If you stick with it you will find more stations as you improve your

equipment.  If you plan on operating portable in the future and not roving where

you have to break down and set back up something in the order of 9-12elements

will improve things considerable.  You probably did work most of the folks on

the west side capable of hearing you.  It varies a lot.

 

    The west siders have their antennas stuck north/south for the most part. 

Once someone finds you they will swing around.  Still, its not a sure thing

everyone will hear you.  It can be very quiet over on your side.

 

    Stick with it and maybe add 6m.  Double your fun!  DN16 is a fairly rare

grid on 6m.

 

   gl jim k7nd cn87qf  50mhz thru 5.7ghz