FM QSO Request. June 13-14 ARRL VHF UHF Contest
David Tanks
John Young, KM4KMU here.
I am writing to request an FM QSO during the June VHF/UHF contest that takes place from 2pm local Saturday June 13 through 11pm local Sunday June 14. Please listen for me calling CQ on 146.520 FM and reply. FM Simplex can be a real desert so I appreciate your listening for me and all the other Hams that will be out there on FM, USB and FT8. It should be a busy and fun weekend.
I will be on Reddish Knob, WV side, west of Harrisonburg Va (FM08JL) at 4400 ft ASL where I have reached out 300+ miles on FM simplex: South Carolina around east and north to Conn, NY, PA and west into WV. I have 6m to 1296, FM and USB. I would love to work you up through the bands on FM but will switch to USB if FM doesn’t work to pass out points. My station, with permission, will be in the national radio quiet zone, noise is exceptionally low.
Jan. Freeze Land Rd Sept. Reddish Knob
Dates & Times
Start: Saturday June 13, 2 pm local (1800 UTC)
End: Sunday June 14, 11 pm local (2359 Monday UTC)
Location
I will operate from Reddish Knob, FM08JL,
My Station:
FT991A (6m, 2m, 70cm FM & SSB), DEMI Transverter for 1.25m (FM & SSB)
100W with 12ft beams 6m-70cm all at 100W
CX-333 Tri Band Omni for 2m, 1.25m, 70cm.
Elecraft K3 with transverters 903 & 1296 at 25w with 6ft loopers.
Frequencies
146.520 (primary) QSY to 52.525, 223.5, 446.000, 902-903 & 1296
If you are contesting SSB I will be happy to switch over to SSB to complete contacts on bands we cant make on FM. My antenna's are racked over 45 degrees and tuned flat across the bands so I can work both FM and SSB with only minor losses. It really helps on 902-903 and 1296 if you pass your 6 digit grid as we work up the bands.
Please Spread the Word
I would greatly appreciate it if you could let others know I will be out there on FM simplex that weekend. While I do pretty good on multipliers, I generally have a much lower QSO count than most of stations I compete against. Feel free to pass along this email or mention that I will be out there on FM to other hams. Every little bit helps a lot.
Schedules
Feel free to arrange a schedule.
Before Friday night June 12: Nos...@aol.com or text to 703 678 6795.
After Friday night: Text to 703 678 6795. Cell coverage is non existent for voice and marginal at best for text in the NRQZ, it can take 20 minutes to get a text in or out.
Tough Grids:
There are several grids which due to terrain can be difficult to reach.
EM96-EM99 FN00, 10, 20 FM05, 06, 17, 28, 29
These grids are critical for me to do well. If you are in one of these grids a scheduled QSO is helpful. If you dont want to set a schedule thats OK, it takes me about an hour to work around the compass and you should hear me calling CQ on 146.520 FM at some point in the weekend.
73
John
KM4KMU
Notes:
If you would like me to drop you from my contest contacts email list please let me know and I will be happy to comply.
Unlike HF where assistance is not allowed, in VHF/UHF contests self spotting, setting up scheds, requesting QSO's is allowed and in fact encouraged. See rule 1.14 for contests above 50MHz.