01/21/2003 | VA3NFA Well, this was my fist ARRL VHF Jan contest. What a blast !! I worked as single op, low power on 50, 144, 22, and 432 with a total claimed score of 4104. My QTH is just west of Ottawa, Canada, and I have been a ham for less than a year.

My shack consists of a FT847 for 50/144/432 and a ADI AR-247 for 222 FM contacts. I have a limited antenna setup consisting of a Par Omni Loop @35' for 50, 4 ele beam@15' for 144, a homebrew dipole for 220 and a Diamiond V2000a verticle@35; for 432. Certainly not the best anteann farm, but they did the trick !

My longest 2m QSO was with K3EAR in Fm19 (about 600 kms). There was a GREAT 6m E's opening on Sunday afternoon when I worked three VE1 stations and many folks in the southern USA. I was able to snag several new grids on 144 and 50 !

More details are here :

http://members.rogers.com/tomzinck/ham/jan2003vhf.htm

For the June contest I hope to have better antennas on 222 and 432.. so that should help out a lot !

73,

Tom
VA3NFA
FN25 -- VA3NFA