2004 ARRL June VHF Contest
06/16/2004 |
K2QO/R
Wow! Another new high score for the Minimalist Buick Rover team of K2QO and W2TAU. We tackled 8 grids on a 589 mile romp through FN14, 24, 23, 22, 13, 12, 03 and 02. Did I say Buick? Well, yeah, a Buick Rendezvous to be precise. (http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~msadams/RDV%20Photos/K2QO%20Rover%20in%20FN02au.JPG) Add a solid Yakima roof rack and convert a Saris hitch mount bike rack and you have end up with a roomy, high fuel efficiency SUV for a weekend of radio.
The minimalist approach (kinda like the NO BUDGET thing, thanks Dan) uses common low to meduim performance gear and HB antennas to increase the the ratios of QSOs/$ and Fun/QSO/Mile. The beauty here is that nearly any ham can get in on the fun. Even a die-hard HF QRPer like me.
We are QRP on 222 and 1296 and here is the kicker. Based on QSO points x Grids, these two bands provided 39.5% of our total score! Now that is some serious QRP action.
The K2QO system on 222 and 1296 consists of an FT817 IF radio, W1GHZ HB 222 transverter (see QST Jan 03, I think) and a DEMI 1296 transverter that I got used for $200. The antennas are a WA5VJB 6-el beam for 222 and an Antenna Book Quagi for 1296. Now that is truly a minimalist setup! Max distances covered in this contest were abut 125 miles on 1296 MHz and 110 miles on 222 MHz.
One of the coolest things in the contest was mobiling down the the NYS Thruway during the Sunday 6M opening. We bagged lots of new grids, and some twice and the road goes above and below the FN12/13 gridline a couple of times. Maybe those tax dollars were put to good use after all :-)
OK, the bottom line:
271 Q's and the following equipment breakdown, er, list.
6M FT100D 100W PAR OMNI
2M FT100D 50W HB 6-EL
222 W1GHZ 5W HB 6-EL
432 FT100D 20W HB 11-EL
1296 DEMI 3W HB QUAGI
10G DEMI 2W HB HORN
All that is left is to send in the log and enjoy the other soapbox comments here at ARRL. We hope you all had fun this contest and we hope to work ALL of you in September.
73, Mark K2QO and Paul W2TAU -- K2QO
The minimalist approach (kinda like the NO BUDGET thing, thanks Dan) uses common low to meduim performance gear and HB antennas to increase the the ratios of QSOs/$ and Fun/QSO/Mile. The beauty here is that nearly any ham can get in on the fun. Even a die-hard HF QRPer like me.
We are QRP on 222 and 1296 and here is the kicker. Based on QSO points x Grids, these two bands provided 39.5% of our total score! Now that is some serious QRP action.
The K2QO system on 222 and 1296 consists of an FT817 IF radio, W1GHZ HB 222 transverter (see QST Jan 03, I think) and a DEMI 1296 transverter that I got used for $200. The antennas are a WA5VJB 6-el beam for 222 and an Antenna Book Quagi for 1296. Now that is truly a minimalist setup! Max distances covered in this contest were abut 125 miles on 1296 MHz and 110 miles on 222 MHz.
One of the coolest things in the contest was mobiling down the the NYS Thruway during the Sunday 6M opening. We bagged lots of new grids, and some twice and the road goes above and below the FN12/13 gridline a couple of times. Maybe those tax dollars were put to good use after all :-)
OK, the bottom line:
271 Q's and the following equipment breakdown, er, list.
6M FT100D 100W PAR OMNI
2M FT100D 50W HB 6-EL
222 W1GHZ 5W HB 6-EL
432 FT100D 20W HB 11-EL
1296 DEMI 3W HB QUAGI
10G DEMI 2W HB HORN
All that is left is to send in the log and enjoy the other soapbox comments here at ARRL. We hope you all had fun this contest and we hope to work ALL of you in September.
73, Mark K2QO and Paul W2TAU -- K2QO
Back
