02/04/2007 | WS7V This was my first participation in a VHF contest. I have no VHF rigs, so W7MY prepared and loaned me a plastic milk crate, which contained four portable radios, one each for 50, 144, 222, and 902 mhz. The antennas were vertical whips. I was having difficulty making a contact with W7IUV, who was 85 miles away, on 222. He suggested I hold the antenna sideways to improve my signal. Since I was at the kitchen table I improvised this organic antenna support structure, with a hint of oak and blackberries. -- WS7V