2009 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
01/20/2009 |
WB2AMU
For the week prior to this year's event, we had a significant cold spell and some snow here in Long Island in grid FN30. I was glad to see that the temperatures moderated a bit to 20 degrees by Saturday for my QRP portable effort on a nearby 250 foot hill in a county park.
I was able to set up for the four bands using a three-element Six Meter Yagi for Six, a three-element Two Meter Yagi on Two that I also used on 432 and a mag mount vertical for 220 FM.
Saturday was strictly line-of-sight with me being able to run the four bands with several nearby stations. On Sunday, I was surprised to find out that there were many other stations in my grid that I was able to work on Two and Six Meters. It also started to snow lightly on Sunday and I was the only person in the park for a while at this time.
Sunday was also made interesting by a visit by the Suffolk County Police and auxillary police who received a cellphone call of suspicious activity from a concerned citizen. I kept it professional and presented to them the permission letter that I had from the head of the county parks department that allows me to operate from this park during the daylight hours. The police officer actually documented this situation in a police report, I guess in order to cover himself that he investigated the suspicious ham that was on the hill! I just wish the public was more informed about ham radio and by this incident happening to me occasionally when I operate from this hill, I realize that we have a lot more work to do in promoting the hobby!!
By 10 AM, I heard the K0KP beacon from Minnesota coming in via Sporadic-E on Six Meters, so I frantically looked around the band for any stations from that area coming in. I did hear K0GUV briefly but did not get him. I finally got K2YAZ in EN74 in Michigan when he came in about 59! By about 10:30, the skip went out and I shut down as it started getting quiet on all of the bands.
In addition to the brief Sporadic-E opening, I was happy to make four QSOs on 220 MHz, using my 5-Watt HT and a mag mount vertical!
The tradition of cold and snowy weather continues for the January contest, here in the northeast US!! -- WB2AMU
I was able to set up for the four bands using a three-element Six Meter Yagi for Six, a three-element Two Meter Yagi on Two that I also used on 432 and a mag mount vertical for 220 FM.
Saturday was strictly line-of-sight with me being able to run the four bands with several nearby stations. On Sunday, I was surprised to find out that there were many other stations in my grid that I was able to work on Two and Six Meters. It also started to snow lightly on Sunday and I was the only person in the park for a while at this time.
Sunday was also made interesting by a visit by the Suffolk County Police and auxillary police who received a cellphone call of suspicious activity from a concerned citizen. I kept it professional and presented to them the permission letter that I had from the head of the county parks department that allows me to operate from this park during the daylight hours. The police officer actually documented this situation in a police report, I guess in order to cover himself that he investigated the suspicious ham that was on the hill! I just wish the public was more informed about ham radio and by this incident happening to me occasionally when I operate from this hill, I realize that we have a lot more work to do in promoting the hobby!!
By 10 AM, I heard the K0KP beacon from Minnesota coming in via Sporadic-E on Six Meters, so I frantically looked around the band for any stations from that area coming in. I did hear K0GUV briefly but did not get him. I finally got K2YAZ in EN74 in Michigan when he came in about 59! By about 10:30, the skip went out and I shut down as it started getting quiet on all of the bands.
In addition to the brief Sporadic-E opening, I was happy to make four QSOs on 220 MHz, using my 5-Watt HT and a mag mount vertical!
The tradition of cold and snowy weather continues for the January contest, here in the northeast US!! -- WB2AMU
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