KC9BQA

   10pm Tues.

   As mentioned in the July 25th net reports, WB9LYH will be back with the 144.240 Wed. night net from EN54cl, middle of WI, at 8pm central/9pm eastern.   See the July 24th post, if you need more details.  

   K9LQZ will not be on from his EM68 QTH this Wed., he is enjoying the EAA in Oshkosh, WI. 

   There will be thunderstorms scattered around the Midwest tomorrow and tomorrow night.  Unless they are on top of WB9LYH at net time, expect Mark to call the net.

    9:15am Thursday

    Great thing is happening the past few days.  My email is filling up with UHF’ers posting their plans to be on Aug 3-4th.  Talking about the ARRL UHF Contest.   Link to the rules:  http://www.arrl.org/august-uhf    If you have bands like 222, 432, 902/3, 1296, 2304, 3456 MHz, or bands like 5 GHz, 10 GHz and higher, this is your contest.  Help spread the word; still have 9 days to get your rear in gear. 

    Like he has for years now, W0UC Paul in EN44 has created a Google spreadsheet where those of us in the Midwest/Great Lakes can post our UHF contest plans.  Before I pass the link along (with W0UC’s permission) a few guidelines.  Please read these.  
    1)  I know nothing about a Google spreadsheet.  I’m just the messenger.
   2)  Notice on the lower left that there are tabs for both fixed stations and rovers.  
   3)  We kindly ask that with this sheet, the emphasis remains on WI and nearby states.  We’re NOT trying to create a nationwide sheet.  If you are more than say 300-400 miles from WI, considering doing something similar for your own area.  It would be a big boost to V/UHF contesting if there were similar listings for other parts of the USA and Canada.  
   4)  Please spread the word among your V/UHF buddies in WI and nearby states to list your ARRL August UHF Contest plans here: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvU0R8d2qq2DdDJRUlA4VE1IbklmWmZzVEpnc1paWkE#gid=1

     8:45am Thur.

     WB9LYH had 11 check-ins to the 144.240 net last night:  K8VFV EN82;  KD8CQC EN73;  N9JBW and K9CCL EN61;  KC9CLM EN52;  WA9BNZ EN40;  K0NY EN44;  W0HXL EN21;  KG0SJ and WB0YWW EN22 and KG1X EN42.   
   
      WB9LYH will call the 144.240 long-range net from EN54cl (central WI) next Wed., July 31st.  Start time is 0100Z/8pm central/9pm eastern.  Remember we always have an updated net announcement here at kc9bqa.com on Tuesday or early Wed., in case anything changes. 

       K9LQZ in EM68 southern IN may or may not have gotten on 144.240 last night.  I don’t have an email net report from Lowell.  If/when I hear something, I’ll update this post.   Heads-up that on July 31st, K9LQZ will *not* be on 144.240. 

     ON MONDAY NIGHT… K8TQK called his 144.252 net from EM89je, south-central OH.  This starts at 0100Z/9pm eastern.  
      Bob had 16 check-ins on Monday night:  N8AIA EN82;  KD8FHY and K8GDT EN91;  VE3KCY EN93;  W2UAD FN13;  WD8CHR EN90;  AC3L/M FN00;  KB3TNZ FN10;  KY4MRG EM77;  WA4REE EM65;  KI4ROF EM55;  KB9RDS EM79;  WB9LYH EN54;  KC9CLM EN52;  KA2KQM EM74 and KD8KCF EN81. 

      TUESDAY NIGHT IS 222 TUESDAY.  
      The 222 Tuesday summary only includes reports I can find online, via the ON4KST.com chat archives or the 220 Prop Logger.  I’m sure there are pockets of other 222 activity that I’m not accounting for and that’s OK, as this is not a nationwide V/U blog.   The main thing is to let VHF’ers everywhere know that 222 Tuesday is the nationwide activity night on 1.25 meters.   No net control, no single area of focus.  Guys get on/near 222.100 anywhere from 0000-0200Z, and call CQ in different directions and create their own activity. 
      K8TQK has been proactive about “calling around” on 222.100 on Tuesdays, starting about 0000Z.  Two nights ago, Bob worked:  W9ZIH EN51;  N8AIA EN82;  K8GDT EN91;  KD8DJE EM89 and KD8KCF EN81. 

       I’m about to make another post about the ARRL August UHF Contest on Aug 3-4th.   Have great news to share; all kinds of early plans are being posted.  Best pre-UHF buzz I’ve seen in a while.  Plus I will have the Google spreadsheet link, which W0UC released this morning.

   8am Wed.

   Recently on the SMC  email reflector (Society of Midwest Contesters — see www.w9smc.com) there was a discussion about how we define “weak-signal” V/UHF. 
   N0AX Ward distilled those comments into something he recently posted to the ARRL Contest Update email, which was dated July 17, 2013.  With N0AX’s permission, I am re-posting his definition here:
  
  “Weak signal — referring to CW/SSB on the VHF+ bands, the word “weak” doesn’t necessarily mean that the received signal is weak. (kc9bqa adds: or that the transmitted power is necessarily QRP, either)   It refers instead (roughly) to the ability of a mode to achieve a useful signal-to-noise ratio in a given bandwidth.  Stated more simply, CW and SSB “do better” when signal levels are low because their power is concentrated in a narrower bandwidth than FM.  This enable contact over longer distances via CW and SSB, all other things like transmitter power and antenna gain being equal.  The tradeoff is that FM has better noise-immunity, which is more important for regional (or local) communications.”
   That’s the concise part of this post. 

   KC9BQA adds — The more I think about it, the more I wish there were some other term (rather than weak-signal) we could use.  “Weak-signal” just has a negative connotation to it.   Plus, when we’re enjoying the SSB/CW/digi side of V/UHF, we’re working stations 100, 200, 300, sometimes 800 or 1000+ miles away.   We’re the ones enjoying the DX, which to me is “strong”.  
    To dispel any remaining myths, Joe Q. Ham needs to know this: 
    1)  Weak-signal V/UHF refers to SSB/CW/digital ops on portions of 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz.   There are also microwave bands like 902, 1296, 2304, 3456 MHz, plus 5, 10 GHz and on up into laser.   The vast majority of VHF’ers have at least 50 and 144 MHz, with 432 MHz close behind.  
    2)  Weak-signal V/UHF ops achieve superior range (well beyond line-of-sight) using horizontally-polarized antennas with higher gain.  Typical range for a station with 50-100 watts out + 8-12′ long yagis with a clear horizon is 200-300 miles, with flat band conditions on 50 thru 432 MHz.    Occasional band enhancements can produce DX up to 1000+ miles away.   For better range, improve and raise antennas, improve coax, add mast-mounted preamps and consider increasing output power.  
    3)  It also helps to turn down your squelch and use headphones when digging into the noise for light-copy stations.  This is one instance where the term “weak-signal” applies.  We often hear and work stations that are well into the noise with a combination of patience and persistence.   These are signals anyone with an FM-only background would never know existed. 
    4)  If you are a ham with some DX’er in you, give “weak-signal” V/UHF a try.  Step outside the narrow-minded box that says V/UHF is all about local or line-of-sight communications.  Don’t always believe what “The Book” says.   Get horizontally-polarized, get higher-gain antennas, get or borrow an all-mode rig and start working DX on V/UHF bands like 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz.

   7:30am Wed.  
  As mentioned in the middle of the July 18th post, both WB9LYH EN54 and K9LQZ EM68 should be ON tonight, trying to drum up 2m SSB activity in a very wide part of the Midwest/Great Lakes/Ohio Valley and Mid-South. 

  This is our 5th year of Wed. night nets and as always, we’re trying to expand the activity farther.  

  WB9LYH EN54cl (central WI) is the flagship net control.  Mark gets on at 8pm central/9pm eastern (antenna pattern is NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N).   With stacked 17B2’s and 500 watts from a ridgetop QTH, WB9LYH can get out 400+ miles to decent stations with flat bands. 
   Tonight, we should also have K9LQZ EM68 (southern IN) on 144.240 from roughly 0120-0140.  Lowell’s been helping us expand the activity to areas we can’t normally reach from WI.   He looks east, then SE, S, SW and W during the time he’s on.   This covers W VA, western parts of VA, NC, SC.  All of KY and TN plus northern parts of GA, AL and MS.  Also southern parts of  OH, IN and IL, in addition to much of MO and parts of AR.   Please help us spread the word in those areas.   What we’re looking for (in a perfect world) is the occasional night where the band is open and dozens of stations are on from multiple grids and states.  Then folks can slide down the band, work each other and anyone else who is on 144 MHz.

   A PERSONAL REQUEST FOR ALL NET CHECK-INS ANYWHERE AND FOR ALL 2M SSB/CW OPERATORS:
   Please consider doing more than just turning your rig on for 30-60 minutes a week, listening to a net control, then turning the rig off.   In most areas of the US, activity levels on 2m SSB are too low.  They were too low 20 years ago, too low 10 years ago and nowadays, I suspect they’re even lower than ever. 
   While many good nets in different parts of the country are helping to provide known, reliable signals that VHF’ers can tune into, I know  we don’t have enough all-purpose CQ’ers on/near 144.200.   (notice I didn’t say to ragchew for minutes on end on 144.200, I said to CQ.  Once you’ve established contact, if you’re going to have a ragchew, QSY off 144.200 so someone else can call CQ.  There’s usable spectrum from 144.150 up to 144.260-270.  Use your VFO and use the entire band.  Don’t stay glued to 144.200 — especially if you’re in an area with lots of hams.) 

   I’ve said it in this blog many times thru the years: 
   15-20 VHF’ers turning on the rig and saying hello to a net control is nice.  We appreciate the check-in and want you to enjoy the hobby as you see fit.  BUT… BUT… for a truly healthy 2-meter band, we need dozens of operators in many states and grids to get on/near the call frequency (144.200) and call CQ any old time, for a few minutes, in different directions.   Do this in the evening, in the morning, on the weekends, when more hams are likely to be near the rigs.   So many guys say, “I’m just listening.”  Well, if 50 guys are all sitting in front of their rigs, tuned to 144.200 and they’re all “just listening”, how many signals are going to be on the air??  
  

  (zero)

  
 We need more CQ’ers. 

  If there were enough general activity from John Q. VHF’er most nights of the week, we wouldn’t need nets to stir up activity.   We need more ops to take the initiative for themselves and not rely on Mr. Net Control to always be the signal provider.

3pm Sat.
Contest has been underway for 2 hours.  It’s slow.  No two ways about it.  No Es on 6, and limited local participation.  Best news of all is that my 144 rotor was working for 10 minutes and then it decided to stop working as I completed with K2DRH.  So I’m stuck SW on 144.  Which is fine if I’m in New England, LOL.
Let’s hope for something on 6.
Oh yeah… also found out this morning a reunion I care about is being held on Sat. Aug 3rd, out of town.  Yep, the day of the UHF Contest.   So I’m a scratch for the UHF contest.  I’m OK with it myself, but it does make me feel like a deadbeat to others.  I know EN63 ain’t easy to find on higher bands.   I hope everyone is able to get on UHF in two Saturdays and that you have a tropo opening from Heaven.  Link to ARRL UHF Contest:  http://www.arrl.org/august-uhf

Grateful for cooler and drier air today.  Windows open for first time in days.  Going to be good Brewer watching and sleeping weather tonight.  There — I said something positive.  (forced smile 🙂 )

Back to the contest…
I did work a MN station right off the bat, which was fun.  W0ZQ Jon is out as W0AUS/R and as soon as I turned the rig to 144.220, Jon was in there and we worked both bands from his EN44 stop.  Just a few minutes ago, I also worked KF9US up in EN55 on 6.  He said I was his first contact.  I’ve also been able to complete with WB8BZK/R and K9JK/R in their first grids.

3:15 Sat.
6 is opening up to EM31 and EL29.

7am Wednesday morning, July 24th
Let’s wrap up this 2013 CQ WW VHF contest thread. 
I ended up pulling the plug about 5pm on Sat. evening.  Irritated at my dead rotor on the 144/222/432 tower, I decided to just let the contest go.  I realize I could have had fun on 6m, but I just wasn’t into it anymore.  Plus I hate bringing a bad attitude on the air.  It’s a hobby, it’s supposed to be fun, etc. etc. 
So I made about 35-40 Q’s total.   
Sorry for missing the rovers.  Rovers I know were out included:  W0AUS;  W9FZ/KA9VVQ;  WB8BZK;  K9JK and K9GY. 

If you care to read about a CQ WW VHF contest where everything went right, here’s a link to my gushing writeup about the 2006 contest: 
http://kc9bqa.com/?p=263   (I originally made that post back on May 25, 2009)
  My claimed score for the 2006 CQ WW VHF:  176,790
  50:  600 Q’s x 173 Mults
144:  115 Q’s x 40 Mults

   Thur. morning

   WB9LYH in EN54cl had another good turnout on 144.240 last night.   I counted 22 check-ins and several new ones. 
   N9OLT EN64;  N9OJH, KB5ZJU and KC9BQA EN63;  N8UYC EN62;  N9JBW, KC9RIO and K9CCL EN61;  W8BYA and K9MRI EN70;  N9YK and W8SOL EN71;  N9NDP EN62;  KC9CLM and his 3 year-old grandson Justin from EN52;  W9BBP EN40;  W0HXL EN21;  KG0SJ and WB0YWW EN22;  KD0JSY EN34;  KC0RQH EN35 and W0ANH EN47.  Just like last week, this was a sociable group and Mark wasn’t done until after 9pm central. 
   Want to welcome N9OJH and KD0JSY to the net.  Thanks for stopping by, Lonnie and Charles.  Justin, have your grandpa Dave say hello to you as well.  🙂 

    As mentioned before, next Wed. should be WB9LYH again, at 8pm central/9pm eastern (antenna pattern is NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N).   We should also have K9LQZ EM68 (southern IN) on 144.240 from roughly 0120-0140.  Lowell’s been helping us expand the activity to areas we can’t normally reach from WI.   He looks east, then SE, S, SW and W during the time he’s on.   This covers W VA, western parts of VA, NC, SC.  All of KY and TN plus northern parts of GA, AL and MS.  Also southern parts of  OH, IN and IL, in addition to much of MO and parts of AR.   Please help us spread the word in those areas.   What we’re looking for (in a perfect world) is the occasional night where the band is open and dozens of stations are on from multiple grids and states.  Then folks can slide down the band, work each other and anyone else who is on 144 MHz. 

   
    ON MONDAY NIGHT, K8TQK calls a 144.252 net from EM89je, south-central OH.  It’s at 8:30pm eastern or 0130 UTC time.  Bob’s signal is huge and his manner is always relaxed and friendly.  The antenna pattern with the K8TQK net is to start out N, then go NE, E, SE, S, SW, W and NW over the next 45-60 minutes. 
    On July 15th, Bob had 18  check-ins:  N8WNA and N8AIA EN82;  W8SOL EN71;  NF8O, K8GDT and KV8T EN91;  W2UAD FN13;  AC3L/M FN00;  VA3VEC FN14;  VE3MLM FN04;  VE3VII FN03;  W8BYA and K9MRI EN70;  KA2KQM EM74;  WA4REE EM65;  KI4ROF EM55;  KB9RDS and WB8ART EM79.  

   EVERY TUESDAY IS 222 TUESDAY — the national activity night for 1.25 meter band ops.  The idea is for everyone with 222 to get on/near 222.100 starting from about 0000-0200.  Call your own CQ’s, turn the beams, try to stir up activity in every direction. 
  Out of respect for K8TQK, I post any 222 Tuesday activity I find using the ON4KST.com chat review feature.  This is who I saw spotted on Tuesday, July 16:  K8TQK EM89;  N8AIA and N8WNA EN82;  KD8KCF EN81;  KU8Y EN61 and VE3ZV EN92.

   8:30am Wed. 

   Tonight’s 144.240 net announcement is right below this post.  WB9LYH will be net control tonight from EN54cl, 8pm central start. 

   *THE CQ WORLDWIDE VHF CONTEST IS THIS WEEKEND*  Starts at 1800Z Sat. and runs until 2100Z Sun.   This contest keeps it simple — 6m and 2m only.  Bread-and-butter bands of VHF’ing.   It also has several differences (some would say improvements) on ARRL V/U contest rules.  So take some time to go thru the rules. 
   Here’s the link to info and rules:  http://www.cqww-vhf.com/ 

   *PLEASE POST YOUR CONTEST PLANS HERE*
   W0UC Paul in EN44 has again created a Google spreadsheet where you can enter your contest plans.  Before I share the link, I want a few things to be clear.
   1)  I know nothing about a Google spreadsheet.  I’m just the messenger.
   2)  Notice on the lower left that there are tabs for both fixed stations and rovers.  
   3)  We kindly ask that with this sheet, the emphasis remains on WI and nearby states.  We’re NOT trying to create a nationwide sheet.  If you are more than say 300-400 miles from WI, considering doing something similar for your own area.  It would be a big boost to V/UHF contesting if there were similar listings for other parts of the USA and Canada.  
   4)  Please spread the word among your V/UHF buddies in WI and nearby states to list your CQ WW VHF plans here: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvU0R8d2qq2DdF92ZWpCRU1TZWtwSWt2bFhYVHZveXc#gid=0

   7pm Tuesday

  Tomorrow night’s net control is WB9LYH in EN54cl, right in the middle of WI.   Mark starts at 8pm central/9pm eastern by looking NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N over the next hour or so.  All licensed amateurs are welcome.  Our nets are informal, the purpose is to increase activity on the SSB portion of 2 meters. 
   K9LQZ is *not* available on the 3rd Wed. of the month.  

   The early call for July 24th is that WB9LYH and K9LQZ will both be *ON*.   Of course, we always announce the net plans here at kc9bqa.com on Tuesday or early Wed. of every week.