KC9BQA

   Thanks again to WB9LYH and KA0KYZ for increasing on-air activity and for their email reports.    Happy to report plenty of check-ins, including many new ones. 
   WB9LYH on 144.240 in EN54 took 23 check-ins.   KA0KYZ on 144.230 in EN33 took 10 check-ins. 
   WB9LYH reported interesting propagation, especially to the north.   He also had a new all-time check in with K0JQA in EN31, just north of Des Moines, IA.    EN31 always gets our attention because it has so little activity.   Hope we can hear from more stations in Iowa.   
   It also looks like KB9JMH EN52, KC9RJI EN41, KD0KUK EN35 and K0NY EN44 are new check-ins.    I say this over and over, but I mean it.   Nothing pleases me more than seeing new callsigns enjoying weak-signal VHF.    I know many of you are spreading the word and keep it up — it’s working.  🙂 
  
   Mark’s check-ins were:  N9OLT EN64;  VE3LPY EN82;  W9RM EN52;  WB9WOZ EN61;  W9YZU EM69;  WB9TAE and KC9GMF EN53;  KB9JMH EN52;  KC0PDX and KC9RJI EN41;  WA9BNZ EN40;  N9NYA and W9RPM EN43;  K0JQA EN31;  KG0SJ EN22;  KD0KUK EN35;  WD0BGZ EN10;  WB9EZB, KC9EGV and WA9ISG all EN55;  VE3KRP EN58;  W0ANH EN47; and K0NY EN44.

    KA0KYZ reported changing conditions during his net.   Said the APRS propagation map (available at this link: 
http://www.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/ham/aprs/path.cgi?map=na ) showed enhancement to his east, with no stations on to confirm it.   He said his check-ins reported flat to below average conditions in the contest last weekend, but that activity was pretty good.   A few mentioned that participation was even better than it was in the Sept. contest.  
     Terry also mentioned that he had BAD noise to his south and southwest, and he’s sorry he couldn’t make out some stations in those directions.   For instance, he says he can usually hear N0IRS in Kansas City, but he barely got his call before the fading and noise took out JD. 
    Terry’s check-ins were:  KC9GMF EN53;  KC9RJI and KC0PDX EN41;  W9RM EN52;  N0IRS EM29;  N9KOR EN44;  KG0SJ EN22;  K0SIX EN35;  N9OLT EN64 and W9RPM EN43.

    This Wed. we plan on  having KA0KYZ on 144.230, from EN33 in far SE MN, starting out @0045Z, looking east and then going clockwise from there. 
    We should also have WB9LYH on 144.240, from EN54, right in the middle of WI, starting out @0100Z, looking northeast and then going clockwise from there. 

    The purpose of these nets is to create guaranteed activity on less-used portions of 2m.   Listen along or say hello when you like.   To further expand activity across the band, we encourage our check-ins and all 2m hams to slide down the band and call CQ on their own.   One or two big signals calling CQ is nice, but when you get multiple guys in various grids doing their own calling, that’s when the band really comes alive.  
    We also promote the use of a real-time VHF/UHF chat that all USA/VE hams can enjoy, anytime.   Visit www.on4kst.com and register if you haven’t already.   Registration is quick, free and doesn’t obligate you in any way.   7 simple steps to get registered are at:   http://kc9bqa.com/?p=3765

   If you need more info about the USA/VE activity night on the 222 MHz band, scroll down to my Jan 11th post.

    I’ve seen a handful of emails about the contest.   My resources are the Badger Contesters email reflector (visit www.badgercontesters.org for more info), plus the NLRS (Northern Lights Radio Society out of Minnesota) and SMC reflectors (Society of Midwest Contesters out of ILL and parts of IN and MO)   Visit www.nlrs.org and www.w9smc.com to access those websites.  

    The early emails that I’ve seen say that activity was moderate or decent, depending on where you were located.  Propagation was flat.   Sunday’s NFL games reduced activity, but I’m sure plenty of guys got on for the last few hours on Sunday evening. 
     The area surrounding La Crosse continues to improve.   KF0Q was out roving for the first time in many years and Matt was very pleasantly surprised to work multiple stations in EN43.    The La Crosse/EN43 area was the first to respond when I started promoting VHF hard back in mid-2008.   Glad to see they are continuing with their own momentum.  

    I may add  more in a few days.   Of course, you are welcome to share your contest stories here, using the “comment” feature.

   ARRL VHF Sweepstakes starts at 1900Z or 1pm central tomorrow and runs until 0400Z or 10pm central Sunday night.   All the links you could ever need are at 3 posts I made on Jan. 6th.   Those posts have now slid off the front page, so scroll back a page and take what you need.    It is not too late to get on the air with whatever you have.   Easily 60-70% of the activity takes place on the bread-and-butter bands of 6m and 2m, and most hams have those bands.   If you just aren’t ready to pick up the mic and call CQ, no worries.   At least tune in and listen to what’s happening.   You’ll be more comfortable in the future. 

   I haven’t talked about my own contest plans because I have none.   My station’s pretty much a shambles, but fortunately, it’s not bugging me very much.    144 does work but that’s about it.    It didn’t help matters that my newer 7 element beam for 6m snapped in half during the Dec. 10-11 blizzard.    Guess we’ll have to “bug” the tower guy again, come spring.   

   I don’t like talking about not being able to contest.  Makes me feel disloyal or like a slacker.   Silly, but true.    I’d rather concentrate on those who are participating.   Good luck everyone — I’ll look forward to reading contest stories next week.

   Another great net.  
   WB9LYH’s 25 check-ins were:   N9OLT EN64;  KC8ZJL EN71;  N9JBW and K9CCL EN61;  W9YZU EM69;  K9LQZ EM68;  W1JWS EN50;  W9BBP and WA9BNZ EN40;  K0JRD EM38;  N0IRS EM29;  KC0PDX EN41;  N9LB EN52;  W9RPM EN43;  WB0YWW, KG0SJ and WB0YNA EN22;  WD0BGZ EN10;  KA0JW EN34;  N0DSN EN33;  W0ANH EN47;  WA9ISG and KC9EGV EN55;  VE3KRP EN58 and K9KHW EN63 
Best DX to the east was NW Ohio.  To the south, SW Indiana.  To the west, Kansas City and Lincoln (NE).  To the north, Grand Marais, MN and Thunder Bay, ONT.  

Excellent job everyone.   Thanks for keeping 2m alive and well during the dead of winter.

I also want to mention it’s not just about our Wed. nets.   I saw N0PB report about his Monday night 144.250 net (from EM39, N Central MO, starting at 7:45-8pm and going until 9pm).  This week N0PB took 35 check-ins, from 8 different states and 18 different grids.

Easy to keep track of who’s who tonight!   The focus is on Mark, in EN54cl, or smack in the middle of WI.   Tune into 144.240 at 7pm central and see what you can hear.   WB9LYH starts out looking NE into the U.P. of MI and then goes clockwise from there, a full 360, over the next 60-90 minutes, depending on how busy things are.

   KA0KYZ in EN33 on 144.230 had 8 check-ins:   N0IRS EM29;  K2DRH EN41;  KG0SJ EN22;  W0MTW EN24;  N9CHA EN35;  KB0SPM EN33;  WD0BGZ EN10;  K0SIX EN35.   I could be wrong, but I think N9CHA is a new call to the net log.   Welcome — Nice to have a new signal on from Polk Co. WI.  
   WB9LYH in EN54 on 144.240 had 28 check-ins:  N9OLT EN64;  WI8A EN83;  KC8ZJL EN71;  N8WNA and VE3LPY EN82;  N9NDP EN62;  K9KHW EN63;  K9CCL EN61;  KC9AOV EN52;  K2DRH and KC0PDX EN41;  KC9GMF EN53;  KB9WZJ EM69;  W9BBP and WA9BNZ EN40;  WB9MXX EN62;  N9NYA and W9RPM EN43;  W0FAY EN42;  W1JWS EN50;  N0IRS EM29;  W0MTW EN24;  KA0KYZ EN33;  KG0SJ EN22;  K0SIX EN35;  W0ANH EN47;  KC9EGV EN55.   Mark also heard from WD0BGZ in EN10.   Great to hear from Nebraska most weeks.  We are always looking for more activity from all of MO, KS, IA, NE, SD and MN.

   Here’s your long-range net lineup for tomorrow night.   KA0KYZ is Terry, located in far SE MN, grid square EN33.   He gets on 144.230 at 0045Z or 6:45pm central/7:45pm eastern.   He starts out calling E thru WI and into MI/OH/IN.   Then he gradually swings the yagis clockwise, or SE, S, SW, W, NW, N and NE.   He is also available in the on4kst.com real-time V/UHF chat so if you miss him, say hello in the chat and he’ll be happy to swing back your way.  
   WB9LYH is Mark, located right in the middle of WI, grid square EN54cl.   He gets on 144.240 at 0100Z or 8pm eastern.   He starts out looking northeast and then swings clockwise over the next 60-90 minutes.  

    If you like short stories, you’re done.   🙂  
    If you want helpful hints and suggestions about the net (and improving overall activity levels on 144 MHz SSB/CW) then read the 2nd half of this post from last week:   http://kc9bqa.com/?p=3984

   If you haven’t visited in several days, visit the 3 posts from January 6th with helpful info about the contest.   They have now slid off to the second page.   And spread the word to some ham friends.   We can always use more VHF/UHF contesters.