CQ Worldwide VHF Contest 2011
category: ROVER
callsign: N2SLN / R





OPERATORS

    N2SLN -- all planning, driving, operating, paper and pen logging






ANTENNA SYSTEM







RADIO EQUIPMENT







DESCRIPTION

dedicated contest vehicle
This contest was the maiden voyage of MobileComm1, my dedicated contest van. Over the years I grew tired of spending several hours converting my commuter vehicle into a contest vehicle before every contest (and converting it back later), as well as running out of room for the equipment I really wanted to bring. Even though I didn't get every last detail finished before contest time, I was ready to launch a good effort.

great views are part of the fun
With no equipment operational while mobile yet, I decided to spend less time traveling and more time on the air. So the decision was made to activate only the 2 most desirable grids--FN23 Saturday and FN22 Sunday. For many years I've wanted to operate from a roadside pulloff I've passed many times while on the way to my usual site in FN23. The pulloff is less about the performance and more about the good photo opportunity available with the incredible view in the background. So I finally tried it. The 6m yagi was showing a 2.5 SWR in some directions and it dropped to 2.0 in some directions, so I wasn't getting full power out, but I continued to use it anyway. I assumed that it was due to the close proximity of the 6m yagi to the van roof, so I decided to run just a single 2m yagi here instead of the stack (to prevent further distortion to the 6m antenna). The 2m yagi was picking up intermittent power line noise when pointed SE, but the reason was clear: From this vantage point I could see high tension power lines running across the landscape in that direction. Despite the unpredictable nature of the QRN, I was able to time it just right on a couple of occasions and break through to stations in that direction, including Connecticut stations K1TEO and N8RA in FN31, as well as the contest director, W1XX, in FN41. Since there was no 6m band opening to pull people's attention away from 2m, the 2m QSO total ended up being higher than the 6m total from this grid. It was also great to finally work someone in FN34, and I was sure glad AB2YI/R showed up because he was the only station I worked in my home grid FN22 from here. I also worked W3TDF FN20 who said he'd been looking for FN23 for years--comments like that make roving fun. In general I was pleased with what I could hear to the south (in the direction of the incredible view). I heard W4MYA on 6m [MP3], and the WA1ZMS/b on 2m, both in FM07 in Virginia (450 miles on groundwave).

a truly worldwide VHF contest
Sunday I went to my favorite hilltop in FN22 with a 5-el long boom 6m yagi and the pair of 6-el 2m yagis. First 6m contact was K9MU EN44 (Wisconsin) and I didn't even know the band was open nor where the antennas were pointed. The opening was weak and disappeared many times, but one of those times it re-appeared from a different direction (south), which is a contester's delight because new multipliers become available. I was just able to begin hearing VP5CW (Turks and Caicos Islands) so I checked other parts of the DX window and worked C6ANX Bahamas 5x9 [MP3], TI5KD Costa Rica, XE2NBW Mexico, 9Y4D Trinidad (who has an uncanny ability to know what kind of radio I'm using just by listening to the audio), YW5LR Los Roques Islands, Venezuela DXpedition in grid FK61pw, PJ2BVU Cura�ao Island, and FM8DY Martinique Island. With the antenna still pointed south, I began hearing a "hollow" sound on VA2EW who was essentially 3 grids north of me. It was backscatter propagation! Never had a chance to work 6m backscatter in a VHF contest before. I started to hear many other backscatter signals around the same time, and many of them were local stations I had just worked on troposcatter. Then Brazil station PV8ABC popped in there, and the pileup was absolutely unfathomable. My final contact was one I'll always remember: I was calling CQ on 6m with the beam pointed west. I heard a signal that was so weak I almost ignored it thinking there was no way I could work anyone that weak. But I looked at the clock and I still had 3 minutes to go in the contest (at most), so I figured I'd give it a try. I began spinning the beam to see if I could get a clue as to the person's location, and just heard "VO1" when one of the side lobes hit him, so I told him the beam was on the way northeast, but it would take a minute since the rotor is slow (2 minutes for a full rotation). Finally got his information in the remaining seconds as the antenna finished turning and it was VO1DJR/QRP running 2 watts from grid GN37 (1,113 miles away). He said I was 59+30 there, wow! Turns out it was a new multiplier, too. What a way to end a contest!

contest performance
Near the end of the contest, the 6m band opened to 3 different directions--to the west, then south, then northeast--allowing me to work into 10 different fields: FN, FM, EN, EM, FL, EL, EK, DL, FK, and GN, as well as hearing PV8ABC in FJ92. As other northeast operators have noted, the 6m band opening was not a strong one in terms of lots of QSOs being worked in a short period, but it was good in terms of DX and in terms of the variety of locations reached. The quickly changing direction contributed to an unusually high number of grids worked for a given number of QSOs (put another way, a low QSO/grid ratio). So there were 1.29 QSOs for every grid reached, which would be even lower if the grid total was not reset to zero with each new grid activation. I operated 33% of the available contest time, which helped me end up with my best performance ever in this event (3rd place in the USA). After 6 consecutive years of trying, I finally broke the 10,000 point mark required to get listed in the records for the W2 call area.








POINTS SUMMARY


From    Band    QSOs    QSO pts.    Mults.
----------------------------------------------
FN23     50      17        17        15
        144      18        36        14
FN22     50      68        68        51
        144      18        36        11
----------------------------------------------
TOTALS          121       157        91


        --- Claimed score = 14,287 ---










LOG


START-OF-LOG: 2.0 LOCATION: WNY CALLSIGN: N2SLN/R CATEGORY: ROVER ALL HIGH CLAIMED-SCORE: 14287 CONTEST: CQ-VHF CREATED-BY: WA7BNM Web2Cabrillo 1.12 NAME: ADDRESS: ADDRESS: EMAIL: OPERATORS: SOAPBOX: QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1842 N2SLN/R FN23 K2LIM FN12 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1843 N2SLN/R FN23 K2LIM FN12 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1847 N2SLN/R FN23 K1TR FN42 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1848 N2SLN/R FN23 K1TR FN42 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1855 N2SLN/R FN23 K1TEO FN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1855 N2SLN/R FN23 K1TEO FN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1903 N2SLN/R FN23 W3TDF FN20 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1906 N2SLN/R FN23 W4RX FM19 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1909 N2SLN/R FN23 W1XX FN41 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1910 N2SLN/R FN23 W1XX FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 1913 N2SLN/R FN23 W3SO FN00 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1914 N2SLN/R FN23 W3SO FN00 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1916 N2SLN/R FN23 KA1ZE/3 FN01 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 1938 N2SLN/R FN23 KE2DN FN12 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2038 N2SLN/R FN23 W2MMD FM29 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2042 N2SLN/R FN23 K1DS FN20 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2046 N2SLN/R FN23 K1DS FN20 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2048 N2SLN/R FN23 K1RZ FM19 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2049 N2SLN/R FN23 K1RZ FM19 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2059 N2SLN/R FN23 W2HCQ FN02 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2110 N2SLN/R FN23 W2UAD FN13 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2120 N2SLN/R FN23 W0RSJ FN20 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2128 N2SLN/R FN23 N8RA FN31 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2129 N2SLN/R FN23 N8RA FN31 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2130 N2SLN/R FN23 W2KV FN20 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2137 N2SLN/R FN23 K2OAK FN32 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2139 N2SLN/R FN23 K2OAK FN32 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2149 N2SLN/R FN23 WA2FGK FN21 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2150 N2SLN/R FN23 WA2FGK FN21 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2211 N2SLN/R FN23 W1MR FN43 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2212 N2SLN/R FN23 W1MR FN43 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-16 2213 N2SLN/R FN23 AB2YI/R FN22 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2216 N2SLN/R FN23 AB2YI/R FN22 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2229 N2SLN/R FN23 W2DAN FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-16 2233 N2SLN/R FN23 N1BCL FN34 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1554 N2SLN/R FN22 K9MU EN44 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1556 N2SLN/R FN22 W1MR FN43 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1557 N2SLN/R FN22 W1MR FN43 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1558 N2SLN/R FN22 NE1B FN42 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1559 N2SLN/R FN22 NE1B FN42 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1601 N2SLN/R FN22 AB1GF/R FN33 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1602 N2SLN/R FN22 AB1GF/R FN33 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1603 N2SLN/R FN22 AC2BL FN23 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1604 N2SLN/R FN22 AC2BL FN23 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1608 N2SLN/R FN22 K2DRH EN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1610 N2SLN/R FN22 VE3ZV EN92 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1613 N2SLN/R FN22 WB2MRX FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1614 N2SLN/R FN22 WB2MRX FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1615 N2SLN/R FN22 KC2WLR FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1620 N2SLN/R FN22 K1KG FN42 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1621 N2SLN/R FN22 K1KG FN42 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1623 N2SLN/R FN22 N9LB EN52 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1623 N2SLN/R FN22 N1BCL FN34 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1624 N2SLN/R FN22 K2OAK FN32 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1625 N2SLN/R FN22 K2OAK FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1625 N2SLN/R FN22 K2PK FN23 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1626 N2SLN/R FN22 W0YNI EN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1627 N2SLN/R FN22 N8IRC EN52 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1629 N2SLN/R FN22 KO9A EN52 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1630 N2SLN/R FN22 W0YWP EN40 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1631 N2SLN/R FN22 N8RA FN31 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1632 N2SLN/R FN22 N8RA FN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1634 N2SLN/R FN22 K9KFT EN61 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1637 N2SLN/R FN22 K0HA EN10 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1641 N2SLN/R FN22 NX2X FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1642 N2SLN/R FN22 KD3HN FM19 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1651 N2SLN/R FN22 KA2ILJ FN22 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1651 N2SLN/R FN22 K9ZM EN50 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1652 N2SLN/R FN22 K9KDS EM48 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1652 N2SLN/R FN22 W3HDH EN50 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1653 N2SLN/R FN22 AF4JF EM48 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1653 N2SLN/R FN22 KG9OV EM58 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1655 N2SLN/R FN22 KB0HH EM06 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1657 N2SLN/R FN22 N3RN FN11 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1658 N2SLN/R FN22 N3RN FN11 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1701 N2SLN/R FN22 W0FK EM48 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1704 N2SLN/R FN22 K5CM EM25 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1705 N2SLN/R FN22 W3HHN FN33 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1707 N2SLN/R FN22 W3EP FN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1709 N2SLN/R FN22 N1VDK FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1710 N2SLN/R FN22 W2DAN FN41 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1711 N2SLN/R FN22 W2DAN FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1712 N2SLN/R FN22 WA1Z FN42 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1713 N2SLN/R FN22 W0RSJ FN20 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1714 N2SLN/R FN22 N1AGE FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1714 N2SLN/R FN22 W1RZF FN42 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1715 N2SLN/R FN22 WA3AFS FN32 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1718 N2SLN/R FN22 W2JCN FN21 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1723 N2SLN/R FN22 W2JCN FN21 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1728 N2SLN/R FN22 W1NG FN31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1731 N2SLN/R FN22 W1XX FN41 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1734 N2SLN/R FN22 K2CVG FN22 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1738 N2SLN/R FN22 AF1T FN43 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1739 N2SLN/R FN22 AF1T FN43 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1743 N2SLN/R FN22 K4YMQ EM63 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1749 N2SLN/R FN22 N4HID EM66 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1754 N2SLN/R FN22 W6SAI EM63 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1755 N2SLN/R FN22 WA2FGK FN21 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1756 N2SLN/R FN22 WA2FGK FN21 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1800 N2SLN/R FN22 N4PN EM82 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1809 N2SLN/R FN22 KY5R EM64 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1814 N2SLN/R FN22 C6ANX FL15 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1818 N2SLN/R FN22 K5QE EM31 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1819 N2SLN/R FN22 N4BP EL96 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1827 N2SLN/R FN22 NA2NY FN33 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1828 N2SLN/R FN22 NA2NY FN33 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1828 N2SLN/R FN22 W3HHN FN33 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1832 N2SLN/R FN22 K1WHS FN43 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1834 N2SLN/R FN22 K1WHS FN43 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1836 N2SLN/R FN22 K1TOL FN44 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1841 N2SLN/R FN22 K4OMG EM66 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1846 N2SLN/R FN22 N4QV EL96 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1851 N2SLN/R FN22 N3LL EL86 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1852 N2SLN/R FN22 WD4AB EL95 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1854 N2SLN/R FN22 AJ4GC EL96 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1855 N2SLN/R FN22 W4WA EM84 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1857 N2SLN/R FN22 W4AS EL95 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1859 N2SLN/R FN22 N4TZH/R EL96 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1910 N2SLN/R FN22 W4NH EM84 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1912 N2SLN/R FN22 K2LIM FN12 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1913 N2SLN/R FN22 K2LIM FN12 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1918 N2SLN/R FN22 TI5KD EK80 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1918 N2SLN/R FN22 W0PV EL87 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1930 N2SLN/R FN22 NN4R EM63 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1935 N2SLN/R FN22 XE2NBW DL95 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1937 N2SLN/R FN22 WB4VMH EM80 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1938 N2SLN/R FN22 W3SO FN00 QSO: 144 PH 2011-07-17 1940 N2SLN/R FN22 W3SO FN00 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1944 N2SLN/R FN22 W2MMD FM29 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1946 N2SLN/R FN22 9Y4D FK90 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1949 N2SLN/R FN22 KU2M FN21 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 1959 N2SLN/R FN22 YW5LR FK61 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2003 N2SLN/R FN22 PJ2BVU FK52 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2011 N2SLN/R FN22 FM8DY FK94 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2015 N2SLN/R FN22 VA2EW FN35 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2028 N2SLN/R FN22 VO1KVT GN29 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2034 N2SLN/R FN22 N2CEI EM80 QSO: 50 PH 2011-07-17 2058 N2SLN/R FN22 VO1DJR GN37 END-OF-LOG:






N2SLN/R FN23






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