CQ Worldwide VHF Contest 2012
category: ROVER
callsign: N2SLN / R





OPERATORS

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






ANTENNA SYSTEM







RADIO EQUIPMENT







DESCRIPTION

Last year's hard effort brought a 3rd place in the USA. So with a good result already in the bag, this year I decided to relax a bit. For example, rather than spend lots of time assembling the high performance 5-el 6m yagi, I opted for the simpler setup, a pair of VHF loops. Assembly time is about 5 minutes, and no rotor needed. Guessing that 6m would be "drained of energy" after an already active week (aurora on Sunday, South America on Monday, several single-hop openings throughout the rest of the week), I figured the 6m conditions would not be there, and contesters would give lots of attention to 2m; so the decision was made to bring both 2m yagis versus the single one. The plan was to activate FN23 Saturday and then FN22 Sunday.

Arriving at the FN23 site Saturday, I got the 6m antenna set up right away and checked 6m before doing anything else. I heard W5PR EL29 and KB0HH EM06 but couldn't get through the pileups. There was also occasional QRN which I surmised must be from the high voltage power lines running across the landscape a few hundred yards to the SE. Luckily it wasn't constant, because with loops, there's no way to null it out. I just had to try working stations during the quiet times. The e-skip dried up almost immediately, so I used that opportunity to go back outside and set up the 2m antenna system. The stack was performing noticeably better than the single yagi I used at this site a year ago. For instance, KD2AVU in NYC was surprisingly loud over a 200-mile path with his attic-mounted 4-el yagi (and would end up being a new grid and the only station I heard from FN30 for the whole contest). The best 2m DX of the contest would be worked from this spot: Delaware station K3CNH FM28 at 339 miles, although I did hear North Carolina station NG4C FM16 at 483.5 miles.

The plan for Sunday was to travel 1.5 hrs to eastern FN22, but after getting a late start (and in keeping with the theme of casual roving), I decided to go the easy route and use the nearest hilltop instead, only 15 minutes away. That would provide the largest amount of time on the air, and is a mostly-exposed hilltop which means no foliage attenuation on 2m. So that fits the other theme of leaning more toward 2m performance for this contest anyway. After getting the top 6m loop mounted, I connected the feedline directly to it and ran inside the vehicle to see if 6m was open. I did hear a weak opening and worked a few E-skip stations before the band died again. I went back outside and installed the bottom loop and reconfigured the feedlines, ran back inside and worked a couple more E-skip stations, and what a surpise...the band died again. Such a similar story to the day before. I used this opportunity to go back outside and assemble the 2m antenna system. First station on 2m was Maryland station W3DQT FM08, but the best 2m DX from this grid ended up being Virginia station N4HB FM17 (326 miles). Calling CQ on 6m during the last few minutes of the contest allowed me to nab one final sporadic-E contact, then 2100Z hit and the contest was done.





POINTS SUMMARY


From    Band    QSOs    QSO pts.    Mults.
----------------------------------------------
FN23     50      21        21        14
        144      18        36        14
FN22     50      32        32        18
        144      22        44        14
----------------------------------------------
TOTALS           93       133        60


        --- Claimed score = 7,980 ---



LOG

START-OF-LOG: 2.0
LOCATION: WNY
CALLSIGN: N2SLN/R
CATEGORY: ROVER ALL HIGH 
CLAIMED-SCORE: 7980
CONTEST: CQ-VHF
CREATED-BY: WA7BNM Web2Cabrillo 1.12
NAME:
ADDRESS:
ADDRESS:
EMAIL:
OPERATORS:
SOAPBOX: 
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1908 N2SLN/R          FN23   N2JJ             FN33   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1910 N2SLN/R          FN23   K3ISH            FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1911 N2SLN/R          FN23   K3ISH            FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1912 N2SLN/R          FN23   NE2U             FN20   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1917 N2SLN/R          FN23   WB2KLD           FN22   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1917 N2SLN/R          FN23   WA2GSX           FN13   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1918 N2SLN/R          FN23   WB2KLD           FN22   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1919 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2OAK            FN32   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1920 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2OAK            FN32   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1922 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2PLF            FM19   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1925 N2SLN/R          FN23   N2YI             FN13   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1926 N2SLN/R          FN23   KT1J             FN34   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1929 N2SLN/R          FN23   N1JEZ            FN44   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1930 N2SLN/R          FN23   N1JEZ            FN44   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1943 N2SLN/R          FN23   K1IED            FN31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1950 N2SLN/R          FN23   K3OO             FN20   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 1958 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2LIM            FN12   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 1959 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2LIM            FN12   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2006 N2SLN/R          FN23   W2KV             FN20   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2009 N2SLN/R          FN23   KD2AVU           FN30   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2012 N2SLN/R          FN23   K1TEO            FN31   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2013 N2SLN/R          FN23   K1TEO            FN31   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2023 N2SLN/R          FN23   W4RX             FM19   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2028 N2SLN/R          FN23   K1DQV            FM19   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2105 N2SLN/R          FN23   KA1ZE/3          FN01   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2113 N2SLN/R          FN23   W3SO             FN00   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2120 N2SLN/R          FN23   W3SO             FN00   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2122 N2SLN/R          FN23   N1BCL            FN34   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2127 N2SLN/R          FN23   K3CNH            FM28   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2135 N2SLN/R          FN23   W1QK             FN31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2138 N2SLN/R          FN23   W1MR             FN43   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2139 N2SLN/R          FN23   W1MR             FN43   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2140 N2SLN/R          FN23   AF1T             FN43   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2142 N2SLN/R          FN23   AF1T             FN43   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2153 N2SLN/R          FN23   W3EP             FN31   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-21 2156 N2SLN/R          FN23   KA3HED           FM29   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2157 N2SLN/R          FN23   KA3HED           FM29   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2200 N2SLN/R          FN23   K2ZJ             FN13   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-21 2224 N2SLN/R          FN23   KO2OK            FN20   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1704 N2SLN/R          FN22   K5QE             EM31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1705 N2SLN/R          FN22   K3CT             FN20   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1709 N2SLN/R          FN22   N4BP             EL96   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1724 N2SLN/R          FN22   N4OX             EM60   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1725 N2SLN/R          FN22   W4RX             FM19   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1732 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1TOL            FN44   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1734 N2SLN/R          FN22   WA2BAH           FN32   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1738 N2SLN/R          FN22   WN2E             EM50   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1742 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2OAK            FN32   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1743 N2SLN/R          FN22   WZ1V             FN31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1747 N2SLN/R          FN22   N5BLY            EM50   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1813 N2SLN/R          FN22   W3DQT            FM08   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1814 N2SLN/R          FN22   W3DQT            FM08   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1818 N2SLN/R          FN22   W4RX             FM19   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1819 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2LIM            FN12   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1823 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2LIM            FN12   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1842 N2SLN/R          FN22   AF1T             FN43   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1843 N2SLN/R          FN22   AF1T             FN43   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1856 N2SLN/R          FN22   W3UR             FM19   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1900 N2SLN/R          FN22   N2JJ             FN33   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1910 N2SLN/R          FN22   W3EP             FN31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1911 N2SLN/R          FN22   KE2DN            FN12   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1912 N2SLN/R          FN22   KE2DN            FN12   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1912 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2ZD             FN21   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1918 N2SLN/R          FN22   K3ISH            FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1919 N2SLN/R          FN22   K3ISH            FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1924 N2SLN/R          FN22   WA2FGK           FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1925 N2SLN/R          FN22   W2KV             FN20   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1926 N2SLN/R          FN22   WA2FGK           FN21   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1928 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1DQV            FM19   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1929 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1DQV            FM19   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1932 N2SLN/R          FN22   WB2RCP           FN12   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1935 N2SLN/R          FN22   N4HB             FM17   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1936 N2SLN/R          FN22   KA3HED           FM29   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1937 N2SLN/R          FN22   KA3HED           FM29   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1940 N2SLN/R          FN22   WA2LTM           FN20   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1947 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1IED            FN31   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1949 N2SLN/R          FN22   N3MK             FM27   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1952 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2DAR            FN22   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1953 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2DAR            FN22   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 1958 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1TEO            FN31   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 1959 N2SLN/R          FN22   K1TEO            FN31   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 2007 N2SLN/R          FN22   N2DCH            FN22   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2008 N2SLN/R          FN22   N2DCH            FN22   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2016 N2SLN/R          FN22   WB2RVX           FM29   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 2017 N2SLN/R          FN22   WB2RVX           FM29   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2020 N2SLN/R          FN22   KA1ZE/3          FN01   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 2023 N2SLN/R          FN22   W1AN             FN41   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2024 N2SLN/R          FN22   W1AN             FN41   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2028 N2SLN/R          FN22   N1HOQ            FN41   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 2038 N2SLN/R          FN22   W2MYA            FN20   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2047 N2SLN/R          FN22   W2GPS            FM19   
QSO:   144 PH 2012-07-22 2054 N2SLN/R          FN22   K2QO             FN03   
QSO:    50 PH 2012-07-22 2056 N2SLN/R          FN22   KS4X             EM75   
END-OF-LOG:







N2SLN/R FN23






N2SLN/R: A fringe rover in more ways than one.