ARRL 222-And-Up Distance Contest 2023

ARRL 222-And-Up Distance Contest 2023
category: MULTI-OPERATOR, FIXED
contest region 11 (MI, OH, VE3, NNY, WNY, WPA)
callsign: N2SLN

OPERATORS

Lu N2SLN -- 222 / 223.5 / 432 equipment supplier

Jon W2BDN -- 446.0 / 902 / 1296 equipment supplier

ANTENNA SYSTEM

222: Directive Systems 10 element "rover special" yagi, horizontally polarized, used for both SSB/CW and FM
432: pair of Directive Systems 25-element K1FO Yagis
446.0 FM: 10-el Diamond Yagi
902: single Directive Systems 19-el Loop Yagi
1296: single Directive Systems 25-el Loop Yagi

EQUIPMENT

222:
    driver side Icom IC-7000
    DownEast Microwave transverter
    Advanced Receiver Research RF-sensed preamp
    dual DCI bandpass filters
    TE Systems amplifier at 200 watts

432:
    passenger side Icom IC-7000
    commercial bandpass filter
    TE Systems amplifier at 60 watts with built-in preamp

902:
    IF Radio: Icom IC-706
    DEMI transverter, 25 watts
    homebrew sequencer
    VHF Design preamp

1296:
    same IF radio
    DEMI transverter, 25 watts

DESCRIPTION

For a few years we've wanted to try operating from the east end of Lake Ontario in order to take advantage of the fact that water paths peak in the afternoon when the contests start. Research done in the winter of 2022/2023 uncovered a possible site in northeastern FN13 already known to the Rochester rovers--a long roadside pulloff big enough for more than one vehicle. In the spring we worked out the details and put together a plan to try the site for the first day of the 222-And-Up Distance Contest, our first portable multi-op effort in the NNY section.

After the 2.5 hour drive north to what we thought might be cooler conditions with the cold north wind that was in place Saturday, we set up in hot, sunny wx. We agreed to start on FM simplex with the antennas pointed southwest toward Rochester, and then turn clockwise as viewed from above and look for opportunities in Toronto and eventually Kingston, Ontario (only 50 km / 31 miles away). After getting no replies, we turned to the southwest again and switched to SSB/CW. We worked N2JMH on the bottom two bands and he was 5x9+10 dB on 432 from 171 km / 106 miles away. No luck on the microwaves despite his 110 elements on 1296, so that was our first clue that there may be something wrong with the equipment in the microwave vehicle, unless it was the trees that were absorbing RF in that direction (and blocking viewing opportunities of the lake). Then we worked W2FU at 122 km / 76 miles on the bottom two bands and we couldn't work him on the microwaves either, despite hearing his 200 watts into a 6-foot dish on 1296. He consequently worked someone else and then came back to tell us that he had just worked someone else successfully which confirms that his equipment was working. Lo and behold, it was later discovered that the 902 antenna was connected to the 1296 gear, and the 1296 antenna was connected to the 902 gear! The equipment at W2FU most certainly *is* working great if we can hear his 1296 signal on a 902 antenna.

After a silly conversation with a passerby and another with the police who were called to our location (and said he was alright with us staying as long as we wanted), we made a 432 contact on CW with VA2IW at 176 km / 110 miles, making that our best DX on 432. Because of the long teardown time and long trips ahead of us, we had to begin disassembly after 4 hours on the air. But we gathered all the information we needed about this site: Due to the low elevation here, we had only 3 callsigns in our log. The 2 PM enhancement across Lakes Ontario and Erie could not overcome the effects of the attenuation in all other directions. We will be going back to using hilltops for all future events. Round trip was 354 miles.

POINTS SUMMARY

Band   QSOs   total distance (km)   band factor   total points
---------------------------------------------------------------
222      2          288.7                2            577.4
432      3          466.7                1            466.7
902      0             0                 4               0
1296     0             0                 2               0
---------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS   5          755.4                             1,044

LOG

START-OF-LOG: 3.0
CONTEST: ARRL-222
CALLSIGN: N2SLN
LOCATION: NNY
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: MULTI-OP
CATEGORY-POWER: HIGH
CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
CATEGORY-MODE: MIXED
CATEGORY-STATION: FIXED
OPERATORS: W2BDN N2SLN @N2SLN/P
CLAIMED-SCORE: 1,045
CREATED-BY: WA7BNM WEB2CABRILLO 2.07
SOAPBOX: contest region 11 (MI-OH-VE3-NNY-WNY-WPA)
QSO: 222  PH 2023-08-05 1915 N2SLN FN13VU N2JMH  FN12BW 168.9 km
QSO: 432  PH 2023-08-05 1917 N2SLN FN13VU N2JMH  FN12BW
QSO: 222  PH 2023-08-05 1957 N2SLN FN13VU W2FU   FN13HE 119.8 km
QSO: 432  PH 2023-08-05 1958 N2SLN FN13VU W2FU   FN13HE
QSO: 432  CW 2023-08-05 2139 N2SLN FN13VU VA2IW  FN25BK 178.0 km
END-OF-LOG: