Probably anywhere in DM66 to provide a needed multiplier to others.

Arne N7KA

On 06/08/2020 3:06 PM redarlington <rdarlington@...> wrote:

Hi guys,

I'd like to participate in the contest this weekend to do an equipment shakedown.  I hear there are some locations that I can drive to and setup and make a few Qs, but really have no idea about where the preferred locations are or what's even close to me (I'm in Los Alamos).    

The plan is to drag out the 6 meter hexbeam (folds up), small 2 meter beam (Arrow, handheld but probably will strap it down to a pole), 23cm (cheap yagi with 25W DEMI transverter), and 10GHz dish (DEMI transverter right into the feed, 10mW I think).   I'd appreciate any recommendations that are not crazy far from home on where to setup.   

Thanks,

-Bob N3XKB

I'm tentatively planning on going in the opposite direction (southeast NM) this time around.  DM55/56 are not great places to visit at the moment.

That said, I need a little push (lacking an antenna) to get on 1296 myself, so I'm interested in this for a future trip.

John, AA5PR 

Jay - I'm thinking of DM72/73/82/83 on Sunday.  Based on experience, if I start the day in DM82 we should have no problem.  DM81 is not in the plan this time around - I'm not done with New Mexico.
John, AA5PR

I'm tentatively planning on going in the opposite direction (southeast NM) this time around.  DM55/56 are not great places to visit at the moment.

That said, I need a little push (lacking an antenna) to get on 1296 myself, so I'm interested in this for a future trip.

John, AA5PR 

So, yes, I'll check with them before heading out.
One "benefit" of COVID-19 is that National Park entries are free
for now -- but, there are very little or no services for the public.

Thanks for the URL, Duffey!  I'll keep checking it up to ARRL JUN VHF.

73
Jonesy

... and to some degree, the July CQ WW VHF, too.

The ARRL JUNE VHF is just 4 weeks away.  I've seen nothing (yet) from
the ARRL v-a-v "special conditions" governing the contest with regards
to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Tho', I see other, past contests had
eliminated the Multi-Op category.  But, I could see the Rover category
being dropped if various states have restrictions on travel -- thus
putting many Rovers at a disadvantage.

Of course, I have NO plans involving direct human contact while
rovering.  At most I may confront a DIY gas pump.  HI!HI!

As for my plans, this year I wanted to drop down into N.M. (if you'll
have me - HI!HI!) and start on Capulin Volcano on Saturday in DM86.
After that I would work my way north on various blue (and brown) roads
into Colorado for DM87 and DM88.

The Capulin Volcano conditions look "sort of OK":
        https://www.nps.gov/cavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
but the wording is perplexing.  In one place it states "The Volcano Road
is closed to RVs, buses, attached trailers or any other vehicles over 26
feet long while the road has the one-lane section."  And, in another
place it says, "The Capulin Volcano Visitor Center, Volcano Road, and
Park Store will be closed until further notice."  So, I'm unsure if one
can drive a vehicle to the upper parking lot.

To, I'm unsure what New Mexico restrictions and regulations might be in
effect for travelers -- either now, or in the next 28 days.  Would some
kindly NM op pass along a nm.gov website URL that contains state-wide
COVID-19 restrictions?  Thank you!

It is VERY MUCH out of the ordinary for me to be planning something like
this so far in advance.  These are, indeed, unusual times.

Wash your hands after handling this email.
73
Jonesy
--
  Marvin L Jones     | W3DHJ      | W3DHJ  | https://W3DHJ.net/
   Pueblo, Colorado  |  @         | Jonesy |     __ linux FreeBSD
    38.238N 104.547W |   jonz.net | DM78rf | 73  SK

  Nice job Keith. I picked up some new grids in the Dakotas and in Wisconsin. I worked only phone and cw (2). I monitored FT8 and there was lots of traffic. I decided to not be part of that problem.

I think the opening for me was a little skewed from your experience as I heard you working into the Great Lakes though I could not hear anything in return. My east pointing CQs were mostly answered by Phoenix and SoCal area stations off the back of the antenna during the last hour.

It wasn’t perfect but it was fun to hear the excitement over the opening.

 Bill W7QQ 

On May 10, 2020, at 2:00 PM, Keith Morehouse <w9rm@...> wrote:



After watching DXMaps the last couple of days and through the day yesterday, it appeared we just might have a chance at some early season sporadic E.  I was on the fence about the Sprint and didn't think it would be much fun if it only produced the same amount of activity that was seen locally during the previous 2, 222 & 432 activities.

It turned out there was a reasonable amount of activity, although it was limited to the upper Mississippi River valley area (Minneapolis area, eastern Dakota's and central Wisconsin to U.P. of Michigan).  Some Chicago and vicinity stations were worked, but most of the more southern contacts were on ionoscatter. Some EN35 stations were well over S9 for several hours. 

I went in with the intention of avoiding using FT8 unless there was no other choice.  I'm still trying to decide if there exists enough SSB activity to continue serious effort on my part in the summer VHF contests.  I was able to generate some action on SSB starting about 30 min into the Sprint by CQing on the traditional calling frequency.  The runs were very limited, even though stations were available and, not surprisingly, nobody told me to get the heck off the calling frequency.  After maybe 15 minutes on .125, I got a little self-conscious about being there and moved to .127 for the remainder of the opening.  I worked maybe 60 Qs in 2.5 hours, which isn't really too good from a June or July perspective, but being a limited interest contest and having a very small Es footprint, I guess it wasn't too bad.  SSB contacts became scarce with maybe 45 minutes left to go and I switched to FT8 to answer stations which were new multipliers.  I never CQed on FT8 which would probably have added another 5-10 Qs.  At the end, even though the entire band was empty of signals except on the FT8 "channel", digital signals were still S9+.  So much for utilizing the "weak signal" capability of the mode.  Also, all during my SSB 'runs', where some phone signals were 40 over 9, the FT8 channel stayed (over)crowded.  It's obvious many 6M ops simply stay on FT8 regardless of QRM and signal strength, even though high run rate on SSB was guaranteed.

At the end, it was enough to keep me in the chair for the full 4 hours and to answer some of my questions about the future of contesting on 6.  I think the jury decision on future participation has yet to be read, but the members are coming back into the courtroom.

W9RM 6M Spring Sprint

DM58

87x43 = 3,741

4 hours

Club: New Mexico VHF Society

Equipment: Yaesu FT920+KW; 7el@45' & 5el fixed at 300 deg@ 30'

As of now, 1st place high power outside 1-land

-W9RM

DM58 CO

Keith Morehouse
via MotoG

After watching DXMaps the last couple of days and through the day yesterday, it appeared we just might have a chance at some early season sporadic E.  I was on the fence about the Sprint and didn't think it would be much fun if it only produced the same amount of activity that was seen locally during the previous 2, 222 & 432 activities.

It turned out there was a reasonable amount of activity, although it was limited to the upper Mississippi River valley area (Minneapolis area, eastern Dakota's and central Wisconsin to U.P. of Michigan).  Some Chicago and vicinity stations were worked, but most of the more southern contacts were on ionoscatter. Some EN35 stations were well over S9 for several hours. 

I went in with the intention of avoiding using FT8 unless there was no other choice.  I'm still trying to decide if there exists enough SSB activity to continue serious effort on my part in the summer VHF contests.  I was able to generate some action on SSB starting about 30 min into the Sprint by CQing on the traditional calling frequency.  The runs were very limited, even though stations were available and, not surprisingly, nobody told me to get the heck off the calling frequency.  After maybe 15 minutes on .125, I got a little self-conscious about being there and moved to .127 for the remainder of the opening.  I worked maybe 60 Qs in 2.5 hours, which isn't really too good from a June or July perspective, but being a limited interest contest and having a very small Es footprint, I guess it wasn't too bad.  SSB contacts became scarce with maybe 45 minutes left to go and I switched to FT8 to answer stations which were new multipliers.  I never CQed on FT8 which would probably have added another 5-10 Qs.  At the end, even though the entire band was empty of signals except on the FT8 "channel", digital signals were still S9+.  So much for utilizing the "weak signal" capability of the mode.  Also, all during my SSB 'runs', where some phone signals were 40 over 9, the FT8 channel stayed (over)crowded.  It's obvious many 6M ops simply stay on FT8 regardless of QRM and signal strength, even though high run rate on SSB was guaranteed.

At the end, it was enough to keep me in the chair for the full 4 hours and to answer some of my questions about the future of contesting on 6.  I think the jury decision on future participation has yet to be read, but the members are coming back into the courtroom.

W9RM 6M Spring Sprint

DM58

87x43 = 3,741

4 hours

Club: New Mexico VHF Society

Equipment: Yaesu FT920+KW; 7el@45' & 5el fixed at 300 deg@ 30'

As of now, 1st place high power outside 1-land

-W9RM

DM58 CO

Keith Morehouse
via MotoG