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Re: DM86 - June and July VHF contests

James Duffey
 

I have operated from a couple of locations in DM86.

In CQWW VHF 2018, I operated from the upper parking lot of Capulin Volcano. This location has good sight lines from just east of north around to the west to just east of south. This is good for most of NM and the front range of CO, if those guys ever got on and pointed south.  I worked W9RM easily from here, and Albuquerque also easily. I heard, but dont remember if I worked N2IC and K5LA. I pointed north and called you, Jonesy, and we easily worked. I may have picked up K0NR that trip as well. There was some Es to the northeast which is pretty much blocked by the volcano, so it is not completely useless in that direction, but I wouldn't rely on it. It is pretty much due south of your usual rover location near Rocky Ford. It is easy to drive up the volcano although the parking lot can get crowded in summer. The ranger up there had no problem with my parking there and operating, but I only took up one parking spot. I would return there.  

I also operated from the side of Mt. Dora, near Clayton, in 2009 and that was a good spot. You can drive to the top, but need to get a key from the guy who owns the land in Texas. I did not do that as it seemed too far out of the way. This was a memorable operation as there was widespread Es, including 2M, from that location. This spot further removes one from the population centers of NM and it has the problem of the front range guys not turning their beam, so I have not returned. 

I have also operated DM86 from the Texas panhandle, I don’t remember the exact spot, but that is pretty far from any activity and it has the problem of the front range guys not turning their beams. I did work KB0HH from there, but I think Gary has given up on his multi-multi operation. 

I think Jon, W0AMT, who carries his station in a backpack could hike to the high point of the volcano as there is a good trail that circumnavigates the volcano and operate, thereby negating the problem of blockage to the east. 

I echo John’s comments on looking for low horizons, particularly if you can find one with a negative horizon, as troposcatter signals strongly depend on the scatter angle, and the use of the < heywhatsthat.com > app. It is hard to find a perfect site, but compromising with good site lines in the direction of major activity centers is a good start.

I hope that this helps. - Duffey KK6MC
 

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM

On Feb 3, 2020, at 21:13, John Klem <klemjf@...> wrote:



Jonesy -

I suggest you take a look at your candidate locations using heywhatsthat.com, which will generate panoramas showing your horizon.  You'll be in the neighborhood of some pretty significant peaks.  You might want to check these out to see if they are blocking directions you hope to point.

I believe Duffey likes Capulin Volcano in that area, at least for looking south.  I haven't been there myself, only quite a bit further east in DM86.  I will say that it can be a bit too quiet in that area unless you get a good opening.  I typically gravitate toward areas with horizons of about 1 degree or less all around, but finding a spot with a negative horizon to at least one population center could be a better strategy.

John AA5PR

On 2/3/2020 4:02 PM, Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io wrote:

At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
 
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
 
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
 
 
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
 
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
 
It's definitely ranch country  --  I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
 
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View"   Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
 
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6".  But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456.  (Maybe miles are "different" in NM.  HI!HI!)

The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
 
 
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
 
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else...  Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.

And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
 
Comments?  Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.

[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...

73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/
Re: DM86 - June and July VHF contests

John Klem
 

Jonesy -

I suggest you take a look at your candidate locations using heywhatsthat.com, which will generate panoramas showing your horizon.  You'll be in the neighborhood of some pretty significant peaks.  You might want to check these out to see if they are blocking directions you hope to point.

I believe Duffey likes Capulin Volcano in that area, at least for looking south.  I haven't been there myself, only quite a bit further east in DM86.  I will say that it can be a bit too quiet in that area unless you get a good opening.  I typically gravitate toward areas with horizons of about 1 degree or less all around, but finding a spot with a negative horizon to at least one population center could be a better strategy.

John AA5PR

On 2/3/2020 4:02 PM, Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io wrote:

At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
 
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
 
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
 
 
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
 
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
 
It's definitely ranch country  --  I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
 
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View"   Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
 
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6".  But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456.  (Maybe miles are "different" in NM.  HI!HI!)

The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
 
 
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
 
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else...  Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.

And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
 
Comments?  Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.

[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...

73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/
Re: K0NR -- SOTA activation

Michael Daly
 

Look to Gallup, just about due West.
Mike, n5sj

Michael Daly
1408 Linda Drive
Gallup, NM 87301-5616
Cell: 505-870-3430
e-mail: arrowengineering1@...

-----Original Message-----
From: main@nmvhf.groups.io [mailto:main@nmvhf.groups.io] On Behalf Of Jonesy
W3DHJ via Groups.Io
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2020 7:03 PM
To: NM VHF <nmvhf@groups.io>
Subject: [nmvhf] K0NR -- SOTA activation

I am unsure if Bob is a member of NM VHF. At least I have not seen the
below come in via the NM VHF groups.io reflector (yet.)

Via the RMVHF+ email googlegroups reflector at 4:20 PM MST today:


| I will be doing a SOTA activation on Sandia Crest (DM65sf, 10678 feet)
| on Tuesday morning around 9:45 am local. I?ll have 35 watts to a 3
| element Yagi on 2 meters. Look for me on 144.200 ssb/cw
|
| Bob K0NR


73
Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | W3DHJ | W3DHJ | https://W3DHJ.net/
Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | __ linux FreeBSD
38.238N 104.547W | jonz.net | DM78rf | 73 SK

Re: K0NR -- SOTA activation

Jonesy W3DHJ
 

On Mon, 3 Feb 2020, Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io wrote:

I am unsure if Bob is a member of NM VHF. At least I have not
seen the below come in via the NM VHF groups.io reflector (yet.)
... and wonders of wonders, that posting and this posting to the NM VHF
groups.io forum came about via email. If you remember, last Fall I
could NOT send email to groups.io. The MTA on my end could never make a
connection to pass the email and the email died after several days.

Well, it works now. And, it was not "corrected" on my end.

And, OBTW, Bob replies he is NOT on the NM VHF groups.io list.

Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | W3DHJ | W3DHJ | https://W3DHJ.net/
Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | __ linux FreeBSD
38.238N 104.547W | jonz.net | DM78rf | 73 SK

K0NR -- SOTA activation

Jonesy W3DHJ
 

I am unsure if Bob is a member of NM VHF. At least I have not
seen the below come in via the NM VHF groups.io reflector (yet.)

Via the RMVHF+ email googlegroups reflector at 4:20 PM MST today:


| I will be doing a SOTA activation on Sandia Crest (DM65sf, 10678 feet)
| on Tuesday morning around 9:45 am local. I’ll have 35 watts to a 3
| element Yagi on 2 meters. Look for me on 144.200 ssb/cw
|
| Bob K0NR


73
Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | W3DHJ | W3DHJ | https://W3DHJ.net/
Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | __ linux FreeBSD
38.238N 104.547W | jonz.net | DM78rf | 73 SK

Re: DM86 - June and July VHF contests

Arne N7KA
 

Also just remembered working K0NR in DM86 at Capulin Volcano on 2M in Apr 2017 and Apr 2019.  He  was running low power SSB.  North Western end of DM86.

Arne N7KA

On February 3, 2020 at 4:02 PM "Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io" <mailserver@...> wrote:

At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
 
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
 
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9999571,-103.8668777,7089m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
 
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
 
It's definitely ranch country  --  I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
 
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View"   Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
 
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6".  But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456.  (Maybe miles are "different" in NM.  HI!HI!)

The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9762947,-103.8738932,886m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
 
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else...  Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.

And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
 
Comments?  Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.

[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...

73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/

 

Re: DM86 - June and July VHF contests

Arne N7KA
 

I worked  KK6MC/R in July 2018 when he was in DM86, on both 50 and 144MHz SSB.  Jim will probably have some good detail info for you.

Arne N7KA

On February 3, 2020 at 4:02 PM "Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io" <mailserver@...> wrote:

At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
 
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
 
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9999571,-103.8668777,7089m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
 
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
 
It's definitely ranch country  --  I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
 
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View"   Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
 
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6".  But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456.  (Maybe miles are "different" in NM.  HI!HI!)

The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9762947,-103.8738932,886m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
 
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else...  Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.

And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
 
Comments?  Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.

[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...

73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/

 

DM86 - June and July VHF contests

Jonesy W3DHJ
 

At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
 
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
 
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9999571,-103.8668777,7089m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
 
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
 
It's definitely ranch country  --  I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
 
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View"   Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
 
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6".  But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456.  (Maybe miles are "different" in NM.  HI!HI!)

The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9762947,-103.8738932,886m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
 
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else...  Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.

And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
 
Comments?  Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.

[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...

73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/
KK6MC Rove in January Contest

James Duffey
  

Call: KK6MC/R
Operator(s): KK6MC
Station: KK6MC/R

Class: Rover LP
QTH: AZ
Operating Time (hrs): 13.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:   52     5
    2:   56     6
  222:           
  432:   56     6
  903:           
  1.2:   46     4
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  212    21  Total Score = 11,064

Club: New Mexico VHF Society

Comments:

This was a shakedown rove for my new rover. It replaced the one that got
destroyed by hitting a horse at the end of the September contest. I found a lot
of things that needed to get fixed or adjusted, so things were less than
optimum. The 222MHz and 902 transverters did not work and I couldn’t fix it
during the contest, so I was without those two productive bands. I could not get
the WSJT interface to work so I was off the digital modes. Things to work on for
next year. On the up side, all the antennas worked, and the new power line we
ran from the main battery kept the aux battery nicely charged.

I rove in AZ in the January contest as the weather is much nicer. When I first
started doing this 10 years ago there was little to modest activity in AZ, but
the last few years it has really picked up, due to three factors, SOTA activity
scheduled around the VHF contest, moving the contest off the same weekend as the
160M contest, and the WSJT modes. There were 11 SOTA stations on summits, many
well equipped with 6 bands. Thanks to WA7JTM for putting that together. There
were 5 rovers out, including me, a long ways to come from the days when I was
the only rover in January in AZ. Microwave activity has really increased in AZ
as well, which really helps with the QS0 Points. 

I started Saturday afternoon in the Petrified National Forest at DM54. Activity
was very slow, but I did manage 5 QSOs, including 3 nice ones with W9RM. I then
moved to Pintado Point, DM55, in the park and managed a few more QSOs. Then on
to DM45 and a few more. I was disappointed in the activity level on Saturday and
I think propagation was really flat.

We overnighted in Chandler and got a good start Sunday morning at the Maricopa
convergence where I have finally figured out how to operate from the four grids
and go quickly from one to another and not be on the Ak-Chin Native American
community. There was good activity all morning with the SOTA guys, the rovers,
the fixed stations and the increased microwave activity. We pulled up stakes in
early afternoon, had a quick lunch and headed north to DM34 in the Aqua Fria
National Monument. Activity was still good there, although by that time in the
afternoon most of the SOTA ops were off the mountains. 

We were plenty tired by then, so we called it quits, headed for Flagstaff where
we overnighted and had supper and a night cap at the Beaver Street Brewery.

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM
K9VSW

Keith Morehouse
 

As many already know, Mike K9VSW passed away in December.  I've been told that he was the ONLY station active on 6M and above from DM76 and he's certainly the only one I've worked in the last 10 years that wasn't a Rover.  DM76 is certainly a rare grid again.

Because of this, I think we need to try and safeguard his logs.  Is there any club member who is familiar enough with Mikes family to try and retrieve a copy of his logs, if it's not already to late ?  Mike did not use LoTW but I will volunteer to attempt to get K9VSW logs archived there.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO
[All-members] Central States VHF Society 2020 Conference in La Crosse, WI on July 24th and 25th, 2020

James Duffey
 

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM


Greetings VHF+ Operators!

As this year's Conference President, I, along with the Conference's host
team, cordially invite you to attend the 54th annual Central States VHF
Society Conference, which is being held at the Radisson Hotel located on the
beautiful riverfront of the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on
July 24th and 25th, 2020.

This year's event will have all the great activities you've come to expect
from a CSVHFS Conference: technical presentations, antenna range, noise
figure lab, rover row and dish bowl, Thursday evening social activity,
Friday evening trade-fest, dealer room, hospitality suite for evening
socializing, fun family activities, and a closing banquet with a guest
speaker and a prize table.

If you have never been to a CSVHFS conference before, you will find it a
great event where you will learn many new things, meet new people, and
connect with others you have talked to on-the-air. If you are new to
VHF-and-above operating, you will want to be sure to attend the perennial
favorite, VHF 101, an alternate track talk designed to get new VHFers
successfully on the air. One thing we are certain of: if you attend the
CSVHFS conference, you will go home reinvigorated about operating and
experimenting on the bands above 50 MHz!

We are sending this letter out early in the new year so that you can make
time in your busy summer schedule to attend. From past experience, most
attendees arrive on Thursday (July 23rd) and depart on Sunday (July 26th).
La Crosse, Wisconsin is easy to get to either by car or air. Interstate 90
passes directly through the city, and the La Crosse Airport (LSE) has direct
connections with 3 major airports: Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP),
Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), and Detroit (DTW). Hotel accommodations at the special
conference rate will be available beginning around February 1st.
Registration for the conference will open around May 1st. Be sure to visit
the conference website at http://2020.csvhfs.org/ for ongoing updates and
further information. Please direct any questions you may have about the
Conference to registration@....

We look forward to seeing you in La Crosse in late July!

73,

Bruce Richardson, W9FZ

CSVHFS President


_______________________________________________
Re: Slack invite

Alden Oyer
 

Thanks Mike,

I am now registered. Looking for traffic there.

Cheers,
Alden

On Sep 23, 2019, at 16:28, Mike WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:

This is a reminder that the NM VHF Society has a slack channel in addition to this mailing list. Activity can get pretty high during contests. Anyone interested is free to join at this link:

https://tinyurl.com/y43ol665

that can also be found on the CHAT page of nmvhf.org.

Mike WB2FKO
Re: Slack invite

Kevin Reilly
 

Thanks Mike,
I am now up on the NM Slack channel.  :)
Kevin K7KMR

On Mon, Sep 23, 2019 at 3:28 PM Mike WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:
This is a reminder that the NM VHF Society has a slack channel in
addition to this mailing list.  Activity can get pretty high during
contests. Anyone interested is free to join at this link:

https://tinyurl.com/y43ol665

that can also be found on the CHAT page of nmvhf.org.

Mike WB2FKO
SVHFS 2020 Conference Announcement & Call For Papers/Presentations

Robin Midgett <K4IDC@...>
 

The 2020 Southeastern VHF Society Conference will be held in Gainesville, Georgia on April 24-25, 2020. Gainesville, GA is approximately 60 miles north of Atlanta in EM84ch. It is about 1.5 miles from I-985. 

The Ramada Inn, of Gainesville, Georgia is the conference hotel for the 2020 SVHFS Conference. The hotel is now taking reservations directly. To book your room, please see the conference page or follow this information:

The conference rate is $80 per night. To secure this rate, call the hotel directly at 770-531-0907. Do not call Ramada central reservations or book through the Ramada Website.

 

Ramada Inn

400 E.E. Butler Parkway

Gainesville, GA 30501

770-531-0907

N34.297420 / W083.8222475 – Google Maps link

 

Call for papers:

Papers and presentations are solicited on both the technical and operational aspects of VHF, UHF and Microwave weak signal amateur radio. The deadline for the submission of papers and presentations for this year’s conference is March 7, 2020. Please indicate when you submit your paper or presentation if you plan to attend the conference and present your paper in person or if you are submitting solely for publication.  Papers and presentations are being handled by Charles Osborne, K4CSO, and they should be sent to Charles via K4CSO@.... Charles can be contacted at the same email address if you have any questions.

 

Please see http://svhfs.org/wp/conference/call-for-papers/ for complete details concerning papers and presentations.

Some suggested areas of interest are:

Transmitters

Receivers

Transverters

RF Power Amplifiers

RF Low Noise Pre Amplifiers

Antennas

Construction Projects

Test Equipment And Station Accessories

Station Design And Construction

Contesting

Roving

DXpeditions

EME

Propagation (Sporadic E, Meteor Scatter, Troposphere Ducting, etc.)

Digital Modes (WSJT, etc.)

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

Software Defined Radio (SDR)

Amateur Satellites

Amateur Television

Unexpected project challenges, things that didn't go right at first; this information helps others avoid the issues.


Thanks,
Robin Midgett K4IDC
Re: KK6MC/r itinerary

Bill
 

GL Jim


On Jan 18, 2020, at 8:07 AM, James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:


Here is my itinerary for the January VHF Contest. I have reassembled the rover into a new vehicle and fixed those things that got damaged in the accident. So, this is a shakedown rove as much as anything. 

I will have all bands 50MHz to 1296MHz. 222MHz will be transverter only at 20W, but should make most paths. I will have CW and SSB capabilities. I have a computer and interface that can do WSJT-X, but I have not fully integrated that. We will see if I can get it working. 

The usual caveats apply, times may change, some stops may get dropped if we get way behind schedule. VIrginia is driving, so I can operate in motion, although antenna pointing will be dicey.


Grid

Time in (UTC)

Time Out (UTC)

Notes

Saturday




DM54cw

1900

2015

Blue Mesa Will operate in motion to DM55

DM55cb

2045

2200

Pintaudo Point Will operate in motion to DM45

DM45xa

2230

2345

Will operate in motion to DM44

Dm44et

0115

0215

Will operate in motion until stop for night

Sunday




DM32xx

1500

1630


DM33xa

1645

1815


DM43aa

1830

2000


DM42xa

2015

2145

Operate in motion

DM34we

2345

0115

Sunset Point, operate in motion

DM45ee

0300

0359

If time, Lowell Observatory Scenic overlook


73 es GL - Duffey
James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM
KK6MC/r itinerary

James Duffey
 

Here is my itinerary for the January VHF Contest. I have reassembled the rover into a new vehicle and fixed those things that got damaged in the accident. So, this is a shakedown rove as much as anything. 

I will have all bands 50MHz to 1296MHz. 222MHz will be transverter only at 20W, but should make most paths. I will have CW and SSB capabilities. I have a computer and interface that can do WSJT-X, but I have not fully integrated that. We will see if I can get it working. 

The usual caveats apply, times may change, some stops may get dropped if we get way behind schedule. VIrginia is driving, so I can operate in motion, although antenna pointing will be dicey.


Grid

Time in (UTC)

Time Out (UTC)

Notes

Saturday




DM54cw

1900

2015

Blue Mesa Will operate in motion to DM55

DM55cb

2045

2200

Pintaudo Point Will operate in motion to DM45

DM45xa

2230

2345

Will operate in motion to DM44

Dm44et

0115

0215

Will operate in motion until stop for night

Sunday




DM32xx

1500

1630


DM33xa

1645

1815


DM43aa

1830

2000


DM42xa

2015

2145

Operate in motion

DM34we

2345

0115

Sunset Point, operate in motion

DM45ee

0300

0359

If time, Lowell Observatory Scenic overlook


73 es GL - Duffey
James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM
Jan vhf W7MRF

James Duffey
 


Look for Lionel in the contest.
James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lionel Mongin <lionel.mongin@...>
Date: January 17, 2020 at 20:45:29 MST
To: JamesDuffey <jamesduffey@...>
Subject: Jan vhf W7MRF


Hi James

We will be QRV this weekend from florence junction DM43 starting Saturday around noon +/- setup time

6/2/1.25/70/23/10G
Good antenna / power on most band

Don’t know if you are roving this time ?

We should be ready to start around noon
Call will be W7MRF

Could you forward it to NMVHF mailing list ? We should be able to get some NM station from that location

Best 73
Lionel KW7MM

On Jan 13, 2020, at 9:33 AM, JamesDuffey <jamesduffey@...> wrote:

Caution: EXT Email

If you are roving in this weekend’s VHF contest, the Maricopa convergence (where four grids meet) is an attractive spot as you can go from one grid to another quickly. The terrain there is flat and there is good propagation to most of southern and middle Arizona. I routinely work Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott from There and have hit Yuma and Bullhead city as well. With all the SOTA stations out, one could spend all of Sunday morning there.  Last year I had no problem working any SOTA station I heard.

The catch is that much of DM32 and DM42 are on the Ak Chin Indian Nation. They do not want operations on their land unless Tribal Council permission is granted, which, I suspect, is hard to obtain. There are spots in both grids near the convergence that are not on the Indian Nation though.  Essentially, everything south of West Peters and Nall Road is on Indian Nation land. That is indicated by the purple line on the map I have attached. If you operate south of this purple line, expect visits from Tribal Security, Tribal Police, having to move, and a loss of operating time. North of this line is a private corporate farm and I have never had problems operating there, although it is not clear who to contact to obtain permission. Just respect the property and stay on the roads.

I have attached a map and satellite photo for the convergence to this e-mail.  On the map, the Indian Nation border is indicated by a broken purple line coincident with W Peters & Nall Road. On the satellite photo, I have indicated the grid boundary as well as operating positions I have used in the past. They rotate crops a couple of times a year, so don’t expect the fields to look exactly like the photo.

Be aware that operating this close to the grid boundaries of the GPS accuracy. It may indicate a grid you are not in unless you give the GPS a longer than usual time to converge.

You can certainly operate from positions further away from the convergence, and that may be preferable if there are more than a couple of rovers who are out there. It will just take longer to get from one grid to another.

I am not sure if this will make it to the AZ weak signal group, so if you know someone who is roving and wants to go to the convergence,  please forward these maps to them. Operating from the convergence, particularly on Sunday morning should be a good introduction to roving. If there is more than one rover operating at the convergence, they will obviously need to spread out in frequency, so fixed operators should tune for stations off the calling frequency, which is good practice anyway.

Thanks and sorry for the bandwidth to those not interested in the VHF contest.



I hope that this is useful. - Duffey

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM
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Re: NMVHF SLACK chat page during this weekends JANUARY VHF CONTEST

Bob Norton
 

I am no longer using satellite internet service with its slow latency. That always screwed up my attempts to communicate effectively on any chatroom. Well, kinda screwed up the chatroom too.

Have now had point-to-point high speed, fixed wireless internet access for about 2 months. Very pleased with its performance and reliability. Lobo Internet solved my dilemma by mounting their antenna up my guyed tower at about 78-79 feet, just below the Tailtwister rotator and below the HF Yagi at 86 feet. Gave me a path above the hills and trees to access the internet network via their antennas mounted on NN5K, Dave's, tower.

Will give Slack Chat a try/listen this weekend.

73, Bob N5EPA


On Tue, Jan 14, 2020 at 11:39 AM Mike WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:

No formal invite needed. Use the link in the upper-left corner here:

http://www.nmvhf.org/chat/

WB2FKO

On 1/14/20 12:14 PM, Keith Morehouse wrote:
A reminder to all - the club has a Slack workspace page that has been quite useful in past contests.  It's super easy to switch back and forth between it and the VHF Slack pages formed by N5TM, which is widely used as a chat hub here in the SW and NW USA.  These Slack workspaces have become one of two normal places to meet and set up 50 MHz+ skeds (the other being PingJockey).


If you're not currently signed up for it, there is an "invite" process, although I'm not sure who has to do the inviting.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO
Re: AA5PR/R roving plans

KC7QY
 

John,

I'll be looking for you Saturday late afternoon and Sunday. I probably won't be on before about 0100Z due to other commitments. I'll be on with my usual 3 band setup. Too bad I'll miss you in DM51 and 61, both needed. I will be chasing you for sure in DM53 Sunday morning.

Jim KC7QY
DM64


On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 08:13:59 PM MST, John Klem <klemjf@...> wrote:


I'll be roving southwest NM this weekend for the contest.  I'll be on
NMVHF Slack chat and wherever else I can find takers.  Feel free to text
me at 505-373-4671 if you want to get my attention. Times are
approximate - I intend to provide updates on Slack.

50 MHz  100 W  Moxon
144 MHz 100 W  6 el.
432 MHz 50 W  11 el.

All modes.

Saturday
1900-2030Z  DM52ta
2100-2230Z  DM51tx
2345-0115Z  DM61bx
0145-0300Z  DM62ba
Sunday
1900-2000Z  DM53xx
2030-2130Z  DM54xa
2200-2300Z  DM64aa

John AA5PR
Re: from DM63

Tom N7GP
 

Well put!!!!
Tom
N7GP
73
Tom
From: "Keith Morehouse" <w9rm@...>
Sender: main@nmvhf.groups.io
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:49:29 -0700
To: <main@nmvhf.groups.io>
ReplyTo: main@nmvhf.groups.io
Subject: Re: [nmvhf] from DM63

...a LOT of evidence.  And no, there was no reported sporadic E.  I talked to 'DRH later in the day and he verified it was meteors.  1100 miles is at the high end of what I consider the M/S 'sweet spot' distance of 900-1100 miles, where two decently equipped station can make contact pretty much 12-18 hours a day.

This is the same distance where two WELL equipped stations (running KW into 4-5+ elements) can connect on ionoscatter during most of the day.  If you're persistent on 6, you don't need no steekin' Es...

The practical limit for M/S is somewhere between 1300-1500 miles, same as Es - this is single "hop", of course.  You may note that the 2M M/S record is MUCH farther then that, which has had many people, me included, sceptical for years.  But, that's a conversation for another time.

-W9RM

Keith Morehouse
via MotoG

On Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 11:14 AM James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:
Don’t know about Es yesterday morning, but most of the meteor ionization is at the same altitude as the E layer, so the distances involved would be about the same.

There is some evidence, although far from conclusive, and lots of conjecture, that the ions in the E layer contributing to Es are the result of meteors. - Duffey

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM

> On Jan 16, 2020, at 10:51, Steve London <n2ic@...> wrote:
>
> Was there also some Es happening ?
>
> 73,
> Steve, N2IC
>
>> On 01/16/2020 10:22 AM, Keith Morehouse wrote:
>> K2DRH in EN41 was also calling Bruce, but was running very low power due to antenna icing.  That's probably close to 1000 miles.  Nice job from a portable setup.
>> I was watching PSKREPORTER while Bruce was CQing and he was getting reported as far away as Alabama.
>> -W9RM
>> Keith Morehouse
>> via MotoG
>> On Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 10:13 AM Bruce Draper <bruceaa5b@... <mailto:bruceaa5b@...>> wrote:
>>     >> Can you give us details on your best DX?
>>    Looks like EM48, St Louis area, >800 miles.
>
>
>




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