Contacts were a bit far and few. Most of us who could hear each other grouped up on 146.540 to share contacts for the log and to keep from falling asleep from being lonely. I did set up on 146.5 and snagged a few. My antenna is not a boomer as just a GP-3 vertical up 26 ft so many were below the noise level of the band. I will say that some in the Sugarland, Richmond, Rosenberg area are in what I call my dark territory dead spot from my SW Houston QTH on VHF. It is good to know my antenna with 50 watts was heard. Maybe next year I will set a 4 element 2M yagi stored in the garage as a 2nd antenna pointed out in my dead rx zone.
The idea of a sprint next year sounds fun and to include assist in the contest would allow for more awareness in the contest 5 hour operational period. Maybe grouping on a freq should also be allowed next year. My original plan was to just get on air for a short time and give a few points. After we grouped up on a freq the plan changed as we began to have fun with the contest in simi round table mode. Please send a ADIF or spreed sheet file to Ron to talley the local contest. My humble claim score 22 contacts 5 Cities. 73 Bill WS5H ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Wrenn via BVARC To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Sent: Monday, October 06, 2014 11:11 AM Subject: Re: [BVARC] VHF simplex Local contest This event would work well as a sprint. I also see it getting bigger as time goes on. Seven Three, Michael - K5WRN http://www.qrz.com/db/K5WRN On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 8:01 AM, K5HM via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote: Thanks to all who participated. I am hoping to have greater participation next time. I think a spring event would be good. Planning now, hope to get better publicity for participation. Also, want to consider a sprint type contest. Sprints require change of frequency after a contact. That way participants spread out, use more of the band and have to find others by tuning or spotting 73, Ron, K5HM [email protected] www.qrz.com/db/k5hm From: BVARC [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Scott Medbury via BVARC Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2014 10:48 PM To: 'James Burrough'; 'BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB' Subject: Re: [BVARC] VHF simplex Local contest This is why it was a challenge. Most antenna systems are simple. Few arrays. Short distances. Lots of potential. Rome wasn't built in a day. I give Ron a lot of credit. What a fun start to what could easily be a Spring and Fall event. Above all it gets us involved. 73.... Scott KD5FBA Scott Medbury 16802 Aprilmont Drive Sugar Land, TX 77498-1941 [email protected] From: BVARC [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of James Burrough via BVARC Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2014 9:25 PM To: Michael Wrenn; BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Subject: Re: [BVARC] VHF simplex Local contest What do you mean by a lack of "big guns"? There was a 50 watt limit to power. Short of a multi-beam array, there was not a lot of "big gun" capability. I had an 8dB gain vertical up at 38 feet. That was the best i could do. I plan to participate again next year but will be a rover taking advantage of the WU/Bellaire/Southside Place/Houston interface within easy driving distance of my QTH. I figure and hour in each place and home for supper by 5:02 PM. From: Michael Wrenn via BVARC <[email protected]> To: BRAZOS CLUB <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, October 5, 2014 8:40 PM Subject: Re: [BVARC] VHF simplex Local contest It was challenging to say the least. But, for me the challenge was not unexpected. What was lacking was the presence of any big gun stations. Reflecting back on the HF contests that I've worked in the past, the Big Gun stations serve a purpose by giving the little pistols a target. Without big gun stations you have a bunch of little pistols running around struggling to hear each other. That is my impression of this contest. As an outsider looking in, there seem to have been an unhealthy amount of frustration. I say unhealthy, because frustration can discourage the very operators that we are trying to entice into contesting. All that said, I believe this event will get better as time goes on. In fact, this is the kind of event that could be held multiple times throughout the year. And as awareness of the event grows, hopefully we'll see more stations on the air that have better coverage and can keep the lower power stations active and busy making contacts. Seven Three, Michael - K5WRN http://www.qrz.com/db/K5WRN sorry to not answer during contest...got going in simi ragchew contest mode on VHF and no assist per repeaters, reflectors ect. My big whooping score was 22 contacts and 5 city mults....It was fun. 73 Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: Rob McClure To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB ; Bill Stone Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2014 2:08 PM Subject: Re: [BVARC] VHF simplex Local contest Hello, I might get in for the tail end of this. What is the exchange? 73 Rob KC5RET On Oct 4, 2014 10:48 AM, "Bill Stone via BVARC" <[email protected]> wrote: I will be on air today between 1PM -5PM ( on and off) to give points in the VHF simplex local contest. 146.400-146.58 and 147.420-147.570. Remember that 146.520 should not be used in the contest as is the national simplex call freq. The power limit is 50 watts and QRP low power catagory only up to 5 watts. If you live in a city other than Houston like Bellaire, South Side Place, Hedwig Village ect you will be a sought after multiplier in the contest. Please help support this local club contest sponsored by KARS and help some of our newer Hams that may only at this time have a VHF radio to get the feel and excitement of contest. Be Lookin For You In the Log 73 Bill WS5H _______________________________________________ BVARC mailing list [email protected] http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org No virus found in this message. 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