ARRL VHF January 2024 Contest

It's that time of the year again - time to freeze while trying to be radio-active. At least in theory. Practically, some of us decided not to get exposed to the elements and the rest just minimized the exposure. We decided to avoid the predicted cold on Saturday and scheduled a limited activity for Sunday, January 21st. Well, it wasn't much warmer and the stay outdoors on the open spots where we usually go to for VHF+ contacts was far from pleasant.

Herbert AF4JF set up his SUV for the usual roving activity, just limited the number of bands to 3 and only worked on two of them - 144 and 432MHz. Harry WA0CNS set up his minivan in similar fashion and operated on 144MHz. Our new member Tony KB9LLD operated on 144 and 432 using a "drive-on" stand with a pole that carried very nice dual band beam. Ron KO0Z supported us from his home station.

We probably did not break any records and I am afraid that we won't win this contest either, but the activity was way higher than couple of last years combined. We have even worked some FM stations only using their handhelds! Hope this trend will spread, we need more activity!

Several pictures from today's outing:

Herbert AF4JF in EM48qs

Herbert AF4JF in EM49oa

Tony KB9LLD in EM48qs

Tony has a nice "drive-on" stand

Herbert worked Marshall WD9EXD in EM57
(142 miles) on the small 70cm loop

ARRL VHF Contest June 2023

One year had passed, and the SLAMS team was once again gearing up for another ARRL VHF Contest. The calendar read "June 2023" and the thermometer soared past 90F ....

But no, we can't start the story like this, even though it is true. In reality, the preparations began months in advance, and we even conducted a testing event just one week before the VHF contest. Harry WA0NCS built a new station based on the famous SDR Pluto. The design is called "Project Langstone" and Harry used a Raspberry Pi instead of a laptop with Windows to control the unit. Herbert AF4JF got a new set of transverters from a Bulgarian company SG Labs with decent PA units for 902, 1296 and 2304 MHz. Herbert and Harry tested these new units on Saturday, June 3. AF4JF went to Cottleville Community College in EM48qs while Harry was at High Ridge in EM48rl. The distance between these was about 20 miles.

AF4JF with tested antennas for 902, 1296 and 2304 MHz

AF4JF station on a test rack in the back of his car
(looked even worse in real contest one week later 
with more bands added)

Details of AF4JF antennas .. the dish is actually fed
by wideband LPR feed covering 2-11GHz

Everything worked fine, so we made big plans and went to our contest locations. Harry WA0CNS to his usual High Ridge while Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z went to Foley in EM49oa on Saturday June 10 for the first day of the contest.

WA0CNS setting up his station. Note the 50MHz loop.
This is High Ridge EM48rl

Ron KO0Z working on his 1296MHz setup

Herbert AF4JF operated his rover station 
(50-144-222-432-902-1296-2304-3400-5760 and 10368MHz,
dish antennas still in the car)

We have made several QSOs with Harry and some other stations from EM49oa. This is the location of a railroad communications tower on a hilltop, but most of it was covered by foliage. We returned home in the late afternoon, with a plan to continue tomorrow from the "Egyptian Hamfest" that took place in Granite City in EM48wr.

Unfortunately the weather changes. We went from tropical Saturday to cold and wet Sunday. This hamfest typically includes a flea market running in the parking lot, but the weather stopped any attempts at that.

Egyptian Hamfest rainout

After the hamfest, we all headed to our usual lunch spot - Uncle Linny's restaurant in Pontoon Beach. They serve fantastic burgers in sizes of 1lb, 2lbs or 3.75lbs. 

1 lb burger at Uncle Linny's

From here, Ron KO0Z went back to EM48 while Herbert and Harry took a little detour to EM58as (Edwardsville). We did not take any pictures there, just made several QSOs with each other and couple of stations that we found on the bands. Harry remained there to work more stations on 50MHz while Herbert returned to his favorite Community College park in EM48qs to work Ron KO0Z on 10GHz.

AF4JF in EM48qs

Ron set up in nearby grid EM48qr and received a surprise visit by W0MFQ and KB9LLD who live in the area. That was the end of a nice, long event where we activated 5 locations in 3 big grids, got a sunburn and free shower, ate huge burger and had a lot of fun with ham radio.

ARRL VHF Contest January 2023

Our first VHF contest in 2023, the "January ARRL VHF", just took place today. Weather was nice, almost 50F with plenty of sunshine, so Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and Ron KO0Z decided to attend the contest as Rovers while Marshall WD9EXD attended from his contest QTH. We only operated for couple of hours on a few bands, but it was a nice start of the season.

Herbert AF4JF (myself) made 15 QSOs on 144 and 432MHz bands during first 3 hours of the contest and activated 2 grids (EM48 and EM49) as a Rover. Tested new small Yagi antennas (3 el. for 144MHz and 10el. for 432MHz). Much better than the loops I have been using before! I will have them mounted on a rotor installed on the luggage rack of my SUV for the next contest.

Several pictures to illustrate:

AF4JF/R in EM48qs

AF4JF/R (and Darcey "K9DOG") in EM49pa

Winfield Lock and Dam in EM49pa

ARRL VHF Contest - June 2022

Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF went to Potosi, MO in EM47 and De Soto, MO in EM48 to make some contest QSOs as Rovers on Saturday June 11th. Worked several stations on the usual bands CW/SSB, nothing unusual. The location on one of the highest hills in Missouri is good, definitely worth returning there.

Herbert AF4JF/r getting ready to have fun in EM47ow

Harry WA0CNS/r in EM47ow

Herbert moved to De Soto in EM48rd to make some contacts with Harry later in the afternoon. We have both returned home for the night and went to the Egyptian Hamfest in Granite City, IL on Sunday. Made several more contest QSOs from the Hamfest parking lot in EM48wr. Herbert fried his power inverter (that makes 110V AC from 12V DC, needed to run the 40W PA for 23cm) and finished in the early afternoon, Harry went to Edwardsville in EM58 to activate another grid.

Everything considered, a successful weekend. Little too hot outdoors. We will try to do even better next time.

ARRL September VHF and ARRL 10GHz And Up Part 2 Contests

Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF participated in the ARRL September VHF Contest as Rovers activating EM48 and EM49 grids. We didn't go far from Saint Louis area, just Winfield and Lakeside 370 Park. We have worked each other on bands between 144 and 5760 MHz plus 122 GHz, but didn't bring out 10 or 24 GHz this time. Several pictures attached:

Herbert AF4JF set up in Lakeside 370 park

Harry WA0CNS setting up across the lake from Herbert

WA0CNS in Winfield EM49pa

Herbert AF4JF working Harry on SDR Pluto

Recording of a QSO on SDR Pluto

There was the second leg of the ARRL 10GHz And Up contest. Herbert AF4JF went to Hannibal, MO while Harry WA0CNS set up at the High Ridge, southwest of St. Louis. Herbert tried to work some stations in the North from Lover's Leap above Hannibal, then turned back and made several stops to work Harry. Looks like there are several good spots near Hannibal to work stations from St. Louis area!

Lover's Leap

Herbert set up in EM49hq

Aiming to work Gary WB0LJC

Aiming to work John K9JK

Herbert at Bowling Green aiming to work WA0CNS (109km)

This is how loud the WB9PNU/B beacon is at Bowling Green, over 80km away

Herbert set up and working Harry from EM49jh

(forgot to bring traffic cones)

Herbert working Harry from EM49md

Everything considered, both contests were fun. Just little too hot. It would be nice to have more stations to share this with.

ARRL VHF Contest - June 2021

Once again, the sizzling time (referring to the hot outdoor temperatures during this contest) is back! Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF attended the ARRL VHF Contest as Rovers. First day (Saturday June 12) from Winfield in EM49pa / EM49ob, second day (Sunday June 13) from Cottleville EM48qs.

We met at the Winfield dam a little ahead of time and tried to find new locations in the area. Found two promising places closer to Foley, but both were surrounded by trees which made the higher elevation useless. We have tried a RS contact with W8BYA from EM49ob, but the dish was pointing right next to group of trees. That affects Fresnel zones enough to make the contact impossible. We will keep looking in that area, EM49 is quite rare grid on microwave frequencies.

The contest itself started for us on "wrong foot". We have experienced some technical difficulties that cost us some points from higher bands. Some bands that we tested just a week ago didn't work. Since we got them working the next day, we believe that the problem might have been heat-related. 

Herbert AF4JF at the Winfield Dam

Although in shade, the laptop screen was only readable with difficulty

The 10GHz station uses FT-817, no SDR

We called it a day and decided to continue on Sunday morning. However, when Herbert returned home and noticed the Rainscatter situation, he dressed again and went to the local park in EM48qs to try RS with Gedas again ... and IT WORKED!

RS situation in the afternoon of June 12 when AF4JF and W8BYA made QSO on 10GHz

That was a nice end of the day. However, we met in the same park next to Community College campus where this RS contact was made from in the morning of Sunday June 13 again. Probably thanks to colder temperatures, everything worked.

AF4JF station for 24GHz - still in "test setup" (cable ties etc.)

We were able to make contacts on 10 bands this weekend! We didn't bring our 122GHz simply because there wasn't enough space in our cars.

Several pictures of Harry and his equipment:

WA0CNS Rover (antennas on the roof are remotely controlled from the car)

Harry setting up his 10GHz once again

Harry WA0CNS and his 24GHz

Everything considered, this was a nice contest. We didn't make too many QSOs, but we were active on 10 bands and we survived the heat. Even my dog was quite happy with the results:

Darcey

ARRL VHF Contest June 2020

Herbert published a posting about using SDR module ADALM PLUTO (click here) for microwave bands during this contest on the BARS blog site.

73 Herbert
AF4JF

ARRL VHF Contest - September 2019

Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS decided to participate in the ARRL VHF Contest as Rovers. We have selected 144-220-432-1296-10368 MHz HAM radio bands for this contest.

Herbert posted an Article on the BARS blog site.

We have picked locations in Winfield area just North of St. Peters in Missouri this time, because the line between EM48 and EM49 grids goes right through that area.

Herbert's Rover (AF4JF)

Some pictures of the dam:

Everything considered, this area worked well for VHF contacts, despite its location in the river valley. We shall return here with more microwave equipment next time.

73 Herbert

AF4JF