As noted in my previous post on Satellite Antennas, I took down the 3-element LFA Yagi while installing my new satellite antennas. This past week, in preparation for the CW VHF Contest, I re-installed the SM-50 Moxon. See my original review at Par Electronics Stressed Moxon, Ingeniously Elegant. You can see from the nearby photo that it fits pretty well with the satellite antennas. Plus, it works so much better in my side yard and, hopefully, won’t be blown around as much in the wind.
I will note that in the couple of weeks I went without a horizontal antenna on 6 meters, I instead used the 6 meter vertical on my Cushcraft MA6V. This past week we had a pretty good Sporadic E opening and the vertical worked great. In fact, I was able to work seven new grids using JT65. That’s pretty good considering that my grid count is now getting close to 300, making it really tough to find new grids in the first place, let alone work them.
During this weekend’s VHF contest, the moxon worked quite well. There was a very good early 6 meter opening to VE3 and XE, followed on Sunday morning with another opening to XE. There was also a late opening to Florida and the East Coast. Nothing heard from the West Coast or the Midwest. 6 meters wasn’t working near as well as the ARRL June contest.
On 2 meters, I tried my satellite antenna but not much heard (vertical polarization doesn’t work in contests). Most of the time I used the Par Electronics Omniangle in the attic for local contacts including K5QE and K5TR.
I did work some 6 meter JT65 contacts (10) with 5 unique grids. So the little time I spent there when SSB and CW weren’t open worked well for my score. This time I also imported the contacts from WSJT and then edited them in N1MM+ from JT65 to RTTY so they would comply with the contest scoring. However, N1MM+ doesn’t count them in the QSO points total. Oh well. I’m sure the CQ WW VHF log checking will get it right.
I did manage to pick up 7 new grids, all from Mexico. My grid total on 6 meters is now at 296. Next comes the confirmations. Let’s hope Logbook of the World comes through on many of these.
Thanks to everyone who worked my low power signal. Several dug me right out of the noise. 73 + 55.
