NIL — Name, Image, Likeness? Or Not In Log? I’ve got a hunch I won’t be capitalizing on my name, image, or likeness as those involved in college athletics do. But my future does hold the very real prospect of Not in Log, or NIL. That’s because this contest was particularly prone to missed 73s. I’d be called, send my reply, and be greeted either with nothing or with repeated messages that offered no closure.

Despite those frustrations and a few challenges covered below, it was a good contest.

Single Operator Portable — QRP from EM01

I was at my favorite spot, just south of Hico, TX, on a construction spur off Highway 281. It offers a clear line of sight in all directions and lies midway between Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.

The backseat operating position had an IC-7100 for 144 MHz and an IC-9100 for 50 and 432 MHz. Three watt meters helped me monitor the output power, ensuring I stayed at 10 watts. I used a Maxgain Systems push-up mast to support M2 antennas: 3-element at 50 MHz, 9-element at 144 MHz, and 18-element at 432 MHz. Tim, W5TRL, told me he was amazed at how loud I was on 432. So the new antenna works!

The software included N3FJP’s VHF Contest Logger, JT-Alert to forward the two rigs’ QSOs to the logger, and WSJT-X Improved. I used my iPhone’s hotspot for Internet access.

Challenges Galore — Duct Tape Helps Out Big Time

One minor challenge on Saturday was securing the push-up mast upright. It was very windy, so I used a single guy line to bring the mast to a vertical position. I also set up lines to the front and rear of the six-meter Yagi in case I needed to help point the antenna. As it turned out, the friction from the guy line and other supports kept the antenna pointed correctly.

The challenge on Sunday while raising the mast was a broken clamp. It was my fault for pressing too hard. Fortunately, the push-up section wasn’t needed and could remain retracted, but it still had to be rotated by hand at the bottom of the mast. Plus, any wind would be expected to whirl it – not a good way to make QSOs. I elected to duct tape the section together and gingerly rotate the mast from the ground. It worked. Also, thanks to my lucky stars, there wasn’t much wind, unlike Saturday. I’ve ordered the replacement.

Yet another challenge at the start of the contest was that the logbook wasn’t syncing fully with JT-Alert. Every time I logged a QSO, I’d get a message saying it wasn’t logged. After extensive checking and resetting the N3FJP log location on the laptop, I found it worked consistently only when the log was on the desktop. So I ran with that after the first 20 QSOs. I was able to use the WSJT-X logs to finalize my contest log entry, but it did result in a few duplicates.

The LiPo batteries worked great, but I had a challenge with my Power Pole distribution box when one of the switches broke. I have a solution for the next contest: do not use a switchable box.

June VHF 2026 Single Operator Portable Results

For last year’s June VHF contest, I scored 32,335, the overall winning tally. This year’s score, before log-checking, came in at 27,216. Saturday was a good day, but Sunday was quiet for much of the time, with propagation random and variable. So I quit at 2 PM, some eight hours before the end of the contest. Rain was forecast, and with the quiet bands, that also encouraged me to tear down and go home.

Here’s the breakdown by band:

50 MHz — 150 QSOs and 101 Multipliers.
144 MHz — 42 QSOs and 17 Multipliers.
432 MHz — 17 QSOs and 8 Multipliers.

Working six-meter VUCC over the weekend with 10 watts is a pretty respectable outcome.

What’s Next?

Next up is perusing the results on 3830 Scores, waiting for the raw scores to post on ARRL Contests, considering FFMA rover activations, and planning for the CQ WW VHF Contests in July.

I have ready access to DM85 at my daughter’s ranch, and I’ve previously activated the DM85/DM86 grid line near Dalhart, TX. That’s on my mind. I just need to recover from this activation and plan the trip. Last year, I combined the trip to coincide with the first weekend of the CQ WW VHF Contest.

If you’re interested in more insight about NIL, see my article Log-Checking Reports — VHF Contests and Digital Modes.

Thanks to everyone who worked my 10-watt signal during the contest.