Three Pack Rats Set Up at Ebright Azimuth in Delaware for the 222MHz and Up Contest

222 Up Weekend Summary Rover AA2SD/R - KE5NJ and KC3BVL

222 Up Weekend Summary Rover AA2SD/R - KE5NJ and KC3BVL

FM28W- I worked solo in Cape May FM28MU during Saturday for a total of 2 hours. I deployed (2) small ELK beams for 222MHz and 70Ccm. During this period I was able to work a total of (15) QSO.s  (9) QSO’s on 70 CM and the balance on 222 MHZ. Thanks to Tom K3GM for coming by to visit my location. It was also fun to work Dave W2KV/P2 from his shore location on 25 watts.  My best grids in distance included Jeff K1TEO FN31JH 188 miles in and W1XR 147 miles..My quick set up was a simple push up mast with the smaller ELK antennas for speed.

FM29FU - We worked from Delaware- During Sunday we worked for 4 hours from Delaware at 400 Feet elevations with Jim KC3BVL and Chris KE5NJ. My best grids for distance included Al W9KXI  FN12NE 175 miles, Dave K1RZ FN19JH 96 Miles and Alex KR1ST FN21FK at 109 Miles. We also worked Dave K1WHS over 300 miles on 222 Mhz and 70CM I also booked (15) QSO’s during this time period, KC3BVL and KE5NJ had separate submissions. We were threatened with rain and thunderstorms the entire day, but we successfully got three Pack Rat stations on the air at the same time on each band,  in the comfort of Chris’s well outfitted Rover Bus with minimal issues. During the contest Jim set up dual 1296 loopers and was able to make QSO’s.  Chris used a multi element Yagi for 440 and a 12 element for 222Mhz. I also tested a pair of 222Mhz stacked Yagis from Freq Tester which proved to be very effective. I was having issues with my 222 transverter and switched over to a backup unit from Chris.

Follow the YouTube Link here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSjvquGyaTc&t=1s

Thanks all that worked us, and we look forward to the Sept VHF Contest

On the Way to Cape May - Let's Connect on 222 Mhz with AA2SDR Rover

I will be on a Mini Rove Saturday  participating in the 222Mhz and Up at  the " Concrete Ship SS Atlantus'' an Historical location in the Southernmost tip of Cape May.  I will be operating a stacked 222 Mhz Horizontal Halo Antenna on the go, and will set up a small beam.  I will be set up at this location for 2 hours at the start of the contest. This vantage point will give me a clear unobstructed shot North to Long Island, Connecticut, and MA, and also South  across the bay to Delaware and MD.

Contest:       222Mhz and Up Contest Start Saturday

Call Sign      AA2SD/R

Frequency    222.103 +/-   and 432.103  

Locations:    FM28MW

Video on the historical wreck is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enj-H3d2gH0

Sunday Rover in Delaware with 3 Call Signs - AA2SD/R KE5NJ/R and KC3BVL

Point your Beams to Delaware FM29FU Sunday August 4th Starting at 12:30 222 Mhz and Up Contest

Work (3) Pack Rats at the highest point in Delaware during the ARRL 222MHz and up contest, we will be set up at the Ebright Azimuth in Delaware located at 447 ft above sea level.  We will have  three Pack Rat operators on 3 bands for this Sunday Mini Rove operating from KE5NJ/R's fully decked out rover school buses, and AA2SD/R Rover . We plan to have high gain beams for the three bands below.

Contest:       222 Mhz and Up Contest  Our Operators Starts Sunday 

Time:            11:30 to 1:59 PM EST (possible earlier set up) 

Call Sign      AA2SD/R Scott  -  KC3BVL Jim  -  KE5NJ/R  Chris

Frequency    222.103 +/-   and 432.103  1296.103

Location:      FM29FU

Elevation:    Over 400 ASL

Phone:         609 254 7120 for SKEDS

Repeater:    We will monitor the Delaware Repeater 448.825 - PL - 131.8

The 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest is an event that takes place on the first full weekend of August each year. In 2024, the contest will be held on August 3–4. The goal of the contest is to contact as many stations as possible on the 222 MHz–241 GHz bands using any permitted mode. However, a station in a specific grid locator can only be contacted once on each band from the same location, regardless of mode. 

Objective:  Work as many stations as possible on the 222 MHz through 241 GHz bands using any allowable mode. A station in a specific grid locator may be contacted from the same location only once on each band, regardless of mode.

Dates:  The first full weekend of August, (August 3-4, 2024)

Contest Period:  Begins at 1800 UTC Saturday and ending at 1759 UTC Sunday.

Click Here for Complete ARRL 222 and Up Contest Rules

For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232

Log Submission Deadline

Logs are due within FOURTEEN (14) days after the event is over. Logs must be submitted online our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/

Logs that have been submitted electronically are listed on the Logs Received page. Click the contest name to see a list of submitted logs sorted by call sign and club name.

Online Log Submission - Logs must be submitted in the Cabrillo format via our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org.

If you wish to convert your log into a Cabrillo formatted log for electronic submission, visit www.b4h.net/cabforms/ and select the event of interest. You can input your log data which will be converted to a Cabrillo formatted log for you (it will generate a log and return it to you), and then you can in turn submit your Cabrillo log online via the web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/.

Awards:

Downloadable Certificates will be awarded in the following categories at https://contests.arrl.org/certificates.php

Top Single-operator, Fixed score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region.

Top Multi-operator, Fixed score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region where significant effort or competition exists.

Top Rover score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region

Top Club score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region

Top Small Team score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region

Top Large Team score in each 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Region

The 1.25-meter, 220 MHz or 222 MHz band is a portion of the VHF radio spectrum internationally allocated for amateur radio use on a primary basis in ITU Region 2, and it comprises frequencies from 220 MHz to 225 MHz.[1] In the United States and Canada, the band is available on a primary basis from 222 to 225 MHz, with the addition of 219 to 220 MHz on a limited, secondary basis.[1][2][3] It is not available for use in ITU Region 1 (except in Somalia[4]) or ITU Region 3.[1] The license privileges of amateur radio operators include the use of frequencies within this band, which is primarily used for local communications.

222 Mhz 1.25 Meter Band Plan

Attic Antennas Can Work AA2SD ! Success on the 222 MHz Tuesday Activity Night

AA2ASD- As a new operator living in a townhome with restrictions I can not put up a large VHF Yagi antenna, that’s why I got into Roving and POTA. Recently I added a “stacked” pair of small ELK 2/440 Log Periodic antennas with a small tv rotor in the attic which works well for our local Pack Rat Nets. I also built a “Cheap Yagi 6-element 222Mhz” antenna using the boom from a discarded aluminum office easel stand, with elements from Harbor Freight brass welding rods with good success.

In my attempt to work the “Big Guns in the North East”  I needed more gain and added a 12 element custom built ‘N3RG” antenna from Ray, which was built to the K1FO design. To get this antenna into the attic I cut the boom in 3 locations, and installed removable safety pins and carefully reassembled it back into place set up for Tuesday Night operation. 

During my first Tuesday Night attempt on 11/29 I was able to work David K1WHS 324 miles in Maine, and Ron WZ1V in Connecticut 164 miles using a 35 Watt  Demi Transvertor with a FT-991A. I also used ON4KST to coordinate contacts for the first time. I also worked W8ZN Terrance, W2INF John, WA3NUF Phil and KA3FQS Tom.

A special Thanks to Phil WA3NUF and Jim KC3BVL for the encouragement to give it a try on 222 during Tuesday, and Ray N3RG for the custom antenna build. For a Pack Rats Newbie this was an exciting event, and I appreciate all of the PackRat Club support and comradery.

I hope to work you all as a Rover during the Jan VHF Contest ! link for Rover Plan. and see you on the air on Tuesday evenings on 222 Mhz Night.

222 Mhz Activity Night with the Pack Rats

222 Mhz Attic Antenna Installation

About AA2SD Visit https://www.aa2sd.com/

I operate within the local Southern New Jersey Area including,  South Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Philadelphia.  Thank you for contacting me on Parks on the Air,  I activate parks for K2AA South Jersey Radio Association and AA2SD. I also operate as a Rover in the field for the ARRL VHF Contests with call sign AA2SD/R.  You can view the YouTube AA2SD/R channel here.

About  The South Jersey Radio Association Visit  https://sjra.club/sjraclub/         Established in 1916 is the Oldest Continuously Meeting Amateur Club in North America. Over the years Amateur Radio Operators have stood to provide critical communications in the event of various emergencies.  About South Jersey Radio Association - The SJRA operates the K2AA Repeater located in Medford, NJ and the K2UK Repeater located in Pine Hill, NJ. Both Repeaters are FM and C4FM compatible. The repeaters are open for use without restriction to all licensed amateur operators. 

About the Mount Air VHF Radio Club-  Visit  https://www.packratvhf.com/index.php  Dedicated to serving the VHF / UHF /microwave  Amateur Radio community as well as enhancing the state of the art for 50 MHz and above weak signal operation.   The Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club was founded in 1956 by a group of Philadelphia area hams whose main interests were building equipment and operating the amateur radio frequencies of 50 MHz and above. The founding members almost immediately were nicknamed the "Pack Rats" because of their propensity for collecting all manner of electronic equipment and parts. The nickname stuck and for more than 60 years the Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club, better known as the "Pack Rats", has grown and prospered.