2020 ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest

Callsign	Score	Region	Category	Bands	QSOs	Grids Worked	Grids Activated	PNW Grids Worked
K5QE *	26,344	TX	SO	C	18	17	EM31	0
KE7MSU/R	8,884	OR	Rover	CDEFG	30	8	see below	8
VE7FYC	8,175	BC	SO	CDEF	32	5	CN89ji	5
KE7SW	7,490	WA	SO	CDEFGH	52	6	CN87td	6
VE7AFZ	4,747	BC	SO	D	18	6	CN89mj	6
K7ND	4,432	WA	SO	CDFGH	25	6	CN87qf	6
K7ATN	4,326	OR	SO	CDEFG	11	3	CN95cw	3
K7YDL	4,186	OR	SO	CDE	17	6	CN85mj	6
N6ZE /R*	3,490	CA	Rover	CDEF	62	3	see below	0
N7QOZ	3,461	WA	SO	CD	28	7	CN87sf	7
KG7P	2,492	WA	SO	CDEF	23	5	CN87vh	5
WA6EJO *	2,176	CA	SO	CDEF	21	2	DM04jg	0
KE0CO	1,761	WA	SO	CDEF	21	4	CN87tl	5
K7IMA	1,450	OR	SO	CDF	6	2	CN95cw	2
N7DB	1,275	OR	SO	CD	9	4	CN85uj	4
N0CYT	561	WA	SO	D	1	1	CN88va	1
AG6AG *	540	CA	SO	CD	23	1	DM04ne	1
K7JSG	519	WA	SO	CD	6	4	CN87vs	4
KB7IOG	431	WA	SO	CDF	13	2	CN87re	2
VE7HR	390	BC	SO	CDF	9	2	CN89ne	2

* = PNWVHFS Member operating outside the Society region. Not eligible for PNWVHFS Awards./p>

Band Codes: C - 222 MHz, D - 432 MHz, E - 902 MHz, F - 1.2 GHz, G - 2.3 GHz, H - 3.4 GHz, I - 5.7 GHz, J - 10 GHz K - 24 GHz, L - 300+ GHz

PNWVHFS Award Winners

Certificates at the PNWVHFS Conference TBD

Rover:  KE7MSU/R-OR
Single-Op:  VE7FYC-BC,  K7ATN-OR,  KE7SW-WA

Additional Information

VE7FYC SO BC CN89: A good contest with a 237 mile QSO with K7YDL in CN85mj on both 222 and 432 MHz. An attempt on Saturday with K7MDL for a 10 GHz QSO was not successful. Sunday morning brought out the VE7's on 23cm 33cm 70cm and 1.25m

KB7IOGI SO WA CN87: I enjoyed participating. Thanks to all the other stations and their efforts. Hope to work you again soon.

N7EPD SO WA CN87: Since distance scoring is not fair I spent most of my time in the NAQP CW and chasing CY9C. Just checked in to work friends on UHF.

KE7MSU/R Rover OR: Activated 2 rover grids: CN84eg CN85lj;  Worked 5 PNW grids: CN82 CN83 CN84 CN85 CN94

N6ZE/R Rover California: Activated 1 rover grids (from 3 locations) DM04ne, DM04nf, DM04qb.
For a number of reasons, the ARRL's August 2020 222MHz and Up Distance Contest is a unique and different contest for me. Several clubs in the local area had taken special pains for less experienced operators to gain operating experience by utilizing 2 meter handhelds and mobile rigs to make QSOs during this year's "ARRL Field Day", which was modified by Corona-19; they also to encouraged operation on 6 and 2 meters during the "CQ VHF Contest". For this reason, Pete, N6ZE, heavily promoted the "ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest" to encourage local area stations to participate and gain more experience in this part of the hobby. To this end, on Saturday, N6ZE/R operated from 3 hilltops (*) within the City of Thousand Oaks, CA (DM04ne/nf) and then spent the last 3 hours of the contest on Sunday from a Santa Monica Mountain ridge top (DM04db). N6ZE's QSO count was 61 QSOs on 4 bands. 33 distinct callsigns are in Pete's log and 17 of them were from N6ZE's local clubs' operating areas.

Over 80% of N6ZE's QSOS were made by using FM QRP handhelds with non-gain antennas. The balance were made with an FT857 and a 1/4 wave whip, Kenwood TM231 and 1/2 wave whip, and Kenwood 900 MHz mobile transceiver and hand held yagi. Just imagine reflecting 900 MHz signals off a distant mountain, while holding a 9 element yagi, the radio, and the microphone, while simultaneously pushing the squelch-disable to make the contact!

Weather on both days was hot with low humidity and light winds. Saturday temperature reached 97F by noon. Only 3 unique grids were worked: DM03, DM04, DM13. It was nice to work 4 other Rovers, some of whom were involved in SOTA activations. Not very much activity on 70cm SSB was noted. I made no attempt to utilize FT-8 or other data modes.

From the top of Tarantula Hill, N6ZE/r made a few evening contacts on 70 cm, including one with W6JWP. N6ZE/r made 40 qsos on 4 different bands from DM04qb on Sunday morning.

7 qsos were made on 1294.5 MHz FM Simplex with an Alinco handheld and WA5VJB two-element printed circuit board yagi: distances of contacts ranged from 18km to 58km. The QRM on Sunday from motorcyclists, sports cars, bicyclists and hikers was incredible.

The 1294.5MHz signal from Brad, W6VO, was so strong that I was able to complete a QSO with him with the transceiver and antenna just sitting behind the gear shift stick!