VHF Radio Contesting

Radio Contesting? What does that mean?

That question comes up a lot when I talk to non-hams about ham radio. Contesting, at least above 50 MHz, is one of the high points of my operating activities. To me, there is a challenge associated with it, and it gives me a chance to put the systems that I have built to a test.

Most people are aware that some radio signals will bounce or skip off of the ionosphere. The phenomenon usually happens at lower frequencies or what we call the HF (high frequency) bands. Daily contacts all over the world are usually able to be achieved on these lower bands.

In the world of VHF (very high frequency), radio signals do not normally efficiently bounce off the atmosphere. So long distance contacts are not as common. That being said, there are different ways that long distance communication is possible on VHF. During certain times of the year, meteor scatter, tropospheric ducting, sparatic E clouds, and even aurora can extend the range of VHF signals well beyond the norm.

So, let me get back to the contesting part of this article…

The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) holds a VHF+ contest three times a year during the months of January, June and September. There are other contests for VHF+ operations throughout the year, but for serious effort on my part, it is limited to these. The object is to make as many contacts as possible, in the allotted time. Contact points are valued higher in some bands, with a full break down on the ARRL’s website.

There are different operator categories, based on bands and power levels used for the contest. I usually enter into the “Single Operator, 3 band” category. Which limits me to 100 watts of PEP (peak envelope power) on 50 (6 meters) and 144Mhz (2 meters) and 50 watts PEP on 432Mhz (70cm).

Grid Multipliers are then figured into the scoring. Grids, in the sense of ham radio, are 1×2 degree squares that cover the entire world. My location is EN36. For each grid I get on each band, it adds a multiplier to my score.

Full contest rules can be found here.

For the latest contest which happened a few weekends ago, I got to use my newly acquired
Yaesu FT-991A. This had been a long awaited addition to the shack, and I was excited to get to use it. The 991A is a HF/6M/2M/70cm radio, so it covers all of the frequencies I was going to use for the contest. It is equipped with two antenna jacks on the rear, one for HF/6M and one for 2M/70cm. I decided to hook up the 991A for 6 meters and 70 cm operation. The 70cm power on the radio is right on the limit, but it is 50 watts short on 2 meters. I stuck with my old faithful FT-736r to use for 2 meters, turning the power down so my amplifier would stay under the 100 watt threshold.

I set up a number of different computers for various tasks. I normally have two MacBook Pros running in the shack, each with their own second monitor. One computer handles the logging, digital mode operating, and is used for rotator control. On a normal day, this computer is usually set up for the same thing. Since I had just gotten the radio right before the contest, I was still learning and had to forgo some of the features of computer control till after the contest.

The top display provides access to the logging software, my homemade dash board for rotator control, PSK reporter windows, and access to the MMDVM hot spot. For logging I use MacLogger DX, by Dog Park Software. More info on my homemade dashboard will be coming in later posts. PSK reporter, is a web site that shows current digital contacts, or beaconing across the world in real time. This allows for spotting and watching for propagation openings. The MMDVM control site is unrelated to the contest.

The bottom monitor displays WSJT-X, which is a software that is used for the transmit and receive of digital signals through the radio. The monitor also displays JT-Bridge which is a spotting software that displays the signals that WSJT-X decodes by color, based on if they have been worked or not, the heading to the station, and the distance, along with other information.

In the end, I find contesting entertaining. In reality, using digital modes is a lot like a video game. But, instead of superficial situations, the game is using your own equipment and systems you have made, in “real world” contacts…