As for my own results, I am quite pleased that all 35 QSOs I logged were confirmed. 35 QSOs spread across 31 grids gave me a score of 1,085 points. I came in at #926 out of 1,233 entries in the database. Now I have a baseline to compare future results against.

Related: June VHF QSO Party 2011

I set up a 2-element beam on 6m and connected my very lightly used IC-7000. I was operating in my backyard in an almost field-day like setting. (I was connected to the AC mains, so it doesn’t count as a portable station.) I couldn’t devote large amounts of time to operating, so I just tuned up and down every now and again listening for anyone calling “CQ Contest”.

Propagation was favorable. On Saturday, there were band openings to Florida and the upper east coast. On Sunday, the band was open to the west. I completed 35 QSOs, including a couple of nearly 2,000 mile contacts to the Pacific Northwest.

Assuming that all of my QSOs verify, I will have worked 31 grid squares and 12 states. Not a bad considering how little work went into making the contacts. I think I like 6m.

This year featured a new set of courses in rural central Kentucky. While very scenic, the event organizers quickly discovered that cell phone coverage was spotty at best. This made amateur radio the primary means of communications rather than the emergency backup it has been in years past. Nelson County Emergency Management set up their mobile command post next to the event organizer’s tent while ham operators fanned out across the courses and manned the chase/sweep vehicle.

Our plan was to operate 2M simplex with a local 2M repeater acting as a backup. 2 meters was wide open all weekend, which proved to be a bit of a mixed blessing. We were able to reach all stations via simplex except for one that was in an RF hole. We could reach that station via the repeater, but the repeater kept keying up from transmissions propagating from well outside the area thanks to the excellent band conditions. With patience and perseverance, we were able to make it work.

AJ4KI operating 2m FM at MS Bike the Bluegrass 2011

My station was in a city park 10.5 miles from the command post. I set up a Buddipole antenna in a J-Pole configuration and was able to easily contact net control at the command post. I could make contact with 10 watts, but ran 50 watts for most of the event to make my signal easier to copy. Thanks to the lack of reliable cell phone coverage, I passed quite a lot of traffic. This is the third year I have operated at this event, and this is the first time that I have actually been busy! It was a refreshing change.

Lots of thirsty cyclists

Playing an active role in message handling also helped me to be an advocate for Amateur Radio. Many of the cyclists and a few locals walked up and asked questions about what I was doing and why. Needless to say, I was only too happy to highlight our role in emergency communications.

All in all, this was an excellent event. Money was raised for a worthy cause, 100+ cyclists enjoyed a beautiful ride in the countryside, and I got to test my newly assembled field station. I am certainly looking forward to operating at this event again in 2012!

Station details:

• Kenwood TM-D700 VHF/UHF dual-band mobile
• Buddipole antenna set up as a 2 meter J-Pole
• 35 Ah sealed deep-cycle lead-acid battery

Read more at Make Magazine.