Make the VHF Bands Come Alive in the Midwest!
It's September and time for Midwest Mania! for the ARRL September VHF Contest. This year, it falls on Sept 14th and 15th--so we have enough time to publicize the effort and learn about fixed station and rover plans.
The point of Midwest Mania!! is to get Midwestern stations who are interested in VHF/UHF weak-signal On The Air during the September VHF contest. For this event, the Midwest means from North Texas northward to southern Manitoba and from the Front Range of the Rockies eastward to the Mississppi River. Too often, activity is light, and most stations just point east or south hoping to hear some activity. If we get ALL of the potential operators in the Great Plains On The Air, we'll have enough activity for increased fun.
So clear your schedule and spend Sept 14th and 15th by your VHF+ radios working stations and spinning your beams. Please spread the news and send your fixed station or rover plans to w9fz@w9fz.com. I'll post what you share on the appropriate tab (page).
Activity Spreadsheet
I've set up a Google Spreadsheet (thanks WØUC) where you can add or edit your own info. I hope you'll also send me an email that includes your plans. I will take the info you send me and work it into graphics and tables on the different tabs of this website.
Midwest Mania!! VHF+ Activity Google SpreadsheetTwo New Categories
For local promotion, I hope you're encouraging your local hams about the two new categories we have in ARRL contests: FM only and Single Operator, 3-Band (perfect for IC-706, FT-847, FT-857, FT-897 and others). For FM activity, I tell my locals to focus on 146.55 and 146.58 for starters. I try to check those freqs at the top and bottom of the hour--maybe you do, too. Full rules for the event can be found at: https://www.arrl.org/september-vhf