Maine 2 Meter Fm Simplex Challenge
Congratulations to our 2015 Maine 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge Winners!

This year's Overall Winner is:

Tim Watson KB1HNZ, from Gorham, Maine, who made a total of 152 QSOs in 40 different towns. Tim becomes the second mobile operator to win overall, and one of two this year who surpassed the 100 QSO mark. Tim beat the previous QSO record of 141, which he set during last year's contest. Congratulations on a job well done!

CATEGORY
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
POWER LEVEL
QRP
Medium
High
QRP
Medium
High
CALL SIGN
KC1BIY
KC1AMQ
KB1FGF
W1CJS
KB1HNZ
No Logs
NAME
Joseph Westwell
Annette Dumont
Dave Wood
Cindy Shepard
Tim Watson
N/A
QSOs / MULTS
10 / 5
51 / 25
50 / 19
55 / 21
152 / 40
N/A
FINAL SCORE
50
1275
950
1155
6080
N/A

This year's contest will be remembered for the blizzard that brought high winds and large snowfall totals to parts of the state overnight and into the morning just prior to the Simplex Challenge. One would think that this would deter some of the participants, but the hardy Mainers who take part annually would not be denied. A large number of mobile operators still ventured out, and a few of them covered some serious ground.

Three of the top 5 overall finishers were mobile this year, with the overall winner coming from the Mobile Medium category. Other category winners included first time participant Joseph Westwell in the QRP Fixed category, who operated portable from the Hampton Inn, in Wells, with only 4 watts. He said "I knew of the contest from the website. Seeing as we were planning on being snowed in here, I figured I'd give it a shot." We're glad you did, Joe! Thanks for sending in a log.

In the Mobile QRP category, there was another close battle for the top spot, with Cindy Shepard W1CJS edging out her husband Charlie W1CPS, by working two more multipliers! She finished with 55 QSOs and 21 multipliers, to Charlie's 56 QSOs and 19 multipliers.

Androscoggin County was represented well by the Medium Fixed category winner Annette Dumont KC1AMQ, who made 51 QSOs in 25 different towns from her hilltop QTH in Greene, ME. Her husband Bert KB1ZLV, finished close behind with 43 QSOs and 22 multipliers. Another active station from the area was Dakota Dumont, KB1YYC, who operated part of the contest in the QRP Fixed category. Despite the low power, Dakota had some long distance QSOs, being heard as far away as Waterville to the north and Windham to the south.

Dave Wood KB1FGF, took the Fixed High category this year, operating from his home QTH in Scarborough. Dave made a total of 50 QSOs in 19 different towns, while "comfortably sitting by the fireplace."

Other call signs which found their way into multiple logs were K1UC, W1CWW, and KC1AMT, from the Portland area, Ryan KB1YTR, who operated mobile in the Westbrook, Windham, and Sebago Lake areas, and Frank W1FRA was on the air from Waterboro. Thanks everyone for your participation!

The Wireless Society of Southern Maine took the top club score with 11,897 points.

We're happy to see the contest gain in popularity throughout the state and also the nation. We were recently contacted by groups in the Chicago area, and San Francisco, California, who were interested in promoting similar SIMPLEX events. We were glad to offer our support and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.



2015 2 Meter FM Simplex Visual Study


KB1YYC Coverage Analysis
Coverage Analysis for KB1YYC (operating from Greene, ME)


W1CPS Coverage Analysis from Sebago, ME
Coverage Analysis for W1CPS (operating mobile from Sebago, ME)


Contest Soapbox

Mobile during the 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge - Old Orchard Beach, ME
Mobile in Downtown Old Orchand Beach, ME

Thom W1WMG operates mobile somewhere near Wells
Thom W1WMG operates mobile somewhere near Wells, ME

                     
Mobile during the Simplex Challenge, Old Orchard Beach, ME
East Grand Ave, Old Orchand Beach, ME

Mobile somewhere near North Berwick, ME
KB1HNZ mobile near North Berwick, ME
   



  

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Wireless Society of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 6833, Scarborough, ME 04074