Congratulations to our 2017 Maine
2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge Winners!
This year's Overall Winner is:
A tie between Stefania
Watson K1GJY, and Tim Watson KB1HNZ, from Saco, Maine,
who made a total of 129 QSOs
in 122 different towns. Both surpassed the 100 QSO mark, and beat the
previous
multiplier record of 95, which was set during the 2016 contest.
Congratulations on a job well done!
CATEGORY
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile |
POWER LEVEL
QRP
Medium
High
QRP
Medium
High |
CALL SIGN
W1CPS
KB1YTR
No Logs
KB1YYC
K1GJY / KB1HNZ
No Logs
|
NAME
Charlie Shepard
Ryan Michaelson
Dakota Dumont
Stefania & Tim Watson
|
QSOs
/ MULTS
18 / 10
67 / 35
32 / 10
129 / 122
|
FINAL SCORE
180
2345
320
15738
|
For the beginning of the
contest, the weather was overcast, but the expectation of heavy snow
kept many off the road. Only three logs, including the overall winners,
and QRP mobile operator, Dakota Dumont KB1YYC, took to the streets. By
about 1 pm, there were numerous reports of light to moderate snow
thoughout
York County, and by the time the husband and wife team of K1GJY and
KB1HNZ reached the Poland and Oxford areas near the end of the contest,
the snow was very heavy, making travel treacherous.
Similar to years past, the most popular categories were the
medium-powered classes, and the most competitive, by way of a close
finish, came
out of the Medium Mobile category, where there was a tie. The previous
year, K1GJY and KB1HNZ were only separated by a single QSO and a single
multiplier. Another
close finish came in the QRP fixed category, where for the third year
in a row, Charlie Shepard W1CPS, and his wife, Cindy W1CJS, were in a
heated battle for the
class title - this time with Charlie coming out on top.
Two of the strongest signals in Southern Maine, as well as call signs
that appeared in many logs, were those of Ryan Michaelson KB1YTR, who
was operating from the Cumberland County EMA facility, in Windham, and
Steve Hanks WZ1J, from Brunswick. Ryan finished first in the Medium
Fixed category, with 67 QSOs and 37 multipliers, for a total of 2,345
points.
Other Medium Class notables:
CATEGORY
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
|
CALL SIGN
KB1FGF
W1WMG
KC1AMQ
KB1ZLV
|
NAME
David Wood
Thom Watson
Annette Dumont
Bert Dumont
|
QSOs
/ MULTS
58 / 35
51
/ 28
32 / 18
7 / 6
|
FINAL SCORE
2030
1428
576
42
|
In the QRP classes, the mobile entry of Dakota Dumont had the highest
score, but
Charlie and Cindy Shepard, who entered as QRP Fixed, did an impressive
job as well. Charlie captured 18 QSOs and 10
multipliers, and Cindy made 15 QSOs, in 8 different towns. Dakota won
the QRP Fixed
category three times in the past four years, but this was his first
entry as a mobile.
David Wood KB1FGF put in a solid effort in the Medium Fixed
category, making 38 QSOs in 35 different towns. This was the
first time since his mobile effort in 2014, that Dave entered one of
the medium powered categories.
The
Wireless Society of Southern Maine
took the top club score with a record 38,517 points.
Despite the weather this year, the contest saw
incresed activity, (although not in the mobile categories). Over the
past few years we've supported multiple groups around the country and
are happy to share our rules format and ideas
for
promoting similar SIMPLEX events. We're open to new ideas too,
and
continually try to improve the 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge to make it
more fun and competitive. Currently under consideration is the idea of
moving
the contest to a date in the spring or early summer. Keep an eye on our
website and social media for further updates and announcements.
2017
2 Meter FM Simplex Visual Study
2017 Maine 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge Point-to-Point study.
Orange - K1GJY, Green - KB1YTR, Purple - W1CPS
Coverage
Analysis for KB1YTR (operating from the CCEMA facility, in Windham, ME)
Coverage
Analysis for KC1AMQ (operating from Greene, ME)
Contest
Soapbox
Tim
Watson KB1HNZ wrote: "As
we were faced with a blizzard the afternoon of the contest,
many of
the participants quickly switched to SKYWARN operations as soon as it
was over, including Dakota Dumont, who arrived at NWS Gray to get the
net started. Thanks to all those who stayed on the air and offered
their weather reports, and also to those who kept the net running
throughout the evening and into the next morning. Although we all like
to participate in fun events like this contest, its our commitment to
public service and our communities that demonstrates the true spirit of
amateur radio."
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