[Mich VHF UHF Society] C6ATA in the ARRL June VHF Contest

[David Pruett]

The ARRL June VHF Contest is a week away (June 10-11, 2017). A small 
team of four operators, including one MIVUS member will be part of that 
operation using the callsign C6ATA from Eleuthra Island in the Bahamas 
as an unlimited multi-operator entry which will be active on 50, 144, 
222, 432 and 1296 MHz during the contest.  The team believes that this 
will be the first time 222 MHz has been activated from C6A, and the 
first ever terrestrial activity on 1296 MHz.

There will be activity before and after the contest on both VHF and HF 
by the operating team under various callsigns.  QSL C6ACC via K8CC, 
C6ALY via K6KLY, C6AMG via WB4OMG and C6ATA via NN7AZ or LOTW.

2m will run MSK144 often, and we hope to have 6m QRV on JT65/MSK144.  We 
expect to be on the ON4KST chat pages and PingJockey as long as the 
island Internet service stays on line. The operation will be in grid 
square FL15wc, but watch out for some rover operation in rare FL14 - one 
or more ops may just head out for a bit.

The 2M station will focus on MSK144 for meteor scatter QSOs on or near 
144.144 MHz from 10Z-14Z Sunday morning and during the last 15m minutes 
of each hour (eg., xx45 - xx59) during the contest. Otherwise it will be 
on or near 144.188 for terrestrial QSOs, unless otherwise announced on 
the ON4KST or Pingjockey sites.  It may be possible (depending on the 
reliability of cellular service) to text the 2M op at 734-276-5822 to 
arrange skeds.  The 1400 mile typical maximum range for meteor scatter 
QSOs with C6ATA extends all the way from Eleuthra to southeast 
Michigan.  Keep in mind that there is a minor meteor shower (the 
Aquilids) which occurs during the contest.

C6ATA will be operating from an excellent QTH with clear, over water 
shots to all of the USA.  It will have good antennas and equipment, with 
operators seriously operating the contest.

The C6ATA team is looking forward to working many of you during the 
contest.

73,

Kenny, K2KW/C6ATA
Dave, K8CC/C6ACC
Russ, K6KLY/C6ALY
Buddy, WB4OMG/C6AMG