= NOW 30 WPM = TEXT IS FROM JUNE 2023 QST PAGE 58 = THE SUMMIT. THE PLAN ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO REVIEW THE CONTEST RULES, ALONG WITH THE RULES FOR SOTA AND POTA, BEFORE DOING AN ACTIVATION. THESE THREE ACTIVITIES ARE COMPATIBLE, BUT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES TO CONSIDER. THE EXCHANGE FOR THE VHF CONTEST IS THE FOUR CHARACTER GRID LOCATOR DM78 FOR PIKES PEAK. THE SOTA DESIGNATOR FOR PIKES IS W0C/FR004, AND PIKES PEAK IS LOCATED IN PIKE NATIONAL FOREST, WHICH IS POTA REFERENCE K 4404. TO COVER ALL THREE ACTIVITIES, I GAVE OUT SIGNAL REPORTS, MY GRID LOCATOR, AND PIKES PEAK AS THE LOCATION I FOUND MOST PEOPLE WERE SATISFIED WITH THAT, THOUGH I DID OCCASIONALLY GIVE OUT THE SOTA DESIGNATOR. I DIDNT EXPECT TO RACK UP A HUGE SCORE FOR THE VHF CONTEST, AS I WAS OPERATING FOR JUST ONE AFTERNOON. I CHOSE THE SINGLE OPERATOR, PORTABLE, ANALOG ONLY ENTRY CATEGORY, INTENDED TO BE USED BY PORTABLE STATIONS OPERATING WITH UP TO 10 W OF POWER OUTPUT. MY GOAL WAS TO MAKE AT LEAST 50 QSOS USING FM, SSB, AND CW, PRIMARILY ON 6 METERS, 2 METERS, AND 70 CENTIMETERS. MY PRIMARY RADIO WAS AN ICOM IC 705 DRIVING AN END FED HALF WAVE ANTENNA FOR 6 METERS, A THREE ELEMENT YAGI FOR 2 METERS, AND A HANDHELD FIVE ELEMENT YAGI FOR 70 CENTIMETERS. I USED A = END OF 30 WPM TEXT = QST DE W1AW <