[50mhz] Fwd: [PNWVHFS] Current Plans for the K5N Grid Activation Group for 2012

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[PNWVHFS] Current Plans for the K5N Grid Activation Group for 2012
Date: 	Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:29:36 +0000
From: 	Marshall Williams <k5qe at sabinenet.com>
Reply-To: 	k5qe at sabinenet.com
To: 	Pacific NW VHF Society <PNWVHFS at googlegroups.com>



Hello to everyone interested in Grids and grid chasing on 6M. Below is our group's
plans for the coming year. We wanted to make this announcement now in order to allow
everyone to be ready for us in June. We emphasize again that things might change, but
we hope that will not happen. I just got back from a physical reconnaissance of the
area down there. I spent about 4 days and drove about 1800 miles--looking at and
evaluating various places in the Big Bend area. It was a long trip......

Hopefully, we will be able to get to DL88 and the other location all OK. We want to
"clean up" a lot of the grids down in that area. We are planning all 4 Wheel Drive
vehicles, good antennas, and QRO power(only part time in DL88). Please look for us
this summer in these highly sought after grids. Thanks...

73 Marshall
Member of the K5N Group



BEGIN ANNOUNCEMENT******************

THE K5N GRID ACTIVATION GROUP PLANS FOR 2012

Hello everyone interested in FFMA or Grid chasing. The K5N Grid Activation Group(aka
the K5N Group) is working on our plans for 2012. After getting wiped out in 2011, we
are planning again. We want to mount DXpeditions that will benefit as many stations
as possible.

We want to let everyone to know what grids we intend to activate and when we intend
to do that. We are looking at June 19th through June 26th--that is a few days before
Field Day and includes the FD weekend. We are planning a DXpedition divided into two
groups. These two groups will be in the field at the same time, located in different
grids, using different frequencies, and different calls. Here is the basic plan.
Please understand that these plans are subject to change.

Each group will consist of 4 operators, an antenna vehicle, and a support vehicle.
Here is a possible timetable:
June 19 Drive to the Big Bend area
June 20 Drive to final location and begin setup. If setup goes well, we might operate
some this night.
June 21 Operate
JUne 22 Operate
June 23 Operate--Field Day(1/2 day)
June 24 Operate--Field Day(1/2 day)
June 25 Tear down and begin the drive out
June 26 Finish drive home

GROUP 1--DL88. Obviously, this is the really hard one. In a fit of stupidity, we are
going to try this one again. We will be using a big 4 x 4 pickup truck with a short
tower mounted on a rack. The total height of the antenna will be approximately 20ft
above the ground(remember that Talley2 is about another 15ft above the surrounding
terrain). The antenna will be 2 x 6M5X mounted side by side as H-pol with full AZ and
EL. We will operate Es whenever we can, most probably using 100W of power. We will
operate some MS at favorable times, but it is unlikely that we will run all night
long. Our call in DL88 will be K5N.

When EME conditions are favorable, we will operate EME with 1000W out. This is going
to be difficult, because the Park will not allow a generator in DL88. That means that
we will have to run QRO off batteries. We will be doing a lot of battery charging. My
plan is to use one set of very large batteries for EME while we are charging another
set of batteries for normal operations.

The EME operation is to help those that are located just outside the normal single
hop limit, but too close for double hop. By posting our plans now, it also enables
anyone that wants this extremely rare grid to get their 6M EME station in order. You
know what we will have, so it will behoove you to make sure that you have enough on
your end to make the trip....i.e. more goo and more aluminum.

GROUP 2--Activate a Second Location. We want to choose this Second Location to
maximize the value to the FFMA community. Listed in order of preference, our choices
appear to be:
A)The Grid Line DL79-DL89. I have found a possible place to set up on the DL79-DL89
grid line. There is a nice location right on the DL79-DL89 line in the Big Bend Ranch
State Park.
B)DL79 only. There are several places that we can set up in DL79. All are along US67
north of Presidio, TX.

NOTE: As soon as the Second Location is finalized, we will let everyone know. Group 2
CAN have a generator, so they will be running QRO at all times. This will make things
a lot easier. We may run an 8877 for 6m or one of M2's KW solid state amps. The
antenna will be a 6M5X. The call used by Group 2 will be N5K.

Again this year, Joey-W5KFT has consented to be our QSL Manager. Please send ALL QSL
cards to him with an SASE, not to the traveling members. The traveling members will
not have blank cards to send out. NO SASE to Joey means NO QSL card.

We are willing to listen to "Intelligent" suggestions concerning our plans. The K5N
Group will decide what suggestions are "Intelligent" and which ones will go to the
bit bucket. Please send any suggestions to me directly--k5qe (at) sabinenet.com.

The K5N Grid Activation Group is hoping for a great year in 2012. Not only for
ourselves, but for all the other groups that are planning on activating the various
grids around the country. GL to us all!!!

73 de the K5N Grid Activation Group
A Grid Bandits DXpedition
http://www.kcvhfgridbandits.com

-- 
~The Voice of the Pacific NorthWest VHF Society~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PNWVHFS"
group.
To post to this group, send email to PNWVHFS at googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to PNWVHFS-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/PNWVHFS