[AK-VHF] Rover Run Complete

Wed Jun 17 14:22:47 EDT 2020

Hello group,

The digital modes are definitely the go-to thing these days. Finding 
ways to include those in our club activities could be really helpful in 
attracting more participation up here. In September I'll be doing a more 
limited rover route due to the MARA hamfest taking place on Saturday. 
Since I won't be traveling as much I'm thinking about taking Sunday as a 
day to try out using digital modes from the rover.

If anyone has an interest just let me know and we can try some things. I 
can picture things like RTTY being great for quick local contact, modes 
like JT65 and FT8 being used for long haul work.

I don't think I will have it ready for the September event, but I am 
also planning to greatly increase my 6 M capability on the rover. I will 
be designing a direct-feed (50 ohm) 3-element beam that I can mount on 
the rotator stack. A 6 M horizontal yagi will stick out beyond the sides 
of the truck somewhat, so my idea is to make it fold up for travel.

One idea is to use telescoping tubing sizes (common on yagis) and make 
the outermost pieces "quick disconnect" using wing nuts, cotter pins, or 
something equally simple. The other option is to use elements that have 
a hinge a few feet from the boom, allowing the outermost sections of 
each element to rotate in towards the boom. A lot it depends on what I 
can obtain here in Alaska. For example, the local metal yards can't (or 
won't) get 1/2" tubing except on $500+ special order.

Construction methods aside, that would give me more gain on the best 
band to use for long-haul contacts, and I wouldn't have to take the 
whole antenna down when moving between grids.

Brandon

On 6/16/20 5:52 AM, Paul Kiesel via ak-vhf wrote:
>   Ed,
> There was some activity on 50.125, but most active contesters now have migrated to 50.313 and are using FT8 mode. Unfortunately, that is the place to be now. On the other hand, FT8 is more sensitive than CW or SSB and a user in Alaska is more likely to be discovered down here if he uses FT8.
> All too often, we miss QSOs with a station that a neighbor works 10 miles away via E skip. That's the nature of the beast. Very often, though, just waiting on the frequency will get you a contact with that station. Not always, but often.
> 73, Paul K7CW
>
>      On Monday, June 15, 2020, 11:11:07 PM PDT, Edward R Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
>   
>   Ken,
>
> Sounds like an interesting trip.  Noted in the news that smoke waslimiting travel on the old Murphy Dome road; wonder if you encounteredany?
>
> VHF Contests up here start out on 144.200 SSB; I started calling on 6mabout 1820+ but on 50.125 SSB.  Probably no one down in the lower-48does that anymore.  Heard no openings to the south; K3 was on 6m allday.  Mid-afternoon (2100ish) is tried to get FT8 running on 50.313,but had audio problems in Rx.  I did hear a strong signal briefly inthe speaker (like a carrier).  Too often Es skip over us up toBP64-land.
>
> Good memories of your first rove in AK.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>
>
>
> At 09:52 PM 6/15/2020, Ken K wrote:
>
> Sat morning, I started in BP46,about 25 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Activated 6 grids on Saturday,then a severe wx lightning forecast for my route Sunday led me to stayaround Fbks and work some more locals.
>
> Paul, there WAS an opening to the PNW, for about 10 minutes at the startof the contest. VE7DX, Perry and I spotted each other on ft-8, butcouldn't close with RR. He did work into BP64 successfully, but I wasabout 120 miles north of there. I spotted another VE7 and even K5CM, butit was all over by 1815. Crazy band.
>
> Ed, we'll make that long path yet. And I still have the 3 pathfindercertificates hanging in the shack (Shannon KL3JI has them as well)Looking back, my best roving score was the Jan 2010 contest, when I ranfrom Homer-Fairbanks for the first time. 1,764 points was good enough towin the Northwestern Division and West Coast Region in Limited Rover,thanks to lots of help from lots of folks, and bad winter wx in the PNWand west coast that weekend. I got lucky. Good fun!
>
> 73,
> Ken NL7B
> On Monday, June 15, 2020, 11:14:48 AM AKDT, Edward R Cole<kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
>
>
> Agreed!  Both Brandon-KL7BSC signing KL7VHF/R and Ken - NL7B/R made
> this VHF Contest very enjoyable.
>
> I worked 22 QSO's on 50/144/222/432 in five grids.  What was
> surprising was to work a couple stations north of me with my 6m yagi
> fixed pointed SE.  The rovers activated the grids (two of which
> normally have no activity.  I think Brandon qualifies for the
> Pathfinder Award
> <https://www.qsl.net/a/ak-vhf//Awards/>https://www.qsl.net/a/ak-vhf//Awards/
> from the AK VHF Group.  Ken was our first Pathfinder in 2011 usingNL7HJ.
>
> Other long-shot was that NL7B received my weak signal on 144 SSB over
> a path of approx 350-miles passing thru the Alaska Rang to Murphy
> Dome NW of Fairbanks (dog-leg shot).  Ken was using a 4-element yagi
> for receiving; I ran 140w into my four 10-element eme array Pointed
> az=021 Which crosses over 4,000 foot Mt. Susitna about 70-miles north
> of me.  Pretty sure if a couple yagis (10 or 12 element were used we
> could have had a 2-way contact).
>
> Haven't worked up my score, as yet.
>
> 73, ED - KL7UW
>
> At 07:15 AM 6/15/2020, Paul Kiesel via ak-vhf wrote:
>>    Brandon, well done. Looking forward to seeing theresults.
>> 73, Paul K7CW
>>
>>      On Sunday, June 14, 2020, 11:55:55 PM PDT, BrandonClark
>> <kl7bsc at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>    Hello everyone,
>>
>> After a 4 hour delay in Turnagain construction traffic I'm backin
>> Anchorage again. I'll send out more details tomorrow, but the shirtversion
>> is that this is a new record for the club river station. 61contacts.
>> Full details tomorrow.
>> 73,
>> Brandon, KL7BSC
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> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>    http://www.kl7uw.com
> Dubus-NA Business mail:
>    dubususa at gmail.com
>
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>
>   73, Ed - KL7UW
>   http://www.kl7uw.com
> Dubus-NA Business mail:
>    dubususa at gmail.com
> ______________________________________________________________
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