[ILQSO] KF9D/M Contest Story

[Roger E Scott]

Here's the scoop on the KF9D mobile IQP experience. 
For us (KF9D and W9HB), the 
contest activities essentially start on Saturday after
lunch.  At that time, we start to load 
all the equipment to transform the family van into a
contest station for the weekend.  
Here comes the understatement of the year; it is so
much easier to find and fix the 
problems while sitting in your driveway ahead of time
than to fix them on the side of the 
road in a panicked-state during the middle of the
contest.  So, Saturday afternoon after 
loading all the equipment, we are busy testing -
looking for anything we can possibly find 
before the contest starts.  Using the final
configuration, we go through all the bands 
checking for any interference, rfi, hash, or whatever
else that may slow progress during 
the contest.

So what does the equipment list look like for KF9D/M? 
Here is the rundown, with a lot 
of redundancy in case of equipment failure.  
HF Transmitting rig: TS450S with autotuner.
Back-up HF rig/spotting receiver: TS430S.  If you
think it is fun trying to get the 
interference down at field day because of too many
close transmitters, try doing it in one 
vehicle with antennas and rigs 3 feet apart all
operating from the same power source.  
That is what it takes to get a spotting receiver to
work next to the transmitter.
Computers: two identical IBM Thinkpads configured
identically with 12 to 16 volt 
inverter supplies, one for logging and one for
APRS/navigation with GPS receiver.  They 
can be quickly interchanged in case of failure.
Antennas: Homebrew antenna number 1 allows
simultaneous operation on 3 bands, either 
40/20/15/10 meters.  Subscribing to the theory that
size does matter, homebrew antenna 
number 2 is a trailer hitch mounted monster for 40 or
80 meters.  This antenna gets really 
strange looks while on the highway, all part of the
fun, right?  I noted one passing car 
taking our picture as we motored down the interstate! 
A coax switch arrangement 
connects the proper antenna to the proper rig.  Band
changes are instantaneous with the 
flip of a switch.  Backup antenna: multiband Outbacker
with roof magmount.
2 Meters: Dual-band HT with 60 watt amp to 5/8 wave
roof mounted antenna.

Sunday morning arrives.  The van engine starts at 6:50
am, and is never turned off until 
safely back in the driveway at 9:30 pm.  With the high
gas prices we decide to forgo the 
extra expense of an overnight stay, instead opting for
a marathon day on the road. With 
275 miles to the start, we turn on the 2-meter APRS
station.  The pre-contest trip 
progresses, and turning down the final one-lane gravel
road while carefully watching the 
low-hanging branches, the GPS navigation and computer
mapping come in handy to 
confirm the starting 3-county corner.  About a mile
from the start, we come to a sign that 
reads At Grade Crossing.  What does that mean? Well,
it means that we are about to cross 
a creek without a bridge!  Luckily in October, the
creek is dry.  As we approach the start 
point, there are no signs at all indicating a county
change.  This is rural!  (See the IQP 
photo area for this location)  After we transmit a
couple of spots on our starting point, we 
turn off the APRS transmitter for the contest period.

As the contest begins, conditions seem a little
different that I had expected.  The bands 
are good with several strong signals, but the
propagation seems spotty.  Forty meters is 
super all day long, although our log indicates fewer
in-state stations than I expect.  
Twenty is quite long with Europeans present, but not
too strong to my mobile ears.  The 
spotty propagation does not diminish the activity
level.  It is super, and we are able to run 
great rates while mobile.  Several times I note the
rate meter above 150 QSOs per hour on 
CW.  That is about as much fun as one can have while
flying down the highway.  The 
great rates have a slight down side, if you want to
call it that.  It is nearly impossible to 
break away from the pile-ups to search for
multipliers.  Even with the spotting receiver, 
there are many times that I elect to stay with the
pile-up and not chase the good multiplier 
that is found.  

The route is well planned ahead of time.  Partner W9HB
is a wizard at preparing a written 
route with simple turn-by-turn direction along with
miles, times, and landmarks to the 
next county line.  He has this down to a science,
taking the uncertainty out of the course.  
Completing the operation from the 21 planned-counties
on schedule with no equipment 
issues and no wrong turns, we discuss our contest
observations as we finish the drive 
home.  The RTTY contest was really a problem on 40
meters late in the afternoon 
because, although in great shape, we spent less time
on the band than desired due to the 
severe RTTY congestion.  The one hour earlier contest
finish this year meant an extra 
hour of overlap with the RTTY guys.  Also, the earlier
finish meant less time on 80 
meters, which, even from the mobile, was producing
good rates during the low sun spots.  
We continue to muse about how popular the contest has
become.  Perhaps this is the time 
to include some additional categories so that further
recognition is possible, such as a 
Rover category.  As envisioned, the Rover would just
do county line operation, while a 
mobile would be in-motion the whole time.   A properly
sized bonus for each county 
activated could provide further incentive for the
mobile operator to cover as many 
counties as possible, and isn't that the whole idea
behind the contest?  

Completing the drive home, the odometer logs 676 miles
for the day.  Forty-five minutes 
later, the radios, cables, computers, and antennas are
all removed, and the contest vehicle 
is returned to family van status so my teenage
daughter can ride in it the next day without 
being embarrassed to tears.

Here is the claimed breakdown summary on the KF9D/M
effort.
Counties Operated From: 21
80m 187 QSOs
40m 678 QSOs
20m 173 QSOs
2 m  15 QSOs
TOTAL  1053 QSOs

CW QSOs 1035
PH QSOs   18

Counties 45
S&P      37
DX        4
TOTAL Mult 86

A huge thanks to the RAMS group and Jim, N9JF, for
their collective efforts to make this 
event successful.  Also, a big thanks to the many
in-state and out-of-state stations that 
chased and worked us repeatedly as we changed
counties.  I can't think of a more 
enjoyable way to spend an October day.

73, Roger KF9D