[ILQSO] Rover/Mobile

[Carl Buehler]

*( spoiler alert: some whining may be detected )*

2023 was FUN.  Thanks to all who hung in there with me to complete qso's!
This was my third time doing the county line thing and certainly the most
successful.  To do this properly takes planning.  Not only do you need to
double and triple check that every station component is working, packed,
ready for rapid deployment (there are no more Radio Shacks down the road to
grab a connector), and don't forget the McDonalds drink cup in case human
water waste needs to be released inside the vehicle; the site needs serious
attention.  I start with the past history of under-represented counties,
study the Illinois Atlas for possible locations, look at Google Earth to
confirm or reject possibilities, and finally make a drive out to verify
where a station might be legally and safely set up.  All of this is
rewarding because we make valuable multipliers available to the 'big guys'
to jack up scores, until . . . . . . . .

Being a small fish in a big sea is rough (here comes the whining).  You CAN
have fun with 100W from a generator into a mobile whip antenna using a
tuner, but in a contest it gets miserable at times.  The QRM and QSB can
just hammer you, while you sit there knowing that many of those stations
would like to get you in the log if they knew you were there waiting for
them.

Has there ever been any consideration for some sort of gentleman's
agreement to setting aside a band segment for CW rover/portable "calling",
say .030-.035?  The way I see it, this is a win-win for both rarer county
operation and those seeking them.  Just a thought.  I realize other
arrangements like DX windows are not observed faithfully.

Looking forward to next year.  One more thing, if anyone knows of some of
the harder to find counties over in Missouri within an hour or two from St.
Louis, let me know.  73 to all, Carl -k9za