[NLRS] W0ZQ/R Rovermania results (long)

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

Band     QSOs  Grids
     222       80        17
     432       78        14
     902      44           5
  1296       54          5
  2304       34          4
  3456       37          4
  5760       15          4
10gig       32          3
Totals   374        56 (plus 12 grids activated = 68 multipliers)
Score = 168,504

Here are the total number of QSOs worked from each of the twelve grids:
EN15 = 27      EN25 = 26      EN35 = 30
EN14 = 19      EN24 = 22      EN34 = 48
EN13 = 22      EN23 = 34      EN33 = 33
EN12 = 30      EN22 = 52      EN32 = 31

Soapbox:
Wow, what a hoot !    I started the contest in the EN23/22/33/32 grid
corner near Algona, Iowa.   What a pleasure roving in that neck of the
woods.   Low population, no trees, and thousands of miles of crisscrossing
county roads.   The only bad thing is the corn ... its tall, so I looked
for soybeans.   I worked that grid corner from 1:00 PM until 6:30 PM when I
started to head west.    Those first 5.5 hrs had me going at almost 30 Q's
an hour, so between that and moving about, I was pretty busy !    As a
result I did miss a lot of unique grid-stations and rovers.   Its always a
struggle to figure out whether its better to sit in a grid for a while and
look for new stations or to move on .... in my case I had a schedule and I
was going to stick to it.   Maybe next time I'll do less grids so I can
spend more time in each.

During the trip across EN22 over to the EN12/13 grid corner I worked
N0HJZ/R a couple of times and the K0NY/KB0THN rover team while in motion
(not a recommend practice).   I wanted to get over to EN12 before dark but
didn't quite make it.   As a result, I really don't know what my operating
spots in EN12 and EN13 were like as it was pitch black .... I could have
been beaming into 120 acres of corn for all I know.    While in EN12 I was
able to work the K0NY/KB0THN rover team yet again, thanks Jim and Clare !

>From the Orange City EN12/13 grid corner it was north along Hwy 75.   Since
this runs right by KM0Ts house, I stopped by to drop off Mikes new NLRS
windbreaker (free delivery), check out his station, shake his hand, and was
back on the road north bound.   While at Mikes I had a chance to look at
the radar and saw a line of nasty thunderstorms on a collision course with
me up in EN14 & 15 .... perhaps a rain scatter opportunity ?    While
heading north but still in EN13 I did find a better spot to work the Cities
on the high bands and picked up some more Q's there.

EN14 and 15 were easier for me as I had pre-scouted my operating locations.
Both locations have good views in most directions, so I was optimistic
about working stuff from there.   I arrived in EN14 (Lake Benton) at about
1:00 AM Sunday morning with lightening just to my northwest so I was a bit
nervous, especially setting up the 10gigs dish.    While I enjoy 10gigs, I
didnt want to die with my 10gigs dish welded to my hand.   To my surprise I
was not able to work the Cities on 10gig from there .... I'm thinking that
perhaps the atmospherics (tropo) in front of those thunderstorms was doing
something to us.   As a result EN14 had my lowest QSO count.

>From EN14 I stayed north on Hwy 75 up to Madison (MN) and EN15.   On the
drive up I punched through the line of thunderstorms and had moderate rain
but no hail.     Arriving at my EN15 spot at 4:00 am Sunday morning I was
pleasantly surprised to hear GHZ, KP, and CJ all rag chewing on 222.150.
Don't these guys have something better to do ?   From EN15, on the back
side of the line of thunderstorms, I was able to work the Cities on all
bands up through 10 gigs.   I don't think it was rain scatter as there was
no distortion on any of the signals.    On 5.7 we did it with 200 mW and a
13 dB horn on my end ... that's about a 135 mile path !    I think we did
1296 on SSB.

My 222 through 3456 antennas were mounted on the car, but 5.7 and 10gigs
required setup meaning I had to open the car up.   The results were that in
EN14 and EN15 I filled up the car with mosquitos and other flying bugs ....
my car dome light was the only light source for a many mile radius !   I
had more bugs in the car than there were outside.   Now my dome light is
filled with dead mosquitoes .... I've got to figure out how to pop the
cover to get them all out.

The drive from EN15 over to the Winstead corner (EN24/25/34/35) was
uneventful as I spent most of my time swatting bugs.    I had nearly as
many squished bugs on the inside of the car as the outside.    Falling
asleep isnt a problem when you feel bugs flying up your pant legs.

Having illegally transplanted EN14/15 mosquitos to EN24/25/34/35, I
finished the contest from that grid corner moving around a bit to hand out
contacts and to look for good operating locations.   Compared to Iowa, this
grid corner is a lot tougher.   More trees, less elevation, and where there
is a nice hill with a road over it it often has 8' corn growing around it.
None the less I had some really fun with 902, 1296, 3456, 5760, and 10gig
contacts back into the Cities.    Thanks to WB0LJC/R for those Q's on
Sunday.   Also thanks to KC0P/R and N0HZO/R for some surprise contacts from
over in Wisconsin, especially on 1296 and 10gigs.
After that it was home, a quick dismantling of the rovermobile, a needed
shower, and some sleep.    My trip, about 700 miles and 12 grids, was
uneventful.   No police this time (except for the one I stopped to ask for
directions), and only a couple of people stop to ask me what I was doing or
if I was OK ..... one time someone stop to check on me when I was "slumped
over" filling out my log .... I suppose I looked like I may be dead or
something.     I found that wearing a baseball cap (gotta get a John Deer
one), smiling and waving a bit sure keeps the public happy and they don't
stop as much.

Thanks to the following fixed stations for all the Q's, especially during
those early morning hours from Nowheresville, MN:  KM0T, W0GHZ, N0KP, and
K0CJ.     Also thanks to W0AUS, KA0PQW, and N0GZ who got into my log often.
Thanks to rovers WB0LJC/R, KF0Q/R, W0AMT/R and a big thanks to the
K0NY/KB0THN/R team for all your Q's too.   I wish I would have had more
time to find more of the rovers than I did.

Rovermania was a success.   A big thanks to the NLRS for embracing this
concept and for perhaps sending the UHF contest out with a bang.    Thanks
to Rich, N0HJZ, for his help with the organization and for roving out there
where things are tough.

I know that I had fun, tried some new things, and handed out some new
grids.   This was my first time on 5760 and I was surprised with what you
can do with a very modest set-up on that band.    The new 3456 transverter
and 40 watt Toshiba amp played well as did the new 50 watt 1296 DEM
transverter.   Having all the transverter PTT controlled via +9vdc on the
coax during transmit made the set up and QSY a lot easier, you just change
the IF coax switch from transverter to transverter.   Of course its always
fun to work those long paths on 10gigs with S3 SSB signals.

Make sure to send your logs in to the ARRL.   Also think about writing up a
soapbox for the ARRL's website .... watch for mine in a couple of days.

73, Jon
W0ZQ