[NLRS] Trial Balloon: Sept 10gigs Contest

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

This email is going out on the NLRS reflect, but I will focus the resulting
follow-up communications.    If you are a 10 gigger, or interested in this
stuff, read on.   If not, hit the delete key.

Hot on the heals of our successful exploration around Lake Superior last
week, there has been some talk about what to do for Part II of the 10gigs
contest.   Part II is one month later; Sept 18 and 19.    The intent of
this email is to offer some suggestions and to start some dialogue ....
nothing has been set, no one is intent on one plan over another.

Option 1:    Return to Lake Superior with Op's switching ends.   The UP
guys go to the NS and the NS guys go to the UP.     One advantage of this
is that we can all swap information as to where to go, etc.    It would be
fun to continue to play 10 gigs over the Lake to see what propagation she
has to offer.    The downside is that not everyone would most likely be
able to go, especially on the UP side as it takes some planning and travel
(like 900 miles or so).

Option 2:   Do some things around the Cities (much like last year).    This
was definitely lots of fun last year, but really didn't net a lot of
points.

Option 3:   Sisseton (SDak).     Its about 4 hours west of the Twin Cities.
My best DX was EN15KP (Sisseton) to KC0P in EN34PA for 394 km.   I also
worked numerous guys in the 270 to 325 km range.    A group could depart
either Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning, overnight in Sisseton,
and return on Sunday.  From most of the operating areas out there, the
useable shots are from about 300 degrees clockwise through to about 160
degrees or so.    Here is a topozone link to one spot:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=14&n=5056906.00015262&e=644380.000012733&datum=nad83
 .    One advantage of working from this spot is that we can work from
VE4MA to W0PHD to K0AWU to VE3KRP to Elk Mound to the Cities and to
Rochester so that some groups could go out Sat., Sunday, or both days and
work us.    Those groups could travel every 10 miles and rework us ....
they could travel closer if conditions were bad or their equipment not
capable, or, if conditions are good, drive away from us to increase the
distance points.    10gigs op's who perhaps were less seasoned could team
up with more seasoned ops as they travelled.   There is cell phone coverage
if we set up in the right spots ... if you cross the ridge more to the west
you loose it.   If this looks like a good plan, I would go and ask for
several others to join me.   I would like to re-explore the possibility of
using TWO frequencies  in order to speed up the QSO throughput rate.   What
we would need to do is to determine who may be interested in going to
Sisseton, then have that group meet to test our equipment all together to
find a split that works.    At the same time we would need some stations to
"stay home" to organize a group, or groups, to work back towards Sisseton.
If there are more than one "local" group they may be able to work each
other before moving for more points, but in any case, we should have some
basic plans established as to who is going where when.

Option 4:  Other.   If you have some other thoughts or ideas now is the
time to voice them.

Let me know what you think of the above.    Even if your not sure what you
think, but you are going to be around and would like to operate Sept 11 and
12, drop me a line and let me know.   Send your reply to me direct to keep
traffic off the reflector and I will collect all input and re-issue.    We
have just three weeks.

73, Jon
W0ZQ