[NLRS] Tropo & Rovermania ... can it happen ?

[Barry Malowanchuk]

Hi Jon & All,

I will be around this weekend but do not expect to be active.  I have to
finish my 47 GHz EME transmitter ......QSO #1 is in hot persuit !  Any spare
time I have will be used in preparing the 4 ft dish and 10 Ghz TWT for the
Lake Superior effort.

That said if there is a strong tropo I will get on.

Sorry I can't do more to support your efforts this time

Best 73
Barry VE4MA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jcplatt1 at mmm.com>
To: <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2004 11:26 AM
Subject: [NLRS] Tropo & Rovermania ... can it happen ?


>
>
>
>
> Those who know me know that I like to follow the weather ... a hobby
within
> a hobby.   Those who are knowledgeable about VHF & UHF and who have been
> around for a couple of seasons know that August & September are THE months
> for tropo here in the upper Midwest.
>
> Over the last couple of days I've seen that shift in our weather pattern
> (via the NWS) that are typical for August & September and that signals the
> start of our tropo season.    Weather fronts become a bit more undefined
as
> patterns get sluggish and the dew points start to go into the upper 60's
> and 70's.   Water vapor is an important element for tropo propagation so
> with the increase in humidity comes the increase chances for tropo.
>
> We can see the Hepburn Index reflecting these changes .... check out Sat,
> Sunday, and especially Monday's tropo forecast for us at
> http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/tropo.html  .... pretty nice looking huh.
>
> Is it possible that we could have good tropo conditions for Rovermania,
> .... YES.   Is it guaranteed, NO.   If it does shows up, do you want to be
> the one to miss it, NO.
>
> Rich will recall being active from Buck Hill as a small multi-op during
the
> UHF contest and working W8's and W4's on 1296 with 10 watts.   Two or
three
> years ago we had some excellent "local" enhancement on the bands and we
all
> had a ball.
>
> My point here is to make you all aware that the probability for good
> propagation during Rovermania is there .... will it happen, don't know,
but
> the trends are good and the time of year is right.    Do you want to be
> left out of the fun if we indeed have a major tropo event during
Rovermania
> when so many are active ?
>
> As this is the last weekend before the contest, check out that 222 and up
> equipment and make sure its working.   Also lets hear from some of the
> fixed stations if you are going to be on or not and what bands you may
have
> ..... we haven't heard anything from the EN44 group (for instance).   How
> about activity from the tundra belt; VE4MA, K0AWU, KB0CIM, W0PHD, NT0V ?
> Several of the rovers are going to be doing a 24 hr operation; will there
> be fixed stations to work ?
>
> I am planning a rover systems check this Sat. morning around 9:00 AM with
> W0GHZ, most likely from just across the Cheddar line in Wisc (EN34).
> Look for me on 222.150 and 432.150.
>
> 73, Jon
> W0ZQ
>
> PS:  There is a possibility that we may try to pull together a Rovermania
> article so please make sure to take a couple pictures and document your
> activities so that we can pull this together later.   ALL INPUT WELCOMED.
> In addition, posting to the ARRL's contest soapbox website is very very
> easy, lots of fun, and is a great way for us to publish our activities.
> If you haven't done this before, give it a thought for Rovermania whether
> your a fix station or a rover.
>
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