[NLRS] NLRS UHF-Contest Rover Mania

[John P. Toscano]

jcplatt1 at mmm.com wrote:

> Back in January I sent out a note discussing the possibility of a mass NLRS
> rover effort for the August UHF contest.   I received eleven replies to
> that January message and the following Op's indicated that they have some
> level of interest.
> 
> ...(snip)...
> W0JT/R   222, 432, 902, 1296, maybe 2304

You can update my intentions to 222, 432, 902, 1296, 2304, 10368.  The 
latter two still aren't on the air yet, but if they arent't ready by 
August, I plan to quit the hobby entirely!  :)

Extremely tentative plans:
   1 hour in each corner of the EN13/14/23/24 grid intersection..... 4 hr
   2 hours to drive north 2 grids................................... 2 hr
   1 hour in each corner of the EN15/16/25/26 grid intersection..... 4 hr
   3 hours to drive east 2 grids.................................... 3 hr
   1 hour in each corner of the EN35/36/45/46 grid intersection..... 4 hr
   2 hours to drive south 2 grids................................... 2 hr
   1 hour in each corner of the EN33/34/43/44 grid intersection..... 4 hr
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   16 grids activated, 23 hours accounted for, 1 hour for "slop"

> Since January we've seen a proposal from an ARRL subcommittee that includes
> a recommendation to eliminate the August UHF contest because its not
> popular.   We have an opportunity to disprove this notion, or at the very
> least, to send this contest out with a bang.   Although there is no club
> competition, NLRS can help to counter a held notation that no one operates
> UHF/microwaves and, oh ya, we can have a little fun doing it too !!

What I'd really love to see is for NLRS members to post top-notch scores 
in EVERY available operating class!  We should plan not only for a whole 
pack of rovers, but at least one big SOHP station, at least one big SOLP 
station, and at least one big Multi-Op station.  As Jon said, maybe we 
can show them that this contest is not dead, but at least if they remain 
unconvinced and kill it off anyway, we can go out with a big bang and 
some publicity for NLRS!

I plan to operate stop-and-shoot, big antennas, fairly ample power (100, 
100, 120, 40, 15, 2 watts respectively).  Minimal setup time needed 
(pull over, push up the telescoping mast) in each grid.  Still thinking 
about adding something for working a few QSO's while on the move, maybe 
a stacked pair of 220 and 432 HOLoops and/or FM verticals for those 
bands, but not sure about that.

Siince there is no QRP Portable category in this contest, maybe someone 
with 3456, 5760, and/or 24 GHz would like to bring those along and 
accompany me on the trip to add to the fun (and score).  I've always 
done the rover thing as a solo, but would love to have a partner along.

I will try to do some work with the NLRS web pages to help with contest 
planning for August.

73 de W0JT