[NLRS] 10gigs this weekend (kinda long)

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

Hello NLRS land and fellow 10gig'ers.    This weekend marks the first part
of the two part ARRL's 10 GHz and Up contest.    The second part will be
September 17 and 18.

As many of you know, in past years we have deployed groups around Lake
Superior (MN North Shore, MI UP, WI, VE3).   Each year that "operation" has
became larger and more complex.    In the beginning, some years ago,  it
was just a few guys going up for the day to play.   In comparision, last
year I think we had somewhere around forty (yes, forty) 10 gig op's
involved.    Remember not to long ago when a few of us had 5 mW WBFM units
and working a few kilometers was a thrill ?   My my, how things have
changed.

Coordination of such microwave activity is not easy.   It presents many
challenges.   We are lucky to have had great leadership in this area from
WB0LJC, K0SHF, W9FZ, N0KP, and others.   This is what makes our club what
it is.    In previous years when we went to Lake Superior we had endless
discussion around which op would go to which side (BTW, the MI guys would
have to leave a day early and get home a day later), how to liaison
(coordinate), how to move as a rover pack, should we run split frequencies
on 10368, etc, etc, etc.    Throw in 40 guys with 57 different opinions and
its a leadership and organizational challenge for all of us.     For some
people want to go fast, for some people want to go slow, some op's we
didn't work at all because "fill in the reason here ________ ", some want
to stop to eat, some want to run until late, etc, etc.

This year, in developing our plans for this weekend, we wanted to a) do
something different from the Lake Superior paths, b) include the most
number of people possible while devising a strategy to generate big points
(it is a contest), and c) have fun.     With these objectives our plan this
year is to have one group of operators located at Sisseton, SD while a
second group, a group of rovers, moves through central MN working back to
Sisseton on about 150 to 220 km paths.    By keeping the path length
somewhat shorter we hope to be able to use SSB and thus increasing the QSO
rate.     For those who are in the Twin Cities area, driving to Sisseton is
about a four hour drive one-way, or about a 420 mile round trip commitment.
For the rover pack, we are looking at about a 550 mile commitment.
While the driving time & requirements are down from last year (Lake
Superior), this still represents a significant commitment by those who are
participating ..... no one is getting a "free ride".      Because we expect
the path to be robust (??), our primary liaison will occur on 10gig first,
then cell phones, then 2m SSB.

We invite all 10gig op's who wish to play in this weekends activity to join
either the Sisseton group or the rover pack group, even if its for part of
a day (48 hr participation is NOT required).    However, it is recognized
that some people just cannot join one group or the other.    While the
primary goal is for Sisseton to work the rover pack, the Sisseton group
will be in a superior microwave location and is open to phone calls and
schedules from other non-rover pack ops.     The rover pack will typically
be in average terrain (south central MN) and any path length over say 200
to 250km will be a challenge.   Both the rover pack and Sisseton will be
looking at a secondary fixed location site (Lonsdale on Sat, Vasa on
Sunday) for those who have limited time to play.   Again, a phone call to
the primary phone number at Sisseton and to the rover pack is the best way
to coordinate; the distances from the rover pack to Lonsdale or Vasa are
under about 150 km and should be doable.

So there it is.   Bruce, W9FZ, has covered much of this in an early email.
I wanted to give everyone a second perspective (mine) ..... a perspective
that is history based as well as process based.      Our desire is that for
those who are seriously interested that they join either the rover pack or
the group at Sisseton.     At the same time, these two groups are not going
to be exclusively working just each other and are open for calls, skeds,
etc ..... just please realize that the primary goal is indeed for Sisseton
to work the rover pack and at as rapid a pace as possible (it is a
contest).

In the end, participate and have fun.    Learn some new things, try some
new things.   Travel.    See what its like to be a rover.

Next year, its back to Lake Superior.

73, Jon
W0ZQ