[NLRS] Rovermania: Reaching out to others to generate growth

[Todd Sprinkmann]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gerald" <geraldj at ispwest.com>
To: <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2005 9:43 AM
Subject: RE: [NLRS] Rovermania: Reaching out to others to generate growth


>
>
> On Sat, 2005-06-18 at 12:11 -0500, Bruce Richardson wrote:
>>
>> Adding to the discussion.  I think most rovers have a grip (or continue 
>> to
>> work on) being efficient for the fixed stations too.  As a rover, I
>> appreciate fixed ops who have many bands.
>
>> Bruce Richardson - W9FZ
>
> Its that efficient band switching that discourages me and others. There
> can be many home stations without the wherewithal to own many bands or
> without the room for a workable 2m array, yet they can have a monobander
> on 432. Running the bands without pause leaves them totally out. That
> gets so discouraging they may quit UHF completely, which means contacts
> and points permanently gone.
> -- 
>>>Gerald,

>>> I agree wholeheartedly that a home station with say, only 432 will 
>>> easily
get discouraged and quit UHF completely.
       I assume (always a bit risky) that anyone reading this realizes that 
if you
are truly interested in working stations on 50 and above, you have to start 
with
either 50 or 144, and then add bands as time and circumstances permit.
      While 222, 432 are great bands and can offer more gain for the antenna 
$$
spent, I sure hope any brave soul who only has 432 realizes that they are
probably missing 80-90% of what is out there.  That would be a shame.
      When in the shack, I'm usually working 6, because of the skip 
potential.
Then I'm watching the S-meter on my dual band rig for 144 and 432.  Over
the past two years, I can count on one hand the number of times a random
QSO pops up on 432.  While good people can debate the disappointment
factor, at some point, it's just easier to accept that 144 is far more 
utilized for a
number of good reasons.
      1)  The rigs are far more available for 144.
      2)  The beams are more readily available.
      3)  It's a lot easier to hear stations off the side of a 144 beam.
      4)  Going back to the old circular logic, many more people are on 144.

     This is not intended as a bash on 432 or any other band at all.  I 
simply am
stating that to get the initial thrill of weak signal V/UHF opping, a 
station should
really concentrate on either 144 or 50 Mhz, so as to not get discouraged. 
Then
if the interest is really there, the other bands will follow.

     73,
     Todd  KC9BQA


> 73, Jerry, K0CQ
> Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer
> All content copyright, Dr. Gerald N. Johnson
>
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