[NLRS] Contest planning: June VHF contest, Rovermania (Aug UHF) & 10gigs

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

Hello NLRS land.   I have three topics to cover, all related to contesting.
This is a bit long, for that I apologize.    If you don't like contesting
and have no interest in it, please hit your delete key now.

June VHF Contest (June 11/12)
Hard to believe that its already mid-May and the June VHF contest is just
four weekends away.     As you may recall, the June contest is also an
affiliated club competition.    My current plans for the June contest are
to rove, mostly to check out my set-up and equipment for Rovermania and to
have some fun.   I hope to have 6m through 10gigs.    Is anyone in NLRS
land planning a June VHF multi-op or a significant full time single-op
effort ?   If so, I can make sure my rover plans include close support of
your efforts.    Lets hear some chatter as to who's up to what.    This is
a reflector that we just sent some club money too, so lets get our dollars
worth of digital ether.

Rovermania  (August 6/7)
Many of you recently saw my presentation of last years Rovermania at Au'05.
Rovermania II will be bigger and even better this year as we learn from
what worked and what didn't from last year.     I will be roving, again
with 222 through 10gigs.    I'm looking for a show of hands for those who
are currently planning on roving and those who are planning to operate from
home ..... I'll start a list so that we can get organized a bit.    The
list IS NOT, repeat, IS NOT cast in concrete but is rather an attempt to
start to organize at a preliminary level.    We all recognize that plans
change .... this is a hobby.    You can reply direct or via the reflector
.... again, more chatter please.

10 Gig & Up Contest (August 20/21 and September 10/11)
And this brings up the 10 gigs contest.    For the last several years there
has been a growing group of 10gig op's that has travelled to the UP of
Michigan to work those on the MN and VE3 side of the lake.   Its been a lot
of fun.    In 2004, we gave the Red River Valley to Sisseton a try during
the second weekend and, despite the high wind warnings, demonstrated that
its capable of generating a good score (too).    Also fun.   Regarding the
Lake Superior efforts, the downside is that a group has to make a
significant trip to the UP, spending both $$$ and perhaps vacation time,
etc., to do so.   This is in contrast to what is doable via the
Sisseton/Red River Valley senecio which is closer to home (for most of us).
Since the 2004 contest, there has been discussion about where do we go for
2005.     If we were to do the Lake Superior trip again, it would most
likely be the first weekend of the contest which is August 20/21, and we
need to look at planning (reservations mostly).    My primary question is
this ..... are there seven or more 10gig op's who would be interested in
travelling to the Michigan UP side, YES or NO.    If NO, then the
discussion may be over and we can concentrate on doing a Sisseton operation
for both weekends.    If the answer is YES, then we need to see if there is
a group of op's that would be interested in travelling the northshore of MN
and perhaps VE3 to support them.    We should all understand that not
everyone is going to like the final group plan, whatever it is, and that
some may choose to do something different.    We should all recognize that
that is just fine and we should support everyone's efforts to get on and
play on 10gigs.    So, again a show of hands ..... which do you prefer.
Plan A : Do the NS/UP the first weekend and Sisseton/Red River Valley the
second.   If so, would you be willing to travel to the UP of Michigan ?
Plan B :  Establish a plan to work the Sisseton/Red River Valley for both
weekends where we would establish two groups with the groups alternating
ends for the two weekends (as best possible)  There could be refinements of
Plan B too.

Let me know what your thoughts and opinions are on all the above.

73, Jon
W0ZQ