[NLRS] W0ZQ/R Rovermania III Prelim Score (kinda long)

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

Well, that was something.   Hot on the heels of the CSVHFS conference, my
plans were to do a little relaxed, laid back roving to play a little radio.
Little did I know that Rovermania would sweep me up and carry me along like
a tsunami.    In reading various early reports it sure seems like there
were a lot of rovers out and about, and I don't mean just locally.
Perhaps this Rovermania thing is catching some steam.    Yes, if you live
in a more remote area, it can be very quiet, but where the population
density is higher, activity seems to be up ..... we will have to wait for
the formal reporting to say one way or the other.

Saturday found me at the St. Charles grid corner, EN44/43/34/33, where I
tried some 24 gigs with KM0T before the start of the contest ..... it was
no go on this 223 mile path, but Mike was pounding in on 222 thru 10 gigs.
After working Mike right at the start, I immediately found Mel, KC0P/R, and
Carol, N0HZO/R, just to my south in EN33.     Just a few minutes later, it
was John, WA0VPJ/R, also in EN44.    Around 2:30, I found Phil, KF9US/R
over in EN45 and at 2:00 pm it was Bruce, W9FZ/R across the grid in EN43.
N0UK/R, KC0IYT/R, and WB0LJC/R all eventually made it into my log as well
for a total of eight different rovers !     I'm pretty sure that I did not
work this many rovers in Rovermania I or II.    From EN44 it was a short
drive down to EN43, then EN33, all close to the grid corner.   I stopped by
and visited with Mel & Carol for a few minutes.    One of the highlights
from there was working Bruce, W9FZ/R, kiddy corner - on the long diagonal
across the grid - on all bands including 10 gigs .... no computes, no
phones, just some dead reckoning on our part.     My last Q from EN33 was
at 8:23 pm, and the plan was to start home via Hwy 52 to operate from EN34
and then go home for some sleep.    At 9:25 pm I was again operation in
EN34, NNW of Rochester near Hader,and with lightening to my north.   Both
N0KP and W0GHZ were easily worked on 5.7 & 10gig via rainscatter.   By
midnight, I was horizontally polarized and asleep in my own bed.

Sunday morning I was up and out, operational in EN35ab by 7:30 am.    My
first groggy Q's were with John, KB9TLV on 222, 432, and 1296.   I was also
able to work Bob, K2YAZ, EN74, Mich, on 222, 432, 902, and 1296.   Right
after that it was KM0T, EN13, into the log with HUGE signals on 222 thru
10gig .... signals got better the higher we went with S9++ signals on 5.7
and 10 gigs.    Then it was K2DRH in EN41 on 222, 432, 902, and 1296.
While leaving EN35, I heard Dave, N9TTX working Lloyd, WB0ULX in EN04, but
I did not hear anything from ULX.    N0KP and W0GHZ heard the same contact
and also said later that they too did not hear Lyoyd at all, so there must
of been some ducting over the top of us on Sunday AM follow the MCS that
moved through very early in the morning.     From EN35 it was over to EN25,
then EN24 where I finished the contest up.   From EN24, I has some unusual
QSOs with W0GHZ and N0KP on 5.7 & 10 gigs that required both ends of the
path to elevate several degrees to make the contact ..... blue skies
overhead.   Again, I'm thinking that there was some stratification
(ducting) with the passing of that big T-storm complex during the early
morning.

So, I really did not have a lot of time to smell the roses ( .... or the
corn ..... ) along the way like I had originally planned ..... Rovermania
III swept me up with the activity and I was a busy boy !       The weather
turned out to be pretty good as where I was on Sat. we had high clouds that
kept the temperature down.    I think local conditions (propagation) were
good, sometimes very good, but they did not seem to extent too far for us.
I only had one stop by ..... of course someone asking how they can get
their CB to work better (I said get more power .... couldn't resist), and
no police or county sheriff this time either (although they are always
welcomed).

Here is the preliminary data .... I still need to look the log over.

      Q's   Grids
222   61    16
432   80    16
902   38    19
1.2   50      9
2.3   30      7
3.4   27      4
5.7   22      3
10g   34      7

342 QSO's, 72 grids worked plus 7 activated = 79 rover multipliers =>
182,253 pts


Please make sure to submit your log .... electronic or paper (paper is OK).
If you were a rover, make sure that your "sent call" ends with a  "/R" so
that the ARRL's dupe checking software matches things up correctly.     If
you were not a rover, make sure that you log any rovers that you did work
with a "/R" as in "W0ZQ/R".

I'm looking forward to seeing other contest reports.   Thanks to the usual
cast for all the excellent QSOs !    Now to get the home station
reassembled.

73, Jon
W0ZQ/R