[NLRS] Summer radio fun & Rovermania III

[w0zq at aol.com]

Hello NLRS land.
 
Despite the snow flurries, summer is soon to be upon us.    NOW is the time to do a bit of advanced planning as this summer looks to be a VERY exciting time in NLRS land.   Here is an overview of what we can expect to see for activities this summer.
 
April 29 - Aurora '06.   Antenna range and flea market in the morning, technical presentations and our business meeting in the afternoon.   Lots of eye-ball QSO's and ploting & planning goes on.   Paul & team are working on the mailing and you should be seeing it soon.   The NLRS reflector is also a good place to catch updates along with the Sunday night nets.  I hope to see all NLRS members there.
 
April 29/30 - SBMS 2.3 GHz & Up Contest.   Bring your 2.3 GHz and up system to Au'06 on Saturday and lets make a few Q's for the contest during the morning.   Uniques are worth 100 points each and this is a club aggregate scoring event, individual scores do not matter.   Sunday we plan to have a more organized event.   Yup, its 2.3 GHz and up only.   
 
June 10/11 - ARRL VHF contest.  Always a fun time with good local activity that is accented with sporadic E, sometimes tropo, & even aurora.   W0ZQ/R will be active as I use this contest as a shake down for Rovermania.
 
July 27/28 - Central States VHF Society Conference.   Right here in the Twin Cities, host by the NLRS.   Wow.   If you have ever wondered what goes on at these conferences, this is the time to check it out.   Watch for more info and the advanced mailing in a month or two.   We are going to need helping hands with registration, the antenna range, etc, etc, so lets make sure that we all step forward when Bruce, W9FZ and company make such a request.   Make sure you mark your calendar for this fun event !
 
August 4/5 - Did someone say Rovermania III ?   The ARRL UHF contest is only 24 hrs long, 222 MHz and up, and is one of the premier contest for roving.   For the last two years the NLRS and surrounding area has been a Mecca of activity.    W0ZQ/R will definitely be active .... most likely sticking a bit closer to the Twin Cities this time ..... especially if Buck Hill and other fix local op's are active.   You will start to see a bigger push by me for Rovermania III .... mark your calendar, start your planning.   New bands, new antennas, how about pooling your equipment and do a multi-op ?    Consider a rove, even on a limited scale with limited time.   
 
August 19/20 - First weekend of the ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest.   Where will the troops be headed this year ?   Lake Superior .... Sisseton .... Red River Valley .... wherever it is, its been a hoot every time.  High winds, mosquitos, flat tires, we've had it all.   How many people have their new 8 watt amps in-line and operational ? .... what are you waiting for ?    
 
September 9/10 - The ARRL September VHF contest.   Another great contest as tropo becomes more possible and aurora more frequent in the Fall.    If I'm still standing by this time, I may do this one from home.  
 
September 23/24 - The second weekend of the 10 GHz and Up Contest.   Have dish, will travel.   Last year many of us made over 400 contacts between the two weekends combined.   This isn't your fathers WBFM anymore.
 
 
Whew.   I think you can see what a summer it will be !!   And I didn't include the Sprints, Dayton, Field Day, and other summertime ham events either.    Summer is an exciting time to be on VHF, so start your planning.   As you are aware, my particular passion is the UHF contest and Rovermania III .... start your planning now.   
 
73, Jon
W0ZQ