[NLRS] SPRING Radio Fun (was: Summer radio fun & Rovermania III)

[John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK]

Since Jon didn't include the Sprints, please allow me to...

April 4, 12, 20, May 6, 13 (starting JUST around the corner) - The Spring 
VHF & Up Sprints, SINGLE Band and just four hours each during evening hours 
(except for the "Microwave" event which is ALL bands, 902 & up, and on a 
Saturday MORNING)...I'll spare the details but the FIRST one is 144 MHz on 
Tuesday, April 4th from 7pm to 11pm LOCAL time. For those details that I've 
spared, see the web site of the sponsor, the East Tennessee DX Association, 
at http://www.etdxa.org/springsprints.htm (or e-mail back to me and I'll 
'splain ya as best I can). I've been roving in these and, while we had to 
"resort" to CW, Jon and I completed from his EN34 QTH to my EN51 and EN52 
Rover spots during last year's 432 event.

And one other Summer opportunity for VHF radio fun...

July 15/16 - CQ WW VHF Contest, just 50 and 144 MHz, though and only 27 
hours, from 1800 UTC on July 15, 2006 to 2100 UTC on July 16, 2006. 
Preliminary rules at: http://www.cqww-vhf.com/cqwwvhf_2006.pdf and the 
"official" announcement (along with previous year's results) is usually in 
the June issue of CQ Magazine.

Also, barely three months remain for adding to the 2005-2006 "States Above" 
totals. The Spring Sprints, SBMS contest and ARRL June contest might provide 
some opportunities to fill-in some additional States and Provinces.

73, JK

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <w0zq at aol.com>
To: <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 13:52
Subject: [NLRS] Summer radio fun & Rovermania III




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