[NLRS] W7XU/R results

[Thompson, Arliss]

Unofficial results for the W7XU/R rover effort (I'm still trying to figure out the rover
scoring method)

Band     QSO's     QSO points   Mults
222         29               87              6
432         29               87              6
902         25             150              4
1296       25             150              4
2304       16             192              4
3456       16             192              4
5760       16             192              4
10 G       16             192              4
24 G         5              60               1

Grids activated                           13

Totals:   177           1302      X     50     =     65,100 pts.

Operators: W0SD, Ed,  and W7XU, Arliss

We started out the contest in EN21 and then moved on to EN11.  It was hot and muggy, but no
rain.  We were disappointed that we couldn't work Mike, KM0T, on 24 GHz from either of those
grids.  Maybe it was due to difficulties aiming the dish, but we'd like to think it was due to the
high humidity.

Enroute from EN11 to the EN12/13/22/23 grid square corner I had a tire blow out on I-29.  That
put us behind schedule and left me slightly uneasy since we drove the rest of the contest
with no spare.  Unrelated, although not long after, the Check Engine light came on, but since
the engine seemed to be running ok, I left that to figure out on another day.

Once at the EN12/13/22/23 grid square we worked who we could but decided to skip activating
EN13 in an effort to get back on schedule.  We were going to spend the night at my place (in
EN13), and figured we would make our EN13 QSO's from there.  Error!  We were able to work
stations from my home, but with the high humidity it was a struggle to work KM0T on 24 GHz
from my place when it would have been very easy from the EN12/13/22/23 grid square corner.

Heading north towards EN14/24, we drove under a low overcast.  The clouds were so low that the
blades on some of the wind turbines would disappear into the clouds as they turned.  When we got
out of the car at our operating site we were very surprised to find the temperature perhaps 20 degrees
lower than it had been down in Iowa.  We didn't find the propagation any better, however.

We spent the night at my home in EN13, then left an hour late for EN02/03 after we overslept
due to a power outage -- no time for breakfast (or lunch, as it turned out)!   By taking advantage of
the 65 and 70 mph speed limits on rural SD highways, we managed to nearly be back on schedule
by the time we reached EN04, so we decided to push on to EN05 and 15.

Time was running short when we reached EN05, so we decided to just operate the bands with
roof mounted antennas (i.e., not 5.7, 10 or 24 GHz) from EN05 and then move on to EN15.  After
completing with KM0T on 222 through 3456, we took off for EN15 with 30 minutes left in the contest.

Unfortunately, our gravel road soon became a dirt road and then a rutted path.  Making it to EN15 in
the time we had left didn't look good.   We finally bounced our way into EN15, though, quickly set
up the 5760/10 GHz dish and worked KM0T on 222 through 10GHz.

With a few minutes to spare, Ed realized we could try to work KM0T from EN05 on 5760 and 10 GHz
if we moved a short distance back down the road.  So we loaded up the car and hurried a few hundred
yards back into EN05 and worked Mike on those 2 bands from EN05.  Then, in the space of 1 minute (at
1758 Z), we worked WB0ULX in EN04 on 222 and 432, told him to standby since we didn't have time
to explain what was going on, then tore back down the road to EN15, and worked him on 222 and 432
from EN15, all before the clock struck 1800.   Nothing like ending the contest in a frenzy!

It would have been nice if the propagation had been better, but Ed and I had a great time.  Now to 
get a new tire and investigate that Check Engine light.

73,  Arliss W7XU

    

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