[NLRS] EN37ed UHF contest

[Bill Davis Jr]

Hi Guys

  Oh what fun that was! 

  For some reason before the contest I was approaching it with almost dread! The rovers were going to be so far away and conditions have been flat, forever, even the pre-contest chatter looked less than enthusiastic. ... Hummmm ... Dolly is coming inland :>)) ... Could it Be?? ....... NOW it looks like I had NO REASON to dread this contest!.




  Bottom line .... Some new personal bests!! New high Grid/Q numbers on 902-10Ghz and my personal high in both categories tied on 432.

222 ---   23Qs -  13 grids
432 ---   44Qs -   18 grids
902 ---     9Qs - 8 grids
1296 --  14Qs -   10 grids
10Ghz -  17Qs -  10 grids !!!!

107 total Qs in 59 grids >>> 32,037 <<< Total points ... bettering my best ever Aug contest by 24,000pts !!!






---- Details that are of interest to some I hope ---

   KB0CIM, KB0LBS and I started the contest with a sked with Jim K0MHC. Conditions were nothing to write home about across the local mountain from here. Before the three of us were done with Jim over 30min had elapsed. I had hoped that we might get some 1296Mhz Qs for Cletus (KB0LBS). Cletus is new to the band and has a limited number of Qs on 1296. But that didn't happen.   

  After Jim, it was a quick run of the bands with KB0CIM, including 10GHZ!! Yep, Jim had my portable 10Ghz system and he and Ted WD0TDV were going to play with 10ghz some. I have been on the band for 4yrs and had only worked my on grid, portable to portable when I first got on. "Leaf Scatter" works! Local terrain in Jim's direction rises over 150ft in the first 1/4 mile and that ignores the 70ft trees. We discovered that with the tower system tilted up 15deg, we could work Jim with the 800mw portable 10Ghz system in his yard 9 miles away (S2/S5 -SSB). Cool! .... Next Ted and Jim went on a road trip! EN27 was less than 30miles away, but it too was on the exact same path as CIM's. Looking at Google earth, it was decided to try a shot from the dam on Lake Winnie. A good shot for the first couple miles down the river channel. Just before dark, EN27 was in the log with a very weak CW QSO on this end. Ted trying to keep the dish still in the wind and Jim pounding the brass with my old J-38. An hour after dark, EN36 was added when I worked Jim on 10Ghz from just across the bridge south of Hill Lake in Hill City. A nice 5-5 SSB QSO.

  During this same period I was working stations fairly regularly, nothing real loud, but K2DRH was "bubbling up a bit". Worked Mel and Carol on 432 in EN43, then  Bruce W9FZ/R in EN33 and then swept the bands with Jon W0ZQ/R in EN33 (including 10Ghz tropo). Hummm 902 ans 1296 are good, 10Ghz is bouncing the S meter even. More rover Qs with Bruce, quick SSB Qs on 432 and 222 with N0URW (now single yagis). Now a EN43 sweep with Jon in EN43. N0GZ in EN31 was an easy Q on 222 and 432, GOOD GRIEF N0PB EM39 5-9 on 432! Dave N0KP and I played a bit sweeping the bands ahead of the Sat night precip. Swept the bands including 10Ghz with Jim K0KFC. Worked Bruce in EN32 on all bands but 10Ghz.... it became onezies & twozies after that. KA9UVY EM59 (660miles) kept me company all night on 432... every time we tried 902 and 1296 I could copy him and he couldn't copy me!!! ARGH... NEVER had I heard anything beyond K2DRH on these bands. Bob DRH was an easy Q on both 1296 and 902, nice to have him in the log again on those bands. I kept Dave TTX company or a couple hours during the wee hours and took a 2hr nap returning to the rig at 6:30am. 

  Sunday S L O W .... VE3KRP on 432, K2YAZ 432 and 222, then a sweep with W0ZQ in EN25 including 10Ghz with high elevation "over the trees" on a path into the hills to the SW! NEVER had a Q in that direction on 10Ghz before... VERY WEAK sig!! Shortly after that the storm cells swept by to the south and eight stations were worked random on 10Ghz rainscatter starting with Mel KC0P/R and ending with K9CVC!!! (Good work for the gang at CVC making the one portable system "play").

  GREAT collection of Qs from here! Thanks for those that took the time and made the effort to look North. Rovers account for  51 out of 107 Qs!
WOW ..... Thanks again rover Guys & Gals, you ROCK

!! See Ya on the bands

73 Bill  K0AWU