[NLRS] Rovermania V and the August UHF Contest

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

Hello NLRS Land !

Here it is late June 2008 and we stand on the verge of another Rovermania !
event.  For those of you who are not aware of the history of Rovermania !,
the year 2003 represented the low water mark for the ARRL's UHF contest
with only 140 logs and lots of talk of eliminating the contest.   In
discussion with others, it was apparent that we shared many of the same
positive opinions about this fun little contest.  First off, its 222 and
Up, no 6m or 2m.  From a rovers perspective, obtaining good signals on
those two low bands is difficult due to "large" antenna size and physically
low mounted antennas (measured in wavelength above ground and the resulting
high take-off angles caused by that).   During a VHF contest, how many
fixed stations have commented on how much better a rovers signal is on 222
or 432 than 144 ?  Working a rover more than a grid away on 6m is
difficult, but is a chip shot on 222 and up.   Then, the contest is only 24
hours long, 1pm local on Saturday to 1pm local on Sunday, thus still
allowing for family time on the weekend.   As such, the ARRL's UHF is THE
premier contest for rovers as its a "part time" event on the bands that
they can really rock on.   Our thought was that we didn't want to see this
contest be lost so we need to fight to keep it.

In 2004 NLRS created the concept of Rovermania !.   Its simple.  Create an
environment to foster and promote rovers for the UHF contest.  Every one of
us knows how activity levels are sometime of geometric progression with
respect to the number of stations available to work.  Now think about how
the bands stay active when there is one or two rovers about to keep things
active.  Now what about five or six rovers, how about eight or nine rovers,
and soon you get the idea .... Rovermania !.    What we do is work to
provide a loose level of coordination so that each rover can pick a unique
primary freq (example 222.145, 432.145, ex) where everyone can expect to
find them from time to time, and to share planned rover routes in order to
attempt to maximize grid activity and to avoid having five rovers all show
up in one grid corner at the same time.

The results of Rovermania I ! in 2004 were gratifying.  The contest went
from 140 logs with 29 rovers in 2003 to 169 logs and 35 rovers in 2005.
Remember that Rovermania ! is essentially a NLRS-land event, just regional
to the Upper Midwest.  Almost all of that growth that year was us !   Logs
have increased in each of the following years with the exception of last
year; 2005 was 183, 2006 191, and 2007 fell back to 166.

This year, 2008, is the fifth year for Rovermania, or Rovermania V ! and
NOW is the time to start planning.   First off, I will collect and
communicate both rover and fixed station information, so start sending me
your thoughts and plans for the August 2 & 3 UHF contest.  It is important
to note that rovers are ALWAYS free to do whatever they wish to do whenever
they wish to do it, including to totally dish any previous plan(s) for
whatever reason.  We do not take blood oaths.

I do want to encourage the possibility of someone organizing a multi-op
station, perhaps using Buck Hill, or from any other location too.   I
worked the Buck Hill group several years ago from EN15, nearly SD, on 1296
with a crushing 10 dB over S9 signal from their 10 watts and a small looper
.... it really is a superior UHF location and with all the rovers that will
be out they would crush the current Dakota Division record for a mult-op.
Something to think about.  What this idea needs is a leader to pick up the
ball and run .... remember a multi-op is at least two ops, more is better,
and that their is equipment & antennas around to borrow.  I can help with
the Buck Hill contact to seek clearance.

So please start to feed me your Rovermania V plans.  Lets make Rovermania V
the best Rovermania yet.  Plan to get on.  Better yet, plan to rover.  The
new rover rules are indeed in effect, along with the existing NLRS
sponsored Limited Rover awards, so there are records to be made !   This
also means that the family rule for rovers is in effect.  This is a VERY
fun event.  Not a big contester ?  Think about a casual stroll to your
local grid corner with a few bands, even just 432, with a small yagi and
join the fun Sat afternoon or Sunday morning.  Several Rovermania's ago I
remember being on the grid line between EN22 and EN32 and working a whole
string of stations in Illinois, southern Wisc, and Indiana in a small
pile-up on 222, 432, and 1296.  What a hoot.

These are the stations that I know about for sure, I am sure that there are
more so let me know if you will be a part of Rovermania V ! on August 2 & 3
by dropping me a note.

Rovers:
W0ZQ/R
N0UK/R (family rover)
K0PG (family rover)
KC0IYT/R
W9FZ/R


Fixed Stations:
K0AWU
K2DRH
N0KP


73, Jon
W0ZQ