[NLRS] 144.200

[Bruce Richardson]

Hello NLRS'ers:

I'm really enjoying this conversation and think it will help
lead to a better world here in our area.  Is there a
problem?  Sure. But from my roves to Arkansas and southern
Illinois, we have a much better situation in the Upper
Midwest. First, we've got friendly groups like NLRS and
Badger Contesters. Second, we are discussing a sensitive
topic in a friendly way with suggestions towards the best
way to operate and get mutual fun in our VHF activity.

First, let me echo Charlie N0AKC's history.  Yes, big
stations like W0UC and WA0BWE (now W0GHZ) led the way (like
leaders) off of .200.  Similarly, W0UC and N0HJZ encouraged
rovers back in the early 90's to get off of .200 so that
they could be heard above the higher noise floor in the
metro area.  I spose some fixed stations ought to give some
testimony how they hear better away from .200.

Charlie brings up an interesting point about rovers making a
"rover zone" that he's hesitant to interfere with.  Well, as
you've all noticed, the number of active rovers has
plummetted in the last 2 years.  Sure, at the peak, at 10kc
spacing, it DID take up too much room. If we ever get that
many rovers again (on the air), I hope all the rovers will
cooperatively pick freqs on 5kc splits AND deconflict for
east vs west (or whatever) locations for their roves.  I
think rovers should PRE-announce their frequency BEFORE a
contest on well-known reflectors. It still doesn't mean the
rover "owns" the frequency. (I'm glad to find .240 (or
whatever) in use when I get to a new grid.  I either wait or
go pick another frequency for awhile.)  So, going forward, I
hope we use Charlie's good point to maybe shrink the
footprint of Rovers on the entire bandwidth while still
getting the benefit.  

Along those lines, I used .200 SO little in the past few
contests, maybe I should move my rover freq up to 260 or
higher.  Thoughts?

Someone else pointed out that when single-op rovers are off
on other bands, they aren't on their announced freq.  Boy
don't I know about the stuff I miss :-) .  I'm sure some of
you have 2 or 4 volumes up while listening for a weak one on
2.3.  If I answer a call on .240, it is a bit disrespectful
to the guy I'm trying to work on 2.3.  Oh, please know, I
hear the calls and am thrilled you've come up to .240. 

Speaking of holding presence on multiple bands at once.
Remember, it's only multi-ops that have multi-band presence.
Just view the rover as a capable multi-band single op who,
unfortunately, is only going to be there 2 to 3 hours. (I
think less than 2 hours in a grid is pointless.)  Please
know that in  a rover, with 5 to 7 radios and 5 to 7
antennas in such close proximity to each other, there is
plenty of bleedover and RF feedback to go around. Can it be
eliminated?  Maybe, but the antennas only 5 feet above the
radios makes it tough.

Here's my main contribution to the current discussion:
How come W0ZQ, W9GA, N0KP, K2DRH, and N9DG (and a few
others) find me in EVERY grid I activate?  (That's EN34,
EN53, and EN41)  My frustration is all the other operators
that I didn't work in the region (but know about).  Sure, I
wish I was "on" my freq more and more easy to be found. If a
fixed station wants the mults or q-pts that I offer from the
rover, maybe you should check with those operators I just
mentioned and ask them how they do it.

I'm in Amsterdam at the moment. Tonight, at the San Remo
Italian restaurant, as I worked on my log sheets, I saw that
I only worked about 22 Q's from EN-55.  I wish you could
have been with me hearing all the Unanswered CQ's I made
towards Milw/Chi, MSP, and to my Northwest. All these CQ's
were made on .240.  I don't go down to .200.  I want to be
found up the band.  Several operators consistently find me.
It seems "worth it" for them to spin the band and antennas a
LOT.  I'm glad they do and find me.  I think I would
undermine the discipline (such as it is) we have here in the
Upper Midwest if I were to go make calls on .200.  Even an
"announce" call reinforces behavior that the place to sit
(for fixed stations) is on .200.

My full travelogue on the rove will be out in the next few
days. I'm glad we are having this discussion.  There are
many more operators IN the region that I should have been
able to work. We each have the station capabilities to make
the connection.  But what's keeping us apart is getting on
the same freq at the same time. I look forward to
suggestions on how to improve that liklihood.

73
Bruce Richardson W9FZ