[NLRS] Last weekends 10 GHz fun

[WBØLJC]

Hi all,

Last weekend Jon, W0ZQ, Holly, K0HAC, Chris, N0UK,
Mel, KC0P, Bruce, W9FZ, and I spent the weekend
roving through SE MN and NE Iowa during the second
weekend on the 10 GHz Cumulative contest.

We worked the fixed group at Buck Hill. Those on the
hill Saturday were, Dave, N0KP, Gary, W0GHZ, Don, WA0SSN,
Donn, WA2VOI, Scott, N0EDV, John, W0JT, Jon, K0FQA,
Jerry, K0CQ, Jim, K0KFC, Glen, KC0IYT and Ed,
KB0MNK. Most of the group have been on 10 G for a few
years. This year we had some new additions to the fun..
The new ops were Scott, who was on both days and drove to the
hill from Bloomer, Wisc. Jerry also on both days. He drove up
from Ames, IA to make his first 10 G contacts with his new 100 mW
rig. This year was the first time Ed has been on 10 G for at least
5 years. Ed was also on both days using one of the loaner rigs
that Bob, W0AUS, donated to the club..The rest of the Sunday
group was Dave, Donn, John and Glen. A fine turnout for both days.

The rovers made twelve stops on Saturday and eleven stops
on Sunday. Our operating times were 8 AM to 7 PM on
Saturday and 8 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. We saw lots of
great scenery and ate plenty of dust. My green car had
turned tan by the time I got home Sunday.

Our Saturday route started near Fountain, MN. We
traveled south on US 52 to Prosper, then we continued
East on MN 44. Then into Iowa on MN and Iowa 76.
We made a stop on the ridge near Hanover, IA. Every time
any of us have been to the Hanover site someone always
says, "I want to buy this place!" The views from Hanover
are fantastic. You can see miles in every direction.
We next operated west of Waukon, then south to Postville,
West Union and Hawkeye. We spent the night in Oelwein.
Sunday we started just NE of Oelwein. Then we moved
West, traveling on the north side of Waterloo, before
we turned north working our way back to US 63 and back
into MN.

One of the highlights of the weekend was that we didn't have to
rely on any type of liaison with the hill. We would set up, check
the bearing and start beaconing on 10 G towards the hill. Then
we would listen for the hill and peak our dishes. Once we had
peaked up we would work through the list of ops on the hill.
We did make one call on Sunday mooring to let the hill know our
approximate operating location. When we arrived we hooked
up by beaconing just like the rest of the time.

Unlike the August weekend, we had good weather, warm and
sunny both days.With the nice weather we expected that
propagation would be good. I would say signals where a
little below average for the distances we were working.
Even so we usually managed to make Q's a rate of 3 per minute.

I had 205 contacts for the weekend and 386 for both weekends.
I worked 26 unique stations during the two weekends.
This weekend our distances ranged between 141 kM at Fountain
to a long of  254 kM near Oelwein. The average distance Saturday
was 197 kM, on Sunday 210 kM. We also had a few Q's with
Jim, K0KFC, from his home in EN35rj. One of these provided
the longest contact of the weekend at 306 kM. I drove 540 miles
over the weekend, about half of that was getting to the first site in
Fountain and traveling home after we finished on Sunday.

It was a fun weekend with good friends, great views at the
stops and a good number of Q's with the hill.

I hope we can get some more of you to join the fun next year.
You will be surprised at the signal strength and distances that
can be covered on 10 GHz.

73, Gary  WBØLJC