[NLRS] NEWS FLASH - Rover-to-Rover Contact made between MN and IL in 432 ...

[Melvynkc0p at aol.com]

Subject: MN Rover to IL Rover QSO in 432 Fall  Sprint

There are easy contacts, hard contacts, and very hard  contacts.
Scott N0EDV told me Ken W9GA was ,on up on 432.105. I aimed  ESE
and called on .105. Carol and I worked Ken on SSB pretty fast. Then I  
heard a weaker one calling and the confusion in the cab heated
up. My  rover setup is an ICOM 706 MKIIG, TE Systems 4412G brick
and an eight element  QUAGI on 54 inch wood boom about 8.5 ft AGL.
I can rotate/aim the antenna  stack right behind the cab by 
running to the back of the truck, up in the  box and armstrong
rotor. For a call, I heard K9K and AA in the QSB, then  W9JK/R.
On peaks it was S1 or S2. I have heard Bruce W9FZ say "Hang  in
there, we are going to do this thing". If he would just send  it
enough  times, I can piece it together. Once I went back to  him
with EN43AA. He switched to CW (I forgot my key, never let
that happen  again) and I plainly heard in cw no no no. Finally
I heard EN61AA twice. I  went back with that and got the sweetest
sound in CW R R R. He is sending  Rogers ! Carol smiled, we had
success. She called 3x3 a couple of times but  no go. 

I was setup just 200 yards west of 92deg, overlooking  I90
about 4 miles east of St. Charles. This spot was initially
found by  WA2VOI/R, and has been used often by W9FZ/R, W0ZQ/R
KC0P/R and N0HZO/R. It  has a very good microwave horizon
towards Minneapolis 75 miles, Eau Claire 70  miles. Not quite
as good to the SE but workable. I moved 250 yards  further
east for EN43aw and worked N9IYV and N9LB in EN52. What fun  !

Conditions were not that great to the north. I called several
times  for K0AWU. When I came back from trying to aim the antenna
better, Carol said  I think I heard Bill say, signals are very weak.
Next time I must bring the  Key ! Total of 16 Q's for Mel and
14 for Carol.

Mel KC0P/R