[NLRS] Things are bigger in Texas

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

At several recent CSVHF conferennces during the annual meeting when
discussion contest scoring, W3XO has waxed long about the inequalities
of grid sizes. Usually he runs down when reminded how it was before grid
squares with scoring based on ARRL sections or states.

I suspect the ham population in Texas hill country is 1/1000th the ham
population around NYC or Boston which would be a serious handicap in
running up a contest score, but also means minimal local QRM. Just means
the station with a halo on a roof tripod isn't going to run a big score
and that the station has to be serious with serious antennas at good
elevation. I think that factor is much greater than the 21% larger grid 
squares.

Looking at the topography of Texas Hill country from Austin to
Fredericksburg, I see lots of shadowing hill tops and ridge lines with
few having road access. Especially just east of Fredericksburg.

I recall one October day at Richardson (Dallas north suburb), at noon it 
was 70, decent shirt sleeve weather, but there was a dark line on the 
northern horizon. At 5 everything had a quarter inch of ice on it. Now 
that's CHANGEABLE weather!

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 3/20/2011 1:07 PM, John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK wrote:
>
>
> Continuing this somewhat "off-topic-ness"...
>
> Just remember that the subject applies to the WIDTH of Grid Squares
> in Texas...
>
> Thanks to N0UK's Maidenhead Grid Distance and Bearing Calculator at
> chris.org
>
> At 31 N, using EM21aa to EM31aa as the example, width is 190.6 km,
> 118.4 mi
>
> At 45 N, using EN25aa to EN35aa as the example, width is 157.2 km,
> 97.7 mi
>
> HEIGHT of Grid Squares remains the same.
>
> 73, JK
>
>