[NLRS] Sept VHF contest results

[Gregg Lind]

I wanted to extend a thank you for all the fix/rover stations that tracked
and help the KC0SKM/R. We had a great time, it seems like every time prior
to the contest I wonder way I get so stressed out. The preparation starts
weeks before the contest but you are never ready for the rove.  This rover
included another new band 1296 with a transverter from
http://sg-lab.com/TR1300/tr1300.html, Rod Blocksome fix and older Icom-209
that worked as a dedicated radio for 1296. The Icom 209 all band mobile had
weak audio that Rod was able to fix and it worked great, we added a simple
pad to the Icom and it was easy mod and easy to future change…  I hope to
get more power on 1296 and 2304 in the future. Still the best contact came
at the end of the contest, we had trouble to contact K2DRH at last location
and so we repositioned and was able to talk on SSB on 2304



Each rove I feel I am getting better prepared and by the time the drive
starts and the first contacts start to roll in you forget get about it.. .
I learned a few things like I assumed that Bird meters do fail only the
plugs  they can and they do? Every time I go out I learn a few more
operating procedures and try to find better locations to operate from. Our
CW was not the best but for 1296 and 2304 it does not need to be fast or
graceful.. Thank you to K2DRH and his patience with our CW.  I promise we
will get better!  . I had a new partner along for this rove Chris Caldwell
he was a great partner was faithful at logging and wanted to work the CW
contacts, both of us have very limited CW skills ( or should I say none).
This was Chris first CW during a contest!  With the help of our IPAD and a
morse code program and a back of a Culvers receipt with ou exchange in CW
on it Christopher was able to make all the CW contacts… “we integrated the
Key on Saturday morning”  that was a good idea J



I have come to the conclusion my plan or schedule route is usually toasted
with in the first hour of the contest. I don’t even know why I try to
plan…, the route planning becomes adhoc at best, I assume that most folks
would rather see that the rovers are out and about, but I have never been
able to maintain a plan on grids.  I had planned to move to a new grid and
then had the opportunity to have lunch with N0LNO rover.



I was happy I wanted to get 5 QSO 1296 contact we did 14, and wanted to get
more MN and Chicago contacts this did not happen?   I would like to get
more contacts from the Chicago and MN, we seem to be weak in reaching these
grids.  I was wondering if anyone’s hears KC0SKM in the northern grids and
Chicago and Milwaukee grids?



Thanks to the following stations for your faithful tracking us down N9DG,
W0UC,K2DRH, N9DZ, k\K9CT, W8MIL and naturally our fellow Cedar Rapids Rover
 N0LNO ( Bill Caldwell, and Rod Blocksome K0DAS)



Thanks for another good contest



Gregg Lind (KC0SKM) and Chris Caldwell (KC0YGW)



Grid     QSOs Grid     QSOs Grid     QSOs

EN32  12        EN41  21        EN51  15

EN42  40        EN52  34        EN43  23

EN53  26        EN31  14





RoverLog Score Summary, Using new rules:

Band  QSOs

50                32

144             56

222             38

432             39

902              0

1.2G            14

2.3G              6





Grids activated:                     8



Totals:            185                 308     53



Claimed Score: 16324