[NLRS] VHF Contest results K0DAS, N0LNO, KC0SKM

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

For a couple of my laptops I have found 12 volt input power supplies on 
epay. The typical laptop power supply puts out 18 to 20 volts DC at 2 to 
4 amps. That's not hard to accomplish with 12 volts input. And then 
there are numerous 40 to 100 watt inverters that are set up to plug into 
a car or truck 12 volt outlet (used to be called a cigarette lighter 
jack) to run the home station lap top AC input power supply. One common 
source is at a truck stop like Loves, Pilot, or Flying J. The AC supply 
for this laptop (Dell insperion 1100, not new) says 20 amps at 3.5 amps, 
70 watts. The DC supply has no identification at all other than a part 
number.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 6/13/2018 4:02 PM, John Kalenowsky wrote:
>
>
> Hi Gregg (and Cc: NLRS),
>
> Sounds like we are mostly in agreement about how the contest played out
> with FT-8 (and other digital modes) versus 'legacy' modes (SSB/CW); that,
> at least when the propagation was 'in', it didn't reduce legacy mode
> activity and that FT-8 provided opportunities to get more calls and grids
> in logs when the band was marginally open or 'worked out' between areas
> (see my second paragraph below).
>
> I didn't get on until later Sunday afternoon (after 4pm) but the "magic" of
> the magic band was happening then. I had a magmount vertical for 6 and a
> measly 100 Watts or so from my FT-991, which shouldn't work, right? Not
> earthshattering but I was able to make 44 Qs on 6 meters, mostly on SSB
> (one on CW but no digital), from the rovermobile as I visited 4 different
> grids in about three hours - I tried a CQ once and got one reply but
> otherwise it was all Search&  Pounce. As I was driving later (I had to go
> pick up my wife from her sister's house, where my wife had been visiting),
> I picked up a station in Tennessee and another in Colorado followed by a
> repeat with a local station as I entered a grid that we'd missed earlier.
>
> My assessment is that the "true contesters" (TCs) knew and understood that
> SSB (or CW) would allow completion of contacts at a higher rate than FT-8
> and focused there BUT also checked 50.313 when they had worked out the area
> to where the band was open for them at a given time and likely got some
> more casual (FT-8 only) participants to add to their QSO counts. When the
> band opened to a new area, the TCs would go back to SSB/CW and work
> everyone they could before trying FT-8 again (lather, rinse, repeat).
>
> A question I have is how things work(ed) on a single (FT-8) frequency when
> the activity level is higher with many stations transmitting at the same
> time in the same frequency 'window' (though hopefully at different spots in
> the 'window') but the 'window' has a fixed size and the number of folks can
> be larger in a contest than in non-contest times. From some of the comments
> I've read in 3830scores postings, it sounds like there were 'traffic jams'
> on 50.313 (possibly made worse by all the 'trouble' with using/not using NA
> Contest Mode or programs other than WSJT). Is there a need for multiple
> "channels" for FT-8 in contests? (Say, add 50.316, 50.319?)
>
> I hope to find a way that I'm comfortable with having a laptop in the
> CoROVERolla...the direct USB interface of the FT-991 should "ease" the
> connection from laptop to radio, then I have to figure out how to keep the
> laptop charged while in the mobile. Or maybe I need a new, 'more roomy'
> vehicle as my rovermobile.
>
> Nice discussion here.
>
> 73, JK
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