[PaQSO] 80 Meter Mobile Operation

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

I don't see a lot of mobile plans listed, but I would like to offer a  
suggestion for working mobiles that seemed to work out pretty well in  the Ohio 
QSO Party in August.

With 40 meters still pretty unreliable for  in-state (and close in states 
nearby) 80 meters during the daytime becomes an  important band. But 80 
meters is a very tough band for a mobile signal, and  with maybe half an hour in 
a county we mobiles can't waste a lot of time  there.

In Ohio we used a variation on the mobile window concept on 80  meters 
during the day. We kept the exact suggested 80 meter CW frequency (3545  in 
Ohio; it would be 3540 in PA) clear, plus or minus a KHz or so.  That  way a 
fixed station could set a second radio on that frequency, and if any  activity 
was heard it would likely be a mobile, or someone working a mobile.  Guys 
with a single radio could punch the 80 meter band button and in a few  seconds 
determine if there was activity there, without having to tune.

It  seemed to work out well. I had 80 meter CW contacts from all but one of 
the 25  or so counties I visited.

I will be out mobile on Sunday only, and plan  to try frequent short visits 
to 3540. I'll try three or four quick CQs - if  no response I'll go back to 
the other bands. But with a few sets of  ears at least partly listening on 
3540 I think it will make some qsos.
 
Other mobiles are welcome to try it as well.  Good luck to all this  
weekend! 


73  -  Jim  K8MR

W3USA/M in PaQP  (Sunday only)