[Rover] Laser operation during roving

[Rick R]

A tripod set-up, or something similar to hold the laser transmit steady and 
be able to adjust it is essential. The receive section should also be 
separately adjustable to move the capture sensor to where the incoming laser 
beam is best received. Here in the denser ham area of the radio club, where 
many ops have laser capability, the rovers with laser preschedule a laser 
contact route, and use some odd-ball FM freq for coordination, so as not to 
tie up the regular activity freqs. Depending what ur set-up is, you may want 
to mount this so you "open the door" for QSO.
It's also nice to be able to meet up with other rovers and QSO with them on 
laser--especially when in those more remote grids.
Remember that no internet or telephone use during contest to arrange scheds 
is allowed. Also, equipment must be capable of 1 Km QSO, but the actual 
distance covered by any QSO does not need to meet a minimum distance.
Best to evaluate laser capability in your local and rove area. It took us 
about 4  hrs to cover a route to hit 5 stops last year, just for laser QSOs. 
You'll have to do the point multiplication math to see the "value," 
depending on whether your other QSO point and grid mults make it worthwhile. 
Gas is cheap this year---as G3PHO said at MUD 2000, "when we rove, we often 
have to gauge the gas price per QSO in the UK."
Good Luck, and I'd like folks to share their laser experiences, so that I 
might use them for an article in CheeseBits (The Packrat radio news.)
Rick, K1DS



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