[Rover] [Fwd: Re: [Mw] ND3F rove story and unchecked results]

[rover@mailman.qth.net]

Bill,

Regarding your comment about a separate 2m freq for rover
coordination... I've been thinking along the same lines. Do you think
it would be a good idea for a common freq for all rovers or should
each rover have a separate freq they monitor?

73, Mark, N2MH
The Lighthouse Rover
IRLP Node 474

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Mw] ND3F rove story and unchecked results
From: "Bill Seabreeze" <w3iy@fcc.net>
Date: Wed, June 12, 2002 9:26 am
To: <wsvhf@qth.net>, <vhf@w6yx.stanford.edu>, <microwave@wa1mba.org>,
<k8gp@k8gp.net>

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the compliment, Brian, but you will
always be the king!  Brian has done an incredible
amount to help us all out, and his enthusiasm
contunues to inspire many high-banders.  The
microwave activity keeps growing, and operating
as a rover in the contests is getting to be more fun
than ever.

We had a great time in the contest, to say the least.
Thanks to all who got on, especially the guys who
kept me awake all nite running the bands from the
bridge-tunnel.  It was awesome.

Condx were poor at the start in FM15.  The 20kt
winds from the subsiding northeaster in NC were
taking a toll on propagation.  A few Es QSOs on
6 were fun, but short-lived.  K4EFD showed up
from the mtns in FM07 and blew my socks off on
all bands thru 10G...vy loud!  We deviated
significantly from plans since wrestling up the
big antenna telescoping mast was hard labor in
the winds...I was reluctant to take it down too
quickly.

FM25 was also below average from stormy
propagation condx.  By the time we got to FM26,
the wx was getting calm, and the coastal ducting
became highly apparent.  Had a blast working
K1TEO, K1UHF etc S9 SSB on 10G!
This propagation continued all nite thru FM16,17,
es FM27.  AA2UK, K2SMN, K1GX, es others
kept us hopping. Tnx guys!!

We missed most of our schedules, as
it's just not a good idea to break off a band run
with a station, after finally getting the microwave
antennas properly trained.  This contest convinced
me more than before that schedules really suck for
rovers.  I think the best answer is for rovers and
stations seking rovers to put a separate 2m rx es
antenna up, and monitor a prearranged freq.

Worked lots of stations on the lower 4 bands
whilst driving...great fun, but as I got tired, I
slacked off on this for safety reasons.  Working
guys is easy, but logging becomes tedious
and dangerous while flying solo.

Had a good site in FM28, but as usual, we
didn't find all the staions we were looking for.
had good runs from here with K1RZ, N3NGE,
etc.

The FM18 site was unexpectedly filled with 3000
joggers doing a benefit run for some better cause,
so we left them to their resources, and never stopped
in this grid.

FM29aa was pretty clear in the corn fields, but again,
missed most of the expected stations, even though
we made noise on 144.247 alot.  W3CCX was much
louder from here, es we got them thru 5.7G FB.

Usually we operate from the Chesapeake bay bridge,
but the sleep deprivation and beach traffic required
too much attention after the all-nighter, so we just listened
for the most part, and stayed out of trouble.  It was
awesome working K1RZ es K3DNE thru 2.3G mobile
on tree scatter.  They sounded like Au at 55 mph!

Lots of mobile ops en route to FM19, where we stopped
for 90min.  It was great running bands here with K9OYD/R
es W4RX.  Worked W4RX on 24G with LOUD sigs hr.

Then on to FM08us at 3350ft.  Great site, but we got so
busy running locals, we never cashed in es gathered the
needed grids to the west.  Another W4RX 24G QSO hr.

On the way home, in Front Royal,
some derelict tried to hop into my van with ill-intentions.
Fortunately, the rover-mess prevented him from fitting
in the seat.  We floored it es left him on the ground
where he belonged.

Made multiple looper repairs due to errant trees.
Lost the AC compressor.
New DC power system worked great.

Totals 812 QSOs in 146 grids~~ 253K

Great contest~  tnx fer all the activity!
CU on the bands.
73,
Bill W3IY/R





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