[Rover] Choice of Rover Vehicles

[Phil Lefever]

My choice would be a minivan (preferably a Chrysler).... They are much
more pleasant to drive and get a lot better mileage then either a pickup
or a full size van.

>1.  ROOM.  My current setup is a 1992 Ford Ranger pickup.  With just the
>bottom 4 bands, there is just barely room enough in the truck for me and=
 the
>rigs.  A second op is out of the question, unless I strap them to the mast!

A minivan will have PLENTY of room! Make an operating table in the rear
seat and you still have the front seat left over. I wouldn't even consider
roving alone personally. It is much better with help/company, especially
if you need to erect antennas! If you do the run and gun style operation
with roof mounted antennas then the driver can "rotate" the array while
you operate too.

>2.  Antenna mounting options.  Right now with my pickup, I set up the
>antennas on a push up mast mounted in the bed of the truck, and braced by
>the truck racks.  This way I can leave the antennas in place, and just
>extend the mast when I reach a new grid.  As a solo Rover, ease of setup is
>a must for me.

We always used a temporary mast we set up at each location to gain height.
It worked very well but cost a lot of time and was a real pain in poor
weather. It is nice to have the few extra feet in height but if I were to
do it again I'd probably roof mount the antennas in a fixed position... It
is pretty simple to fabricate a "A" frame ladder rack that will easily
hold fairly long antennas for 2m on up. A 6m loop at the rear will cover
6m while mobile. If you want you could add an easily setup 3el 6m beam and
mast for times you are stationary, especially for the June contest!

>3. Comfortable.  My first few Rover trips I borrowed my Dad's old van.  It
>had LOTS of room, but man it was hot in July, August, and September.  Maybe
>I'm just getting 'soft', but it seems like Air Conditioning is almost a
>necessity.

I agree, air conditioning (especially in June!) makes the experience a lot
more comfortable. This leads to less fatigue, which means better efficiency,
safety and fun. Also driving comfort and ease (i.e. ride comfort) help
towards this goal too. Personally I find that most of the full size vans
and pickups are a bit harsh in this aspect.

73

Phil



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Phil Lefever    KB=D8NES                          Twin Cities Repeater Club
kb0nes@tcrc.org                                 Burnsville,MN