[SJRA-Members] Final Summary AA2SD/R QSO's for the Sept VHF Contest Rover Tag Team

[Scott D]

Fellow Pack Rats and Friends, Here is a final summary of  our Rove, this
was the best ever score with Chris and I putting in a tag team effort
to work Pack Rats and all operators. We planned 23 individual SKEDS on the
first day of the mountain to run the bands, and we achieved contacts with
19 total  planned SKEDS or  82% success rate which was excellent.

 We constantly utilized  the W3SZ Map for pointing, and also pinging our
locations worked very well. For this Rove I upgraded 2 rooftop antennas and
reduced power on the bands to  manage battery power.  All of our contacts
were achieved analog, with the exception of a small test for FT8. We had
constant activity during the 2 day period and appreciate the stations that
made the efforts to follow and contact us.

Here is a Google  link to our Rover photo album, some are redundant as I
document hookup and equipment for future use.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aDm5bB5BmgwhomV87

*Thanks to all PackRats, W2EA Mountain Toppers, K2AA  and other Operators
for working our Rover Tag Team,*

*We will soon start on our Jan VHF Contest improvement plans and send out
information.*

*AA2SD and KE5NJ/R*
*Scott and Chris*

*Power, Rigs and Rover Antennas Deployed:   *

   - 2 Mtr-100 Watts with Diamond 5 Element featherlight Yagi, backed up
   with 2 Halo Stacked Antennas
   - 432 - 85 Watts with Diamond 10 Element Yagi backed up with 2 Halo
   Stacked Antennas
   - 222 - 5 Element Yagi backed up with 2 Stacked Halos
   - 6 Mtrs 100 Watts - Freq Tester Large Halo Only Rooftop mounted
   - 1296 -47 watts with small Directive Systems Looper 15 elements
   - 903 --  48 watts with small Directive Systems Looper 19 elements
   - 2.3 -  32 Watts with Directive Systems Looper 45 elements
   - 3.4 - 20 Watts with Directive Systems Looper  54 elements
   - 5 GHZ  -5 Watts with Horn Antenna
   - 10 GHZ - 1.8 Watts with  Slot Antenna 12 Slots x 2  Roof Mounted from
   Bert pe1rki.com
   - IF Rigs - FT991A, for the lower 4, ICOM 905 with scope for the Micro
   Bands, FT891 for FT8 Test
   - Transverters - All Demi,with the exception of a Kunhe for the 10 GHz
   - DC Power - (2) -100 Watt LIFEPO4 Batteries, (4) 35 AMP Gel Batteries,
   Charging from Renogy DC to DC Charger

*Summary of Visits to Grids*

   - Over 400 Miles driven  in 2 days
   - Operated with 10 Bands - 10GHZ Slot on the Roof, and 5GHz Horn ( I
   made several 5GHz Hatchback contacts by opening the hatchback) Chris also
   deployed Slot antennas on 5 and 10 GHz  manufactured from Bert pe1rki.com
   .
   - The first day we stayed on top of FN21 Camelback for 4 1/2 hours, we
   were busy the entire time, and did not have a slow period, most likely due
   to SKEDS planned
   - We visited 5 Grids  FN20, FN21, FM29, FN10, FN11, we also stayed at
   each location for over 2 hours
   - I visited 2 home locations at the end of the contest in FM29 W2SJ and
   WB2RVX
   - I visited Bob W2SJ home to confirm a 10 GHz Contact and 1296 and I
   visited Mike's WB2RVX home to confirm all 10 bands
   - I stayed in the contest to 10:50 PM, and worked several stations from
   Pole Hill Park in Gibbsboro FM29 including K1TEO on 1296 and 903 from 190 ft
   - Smaller Yagi Beams worked very well for 2 MTRs and 432
   - 10 GHZ Slot only was excellent, I worked W2EA and Roger W3SZ in the
   Slot Antenna with no set up ( I drove my car in a large circle in an empty
   Parking Lot at Penns Peak  while monitoring signal peak to offset the null
   on the Slot Antennas). The Slot also allowed me to work WB2RVX and W2SJ
   during a home visit.

*Improvement Areas:*

   -
      - FT8 did not work well in the hotel, only 6 contacts
      - 2.3 and 3.4 need work minimal contacts, I will check the antennas
      - Battery Power Management


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