Hmmmmmm......... I've had randoms on 10 Ghz! Mostly someone "tailgating"
a "sked" If I could call it that. Lots of "spies" on the "usual"
microwave contact coordination frequency of 144.250.... Although
annoying, it may be the only way to get a QSO out of some of the
microwavers out there running .250 for coordinating.
If you are a rover and are "running bands" with some other station who
wants you on "everything you got" it is generally a good idea to QSY to
the most obscure frequency you could think of so as to avoid a pileup of
other operators wanting a Q with you... This greatly speeds up the band
running process. Doesn't always work. Especially when 6 is dead, lots of
participants not out mowing the lawn, shoveling snow or watching football
are cruising the bands looking for anything not in their log (yet :-)
and could pick up on what's going on and find you there anyway. Better
"hunt/pounce" ops will stand by until the Q is complete and make a call.
If things work out (meaning the signals are good enough to complete
without wearing out the rotator looking for a workable signal) everyone
gets another Q in the log without really trying.
Roving in sparsely populated areas means literally "camping" on the
calling frequencies, lest you work absolutely nobody. If working into a
populated area from the middle of nowhere, (or if you can see it from
there:-) it may be hard to "break the pileup" of locals working locals in
the populated area on the calling frequency. Best get the attention of a
local "big gun", hope that station requests a QSY...
That usually gets everyone on the "call" to shut up long enough to realize
that (insert callsign here)/Rover is out there and they will either follow
you to the "working frequency" or will listen for your call on the calling
frequency and then move "up band"... or one hopes.
Remember, not everyone in "contest land" reads this reflector or the local
ones, and I think fully half the participants on the "big three" bands are
folks who up until the day of the contest have heard nothing but noise out
of their SSB/CW VHF radios, and understandably are curious about what is
going on... at least in the Pacific Northwest.
There is no such thing as a "rover schedule"... unless you are some sort
of miracle worker and can keep Murphy on the other side of the planet when
one does the rove. Especially in January. Weather predictions out here
in the Pacific Northwest are best done with a bag of bones, crystal ball,
tea leaves, rolling dice, etc.... as 9 times out of 10 you will come up
with better forecasting than NOAA! Then there are the unpredictabilities
of Traffic. Obviously there are general periods of time when certain
main routes are hopelessly clogged with other vehicles, and thus shoud be
avoided... However, if some knuclehead piles it up on your favorite back
road and it gets closed down, then, there goes the sked.
Thus, seldom is a rover where they say they will be, WHEN they say they
will be there.
Plus, I have a nasty habit of going on a rove and knowing only where the
start and end points are (my home QTH) and having absolutely no idea of
where or when I will be during the event, letting band conditions and
activity (including requests from others on the band as to where should I
go next!) dictate my activities. Sometimes its more fun that way! The
QSO's at the beginning of the 'Test go something like:
"Where are you going next?"
"Dunno. Where should I go?"
"Well, I really need XX00 for my 5760 VUCC... Up for it?"
"Oh, what the heck. I'll give you a yell on .250 when I get there..."
And so it goes... the "all-request" rove!
Eric
KB7DQH
>
> I think the only strategy for the frequency is to stay off the calling
> frequency but not be too high in the band, so those who don't know your
> sked will still stumble across you.
>
> Once people know you're out there, I think your time is divided between
> running stations and running to the next grid square. Probably not much
> time or need to do S&P.
>
> Most of my QSO's as a QRP-portable start off on 2m and then go up or down
> the bands from there. Every once in a while I make an initial QSO on 222
> or 432 and go up or down from there. I don't think I've ever had a random
> QSO on 903 or above.
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ
>
>
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007, k4gun@comcast.net wrote:
>
>> Before I even start, I have to say that I am really happy to have found
>> this resource. You guys are a treasure trove of good information and I
>> appreciate the responses I have seen here. I'm a new guy and this list
>> has really taught me more than I expected. I've spent a good amount of
>> time browsing the archives here.
>>
>> My next query has to do with running a frequency. In reading roving
>> plans from previous contests, I see that most rovers pick a frequency
>> before the contest and list that as the place to find them. Obviously a
>> rover can't spend his entire time running and will do a mix of search
>> and pounce as well, but I see the value in people knowing a rough idea
>> as to where on the band to find you. My question is, how does one
>> decide this ahead of time? Is it just a random stab at a point on the
>> dial? Is there a method to it? Is there an established protocol for
>> this of which I need to be aware?
>>
>> As long as I'm on this topic, is it common practice for a rover to run
>> on a frequency immediately upon setting up and then switching to search
>> and pounce once he's worked everybody who can hear him? That would seem
>> to make sense to me, but I'd like to hear a general plan on how to do
>> this. Along with that, I realize that its probably best to actually be
>> in position at the time you have listed on your plans. I would assume
>> one would start on 2 meters and work up or down from there as conditions
>> warrant.
>>
>> Again, thanks in advance for any suggestions on this.
>>
>> Steve
>> K4GUN
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