[VHFcontesting] Rover Scheds and Station Activity emails

["jon jones" <n0jk@hotmail.com>]

> I'm not intending to pick on anyone....simply inform the masses.
>
> How many of us actually print out published rover schedules?  How many 
> Rovers
> keep their schedules fully?  Rhetorical....I'm not asking for answers 
> because I
> know what the answers are.  A few people do, but most of us don't.

Ev:

Some rovers *do* keep to their schedule. Dean, WAØTKJ, who was one of the 
very first VHF Contest rovers, would go out over 800 miles in a contest 
weekend back in the early 90s.  He would be + - 15 minutes on each grid he 
put on the air.  Keeping to a published schedule is a matter of careful trip 
planning and diligence.


> Ditto email messages that say, "I'm going to be on ABCD9E from Grid AB12CD 
> with
> medium power, look for me in the contest".

If a rare grid is QRV from a direction I do not normally CQ or listen, it 
helps me to know it is on for the contest and what type of power/antennas 
are planned.

> One tool for this is HamIM.  It works very well.  No need to pre-publish a
> schedule (unless y'r braggin').  No need to keep to a schedule (unless you 
> don't
> mind abandoning a band opening in progress, etc.).  Simply setup on your 
> hilltop
> and send a few HamIM CQ's.
>
> All a rover needs (at a minimum) is a laptop, packet TNC and software.  NO 
> GPS
> NEEDED (you can manually update the software with your grid when you move).

HamIM may be a useful adjunct. I do not use a laptop when QRP (S/O portable) 
or roving due to reliability and battery issues. Log pencil and paper. 
Others I know do the same.

- Jon N0JK

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