Hmmmmm.... This is first VHF contest I ever really
participated in, from start to finish.
I went out to a local mountaintop with a barefoot Icom 202
and a Cushcraft 11 element Yagi, and had an absolutley
fabulous time, way back in 1992.
My first really serious rover effort was running around the
Olympic Peninsula through CN 88, 78, 77, and CN76, I can't
remember which year, but, some time around 1999 or 2000.
Had loops for "run and gun" and brought the 6 element 6
meter Yagi and a "stretched" Cushcraft 11 element for
two... and set them up on the vehicle mounted tower from a
mountain in CN78 to make sure as many folks on the other
side of the Mountains could get that grid in their log, and
later, a QSL card for our efforts... I figured that after
that stunt and rolling into CN77, well behind the mountains
from civilization that it would be a dead contest... but,
as soon as I crossed the grid line we had the "mother of
all Es openings" and I remember running pileups until I
finally conked out on yet another mountain for the night.
What a surprise to hear the Es still rolling in the next
morning.
Suffice to say that one got me hooked on the roving
thing...
And, with a few exceptions, (like working with K7CW in his
multiop efforts) I have been roving since.
This contest, primarily because of the intended simplicity,
is ideal for breaking in new VHF contesters, whether fixed,
portable, or roving. A "newebie" can make a serious effort
without making a serious equipment commitment, and then
make a decision as to whether further station improvements
for the purpose of contesting are justified.
Eric
KB7DQH
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