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Re: [VHFcontesting] APRS and Contesting

To: "Stephen Hicks, N5AC" <n5ac@n5ac.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] APRS and Contesting
From: Dan_K9ZF <n9rla@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:04:31 -0400
List-post: <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
I like the APRS idea, although I have to admit to completely selfish 
reasons:-)

HamIM is a good start, and has more potential than what you might 
think.  Many Rovers look for high spots to operate from to help maximize 
their range.  This would help your HamIM foot print as well.  And it's 
also nice to KNOW you can work the Rover if he pops up on your screen.  
The main draw back I see is convincing enough stations to give it a 
try.  It would have to reach a certain "critical mass" to really catch on.

APRS may already have that "critical mass" established, but I'm not yet 
convinced.   How much crossover do you believe there is with weak signal 
ops / contesters and the APRS crowd?

It would be really nice for "everyone" to know when I'm in range.  All 
too often I pull up to a hilltop in a new grid, and can't raise anyone.  
I have a pretty decent signal, but it's hard to make QSO's with folks 
who are more interested in watching Oprah...  Maybe seeing the Rovers on 
the APRS screen would help keep them in the game.  It may even attract a 
whole new set of ops who enjoy tracking Rovers:-)  Seriously, it may 
help attract some of the APRS group into contesting, and we could sure 
use the new blood.

It has a lot of potential.  I remember my first IN QSO Party on HF a few 
years ago.  Late in the contest I had worked all the mobiles and locals 
I could hear, but came across an Aeronautical Mobile station.  [this was 
allowed in the INQP].    Anyway, the QSO rate was pretty low, but it was 
a lot of fun just following the plane from county to county.  I think I 
worked him in a dozen or so counties:-)  It may be fun for some stations 
to follow the Rovers from grid to grid in the same way:-)


As far as the hard core fixed station loosing his advantage, sadly, that 
would be a side effect.  However, how many of those new guys from the 
APRS crowd would he find and work?   How many more Rovers would he work 
that even HE was missing?  An op with that kind of work ethic and 
dedication will find a way to win, even without this old advantage.  
I'll bet this is often the same op with the most efficient feed lines, 
the low noise pre-amps, and keeps the CW key handy for the weak ones as 
well...

OK, back in my hole.  I still have a ton of stuff to do if I want to 
Rove in September.  And I still haven't finished keying in my CQ-VHF 
log!  Paper logging sucks, never again....

73
Dan
-- 
K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269 
Check out the Rover Resource Page at: <http://www.qsl.net/n9rla> 
List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books 
Ask me how to join the Indiana Ham Mailing list! 


>   
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