[3830] ARRL Sep VHF K9GY Limited Rover QRP

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                    ARRL September VHF QSO Party

Call: K9GY
Operator(s): K9GY
Station: K9GY

Class: Limited Rover QRP
QTH: Rover
Operating Time (hrs): 7

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:   23     8
    2:   39    11
  222:   23     9
  432:   29     8
  903:           
  1.2:           
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  114    36  Total Score = 6,474

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

EN61FM (2 hrs) on Sat 
EN52XA (2:15) & EN62BA (2:30) on Sun.

Built a WA5VJB six element 220 "cheap yagi" on Sat morning. I was inspired due
to building a 6L 432 WA5VJB "cheap yagi" at the CSVHFS conference in July. I
was really proud of both of them as they worked great! The loops were left in
the trunk all weekend, hah! 

Thanks to John K9JK and Marshall K5QE for infecting me with the rover bug!
Kevin W9GKA has done alot for VHF within SMC. Their commitment to VHF and
encouraging activity is great!   

Was initially planning on a backyard portable effort but after building the 220
antenna I decided to mess around with rover configurations which would be
quicker to setup/teardown. The rover setup for June VHF was too slow to
setup/teardown. Once a configuration was established, I decided to test it out
at a local high point (trash hill in Munster, Indiana that's a recreation area
now). Settled on a small tripod over the moon roof of the car which allowed for
a christmas tree configuration of 432 (top), 220, 2m (bottom). Eventually added
6m at the second grid. 

Wanted to do a more extensive rover effort with a FT-857D (for more power) but
needed to buy a deep cycle battery and that hasn't happened yet. $270 for a gel
no maintenance battery is a little much. Even two wet deep cycle batteries would
be over $300. 

On Sunday while looking at the map I found a hospital in EN52 which had an open
air multiple level parking garage. Not far from the grid corner so that worked
out great. Had the whole top level to myself! 

Unfortunately instead of doing some recon around the grid corner I decided to
go with the proven location of another hospital parking garage in EN62. With
QRP I really need the height that garages offer! So I'm still in search of
three other parking garages to complete the grid corner, hah! Hospitals are too
spaced out geographically to get them all close to a grid corner, argh!  

Learned about some other rover sites from QSOs with other rovers. Some more
recon needed there. The whole route planning thing is still in development for
me. Actually stopped by IKEA in Schaumburg to pick up some desk lighting
between grids (the place was packed with people too!). 

Best grids worked were EN44 + EN74. Worked 12 unique grids total. Didn't work
anything below the EN41 thru EN71 grid lines. 

FT-817 (5w) and Elecraft 220 xvtr (10w?) 
4L Arrow 2m yagi  
6L WA5VJB design 220 yagi
6L WA5VJB design 432 yagi 
6m Hamstick dipole    

Hope to work you in the Fall Sprints! 

CQ CONTEST! 
Eric K9GY/rover


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