[3830] ARRL Jan VHF W7QQ/R Rover HP

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                    ARRL January VHF Contest

Call: W7QQ/R
Operator(s): W7QQ KK6MC
Station: W7QQ

Class: Rover HP
QTH: AZ
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:   26     6
    2:   47     9
  222:    6     2
  432:   27     5
  903:           
  1.2:    4     3
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:    9     3
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  119    37  Total Score = 8,399

Club: 

Comments:

Our plan was to activate four grids south of Phoenix, Arizona, then overnight in
Payson, Arizona and return to the home QTH near Albuquerque New Mexico by way of
two grids in the Painted Desert National Park in northeast Arizona. We were
tired of the cold and snow in New Mexico so the warmer temperatures near
Phoenix looked attractive. We carried all bands 50 MHz through 10 GHz.  We
succeeded in completing our plan, with only a couple of minor glitches, the
most significant being a blown main power fuse. 
After securing permission from the Ak-Chin Indian Community we started the
contest at the confluence of grids DM 32, 33, 42 and 43. This location is in
flat farm land with no elevation advantage. I made 9 contacts on 10 GHz, a new
experience for me, but we were a bit disappointed that the VHF and UHF activity
was low. Rove partner Duffey KK6MC worked the VHF/UHF bands while I concentrated
on learning 10 GHz operations. Otherwise, the workload for both the low VHF
bands and the microwave bands is too much for one person. I worked K0KFC in all
four grids, AD7OI from 2 grids on a 75 mile bounce path and also picked up K7RJ,
KJ7OG, and W7JM; all on 10 GHz. It was all mostly flat, but there is a
Miracle-Grow plant there so the path to Tucson on 10GHz was through big piles
of it; literally a crappy path. 
We overnighted in Payson, Arizona after looping around Phoenix and picking up
as many FM QSOs as possible. Duffey worked Alf, NU8I, on all lower 6 bands
except 33 cm.
We got an early start Sunday, and after a quick and hearty rover breakfast at
the Bee Line Cafe we climbed  about 2,000 ft to a good spot in DM44 on the
Mogollon Rim. The scenic overlook/rest area we have used in the past was closed
for the winter under nearly two feet of snow. We made do at the side of the
road. After working just one contact in the AZ area due to poor sight lines to
Phoenix from the alternate spot, we began to listen east. Duffey worked Mike,
WB2FKO, in Albuquerque on 2 meter CW. Our best DX was on 2 meters with K9VSW in
Taos New Mexico at 294 miles.  After that we logged several more QSOs with
stations east of us as we moved toward the Painted Desert while outrunning a
winter wind and snowstorm warning. The Painted Desert/Petrified Forest is a
wonderful place to operate VHF; it covers two grids, has good accessible high
spots from which to operate, and beautiful scenery.  At Blue Mesa, DM54, we
worked 70 cm contacts with N7KA in Coralles NM and N5JEH in Albuquerque at
about 180 miles. We activated DM55 at Pintauda Point in the Painted Desert
where Duffey repeated most of the same contacts. Of note, to us, was the 222MHz
QSO with WB2FKO, done with 25 watts on both ends. W7QQ had built the transverter
that Mike was using, so he was happy to hear his own handiwork. 
We stopped at the home QTH of Mike N5SJ in Gallup New Mexico for a much needed
bite to eat (thanks Mike and Barbara) and took off east just ahead of a fierce
looking snowstorm.  In the September contest, we had success sweeping the
Albuquerque area for FM contacts and we focused on that for the last hour of
the contest. We operated from West Mesa in Albuquerque, with an overview of the
entire Albuquerque area and in the dark, a beautiful view of the city. We picked
up a significant 144MHz and 432MHz FM QSOes,  This is one of the easiest way to
generate four point 432MHz FM QSOes. 
We hit 9 grids, many with little or no permanent VHF activity. So many who
worked us got a new grid and a rare, for the contest, multiplier. Activity in
AZ  was down from previous years, but the activity in New Mexico was up,
including several first timers and a few novices honing their skills.  We heard
no Es. We had lots of fun, worked hard, and learned how to make productive 10GHz
QSOes.


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