[SCCC] ARRL June VHF - N6GP/R Limited Rover LP

[Tim Goeppinger]

Special prologue for SCCC:
Before the contest, I held a moment of silence for Ray Oleson AD6AF. Gone but not forgotten.  RIP

Many thanks to the following for having the most # of QSOs with me:

Endaf   N6UTC/R   14
Sim      KI6BWO      12
John    K6LDQ         11
Peter   Ni6E             10 (plus Scott AA6RT & Michelle)
Ryan   Ai6DO             8
Larry   K6RO              8
Rocco N6KN              8
Dan     NA6MG          8
Gene   WB9COY        8

This contest pretty much panned out the way I had expected, with about a 1/3 reduction in activity from the pandemic enhanced numbers from last year.  I made 495 QSOs last year (almost all local) vs only 323 this year.  A lot of the regulars were not on, plus the ARES/RACES/ACS emcomm groups did not show up like last year.  I hadn't planned it this way, but 100% of my rover locations were in L.A. County (LAX Section). I was thankful for very cool weather.

First stop was in the Santa Monica mountains.  Much less motorcycles and sport cars there vs last year.  I am somewhat dis-satisfied with this site, because it is blocked due east.  There wee a lot of stations I could not hear.  Plus, the drive along PCH in Santa Monica is brutal.  Might look for something on the east end of DM04 next year.
Arrived on Signal Hill about 4PM.  We finally got some nice 6m openings to VE7, Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming!  Lots of DN70s to work.  Did both FT8 and SSB.  My SSB QSO with K5ZG was funny.  I told him that his DM88 seems like a rare grid.  He said "It was, before I moved here".  A car of women in their 20's drove by and asked what I was doing. I told them about amateur radio, and that I was in a competition his weekend.  They said "Oh wow!  That's dope!"  Endaf N6UTC/R on the same hill, reported later that the women asked him if he was in a competition.
Arrived in Diamond Bar Sunday morning for DM13.  Was great to eek out some CW QSOs with N6MI and his amazing van for DM15.  With no openings, tore down early around 1815z, and made a smart decision to move only 1 mile away to Pantera Elementary for DM14.  Actually operated from the parking lot this year, with a better shot to DM03.  Worked a good number of locals, especially out in the Valley in DM04 that I never would have gotten from Table Mountain. Made 32 QSOs there in 75 minutes.  Took brief lunch break and headed to Table Mountain in the Wrightwood area at about 7200' elevation.
Got setup around 2200x.  Worked a couple grids in the desert on 6m FT8 like DM16, DM24, DM26.  Unable to move them to 2m.  There were fake openings all afternoon up there, just on meteor scatter.  K7CW would pop in, so would WO7I in Nevada, and so did Arizona.  Very frustrating, like chasing my tail.  Seemed to work OK into the Los Angeles area, with big sigs.  Only managed 20 QSOs up there, including 3 from a sked with W7OJT.  I shut down early at 0100z, with hopes of returning to DM13 for a few more QSOs.  That plan was ended by a traffic jam from a pretty bad car accident.  Managed a mobile QSO with Dave N6TEB to finish the contest.
Things to try next year:  Try CW.  N6MI got 47 QSOs on CW!  Maybe try Meteor Scatter MSK144.  Also need to do grid circling to compete with the Texans who do that.  My new Alinco 25W rig was a big help this year, vs my old HT.  Thanks to the So. Calif. hams who showed up to help me stay competitive natinally.
QSOS by grid:
             DM04   100
             DM03   105
             DN13      64
             DM14     53

Rig:  Icom Ic-7000
Ants:  6m moxon
       Diamond X30 Vertical for 2m and 440
       220 5/8 wave  mobile whip
       2m and 440 beams for W7OJT QSOs