[VHFcontesting] A quasi-history of roving

[K3uhf at aol.com]

As a rover who made a decision not to rove in the sprints I will tell you the 
sprints are too short to rove unless you live or are willing and able to get 
to a corner to start near.  For me I could hit 4 grids up I-5 and drive 4 
hours back and go to bed at 3 am and get up Tuesday morning to work at 6 am.  Also 
there is less guys on the sprint which I know would make a rover more 
valuable.  The middle of the week the is an issue for me as well. Its much easier to 
just operate a home station for 4 hours.  Though I did go out for the 222 and 
2 meter sprints as portable or fixed in my rover rig.  I sat home on 432.  
There was a ham fair for the 6 meter sprint.  If all these were combined I would 
have skipped the fair and operated rover like I did in CQ's July 6 and 2 meter 
contest. Having experienced the old rules in CQ's  I must say I like the new 
rules better, It forces me out further from civilization to get more grids 
rather than stay on I-5.  

Anyway I don't want to be critical on this one, I think it gives people on 
off shifts or church going types a chance to contest without xyl or job 
conflict.  Everyone on the same band is nice too.

Have you guys running the sprint ever considered approaching a vendor or 
radio maker to sponsor the contest?  I was considering that here. I.E. each entree 
is a raffle ticket and there are door prizes for the entrees.  No score 
involved.  

k3uhf