[VHFcontesting] rovers, etc.

[Eric Smith]

Much here depends on what antennas are you using.  Most
rovers use some sort of omnidirectional "radiating dummy
load", either vertically or preferrably Horizonatlly
polarized...  I have learned that Yagis work much better,
that the scattering of RF radiated low to the ground tends
to yield better results with the high gain antenna than
with the omni.  When stopped, the front to back ratio can
be used to great advantage in busy signal areas to "sort
things out".   Although an engineering challenge, the
ability to stop the vehicle and rotate the antennas is
advantageous if the area stopped in does not readily permit
driving the vehicle to point the antennas (such as Highway
rest areas and some mountaintop forest roads running above
clearcuts)
The use of long boom Yagis (even on 6 meters!) means
contacts with stations one or even two grids distant is a
real possibility given a good location, and, with a poor
location, the extra gain will help you work the locals
effectively.

The "knowing where you are going" thing now becomes
extremely important.  Many rovers out there have web pages
with useful information on this and other operating issues
related to roving.  The page maintained by N7CFO is
certainly a good one, along with the N9RLA page (new
callsign, K9ZF... don't know if the URL has changed, fire
up the search engine and see what you find...)

The rest you have pretty much covered, I would say "get out
there and work everything you can"...
Eric
KB7DQH 

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:11:09 -0400 (EDT)
 Ken Alexander <k.alexander at rogers.com> wrote:
> Strategy?  Really?
> 
> Hi guys, VE3HLS here.  I'll be roving for the first
> time in September...6m, 2m and 70cm (sorry, that's all
> I have!).
> 
> I'm not in it for the glory (operating with only 3
> bands pretty well ensures that), but I had lots of fun
> operating portable in last summer's contests and since
> I don't have any permanent antennas at home, roving
> seems like the answer.
> 
> But, strategy?  I'm still working on that one.  Aside
> from knowing where I'm going and what grids I'll
> operate from, keeping the car full of gas, bringing a
> logbook and pencils, what kind of strategy do I need?
> 
> 73 and thanks in advance,
> 
> Ken Alexander, VE3HLS
> www.ve3hls.com
> 
> 
> --- kevin kaufhold <kkaufhold at yahoo.com> wrote:
>