[VHFcontesting] Why don't you rove?

[Glen Overby]

James Duffey asked:
> So, if you are an active VHF contester, particularly for a long time,  
> why don't you rove? Why don't you try roving?

I'm going to turn this question around for my answer:  Why DO you rove?

I rove because I made two mistakes in 2002: I purchased a townhouse in a hole.
Had I found the vhf weak-signal world, I wouldn't have done that.  So, instead
I rove.

Roving is a lot of work.  It usually starts Thursday evening with the stacks
of transverters and radios and going in the car, and doesn't end until late
Sunday.  I know some rovers who have a second vehicle, but I'm not that
dedicated :)

Last July, for the first time in many years, I worked a "stationary" station
for the CQWWVHF contest.  A multiop, in fact.  It was really relaxing; when 6m
was dead, we went and did other stuff.  I was running on AC power and had no
battery sag.  I had fun!

> How much do rovers add to your VHF contesting experience?

A lot!  I've worked contests where I was the only rover in the area and while
my filling in the open grids was great for everyone else, I didn't get many
mults.

> If you have roved and stopped, why did you stop?

I haven't stopped, but twice in every contest (usually during Friday evening
prep and Sunday evening teardown) I swear I'm not going to do THAT again.
Usually by the 'next' contest I've forgotten that and put the antennas back on
the car.

> I find roving rewarding, envigorating, challenging, educational, and  
> for the life of me don't understand why everyone doesn't try it at  
> least once. - Duffey

I find the stations who've roved are much more patient when I'm not quite on
schedule or have to fix the Next problem :)

Glen