[VHFcontesting] Limited Roving - Worth the Effort?

[James Duffey]

Joe - You wrote, in part: -
		Oh wait -- I think I'm starting to get it now... Nobody told them  
I'm there or that they might have to listen 		carefully to dig out my  
piddly, weak, little signal...
Allowing APRS on the internet to locate rovers by unassisted single  
ops would help this situation a lot, particularly in less populous  
areas in contests where there isn't much enhanced propagation. It  
would let the single and casual contest ops know where you are  
geographically and they might point the beam that way and scan the  
band. Write your ARRL director, your division representative on the  
VUAC, and the VUAC chair to implement this use of APRS. While you are  
writing, you might also ask your director why their Programs and  
Services Committee (PSC) chose to ignore VUAC recommendations on  
implementing APRS.

You don't say what you are using for equipment or bands you operate.  
Being loud on 2 certainly helps when roving. I found that adding one  
of the ubiquitous 160W amps to my 25 W out transceiver helped a lot.  
If you use an omni antenna, like a HALO, you can significantly improve  
your signal with a beam. The WA5VJB cheap Yagis are good performers  
and easy to build.

Another problem is that the contests run a long time. There is a  
flurry of activity the first few hours, but then, particularly in the  
less populated areas, there isn't much incentive for the home based  
single op to sit in front of the radio waiting for the rover to  get  
to another grid.  Again APRS would help here as well.

You might try the Sprints. I have worked as many stations in a 4 hour  
sprint as I have in an entire VHF contest. Still the activity drops  
off over those 4 hours, but you can get to 3 or 4 grids in the sprint  
and make a decent score for a modest investment.

Here is what I have learned works well to help improve the rover  
contacts.

1. Publicize your plans in advance. I keep an e-mail list of those who  
I have worked in recent contests and who I will be able to work on 2M  
during my rove. I send out an e-mail with grids I plan to work and  
when I intend to be there.

2. I try to start at a location near a populous area where I can work  
a lot of stations early and let them know I will be on in other grids  
during the rest of the contest. That way, they are more likely to look  
for you later in the contest. If this area is near a grid square  
convergence, so much the better.

3. Pause before QSYing to other bands to let other stations work you.  
I am still working on this one. I tend to QSY too early, missing  
people. Try to work everyone on frequency before you QSY.

4. Having the capability to operate while in motion will also help. I  
am still working on this, but should have it ready for the June  
Contest. The more time you spend on the air the more opportunity there  
is to make contacts.

Roving varies considerably from one geographic area to another. It is  
tough to rove where there isn't much activity. - Duffey
--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM