[VHFcontesting] Limited Roving - Worth the Effort?

[Chet, N8RA]

Glen, kc0iyt/r asked: 
"Do you call the rover on their hangout frequency?  How long have you
listened on their freq?"
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Gee, I never thought about calling a rover on his hangout freq, I've just
listened there as I sweep, and do not park a receiver there either. Maybe I
should rethink that. My impression has been that it would not be productive-
many rovers seem to be in a race to cover a gazillion grid squares, and
understandably cannot be too sure if they will be able to even follow their
own plan. A gazillion squares near high population centers is good for the
rover's score, but doesn't help the distant fixed station much if most are
common squares. I had figured once they stop and set up somewhere, they will
make some noise for a while and I should eventually find them, or they will
be S&Ping and will eventually find me. Again, maybe I should rethink that,
this discussion is giving some good insight into the rover world.
Personally, I am not interested in using APRS to tell me when a rover is
somewhere so that I can now beam that way. For me the thrill comes from
working as many stations in as many directions as I can thru continual
station improvements and then piloting it myself. 

(My preference would be for a rover to pick 2 relatively rare squares and do
one one day and the other the next. They'd be there a while, I'd have a much
bigger incentive to listen a lot more for them there, and I'd now know where
to point the beam. But I can see how that might get boring for the rover.) 

I typically sweep from 144.160 thru 144.260 when S&P ing, and sometimes when
I am CQing I still do this same sweep with one ear. And my 2M radio has a
spectrum sweep display, so even when not sweeping I can notice  see new
blips pop up between the local big sigs.  

Propagation conditions, and your and my antenna pointing take a big toll. It
is not uncommon to hear 2 stations on the same frequency, both CQing,
neither hearing each other. Here in the NE, 144.170 to 144.225 often has a
lot of fixed station sigs, and my experience is that unless a rover is
nearby, he is generally pretty weak and could well be covered up. 

73,
Chet, N8RA