[VHFcontesting] ARRL UHF Contest (N1LF/R)

[Les Rayburn]

I think this one might be entitled "The Rove That Almost Wasn't". Saturday morning dawned with my wife not feeling very well. She made a game attempt to help me install the new PVC Rover Rack but felt worse as the day wore on. By 10AM, she was complaining of a severe headache, and things only got worse from there. All thoughts of the contest were quickly put aside as it became clear that she was really ill and would need some treatment.

As the hours wore on, my only concession to the contest was to operate a handful of FM contacts on 440 and 222 during our local activity hour. After about 20 minutes, I gave up on that, and returned to Abby's bedside. We finally made it home just before midnight Saturday. 

On Sunday morning, I was up early around 5AM and headed for "Locust Ridge", a 1,100 foot hilltop just six miles from my home. Was up and running on the hill by 6AM. The first hour resulted in fruitless CQ's and wondering if my equipment was even working. Finally just before 7AM, Jimmy Long, W4ZRZ came on 432.100 and the action began to heat up. Bill Capps, AF4OD/R was operating from nearby EM72, and we worked each other throughout the day often. I think having rovers in this contest is really important to keep the fixed stations interested when conditions are poor. And having two rovers in Alabama seemed to keep activity up throughout the day on Sunday.

Some of the highlights of the day included working Danny Cristina, N5OMG in EL49 on both 432 and 222! I've been trying to work Danny for months on 2 Meters, so it was great to hear him answer my CQ. (Danny, I still need EL49 on 2 Meters! Ha, Ha) 

Later in the day, I travelled to EM61 and managed to hand that grid out to some stations who needed it for 432, 902, and 1.2ghz. That's the best part of roving...giving someone a grid that they really need. 

My score wasn't great...but for six hours of operating, it's hard to complain. The new "limited rover" category made it easy for Bill and I to work each other without a sense of being in competition, so I really enjoyed that too. Abby's well made "Rover Rack" was much better than stopping to put up the mast and antennas...and with some modifications, I think the new system will serve me well for sometime to come. 

Used "Rover Log" for the first time in this event, and really liked it. Also tried out using a SDR-IQ to help spot people on the high bands..it helped, but not as much as I thought. Tuning with the IF rig is still the best way to go. Plus it's rare here to have anyone call CQ anywhere but on 432.100. 

Thanks to everyone who listened hard for the rovers, and for the casual operators who got on just to hand out some QSO's. This contest is really one of my favorites. 

RoverLog QSOs by Activated Grid:
Grid QSOs Grid QSOs Grid QSOs
EM61 14 EM62 9 EM63 22

RoverLog Score Summary, Using new rules:
Band QSOs Value QSOPts Mults

222     13     2     26     6
432     19     2     38     6
902     7       3     21     3
1.2G   6       3     18     3


Grids activated:   3

Totals: 45  103     21 

Claimed Score: 2163

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114