[VHFcontesting] June 2032 intergalatic vhf sweepstakes

[frank bechdoldt]

Here’s a clip from the future….
 
June Intergalactic VHF sweepstakes review  QST 2032
 
An unnamed California group bought a surplus ICBM from the dilapidated US Air force and launched it to the moon. On board was a missile platform that drops 10 warheads, or in this case , eleven band  mobile lunch box stations.  With the exception of melting the picture of Ferrah Faucet off the cover of the pink Charlie’s Angels lunch box, all 10 lunch boxes arrived unharmed. 
 
This new effort was on account of key VUAC members pushing through a rule change the new rule allows the use of  remote control stations to activate rare grids. This was done  in the name of driver safety, saving the environment, eliminating wasted gas from rovers and portable stations with generators, leveling the playing field in the fly/talk over states and rf safety for all citizens on the highways. 
 
However the ARRL overlooked the possibility of extraterrestrial grid circling via remote stations mounted on remote control vehicles.
The  lunchbox  lunar rovers are interfaced  to tie wrapped IC 02s and are connected to solar powered segways. The lunchboxes are designed to  receive commands from earth stations are deployed in adjacent lunar grids grid.
However the Lunchbox coordinator’s plans for interstellar victory were foiled.  None of the earth bound stations in his club  had equipment or antennas powerful enough to work the moon at their home QTHs. So while conditions for ripe for contacts on the lunar surface, all ten lunar lunch box rovers (LLBRs) sat idol for the june contest.
 
However this is only a minor set back as the lunchbox coordinator vows to build ten, 11 band eme stations and place them strategically throughout the southwestern desert.  Ironically none of these stations are intended to work stations on earth, but will surely become a powerhouse in the portable category as well as the other new and old  rover categories: QRP rovers, dummy load rovers, traditional rovers, Limited rovers, Really limited rovers, honest rovers. Impoverished rovers, rovers with angry wives, school bus rovers and unlimited rovers.
 
Meanwhile a vhf group in New England is vowing not to be outscored on the lunar surface. They are immediately contracting with Virgin intergalactic supply INC.  to set up an exclusive colony on the moon.   They plan on colonizing the Peary Crater of the Moon.  It is 73km across and contains approximately 25 grid squares within the confines of it’s deep crater walls. (grids are about  6 x 12 miles on the moon).    
An unnamed source was quoted as saying. “by ensuring that we are the first hams on the moon and making sure we are all located in the confines of the mile deep crater, we will be able to contain our QSOs to our selves, spread out across several grids in the crater for multipliers, while ensuring we maintain the population density contest advantage on the lunar surface by being the only hams there!
 
However while New England Hams gleam with joy in thoughts of Lunar VHF dominations, they may meet stiff opposition from Mrs. Hendrickson, the president Peary Crater Neighborhood association who maintains that external antennas and foreign structures have always clashed with the natural beauty of the Lunar surface since the days of Neil Armstrong.  While not currently inhabiting the Crater, or the Moon, Mrs Hendrickson was quick to form a home owners association and draft a set of CC&Rs when she bought her deed for lunar property off of EBay in 1998.
 
When it was brought to the attention of both the California group and the New England group that they would be both on the moon they were asked if they intended on working each other.  Both said no, its not the spirit of the contest.
 
The ARRL is vowing to get it right by the time the Martian surface is gridded.  They are reaching out to NASA on rover rules , citing their success with some mars rovers in the distant past. They still decline to use any judgment in the future, citing that they are saving their resources for intergalactic BPL interference. 
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