[VHFcontesting] Useful rover tips for the new guys

[N6FD]

You can see the transport for my Single-Op Portable here: 
http://n6fd.home.mchsi.com/index.html

I have the antennas mounted to a 4x4 sheet of 3/4 inch plywood with a 
pipe mount.  I transport all the antennas fully assembled.  At the 
portable site I pile dirt or rocks onto the plywood to keep the antennas 
from  blowing over.  This works in at least 40 MPH winds.  I have ropes 
for tying the antennas to the truck during transport, and would use 
those for guys if the winds got stronger. 

The 50-144-222-432 antennas are mounted on one mast, and the 902-1296 
loopers are on another.  I find that in operating I use mostly the first 
mast and only use the second when I find someone with those bands.  This 
saves a lot of wear and tear on the armstrong rotor.

73, Erich N6FD

Zack Widup wrote:
> THIS is the type of posting I like to see here!
>
> Since I've been Single-Op Portable in almost every VHF+ contest,
> I've designed my station for setup that is as quick and easy as I can make
> it. My Yagi antennas are all designed and built so they can be transported
> with the elements off the booms and fastened alongside the booms for
> transport. It doesn't take me long to put them together in the field.
>  (Loopers, of course, have to be carried assembled.) I built a tilt-over
> base with a length of 2X6 and one of those Radio Shack tilting bases, as
> recommended to me by K9PW. Guy ropes with anchors hold the array up. Somehow
> a 20 ft mast with 4 beams on it managed to stay up during the horrible winds
> I experienced in the January VHF contest. I don't think I'll have such winds
> in June.
>
> WA9O has an interesting setup for antennas. He has a small car like mine (I
> have a Toyota Corolla). I never thought I'd be able to use it as a Rover
> until I saw Jerry's setup. He has one of those clamp-on top-mounting luggage
> carriers. Not cheap but seems to work well. He's attached to that a
> square loop of PVC pipe with several PVC T's on it. The T's allow him to put
> pipes in them as masts for Yagis. I believe he has six T's, one in front and
> back and two on each side. I just might try that some day.
>
> Still have some prep to do for the June contest. My 903 MHz preamp is blown
> ...
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ
>
>
>