[VHFcontesting] Rover Liason Frequency

[John D'Ausilio]

A common rover frequency has it's pros and it's cons .. for example if
one frequency is in use by a number of rovers in the same general
area, then you need to have a protocol to move off the rover freq to
coordinate .. so now you need two freqs or coordinate on a different
band. If the fixed op checks your freq but you're off working the last
guy on 6/222/432 he often doesn't hang around and wait.

Back in the early 2000s when W3IY was active, he had all the ops in
the mid-atlantic trained to listen for him on .247. Since I've been
piloting the Jitney it's been hard to get more than a handful of guys
to pay attention to .247 (though those that do work us on 10 bands in
multiple grids).

Personally, I think self-spotting should be allowed for rovers ..
everyone knows where all the fixed stations are, but for the rovers
it's like playing hide and seek. You can assume that a rover is *not*
going to be on-schedule past the start time (and maybe not even then),
so schedules are only guidance. Propagation, equipment, and operating
skill will determine whether a contact is completed, whether there's
traffic on I-95 will be less of an issue :) and roving would be a lot
less frustrating (especially given the time/$$$/energy invested). Plus
it would make roving attractive to new guys .. nothing motivates a
newbie like a steady stream of QSOs ..

de w1rt/john

On Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 12:20 PM,  <specrisk at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  To the list- I do not know whether this concept has been discussed before but I wonder if it would be a easy way for a fixed or portable operator could occasional check this frequency (What ever frequency could or would be  chosen) to see if rovers are within range. It could be on multiple bands but I would think just one band would probably be adequate. Perhaps 144.270 or 275 or higher by spacing of say 10 KHz used in the same fashion as the Microwave liason frequency of 144.260 is used during the 10 GHz contest. In that contest stations meet on 144.260 and QSY up or down usually in 10 KHz intervals. It is hard enough to find rovers because of pointing problems. I know there have been some sophisticated methods of locating them discussed but sometimes simplicity works well. This method may be in use already  for VHF contests but I am not aware of it. I suspect some of the rovers with MW capability use 144. 260 in this fashion but there are  rovers with the 3 or 4 lower band
>  s that might not use 144.260. I wonder if there was consensus on  a "Rover" specific frequency that it would net more activity. There could be a "low end" frequency and perhaps an FM upper band alternative?
> George, W1JHR
>
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