[VHFcontesting] W7QQ Rover Plans Revised

[jamesduffey at comcast.net]

We have added a stop on Sunday morning in DM54.. 


W7QQ and I will be roving in NM for the June VHF Contest this weekend. Bill has spent a lot of effort to develop a well equipped rover; 100 + watts and long boom Yagis on all bands from 50 MHz to 1296 MHZ. Well, the 50 MHz antenna is a Moxon, which is pretty long for a mobile antenna on six. Ask my wife. :^)= 



With two ops we can operate 6M during a Es opening and not miss any action on the higher bands. This multioperator rover operation is new to both Bill and I, so bear with us if we have cockpit issues. With two operators, one can drive and one can operate, and when stopped, one can operate while the other sets up. In this fashion, we can maximize our operating time. We will have CW, so if you hear a weak CW signal calling please respond. 


Here is our itinerary: 


Saturday 
DM76 1800Z to 1930Z We will operate from the picnic area east of Truchas. This has good sight lines down the Rio Grande valley, to the south and west, and to Colorado. 


1930Z to 2130Z travel through DM76 and DM75 to arrive at 


DM75 2130Z to 2230Z We will set up at the westbound rest stop east of Moriarty on I-40. Depending on conditions we may cut this one short as we will have been able to work many QSOs while in motion. While not high, this is as good a site as it gets in this part of NM and I have made QSOs to CO and down to Las Cruces from here. 


DM74 2245Z to 2345Z Operation here will be from the Torrance County Landfill east of Moriarty. It is just south of the site in DM75 and similar in performance. 


DM64 0000Z to 0100Z We will operate from the road to the Moriarty Airport. This is an OK spot to everywhere but some spots in Albuquerque. 


DM65 0115Z to 0215Z Don't worry if you miss us from here, we will be in DM65 again on Sunday, in motion to DM55 


Then home. Please take these times as guidelines only, if conditions are good, we will stay longer in a grid and if they are poor, we may move on sooner. I doubt we will end the day on time. I hope that we make lots of QSOs and end the day late. If you miss us keep looking. 


Sunday 


DM65 1300Z to 1415Z In motion to DM54 


DM54 1415Z to 1515Z We will setup about 15 miles sourhwest of Grants. We have not operated from this spot before, so we don't know what to expect. Look for us. 


In motion DM54 to DM55 via DM65 1515Z to 1630Z 


DM55 1630Z to 1800Z We will set up about 5 miles south of Prewitt. This is a good spot and I have worked stations north to Colorado and South to Las Cruces. Albuquerque is pretty much a slam dunk, so get that extra grid mult from us on as many bands as you have while we are here. 


1800Z to 1930Z in motion to DM56, will be in DM55 mostly 


DM56 1930Z to 2030Z We will set up at a high point along HWY 371 to operate. This should also be a slam dunk into Albuquerque so again get that grid/band mult and QSO points while we are here. 


2030Z to 2130Z in motion to DM66 


DM66 2130Z to 2300Z We will be operating from a mesa northwest of Lybrook. This is an excellent site, with great sight lines in nearly direction. I have worked eastern NM from here, up to Colorado and Utah, and down to Las Cruces (albeit by CW) Albuquerque is nearly line of sight, so again even if you have modest capabilities on the higher bands you will be able to pick up a lot of band mults and QSO points from us here. 


2300Z to 0100Z In motion home. 


DM65 0100Z to 0300Z If conditions warrant we will operate from DM65 until end of contest. 


This is a modest effort, so I am fairly certain that we will hit all the grids planned. Times might be a bit off, given conditions, but if you look for us, you will eventually find us. We will be on nearly the whole contest, except for the middle of the night, making noise on one band or another. 


In part this is also a wringing out rove for Bill's new rover. He has done a good job putting it together and I am looking forward to roving with him. We put in a respectable effort in the January contest in my rover and I hope that we can repeat our success in June. 


I think that this may be the first time that this many bands have been available from a single rover in NM, so this is a historic opportunity to get QSOs and mults in the contest that have not previously been available. Listen for us. Listen for the weak ones. - KK6MC and W7QQ