[VHFcontesting] Listening for 50 MHz band openings while roving ?

[Mark Spencer]

Sorry to reply to my own thread and thanks for the off list replies.

After some reflection and assistance from a very helpful ham on the WSJT yahoo list, my plan is to have a computer listen to FT8 on 50.313 while I drive and in turn the computer will generate audible alerts when grids other than pre defined "local grids" are detected.   The catch is I may miss new calls within my "local grids" but hopefully I'll be able to work them when I stop in each grid.   (I am NOT looking to exclude local stations.)  The goal is to be able to detect band openings on 50 MHz while I am driving between operating locations during contest and I think I now have a simple solution that will work.  

I dislike cross posting others peoples messages so I won't repeat the messages from the WSJT Yahoo list.  I'd be happy to provide more info off list if anyone is interested.

From testing this in the shack over the last day the process seems to be "working."  I even got an audible alert this morning that lead to me working a nice band opening on 50.313 with 20 watts into my HF vertical.   This is more or less what I am envisioning doing while roving, detecting band openings while driving, parking in a safe place and either working stations with the 1/4 wave whip on top of the truck, or perhaps putting up a mast and beam antenna.

I will probably still listen to the audio from 50.313 as well but now I have a means to get an explicit alert when the computer detects distant grids.  I'll have to see how this actually works during the next contest.

73

Mark S
VE7AFZ


mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On May 18, 2018, at 10:55 AM, Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi:
> 
> I'd be curious in hearing from other rovers about your plans for listening for band openings during contests on 50 MHz going forwards.   My prior approach was to listen to 50.125 on a whip antenna while moving from site to site (in prior years while driving although I now have a short whip for my back pack setup as well.)
> 
> Anyways I haven't heard much on 50.125 these days but am hearing audio on 50.313 via a three foot whip on my back pack setup so I suspect there is some form of a band opening (or there are a lot of stations within ground wave range of a three foot whip which I suspect is unlikely.)
> 
> At this point I'm leaning towards simply listening for audio on 50.313 while moving then stopping and setting up the computer and hopefully getting a few more multipliers during band openings during the next contest.
> 
> I suppose a radio with "dual watch" (i.e. listen to 50.125 and 50.313 at the same time) would also help.  
> 
> It be curious in hearing from other rovers (or anyone else) about this topic.   I don't see my self making "in motion" on FT8 but if some one has ideas about that topic I'd be interested in hearing them as well.
> 
> 73 and hope to work many of you during the June contest.
> 
> 
> Mark S
> VE7AFZ
> 
> 
> mark at alignedsolutions.com
> 604 762 4099