[VHFcontesting] This rover stuff is hard....

[nosigma at aol.com]

Just so no one gets the wrong idea,  my "rove" neither a serious effort nor a prototype for future plans, just a very shallow dip of the toe in the water and a chance to see what this might be like.  My Jeep is so loud I never even operate mobile.

Logging:
A clip board with paper duct tape to the upper leg and a big wide tipped marker let me write one Q per page without looking. With only 4 on the move Q'S (HT, 5W, FM) it worked OK for this but safely logging will be big challenge if I try this on the move.
LESSON:  Shoot and Scoot or have the XYL drive (she thinks this would be something fun to do together).  Audio recorder is an excellent idea.  I used one in my first contest but wasnt helpful for a fixed station.  Never thought to bring it,  thank you Jim.

Hands "free-er"
With the HT I had to wait until there was no traffic ahead or behind before calling, then set it down to "scrawl/log" then pick it up again to complete the Q, then set it down again to write if needed.
LESSON: A PTT on the wheel, a single ear head set with microphone off the headset would seem ideal.

With the XYL move to KS done and 7 months of geo-batch ahead I should have plenty of time to work on the crew cab short bed F-150 set up.

Thanks for the comments, advice & pics given on this and the earlier F-150 rover set up request post.

73
John
KM4KMU 
On Monday, June 15, 2020 jimk8mr--- via VHFcontesting <jimk8mr at aol.com> wrote:
 John,
I trust you survived your journey and had fun.
I am concerned about your mention of hand logging, which I gather was being done while driving. If so, please reconsider that. I've done a number of mobile trips around Florida in the Florida QSO Party, driving while operating, almost all on CW , with a memory keyer to do the hard work. With reasonable road and traffic conditions I do not see that as an unreasonable safety issue. However taking the eyes off the road and a hand off the wheel, while tending to turn one's upper body toward the log, is not a good idea.

While I do 2/3 of the time in FQP operating while parked, while driving I record the contest to transcribe later. This may include sending notes to myself over the air, such as "15M" after changing bands. 

I strongly recommend anybody trying to operate while driving to not try to keep a log at the same time. Record it.


73  -   Jim   K8MR


 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: John Young via VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Sent: Sun, Jun 14, 2020 5:58 pm
Subject: [VHFcontesting] This rover stuff is hard....


20ft box Uhaul with a loaded car trailer out back at 70mph from middle ohio to KS.  Glad I was using an FT-60 HT on FM so very few answered.  If driving and calling CQ (endlessly calling CQ) isnt hard enough, hand logging adds another level of complexity.

I stand in awe of those who do this well with multiple bands.  Thrilled to have activated 3 grids and one multi at a grid border.  More QSO's tonight after local nets.

Roving IS FUN FUN FUN.

Good luck to all
73
John
KM4KMU

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