10/09/2004 | W9FZ/R Activated the nine grids surrounding and including EN-34. Activated the same nine grids (in a different order) in January. I'd recommend these nine grids to anyone! Lots of activity from fine operators who know how to move through the bands quickly.

Conditions were average and I worked grids as far away as Milwaukee. I'm glad I took the time to make 10GHz QSO's--several were about 200 miles. I was pleased with the longer distance Q's I made with K0AWU and KM0T. Weather was BEAUTIFUL!! The picture is from EN-44 looking south.

I feel the function of a rover is to activate grids and provide additional activity primarily for fixed stations. I contacted a few rovers over the weekend and appreciated the grids and QSO's they provided. I am proud that I am an independent Rover who does not orchestrate my activity to increase my activity with other Rovers. Increasing activity with fixed stations is my primary motivator.

I must mention another reason I Rove. It's the beauty I find along the way. For instance the beautiful rainbow in the picture or the beautiful early fall colors while driving through the Minnesota River Valley north of Mankato.

I thank the many fixed stations I worked multiple times, for instance WQ, WHZ, NP, WUS, NJZ, NZJ, K9CVC, KGI, N9ISN, NKC, KWU, and KM.

I think my performance this year--680 Q's yielding 1312 Qpts and 86 grids--is the best I can possibly do from these 9 grids. The challenge goes out to other one-person and two-person Rovers to top this from these 9 grids. I think 2-person Rovers will top it rather easily. -- W9FZ/R