06/21/2003 | KI0SK/R Roving can be fun even with rather simple gear. Dan (N0BAF) and I had a 100 watt amp. on two meters, but ran the FT 817 barefoot on 50 and 432 MHZ. Antennas were a Moxon for six meters, six elements on two meters and 11 elements on 70 cm. All were home brewed out of wood and heavy wire. Used a painting pole that extends to 18 feet for a mast. It is held up with a simple wood tripod. Everything stows easily and can be set up in about three minutes. The only problem is we can only have one antenna in the air at a time.

On Saturday we worked from DN80, DM89, DM88, DM78 and DM79. Sunday we started with DN70, DN71 and DN81. On a lark, we headed north to DN82. Heard a few stations just above the noise on two. Could have worked them if antennas had been pointed our way, but everyone knew there were no stations in our direction. With six meters closed down we did not make one contact from DN82. Next time we will make a sked or two before heading that far away. Driving back home, we managed one contact in DN72. A few miles into DN71 six opened up again. With a bit of persistence, we worked almost every station heard from that grid. Even had a small pileup for a while.

So many empty grids, so little time.

Erich -- KI0SK