09/20/2003 | K7MDL/VE7/R I was rover once again. My objective was to activate some rare grids on Vancouver Island. I managed to "justify" the trip by combining it with some excellent fishing in Port Hardy where I started out the contest from (CO60).

Scoped out CO50 Friday evening on the very northwest tip of the island. Nothing heard so I skipped this grid in the contest not wanting to run the 100 miles of gravel logging road a second time.

Saturday traveled another 100 miles or so of gravel logging roads to the west coast again to Zeballos in CN69, but heard nothing - very steep mountains, and no good view to the SE. Next hit the CO60 site which was 4200ft on Newcastle Ridge near Sayward on the east side of the island. Challenging old logging roads and it was very windy and rainy, but decent contacts to the Seattle area. Spent the night there. Definitely a 4WD road adventure.

Sunday hit the 50 degree latitude CO70 and CN79 grid line in eastern coast city of Campbell River on the waterfront. Good signals to Vancouver and Seattle here. Ran to the west side of the island for CN78 and CN79 (Ucluelet and Radar Hill south of Tofino) Again good sigs into Puget Sound and Aberdeen on the Washington southwest coast.

Was running behind a few hours so I missed activating CN89 and CN88. Caught the ferry home back to Seattle that night from Nanaimo in CN89.

In the hour before the contest I had the opportunity to present to the Port McNeil (CO60) local ham club meeting what my rover rig was all about and digital modes and VHF contesting. As a bonus they gave me a bunch of FM contacts as the contest started and I pulled away. Thanks to the several VE7 hams who helped me navigate the backroads to these far off sites.

More details on the trip can be found at http://mysite.verizon.net/res0iem6/index.html

73,


Mike -- K7MDL