2004 ARRL September VHF Contest
09/14/2004 |
KG6GMT/R
We rove most VHF contests.
This was the first September contest in MN last year we were back in CA for the winter by this time. Great weather and good contesters WHAT more could you ask for? Saturdays trip found us in EN37,EN36,EN26,EN27,EN28, and EN38. Sundays trip was the same grids but run in the opposite direction. Worked as far east as EN44(K9CVC) and west onto EN08(NT0V). As always many thanks to Bill(K0AWU) for his help in and out of contests. The one thing this rove pointed out is the need for more smoke. Already planning changes to the rover for the January VHF contest.
The rig is a Yaesu FT 817 that drives a Tokyo Hy-power amplifier that gives me a true 35 watts on 2 meters and 25 on 432. 6 is the stock rig. We use HO loops for 2 meters on the road. Stopped we have an Elk 144/440 log mounted on a 10 foot mast. For 6 meters we use a dipole made from 3/8 tube. Grids are checked using a GPS. Logging is on a Dell laptop using N3FJP's great VHF contesting program. -- KG6GMT
This was the first September contest in MN last year we were back in CA for the winter by this time. Great weather and good contesters WHAT more could you ask for? Saturdays trip found us in EN37,EN36,EN26,EN27,EN28, and EN38. Sundays trip was the same grids but run in the opposite direction. Worked as far east as EN44(K9CVC) and west onto EN08(NT0V). As always many thanks to Bill(K0AWU) for his help in and out of contests. The one thing this rove pointed out is the need for more smoke. Already planning changes to the rover for the January VHF contest.
The rig is a Yaesu FT 817 that drives a Tokyo Hy-power amplifier that gives me a true 35 watts on 2 meters and 25 on 432. 6 is the stock rig. We use HO loops for 2 meters on the road. Stopped we have an Elk 144/440 log mounted on a 10 foot mast. For 6 meters we use a dipole made from 3/8 tube. Grids are checked using a GPS. Logging is on a Dell laptop using N3FJP's great VHF contesting program. -- KG6GMT
Back
