09/14/2006 | KE3HT/R KE3HT/rover 50mhz thru 5ghz

This contest I went out as a rover scheduled for: K1TEO, N3NGE, K3TUF, W3SZ, and W2SZ. All of those have all the bands I do. N2PA is a regular that I find and work all bands in most contests with all my bands. I also found some great new Microwave partners! KA1ZE (up to 1.2ghz) and N2NK (up to 3ghz). For the past few contests I have done 3 grids near Phillipsburg PA, 3 grids near the NY border (between Coudersport, PA and Bath, NY). I also did one grid just north of Binghamton since it is on my way home. The result was just over 41,800 points! That is amazing! I did just over 41,800 points in September of 2005! In fact I did only 55 points more in this contest. How did I do that? Last year I had all bands working (6m had high swr) AND Sunday morning we had a microwave opening, this time I had no 6 meters (or band openings), 3ghz was drifting and the microwave bands would close like a door and return to lighter than normal conditions in a flash. How did I have a better score? I duno but I am happy.

WX: \During my second grid, FN00, I saw the clouds change and lightening (no thunder) in the distance. Being on the top of a hill in FN00 and in a corn field I figured I might not be safe. I took down my antennas just in time. Quarter size hail, significant winds and lightening and thunder was pretty serious (picture of the hail below). I pulled out of the field under some trees so I was not the high spot. The quarter sized hail was mixed in between normal hail and rain. My 6 foot dish sits face up on the top of my van. WHAT a NOISE when hail hits it! Sounded like church bells! Sunday we had some mostly rain free, straight lines of clouds. Might have been fronts. A number of them. After one of them I lost N2PA on all bands even 2m. N2PA was only 70 or so miles from me?

Gas: Prices in PA were $2.49 thru $2.69! New Yorkers were $2.95 and Mass was $2.68. I drove 919 miles through 7 grids. So my cost was $0.71 per QSO :-)

Grids activated: 7
Totals: 238qso's
Claimed Score: 41876

More details and pictures can be found at: http://www.ke3ht.org/rover/sep2006/

See more about my rover at: http://www.ke3ht.org/rover/

The first picture has Quarter sized hail in FN00 Sat eve

The second picture is my new FN12 site looking towards K1TEO. Looks great yet we did not work on the microwaves! I think the bands were down at the point in time we tried. W2SZ is just to the left and I worked them up to 3ghz.

I my van survives I will see you all next year!

Tim KE3HT/r -- KE3HT