06/16/2009 | K2QO/R Well, another June VHF contest is in the books. This time around, my rover partner W2TAU and I decided to try starting our rover in Packrats territory. We wanted to see if the extra night out and extra 300 miles of driving would result in more fun per mile.

Given that roving in eastern PA was totally new to us, we took no schedules and set no goals. K1DS and K3EGE were very helpful in getting us set up with good rover spots. Consulting N2MH's roversite was likewise helpful in planning. With everything set we ventured forth on Friday night from Clarence, NY and stayed in Horseheads to get a head start. On Saturday morning we motored to Allamuchy, NY and the famous I-80 overlook. We arrived early by 40 minutes which meant we could start the contest on time which we did. This is a rarity for us.

After an hour of making Qs we headed up to Camelback for a meet/greet/run-the-bands with W3CCX. Their hospitality, camaraderie, and dedication to amateur radio was in evidence as we overstayed our schedule by hanging out on the mountain. We followed up FN21 with FN10, FN20 and FN11 with one snafu; Pimple Hill was locked half way up for some odd reason. It looked perfect on the map and it was highly recommended. Oh well...

Sunday's first stop was FN22 south of Canestota. We had good run and then were treated with a visit by up and coming rover star, KC2QZF. He and his partner were having a ball and we ran the bands before vacating the hill so they could have the cherry spot. Our next stops were productive with FN02 again producing our highest Q total.

In no particular order, here are some odd things that happened, some observations, and some applause.

* During testing and setup we were convinced that 10GHz was dead. My rover partner brought over a kilobuck worth of test gear was bummed. Out on the road it worked FB! On Sunday night we copied a 15mW beacon with a 17dB horn at about 90 miles. So much for the test gear.


* I ran a new GPS setup with a DeLorme Earthmate receiver and Street Atlas 2005. Worked great for 20 bucks on eBay. When navigating to our Friday night lodging, I was telling my rover partner where to turn (I had not turned on voice nav yet) and that we had a mile to go. He made a right turn, stopped and we were there. It least is was right for the rest of the trip.


* The roads in PA are AWEFUL. It was a pleasure to be back in NY. Did I actually type that?


* Kudos to VE3WCC. They fielded a multiband station with good signals and YOUNG operators. They did need some coaching from our end but did a great job. They were a huge help to our score as we worked them form many grids.


* After the January contest, KC2QZF/R commented how good a time he had and that he'd be back next January. What? I asked why not June? He told me something about a love for cold WX and yada yada. Turns out that roving is TOO MUCH FUN! Or meet on Mutton Hill was fun and I know he worked loads of good stuff from his limited rover setup.


* We stayed in a motel in Horseheads that was last remodeled in, well, scratch that, it was original 1955.


So, what was the bottom line for K2QO/r (+W2TAU)? Well, it shaped up like this: 10 grids, 855 miles, 300 Qs, 40 gallons of gas, and a steadily declining score for the 4th year running despite better gear, strategy and operating skills. Let's talk up VHF and get some fresh blood on the air!!

See you all in September! -- K2QO