06/17/2009 | KK6MC/R This contest marked a turning point for me. With the addition of a TS-2000X transceiver, my previous rover station of 4 transceivers, 4 amplifiers, 3 preamps, and an audio filter was replaced by a single transceiver, a 222 MHz transverter and a 222 MHz amp. Plus, I added a band, 1296 MHz with fewer boxes. With the addition of 23 cm, I am now in the Classic Rover category. The single transceiver relieved the power situation somewhat so I added my laptop and logged with RoverLog, another first for me. The addition of a Heil headset freed my hands to do other chores. It all worked together well and there was only one significant problem the whole contest.

The rig feed a complement of home made antennas, a 6M loop and WA5VJB Yagis for the other bands.

We left the drive two minutes before the contest started and put DM65 on the air. There was lots of local activity to keep us occupied on the way to DM64. There was more activity around Albuquerque than I had heard before in VHF/UHF contests. In DM64, we set up at the end of Pajarito Road, on Albuquerque's west mesa with a commanding view of Albuquerque and the Rio Grande Valley. The high local activity continued here. I worked my first 1296 MHz contact here with K5RHR in Los Alamos at 75 miles and that was exciting as it was a band I had not been on before.

We left DM64 and drove the long way through DM65 to DM55, setting up above Bluewater Lake south of Prewitt, NM. I still had good propagation to Albuquerque, but the activity had died down a bit there. I did manage N2IC at 175 miles from here.

On the road again, we drove through DM55 to DM44 and stopped briefly at Holbrook, Az in the shadow of a Tyranosaurous Rex to work a couple of stations. As soon as I saw the Welcome to Arizona sign at the border, I realized that I could have added the 432 MHz amp. We have a 50 Watt limit in NM, and a bit of extra oomph would have been nice in AZ. On the road in DM44 we worked WA7JTM in DM46 at the Grand Canyon on 3 bands.

Moving on into DM45, 6M opened a bit into Northern California and we worked a few stations on our way to Flagstaff. We overnighted in Flagstaff, including a nice dinner at the Beaver Street Brewery. The band had folded by the time dinner was done, so we went to bed.

On the road in the morning, we headed to the Grand Canyon, DM46, and WA7JTM. I worked WA7JTM on all 5 bands while in motion and heard the rumblings of a 6M opening, but couldn't work many stations. Moving into DM46, I worked WA7JTM again from 5 bands; 1296 MHz while we were paying the park entrance fee. The ranger asked us if we were hams. We said yes and she told us there were some hams camped in the campground.

I couldn't hear many of the stations that WA7JTM was working on 6M and that started to worry me. I know that loops are not great, but I was getting down on this antenna fast. We stopped in to visit WA7JTM and the gang. While proudly showing off my rover, I noticed that the shorting link was missing from the 6M loop! I stayed a bit longer here to make repairs. The WA7JTM crew was very interested in the rover, never having seen one before. They provided some refreshments for Virginia and me. I fixed the missing link and we were on our way, a bit late, but with 6M fully functioning now.

We proceeded along the South Rim Drive of the Grand Canyon. This is a rover's dream. Between the east entrance to the park and Grand Canyon VIllage, a distance of about 50 miles, the South Rim Drive goes through 4 different grids and offers spectacular scenery. SIx was open to the Midwest and I was able to give out multiple grids to several ops, including WD0T, who worked me in all four grids. I also was able to work KR0VER/r from here, which was very nice as I had met Eric 2 weeks earlier at the Estes Park HamCon.

We proceeded back to Flagstaff and DM45, then to DM44 to DM54, where we managed to work WA7JTM yet again on 4 bands at about 160 miles. From DM54 we moved to DM55 and worked WA7JTM again at a distance of 175 miles. Back to I-40, I caught a short Es opening to the midwest and worked one station.

In the last few hours stations were pretty scarce, but I did manage to snag N5JEH on 2M and asked him to QSY to 2M for another band. At this point I realized that I had been operating too long. With 5 minutes to go in the contest, K5AM called and gave me contacts in 4 bands while still in motion.

We got home an hour and a half later than planned, but we had hit all the grids I planned on visiting and, with the Es, there was enough activity to keep busy, if not overwhelmed.

Virginia drove, for which I thank her profusely. Operating while in motion is so much better than stopping to set up in each grid. She also took the pictures. - KK6MC -- KK6MC