This was only our third dedicated roving effort...the second using the NC5AX/R callsign.

Mason AF5WN and I (Darin KK5WA) planned an 11-grid, 4-band, 975 mile Limited Rover romp around Arkansas and northern Louisiana. If all went well, we could probably do it in 24 hours. But the band conditions and weather contributed to it not all going well.

The weekend was going to be the warmest days of any of the prior few weeks. We were looking forward to it. It was really windy out on Saturday and we had a chance of serious weather moving in on Sunday evening. Based on the counter-clockwise loop we were taking, it was hopefully going to keep us out from under any bad stuff.

Since we didn't expect good band conditions, we set up FT8 to use while mobile. If there was any type of decent opening, we would switch to SSB. Listening while driving up to our first spot in EM46, we didn't get our hopes up. We had new (since last June) Directive Systems 144 and 222 yagis to try. We had a new (to us) DEMI 222 xvrtr. And we tried to automate a few functions.

On the drive between EM46 and EM36, our HO loop guys on the truck broke twice. We were very surprised that, given the intensity of the winds, we didn't lose the entire antenna structure on top of the truck. After a Home Depot stop in Mtn. Home, AR, we were able to solve the guy issue. Due to the HD stop, we got to our EM36 location later than anticpated which meant we would be coming off a rough, narrow mountain road after dark, so we used our alternate location. We were close by a commercial transmission tower that was howling in the wind.

After EM35, we were driving to EM24 across very rural Arkansas in the middle of the night. While driving across northern Arkansas earlier in the day, we were seeing all kinds of FT8 activity, but our system was not configured correctly and we made no contacts. In the darkness and dead bands, and with the great patience of W5VY (who was at home but normally roves) we managed to make 3 FT8 contacts with him across 3 grids. We heard nothing on FT8 for the rest of the contest.

EM24 Rich Mountain turned out to be an event. After assisting a drunk driver who had run off the road at the base of the mountain, we drove into clouds about a third of the way up. Visibility went down to 10 yards or less. It took us forever to get on top and when we did, we passed the turnoff we needed to go to twice. I had to hang out the side of the truck with a flashlight to finally find it. Again, the winds were howling over the mountain, but we managed to make our rounds. There was a rover group in STX that had emailed me about contacts, and, at that time of the day (~0230L) there was supposedly a tropo opening from SW AR to central TX, but I couldn't raise anyone off in that direction. I know K2EZ working at K5QE was surprised to get my phone call asking if anyone was awake down there and we managed to run the bands with them. We started getting reports in EM24 that our 222 signal was way down. So, at 0300L we determined we had spent enough time on Rich Mtn. and it's time to head to the next grid.

We made our rounds in EM33 and confirmed something was not good with our 222 stuff. Got some breakfast in Magnolia, AR and looked at the weather situation. The forecast was not getting any better back at the home QTH. In EM32 we spent some time fixing our 6m HO loop that had been getting thrashed in the wind. 6m conditions in that area were still crap. Hit K5QE at our closest point to them. Got W5ZN at our farthest from him. We were pretty happy with things given the band conditions.

We were planning to head over to EM42 and EM43, but the changing severe weather forecast for later in the day and some new XYL urgent car matters that had to be dealt with before dark, we elected to forgo EM42 and EM43, and would just catch the 4 corners near Cabot, AR. 9 grids this time, 2 new to us.

I've seen the FT8 worry-stoning, but to us it's just a tool in a toolbox. We'll use it when the bands are down while mobile. We also may see about meteor scatter for when the bands are completely dead. Again, tool in a toolbox.

Special thanks to W5ZN, W5VY, and AG4V.

Looking forward to June.