I've got a brilliant idea. It finally stuck me how to ensure that me and
all my closest friends can get into QST every time there is a VHF contest.
I don't know why nobody has thought of this before. Its a variation on the
"Mountaintopping" concept used by some of the big gun contest clubs.
1. Get a large contest club set up on a mountaintop. Setting up in the
Poconos would probably be ideal since it has the best views into New
England, NY and NJ, Philly, Baltimore and the DC metro area.
2. Set up as a normal Multi-op with a single transmitter on 10 bands.
3. In addition to the multi-op stations, also set up 8 additional
stations. Each one of these stations needs to have multi-band capability
from a single chair. In order to maximize the number who get into QST, 4
should be high power and 4 low power.
4. Each operating position will have a logging computer that is linked in
with the other stations.
5. There will only be a single antenna and rotor per band for all 9
stations. There will be a switch at the base to feed all 9 stations which
will be controlled by the site coordinator.
6. The main contest station will sit on a frequency and call CQ. They will
make the original contact. They can do this on all 10 bands at the same
time. When a contact is made, they will pass to the first single op within
that same band who will pass to the next single op and on and on until all 8
single ops and the multi-op has made that contact. They will then QSY to
the next band and do the same thing.
7. Each person running a single-op station will have to spend some time on
the club multi-op position. They can not however, make a contact with the
others on the hill with them in order to keep within the rules.
If coordinated correctly, it should be possible for everybody to win. That
single hilltop could account for the top spots in 3 different categories.
Heck, if they set up near a grid intersection, they might be able to
incorporate rovers. A good wi-fi system could link them in if the grid line
is just a few yards away!
Think about the club scores this could generate as well!
I'm just giddy about this! Fame and glory! It just takes a guy with deep
pockets and technical savvy to make this work. The rules are ripe to be
exploited. The best part is, nobody would complain. Think of all those
extra contacts everybody else could make. One QSO could turn into dozens
with the right plan.
So what does everybody think? Would this be a problem? Would the rules
need to be reviewed? Would anybody really benefit, other than the group
associated with the deep pockets? Would any of the operators need to know
anything about making the station work? Does any of this sound familiar?
Steve
K4GUN/R
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