CQ Worldwide VHF Contest - 2019
Call: NV4B/R
Operator(s): NV4B
Station: NV4B/R
Class: Rover LP
QTH: AL
Operating Time (hrs): 10:52
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 160 100
2: 2 1
-------------------
Total: 162 101 Total Score = 16,564
Club:
Comments:
Earlier this year, as my VUCC confirmed grid total surpassed 350 on 6 meters, I
began to look at FFMA statistics for the rarity of some of the grids I had yet
to work/confirm when I realized how very rare grid square EM61 in southwest
Alabama is. Since EM61 is less than a four-hour drive from the home QTH, I
decided that I wanted to try to activate it this summer. For various reasons, I
couldn't make it happen for the ARRL June VHF Contest, but decided to use this
contest as an opportunity to, if nothing else, scout out some operating sites
for a future activation.
The original plan was to operate as a QRP Hilltopper as I have done in the past
from nearby Woodall Mountain in Mississippi, but the weather forecast called for
a high probability of scattered thunderstorms, so I decided I would try roving
for the first time, with a much greater emphasis on checking out various sites
rather than operating with just 10 watts at my disposal.
When I informed Patrick Nagle, N4GLE of my plans, he immediately volunteered the
use of his Yaesu FT-857D for the rove. Not having a 100W 6-meter mobile radio,
I took him up on his offer. I used it along with my quarterwave whip for 6m and
my Efactor (WT4E) dual-band horizontal loop antenna for 2 meters. I also
brought along a 3-element 6-meter yagi and a 10-element 2-meter yagi, as well as
a KU4AB squalo for 6 in case I wanted to set it all up somewhere, but I ended up
operating from the car the entire time.
I went first to the Cullman Hamfest on Saturday morning; I arrived 30+ minutes
late as I was still scrambling around early Saturday morning getting everything
together and loaded in the car. 45 minutes at the hamfest and a quick breakfast
stop later, I was on I-65 southbound headed to my first stop near Greenville
with an ETA about 45 minutes after the start of the contest. However, traffic
was extraordinarily bad on I-65 pushing that ETA out ever further, so I went
instead to Thomasville, a place I had planned to visit on Sunday.
I wasn't going to make it there before the start of the contest either, so I
pulled to the side of the road in "downtown" Safford, AL to make my
first /R QSO with KK4HEG in EM95 from EM62. I proceeded on towards EM61 while
operating SSB S&P. I only made a handful of QSOs from EM62 before crossing
into EM61, where I made a few more phone QSOs before stopping at my first
planned stop, a parking lot on a hill at the north end of Thomasville.
I operated from there for about 3 1/2 hours, netting about 60 more QSOs on CW,
SSB, FT8, and FT4. I missed out on possible 2m sporadic-E; I caught two passes
of a station in FN31 on 2m FT8, then some possible troposcatter from EL98, then
a semi-local, and that was it for 2m Saturday. With about 3 hours' worth of
operating site exploration planned, I headed out once things slowed down around
2200Z.
While I checked out a few parks on the east bank of the Alabama River, I found
one good high (for southwest Alabama) spot and made two more 6m FT8 QSOs, but
heard very little on 6m the rest of the evening. I could not raise proverbial
lint from felt on 2 meters. After going a couple hours not hearing anything on
6m FT8, I pulled the plug around 0130Z and headed back across the river to
Jackson, where I spent the night.
I got QRV again Sunday morning around 1300Z and caught a short Es opening to
Florida on 6m in addition to making my second and final 2m QSO with another EM60
station. I then operated another three hours or so from a parking lot in
Jackson, working stations in a number of directions until things slowed down
once again around 1700Z. At this point, realizing I could never finish the
exploratory mission I had planned -- which might have included brief activations
of EM60 and/or EM71 -- I decided to head back home via EM51-4.
I made just one more stop on this part of the rove at Bladon Springs County
Park, a former state park just west of the Tombigbee River in EM51. I stepped
out for just a couple of minutes to briefly explore the park when I struck up a
conversation with another park visitor. I explained to him what I was doing and
even demonstrated making an FT8 contact. I went on to explain a bit about how
it all worked, and he genuinely seemed interested in amateur radio. Though I
lost a little time, it's always worth it to be an ambassador for the hobby to
the public!
Propagation had seemed to slow down a good bit between 1700-1900Z, but then the
barn doors flew wide open again, and I began making S&P CW and SSB contacts
while in motion up Alabama 17, handing out EM51, 52, and 53 as I drove north.
My apologies to the handful of folks I worked on CW who had to try to make out
my poor fist as I had tossed a straight key in the car as an afterthought, not
imagining I'd do much on CW!
The last few minutes of the contest produced one of the shortest sporadic-E
openings I've ever heard, working EM71 and EM82 with loud signals from EM53 near
Aliceville. One final quick CQ on 144.200 netted silence -- in fact, I never
heard anyone on 144.200 at any time I checked or called CQ. A separate 2m rig
might have been helpful.
I ran so late that I didn't make it anywhere near EM54 before the end of the
contest.
I really enjoyed my first and almost certainly not last rove, and I learned a
lot from it, including a few things not to do and several things I could do
better. I know there is still great demand for EM61, so I hope to return at
some point next year for a longer and more serious operation.
For those interested in a mode breakdown, I made 67 FT8, 61 phone, 19 FT4, and
13 CW QSOs on 6m. Both 2m Qs were FT8.
Thanks to all for the QSOs!
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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