It was certainly fun, but I really don't enjoy frightening people like
that. I'm curious how more experienced rovers handle this problem.
Hi Sean. First off, welcome to roving. You are going to have a good
time. During the last June VHF contest I can remember sitting in EN24, a
pretty rare grid just west of the Twin Cities, and working a pile-up on 6m
with my FT897 and a dipole at 12'. Is it like that all the time, no ....
but when it does open up its unforgettable !
Regarding how to handle PR as a rover, you did all the right things. I
do a lot of waving and smiling and like you have noticed that most people
smile and wave back. Sometimes people stop to ask what you are doing
where most of the time they are locals out running errands, etc, etc, and
they are simply curious. On very rare occasions I have come across
someone who didn't like that I was on "their" land (I wasn't), and in those
very few cases I just said, "No problem, I'll move, sorry to have bothered
you" and I did. It helps to be open and friendly, and to LOOK like a
local, so that may meaning jeans (no shorts) and perhaps your John Deer cap
(no pocket protectors). Here in MN, the local awareness of SkyWarn has
helped a lot as it use to be that the police and highway patrol would stop
by from time to time to check me out, but these days they just wave and
drive by ..... sometimes the county sheriff may stop and talk about the
tornado that they saw last month, etc. I had one recommend a different
spot for me claiming that it was the highest spot in the county.
In summary, keep waving and smiling. Be friendly and open. Wear cloths
to look like a local. I like to set up in areas that are removed from
homes and farmsteads as best possible so as to reduce my visibility. I
also like to set up off the main roads at some distance to avoid gawking
..... I have always said that your not roving until you get on some dirt
roads anyway ! Hope this was helpful.
73, Jon
W0ZQ/R
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