James Duffey wrote:
[snipped Duff's good description of low-population-density rover ops out
here away from the coasts...]
I only would add one more technique to his: Keep (either on paper or
usually mentally) track of where the other rovers are, and try like hell
to work them at each stop too.
If you don't know where they're going from where you're working them
currently -- ask. See if they can give you an ETA to their next grid
and which way they're driving to get there. If you know the roads (or
can reference a map), figure out a rough timeline for them to be in the
next grid and try to be somewhere high and aimed their way around the
time they get there.
If you can time it right, stay still long enough for them to get to
THEIR next stop. It's a lot of fun, and rovers helping rovers is always
a good thing.
This is especially important if a few rovers in your area are running
with a lot of bands and you do too. Working them up the bands in each
of their grids is a huge boon to both of your scores.
All of the above said, the best laid plans of mice and men... usually
totally fall apart with even just two rovers trying to keep schedules.
Add three or four more to your "mental tracking list" and you'll
probably find something lower than a 50% "Wow, that worked out right!"
chance in each grid, but still try to track.
If you totally lose another rover, don't be shy -- ask the big guns
where he went. If nothing else, out of courtesy and safety. Sure it
also helps you hook back up on the air, but we rovers all need to look
out for each other. It's all too easy to end up off-road in a ditch
somewhere.
If you're the first to "sound off" that you haven't heard your buddy the
other rover for a couple of hours, all the better... the big guns will
start looking for 'em and paying attention to how long it's been since
they heard them, too.
Oh... one more. WATCH the road for other antennas. I have literally
found out that another rover was in my grid by PASSING them coming the
other direction on a county road before. Pull over, say hi, be
sociable, and work 'em on everything they've got if you just happen
across someone (as opposed to the circle-jerkers)!
In '06, one of the rovers out here told me when they headed back into
town well after 1 AM from the Nebraska/Colorado line that they couldn't
come out for Sunday. (Family priorities... fair enough!) Then as I'm
crossing DM88 the next afternoon... here they come, right down the road
at me... way cool. They had managed to get out on Sunday for a little
more fun!
Nate WY0X
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