Thanks Bruce,
Your description of a VHF contest setup resembles what I go through as
well. Up here in DM15, if the rovers aren't out I usually don't work my
own grid on 222, 902 and 1296. I have to mountain-top because the home
QTH is at least 2500' below average terrain from a VHF+ station
perspective. The set up and tear down make it a 4 day expedition most
weekends.
Erich, N6FD
Usually QRP Portable from DM15
Bruce Kripton wrote:
> You know, if the government spent this much time working on fixing the
> budget, we'd all be richer, the economy would be thriving and every rainbow
> would end at a pot of gold. Unfortunately, life and many things aren't "fair"
> to someone or others ..
>
> I've watched this thread and others like it with interest and angst for years
> ... From my home, I'm really not able to contest on VHF and above, for many
> reasons including keeping neighbors friendly and not being able to pay the
> extortion charged by my city for engineering and permitting requirements ...
>
> Instead, I pack up more antennas and gear than many amateurs even own, much
> less have in use, haul it all to a hill or mountain top, spend one to two
> days setting up multiple yagi's, microwave dishes, verticals and then all of
> the radios ...
>
> Then it's contest time ... 24, 30 and more hours, followed by tear down,
> packing everything back up, taking it home and unloading it all to wait for
> another "weekend".
>
> All of this from the VHF plus contesting armpit of the United States, in San
> Diego.
>
> If I'm lucky, I'll work about 70% fixed stations, and perhaps the remaining
> 30% mobile, many of which are "rovers". In some cases a rover is declared on
> the fly, simply because the incidental contact is driving from point a to
> point b, not sure if they're going to cross an invisible grid square line. In
> other cases, I'll catch travellers going across the US - Mexico border, or
> crossing state lines on travel to Arizona or Nevada.
>
> I'll also make contact with what I'll affectionately call the "N6NB
> Entourage" while they're in range and working their course, typically moving
> north and away from the coast. Candidly, I'm grateful for the extra bands,
> points and grid squares. Often times, this group will be the only ones with
> capabilities on 902 and higher. Additionally, I'm always appreciative of
> anyone who (until recently) braved 4+ dollar a gallon gas just to drive
> around like mad men (and women) and push operating conditions and limits.
> Note, contrary to what some apparently believe, they DO work others outside
> their travelling group.
>
> Have you figured out yet that I don't care too much about "scores" ? I guess
> this gets back to the original question as well, "What is accomplished" ?
>
> I never stand a chance of getting a nationally recognised rating or score, we
> simply don't have the ham population in southern California to support it -
> fixed or mobile. I do however enjoy putting DM12 on many folks maps and logs
> that otherwise won't have it. I enjoy moving to the digital modes in the
> evening when regular traffic starts to wane and picking up the odd stuff off
> of burning rocks and the Moon instead of calling it an evening.
>
> I've always been and to this day remain facinated that this "stuff" works at
> all - antennas,radios, propagation, digital modes, and folks also crazy
> enough to engage in it. I've always told people it's like fishing, you get
> what you get, sometimes you're lucky, sometimes not. There are people that
> like to fish in the ocean and streams, others may prefer lakes, including
> ones that are "stocked". Everyone is going to have an opinion about what is
> best, what is fair and what is legal. Everyone also has a chance to choose
> which they prefer or even to participate.
>
> If I don't think it's fair because the northeastern states have such a high
> population of active operators and ultimately win the majority of all
> categories in every contest with nationally recognised scores, should I
> suggest that we start playing this like bowling or a golf game ? Handicap
> operators to balance out scoring because they have the "advantage" that I
> will never have ? Probably not a very popular thought, and frankly while I
> find the thought amusing, I'd never suggest it because it's simply rediculous
> to consider. The rules are the rules, folks have and will continue to be
> critical of them but until they're changed, not much we can do about it until
> then.
>
> Maybe I should start the charge to "equalize" the scoring to give Southern
> California a realistic chance to score well or high nationally ? How 'bout we
> focus on that instead of a dedicated group of operators that simply work the
> rules as they are today ?
>
> Nah, didn't think so :-)
>
>
> OBTW - since we're all so detail oriented and passionate about this stuff,
> please note that Carrie is driving an Infiniti, NOT a Lexus ....
>
> regards, kg6iyn
>
>
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