On Jul 17, 2009, at 12:45 PM, Steve Clifford wrote:
> One regular member of that group did submit a log as a Limited Rover
> with a score of 105000. A score like that is absolutely impossible
> without coordinated activity. KO4MA and his 22 grid rove managed an
> impressive 64K score for 2nd place.
Steve - After some thought, I think that a score of 100,000+ is
possible for a limited rover without coordination beyond what most of
us do, that is announcing what grids we think we be in when we think
we will be in them. Here are some things that I think are probably
necessary to accomplish it, or at least contribute to maximizing one's
score:
1. Lots of 6M Sporadic E. Don't miss any openings. You can't make Es
happen, but you can be there when it does. If you don't have lots of
Es, forget it.
2. The higher bands must not be ignored during the 6M openings. With
the 2 ops permitted in the limited rover category. this can be done in
a straight forward manner, one operator concentrates on 6M and the
other on the higher bands. I don't see anything prohibiting signals on
more than one band at the same time in the rover category rules, so
that would be the easiest way to do it. Treat the rover like two
independent stations with the same call, one on 6M and the other on 2M/
1.35/0.7M. Coordinate passes between the two. That can be done with
networked logging computers. If I missed something in the rules and
two signals on the air from different bands are prohibited at the same
time, it is pretty simple to implement switching to prohibit two
signals on the air at the same time. One can apply single operator two
radio techniques to VHF in this case as well, either for one op to
monitor the upper bands while operating 6M when it is open, and the
other to monitor the higher bands, or with one op using a radio on 6M
to call CQ and the other to look for multipliers. I suspect that using
one radio to run (call CQ) on 6M and the another radio (or subreceiver
like the K3 has) to search for mults on 6M would be very productive,
particularly when coupled with an independent station on the higher
bands. Good radios with good filtering would need to be worked out,
but that is certainly possible. Simple diplexers with the unwanted
band port terminated in a dummy load would probably do.
3. Be aware of where the guys with big signals are, and make sure that
you work them on all four bands from all grids. A logging program like
RoverLog is the best way to keep track of this.
4. Use APRS to help the multi op stations track you. They really need
the multiplier if they don't have it and can certainly use the QSO
points, particularly on 222/432 MHz.
4. Gain antennas that you can rotate while moving. Being loud on two
is important. I don't think loops will cut it.
4. Keep moving. Travel north and south along grid boundaries to
maximize the number of grids you can visit.
5. Visit lots of grids.
6. Rove close to areas with lots of active VHF contesters.
As proof of principle, consider the Classic Rover Score of AH8MR in
the June 2008 contest. Knock off his 902 and 1296 contribution to
simulate a limited rover. You get a score well over 100,000. He had
lots of 6M contacts and multipliers, so that is possible from a rover.
His contacts on 144/222/432 MHz were not too high though, I think you
did better, so even if the limited rover with his lower power
limitation could not quite match the 6M contacts, he could get close
and the limited rover could certainly boost the QSOs on higher bands
with some attention to getting on and working the guys you know that
are there and that you can work.
No, I don't think it "absolutely impossible" at all. It is not going
to happen very often, and it will take experienced operators to pull
it off. It does sound like hard work. We will probably need to wait
until the results come out to know what happened. But I wouldn't
dismiss the score solely as a product of coordinated pack roving or
grid circling, or captive portable/fixed stations. It looks to me like
it can be done without that coordination by good experienced ops with
the right equipment and good Es on 6M.
Now that I have presented my reasoning as to why I think such a large
score is possible; I am interested in why you think it is absolutely
impossible. - Duffey
--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM
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