--- /dev/null
+<head>
+ <title>CODE Rover Report - 1999-08 </title>
+</head>
+<body>
+<center><h1> August 1999 ARRL UHF </h1></center>
+
+<center><h2>
+A New Divison Rover Record Score!
+</h2></center>
+
+<h2> Bdale's Report </h2>
+
+The theme for our operation in this contest might be "Roving ala Red Green".
+Read on for the details...
+
+<p>
+
+John and I hadn't worked a contest together since January, and he recently
+finished a DEM 222 transverter and Directive Systems K1FO-style 222 yagi that
+we wanted to try. So, we planned a modest rover operation for this contest,
+with equipment for the four bands from 222 through 1296.
+
+<p>
+
+I pulled a few late nights applying the knowledge gained at Central States
+this year to tweaking up the amplifier on my 903 transverter. On the bench,
+it was happily making 10 watts, had a CW detection threshold of about -145dBm,
+and was within 200hz of true with the TS-790's 2m section as IF after warm-up.
+
+<p>
+
+We were embarrassed to learn at the Central States antenna range that John had
+cut the reflector too short on our 903 yagi, dropping about 6dB of gain! It
+looks like he mis-read his own notes and cut it the same length as the first
+director. Oh well, it happens. Actually, since we worked everyone we heard or
+heard about on 903 in the June contest, even with the reduced gain the antenna
+wasn't working badly!
+Since it was one of
+Kent Britain's designs, and he was running the range, we got some expert
+assistance adding a metal garbage-bag tie to the reflector to get the gain up
+where it should be... :-) So, I spent some time in the week prior to the
+contest cutting a new reflector, and tweaking the antenna. Got the SWR to
+1.15:1, gain assumed to be ok.
+
+<p>
+
+While I was at it, I tweaked on our 1296 antenna a bit, getting its SWR a bit
+better than it had been. John also fabricated a second one which I fabricated
+a feed for and tuned. Both 1296 antennas got to about 1.7:1 and in the 11dBi
+range, which satisfied me for roving.
+
+<p>
+
+Saturday morning, John showed up about 9:30 and we starting putting things in
+the Trooper. The plan of record was to run the TS-790 on 70cm and 23cm, and
+use the 2m as the IF for the DEM transverter on 903. John provided his Icom
+735 and new DEM 222 transverter, giving us four bands total. I bought a 2304
+DEM transverter kit at Central States this year, but haven't started assembling
+it yet.
+
+<p>
+
+We stacked the antennas on the mast in my driveway, and proceeded to check
+everything out as quickly as possible. Everything seemed ok except 70cm, where
+we eventually realized the Kenwood was only making about 3 watts out, which
+wasn't enough to drive the Mirage brick to a useful level. After swapping
+cables and doing all sorts of other things, we finally admitted it was a
+problem with the Kenwood, and added John's Yaesu 736 to the stack for 70cm,
+leaving the 790 providing 1296 and the IF for 903. This required a detour to
+the shop to fabricate some additional power cabling, which took time.
+
+<p>
+
+Along the way, we worked the antenna-side N connector on my Diamond SWR/Power
+meter loose, and it quit working right. I've since looked at it on the bench
+and it appears easily fixable, but we'll see. In any case, before we even got
+out of the driveway, we'd killed a bunch of time diagnosing the 70cm problem
+and
+getting the Yaesu integrated into the stack, and had killed the SWR/Power
+meter. Not a good start!
+
+<p>
+
+We drove out to our favorite spot in the SW corner of DM89 near Matheson. The
+weather and operating conditions were good. Congrats to N0KE for being our
+first-ever contact on 222! We managed contacts on all of the bands we had.
+
+<p>
+
+After it felt like we had worked everyone we could find, we moved south at
+about 3:30pm local time to DM88, and set up in a so-so location, pretty near
+where we've been before. Since we knew N0KE was itching to get down off the
+mountain he was on and was waiting for us to move, we pulled a Red Green'ish
+hack and just duct-taped the antenna stack on the collapsed mast to the roof
+of the Trooper, with the antennas hanging down behind. This necessitated
+duct-taping the rear door closed over the coax, and caused the 70cm antenna
+to end up looking like it had been performing mud-flap duty, which it had!
+This shaved a good 10-15 minutes off our relocation time, and allowed
+us to catch Phil from DM88 before he shut down for the afternoon. And we
+figure if duct tape is good enough for Red Green, it's good enough for us!
+
+<p>
+
+The highlights in DM88 were working N0LL on 432, and giving a couple of folks
+DM88 for the first time on various bands. Also, we really appreciate K0RZ
+hanging around and working us on all bands we had in both grids! It was fun
+meeting Bill in Cedar Rapids at the Central States conference, and we're
+looking forward to giving him (and everyone else, too!) some new grids on
+the microwave bands as we get more gear together for future contests!
+
+<p>
+
+By the time we moved west into DM78, the weather was getting pretty dicey.
+We had thunderstorms all around us, and only a few stations were still on the
+air. Thanks to W0AH operating as KI0DF, who was up on Pikes Peak and gave us
+contacts on all bands except 903... Doug had managed to fry his 33cm
+transverter before we could catch him from DM78. Oh well, it happens.
+
+<p>
+
+With the thunderstorms looking persistent, we decided to call it a day around
+6:30pm local time, and headed back to my place.
+
+<p>
+
+Sunday, I was itching to operate some from DM79, since we hadn't done it on
+Saturday and I do, after all, live in DM79pa! My 7-year-old daughter
+Elizabeth was also very interested in seeing what this was all about.
+So, we drove up the driveway to the top of
+the hill by our mailbox, and set up. Since I didn't have antenna turning help,
+I didn't put the mast up very high.
+
+<p>
+
+It was really frustrating. The 222 gear was working well, and I logged three
+contacts, with W0AH, K0RZ, and a new grid with N0IO. However, while I could
+hear fine on 432, the TX in the 736 went crazy on transmit. In talking with
+Bill about it on 222, it appears that this is a well-known problem in the
+Yaesu radios when the supply voltage gets low. Since I did not charge the
+battery overnight, we assume that's what the problem was. This took out 432
+entirely, since the other rig was already believed to be toast. We worked
+hard to get K0RZ on 1296 with no luck at all hearing each other. That seemed
+really strange until I was pulling the antennas down and discovered that the
+feed line attachment to the driven element had cracked, and was no longer
+connected! So, no wonder
+it didn't work... And, since 1296 was such a total bust, we didn't try 903...
+It might have worked, it might not have.
+
+<p>
+
+All in all, Sunday morning's operation was pretty frustrating, but the three
+contacts did give us two multipliers... one for operating rover from DM79,
+one for working DM77 which we had not managed on Saturday. So, I won't
+complain.
+
+<p>
+
+All in all, not a bad weekend. It would have been nice if more folks were on,
+and I sure wish our gear had run better. But, we only heard a few
+folks we couldn't work, and so we can't help but be pretty happy with our
+effort! Now, to get things fixed/working for September...
+
+<h2> John's Photos </h2>
+
+<ul>
+<li> <a href="out01.jpg"> Putting it together </a> at Bdale's house.
+<li> <a href="out02.jpg"> Operating in DM89 </a>, in the sunflower fields.
+<li> <a href="out03.jpg"> Another view </a>, too bad about the strap...
+<li> <a href="out05.jpg"> Can we be on Red Green? </a>
+ Duct taping the door "sort of closed", so we could get from DM89 to
+ DM88 in a hurry...
+<li> John, the <a href="out06.jpg"> well-dressed antenna rotator</a>,
+ in DM88. Love the hat, OM!
+<li> You're never completely alone with
+ <a href="out07.jpg"> ham(burger?) radio</a>, even in DM88!
+<li> <a href="out08.jpg"> John's new 222 transverter</a>, the silver box on the
+ left, on the air for the first time. Note the big deep-cycle battery
+ to the right rear, and the usual fluids. And yes, the power wiring
+ really <b>was</b> that much of a mess after we hacked in the 736!
+<li> <a href="out09.jpg"> The rig stack </a> this time included John's Yaesu
+ 736 on the bottom for 432, Bdale's Kenwood 790 for 1296 and the IF for
+ 903 next up, then John's Icom 735 driving the 222 transverter in the
+ rear, and Bdale's 903 transverter topped by the DEM TIB interface to
+ the 790. John's SWR/Power meter which has a remote sensor is to the
+ right of the Icom, and even though it doesn't cover 222 explicitly, it
+ was reassuring to see the power meter wiggle while we were
+ transmitting! Note the paper logs, not even in Bdale's usual VHF
+ format... with so few folks to talk to, it just didn't matter.
+<li> <a href="out10.jpg"> Operating in DM88 </a>, the weather makes for
+ breath-taking views... of course, it wasn't long before we had to shut
+ down and scoot to avoid playing lightning rod!
+</ul>
+
+<h2> Our Score </h2>
+
+All the contacts were manually entered into VHF DX after the contest, my logs
+were more readable this time than sometimes, but still treat the times as being
+only approximate.
+
+<pre>
+N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOR: ARRL AUG UHF
+===============================================================================
+Name of Contest: ARRL Aug UHF
+
+Call Used: N3EUA
+Call of Operator: N3EUA WD0FHG
+
+OPERATING LOCATION
+ Grid(s) Activated: DM89 DM88 DM78 DM79
+ Location Name: Eastern Colorado
+ ARRL Section: Colorado
+
+Entry Type: Rover
+===============================================================================
+ Valid
+ QSOs Pts/QSO QSO Pts Mult
+222 MHz 11 3 33 5
+432 MHz 19 3 57 6
+902 MHz 2 6 12 1
+1296 MHz 10 6 60 4
+
+Total
+All Bands 42 162 16
+
+GRIDS ACTIVATED 4 Rover Scoring Used
+
+N3EUA CLAIMED SCORE: 3240
+===============================================================================
+I have observed all competition rules as well as all regulations
+for Amateur Radio in my country. My report is correct and true
+to the best of my knowledge. I agree to be bound by the decisions
+of the Awards Committee.
+
+Bdale Garbee N3EUA 08.08.1999
+4390 Darr Circle
+Black Forest, CO 80908
+
+===============================================================================
+N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOLLOWS:
+
+column 1: frequency (MHz) column 6: complete exchange sent
+column 2: mode column 7: complete exchange received
+column 3: date (dd/mm/yy, UTC) column 8: indication of new multiplier '*'
+column 4: time (UTC) column 9: points claimed
+column 5: call of station worked
+
+note: Incomplete & Dupe QSO's in the log are listed with - 0 - points.
+
+
+N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOR: ARRL AUG UHF
+
+432 SSB 08/07/99 1950 N0KE DM89 DM69 * 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 1952 KI0DF DM89 DM78 * 3
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2000 N0KE DM89 DM69 * 3
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2005 K0RZ DM89 DM79 * 3
+902 SSB 08/07/99 2009 K0RZ DM89 DM79 * 6
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2011 K0ULN DM89 DM79 * 3
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2015 KI0DF DM89 DM78 * 6
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2015 N0KE DM89 DM69 * 6
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2017 N9KC/R DM89 DM79 * 6
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2020 N9KC/R DM89 DM79 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2024 K0RZ DM89 DM79 3
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2026 K0RZ DM89 DM79 6
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2030 N0POH DM89 DM79 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2039 KC0COU DM89 DN70 * 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2101 N9KC/R DM89 DM89 * 3
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2102 N9KC/R DM89 DM89 * 6
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2125 KI0DF DM89 DM78 * 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2147 N0KE DM88 DM69 3
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2148 N0KE DM88 DM69 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2151 N9KC/R DM88 DM89 3
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2152 N9KC/R DM88 DM89 6
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2156 N0KE DM88 DM69 6
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2158 KI0DF DM88 DM78 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2158 K0RZ DM88 DM79 3
+902 SSB 08/07/99 2206 K0RZ DM88 DM79 6
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2210 K0RZ DM88 DM79 6
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2211 K0RZ DM88 DM79 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2218 KC0COU DM88 DN70 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2219 K0GU DM88 DN70 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2220 N0UGY DM88 DM79 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2220 N9KC/R DM88 DM79 3
+1296 SSB 08/07/99 2232 KI0DF DM88 DM78 6
+222 SSB 08/07/99 2234 KI0DF DM88 DM78 3
+432 SSB 08/07/99 2257 N0LL DM88 EM09 * 3
+222 SSB 08/08/99 0012 KI0DF DM78 DM78 3
+432 SSB 08/08/99 0014 KI0DF DM78 DM78 3
+432 SSB 08/08/99 0015 K0GU DM78 DN70 3
+222 SSB 08/08/99 0015 K0GU DM78 DN70 * 3
+1296 SSB 08/08/99 0016 KI0DF DM78 DM78 6
+222 SSB 08/08/99 1541 W0AH DM79 DM79 3
+222 SSB 08/08/99 1547 K0RZ DM79 DM79 3
+222 SSB 08/08/99 1622 N0IO DM79 DM77 * 3
+</pre>
+
+<h2> Equipment </h2>
+
+For 222, we ran John's IC-735 and DEM transverter, and his K1FO yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+For 70cm, we ran John's Yaesu FT-736, a Mirage amp making about 100 watts,
+and a Landwehr preamp mounted near my Rutland Arrays K1FO yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+On 33cm, we ran the TS-790's 2m section through a DEM TIB to a DEMI
+transverter making about 10 watts into a homebrew Kent Britain-style yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+On 23cm, we ran the TS-790 making about 10 watts into a homebrew Kent
+Britain-style yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+Power was from a 27DC-form-factor deep cycle battery for everything,
+feedlines were a mix of low-loss RG-8'ish sized cables with mostly N
+connectors. We logged on paper, and post-processed the logs using the
+VHF-DX software for Windows.
+
+<hr>
+<address>
+<a href="http://www.gag.com/~bdale/">Bdale Garbee</A>,
+$Id: index.html,v 1.3 1999/12/23 04:08:14 bdale Exp $
+</address>
+</body>
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