+<head>
+ <title>CODE Rover Report - 1999-06 </title>
+</head>
+<body>
+<center><h1> June 1999 ARRL VHF </h1></center>
+
+<center><h2>
+ARRL put 1998 rover scores in 1999 contest results!
+<br>
+Correction expected in a future QST...
+</h2></center>
+
+<h2> Bdale's Report </h2>
+
+We had big plans for this contest, until John discovered at the last minute
+that he needed to be out of town on business. He had built a DEM 222
+transverter and DSFO 222 antenna, and I had put together a DEM 903 transverter
+for which John crafted another Kent Britain-style yagi for me. Stephen had
+gotten excited and had been working on a pair of 10Ghz WBFM stations using
+some of the gear I had sitting around from the old microwave packet experiment
+days, and we were even talking about running two rovers and catching some more
+grids out east into Kansas...
+
+Once it was clear that John wasn't going to be available, we punted 222 Mhz,
+and Stephen and I consolidated gear into one rover run in my usual vehicle.
+
+Despite everything, we achieved the highest score yet for N3EUA/R, 8580 points
+claimed!
+
+<p>
+
+I can't say enough good things about the folks at
+<a href="http://www.downeastmicrowave.com/"> Down East Microwave </a>,
+and W6OAL. I underestimated just how hostile the TS-790A was going to be
+towards transverters, and ordered a TIB-CK transverter interface box from DEM
+fairly late in the game. They came through just in time for me to get the 902
+pieces integrated and ready for the weekend. Dave put up with some email and
+phone calls as I stumbled through getting the transverter performing at
+something near rated TX output. Good people, all.
+
+<p>
+
+We nearly got started on time, but not quite. Our first contact was made from
+my driveway about an hour into the contest, and it was another 2.5 hours or so
+before we were set up at our first site in DM89. We had taken the time to
+install the 2m omni in addition to the 6m omni fixed on the Trooper. It was
+a good thing, because the weather out east was miserable, and we never got
+the gain antennas up at all on Saturday! We had also punted making a taller
+6m antenna mount due to not having enough time, and that probably worked to
+our advantage as well... with all the rain, it would have been annoying taking
+it down and putting it up.
+
+<p>
+
+We went to our usual rover location in DM89, but a storm cell was threatening
+from the south, and so we decided to drive north farther into DM89. We
+ended up on a
+hilltop just east of the grid line and farther north than we've ever operated
+in DM89 (almost to I-70!), trying to get out from under the weather... it
+looked nice to the northeast, and scary in every other direction. We made a
+few contacts on 6m and 2m, the highlight being our first EL16 contact on 6m,
+just seconds before lightning struck the adjacent ridge maybe as much as
+a half mile east of us! Needless to say, we shut down and got off the hill
+in record time...
+
+<p>
+
+Sitting at the bottom of the hill, I was struck by the fact that with the rain
+going as hard as it was, we might well end up having to choose between a
+possible lightning strike on the hills, or a flash flood in the bottoms. It
+was that kind of day. Stephen was undauntable, though, and thought maybe it
+looked lighter to the south, so we drove down into DM88 seeing if we could get
+south of the cell. We more or less succeeded way south of where we normally
+operate from. We managed about 8 contacts before the rain started pouring
+again, and we decided to give up. It was pretty clear that most of the home
+stations nearby with hot antennas were shut down due to the storms, and there
+just weren't many folks to talk to.
+
+<p>
+
+Somewhere in there, the right windshield wiper on the Trooper broke and quit
+moving. Fortunately, the one on the driver's side kept going, so it could have
+been worse. Of course, I got totally soaked, despite my "Barney suit" (a big
+purple poncho), while trying to see if it was easily fixable. Oh well.
+
+<p>
+
+I wandered out to the driveway on the way to bed and made a few more contacts
+from DM79. So, all told, we operated from three grids on Saturday, but made
+very few contacts and only a couple that were "interesting".
+
+<p>
+
+Sunday morning, Steve showed up fairly early, and we spent some time trying to
+find a good operating position in DM78 near the house. I live in DM79pa,
+which is just north of the grid line. Experience has shown that DM79 is less
+exciting to the DX contacts than DM78, so we figured we might have more fun
+parking for a long sit in DM78 than in DM79, but after Saturday's weather, we
+weren't really interested in going far from home. We ended up in the parking
+lot of the new community college branch on highway 83 north of Colorado
+Springs. It was a pretty good location, though shaded to the north by
+Monument Hill. On the higher bands, we were very successful working north by
+bouncing off Pikes Peak, so we were more than happy there.
+
+<p>
+
+In less time than it took for us to get the antennas up and get on the air,
+a Colorado Springs Police unit rolled up to see who we were and what we were
+doing. After a quick explaination and show-and-tell, the officer told us we
+were welcome to stay there, and that he'd make sure the word got passed so we
+wouldn't be bothered again. He couldn't have been nicer.
+
+<p>
+
+Steve's wife and son showed up around lunch time with sandwiches, so we took
+a much-needed break and played show-and-tell. The break was needed because
+6m was wide-open, and I was "working the pileup", logging about as fast as I
+could write for a short while. It was fun being accused on the air of having
+a kilowatt and a big yagi, when in fact we had maybe 150 watts into an OAL omni
+about 4' above my Trooper's roof. :-)
+
+<p>
+
+The absolute highlight this time was working W3XO on 6m. Bill and I have been
+close associates in AMSAT for several years now, and he and his wife have been
+to my house for BBQ. However, this was our first over-the-air contact on any
+band and any mode ever... and for it to happen during a 6m opening during a
+contest was really exciting for both of us! Close behind that would be the
+4 33cm contacts. It was really exciting having the new gear work so well, and
+getting my first-ever contacts on that band.
+
+<p>
+
+Good things this time included the new power-on indicator I added to the
+Teletec 6m amp, and the 903 stuff "just working". This was my first big 6m
+opening with decent equipment, and that was very exciting. The bad stuff
+definitely starts with the weather on Saturday. We were also disappointed
+that Steve's 10Ghz stuff didn't quite work. We could talk in one direction,
+but the microphone preamp on one unit wasn't working, and so we were not able
+to complete a QSO, despite some last minute hacking in the parking lot, and
+some even more last minute hacking in my basement after we got home. Finally,
+we really shouldn't try to run the long 2m yagi when roving... it's just too
+heavy and twisty. The 4-element yagi gets us what we need a lot more easily.
+
+<p>
+
+We both had fun, and are looking forward to the next one!
+
+<h2> Stephen's Photos </h2>
+
+My apologies, these should probably be gamma-corrected (they're a bit dark),
+but I just don't have time right now. Turn up the brightness on your monitor.
+
+These are from Saturday, before we started out:
+<ul>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0001.JPG"> Putting It Together at Bdale's House </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0002.JPG"> 6m Olde Antenna Labs Antenna Close-Up </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0003.JPG"> Antennas Getting Ready </a> <br>
+ The 23cm homebrew antenna is in the upper left, the homebrew 33cm to
+ its right, the Portapol mast is in the lower left, and the monster 2m
+ 12-element yagi knocked down to three sections is on the lower right.
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0004.JPG"> Working on the Feedline Bundle </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0005.JPG"> Almost Ready to Go </a> <br>
+ Shows the 2m omni mounted towards the front of the roof, the 6m omni
+ near the back, and the 2m yagi sections stacked and duct-taped to the
+ luggage rack.
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0006.JPG"> Another Angle </a> <br>
+ Note the utter lack of mud on the Trooper... sigh.
+</ul>
+No operating pictures from Saturday. It basically rained on us the whole time,
+so we ran just the omni antennas and stayed mostly inside the Trooper. Sunday
+was more photogenic:
+<ul>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0007.JPG"> All Antennas Up, and Ready to Rock! </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0008.JPG"> View Up from the "Armstrong" Position </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0009.JPG"> Bdale, Taking a Break </a> <br>
+ Cheyenne Mountain is directly behind the support for the 6m antenna,
+ Pikes Peak just past the right edge of the frame.
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0010.JPG"> Another Angle </a> <br>
+ This shows where we were located, in the NE corner of the parking lot
+ of the new Community College branch off Highway 83 outside Colorado
+ Springs. It also gives a sense of scale for the 2m yagi... what a
+ monster!
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0011.JPG"> Same Angle, but a Little Closer </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-1/AUT_0012.JPG"> If not the Mic, then a Cell Phone! </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-2/AUT_0001.JPG"> Looking South </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-2/AUT_0002.JPG"> One of the Ill-Fated 10Ghz Stations </a>
+ <br> These were a glorious hack using pieces from the N6GN 10Ghz data
+ link Bdale worked on years ago, and Ramsey broadcast FM receiver kits,
+ and PC-style multimedia headsets for mic and headphones.
+<li> <a href="Roll-2/AUT_0003.JPG"> With the Cover Off </a> <br>
+ The mic preamp in this unit never did work...
+<li> <a href="Roll-2/AUT_0004.JPG"> Stephen Posing </a>
+<li> <a href="Roll-2/AUT_0005.JPG"> Stephen Ready for "Armstrong" Action! </a>
+</ul>
+
+<h2> Our Score </h2>
+
+All the contacts were manually entered into VHF DX after the contest, so some
+times may be only approximate.
+
+<pre>
+N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOR: ARRL JUNE VHF
+===============================================================================
+Name of Contest: ARRL June VHF
+
+Call Used: N3EUA
+Call of Operator: N3EUA
+
+OPERATING LOCATION
+ Grid(s) Activated: DM79 DM89 DM88 DM78
+ Location Name: Eastern Colorado
+ ARRL Section: Colorado
+
+Entry Type: Rover
+===============================================================================
+ Valid
+ QSOs Pts/QSO QSO Pts Mult
+50 MHz 61 1 61 35
+144 MHz 31 1 31 9
+432 MHz 12 2 24 7
+902 MHz 4 3 12 2
+1296 MHz 5 3 15 3
+
+Total
+All Bands 113 143 56
+
+GRIDS ACTIVATED 4 Rover Scoring Used
+
+N3EUA CLAIMED SCORE: 8580
+===============================================================================
+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 12.07.1999
+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 JUNE VHF
+
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2002 KC0AMO DM79 DM79 * 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2230 W1XE DM89 DN80 * 1
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2231 W1XE DM89 DN80 * 1
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2232 W0KVA DM89 DM79 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2234 W0KVA DM89 DM79 * 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2236 K0GU DM89 DN70 * 1
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2238 K0GU DM89 DN70 * 1
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2244 N0SWV DM89 DM79 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2302 NA0US DM89 DN71 * 1
+144 SSB 12/06/99 2313 N0KQY DM89 DM98 * 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2316 N0KQY DM89 DM98 * 1
+50 SSB 12/06/99 2319 KC5FP DM89 EL16 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0023 N0VSB DM88 DM79 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0025 W1XE DM88 DN80 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0043 N0SWV DM88 DM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 0045 W0KVA DM88 DM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 0047 W1XE DM88 DN80 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0055 W0AH DM88 DM87 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 0058 W0AH DM88 DM87 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0351 W0AH DM79 DM87 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 0357 KF4GMH DM79 DM78 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 0403 W0MOG DM79 DM78 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0407 W0MOG DM79 DM78 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 0409 KF4GMH DM79 DM78 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1617 N0SWV DM78 DM79 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1619 N0SWV DM78 DM79 * 2
+1296 SSB 13/06/99 1623 N0SWV DM78 DM79 * 3
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1627 N0POH DM78 DM79 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1628 N0POH DM78 DM79 2
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1630 W0KVA DM78 DM79 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1631 N0KQY DM78 DM98 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1632 N0KQY DM78 DM98 * 2
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1632 W0MOG DM78 DM78 * 2
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1633 W0ETT DM78 DM79 2
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1635 W1XE DM78 DN80 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1637 W1XE DM78 DN80 * 2
+1296 SSB 13/06/99 1640 W1XE DM78 DN80 * 3
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1650 W1XE DM78 DN80 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1655 K0SU DM78 DM78 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1658 W5GAD DM78 EL49 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1701 W0TGY DM78 DM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1702 W5CTV DM78 EL49 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1704 K0CS DM78 DM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1705 KC5QAY DM78 EL59 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1716 NA0US DM78 DN71 * 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1717 NA0US DM78 DN71 * 2
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1719 KD0GS DM78 DN70 * 2
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1727 K8MFO DM78 EN90 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1731 W9FZ/R DM78 EN29 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1737 W0AH DM78 DM87 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1738 W0AH DM78 DM87 * 2
+1296 SSB 13/06/99 1739 W0AH DM78 DM87 * 3
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1742 W0AH DM78 DM87 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1743 K0GU DM78 DN70 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1745 K0GU DM78 DN70 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1745 K0GU DM78 DN70 2
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1810 KK5IH DM78 DM95 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1812 W0EC DM78 DN70 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1819 N0VSB DM78 DM79 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1820 KB0CY/R DM78 DM78 1
+432 SSB 13/06/99 1821 N0VSB DM78 DM79 2
+902 SSB 13/06/99 1822 N0VSB DM78 DM79 * 3
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1825 N0KM DM78 DM67 * 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 1827 KB0SCM DM78 DM78 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1837 W3XO DM78 EM00 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1850 NA0US DM78 DN71 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1856 W9ZR DM78 EN80 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1857 N8ZM DM78 EN80 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1859 W9ICE DM78 EN60 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1902 KF4ODI DM78 EM56 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1903 W7IY DM78 CN80 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1906 AA4ZZ DM78 EM96 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1913 KF8XU DM78 EN80 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1921 KC8BZV DM78 EM79 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1921 KB8TQA DM78 EM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1922 N3ORX DM78 EM66 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1922 AA9LT DM78 EN60 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1923 W4UDH DM78 EM52 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1923 N8UM DM78 EM85 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1925 AE5H DM78 EM35 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1926 KE8FD DM78 EM89 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1928 WZ8D DM78 EM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1929 K8LEI DM78 EM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1930 W4FVQ DM78 EM79 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1930 W5HUQ DM78 EM35 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1931 WB5YWI DM78 EM25 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1933 KD4HIK DM78 EM75 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1936 AB4CR/R DM78 EM89 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1938 WB5XX DM78 EM33 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1939 W4HP DM78 EM75 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1940 AI4CW DM78 EM64 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1941 K4QF DM78 EM64 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1941 KJ5RC DM78 EM42 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 1944 KB7FUV DM78 EM47 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2035 W5UWB DM78 EL17 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2038 N5WS DM78 EL09 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2039 AA5XE DM78 EM00 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2040 W5OZI DM78 EM00 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2041 KD4NOQ/R DM78 EM45 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2042 KU4IU DM78 EM54 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2048 KG5X DM78 DM91 * 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2050 AJ4W DM78 EM64 1
+50 SSB 13/06/99 2108 W0NRI DM78 DM78 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 2114 K0RZ DM78 DM79 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 2115 KC0COU DM78 DN70 1
+902 SSB 13/06/99 2117 K0RZ DM78 DM79 3
+902 SSB 13/06/99 2119 W1XE DM78 DN80 * 3
+432 SSB 13/06/99 2120 K0RZ DM78 DM79 2
+1296 SSB 13/06/99 2121 K0RZ DM78 DM79 3
+1296 SSB 13/06/99 2122 W0KVA DM78 DM79 3
+144 SSB 13/06/99 2132 N0KV/R DM78 DN71 1
+144 SSB 13/06/99 2134 NN5DX DM78 DM79 1
+902 SSB 13/06/99 2138 NN5DX DM78 DM79 3
+</pre>
+
+<h2> Equipment </h2>
+
+For 6m, we ran my Kenwood TS-430S, the TenTec transverter, 175 watt Teletec
+amp, and OAL horizontal loop antenna.
+
+<p>
+
+On 2m, we ran my Kenwood TS-790 through the inactive TIB to the OAL omni on
+Saturday, and through a Landwehr preamp to the DSFO 12 element yagi on Sunday.
+
+<p>
+
+For 70cm, we ran my Kenwood TS-790 through a Landwehr preamp to my Rutland
+Arrays K1FO yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+On 33cm, we ran the TS-790's 2m section through the active TIB to a DEMI
+transverter making about 6 watts into a homebrew Kent Britain-style yagi.
+
+<p>
+
+On 23cm, we ran the TS-790 making about 5 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 using a table structure that I really like for roving, 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 04:08:11 bdale Exp $
+</address>
+</body>