The Texas Hill Country Rovers - 2014

"The Texas Hill Country Rovers" ride again!

January 2014 VHF Sweepstakes

(click on pictures for larger view)





W0JT/R @ EM01vc

K0MHC/R @ EM01vc










OBJECTIVES: Provide contacts with stations needing these grids, test new configurations and increase VHF activity during the January VHF contest.

During this expedition KØMHC/Rover operated:

• * 200W on 6 meters
• 300W on 2 meters
• 185W on 1.25 meters
• 160W on 0.7 meters
• 10W on 5.7 GHz
• 6W on 10 GHz

 

What's New and Improved:

• 2 x vertical stacked Yagis on 2 meters
• 2 x horizontal stacked Yagis on 1.25 meters
• 4 x Yagi array on 70 cm.
• Single, shared LM-600uf transmission line
• Dual band 5.7 & 10 GHz portable station
• "Easy-up" mechanical assist for all 4 mast sections

Highlights:

• Great roving weather (2^nd year in a row)
• 5.7 & 10 GHz contacts with Al, W5LUA and Ben, NO5K
• Great propagation from the I35 scenic outlook (Ardmore, OK)
• Improved RMG participation on Sunday
• Improved antenna performance (except 1.25 meters)

 Lowlights:

• Both Bill, W3XO/5 and John, W0JT/rover with equipment problems and Ron, K5LLL with schedule conflicts
• Running behind published schedule (again)
• *6 meter amplifier failure

Most Improved:

• Moving much of the rover activity to the 144.210 MHz “running” frequency!
• John, W0JT/rover with better antennas, rotor and power
• K5QE limited multiop with better rover tracking
• Dick, K5AND & Ben NO5K running the bands from several grids
• Ray, W0IFS getting on the air with two bands

Challenges:

• Rover time productivity

• Microwave (5/10 GHz) “fiddle-factor” effect on overall schedule
• 1.25 meter atmospheric band stop filter during most of the contest
• Need increased RMG, NTMS and Oklahoma stations

Thoughts for next January:

• APRS!
• Add the “looper” bands!
• Digital modes?
• Rover shotgun start?
• Reverse VUCC? http://www.csvhfs.org/vuccdesc.html
• 4-corner grid locations?
• Add run-and-gun antennas (to current stop-elevate-and-shoot configuration}?
• Find a local ham with VHF/UHF rover interests to help with set-up?
• Console carousal?
• Computer navigation?
• Computer logging?

Start = EM01vc
Stop 1 = EM02xa
Stop 2 = EM03we
Stop 3 = EM04va
Stop 4 = EM14kj
Stop 5 = EM13jc
Stop 6 = EM12iv
Stop 7 = EN11ga

K0MHC/R activated 8 grids

Summary of results:

  2014 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes       K0MHC
    ROVER                            STX Section
    Operators: K0MHC
    Band  QSOs     QSO pts.  Mults.

    --------------------------------------------

    50           25             25            12

    144         38             38            12

    222         19             38             8

    432         24             48            10

    5760         2             16              1

    10368       3             24              2

    --------------------------------------------

    TOTALS: 111       189      45 + 8 = 53

                  Claimed score = 10,017

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