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AA2SD/R on the road to Mullica Hill from Cape May for the Pack Rat Bowl
AA2SD/R Troubleshoots During the Jan 2025 Contest with Weather and Multiple Equipment Failures.
AA2SD/R Rover - Jan VHF Contest 2025 - This Rove was one of the poorest performing trips as I was plagued with equipment issues, poor band conditions and threatening weather. My initial plan was to visit (6) Rove locations, I did achieve (4) locations, and had to end the rove due to the snow and icing and did not make my last 2 stops.
First Stop Bell Labs Transistor Tower North Jersey FN20 and Mast Issues during take down
Saturday Day, Stop 1 FN20 Bell Labs North Jersey, I arrived 2 hours early to the Bell Labs location and set up next to the Transistor Tower at a good elevation. I discovered that my roof rack fiberglass extension pole had an extensive fracture due to the cold. I spent almost 2 hours taking down the roof rack, removing the roof mount, and reassembling the remaining metal roof rack. After this reassembly I set up my larger mast with 20 feet. The bands were extremely slow and I worked 20 contacts from this location which was very disappointing. Upon lowering my mast with (6) antennas my Rover mast bent due to the extensive weight of the additional antennas, I have added 2 looper antennas. The weather at this location was freezing rain, making it more difficult to set up and take down antennas.
Shortened Rover Rack in Navensink NJ FN30 at my second Stop
Saturday Evening Stop 2 FN30, I now moved onto FN30 in Navasink at the High School with good elevation and no functionable rotor mast. I worked (14) contacts from this location and decided to head back to Cape May to regroup in the early morning.The temperature dropped and working outside during the evening was getting the better of me. I was able to stop along the parkway south and work Joe KC2SGV from my new lower profile mounted Halos.
Cape May Antennas set up with a shorter mast as the Ferry heads out
Sunday Morning, Stop 3 Cape May FM28 - I got up early in the cold morning and cut and salvaged the damaged mast with a new clevis pin, now at a reduced 15 feet and re-mounted with my smaller ELK antennas. I was positioned at the entrance of the Cape May canal, early morning, and now back in the game. I was able to work (35) contacts with this compromised set up. Unfortunately an older DEMI 22MHZ transverter lost its receive capability and I lost the band. I have a back up Ukrainian transvester with lower power, and I got this back in place before departing Cape May. I was pleased to work Dave K1RZ and Joe KC2TN and several other Rats from this location.
Mullica Hill Set up Stop 4 Snow and Icing Start as I arrive back to Cape May
Sunday Afternoon , Stop 4 Mullica Hill NJ FM29 - I was able to get to Mullica Hill NJ set up in place within easy reach of most Pack Rats. I planned to be available from 2-4PM for the Pack Rat Bowl. I was able to work over (40) contacts during this 2 hour period. Again the weather played a significant role as icing, and the snow started to move in. I decided to call it a contest and head back home to lick my wounds and regroup and warm up. The highlight of this spot is that I was able to work Bob W2SJ on 1296, and Mike WB2RVX on both 903 and 1296 phone with my smaller rover lopper antennas. I also worked Ray N3RG on 1296 phone coming up and stopping on Route 55 north bound, and finished a 903 CW contact with Ray stopped southbound from Route 55 on the return trip home. I did see an uptick in band activity with the Pack Rat Bowl, but with poor band conditions and the the Eagles football game, it was still a slowing period after 2 hours.
Summary of the January Rove 2025
104 contacts, I , worked 6 Bands 7 Multi Grids
Over 415 miles windshield time from the time I departed home and returned
Achieved (4) grids of the (6) planned, due to weather restrictions
Fiberglas Mast cracked and removed due to temperature
Large Mast Bent due to overloading with antennas
222 Mhz Transvertor, no receive, replaced with back up
Despite my setbacks,I enjoyed the challenge of my Rove, and learned how to trouble shoot and stay in the game. I was successful with 903 and 1296 loopers on the roof rack for a future contest. Staying positive and regrouping after a dismal first day and working solutions got me back in the game on Sunday. I am glad this one is over and in the books, and I can start on improvements for the next contest.
Thanks to all that worked me during the contest !
73
Scott
AA2SD/R
Rover Plan Winter 2025 Jan ARRL VHF Contest Plan AA2SD/R VHF Contest Rover
6 Stops and (6) Potential Grids During the Contest
(Please keep in mind I run Halos for 2-6-222-70cm and make many contacts while driving from location to location, follow me live on W3SZ.com database with APRS. https://w3sz.com/map.php
Once I get to overlooks, I will use a 20 foot mast with Yagi Antennas for each band.
Fellow Club Members and Operators
Here is my final plan for the Jan 2025 VHF Contest Jan 18th and 19th. I will be visiting (6) stops and (6) potential Grids all within the reach of the Pack Rats and other Clubs. I will stay at each location a minimum of 1.5 hours , if the action is good I will stay longer at each location. I will have the 4 lower bands in addition to 1296 and 903 available for a total of six available bands . Born to Run ....please make sure you join my (1) text message group below from each location.
During my last stop, you will have (2) Rovers KE5NJ and myself in one Grid Location in Delaware, allowing you to work both rovers.
I am a solo rover, and would suggest you join my text list for one text message from each location, and also you can follow me on the W3SZ.com database. You can text me, but I hope it will be busy at each location. Timing of all stops will be based on weather and travel conditions. I plan to work phone from all of these locations FT8 will only be during the later evenings. Please keep in mind that I do work many stations "on the go" from overlook to overlook with a digital recorder. I will be on the air for the full time other than setting up antennas at overlooks
Rover Plan on the Web below
https://www.aa2sd.com/arrl-jan-2025-vhf-contest
Join text here
W3SZ.com database
Halo Stack for Mobile Roving for On the Go Contacts
VHF Contest Roving AA2SD/R
What is a VHF Contest Rover ? - Mobile station that travels during a contest to activate multiple geographic locations (typically grid squares) during the course of a contest.
Please view the google slide deck on a recent club presentation of my own style of Roving during a VHF Contest.
6 Band VHF Contest Rover for the ARRL January 2025 VHF Contest
Dear Fellow Club Members and Operators, let's work each other during the Jan VHF Contest
Sign up to Receive (1) Short Message when I Reach my Grid During the Jan 2025 VHF Contest
In order to provide a quick update strictly for VHF Contest use only, I have established a one time text message notification of my updated Grid Location. You will only receive one short text from me once I am operational at a new grid during the contest period only. This is not a group text program, you will only receive one text from me at each location, you can also opt out from all messages.
Please click on the link if you would like to subscribe for this during the Jan VHF Contest 2025
Privacy Policy No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes
Contest Details: http://www.arrl.org/January-vhf
JOIN US AT THE PACK RAT BOWL
SUNDAY JANUARY 19 TH 19:00 TO 22:00 UTC
Take advantage of the Sunday afternoon contest doldrums, join the Pack Rats on 2M
SSB and move stations up the bands. Increase your higher band Q’s and grid totals.
More efficient than sending endless unanswered CQs on FT8. Tell everyone you know
the place to be on Sunday afternoon from 2 PM to 5 PM EST is 2M SSB/CW and QSY UP.
Contest Objective: For amateurs in the US and Canada (and their possessions) to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US & Canada (and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and Canada.
Dates: The third or fourth full weekend in January as announced. (January 18-20, 2025)
Contest Period: Begins 1900 UTC Saturday, ends 0359 UTC Monday.
Click Here for Complete ARRL January VHF Contest Rules (PDF)
For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232
All legal modes are permitted (while CW and SSB/Phone are most common, MSK144, FT8 and FM-Only are gaining popularity - other popular modes include PSK31, FSK441 and JT65). For Cabrillo file mode definitions, Digital modes should be represented as "DG" (for all things digital), SSB Phone as "PH", FM voice as "FM", and CW as "CW".
Stations in KH0-9, KL7 & KP1-KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE stations and can be worked by DX stations for contest credit.
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