The Year of the Rove:�VHF Contesting on the Go

Chris Arthur, NV4B

November 8, 2022

Revised June 15, 2023

Contents

• Quick intro to roving
• Rover station description & tips for building your own
• Stories from The Year of the Rove
• Statistics

Prerequisites

This presentation assumes you are familiar with:

• Contesting in general
• VHF/UHF weak signal work in general (SSB, CW, narrowband digital modes such as FT8, FT4, and MSK144)
• VHF/UHF propagation
• Tropo
• Sporadic-E
• Meteor Scatter
• Transequatorial
• The Maidenhead Grid Locator System (e.g. EM64)
• See the programs WG8S and I gave to HARC in 2020
• Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Roving: VHF/UHF Contesting To-Go

There are sixteen national VHF/UHF contests held in the U.S. each year with one or more Rover categories: 5 each Spring and Fall Sprints, ARRL Jan/June/Sept, CQ WW VHF, the 222 and Up Distance Contest, and the new Meteor Scatter Sprint

The basic definition of a Rover is a contest entrant who operates from more than one location. In most instances, this means more than one four-digit grid locator.

Rovers are generally expected to carry their entire station, including antennas and power sources, with them from location to location.

The major ARRL contests (Jan., June, Sept.) have three rover categories:

• Limited Rover: Low power and the four lowest bands only (6m/2m/222/432)
• Classic Rover
• Unlimited Rover, which also allows operation from fixed stations and multiops

The Two Basic Rover Strategies

• Run ‘n’ gun -- operating in motion with antennas mounted on the vehicle
• Stop ‘n’ shoot -- operating while stopped, potentially with antennas erected on a mast

I generally try to maximize stop ‘n’ shoot time while still operating in motion to minimize downtime.

The Current Rover Station

• 6m: ICOM IC-7100 @ 100W, MFJ-1728B ¼-wave whip, 3 element MFJ-1762 Yagi OR 4 element Cushcraft LFA-6M4EL, RG-8X
• 2m: ICOM IC-9700 @ 100W, Efactor dual-band horizontal loop, Diamond A144S10 Yagi, RG-8/U+RG-8X
• 222: Yaesu FT-736R + Mirage C2512G @ 100/120W, M² horizontal loop, Directive Systems 10-element “Rover” Yagi, RigExpert Plus USB digital interface, RG-214
• 432: ICOM IC-9700 @ 75W, Efactor dual-band horizontal loop, Directive Systems 15-element “Rover” yagi, LMR-400 equivalent
• 1296: ICOM IC-9700 @ 10W, Directive Systems 25-element loop Yagi, Andrew FSJ4-50A flexible Heliax
• Dell Latitude 5285 Core i5 Windows 10 tablet for 6/2/432
• Dell Latitude 7275 Core m5 Went SK during 2023 January VHF Contest, RIP
• Lenovo Miix 320 Windows 10 Atom-based tablet for 222
• WSJT-X 2.2.2 and 2.5.4, N1MM Logger+, networked through hotspot
• Fiberglass “hot stick” mast with drive-on flagpole mount
• Military surplus aluminum mast sections (3 x 4’) with drive-on flagpole mount

The Current Rover Station

The Current Rover Station

Rover Station Hints & Kinks

• Strategy differs depending on the time of year
• June VHF & CQ VHF -- Optimize for 6 meters, stay within sporadic-E range of the Northeast
• January & September -- Go where the largest number of operators are
• Strategy mainly stop ‘n’ shoot or run ‘n’ gun?
• For stop ‘n’ shoot, minimize setup/teardown time
• Avoid antennas that require tightening lots of U-bolts/nuts
• Use wing nuts where possible
• Directive Systems quick-release plates
• For run ‘n’ gun, use horizontally-polarized antennas (loops, yagis, Moxons etc.) where possible
• How many/how large antennas can your vehicle transport?
• Directive Systems rover Yagis fit into most vehicles when the boom pieces are taken apart
• Choose operating locations carefully
• Go for prominence (places where you can see the horizon), public accessibility, places where you will be safe potentially near/after dark -- public parks or overlooks are the best, but there are exceptions
• Use online tools such as Randy Majors’s Elevation on Google Maps tool, HeyWhatsThat, Google Maps topo view, USGS topo maps to find the good spots
• Somewhere to go “10-100”
• Maximize “operator comfort” -- make changing bands/modes/antennas as effortless as possible. You will screw up anything that requires thought in the heat of the moment!

Rover Station Hints & Kinks

• Use computers that you can power continuously without RFI -- machines that power via USB-C have worked best for me. Avoid cheap inverters due to 6m RFI. RasPi may not have enough “horsepower” for MSK144 or on busy bands with FT8
• Mount everything where it’s easily accessible -- get a good quality tablet/laptop mount
• FT8 is mandatory to be competitive -- use radios with built-in USB interfaces to simplify interfacing
• Have multiple versions of WSJT-X handy -- Older versions send “73” in contest mode (recommended), newer versions have Q65 that may be helpful for extra-long DX Qs
• N1MM Logger+ will run two radios with FT8, but scoring will be slightly off (way off in CQ VHF and the Sprints), and it absolutely will not let you log analog QSOs while FT8 is open. N3FJP scores correctly but will not run two radios at once

​

Rover Station Hints & Kinks

• Internet connection -- practically mandatory. Use hotspot on phone or standalone device
• Use coordination -- VHF-Chat on Slack, ON4KST, W4DEX, EM64 VHF Chat on GroupMe
• Get cell phone numbers of other ops/rovers -- some only communicate via text and don’t use any of the chat rooms
• Wireless keyboard/trackpad -- makes coordination much easier than if you’re having to type on a phone
• Use APRS -- phone apps work fine
• Know your grid to 6 characters -- phone apps work fine
• USB hubs are prone to RFI -- use galvanic isolators if you must
• Use headphones (you always wear headphones in weak-signal situations, don’t you?), but have a long headphone extension cable handy. Sometimes you need to be able to listen while you turn antennas, especially at 432 and up

And now…

The Year of the Rove

Rove #1: 2022 January VHF Contest --�“It’s Not Supposed to Snow 6” in Meridian!”

• Originally planned route: start on Colbert Heights on Saturday, drive to EM46 on Sunday
• Weather forecast called for substantial snow in EM46
• Looked at more weather forecasts and models than I ever have before
• Formulated new route starting in EM75 (Chattanooga), driving to southwest Alabama (EM61) to spend the night, then coming back Sunday
• Rain/snow was unavoidable -- it even snowed in EM61! 6” in EM52
• Did simple three-band rove with mobile antennas for all but one 432 QSO -- got rained on doing that
• Surprise short-skip Es opening -- but was in motion and had to settle for whip
• Ran usual grid corner route (after a stop for Mexican food in Pickwick)
• Result: 20th overall, 46 QSOs, 31 grids, 1,674

It only gets better from here!

Rove #2: 144 MHz Spring Sprint --�“This is Definitely Weird”

• Started at Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga -- tiny piece of land on the mountaintop that’s in the Eastern Time Zone (Hamilton County), but the rest of the park is open until 7:30 Central�View of downtown Chattanooga at right
• TVA security guard approached at 7:00 -- “I have to investigate anything weird, and this is definitely weird”
• Guard was cool with the explanation, but park was closing then
• Went to Lookout Mountain GA (EM74gv, Rising Fawn overlook just up from the glider place)
• Conditions were outstanding -- worked KE8FD in OH (EN80) and KB8U in Michigan (EN71)
• I WON A SPRINT!

Rove #2: 144 MHz Spring Sprint --�“This is Definitely Weird”

View of downtown Chattanooga from Raccoon Mountain

Rove #3: 222 MHz Spring Sprint --�Can’t Beat the Grid Circlers

• Started at Devils Gap on Colbert Heights, then went to usual other three grids (EM54, 55, 65)
• Maiden voyage for a Mirage C2512G 120-watt amplifier
• New personal best in the 222 Sprint -- 21 QSOs & 18 mults, good activity level
• Lost to a group of four rovers in the Chicago area who circle a suburban grid corner and work each other on FM simplex

Rove #4: 432 MHz Spring Sprint --�Where’s the Propagation?

• Same route as 222 Sprint
• No propagation, but managed to work N4SVC in EM80 via aircraft scatter from Colbert Heights (~410 miles)
• Finished out of the money again by the Chicago rovers plus K0BAK

Rove #5: Microwave Spring Sprint --�Fun on the Ultra-Highs

• 1296 only
• Operated from Woodall Mountain and Colbert Heights, no in-motion operation
• Distance-based scoring
• Poor conditions
• AB4DX (EM64cl) only QSO from Woodalll
• Best DX: WD9EXD in IL (EM57rp), about 200 miles from Colbert heights
• Finished 3rd
• 9 QSOs, average DX ~75 mi

Rove #6: 50 MHz Spring Sprint --�How Many QSOs Per Gallon?!?

• Drove almost 5 hours to Pendleton Bend, EM43ix near Dumas, Arkansas to scout out a location for activating the rare grid
• Ran a bit late and made one QSO in motion from EM44 on the way. No QSOs on the return trip
• Location good, conditions bad
• Most QSOs were direct plus one meteor scatter QSO
• Finished 2nd

Rove #7: ARRL June VHF Contest --�The Contest of a Lifetime (1/2)

• Debut of new Core m5 tablet computer for 222
• Went back to EM43 -- spent the night in Lake Village Friday night, then drove to Pendleton Bend Saturday
• Stayed at Pendleton Bend until about 9:00 Saturday night, then headed north to Missouri to spend the night
• Worked K4CNY/R across grid lines through EM44, 45, 55, and 56
• Motel I’d booked in Portageville, MO was uninhabitable -- got 1 ½ hours sleep in Hayti, MO
• Went to Morris State Park near Campbell, MO (EM46) for Sunday
• Left at 6 p.m. to return home via EM56, 55, 54, and 64

Rove #7: ARRL June VHF Contest --�The Contest of a Lifetime (2/2)

• Conditions were incredible:
• 6m open to Japan Saturday night
• 2m/222/432 tropo to TX/Mexico Sunday morning
• 6m double-hop opening to the West Coast Sunday midday
• High MUF sporadic-E Sunday afternoon including 2m Es to Cuba!
• 6m free-for-all until the end of the contest -- made many mobile FT8/FT4 QSOs
• 2m and up opened up again to TX/OK/KS near the end of the contest as I drove through W TN/N MS -- but the TX guys were busy working an Es opening to the northeast!
• 516 QSOs, 230 multipliers, 128,340 pts → New Midwest Division Record!!

Rove #8: CQ WW VHF Contest --�The Right Place at the Right Time

• Used the 4-element LFA on 6m
• Diamond 2m yagi on separate mast
• Woodall Mtn. plus EM55, 65, 64 on Saturday
• Drove to EM43 for the third time on Sunday
• Good opening to the northeast on Saturday, also worked EA8DBM on 6m, several mobile Qs from EM65aa
• Sunday morning, 2m had enhancement to the southwest -- worked XE2OR at 683 miles
• Double-hop 6m sporadic-E to the west coast -- focused opening that most of the country didn’t get. Worked lots of W7s and a few W6s
• Tried for a long time to work XE2CQ who needed EM43 for one of his last few FFMA grids
• 271 QSOs, 168 multipliers = 52,752 points → WON!!

Rove #9: ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest -- Rovin’ with COVID

• Got COVID-19 the week of the contest; was not 100% by the weekend
• Operated 222/432/1296
• Started at Colbert Heights on Saturday, Woodall on Sunday
• Lower activity than in previous years
• WX curtailed activity in Huntsville on Saturday
• Made last-ditch attempt to work stations from Colbert Heights late in the contest Sunday, but lightning became a huge issue
• Scrambled around to find a break in the WX but could not, and the contest ended
• Despite the challenges:
• 222: 24 QSOs, avg 198 mi, best DX 537 mi (WQ0P EM19)
• 432: 28 QSOs, avg 189 mi, best DX 488 mi (AA5C EM13)
• 1296: 2 QSOs, avg 167 mi, best DX 205 mi (WD9EXD EM57)
• Final score: 54 QSOs, 27,990 points → 4th overall, 1st in Region 13

Rove #10: 50 MHz Fall Sprint --�Return to Raccoon Mountain

• Operated from Raccoon Mountain (EM75) and Lookout Mountain (EM74)
• Surprisingly good conditions for mid-August
• Multi-hop to Europe, Maritimes, Northwest (WA)
• 35 QSOs, 32 mults, 1,120 points → Won!

Rove #11: NA Meteor Scatter Sprint --�Not for the Impatient (or Sleep Deprived)

• New contest started by KV5W during the Perseids, distance-based scoring w/minimum DX
• Overlapped with the Fall 50 MHz Sprint
• Worked WD9EXD on a sked from Lookout Mountain
• Set up in my backyard the next morning (Sunday) to make a few 6m and one 2m meteor scatter QSOs, but cut it short due to the late night before
• M/S hampered by tropo & sporadic-E!
• 8 QSOs, 7,519 points → only rover entry, so won!

Rove #12: ARRL September VHF Contest --�I Guess I’ll Just Win the Thing Again (1/2)

• Starting to feel a bit of burnout by this point in the year -- didn’t plan a serious effort since I won in 2021
• Put rover together Saturday morning and got in motion after contest start
• Used two-mast system w/6 & 2 on one mast and 222/432 on the other
• Started at Woodall. Lots of activity Saturday
• TEP on 6! Worked LU5FF and heard CX7BJ & PY5KD

Rove #12: ARRL September VHF Contest --�I Guess I’ll Just Win the Thing Again (2/2)

• Circled local grid corner Saturday night (Pickwick/EM55, EM65 hilltop on Hwy 69, EM64)
• Colbert Heights Sunday morning -- low activity and poor band conditions
• Left at 1 p.m. to try a new site in EM65
• Set up at Swan View Overlook on the Natchez Trace Parkway in EM65go. Site proved useful
• Operated until 8 p.m., well after dark -- got rained on during teardown
• Won!

Rove #13: 144 MHz Fall Sprint --�Driving, Duck Tape, and a Dead Band

• Same route as 6m Sprint -- Raccoon Mountain and Lookout Mountain
• Major Murphy Moment: The nut inside the 2m driven element came loose -- feedpoint box is riveted, no way to fix in the field!
• Rigged up duck tape to hold the element in place -- it mostly worked!
• Decent activity but nothing extraordinary unlike Spring -- poor condx
• 21 Qs, 14 mults, 294 points → 2nd place

Rove #14: 222 MHz Fall Sprint --�He’s Located Where?!?

• Had to take K4CNY to the Nashville Airport the day of the Sprint, so I decided to start at Swan View Overlook in EM65go
• Slight bit of enhancement -- worked W5EME in EM32 (435 mi) and N4SVC in EM80 (447 mi)
• Ended up pointing northwest somewhat by accident and heard N0URW working someone -- I thought he was in TN
• Called him and eventually completed a QSO… he is in EN41/IA! (468 mi)
• Went in motion through EM65 to EM55, EM54, EM64
• 19 QSOs, 15 mults, 285 points → WON!

Rove #15: 432 MHz Fall Sprint --�Feeling the Burn

• Had a meeting early the morning of the 432 Sprint in Birmingham
• Started from a hilltop west of Russellville often used by AB4DX(/P), EM64cl
• Drove backroads to get to EM54 but found myself wanting to fall asleep at the wheel on 72
• Made 6 QSOs from EM64 and 3 from EM54 to qualify as a rover, then pulled the plug 2½ hours in
• Still managed to finish 3rd

Rove #16: Microwave Fall Sprint --�1296 Really is a Different Animal

• 1296 only (again)
• Started at Woodall, worked AB4DX and WG8S. Heard but could not complete with AG4V in Memphis on Q65
• Worked AB4DX, WG8S, K4QF (on CW) and W4RXR (on SSB) from Colbert Heights. W4RXR was /P in northeast Lauderdale County
• Average DX = 88 km, 529 points → 4th place

Goals for 2023

• Win the ARRL January VHF Contest -- done!
• Win the ARRL June VHF Contest -- not done
• Improve my finish in the ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest
• Add more bands
• 902 MHz -- done!
• 2304 MHz -- in progress
• 3400 MHz -- in progress
• 5760 MHz
• 10 GHz
• 24 GHz
• More power on 1296
• Better switching arrangement for analog modes -- will become more important on higher bands
• Possibly enter September as a Classic Rover?

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Statistics

2022�QSOs per Grid Activated

Grand Total: 1,379 QSOs

2022 Best DX Per Band

Rover Contest Score Progression & Best Finishes

Rover Contest Score Progression & Best Finishes