06/16/2006 | W0ZQ For the last few years I have been using the ARRL June VHF contest as a shake down run for Rovermania (the ARRL UHF Contest). This year I was free both Saturday and Sunday, so I decided to do a semi-serious rove to activate the eight grids closest to home. My rover is based on simple designs and principles as its a one man show. The 2m through 3456 antennas are all short boom yagis, while 5.7 and 10 GHz require getting out of the car and setting them up on separate tripods.

For 6m, last year I used a simple mobile vertical and it worked much like a simple mobile vertical (poor). This year I wanted to "upgrade" my 6m signal without taking on more windloading. I was considering adding a 6m loop to my antennas when I noticed that the boom length of my 3456 end mount looper was darn close to 1/4 wavelength on 6m, so I used it to form one-half of a 6m horizontal dipole. The other half of the 6m dipole is a horizontal Hamstick that is oriented 180 degrees from the 3456 looper. This new 6m design provides for a horizontal dipole at 9' with no significant addition of weight or windloading, something that is important from my rover design! Does it work ? I was able to run about 80 6m stations from EN24 during the big opening .... what a hoot !

During the contest I activated a total of eight unique grids ; EN23, 24, 25, 33, 34, 35, 43 and 44. The newly designed 6m dipole was a hit, and my modified FT-897 that internally holds a DEM 222 transverter worked without a hitch. Being able to use the FT897's keyer with a Bencher paddle on 6, 2, 222, and 432 was a treat. 902 and up is still a straight key. Also, all logging was via paper and the log was later transferred into RoverLog ...... running a laptop while roving is just too hard plus it adds complexity. Simple is good.

I hope to see everyone on for the August UHF contest and Rovermania III . Start talking it up with your local clubs and make some plans. Amazing distances and fun can be had on 222 and up.

73, Jon -- W0ZQ