07/01/2006 | W2LCA/R Had a great time in the second year of W2LCA/R. Last year we activated four grids- this year six... next year?

What a monster six meter opening! Spent all afternoon Saturday while mobile between grids working stations on six- with a 2m 5/8 wave whip.

Only problem with a big opening on six is that all the stations are there and not on the other bands. That's a problem for a rover with a limited stay in a given grid. Many missed opportunities for mults on higher bands due to very limited number of stations working on 2m.

Most noteworthy DX of the weekend was NOT on six- Es must have been very intense because it would explain QSO with W0DJM (EN25) while mobile in FN13 with FM and only 25 Watts on our end! We made contact on 146.550 and didn't believe it, suspecting some kind of RF or IP link. So we switched to 146.580, and there he was!

Amazing how much fun three hams in a VW station wagon (certainly no mountain climber) with limited gear can have as a rover operation.

Rich Burns, NT2W
Secretary, North Country Amateur Radio Club (W2LCA) -- NT2W