Here is my route for the 2009 VHF contest. I am still struggling with an easy to use program to draw routes on maps that include grid squares and are readable. As you can see, I haven't found one yet.Here is my temporary schedule:
Start on the top of Albuquerque's west mesa, this should have pretty good radio horizons in all directions but west, where it will be mediocre
DM64 at Pajarito Road
1800Z - 1845Z
A short hop north to Paseo del Volcan on 9 mile hill
DM65
1900Z - 1945Z
The above 2 sites are only a few miles apart.
Then on I40 to Prewitt NM, a good site on Highway 412 right befor you drop off to Bluewater Lake and good radio horizons to the North and South, OK to the West and East
DM55
2130Z to 2215Z
Back to I-40, operating as I go and Holbrook, AZ
I will just kiss the corner of DM54 on the way, and if I can find a place to stop I will, but it doesn't look like much is there. No matter as I will hit DM54 on Sunday
DM44
0015Z to 0100Z
Back on I-40 to Flagstaff and
DM45
0230Z until the Band drops
We will spend the night in Flagstaff and I will operate in the motel parking lot until the band folds. Or I fold. The next morning we will hit the road at 1300Z on the road to east entrance Grand Canyon. Sunday will be a long day, so I intend to operate only while in motion, or with brief stops only.
We will travel to the east entrance of the Grand Canyon to give Peter, WA7JTM his own square:
DM46
1445Z
on to South entrance Grand Canyon to give Peter the grid he worked in before the contest,
DM36
1515Z
then to Williams in
DM35
1630Z
Back to Flagstaff and
DM45
1845Z,
Backtracking East to Holbrook
DM 44 at 2015
Off of I-40 and Southeast to Saint Johns, AZ
DM54 at 2130
Then Northeast to Gallup and
DM55 at 0000Z
East on I-40
DM65 at 0045Z
Home to DM65 -Cedar Crest
DM65 0245Z
Expect deviations from this plan, particularly if the band is wide open or if it is closed.
The second day is ambitious , but I think it is doable. If all goes well, I will hit 9 grids.
Here is the lineup
50 MHz 100 watts, loop in motion, 2 element Yagi at stops
144 MHz 100 Watts 3 element Yagi in motion, 6 element at stops
222 MHz, 3 element Yagi in motion, 6 element at stops
432 MHz, 4 element Yagi in motion, 10 element at stops
1296 MHz 10 Watts, 10 element Yagi
With the addition of 1296, I will be moving up to the Classic Rover Division this contest . This will make me less competitive nationally, more competitive in the Rocky Mpuntain Division.
Hope for E-skip, listen for the weak ones. - Duffey.
