January 2022 VHF Contest - KI7OFL/R Rover

January 2022 VHF contest.

Operated as KI7OFL/R (Rover).

Started on A Mountain in Tucson Arizona (DM42). 2m, 70cm, 6m, FT8 6m. No takers on 222.

Moved up the road to Picacho, Stanfield, Maricopa, Sacaton as I worked four grids in a close area. Sunset pic again this year at the Sacaton rest stop off I-10. 

 F150 loaded up with radio's - Laptop for logging and FT8 on 6m, Yaesu 3000 for 6m FT8 and SSB, IC-705 for GPS and Grid data, Yaesu 857d for 2m and 70cm. Kenwood D-74a for 222fm points.

Good time, exhausting as I worked by myself for about 14hrs.

Antenna stack was 222 sitting up top, 6m Moxon (will replace with a beam next contest), 2m beam, 70cm beam.

Sitting atop "A Mountain" Just West of Downtown Tucson for the start of the contest. I think this will become my usual position for this contest going forward

2021 JANUARY AND JUNE VHF RESULTS

MAUI HI SOTA KH6/MA-001 POTA K-0036

 11.25.2021 Thanksgiving trip to Maui HI.

Took a morning break from the beach with a 1.5hr drive up to SOTA KH6/MA-001 POTA K-0036.

Fair warning, it is very windy and cold there at 10,000' - I Figure it was about 30* plus a windchill.

Yaesu 857d, Bioenno 74w battery and the ATAS-120a screwdriver antenna. 18.142mhz made the trip back to California, Washington, Oregon and even my hometown Tucson Arizona.

SOTA - PISTOL HILL W7A/PE-074

Local Vail SOTA opportunity, Pistol Hill W7A/PE-074.

Great hike if you stick to the trail off Pistol Hill Rd. - Don't be tempted to park off Colossal Cave Rd. and take the tower access...

Popular hill as we lost about an hour to a couple of hikers who enjoyed talking about radio, the views and local history. Great conversation while the radio sat silent.

Nice bench on the top, no shade. 

MFJ Big Ears at 6' Did a great job on 6m, 20m and 40m even when I forgot to retune it...

Got skunked on 2m as I had no takers on 144.41fm or 144.200usb using the ELK antenna. Today I refused to work 146.520 as I was only looking for those interested in SOTA and ssb. 

Radio was the IC-705 with an aux. Bionenno 3ah battery to get my full 10watts.

Very impressed with the performance of the 705. No complaints. 

Thanks KF7WI, WW7D (WORKED PRIOR), AEOXI, NS7P, K6HPX (WORKED PRIOR) for 20m within minutes of getting on the air.

My son Douglas KI7LLD  for the 6m contact on 50.125usb as he tuned his 20m dipole for the contact.

K6MXA for pulling me out of the noise for a 45 report on 40m 7.207 S2S (Summit to Summit) as he was on W6/SC-397. Only 10watts....

View to the south gives you an idea of the hike if you decide to rough it in.....

My brother Estell KI7OFN operating his 857d, always has the flags up.

IC-705, Z100plus tuner.

2021 January VHF Contest - ROVER KI7OFL/R DM31 Start..

Worked the VHF Contest Jan 16th 2021.

Started the day at 7am with final set up of the mast antenna's for the ride. The prior day was installing all the electronics.... Not an easy task.

While inspecting the truck, I found a leaking water pump on Friday at 2:30pm, burned the remainder of the day installing a new one to be ready for the long drive ahead of me.

Noon start I was way west in DM31ox, this is just outside of Lukeville which is the entrance to Mexico.

Made the trip on 2m and 6m with K7EME in Tucson AZ. Not a sound from anyone else. Worked this grid for an hour before heading north.

Next was Gila Bend, no contacts but a great lunch.... Why the Mask? Covid19 is a worldwide epidemic.

Then over to the Maricopa area to work several grids. By this time it was late, we were tired and I decided to make the run home to DM41.

Learned a lot with this VHF Contest and rover. Think I will try again in June..

Plan is to be LIMITED ROVER for the January 16th 2021 VHF Contest

Equipment available: 

Yaesu 857d, ICOM 705, Icom 5100, Kenwood D74 (222mhz). Maybe the Dx 3000 running 100w on 6meter.

Will be starting in Tucson with DM42 a 1900.

Quick test 12.13.2020 - Yaesu 857d 

Set up took 8 minutes. Drove down to the historic area of Canoa Ranch just outside of Elephant Head at exit 56 off the I-19 Freeway. Found several RV's set up in the desert.

Slipped the mast into the hitch (This is a 2' Extended square tube as it is designed to be used at camp, with my tailgate down and my truck tent). 

Placed the Diamond A430S15R2 on the mast followed by the Diamond A144S10, connected the coax and slipped it up about 15'. First issue is the coax is cold and hard, very unforgiving as it is in the 36*F neighborhood (Will bring it inside prior to the January contest). 

59 Signal report into the Globe area with N1AV (Jason) and AC7FF (Dave) working SOTA on Pinal Peak W7A/AW-009. I Figure this to be about 150miles on 144.41fm.

Also checked in on the SWOT Net 144.200usb with 59 reports both ways. 70cm was fair to KI7OFN, figure this was due to my coax not allowing me to swing the antenna, will fix this issue.

OK, on to the next step.

Mount Bigelow SOTA Nov.2020 W7A/AW-003

After the fire ran through the Catalina Mountains Mt. Bigelow was closed to travel. With a little luck Bigelow was open prior to the Dec.15th winter close date.

Nice drive with some snow and ice on the road only for the last 100yards. No real hiking, so this will be a great opportunity to work the bands.

Quick set up with my brother Estell de KI7OFN.

Yaesu 857d, MFJ-929 Tuner, ELK up for 2m/70cm, MFJ Big Ears for all HF.

Found I could not extend either of the MFJ Whips, ended up pulling one apart as I tried to force it to extend. 

Switched the whips and played with the tuning coil to manage both 20m and to my surprise 40m.

Easy trip into the greater Phx area on 2m - W7JET (Nice QSL Card...), K7TAB, KI7LLD (My Son Douglas, K6IAA, K0DVH on 2mSSB

Six-METER even - W7RV on 50.125usb with my MFJ Big Ears

Summit to Summit S2S with KJ7QHW 2m on Baldy Mount W7A/MN-106

Summit to Summit S2S with W6PW 20m on W6/NC-423 in North Carolian

Summit to Summit S2S with XE1MYO outside of Mexico City on XE1/MX-022 

Great 40m Signals - KB7JJG, K6QCB, K6LDQ, KC7HM, KN0MAP, W7SS, NW7E

20m did not disappoint - ND0C, K6HPX, WW7D, N0WAE, KG3W, KC7FCW, W2CE, W7C0, W4KRN, N6EF, W5GDW, AD0HL, WB7BWZ, N6DNM, KD9TZ, K0LAF

SOTA Oct. 2020 10 point S2S Madness

Oct 3rd. 2020 Arizona 10 point S2S Madness event.

What has become an annual event in Arizona, seems to be leading the country in one very unique event.

All over Arizona, Hams interested in the challenge and opportunity head for the 10 point  Summits for what Pete refers to as Madness. 

This year, my brother KI7OFN (Estell) and myself wanted a drive up opportunity, we headed for Heliograph W7A/AE-011.

Found the drive up was just 2.2 miles short of the peak as the gate at Shannon Campground was locked up tight.

25lb pack to the back, started off at 8700' ft, not bad as we took the access road on foot. 8700 to 10,000' over a 1.45 hr hike at that altitude, at my age and weight this was a real workout.

ADEQ - Dave on Bigelow was an easy trip with 59 both ways.

N1CLC - Chris on South Mountain Phx. 59 both ways as well. Also caught him on 14.324, really surprised as it was the same quality as 2m.

W7AMR - Attila was on Azlec Peak, 59 both ways 2m. About 150 miles on FM.

KI7LLD 20m. Chaser.

Yaesu 857d

ELK 2m 70cm 59 to Tucson and Phx.

ATAS120 - Signals were weak....

S&W 357 (Bear Country)

A few pics of our hike HERE.

QSL Cards

I find it really interesting, the talent, workmanship, sometimes simplicity and creativity that goes into everyone's QSL cards.

Below will be a collection of those I have received, some electronic and some paper. Enjoy!

W5W/W5B 13-COLONIES K2A/NY K2D B4PP K5PDC KM7N W6PZA KB1HQS K4KPK AB4P AE9Q W6LDX WU7H W0MNA AC7P K2CNN W6SPR 4A15DXXE 4A601 13RF202 AA5R AC1MX AC7JM AE5FM AE9Q AF7M AG5X1 HP2NG I1-21171 K2CNN K3LA K45HA K6MLE K7HMB K7RE K9RU KB7SAT KC5RUO KC7V KD0VJS KD5R KD5SZW KD5YJP KD9KO1 KE0DC KE5CDE KJ5MA KJ7OK1 KL7QW KR7RK KSOEGL KV91 KW4SP KX8D LU7HEO N0DOW N1RJK

Updated 11.21.2020

AA1JM, AA5BE, AB8AA, AC7P, AE9Q, AK6A, AK7LV, CO7YSM, EA7HY, HI8RMQ, HL2EIZ, 1K7XNF, J68HZ, JE7IDL, JJ1QUV, K0JV, K0LAF, KOSDW, K4CAE, K5EW, K5TRP, K7ZKM, KBLEFS, KB7JJG, KB8U, KC3OL, KF4UDL, KG5ZMG, KI7EMX, KN0MAP, N2BJ, N5DUH, N6EF, N7BT, N7DSX, N9KT, NPITX, NR0Q, N6DNM, R6A-12, T45FM, VA7GEM, VE1CNS, W0ZAP, W5GDW, W5THT, W7GMO, W7JET, W7OXB, W7VY, W8RES, WA7GYQ, WB9HLA, WB9SDD, WC4H, XE1MYO, XE2JX, XE2YWD, YB2RT