W3DHJ/rover
VHF Contesting on S.E. Colorado's High Plains
DM77 - DM78 - DM87 - DM88
W3DHJ >>
VHF Rover
♫ Where the rovers and antelope play..... ♪
In mid-2005 I moved from a 'rare' grid (DM68mn) to a not-so-rare grid
(DM78rf). I always had a ball working 6 Meter openings and handing out
my grid from the previous QTH in Gunnison, Colorado. I still enjoy working the
openings, but I was looking for that 'extra something' to add to my VHF operating activities.
It turns out my new QTH is not that far from several rare grid squares: DM77, DM87, and DM88. In a survey published in 2007 (PDF: The Most Wanted Grids of the 488 ConUS Grids ), DM87 was listed as the #23 Most Wanted Grid of the 488 grids in the ConUS. DM88 came in at #80, and DM77 even shows up as #127.
(Of course, all my activity since then may have altered those figures. HI!HI!)
Even before the survey, I had decided to add rover'ing to my "skill set". Late in the Fall of 2005 I scouted out a route which would allow me to rover in the 4-corner region of DM78, DM77, DM87, and DM88 (38°N 104°W). This is all out in open range ranchland on the high desert prairie south of Fowler & Manzanola, along US Highway 50. In the 2006 ARRL June VHF Contest I went out and played rover on Sunday. I did "ok" -- for selected definitions of "ok". I learned what 'stuff' I needed and what 'stuff' was more nuisance than help, and I revised my route and operating locations somewhat.
On both days in my first two contest outings as rover I proceeded in the sequence: DM78 - DM77 - DM87 - and DM88. Upon reflection, I decided to rove in that sequence on the Sundays of the contests, but do the reverse route on Saturdays. (Or, versy-vicey) That-a-way I may re-jigger the odds of getting propagation from any one of my grids to all comers. Anyway, that's what I started doing with the 2006 ARRL September VHF Contest -- and, all in all, I think it was A Good Thing.
Of course, events often overtake planning. In several pasts contests I included DM79 and DM89 in my Saturday outing. And, in several past July contests I've done the Saturday rove from Gunnison back to Pueblo via a circuitous route: DM68 - DM67 - DM77 - DM78.
I'll update this page as I gain more experience, take better pictures, make equipment changes, and (surprisingly) collect "wallpaper" (see the bottom of the page.)
It turns out my new QTH is not that far from several rare grid squares: DM77, DM87, and DM88. In a survey published in 2007 (PDF: The Most Wanted Grids of the 488 ConUS Grids ), DM87 was listed as the #23 Most Wanted Grid of the 488 grids in the ConUS. DM88 came in at #80, and DM77 even shows up as #127.
(Of course, all my activity since then may have altered those figures. HI!HI!)
Even before the survey, I had decided to add rover'ing to my "skill set". Late in the Fall of 2005 I scouted out a route which would allow me to rover in the 4-corner region of DM78, DM77, DM87, and DM88 (38°N 104°W). This is all out in open range ranchland on the high desert prairie south of Fowler & Manzanola, along US Highway 50. In the 2006 ARRL June VHF Contest I went out and played rover on Sunday. I did "ok" -- for selected definitions of "ok". I learned what 'stuff' I needed and what 'stuff' was more nuisance than help, and I revised my route and operating locations somewhat.
On both days in my first two contest outings as rover I proceeded in the sequence: DM78 - DM77 - DM87 - and DM88. Upon reflection, I decided to rove in that sequence on the Sundays of the contests, but do the reverse route on Saturdays. (Or, versy-vicey) That-a-way I may re-jigger the odds of getting propagation from any one of my grids to all comers. Anyway, that's what I started doing with the 2006 ARRL September VHF Contest -- and, all in all, I think it was A Good Thing.
Of course, events often overtake planning. In several pasts contests I included DM79 and DM89 in my Saturday outing. And, in several past July contests I've done the Saturday rove from Gunnison back to Pueblo via a circuitous route: DM68 - DM67 - DM77 - DM78.
I'll update this page as I gain more experience, take better pictures, make equipment changes, and (surprisingly) collect "wallpaper" (see the bottom of the page.)
Environment
It's lonely out there! At least there's no Big Distractions for a
rover. During the times the band dies down, there is usually
something to observe through the binoculars:
antelope
,
coyote,
deer
,
rabbit,
fox
,
badger, prairie dogs, skunks,
spiders, tarantula, praying mantis,
toads
,
snakes, lizards,
ground nesting birds
,
pheasant,
turkey vultures 
,
grouse, quail,
hawks
,
eagles, horses, open range cattle, and mountain lion.
(Well, ok, maybe I don't use the binoculars to watch the
spiders
,
tarantulæ
or
praying mantis
. HI!HI!)
Depending on the month and on the recent precipitation, the flora can also be quite a sight on the Colorado high plains: yucca
,
flowers
,
cactus
.
As well, depending on drought and recent precipitation, wildland fires
happen.
Nearly all the pictures on these pages were taken within 15 miles of each other (38°N, 104°W)
over a period of years. In some you'll see fairly green, lush backgrounds; in some it's toasty brown.
The sunsets
can be awesome. So, too, can be the
thunderstorms
and the attendant
rainbows
.
During the June, July and September contests, I don't believe I ever see more than a half-dozen vehicles drive by during my Saturday-Sunday outings. I almost never see signs of humanity while at my DM77 and DM87 sites.
Most of the rover'ing described here is out in Otero County -- some in Pueblo County. I would like to thank the county commissioners of Otero County for the excellent shape I find their gravel roads in! (...and, for cleverly locating their county at 38°N, 104°W. HI!HI!)
,
coyote,
deer,
rabbit,
fox,
badger, prairie dogs, skunks,
spiders, tarantula, praying mantis,
toads,
snakes, lizards,
ground nesting birds,
pheasant,
turkey vultures ,
grouse, quail,
hawks,
eagles, horses, open range cattle, and mountain lion.
(Well, ok, maybe I don't use the binoculars to watch the
spiders,
tarantulæ or
praying mantis. HI!HI!)
Depending on the month and on the recent precipitation, the flora can also be quite a sight on the Colorado high plains: yucca
,
flowers,
cactus.
As well, depending on drought and recent precipitation, wildland fires
happen.
Nearly all the pictures on these pages were taken within 15 miles of each other (38°N, 104°W)
over a period of years. In some you'll see fairly green, lush backgrounds; in some it's toasty brown.
The sunsets
can be awesome. So, too, can be the
thunderstorms
and the attendant
rainbows.
During the June, July and September contests, I don't believe I ever see more than a half-dozen vehicles drive by during my Saturday-Sunday outings. I almost never see signs of humanity while at my DM77 and DM87 sites.
Most of the rover'ing described here is out in Otero County -- some in Pueblo County. I would like to thank the county commissioners of Otero County for the excellent shape I find their gravel roads in! (...and, for cleverly locating their county at 38°N, 104°W. HI!HI!)
Equipment & Operating
Contestting on just three bands -- 6M , 2M, and 70CM -- makes it semi-simple for a single-op (solo) rover. (And, if you ever saw me in action, simple is what I need. HI!HI!) Other bands really don't interest me and I'll probably never add them. Back in 2008, the ARRL recognized my proclivities by introducing the ROVER-LIMITED class in their VHF contests.My mobile setup is not something any modern-day rover would admire. I'm Old School: SSB and (very rusty) CW.
For 6M it is simply an IC-706 MKII at 100W into my homebrew 6M Halo.
For 2M it is the same IC-706 MKII at 20W into a Mirage amplifier that gives me approx 100W out piped into a stack of hombrew 2M Halos. (Real Soon Now there will be a web page somewhere around here covering the construction of my homebrew stacked 2M Halos, too .)
On 70CM (first use in 2016) it's an IC-471H (not really a mobile/rover rig...) at 75W into one of two 8-element, homebrew WA5VJB Cheap Yagis - one horizontal, one vertical on the same boom - individually fed.
Starting with the 2007 ARRL Sep VHF Contest, I added the N8XJK 12 Volt Boost Regulator. My IC-706 MKII (Hell, everybody's IC-706) transmits like a squished rat when the supply voltage drops below something like 12.5999 VDC. All my previous rovering involved driving to a grid site - parking - and contesting for 10-15 minutes with the engine off before someone would remark that my signal was distorted. Then, I had to start the engine, run at high idle, and suffer the increased noise floor.
I added a 45 Watt Solar Panel assembly starting with the 2013 CQ WW VHF contest. I am so, So, SO, SO HAPPY with the results. That weekend the lowest I saw the battery sag was 12.1 VDC. During Dead Band times (and there were a number of those in that contest!), the battery would come back up to 13.1-13.2-13.3 VDC. With the purchase of a new rover vehicle in late 2013 (a Subaru XV Crosstrek), I designed a doubly-hinged frame for the roof rack. I can prop up the solar panels from either side of the vehicle to better catch the early or late day sun. (I am slowly replacing older rover vehicle pictures on this page with newer Subaru versions.)
Then in August of 2019, I replaced the 45W Solar Panel with a better 100W Solar Panel on sale at a Great Price at Costco. It has twice the power and 1/2 the weight of the 45W assembly. It played Real Nice in the 2019 ARRL SEP VHF and subsequent contests.
I paper log. I have enough to fiddle with (and screw up) without adding a computer to the mix. I transcribe my paper logs into RoverLog in the days after a contest. (The fairly onerous, new-since-2017 deadlines for getting logs submitted may bring my Rover Days to an end eventually (Well, that and the new, vile, abominations called FT8 & FT4.).)
Speaking of screwing up; I operate only my amateur radio gear during a contest. I use skill and experience to make contacts. I don't do any self-spotting (AKA "sanctioned cheating".) No "trending" on social media. No SnapChat'ing my operating sites. No Tweeting; no APRS; no texting; no cellphone-to-web; etc. The cellphone is there for my wife to call me when she sees an ugly thunderstorm coming my way on weather radar; or for me to call for help (if there even is cell coverage out there) when I get the vehicle disabled.
I have learned (the Hard Way) to stay away from all power lines. The QRN is almost always unbearable, and there is no guarantee that conditions, if quiet this time, would remain so for the next contest. And, sigh..., it seems that the microwave and cell-phone systems have already locked up the 'best' spots -- and always present QRN and/or QRM challenges.
And, no skeds. I don't do skeds. It's not that I have anything against them. It's just that I never remember a sked until 30 minutes after. And, no, I don't need suggestions for additional equipment and complexity to manage scheduling... HI!HI!
Pictures -- DM78, DM77, DM87, DM88
If you copy and paste the Lats-and-Longs into Open Street Maps, Bing Maps, Google Maps, or (if you still have it) Google Earth, you'll be taken to within 50 feet or so of my usual operating sites. The sequence of the pictures below outline one of my 'usual' Sunday routes for the contest weekends. The Saturday route is often the same route - just in the opposite direction.
DM78xa 38° 02' 19" N 104° 02' 26.7" W Otero County
This location is about 5.7 miles south of U.S. Highway 50 near Fowler on 2 Road. This is the last rise in the road before entering DM77.
My parking site is just across a cattle guard at a county dirt road that comes into 2 Road from the N.E.
It is very early Sunday morning in the 2015 CQ WW VHF contest -- ergo no 70cm antenna.
This image shows my (then) new'ish Subaru XV Crosstrek with the new 45 W solar panel array that I added to my rover equipment in 2013.
Some of the images below and elsewhere on the web site may continue to show my old, faithful 1991 Mercury Tracer, which was donated to a local PBS station after serving me well for 23 years!
DM77xx
37° 59' 1" N 104° 02' 29" W
Otero County
2 Road is probably the longest paved, unused road I've ever come across. HI!HI!
Going another 6 miles or so down 2 Road brings me to an alternate DM77 location. It's just off the west side of the road, behind a big mailbox, at what seems to be a school bus turn-around. The ranch belonging to the mailbox is about a half-mile S.W. of here - out in open prairie. The folks there have gotten used to me showing up here, and they always wave or sometimes stop and say "Hi!" when driving by.
It's not an 'optimum' site, but a seemingly better location (about 1 mile further south) comes with a very noisy power line and a microwave tower that serves up an S-7 noise floor. The noise blanker and DSP in my rig just cannot cope with it.
Read on (next) for directions to my best DM77 site.
DM77wv 37° 53.9' N 104° 7.9' W Pueblo County
Some exploration in 2016 led me to this "newest best" DM77 site.
To reach this site I drive south on RD 2 to where it meets CO 10. Turning right (West) I go approx. 4.3 miles to Whiterock Rd (also Flying A Rd, or Rd 729). I turn north on the gravel road for 1.5 miles; then it turns west for 1 mile, then turns north again, and I travel approx. 1 mile more before pulling off off on the left -- avoiding the catus clumps..
Recent, heavy rains could pose serious problems getting into or out of this site.
DM87bw 37° 55.8' N 103° 52.6' W Otero County
The picture is one of my favorite DM87 sites. At mile marker 54 on Colorado 10, I turn south on 11 Road - a dirt, gravel road. Then I drive south for a mile and a half or so to the "high point". Des-o-late!
This image is probably the best in the bunch to show my homebrew, stacked 2M Halos, and my horiz./vert. "comingled" 70cm WA5VJB Cheap Yagis. It is mid-afternoon and the solar panels are only propped up slightly.
DM87cx 37° 58.17' N 103° 49.28' W Otero County
In this 2nd DM87 picture we see my other favorite site for this grid. Further east on Colorado 10 -- around mile marker 57.5 -- turn south on 14 Road and pull off to the west just after crossing the cattleguard.
The 432 vert/horiz yagi is up in its "short mast" configuration -- there having been very strong winds at the time. As well, the solar collectors are propped up in an "early afternoon" position.
DM88bb 38° 3.2' N 103° 51.3' W Otero County
To move on to DM88, I retrace my route back to Colorado 10, mm 54, and go north on 11 Road. It is all gravel road from here on. After approx. 4.7 miles, I turn east on (unmarked) DD Road. Then, after a mile, I turn north on 12 Road for a mile and a half or so.
It's just before 1800z (local noon) on Saturday in the 2017 CQ WW VHF, so no 432 antenna and the solar panels are left locked down on the roof rack.
To get back to civilization, it's 6 miles north on 12 Road to
Manzanola and U.S. Highway 50. Then it's back west towards Pueblo and the home QTH.
The whole rover'ing distance - from home out and back again - is 131 miles.
Or, 262 miles and 18 cattle guard crossings for the weekend --
unless I do something different on on either of the two days..
If you should attempt to (re)trace my route above, and if you should come upon a large pile of peanut shells -- well, that's one of my spots. HI!HI!
Here is a 160° fisheye lens view of my favorite DM87 site.
I fear what this country could look like in any given January contest......
Is there any doubt why DM87 is a hard-to-confirm grid square?
If you should attempt to (re)trace my route above, and if you should come upon a large pile of peanut shells -- well, that's one of my spots. HI!HI!
Here is a 160° fisheye lens view of my favorite DM87 site.
I fear what this country could look like in any given January contest......
Is there any doubt why DM87 is a hard-to-confirm grid square?
Click here to view a 30 sec., 3MB, MP4 video
of my favorite DM87 rover site.
Experiences / Anecdotes
My tall tales, yarns, and whoppers were once all crammed in with this web page -- which is pretty large to begin with. No more. If you're not too bored (yet), you can read over some of the experiences I've had while contest rovering by clicking here:
Rover Wisdom
Under the most carefully controlled conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity and other variables, your equipment will perform as it damn well pleases.
Under the most carefully controlled conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity and other variables, your equipment will perform as it damn well pleases.
Past Contests
My rover results in S.E. Colorado since 2006.
Use the scroll bar to the right to go back in time.
Hover your cursor over the contest's title to see my final score.
Clicking on the contest tile will take you my postings in The 3830 Archives.
Use the scroll bar to the right to go back in time.
Hover your cursor over the contest's title to see my final score.
Clicking on the contest tile will take you my postings in The 3830 Archives.
| Contest Title | Comments / errata / links |
As long as it continues to be fun,
I'll keep doing it. HI!HI!
Constructive comments and/or discussions:
Last updated: 07-Jul-23 -- now "Mobile Friendly"
Last updated: 07-Jul-23 -- now "Mobile Friendly"