KA6U Update October 12, 2023 2230UTC

FN02 In Western New York at Sunrise 37 degrees F

The picture above from early this morning is one reason I enjoy roving and activating.  This is the best picture from the trip.  What you can't see is Interstate 86 in a shallow valley 300 yards in the direction the dish is pointing.  This was the quietest RF background on my trip so far!  1.5 miles North of Jamestown, New York.

When I left the site the car was packed and on the road in 7 minutes.  A new record.

I have arrived in Angola, Indiana this afternoon where the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio meet.

Tomorrow the Sun and Moon will be separated by 12 degrees.  When the separation is 10 degrees or greater I do not see Sun noise on 902 so sun noise should not be a problem.

The operating plan is as follows:

• Ohio - EN71OQ46LX - 1500UTC October 13, 2023
• Michigan - EN71OQ37GF - 30 minutes or less after Ohio completes (1 mile drive)
• Indiana - EN71OQ37GF - 15 minutes after Michigan completes (cross the border road)

If conditions are good we may be able to do all three states.  We should definitely complete Ohio and Michigan.  I will probably be at the Ohio site early, by 1400 UTC or so.  If you can work me early that would be great.  I expect that VE6TA will need until about 1530UTC.

After we complete Ohio, I will pack and drive about a mile to a dirt road which is on the Indiana/Michigan border.  I will operate MI from the East side and IN from the West side of the road.  I disconnect 3 cables and carry the dish across the road, then move the car and plug back in.  No packing required.

Thank-you everyone for the concise communications using the Logger (when it was working).  This communication saves a lot of time.  I greatly appreciate your responses to me confirm actions.

On October 14 and 15 I will drive up to the spot where ND/SD and MN meet.  I will activate ND/SD on Monday October 16.  I will do SD first on 902 then ND on 902.  I will then put in the 23cm feed (takes 5 minutes or less now) and work N5BF for Courtney's state #50 on 23cm.

I plan to activate MN and WI on Tuesday October 17.

I plan to activate IL on Wednesday October 18 on 902 and 70cm for state #49 for ZS4TX.

Because of how well the 902 station is working I am planning to add activations of all other needed states East of CO before November 5th.  This includes OK, MO, KS, AR, KY, TN, LA, MS, AL, GA.  I know IA has the cornfield crew and I believe NE is also covered already.  Does someone need NE?

In April/early May I plan to do NM, UT, NV, CO, ID, WY, WA, OR and MT.  AZ and CA have active stations :-).  That should cover the continental US.

Peter KA6U