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Spring Sprints 144 Summary
Someone should teach this AI generated Rat to go Horizontal instead of Vertical !
Pack Rats Welcome The Spring with the Launch of the Central VHF Society Sponsored Spring Sprints First Sprint
AA2SD/R Rover - April 13 th,2026 Microwave Activity - Sprint Rove
I started in FN20 located at an open Soccer Field Sports complex FN20NA , as this spot is a quick 30 min drive from QTH and in the open. My plan was to operate for 1 hour exactly at each location, and allow a 30 minute drive time to the second location. My second location in Voorhees NJ is Pole hill Park at 190 Ft located at the old Radar Site and always a favorite. The Sprints for me as a Rover are all about testing “quick set up” operating techniques and equipment. I allowed for no more than 10 minute set up time at each location using a quick set up beam, and a fiberglass push up pole.
Operating Stats:
Shortened my total Operation time to 2.5 hours only
Worked 6 Grids from the 2 Locations
Total of 28 contacts all phone no FT8
14 Contacts at FM29 at Pole Hill Park 190 ft elevation using Halos Only
14 Contacts at FN20 with a combination of the small beam and Hallos
Radio ICOM 705 with 70 Watt Amp
Antennas
Dual Stack Halos from Freqtester and a New Diamond 5 Element Beam
The propagation did get better during the evening after the sunset with the following notable contacts below as a Rover
Longest Distance Contacts below
FN20 to FM 19 with (Dave) K1RZ 216 km -134 miles SSB 5 element small beam
FN20 to FN12 with (Al) W9KXI 293km -193 with CW with 5 element small beam
FM29 to FM 19 with (Dave) K1RZ 201 km-124 miles SSB with Halo Antennas
FM29 to FM19JH (Al) W9KXI 309km -192 miles on SSB with Halo Antennas
FN20 to FN22dn Rover to Hill Top with Lu N2SLN was 180 miles / 290 km.
Contact with LU N2SLN FN20 to FN22dn Rover to Hill Top 180 miles / 290 km
Icm 705 with small Mirage AMP running 70 watts with a 5 watt drive from the IF Rig
Halo contact with ALl W9KXI from FM29MT to FN12NE located at 190 ft elevation Pole Hill Park
Thanks to the QSO's last night, the test of the featherweight Diamond 5 element Yagi and quick push up pole worked great. I will definitely add this to my toolbox for Roving. I was transmitting with 70 watts with the antenna up at 25 feet. The antenna folds down into a portable box, with wing nuts and only weighs 1.5 pounds. I worked with Ray Ed and Dave on Phone, and Al on CW. For my last stop I only used the dual stacked Halos and worked Dave and Al from the Pole Hill Park in Gibbsboro on SSB
The small beam fits my criteria for Roving, it's small, fits in the back of the Subaru and sets up in 5 Minutes with a fiberglass push up pole!
Pole Hill Park elevation 190 ft for my second stop of the Sprint
Sprints are great to check equipment for Roving!
See you in the next upcoming Sprints to test more equipment
Go Out and Play Radio
Scott AA2SD