[MiQP-Mail] Suggestion for Mobiles/Rovers

[Jimk8mr@aol.com]

Ethan pretty well describes my approach to route planning.
 
Before the MiQP I had private discussions with W1NN, AF8A, and WT9U to  
confirm that counties would not be missed, that there wouldn't be excessive  
duplication of coverage, and that visits by different ops would be at different  
times of the day.
 
My own operation depends on whether I am the only person planning to be in  a 
particular county.  In the two previous years we did the far NE lower  
peninsula, much the route that AF8A did this year. Most of the counties were  
covered only by us, so we made a point to work out 40 and 20 cw, and to  make a try 
at SSB at least on 40. 
 
But once we made it to Bay county heading toward home, it was pedal to the  
medal to get through as many counties as quickly as  possible. 
 
Even if we're not the only one in a county, we try to work out any pileups  
before leaving. This may involve stopping along the side of the road or  
pulling into a driveway.  Obviously this is something that can't be done on  an 
interstate highway.
 
But as Hank noted, it can be good strategy to return to a county later  in 
the day, after propagation has changed, in particular so  that 80 meters is 
available.  This is especially true for solo  driver/operators, for whom keeping 
down the time spent driving is  important. This year we did that with a return 
visit to Midland and  Gladwin.
 
W1NN and AD8J have long since figured this out. 
 
 
73  -  Jim  K8MR 
 
 
 
In a message dated 4/17/06 4:18:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ethan at k8gu.com  
writes:

While I  applaud your noble effort, let me add a couple of comments
"from the road"  in defense of the status quo...

Although I've mobiled in MN, WI, and  OH, I've never done MI.  But, generally
speaking, most of the  "regular" mobiles will post their plans and make 
comments/suggestions to  one another privately about route deviations to
maximize coverage and  minimize the impact of failures by the individuals.

In the broadest  sense, the goal of a mobile operation is RATE.  With a 
fixed core of  participants chasing you from county to county, you want to
spend AS LITTLE  TIME THERE AS POSSIBLE to maximize your rate.  In my opinion,
this  keeps it interesting for the hunters and the hunted.

(Of course, in  OhQP and MiQP, you have the SSB factor, as well...but, that's 
a twist on  the rate situation...)

My opinion certainly may not reflect that of  those who mobiled last 
weekend.  But I, for one, would be insensed if  I was asked to spend more 
than what I considered a strategically  beneficial amount of time in a 
particular county, especially if conditions  were stinko and I was CQing
into the ether after a few minutes.  If  mobiles were to organize more, the 
notion of "early" and "late" coverage  of the same county would be more
beneficial than longer-duration in my  mind.

But, there are a lot of variables in such a problem.  I  think the present
system adequately addresses the needs of ops of all skill  levels and 
persuasions...

73,

--Ethan,  K8GU.




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