With rumors that the ARRL was planning to phase out the annual August UHF Contest after the 2004 session, we in the Northern Lights Radio Society, who mostly oppose this phase-out, decided to do everything in our power to show the League a record-high level of interest in the contest in the year 2004, to try to change their opinion about the viability of this unique contest. Thus was born RoverMania. Now that the ARRL has given the August UHF Contest a stay of execution for at least one more year, we in the NLRS are already gearing up for the 2005 version, RoverMania II.

This year, we hope to entice other clubs around the country to get active and try to have as much participation and as much enjoyment as we did here in the Upper Midwest last year. The following letter was circulated by the NLRS:

Hello, fellow VHF/UHF & microwave club members. This open letter is being sent to the contact name for 27 ARRL affiliated clubs who have submitted club aggregate scores during 2004. These 27 clubs, along with the Northern Lights Radio Society (NLRS), represent nearly 5,000 VHF contesters. The purpose of the letter is to solicit your support for the 2005 ARRL UHF contest. In 2004 the NLRS advanced the concept of "Rovermania" for the ARRL's August UHF contest. Rovermania was born at our annual Spring Conference in April. During the summer months it quickly became a point of discussion and planning on our club's reflector. Check out our 2004 Rovermania planning at our club's website, at http://www.nlrs.org/RoverPlans/2004-08/RoverMania.htm. The results? Check out the contest write up at http://www.remote.arrl.org/members-only/contests/results/2004/Aug-UHF/. Overall, the contest saw an increase of 29 logs (from 140 in 2003 to 169 in 2004). Of this increase, 13 were from Dakota Division, 2 were from the Central Division, and 7 were from the Midwest Division, all areas of NLRS influence. These 22 logs represent about 75% of the growth from 2003 to 2004. It's clear that Rovermania had a significant impact on growth, but that growth was only regional, and this is where the purpose of this letter comes in. I would like to strongly encourage your club to sponsor your own version of Rovermania in your area. What might that involve? Take a look at the NLRS link above to see how we organized in our area. Make an announcement at your club function, club meeting, or club breakfast. Take on the challenge of increasing logs. Find a Rovermania champion for your club. Encourage sharing of rover ideas, equipment, locations, etc. Promote the event within your club. For 2005 the NLRS will once again be sponsoring Rovermania for our club (actually Rovermania II) in parallel with the ARRL's August UHF contest. We plan to have even more rovers in the field this year with more bands. I think all of you know how exciting a contest can be when there is one well-equipped rover operating in your area. Now think of three such rovers, five, seven, ten. The NLRS will be posting this letter onto our website at http://www.nlrs.org/, probably as part of our Rovermania II planning. I hope to hear back from each of you and your club as to your thoughts about supporting the UHF contest and Rovermania. I would be glad to post any such replies on our website for all clubs to see. Share this open letter with others whom you think may be interested. Let's make the 2005 ARRL UHF contest one to remember. Be a champion for Rovermania in your area and let's demonstrate the same regional growth we had nationally. 73, W0ZQ President, NLRS. Club List: Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club Rochester VHF Group Potomac Valley Radio Club North East Weak Signal Group South Mountain Contest Club Society of Midwest Contesters Pacific Northwest VHF Society Western States Weak Signal Society Badger Contesters Yankee Clipper Contest Club Florida Contest Group Mad River Radio Club Crawford County ARC Contest Club Ontario South Jersey Radio Association Carolina DX Association Northern California Contest Club Bergen ARA Tennessee Contest Group Warminster ARC Delaware Valley VHF Society Eastern Panhandle ARC North Texas Microwave Society Roadrunners Microwave Group Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado Downey ARC Dauberville DX Association - end -

	Upper Midwest Rover Stations Planning to Participate Anticipated Grid Locations by Half-Hour of the Contest Bands They Plan to Operate
	Summary of Grids These Rovers Plan to Activate   (Coming soon)
	In case the grid tabulation in the above spreadsheet is a bit too abstract for you, here are some maps that show where those grids are located. Small (156 Kb) Map Medium (288 Kb) Map Large (974 Kb) Map
	All of the above information, and more, in an Excel Spreadsheet file
	Upper Midwest Fixed Stations Planning to Participate Grid Location Where Each Station is Located Bands that they Expect to Operate   (Coming soon)

Last updated 2005-08-04 by WØJT