COMER's ROCK 2011 REPORT                                 26 July 2011
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We got a bit of a late start from Blacksburg, but got out to the site
by 11:30.  We hauled the gear up the hill, and managed to get voice 
on air around noon I think and packet on air by 12:15.  

It's my fault, but I didn't realize we'd need a computer to program 
our D700 to do everything.  Fortunately, one of our group members had 
a D72 Kenwood HT, which he promptly configured and got on air.  The 
setup was extremely simple: D72 into a Diamond X50 antenna, and a 
Kenwood F6A into a Scala 450 Yagi pointed at Roan.  Turns out Apple 
Orchard could hear us off the back of the yagi!  No external 
batteries, no generator, just two HT's and two antennas.

In terms of the site, no major problems at all.  All gear could be car
ried up to the lookout point, nobody complained about us being there,
and the road was okay (not as good as Bob led me to believe, but we 
got a Ford Focus up there).

As a plus, I think I found a good site for VHF contesting in the 
future!

Thanks to Hunter Long, KJ4YQP, Andrew Kriz, KK4APR, and Ben Rice, 
N4BTR for tagging along with me on the trip.

Will forward photos from the event to whoever wants them.

Best regards,

Mike Benonis
Graduate Assistant, 
Wireless @ Virginia Tech Staff Engineer, WUVT-FM KI4RIX