On February 3, 2020 at 4:02 PM "Jonesy W3DHJ via Groups.Io" <mailserver@...> wrote:
At the risk of losing my Black Belt In Procrastination [*], I am toying with the idea of including DM86 in my Rover route in the June, and probably July, VHF contests.
So I am soliciting suggestions and comments from those of you in The Land Of Enchantment -- who might have experience with the location I natter on about below.
In going over paper maps and Google Maps, it looks like a good choice for a site would be south of Branson, Colo. on CO 389 -- which becomes NM 551 at the border. Specifically, it is a Good DM86 Site for me to get to from Pueblo AND also include the other S.E. Colorado Grids I want to activate. (i.e., my "usual" grids)
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9999571,-103.8668777,7089m/data=!3m1!1e3
If you zoom in once, you'll see where the railroad and the highway cross the border is called Emory Gap. A "gap" does NOT sound like a Great Place for a Rover location.
Zooming back out once and you see a place called "Negro Mesa" to the ESE. . I believe it may be the "butte" I see from the roadside - below:
It's definitely ranch country -- I see cattle in some of the zoomed views I've done.
Surprisingly there is a "Google Street View" Actually 2: one from 2008 and one from 2012.
At MM 6 on NM 551 I see steel gates at dirt tracks on both the east and west side -- probably both padlocked with a chain. That's what the little sign said: "6". But it can't be even a mile south of the border -- and. in the other direction, it must be over 10 miles from the junction of NM 456. (Maybe miles are "different" in NM. HI!HI!)
The best spot I could locate by driving "street view" seems to be a little futher south at:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9762947,-103.8738932,886m/data=!3m1!1e3
... if I park up on the bank next to the road -- by the fence -- I would seen to have an acceptable horizon all-way-round.
After operating at the north edge of DM86, I would pull back over the edge of DM87 and attempt to hand out that grid to the NMVHF contesters -- and whoever else... Then I would trek on up towards the 4 corners of DM87-DM88-DM77-DM78 and contest as Rover for the rest of the weekend(s) from there.
And, yes, I know the Colorado/New Mexico border is not necessarily located exactly on the 37th parallel from Kansas to Utah.
Comments? Even something like, "DON'T GO THERE!" would be useful.
[*]
I don't actually HAVE the black belt for procrastination.
The ceremony keeps being postponed...
73
Jonesy W3DHJ
https://W3DHJ.net/
