Good question Mike. If I had not operated 902 to 1296 my score would have been about 14600, so about a third of my score is attributable to operating on 902 and 1296.

It is not so much the points generated on those bands alone, but rather the mults on the lower bands multiply the higher per band QSO points. This accounts for about 5500 additional points due to the higher bands. Also in a somewhat lesser impact, the QSO points on the lower bands multiply the mults on the higher bands for another 2800 points or so.

The sharp observer will note the numbers don’t quite add up due to the grid multipliers, but they are good enough to give you an answer to your question.

So the higher bands are a good addition in the contest as they leverage disproportionately the QSOes on the lower bands. The same can be said of adding 222.1 and 432.1 to one’s repertoire if one is only running 144 and 50MHz. In what may be a paradoxical statement, score wise it pays to add higher bands when activity is low as it increases the score where there is activity.

In this contest, the higher bands made up for the lack of Es on 6M, at least where I operated.

This is the best I have ever done roving in the January contest. In the past I have had two scores near 15,000, one as W7QQ/r and one as KK6MC/r, but both times there was Es.

In the bigger picture, if I had only operated the lower 4 bands my score probably would have been much more competitive in the limited rover category than my score will be in classic rover class. But, with the poor weather in the eastern half of the country many rovers stayed home, so I may do better than I think I will in the classic category.

Thanks for the QSOs Mike, especially the ones from DM44 and DM45. - Duffey KK6MC


James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM