The Road to AMSAT Rover: Activating Maryland (FM19ma) Maryland Today and DC (FM18) Tomorrow!

The truck is packed, the power is wired, and the Arrow is ready to point at the sky. Today marks the official start of my next big push for the AMSAT Rover Award. I am riding a wave of momentum after successfully activating Delaware (FM28) last Sunday, and I am ready to knock out Maryland and the District of Columbia over the next 48 hours.

If you need these grids for your satellite VUCC or just want to catch a rover in the wild, keep your eyes on the birds. Here is the game plan.

The Tracker: 3 States, 3 Grids

• Last Sunday: FM28 (Delaware — Activated!)
• Today: FM19ma (Maryland)
• Tomorrow: FM18 (Washington, D.C. Probably Columbia Island)

My Rover Rig & Power Setup

I am bringing out the heavy hitters to ensure full-duplex reliability, a clean signal, and deep power reserves:

• Transceiver: Icom IC-9700 (all-mode VHF/UHF/1.2GHz).
• Antenna: Arrow II hand-held cross-Yagi for maximum gain and polarization control.
• Power Management: West Mountain Radio system handles the power distribution seamlessly.
• Juice: 20Ah Bioenno LiFePO4 battery serving as my rock-solid UPS backstop.

Operating Strategy: SSB and CW First

Because I am running the IC-9700, I will be heavily focusing on linear satellites using SSB and Morse code (CW). Weak-signal operators, this is your chance! If time, pass geometry, and footprints allow, I may attempt a few FM bird passes as secondary targets, but the linear birds are my priority.

Today's Mission: FM19ma (Maryland)

• Focus: High-elevation parks with clear horizons.
• Targets: Linear passes after 5pm.

Tomorrow's Mission: FM18 (DC)

• Focus: Navigating urban RF noise and finding open sky among structures.
• Targets: late afternoon passes.

How to Work Me

• Listen Close: I will prioritize weak, distant, or CW stations.
• Keep it Brief: Call sign, signal report, and grid square only.
• Check Twitter/X: I will post live updates using the #amsat hashtag before hopping onto a pass.

See you on the birds! 73!