[PaQSO] N3SH 2006 Bonus Station Update 08/06

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Based on what's been going on through last night's WASH club meeting, here's the latest scoop on the N3SH Special Event Station plans:

Primary stations (multi-transmitter):

N3SH Allegheny County:  W3WH and K3VX met with N3XI yesterday to go over the station and antenna situation.  There is a concern with multi-HF station intermod because of the proximity of the antennas to each other.  So, the current plan is to split this station's operations:  SSB & VHF operation will take place from N3XI's QTH as originally planned (Frank has a GREAT VHF setup), and the CW operation will move to K3VX's QTH a few miles away.  

N3SH Washington County:  As some of you may have heard, W4ZE had a lightning hit a few weeks back which wiped out much of his station.  The good news is that his equipment is being repaired or replaced, and he should be back in operation within the next few days.  Plans remain to run SSB & CW from Ted's QTH, and he is also planning to do a great deal of RTTY from there as well.  We've run multi-transmitter from his QTH before (for example, last year) so we should not have any intermod problems.

N3SH Fayette County:  All appears to be going well.  Most of the WA3SH crew from the last two years plan to return, although a few ops have indicated that they'll head for one of the other primary stations if needed.  The crew may be augmented by two new hams, KB3NVL & KB3NVM, the sons of N0VLR & N0WPV!

Secondary stations (single transmitter):

N3SH Clarion:  Baring unforseen circumstance, N3SBF and KB3GMN plan to operate from their cabin near Volwinkle PA, right by the Clarion/Forest county line.  They may or may not be joined by another operator or two.

N3SH Mobile:  N3ZNI and K3LGM are setting their plans.  Dave's already committed, as he's got his plane ticket from Texax and car reservation already in hand!

N3SH Armstrong:  No.  Change of plans to:
N3SH Venango:  We were unable to find a suitable location in Armstrong this year (and to be honest, my having no time the last two months had a lot to do with that), so Randy N3ZK is making arrangements for us to use a family member's home.  At the moment, there are two ops (Randy and myself) full time, possibly one (KQ3DX) part time for this station.  

I’ve had a few inquiries, so let me add for the record that if there’s anyone on the list, or anyone known to anyone on the list, who would like to come and help operate one of the club stations – no experience necessary, on the job training provided free of charge! – have them contact me directly and we’ll discuss it!  This is the perfect opportunity for someone in the “I’d like to try it but” category!

In related news:

The Wireless Association has been raising funds for almost a year now to purchase a mobile tower/trailer, similar to the one that WACOM has had for many years.  (There's an article on the ARRL web site about another group who’s done the same thing, see
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2006/07/19/1/?nc=1).  We determined last night that we have raised sufficient funds to acquire the mobile tower from Force 12 (trailer to follow, for now it can be transported by pickup!).  We should have the tower in time for the QSO Party, so it may get it’s first trial-by-fire, so to speak, this year!

Related to that, we are still raising funds to complete the project.  As of right now, we plan to offer a pin (think of the Field Day pins the ARRL provides) to commemorate this year’s N3SH operation; Dan KB3HVN and I are working on the design.  We’re looking at a net cost of about $6 per pin plus shipping, with all proceeds above costs going towards the tower project.  

Dan and I are also designing a shirt logo for the N3SH operators.  If there’s interest, we will make it available to anyone interested – with the understanding, of course, that we’re not going to step on the T-Shirt sales of the Pa QSO Party itself, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves right now.  What Dan needs is good drawing or graphic (.jpg, .gif, etc.) file of the outline of the state of PA showing the county lines.  If you’ve seen the logo on the ARRL web site that accompanies the Section report (http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=WPA) you’ll have an idea of what he’s looking for – but hopefully something without color and with higher resolution.  If anyone knows of or has such a graphic, please contact me directly and I’ll forward it on.

Dan can also make other tschotkies available (key chains, coffee mugs, etc.) with the logo for anyone who’d like one.  Again, whatever we end up offering will be with the understanding that we will NOT infringe on the PaQP’s memorabilia rights.  More on this to come.

Sometime in September at the latest, we hope to have more current information on one or both of the club’s new websites, www.n3sh.org, and www.washrag.info.  

Finally, getting back to the operating end of things, we will offer a certificate of some sort for anyone working the N3SH stations this year – that’s in addition to the traditional QSL card, of course (by the way, QSL N3SH via N3ZNI).  More on that to come as well.

Any other questions on the N3SH operation, please contact me direct
 and no, I haven’t updated my email addresses for the shorter call yet (Verizon won’t let me use w3wn @ for some odd reason, go figure).

73, ron w3wn