From K4tmc at aol.com  Sun Mar  2 10:30:13 2008
From: K4tmc at aol.com (K4tmc@aol.com)
Date: Sun Mar  2 10:34:28 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] NVIS Antenna Tutorial
Message-ID: <cdf.25d6cbc1.34fc2205@aol.com>


Everything you wanted to know about NVIS arrays, and more, is captured is a 
6-part series of articles (Some Notes on NVIS Antennas) on L.B. Cebik's, W4RNL,
 
web site.

Some interesting tidbits include: arrays for 40, 60, 80/75 and 160 meters; 
how to get 10+ dBi zenith gain; using ground wire reflectors; and best array fo
r 
those living near coastal areas.

Here is the link: http://www.cebik.com/wire/cb.html 

Happy reading.

73,
Henry - K4TMC
**************
Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL 
Living.
      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy
/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
From n4ydu at nc.rr.com  Sun Mar  2 20:32:25 2008
From: n4ydu at nc.rr.com (Nathan Moreschi)
Date: Sun Mar  2 20:38:37 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] N4YDU ARRL SSB SOABLP
Message-ID: <000601c87cce$6f8fee70$6401a8c0@YOURCA979DF923>

ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: N4YDU
Operator(s): N4YDU
Station: N4YDU

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: nc
Operating Time (hrs): 2.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    1     1
   80:    5     5
   40:   19    15
   20:   55    34
   15:   28    14
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  108    69  Total Score = 22,356

Club: 

Comments:

I didn't get on too much, but conditions sucked for me. Still fun in many ways,
though. I worked more South Americans than Europeans!

Again? again? again? 

See you in the next one...

73,

Nate/N4YDU

From n4tl2 at earthlink.net  Sun Mar  2 20:48:27 2008
From: n4tl2 at earthlink.net (Tom Lewis)
Date: Sun Mar  2 20:52:13 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] N4TL ARRL SSB SOHP
Message-ID: <380-220083131482715@earthlink.net>

ARRL DX SSB Score Summary Sheet

Start Date : 2008-03-01
CallSign Used : N4TL
Operator(s) : N4TL

Band : ALL
Power : HIGH
Mode : SSB

ARRL Section : NC
Club/Team : Potomac Valley Radio Club
Software: N1MM Logger V7.0.0

  Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty
  3.5      12      36   11
    7      27      81   22
   14     105     315   53
   21      74     222   30
   28       1      3    1
Total     219     657  117

Score : 76,86


Comments:

I had some fun with this contest but conditions were poor. I finally read the help on how to use N1MM logger with split frequency for 40 meters. Found out how to use ALT-F7 to enter the offset. Since it also sets the radio's B VFO, it made operating split so much easier.

73 Tom, N4TL
From lclarks at nc.rr.com  Mon Mar  3 07:29:21 2008
From: lclarks at nc.rr.com (Larry stowell)
Date: Mon Mar  3 07:33:44 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ARRL DX SSB
Message-ID: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAALsBWfsc0RVBu+KaBDEljV3CgAAAEAAAAENVk/atNcJKtIF4hFnnhAUBAAAAAA==@nc.rr.com>


           ARRLDXSSB Score Summary Sheet

       Start Date : 2008-02-29

    CallSign Used : K1ZW
      Operator(s) : K1ZW

Operator Category : SINGLE-OP-ASSISTED
             Band : ALL
            Power : HIGH
             Mode : SSB
 Default Exchange : NC
       Gridsquare : FM06NC

             Name : Larry Stowell
          Address : 54722 Stephens Lane
   City/State/Zip : Durham  NC  27712
          Country : USA

     ARRL Section : NC
        Club/Team : Potomac Valley Radio Club
         Software : N1MM Logger V7.12.14

        Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty
         3.5      17      51   14
           7      31      93   25
          14     161     483   63
          21      36     108   13
          28       5      15    2
       Total     250     750  117


            Score : 87,750
              

          Soapbox : I had fun!! All S&P, 20 was terrible I put in 8 hrs could only listen so long. I
really got to use the 180 button on the SteppIR. Its the only time I use the ham mode on the antenna
(40 split). Barry's(K4CZ) daughter Jordan (KI4GUO) sounded great. Keep it up Jordan Dad will have to
get some more antennas and filters. 


  


From k4cia at earthlink.net  Mon Mar  3 09:34:14 2008
From: k4cia at earthlink.net (Bill McDowell)
Date: Mon Mar  3 09:38:29 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] K4CIA ARRL DX SSB-QRP
Message-ID: <47CC0C66.3090004@earthlink.net>

                  ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: K4CIA
Operator(s): K4CIA
Station: K4CIA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 18.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    6     6
   80:   24    18
   40:   22    20
   20:  104    54
   15:   72    29
   10:   29    10
-------------------
Total:  257   137  Total Score = 105,627

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Fun...sure!! but had lots of repeats..tnx for those who stuck with me.  
Worked EA5DFV, Jose who visited with us.  Conditions could have been 
better, but we have no choice except to turn the rig off.


From K4CZusa at attglobal.net  Mon Mar  3 17:58:25 2008
From: K4CZusa at attglobal.net (Barry Baker, K4CZ)
Date: Mon Mar  3 18:03:00 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ARRL DX SSB KI4GUO M/S HP
Message-ID: <00f201c87d82$19d97000$ca01a8c0@dell8200bab>

                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: KI4GUO
Operator(s): KI4GUO KI4ZWQ K4CZ
Station: KI4GUO

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Durham, NC
Operating Time (hrs): 15

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:    6     6
   40:   63    34
   20:  290    59
   15:   56    27
   10:    1     1
-------------------
Total:  416   127  Total Score = 154,305

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

This was our second contest as "multi-op single-family."  Jordan KI4GUO, my
13 year old daughter, continues to improve her operating skills.  We usually
work stations as two-person teams with one of us talking and the other
logging.  A highlight for me was on Sunday afternoon.  My wife (Jeanne
KI4ZWQ) and I decided to enjoy the beautiful weather (65-70 F in NC) by
eating lunch outside.  We heard some noise overhead, looked up and were
surprised to see the yagi rotating...Jordan was in the shack working
stations and moving the beam between Europe and S. America.  It seems like a
very small accomplishment but to me it marked a big jump in her comfort and
confidence operating by herself.

We improved on our previous contest score despite the challenging
propagation.  We had three short runs so about 30% of our Qs were in
run-mode.  One hurdle we always face is that we are limited to the General
portions of the bands since we operate under Jordan's callsign...she's only
13 but she's a good negotiator ;-)  We had to stay above 3800, 7175 and
14225, which impacted our score by at least 100 Qs.  It's a really big
limitation on 80m since a high percentage of the DX stations seemed to be
operating simplex between 3700 and 3800 and it's difficult for us to run
(especially split) with our station.

Regardless, we're having lots of fun and I couldn't be more excited about
Jordan and Jeanne's involvement with the hobby.  I just wish more sunspots
would start appearing.  By the time they show up in large numbers, Jordan
will be 15, 16, or 17 and probably have one or two more interests competing
with ham radio...  

73, Barry K4CZ




From kazeringue at aol.com  Mon Mar  3 18:45:30 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Mon Mar  3 18:49:44 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] PVRCNC East Meeting, Thursday March 6th
Message-ID: <47CC8D9A.7000504@aol.com>

I'm sure anyone who operated ARRL DX SSB is now ready for a diversion. 
But the Downtown DC meeting is a long haul for those of us on the
lunatic-fringe/frontier of the PVRC - So, what's a contester on the
fringe to do?

Well, as luck would have it, it is also almost time again for another 
meeting of the NC-East chapter.  (Note: Guests and vagabond contesters 
are welcome too.)

Since El Escribano Inexacto didn't do his homework for what's really on
tap this week, and since the veracity of El Escribano Inexacto's minutes
are so often questioned by the "Establishment" log checking process, I 
can guarantee with a 02.3955 percent confidence interval that:

#1) AA4NC will keep the NC-East Chapter trains running on time

#2) N4TL will provide another fill-in edition of the world famous "W0UCE
Paper Contests" to challenge your:
  a) memory, b) intellect,  c) patience, or d) all of the above.

#3) K4QPL will possibly be sharing a nifty little SO2R home brew project
as a program.

and of course,
#4) W4KAZ will reliably mis-report or completely fabricate 97.6045
percent of the actual proceedings in order to keep the simmering pot
stirred to his satisfaction

[ed note:  I see some potential conflict arising from #1 and
#3........de W4KAZ  :o ]


-- or something like that --


What's certain is that there will be an evening of food, fun and
fellowship with like minded individuals, not to mention interesting QRM
"out the wazzoo".

Word on the street is K4TMC is due another K3 commission....(At this
rate, Henry might need to hire an accountant!)

Where:
We meet at Manchester's Bar and Grill in North Raleigh.  Manchesters Bar
and Grill is located at 9109 Leesville Road, Raleigh  27613.
Manchesters is in the Pinecrest Shopping Center which is 0.8 miles south
on Leesville from the Leesville Road exit of I-540.

When:
The "official" meeting time is 6:00 pm, Thursday March 6th, but we will
actually start whenever AA4NC or his appointed second decides to cut
through the usual high level of QRM.  Usually somewhat after 6:00pm.
Feel free to come a bit early to add to the QRM and quaff an 807....

73,
W4KAZ, as always..../lid

PCRC/NC East Chapter scribe
-and-
The Official Spokesperson for PigPharm NeuroChem Laboratories, a
subsidiary of PigPharm Industries.

"We make pigs FLY!  Aiiiieeeee!"



From alsopb at nc.rr.com  Wed Mar  5 18:58:59 2008
From: alsopb at nc.rr.com (Brian Alsop)
Date: Wed Mar  5 19:03:33 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] HDTV Converter box query/experience
Message-ID: <47CF33C3.7010505@nc.rr.com>

Yes, Virginia they do exist. 

I ended up getting a Magnavox TB-100MW9 at Wal-Mart. 

Hooked it up to the outdoor large TV ant with mast mounted preamp fed 
with RG-11 coax.   Antenna is aimed at WUNC/CH4.

Hooked it up.  Do get > 10 stations here in Henderson.  However, Channel 
4 (WUNC/PBS) is not among them.
They seem to cover the entire spectrum of relocated UHF channels.  The 
whole purpose of getting the box was to continue to receive PBS after 
the switch over! 

The autoscan doesn't find any of the WUNC channels.  Trying to manually 
add 4.x stations and the box reports "no signal".
That's crazy.  The analog signal is just fine.  The antenna ought to 
have more gain on the HDTV UHF channels than it does on VHF channel 4.

Anybody care to guess what's going on?  On the face of it, it seems like 
there is insufficient signal.  However, I expected the built in S-meter 
to show something not "no signal". 

If so, I can either blame the converter box front end or the power 
reductions made when going to HDTV UHF relocated channels. 

Note: I was a bit concerned that these boxes would be deaf.  Reading the 
specs indicated that they only have to meet a sensitivity spec about 
20db less than usual front ends can receive at. 

Maybe we just ought to throw it all in the trash come Feb 2009.  Reruns 
of "I Love Lucy" don't interest me much.

73 de Brian/K3KO

From kazeringue at aol.com  Wed Mar  5 19:36:01 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Wed Mar  5 19:40:32 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] NC/East Chapter Meeting Thursday
Message-ID: <47CF3C71.4050603@aol.com>

Final reminder....meeting Thursday March 6th.

Already missing VP6DX?  Well, there's always TX5C, starting any day 
now(Scheduled to be Friday, but it appear they have arrived).

see: http://clipperton2008.org/
Some nice photos.

73 es cul de W4KAZ
From alsopb at nc.rr.com  Wed Mar  5 20:46:04 2008
From: alsopb at nc.rr.com (Brian Alsop)
Date: Wed Mar  5 20:50:38 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] HDTV BOX (more)
Message-ID: <47CF4CDC.9070603@nc.rr.com>

The problems in receiving WUNC on a converter box still exists but there 
is now some hope.  It appears to be a matter of TV-DXing.

More investigation showed WUNC Channel 4 to be 55 miles from here on a 
bearing of 230 degrees and really on channel 59
WLFL is 51 miles from here on a bearing of 218 degrees on channel 57.

WLFL has an "70" signal strength on a bar graph that goes from 0 to 100 
in the "strong" range.  The strongest station received is S 80.  So it 
isn't just distance.  Some stations must have considerably more power 
and have lots taller towers than others. 

Why would I be receiving nil for WUNC?  Line of sight and they fell off 
edge of earth because they are 4 miles further?  Power level?  Antenna 
height?  Don't know.

Anyhow, instead of letting the converter box search, I told it channel 
59.  It found it and 59.1,59.2,59.3,59.4 and 59.5 all at the S10 to S20 
level.  They are also reported as 4.x channels.   The pictures are 
spotty with lots of big pixels and stutters.  However, it is hopeful.  I 
suspect a $50 Channel Master 8 bay bowtie antenna selling on the 
internet will provide enough extra gain to get them out of the mud.  
Other channels may suffer some.

What I'd really like to do is find someone local with a real HDTV set 
and do a comparison to see if we can determine if the converter box is 
relatively deaf or not.

The other part of the issue is TVI.  Not done any tests yet to see if 
the converter box overloads.   The preamp is the same so I don't expect 
problems coming down the feedline at the UHF channels used by HDTV.  We 
will see.  The acid test will be at high power at 6M.

73 de Brian/K3KO
Henderson, NC


From kz1x at yahoo.com  Thu Mar  6 07:37:25 2008
From: kz1x at yahoo.com (Steve Jackson)
Date: Thu Mar  6 07:42:03 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] WUNC TV tower
Message-ID: <384277.42505.qm@web34606.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Brian K3KO mentions a challenge picking HDTV signals up from the NCPTV "Chatham" TV tower.  Map-wise, the tower is located just south of the Orange-Chatham county line, slightly to the west of Jones Ferry Road and generally southwest of Carrboro.

I guess it's already been figured out that the VHF-4 output (60 kW visual) at this site is only NTSC.  I will miss that mode when it's relegated to history, coming up soon.  I also wonder who will get to use the parts from thousands of obsolete multi-kW NTSC VHF transmitters?  There are two at the Ch. 4 site alone, and one of them is solid-state.

There are several amateur services also located on this tower, which is only a few miles from my house.  (It's even closer to Rob KA1ARB.)  OCRA operates a UHF and a 6 meter repeater there, and PCRN operates a 2 meter repeater.  All the antennas for these are on the comms platform at 1000' and that puts them at 1760' above ground.  How do I know?  I was one of the guys who planned and executed the installation.  Quite a view from up there.

Also on this tower, but a little lower, is the 162.55 MHz NOAA weather channel.

Try picking one of these signals on the ham bands, to see about path to this tower from where you are.  It can be handy to correct for azimuth errors, and overall is a good way to really experience differences of propagation, based on wavelength, above 30 MHz.



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
From kwinrich at gmail.com  Thu Mar  6 08:24:43 2008
From: kwinrich at gmail.com (Kent Winrich)
Date: Thu Mar  6 08:29:41 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] WUNC TV tower
In-Reply-To: <384277.42505.qm@web34606.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
References: <384277.42505.qm@web34606.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <615f119e0803060524l3aaabac6r15575cbefac00250@mail.gmail.com>

First of all in regards to WUNC, here is a map of coverage for the
digital signal.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwunc%26type%3dD

Analog:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwunc%26type%3dA

WUNC Analog is 100kW, Digital (on channel 59) is 893kW, though after
the analog sunset they will be going to channel 25.  Got that?
Basically you dont need to do anything (other than a quick re-scan of
channels) when they switch over.  DTV is MUCH more efficient than
analog with the power.  On Digital radio (known as HD Radio) we use
ONE PRECENT of the analog power.  So a 100,000 watt FM station would
broadcast a 1,000 watt digital signal.

WUNC tech info:
http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?facid=69080&jaws=0

Personally I have had issues getting the analog signal but fine with
the DTV signal.  IMHO the location of the tower could not be much
worse in comparison to the other broadcast towers.

Analog and DTV are located on the same tower at WUNC so it is not going away.

Now for the DTV change over.... there will be a collective SIGH from
TV engineers when they can finally shut down the analog.  In many
instances, they have been keeping some of these transmitters just
barely on the air.  Why invest a ton of money into it when it will be
just shut down?  Some stations have already given up and just shut
down the analog because they cant keep the "POS" transmitter they have
on the air. There are very few doing that yet.  I was out at the
Clayton TV (Channel 4, 22D, 50, 11, etc) tower farm a couple of weeks
ago getting a run through of every station out there.  Some of the
analog transmitters were kind of vintage.

And more... NOW the FCC is saying that the February 19 2009 analog
shut down may just be a "TEST".  And may not force the changeover to
digital on that date. (!!??!?!?!??!)  This should confuse anyone else
that THOUGHT they had an understanding of what was going on.  Leave it
to the gummit to mess ANYTHING up (I work with the gummit.....TRUST
ME).  And they want to try and handle health care??!???!!!  But I
digress..........

Now here is in interesting situation....

Dateline Chicago.... WBBM CBS owned and operated TV station on Analog
channel 2..... they tried digital channel 3, but found out about E
skip and tropo (since they are right next it Lake Michigan.... having
been from the area it is killer).  Their digital signal was getting
killed by propagation.  Anyone with have a cell in their head would
have seen this coming... but AGAIN I digress......  So they went to a
UHF channel.  Well they decided they want to be on VHF for digital so
they requested channel 11..... which happens to be the analog channel
for the local PBS station WTTW.  So what will happen to WBBMs digital
channel on February of next year.... only the shadow knows.....

Want to be more confused???   LPTV and translators will not be
"required" to transition to DTV, and there are no real plans to force
them to change.  That includes the LPTV stations in the Raleigh area.

Confused enough?  Heck soem of us are TRYING to consult with
organizations on what to do......

On a side note.... I apologize that I have not been a part of the
meetings or contests.  I had a family member die in a car accident and
then I ended up in the hospital myself for a little while.  Just
trying to get back on my feet again.

Kent Winrich
K9EZ/4/LID/b0zo
Fuquay-Varina, NC
BroadcastPro.Biz





On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 7:37 AM, Steve Jackson <kz1x@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Brian K3KO mentions a challenge picking HDTV signals up from the NCPTV "Chatham" TV tower.  Map-wise, the tower is located just south of the Orange-Chatham county line, slightly to the west of Jones Ferry Road and generally southwest of Carrboro.
>
> I guess it's already been figured out that the VHF-4 output (60 kW visual) at this site is only NTSC.  I will miss that mode when it's relegated to history, coming up soon.  I also wonder who will get to use the parts from thousands of obsolete multi-kW NTSC VHF transmitters?  There are two at the Ch. 4 site alone, and one of them is solid-state.
>
> There are several amateur services also located on this tower, which is only a few miles from my house.  (It's even closer to Rob KA1ARB.)  OCRA operates a UHF and a 6 meter repeater there, and PCRN operates a 2 meter repeater.  All the antennas for these are on the comms platform at 1000' and that puts them at 1760' above ground.  How do I know?  I was one of the guys who planned and executed the installation.  Quite a view from up there.
>
> Also on this tower, but a little lower, is the 162.55 MHz NOAA weather channel.
>
> Try picking one of these signals on the ham bands, to see about path to this tower from where you are.  It can be handy to correct for azimuth errors, and overall is a good way to really experience differences of propagation, based on wavelength, above 30 MHz.
>
>
>
>
>      ____________________________________________________________________________________
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?
> Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
> _______________________________________________
> PVRCNC mailing list
> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
From kwinrich at gmail.com  Fri Mar  7 09:00:28 2008
From: kwinrich at gmail.com (Kent Winrich)
Date: Fri Mar  7 09:05:13 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] WUNC TV tower
In-Reply-To: <384277.42505.qm@web34606.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
References: <384277.42505.qm@web34606.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <615f119e0803070600y27fe928av219a6c667e6fad08@mail.gmail.com>

I just tried to get WUNC DTV last night.  I NORMALLY get them just
fine.  It appears they are having issues.  I wrote an email to them
last night and have nit heard back yet.  These UHF transmitter have a
number of ?cabinets (each one carrying a IOT tube and then combined.
One of the cabinets may be out therefore limiting the range of the
station.  If I hear back from WUNC I will let you know

Kent Winrich
K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
Fuquay-Varina, NC
BroadcastPro.Biz


On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 7:37 AM, Steve Jackson <kz1x@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Brian K3KO mentions a challenge picking HDTV signals up from the NCPTV "Chatham" TV tower.  Map-wise, the tower is located just south of the Orange-Chatham county line, slightly to the west of Jones Ferry Road and generally southwest of Carrboro.
>
>  I guess it's already been figured out that the VHF-4 output (60 kW visual) at this site is only NTSC.  I will miss that mode when it's relegated to history, coming up soon.  I also wonder who will get to use the parts from thousands of obsolete multi-kW NTSC VHF transmitters?  There are two at the Ch. 4 site alone, and one of them is solid-state.
>
>  There are several amateur services also located on this tower, which is only a few miles from my house.  (It's even closer to Rob KA1ARB.)  OCRA operates a UHF and a 6 meter repeater there, and PCRN operates a 2 meter repeater.  All the antennas for these are on the comms platform at 1000' and that puts them at 1760' above ground.  How do I know?  I was one of the guys who planned and executed the installation.  Quite a view from up there.
>
>  Also on this tower, but a little lower, is the 162.55 MHz NOAA weather channel.
>
>  Try picking one of these signals on the ham bands, to see about path to this tower from where you are.  It can be handy to correct for azimuth errors, and overall is a good way to really experience differences of propagation, based on wavelength, above 30 MHz.
>
>
>
>
>       ____________________________________________________________________________________
>  Looking for last minute shopping deals?
>  Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
>  _______________________________________________
>  PVRCNC mailing list
>  PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
From alsopb at nc.rr.com  Fri Mar  7 15:54:38 2008
From: alsopb at nc.rr.com (Brian Alsop)
Date: Fri Mar  7 15:59:23 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] HDTV EZNEC antenna comparisons
Message-ID: <47D1AB8E.5050202@nc.rr.com>

This site is fantastic.  Plots of NEC4 calculated gain and "achievable 
gain considering impedance mismatch" over the entire HDTV channel range.

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

Looks like the ChannelMaster 4228 comes out on top.
It comes assembled in a 4x4 FOOT box!  Amazon ships it for 8 bucks.


73 de Brian/K3KO
From k4qpl at nc.rr.com  Fri Mar  7 23:32:44 2008
From: k4qpl at nc.rr.com (Jim Jordan, K4QPL)
Date: Fri Mar  7 23:37:37 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Gail Edwards xyl Bill Edwards K4BWC
Message-ID: <001c01c880d5$77eab900$3203000a@JFJLT07>

Some of you may know Bill, K4BWC. Omega Electronics in Knightdale. I've also 
done FD with him and CARS group.

http://www.funeralplan2.com/LHaroldPoole/obituaries?id=125195

73,

Jim, K4QPL 

From n4tl2 at earthlink.net  Mon Mar 10 12:47:31 2008
From: n4tl2 at earthlink.net (Tom)
Date: Mon Mar 10 12:52:34 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
Message-ID: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

WIRE

Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?

Tom, N4TL



From kwinrich at gmail.com  Mon Mar 10 13:03:23 2008
From: kwinrich at gmail.com (Kent Winrich)
Date: Mon Mar 10 13:08:35 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
In-Reply-To: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <615f119e0803101103t16f0c9d3m5c0f91525803aa76@mail.gmail.com>

Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for Electric fence wire.
Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.

Kent
K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
Fuquay-Varina, NC




On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom <n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
> WIRE
>
> Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
> Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
>
> Tom, N4TL
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> PVRCNC mailing list
> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
From Guy.Olinger at sas.com  Mon Mar 10 13:05:58 2008
From: Guy.Olinger at sas.com (Guy Olinger)
Date: Mon Mar 10 13:11:17 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
In-Reply-To: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6AC93@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>

"Low-cost copper" may have become an oxymoron for a while.

-----Original Message-----
From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net [mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tom
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 1:48 PM
To: pvrcnc
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials

WIRE

Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?

Tom, N4TL



_______________________________________________
PVRCNC mailing list
PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
From Guy.Olinger at sas.com  Mon Mar 10 15:13:54 2008
From: Guy.Olinger at sas.com (Guy Olinger)
Date: Mon Mar 10 15:49:22 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
In-Reply-To: <615f119e0803101103t16f0c9d3m5c0f91525803aa76@mail.gmail.com>
References: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
	<615f119e0803101103t16f0c9d3m5c0f91525803aa76@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6AFC3@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>

Go onto contesting.com and do a search in the archives for the topband reflector.  I recall that there was something about electric fence wire that made it unsuitable for burying or laying on the ground. Electrolysis or something.

-----Original Message-----
From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net [mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kent Winrich
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:03 PM
To: Tom
Cc: pvrcnc
Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials

Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for Electric fence wire.
Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.

Kent
K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
Fuquay-Varina, NC




On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom <n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
> WIRE
>
> Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
> Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
>
> Tom, N4TL
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> PVRCNC mailing list
> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
_______________________________________________
PVRCNC mailing list
PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
From kwinrich at gmail.com  Mon Mar 10 15:19:23 2008
From: kwinrich at gmail.com (Kent Winrich)
Date: Mon Mar 10 15:53:09 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
In-Reply-To: <345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6AFC3@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>
References: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
	<615f119e0803101103t16f0c9d3m5c0f91525803aa76@mail.gmail.com>
	<345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6AFC3@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>
Message-ID: <615f119e0803101319x1828df46o186a0b279c5eebef@mail.gmail.com>

Broadcasters use it as replacement, especially when the copper has
been ripped up for the 3rd time.

On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 4:13 PM, Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:
> Go onto contesting.com and do a search in the archives for the topband reflector.  I recall that there was something about electric fence wire that made it unsuitable for burying or laying on the ground. Electrolysis or something.
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net [mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kent Winrich
>  Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:03 PM
>  To: Tom
>  Cc: pvrcnc
>  Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
>
>  Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for Electric fence wire.
>  Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.
>
>  Kent
>  K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
>  Fuquay-Varina, NC
>
>
>
>
>  On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom <n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
>  > WIRE
>  >
>  > Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
>  > Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
>  >
>  > Tom, N4TL
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > _______________________________________________
>  > PVRCNC mailing list
>  > PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>  > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>  >
>  _______________________________________________
>  PVRCNC mailing list
>  PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
From Guy.Olinger at sas.com  Mon Mar 10 16:51:23 2008
From: Guy.Olinger at sas.com (Guy Olinger)
Date: Mon Mar 10 16:56:29 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
In-Reply-To: <615f119e0803101319x1828df46o186a0b279c5eebef@mail.gmail.com>
References: <13872238.1205171251312.JavaMail.root@elwamui-muscovy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
	<615f119e0803101103t16f0c9d3m5c0f91525803aa76@mail.gmail.com>
	<345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6AFC3@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>
	<615f119e0803101319x1828df46o186a0b279c5eebef@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <345520A34347BA49B798F70B218ACD13043FA6B0E9@MERCMBX14.na.sas.com>

Hmm.  I went googling at "electric fence wire".  Apparently the term is not particularly descriptive as to technical wire makeup, and the actual constitution varies all over the map. Also I would NOT trust labels on spools. Take a wire cutter and a scraping knife and VERIFY what the stuff is. Manufacturers don't give a flying c***p as long as they get paid and p****d retail customers can't get back at them. The cheeper the stuff is the worse it gets.

If it is steel, plated or not, and 17 gauge, it will rust eventually. If it is entirely aluminum, there will need to be a non-electrolytic transition to copper at some point, and 17 gauge aluminum is very hard to solder, will need entirely mechanical connections.

I once owned a house wired with aluminum, which caused endless problems (copper shortage in late sixties when house was built). I lived in it for 17 years and ALL the heavy current stuff was eventually ripped out and replaced with copper. That in spite of none of the corrosion/breakdown points being out in the weather. Walls torn up, re-sheetrocked, repainted, etc, etc. Outlets would quit working if used a lot, and the answer was always pull outlet out of box and retighten the screws holding down the wire. If I'd known what I eventually knew and was the original buyer, I would have gladly paid the hefty premium to wire the house in copper. It cost me well over double that eventually with all the trouble to boot. So nobody will ever get me enthused about aluminum wire in antennas.

What the frustrated owner of a broadcast station would do after having his radial field dug up three times is probably not technically optimum (don't they use 8 or 10 gauge?), and likely not the best recommendation to a ham unless he expects the same degree of vandalism.

You certainly could expect to prove out a radial concept by burying steel, but expect the results to decay.

Guy

K2AV/Cynic-in-Cary/Apoplectic-in-Apex/Not-Convinced-in-North-Carolina

-----Original Message-----
From: Kent Winrich [mailto:kwinrich@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 4:19 PM
To: Guy Olinger
Cc: Tom; pvrcnc
Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials

Broadcasters use it as replacement, especially when the copper has
been ripped up for the 3rd time.

On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 4:13 PM, Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:
> Go onto contesting.com and do a search in the archives for the topband reflector.  I recall that there was something about electric fence wire that made it unsuitable for burying or laying on the ground. Electrolysis or something.
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net [mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kent Winrich
>  Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:03 PM
>  To: Tom
>  Cc: pvrcnc
>  Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
>
>  Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for Electric fence wire.
>  Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.
>
>  Kent
>  K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
>  Fuquay-Varina, NC
>
>
>
>
>  On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom <n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
>  > WIRE
>  >
>  > Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at a low cost for ground radials?
>  > Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
>  >
>  > Tom, N4TL
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > _______________________________________________
>  > PVRCNC mailing list
>  > PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>  > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>  >
>  _______________________________________________
>  PVRCNC mailing list
>  PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>
From w4my at yahoo.com  Mon Mar 10 20:50:48 2008
From: w4my at yahoo.com (Marty Young)
Date: Mon Mar 10 20:55:52 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] ground radials
Message-ID: <226816.83941.qm@web53811.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

Having used electric fence wire for the purpose in
which it was intended...electric fences...I can convey
my experience with it...

Guy is right, it is composed of a myriad of metals
ranging from mostly steel (handles like copper-weld,
no fun) to the better stuff that is more aluminum
like, but stiffer.

On the farm, one was required to "walk the fence line"
once a month for maintenance.  Putting aside the
mechanical breaks from critters and clearing brush
which don't apply here, I'd rate the stuff about half
way between crappy and really crappy.  It wouldn't
solder, braze or weld very well.  Mechanical
connections just didn't stay together, and just after
a couple of years it would start to deteriorate.  It
would seem to break spontaneously when no mechanical
force was applied.  The break looked like a fatigue
break, but with no mechanical stress.

Also, after a while it took more power (and a longer
time) from the electric fence generator to achieve its
charge, so I am assuming the resistance was increasing
with time.  Not something you would want in a ground
field.  The surface would corrode to the point you
could actually touch the electric fence and only feel
a "tingle" (a properly working electric fence will
"rock your world" if you touch it, ask anyone who
has!)

I would maybe use this stuff for something temporary,
but wouldn't put forth the work needed to place a
large number of permanent radials using this stuff.

My 2 cents.  Hope it helps

73  Marty / W4MY


--- Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:

> From: Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com>
> To: pvrcnc <pvrcnc@mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:51:23 -0400
> Subject: RE: [PVRCNC] ground radials
> 
> Hmm.  I went googling at "electric fence wire". 
> Apparently the term is not particularly descriptive
> as to technical wire makeup, and the actual
> constitution varies all over the map. Also I would
> NOT trust labels on spools. Take a wire cutter and a
> scraping knife and VERIFY what the stuff is.
> Manufacturers don't give a flying c***p as long as
> they get paid and p****d retail customers can't get
> back at them. The cheeper the stuff is the worse it
> gets.
> 
> If it is steel, plated or not, and 17 gauge, it will
> rust eventually. If it is entirely aluminum, there
> will need to be a non-electrolytic transition to
> copper at some point, and 17 gauge aluminum is very
> hard to solder, will need entirely mechanical
> connections.
> 
> I once owned a house wired with aluminum, which
> caused endless problems (copper shortage in late
> sixties when house was built). I lived in it for 17
> years and ALL the heavy current stuff was eventually
> ripped out and replaced with copper. That in spite
> of none of the corrosion/breakdown points being out
> in the weather. Walls torn up, re-sheetrocked,
> repainted, etc, etc. Outlets would quit working if
> used a lot, and the answer was always pull outlet
> out of box and retighten the screws holding down the
> wire. If I'd known what I eventually knew and was
> the original buyer, I would have gladly paid the
> hefty premium to wire the house in copper. It cost
> me well over double that eventually with all the
> trouble to boot. So nobody will ever get me enthused
> about aluminum wire in antennas.
> 
> What the frustrated owner of a broadcast station
> would do after having his radial field dug up three
> times is probably not technically optimum (don't
> they use 8 or 10 gauge?), and likely not the best
> recommendation to a ham unless he expects the same
> degree of vandalism.
> 
> You certainly could expect to prove out a radial
> concept by burying steel, but expect the results to
> decay.
> 
> Guy
> 
>
K2AV/Cynic-in-Cary/Apoplectic-in-Apex/Not-Convinced-in-North-Carolina
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kent Winrich [mailto:kwinrich@gmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 4:19 PM
> To: Guy Olinger
> Cc: Tom; pvrcnc
> Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
> 
> Broadcasters use it as replacement, especially when
> the copper has
> been ripped up for the 3rd time.
> 
> On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 4:13 PM, Guy Olinger
> <Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:
> > Go onto contesting.com and do a search in the
> archives for the topband reflector.  I recall that
> there was something about electric fence wire that
> made it unsuitable for burying or laying on the
> ground. Electrolysis or something.
> >
> >  -----Original Message-----
> >  From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> Kent Winrich
> >  Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:03 PM
> >  To: Tom
> >  Cc: pvrcnc
> >  Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
> >
> >  Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for
> Electric fence wire.
> >  Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.
> >
> >  Kent
> >  K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
> >  Fuquay-Varina, NC
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom
> <n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >  > WIRE
> >  >
> >  > Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at
> a low cost for ground radials?
> >  > Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
> >  >
> >  > Tom, N4TL
> >  >
> >  >
> >  >
> >  > _______________________________________________
> >  > PVRCNC mailing list
> >  > PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> >  > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
> >  >
> >  _______________________________________________
> >  PVRCNC mailing list
> >  PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> >  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
> >
> _______________________________________________
> PVRCNC mailing list
> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
> 



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From alsopb at nc.rr.com  Tue Mar 11 07:56:22 2008
From: alsopb at nc.rr.com (Brian Alsop)
Date: Tue Mar 11 08:01:29 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Electric fence wire experiences
Message-ID: <47D68176.5080806@nc.rr.com>


I guess my experience is much different than Marty's.  It may all depend 
on what fence wire you buy.
 
The stuff I got at Home Depot quite a few years ago. It was, I believe,  
15ga with a heavy galvanized coating.
The stuff was as springy as copperweld and as strong.  If you kink it 
and work the kink, yeah it will break.
At the time these was also 13 ga on the shelf.   I guess the message is, 
use your hands and eyes.  If it feels like copperweld and looks well 
galvanized, it's probably OK.  Recently,  I noticed  that some place was 
selling bare steel wire.  UGH.

Long term the galvenized stuff will pit and eventually rust.  (Like 
galvanized chicken wire does).   So some years down the road, you'll be 
replacing them.  A test of needing to do something is to pull up a bit 
of a few radials and look.   Also monitoring feedpoint impedance can 
detect radial problems.  If it goes up, you know you've lost some 
effectiveness.

The flip side of all of this is.  If you don't put something down, you 
loose.   If you do and it eventually dissolves, at least you have the 
benefit for some period of time.

BTW I had no problem splicing it with a twisted join and soldering.  Yes 
you can solder galvanized metals.  I've used a small butane torch and 
100 watt Weller soldering iron.  (Hate the butane torch.  One can't see 
the flame.  That's a burn/fire waiting to happen)

The dissimilar metals issue at the ground plate underneath the vertical 
is easily solved.  Simply get an aluminum plate of suitable size.
Drill holes around the periphery to accept #8 screws.  Install stainless 
steel screws with lock washer on the back and a couple SS washers on the 
front.  Wrap the counterpoise wire around the screw post , install a 
stainless washer and nut.  Don't let the radial contact the plate 
anywhere.  Anything in contact with SS doesn't seem to have any galvanic 
reaction.   Thus galvanized, aluminum or copper can all be joined.   If 
you buy long screws, you can put several radial wires on the same 
post.   Just keep them apart with stainless washers if the metals are 
dissimilar.

I use the galvanized electric fence wire for rx antennas too.  The 
problem is:  it's too strong.  If a tree or big branch falls on it, it 
will tear up the termination or feed point.  That was solved by 
inserting a mechanical "fuse" somewhere along the length.  The 
mechanical fuse is two small aluminum plates with stainless screws and 
washers on each end.  A short length of easily breakable wire is 
attached between the two plates.  Rx antenna wire attached to the ends 
of the plates.  Hard to describe but easy to make.   Since my RX 
antennas run through the woods, fixing them is a 10x per year occurrence 
or more.

73 de Brian/K3KO


Marty Young wrote:

>Having used electric fence wire for the purpose in
>which it was intended...electric fences...I can convey
>my experience with it...
>
>Guy is right, it is composed of a myriad of metals
>ranging from mostly steel (handles like copper-weld,
>no fun) to the better stuff that is more aluminum
>like, but stiffer.
>
>On the farm, one was required to "walk the fence line"
>once a month for maintenance.  Putting aside the
>mechanical breaks from critters and clearing brush
>which don't apply here, I'd rate the stuff about half
>way between crappy and really crappy.  It wouldn't
>solder, braze or weld very well.  Mechanical
>connections just didn't stay together, and just after
>a couple of years it would start to deteriorate.  It
>would seem to break spontaneously when no mechanical
>force was applied.  The break looked like a fatigue
>break, but with no mechanical stress.
>
>Also, after a while it took more power (and a longer
>time) from the electric fence generator to achieve its
>charge, so I am assuming the resistance was increasing
>with time.  Not something you would want in a ground
>field.  The surface would corrode to the point you
>could actually touch the electric fence and only feel
>a "tingle" (a properly working electric fence will
>"rock your world" if you touch it, ask anyone who
>has!)
>
>I would maybe use this stuff for something temporary,
>but wouldn't put forth the work needed to place a
>large number of permanent radials using this stuff.
>
>My 2 cents.  Hope it helps
>
>73  Marty / W4MY
>
>
>--- Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>From: Guy Olinger <Guy.Olinger@sas.com>
>>To: pvrcnc <pvrcnc@mailman.qth.net>
>>Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:51:23 -0400
>>Subject: RE: [PVRCNC] ground radials
>>
>>Hmm.  I went googling at "electric fence wire". 
>>Apparently the term is not particularly descriptive
>>as to technical wire makeup, and the actual
>>constitution varies all over the map. Also I would
>>NOT trust labels on spools. Take a wire cutter and a
>>scraping knife and VERIFY what the stuff is.
>>Manufacturers don't give a flying c***p as long as
>>they get paid and p****d retail customers can't get
>>back at them. The cheeper the stuff is the worse it
>>gets.
>>
>>If it is steel, plated or not, and 17 gauge, it will
>>rust eventually. If it is entirely aluminum, there
>>will need to be a non-electrolytic transition to
>>copper at some point, and 17 gauge aluminum is very
>>hard to solder, will need entirely mechanical
>>connections.
>>
>>I once owned a house wired with aluminum, which
>>caused endless problems (copper shortage in late
>>sixties when house was built). I lived in it for 17
>>years and ALL the heavy current stuff was eventually
>>ripped out and replaced with copper. That in spite
>>of none of the corrosion/breakdown points being out
>>in the weather. Walls torn up, re-sheetrocked,
>>repainted, etc, etc. Outlets would quit working if
>>used a lot, and the answer was always pull outlet
>>out of box and retighten the screws holding down the
>>wire. If I'd known what I eventually knew and was
>>the original buyer, I would have gladly paid the
>>hefty premium to wire the house in copper. It cost
>>me well over double that eventually with all the
>>trouble to boot. So nobody will ever get me enthused
>>about aluminum wire in antennas.
>>
>>What the frustrated owner of a broadcast station
>>would do after having his radial field dug up three
>>times is probably not technically optimum (don't
>>they use 8 or 10 gauge?), and likely not the best
>>recommendation to a ham unless he expects the same
>>degree of vandalism.
>>
>>You certainly could expect to prove out a radial
>>concept by burying steel, but expect the results to
>>decay.
>>
>>Guy
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>K2AV/Cynic-in-Cary/Apoplectic-in-Apex/Not-Convinced-in-North-Carolina
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Kent Winrich [mailto:kwinrich@gmail.com]
>>Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 4:19 PM
>>To: Guy Olinger
>>Cc: Tom; pvrcnc
>>Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
>>
>>Broadcasters use it as replacement, especially when
>>the copper has
>>been ripped up for the 3rd time.
>>
>>On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 4:13 PM, Guy Olinger
>><Guy.Olinger@sas.com> wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>Go onto contesting.com and do a search in the
>>>      
>>>
>>archives for the topband reflector.  I recall that
>>there was something about electric fence wire that
>>made it unsuitable for burying or laying on the
>>ground. Electrolysis or something.
>>    
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net
>>>      
>>>
>>[mailto:pvrcnc-bounces@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
>>Kent Winrich
>>    
>>
>>> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:03 PM
>>> To: Tom
>>> Cc: pvrcnc
>>> Subject: Re: [PVRCNC] ground radials
>>>
>>> Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Lowes.  Look for
>>>      
>>>
>>Electric fence wire.
>>    
>>
>>> Can be bought in 1/4 MILE lengths.
>>>
>>> Kent
>>> K9EZ/4/lid/b0zo
>>> Fuquay-Varina, NC
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Tom
>>>      
>>>
>><n4tl2@earthlink.net> wrote:
>>    
>>
>>> > WIRE
>>> >
>>> > Anyone know of a place where I can buy wire at
>>>      
>>>
>>a low cost for ground radials?
>>    
>>
>>> > Maybe surplus wire from the electric company?
>>> >
>>> > Tom, N4TL
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > PVRCNC mailing list
>>> > PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>>> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>>> >
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> PVRCNC mailing list
>>> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>PVRCNC mailing list
>>PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
>>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
>
>      ____________________________________________________________________________________
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>

From n4tl2 at earthlink.net  Mon Mar 17 17:57:28 2008
From: n4tl2 at earthlink.net (Tom Lewis)
Date: Mon Mar 17 18:02:56 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] TV antenna
Message-ID: <380-220083117225728625@earthlink.net>



A retired IBMer sent me this link.



http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/

http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/design.htm 



73 Tom, N4TL





From n4tl2 at earthlink.net  Mon Mar 17 17:57:44 2008
From: n4tl2 at earthlink.net (Tom Lewis)
Date: Mon Mar 17 18:03:03 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] tv antenna
Message-ID: <380-220083117225744187@earthlink.net>



A retired IBMer sent me this link.



http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/

http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/design.htm 



73 Tom, N4TL




From kazeringue at aol.com  Mon Mar 17 18:59:19 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Mon Mar 17 19:05:24 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Background Noise
Message-ID: <47DF05D7.9050507@aol.com>

I just ran across this.  In case anyone cares what Sherwood thinks, you 
can hear it straight from the source.  It's audio only, but that 
shouldn't be a problem for RADIO folks, right?

http://www.sherweng.com/audio/Barc-Edited.mp3

73,
From olinger at bellsouth.net  Tue Mar 18 22:03:58 2008
From: olinger at bellsouth.net (Guy Olinger, K2AV)
Date: Tue Mar 18 22:09:57 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Background Noise
References: <47DF05D7.9050507@aol.com>
Message-ID: <00a701c8896d$e191abc0$0301a8c0@swift>

This is really a good listen. It's over 90 minutes, but worth it.

73, Guy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "W4KAZ" <kazeringue@aol.com>
To: "PVRCNC" <pvrcnc@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 7:59 PM
Subject: [PVRCNC] Background Noise


I just ran across this.  In case anyone cares what Sherwood thinks, you 
can hear it straight from the source.  It's audio only, but that 
shouldn't be a problem for RADIO folks, right?

http://www.sherweng.com/audio/Barc-Edited.mp3

73,
_______________________________________________
PVRCNC mailing list
PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc


From kz1x at yahoo.com  Tue Mar 18 22:05:49 2008
From: kz1x at yahoo.com (Steve Jackson)
Date: Tue Mar 18 22:11:44 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Force12 C36XR, update
Message-ID: <661468.47686.qm@web34602.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

All:

One month ago, I posted a note that I was looking to relocate my C36XR to someone else's tower.
I like this beam, and it is hooked up now, fixed-aimed west @ 40' for ragchews with W6.

However: I just don't use it much, and the mid-way-up location on the tower is precluding me from doing other antenna stuff I want to do.

The posting from 2/17 stated an asking price of $800 for this antenna.  

In the true spirit of capitalism, and after not getting any response, I must respect the law of supply and demand.

I am therefore reducing the asking price to $500.  Included are two nice Cal-Av baluns.

The rest of the acquisition terms remain:
-- PVRC member (or a very good friend of one)
-- Help me take it off the (stout) tower where it is now located
-- Take it home with you (no shipping)

tnx 73

Steve KZ1X/4
Chapel Hill




      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
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From kz1x at yahoo.com  Tue Mar 18 22:34:24 2008
From: kz1x at yahoo.com (Steve Jackson)
Date: Tue Mar 18 22:40:18 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] M2 RC2800PX rotor controller :: product pseudo-review
Message-ID: <146588.74362.qm@web34607.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Oops, sorry:  M2 calls their Orion 2800 rotor a 'positioner' ... anyway ...

Some time back, the original model control box I had for my ten-year-old M2 rotor went awry.  It stopped reliably counting the pulses that indicate rotation, and eventually just lost its marbles.   I kept futzing with it until my patience wore out. 

M2 said "send it back and for $170 we'll rebuild it to the newest spec version, known to fix all the issues."

Either I could do that, or, buy a ~$600 Green Heron aftermarket control box and relegate the M2 box to the junque bin.  I picked the less-expensive option.

The rebuilt box, after round trip shipping, cost about $225.  For that, they sent what looks like a whole new box.  (I do think it IS new.)  It's MUCH more physically attractive than the old box.  The readout is in green LEDs, rather than red, and overall the whole thing is quite colorful.  Hookup was 100% exactly like before.  Superb.

Electrically, it's better in some ways.  It's far more adept at counting the positioner's pulses, and is quite accurate.  It also stops the rotation when it should.  The user interface is easier (improvement in this area is admittedly a low bar to reach) and several new features are welcome additions, such as the autocalibration mode, and the improved manual control modes.   The automatic speed ramp up and down functions work better than before, although I don't like to run the antenna anywhere near as fast as this thing can go.  It REALLY can whip the array around!  Ramp up and down don't really do anything when you always use the minimum speed like I do.  Of course, if I **do** want to go fast, a couple of clicks, and the antennas look like a helicopter.

The motor speed appears to be managed by a pulse-width-modulated control that's very effective.  Unfortunately, the PWN controller also has loads of spurious RF (plus harmonics) output that is not well filtered.  (Who designed this for ham station use?)  This noise is audible across 160, 80/75, and 60 meters.  Since the frequency dependent rolloff of this noise is fast enough after I added some quick clamp-on ferrites, the residual noise doesn't appear on any bands that have rotatable antennas here, so I guess it's not really a problem.  I could eliminate the remaining noise, if I so chose to spend the couple of hours to do so, using LC filters inside the box and my spectrum analyzer.  That's a project for when I have spare time. 

Interfacing with WriteLog and DX4WIN programs on the PC were both easy menu selections.  The box has one serial port on it, so if your new PC has only USB, you can use an adapter (which I did not try).  You can also operate this box from a command line terminal emulator, and many other ham software packages have direct support as well.

Color me happy.  This is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone who still has the old M2 orion controller.


73 Steve KZ1X/4
Chapel Hill




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From k4qpl at nc.rr.com  Fri Mar 21 06:10:06 2008
From: k4qpl at nc.rr.com (Jim Jordan, K4QPL)
Date: Fri Mar 21 06:16:19 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Bill Edwards K4BWC SK
Message-ID: <004001c88b44$20285410$8a01a8c0@JFJLT07>


Many of you may have had your amps repaired by Bill at Omega Electronics. I 
have learned that Bill became a silent key yesterday afternoon. No other 
details available at this time. His XYL also died just a short time ago.

Bill was not a contester but active with the East Wake club CARS where I've 
done FD a few times and he has also been active on some of the local 
repeaters.

RIP, Bill.

Jim, K4QPL 

From kazeringue at aol.com  Fri Mar 21 13:18:44 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (Kaz)
Date: Fri Mar 21 13:24:48 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] K4BWC, SK
Message-ID: <47E3FC04.5060107@aol.com>

Jim posted recently of the recent death of  Gail Edwards, xyl of K4BWC. 
  K4BWC passed yesterday.

K4IWW posted the following information to the Cary ARC list.

de W4KAZ


 From K4IWW and indirectly from N4TAB:
"[carc] Billy Edwards, K4BWC, SK"

Billy died today of a cardiac arrest.  His wife died only a few weeks 
ago of cancer.  I?ll post additional info as it becomes available."

73 --- Will, K4IWW

Arrangements:
According to Poole Funeral Service in Knightdale, NC, the funeral for 
Bill Edwards K4BWC will be conducted at 2 PM on Monday, March 24, 2008 
at Poole Funeral Service. Visitation will precede the funeral from 12:30 
PM until 2 PM on Monday.

L. Harold Poole Funeral Service
944 Old Knight Rd.
Knightdale, NC

http://www.funeralplan2.com/LHaroldPoole/Dir

Thanks to Tom, N4TAB for this info.



73 --- Will
From rob.katz at thelegacycenter.com  Tue Mar 25 12:52:05 2008
From: rob.katz at thelegacycenter.com (Rob Katz)
Date: Tue Mar 25 13:26:45 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Looking for 40 meter beam
Message-ID: <C40EB405.1DF8F%rob.katz@thelegacycenter.com>

I?ve been gazing at my new tower all winter, feeling like there?s something
... missing.  The top of the mast is empty.  My tribander is looking sad and
lonely.  I know ? I need a 40 meter beam!  Does anybody have, or know
somebody who has, a CC 402-CD (or equivalent) that they would be willing to
sell?  My tribander ? and my scores ? thank you.

73,
   Rob, KA1ARB
From bemeier at bellsouth.net  Tue Mar 25 16:30:07 2008
From: bemeier at bellsouth.net (Bruce Meier)
Date: Tue Mar 25 16:36:50 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] FW: [NARS] Hewlett Packard started out with ham radio
Message-ID: <000d01c88ebf$68240d30$386c2790$@net>

I received this today from NARS, the club Laurie and I belong to in Houston.

73,
Bruce


Subject: [NARS] Hewlett Packard started out with ham radio

Interesting story in the Chronicle this morning.  Hewlett Packard started
out 70 years ago with ham radio in the now-famous garage in Palo Alto.  Now
a $100 billion per year company.   Nice picture of their homebrew radio.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5645403.html


_______________________________________________
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NARS@mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/nars
Send list questions or comments to list administrator
mailto: keith@dutson.net

From Pete.Soper at Sun.COM  Tue Mar 25 17:20:20 2008
From: Pete.Soper at Sun.COM (Pete Soper)
Date: Tue Mar 25 17:26:57 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Bill Edwards K4BWC SK
In-Reply-To: <004001c88b44$20285410$8a01a8c0@JFJLT07>
References: <004001c88b44$20285410$8a01a8c0@JFJLT07>
Message-ID: <47E97AA4.8090605@sun.com>

I have a vivid memory of Bill at a Cary Hamfest some time back, and he 
was full of energy and great fun to be around. An older memory is of Jim 
WW4M and I visiting Bill's shop one time and looking over all the 
different pieces of electronics he serviced. Bill sure enabled a lot of 
RF transmission in his time.

RIP, Bill.

-Pete AD4L

Jim Jordan, K4QPL wrote:
>
> Many of you may have had your amps repaired by Bill at Omega 
> Electronics. I have learned that Bill became a silent key yesterday 
> afternoon. No other details available at this time. His XYL also died 
> just a short time ago.
>
> Bill was not a contester but active with the East Wake club CARS where 
> I've done FD a few times and he has also been active on some of the 
> local repeaters.
>
> RIP, Bill.
>
> Jim, K4QPL
> _______________________________________________
> PVRCNC mailing list
> PVRCNC@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/pvrcnc

From kazeringue at aol.com  Tue Mar 25 19:12:50 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Tue Mar 25 19:19:25 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] PVRC/NC - March Minutes and April right around the corner.
Message-ID: <47E99502.4070108@aol.com>

Less than 10 days away, the April NC East Chapter meeting....March 
Meeting Minutes follow.  NO relation to March Madness.....

73 de w4kaz/el escribano inexacto



PVRCNC-East Chapter - March Meeting Notes
March 6th, 2008, Manchester's, Raleigh, NC, USA.

With the absence of AA4NC, chaos and QRM reigned supreme at the 
beginning of the March meeting of the NC/East Chapter. But that is a 
good thing, because we had another seams-bursting attendance, with a 
full house of 25(26?) members attending. Should the attendance trend 
continue, we may soon be faced with locating larger accommodations for 
the monthly food-fest.

There was lots of pre-meeting banter and BS'ing, and the occasional 
useful tidbit of advice could be heard circulating about the room. The 
good natured QRM was quelled by AA4NC's appointed second KA1ARB soon 
after his arrival. Rob is well acquainted with busting SSB pileups, and 
had been somehow bribed or coerced by AA4NC to substitute in his absence 
for the evening.

An anonymous call to "read the minutes" was met with derisive laughter 
from el Escribano Inexacto, who had already finished his monthly supply 
of 807's. Thereby fortified, el Escribano Inexacto girded himself for 
the appointed task of inventing a "record" of the evenings' 
prevarications while simultaneously defending a plate of french fries 
from the not-too-furtive predations of the yet-to-be served K2AV. With 
the scribes' pen firmly embedded in the hand of Carnac, KA1ARB 
intuitively determined the time to be ripe for member reports and the 
commencement of the meeting.

Around the Table - Member Reports

W4CE, Cliff: Cliff was attending his first NC Chapter meeting, and is a 
PVRC member recently migrated to NC from the N. VA area. (ed. note: 
Welcome to the area Cliff!, de W4KAZ). Cliff is working on pulling coax 
in the crawlspace, but indicates he will be "stuck in wire-land" (ed. 
note: Ha. Welcome to "my world" too, de W4KAZ) He enjoys VHF operating.

N4TL, Tom: Tom operated casually in the "all South America DX 
Contest"(i.e., ARRL DX SSB), noting the QSB and QRM were 'problematic'. 
He also made a few Q's in ARRL DX CW.

K4WES, Wes: Wes was unable to operate the DX SSB

NT4D, Jay: Jay re-iterated Tom's evaluation of conditions for ARRL DX. 
He went into ARRL DX CW with intentions of operating the whole contest, 
but was sidelined with a bad cold managing to operate only during the 
first part of the contest on Friday night. ARRL DX SSB was a M/S at NT4D 
along with W4KAZ. Poor conditions were obvious from the low percentage 
of EU in the log at the end of the contest, only about 40%. Part of the 
ARRL SSB weekend was spent tugging lines at N1LN, but that was more 
productive than the contest.

K4QPL, Jim: Jim was at N4AF for the NY4A operation during ARRL CW, and 
admits that there were indeed "1 or 2" QSOs logged. He noted the poor 
conditions on 15m and the nonexistent conditions on 10m. He spent ARRL 
DX SSB watching spots float by rather than operating.

W4KAZ, Keith: Thanks to NT4D for the chance to operate a 'real' station 
for ARRL DX, and the associated mentoring. Bad conditions during ARRL DX 
SSB, even at a 'real station'. Kaz made a few short attempts at runs, 
but was unable to pull the weak signals from the QRM, so rather than 
annoy the DX stations calling, he went back to enjoying the novelty of 
having "packet spots". Noted that it pays to 'check the QSX!' when 
clicking on spots..... :o Due to the poor propagation conditions, Kaz 
had more fun helping out at the N1LN/N1YXU antenna hoist.

K2AV, Guy: ARRL DX CW with the NY4A crew. Guy greed that the conditions 
were indeed, "unusual". Spent time listening during ARRL DX SSB

W0UCE, Jack: Jack is a CW-a-holic suffering from CW withdrawals. He was 
able to copy only WPTF in the last CW contest. Jack did manage to get a 
rejuvenating jolt of CW at N1LN/N1YXU, and enjoyed spending a weekend 
with Bruce and Laurie. Also had thanks for K2AV, who has been lending 
advice on station possibilities.

N1YXU, Laurie: Laurie and Bruce had several members of the Orange County 
club in to operate during the NC-QSOP. During the QSO party, Laurie had 
a long QSO with a central FL station who later QSL'd with party favors 
from MouseLand.

N1LN, Bruce: Bruce reported that the N1LN/N1YXU station had hit a few 
milestones. The 20m tower/antennas are 'done'. The 15m tower/antennas 
are also 'done'. Bruce is hoping to complete the 40m/10m tower project 
during the coming spring. Noted that there is a potential for an 
additional K3 commission due to K4TMC, as a 2nd has been put on order(ed 
note: His and Hers K3's. Better add that idea to the sales pitch Henry! 
de W4KAZ :) .

KE4GY, Frank: Frank operated the NC-QSOP casually, and operated ARRL SSB 
on 10m and 15m only(ie: "not much!")

NX9T, Jeff: Jeff had a great experience during the CQWW 160 SSB. His 
first hour showed 187 QSO's logged, his best ever. Although the rate 
cooled off after that, Jeff is now looking forward to more high rate 
action, as he really enjoyed it while it lasted. Jeff did a bit of 
plinking in both ARRL DX contests as time and lack of propagation allowed.

W4TMO, Jim: Jim has reached the conclusion that operating SSB into 
verticals with 100w is "no good". He operated his first RTTY contest at 
N4CW and sys he's 'hooked', and has hardware on order(USB interface) to 
get his home station RTTY ready.

N4YDU, Nate: Nate put in 32 hours for the ARRL CW DX contest as a low 
power all band effort, and nabbed 820+ QSO's. He played around in the 
NC-QSOP, but decided the conditions were too poor to put an effort into 
a LP DX SSB entry, so he made a few casual Q's and observed that 
conditions had indeed exceeded his low expectations.

KI4ZWQ, Jeann; KI4GUO, Jordan; K4CZ, Barry: Jeann reported that she and 
Jordan operated the ARRL DX SSB Multi-single, and had accumulated 400+ 
QSO's. Jordan provided the bulk of the QSO's, but since it was a family 
effort, Jeann and Jordan let Barry make a few of them too. Barry chimed 
in that the rates seemed to plummet when the ladies handed off the mike. 
Jordan had fun running stations, and this is the first score she will 
submit as a PVRC member. Barry also reported that W4MY had made 500+ 
QSO's in the NC-QSOP, but Barry's own plan to operate was derailed. He 
also offered thanks for the help he has received from K4GU and K2AV with 
antenna modeling and building a matching network.

K4TMC, Henry: Despite the reports of numerous K3 orders, Henry is still 
waiting for the commission proceeds to show up in his bank account. 
Henry operated the CQ 160 SSB. Seeking a new source of imaginary 
commissions, Henry had his ASUS mini laptop along for the evening for 
members to get a look-see.

K4XD, Rowland: Attending in-corpus, Rowland reported a nice 900+ QSO 
ARRL DX CW showing, and a more difficult 600+ QSO ARLL DX SSB effort. 
He's currently doing some SO2R experimenting.

AE4MN, Paul: Paul has been experimenting with RTTY, but has not been 
having much success yet.

AD4L, Pete: Pete was attending his first meeting after a long dry spell, 
professing aspirations to "operate radio again". He reports that his 
trees have been busy elevating his antennas during his hiatus, adding a 
few extra feet of elevation to the wire farm.

K3KO, Brain: Brian has been operating a bit in many contests since his 
last meeting, working as many mults as possible for fun and DX. He 
expects that Henry can add a notch to his Wouff-Hong, or to whatever 
totem he is using to tally his K3 commissions, as there is yet another 
of Elecraft's finest due for a local home.

K4CIA, Bill: Bill operated ARRL CW as QRP again, and if the 3830 
postings are both accurate and complete, is expecting a 4th place finish 
in that category. He will be doing DXCC card checking at the Charlotte 
hamfest.

N4CW, Bert: Bert was part of the NY4A effort down at N4AF, and had fun 
as always, enjoying the privilege of operating a station with such good 
ears. Beyond that effort Bert has 'dabbled' in contests here and there. 
He hosted W4TMO for his first RTTY contest outing. Bert gave a few words 
of encouragement regarding participation in the upcoming Russian DX, a 
"very good contest", noting that it was one of the DX sponsored contests 
eligible for accruing PVRC 5m Award points.

KA1ARB, Rob: Rob sat in the 'chairman's chair' for the evening, making a 
fine attempt at the evening's cat-herding. He reported operating the 
ARRL DX SSB with old friends at the N1FD station. He agreed with the 
consensus opinion, noting that 'conditions stunk-up there in New 
Hampshire too!". Rob says that the operators stayed well rested, as 
there was plenty of time for snoozing during the operation, and one of 
the ops' 7-year old had one of their best runs.

KA1ARB Announcement:
Rob announced that he is working on a project to document the members' 
stations(i.e., station profiles). The idea is to spread ideas about 
layout, setup, secret weapons, etc. N4YDU volunteered to help with the 
effort, and a couple of volunteers to be the first interviewed were 
lined up.

Paper Contest: N4TL, Paper Contest Meister Pro-Tem, despite heckling by 
W0UCE administered the evening's figuritive caning to the assembled 
captive audience. Tom announced that the April flogging will be 
administered by a "volunteer" guest author, KI4GUO. The results of the 
contest, when tabulated, determined K4QPL to be the high scoring 
contestant. For his efforts, 'QPL was rewarded with the hefty first 
prize, a fine set of "Hardcopy Google"(i.e., surplus 2007 Yellow Pages). 
W0UCE promises litigation will result due to copyright/patent 
infringement from the use of the trademarked "W0UCE Special Wrap" used 
to enclose the award.

Program
K4QPL discussed his "SO2R-sort-a" home brew switching project, and the 
importance of wiring polarized relays with the correct polarity if one 
expects the desired result. :o

Next meeting of the NC-East chapter is April 3rd.

73, Keith W4KAZ

Scribe's DISCLAIMER!  The accuracy of these notations is suspect, and 
creative license has been applied where the scribe's notes are 
incomplete, his memory is fragmented, or when reality was just less 
interesting. Perception IS Reality. Corrections to the permanent record 
will be made upon request, if the scribe is reminded often enough to 
make the corrections.

Updated 03/25/2008, Amended 03/26/2008
W4KAZ, El Escribano Inexacto
From will.roberts at pgnmail.com  Wed Mar 26 10:23:27 2008
From: will.roberts at pgnmail.com (Roberts, Will)
Date: Wed Mar 26 10:30:56 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] QSL cards / QSL bureau mailing
Message-ID: <7902EEF0EF220946BEFA7AB4CB9AAE2403A2FEE5@NT000834.oak.zone1.progress-energy.com>

I have been spending the last few weeks (it seems more like years)
bringing my paper logs from my 1976 WN4PSL beginnings to now into a
database (DXLabs). I would not wish this torture on anyone! However now
that it is mostly done, I'm finding that it will make DXing so much
easier knowing what has been worked, confirmed etc. The next step is
getting confirmations for what the software is telling me I'm qualified
for (DXCC Honor Roll on 2 modes, 9BDXCC, RTTY DXCC, VUCC, 5BWAZ).

 

I am getting together a mass mailing of cards to go to US stations from
my DX operations and QSLs for US managers. K3ZO has agreed to accept and
forward these to all the US bureaus. I will be glad to include cards
from PVRCNC members to be sent as well. The only caveat is that the QSLs
must be from DX locations or going to US managers for DX stations (no US
to US QSLs).  Please let me know if you have cards for this mailing, and
I can pick them up at next week's club meeting.

 

Is there a service in business now like the old W7IZH bureau that will
send US to US QSLs? That is what I need for 6m cards.

 

73,

 

Will  AA4NC

 

From NX9T at aol.com  Wed Mar 26 21:13:54 2008
From: NX9T at aol.com (NX9T@aol.com)
Date: Wed Mar 26 21:21:01 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] QSL cards / QSL bureau mailing
Message-ID: <c10.2efe7b33.351c5ce2@aol.com>

Will,

Congrats on entering all that data! Whew...that's a job.  Don't forget to 
upload your logs to LOTW!  I don't know if you are up and running on LOTW yet, 
but you will surely get some matches (especially from QSOs conducted in the last 
several years).  You probably already know this, but if you do utilize LOTW 
make sure to get "certificates" for each callsign used,etc....it's involves 
extra steps but is the only way to make sure the Qs match up properly.

Again...great job.  I have several log books that could be entered if you go 
into data entry excitement withdrawl!

73,
jeff nx9t



**************
Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL 
Home.
      
(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
From kazeringue at aol.com  Thu Mar 27 05:48:22 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Thu Mar 27 05:55:02 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] QSL cards / QSL bureau mailing
Message-ID: <47EB7B76.80108@aol.com>

>  You probably already know this, but if you do utilize LOTW 
> make sure to get "certificates" for each callsign used,etc....

Just in case anyone needs it, I ran across a quick summary of "how-to" 
apply for the extra certificates.

see:
http://homepage.mac.com/bsandersen/add-a-qth-lotw.html

It worked fine for the two special event operations that I loaded to 
LOTW last week.

I don't know it is necessary, but for the special event calls, I entered 
the specific dates from the special event callsign application for the 
certificate application. (e.g., N4A was active july 27 to July 30th, so 
the certificate application was for 7/27 to 7/30)

Of the 2700 Q's for N4A and N4Q, about 800 resulted in QSL's.

el Escribano Inexacto
From kazeringue at aol.com  Fri Mar 28 17:28:41 2008
From: kazeringue at aol.com (W4KAZ)
Date: Fri Mar 28 17:35:29 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] Ferrite buyers
Message-ID: <47ED7119.5070602@aol.com>

Ron has the package......see info below.

73 de w4kaz

from Ron:
Anyone that ordered ferrites during the PVRC group buy, I've received 
them all. I can bring them to the next meeting. If you need them sooner 
please let me know and we can make arrangements. Email is 
ron.e.spencer@gmail.com

Thanks

Ron
N4XD
From K4CZusa at attglobal.net  Sun Mar 30 13:19:26 2008
From: K4CZusa at attglobal.net (Barry Baker, K4CZ)
Date: Sun Mar 30 13:28:36 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] FW: WPX SSB KI4GUO M/S HP
Message-ID: <020701c89292$96f75050$ca01a8c0@dell8200bab>

                    CQWW WPX Contest, SSB

Call: KI4GUO
Operator(s): KI4GUO KI4ZWQ K4CZ
Station: KI4GUO

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Durham, NC
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   43
   40:  276
   20:  366
   15:   17
   10:    0
------------
Total:  702  Prefixes =3D 365  Total Score =3D 450,410

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club


Once again, we operated "multi-op single-family."  This was the first =
time
that Jordan KI4GUO and Jeanne KI4ZWQ had over 200 Qs each in a contest.  =
The
biggest problem with their growing interest in contesting is that I'm
starting to regret having to "share my toys" with them! ;-)   Jordan =
also
continues to insist that we use her callsign so we are limited to the
General segments of the band...sure would be nice to see her upgrade to
Extra...

We won't win any awards for our score but I couldn't be more excited =
about
Jordan and Jeanne's involvement and effort this weekend.

Thanks for the Qs.

73, Barry K4CZ

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.=20
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.1/1349 - Release Date: =
3/29/2008
5:02 PM
=20

From wes_quinn at yahoo.com  Sun Mar 30 19:30:36 2008
From: wes_quinn at yahoo.com (Wes Quinn)
Date: Sun Mar 30 19:37:52 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] CQWW WPX Contest, SSB - K4WES SOAB LP
Message-ID: <360856.64421.qm@web31901.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Call: K4WES
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: NC

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    7
   80:   26
   40:   43
   20:   93
   15:   23
   10:   14
------------
Total:  206  Prefixes = 154  Total Score = 78,540

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:  It was a fun contest as always, since you can work anyone.  I just wish I had more spare time to work the contest.
And it was nice that 10m was open to SA on Sunday afternoon.

73 de k4Wes



From n4ydu at nc.rr.com  Sun Mar 30 19:40:34 2008
From: n4ydu at nc.rr.com (Nathan Moreschi)
Date: Sun Mar 30 19:47:38 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] NR3X (N4YDU) WPX report
Message-ID: <000c01c892c7$d4c0ee20$6501a8c0@YOURCA979DF923>

CQWW WPX Contest, SSB

Call: NR3X
Operator(s): N4YDU
Station: N4YDU

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 3.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    1
   80:   11
   40:  133
   20:   69
   15:   28
   10:    8
------------
Total:  251  Prefixes = 174  Total Score = 85,434

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Made a mad dash at the end for fun. 40 SSB was a ball the last hour for me with
a mixed bag run of VE/US and scattered Europeans.

73,

Nate/N4YDU
From n4tl2 at earthlink.net  Sun Mar 30 20:30:15 2008
From: n4tl2 at earthlink.net (Tom Lewis)
Date: Sun Mar 30 20:37:02 2008
Subject: [PVRCNC] CQWW WPX Contest, SSB - N4TL SOHP
Message-ID: <380-2200831311301515@earthlink.net>

I was going to make 100 Qs and ended up with a few more. 

CQWPXSSB Score Summary Sheet

Start Date : 2008-03-28
Operator(s) : N4TL
Band : ALL
Power : HIGH
Mode : SSB
Club/Team : Potomac Valley Radio Club
Software: N1MM Logger V7.0.0

Band  QSOs   Pts  WPX
1.8    18     33   12
3.5    60    156   43
7      22     73   17
14     86    220   68
21     66    180   41
Total 252    662  181

Score : 119,822

73 Tom, N4TL
