From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon May 1 13:49:57 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 1 May 2017 13:49:57 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications - May 13 Message-ID: <685dd555-c8b5-3f1e-bb26-05a52bc0ccbe@bellsouth.net> From QRZ: May 13: Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications The *US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard* will sponsor the traditional military/amateur radio communication tests on Saturday, May 13 to mark the 66th annual Armed Forces Day (AFD). Armed Forces Day is May 20, but the AFD Crossband Military-Amateur Radio event will take place a week earlier in order to avoid schedule conflicts with those attending Hamvention. Complete information, including military stations, modes, and frequencies, is available on the *US Army MARS website.* The annual celebration is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication between radio amateurs and military stations (authorized under ?97.111 of the Amateur Service rules). It features traditional military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, practice using legacy interoperability waveforms, and the opportunity for participating hams to utilize more modern military modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). Military stations and Amateur Radio stations are authorized to communicate directly on certain 60-meter interoperability channels ? *5,330.5, 5346.5, and 5,371.5 kHz.* These tests give Amateur Radio operators and shortwave listeners (SWLs) a chance and a challenge to demonstrate individual technical skills and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station. QSL cards will be available on request for stations successfully contacting participating military stations. * AFD Message* The Armed Forces Day message will be transmitted via Military Standard radioteletype modes (MIL-STD 188-110A/B). Software is available to demodulate the military serial PSK waveform, and detailed instructions can be downloaded. Utilizing this mode with soundcard equipment can be challenging; review the instructions carefully. A short practice transmission will be sent at 1930 and 2330 on May 6, 7, 10, and 12 on *13.506.5 MHz USB and 17.443.0 MHz USB.* Military FSK is Baudot at 850 Hz, 75 baud, low mark, and 2000 Hz center. Most RTTY programs can be set to decode this mode. To achieve low mark while receiving in USB, select reverse shift. QSL cards are available for individuals that receive the Armed Forces Day test message. To receive a card, copy the printed text of the test message as received from the military station, and include it in your report. No attempt should be made to correct possible errors. Stations copying Armed Forces Day messages transmitted from US Army and US Navy stations and requesting a QSL card, can complete the QSL report form online. Stations copying the Armed Forces Day message transmitted from US Air Force stations and seeking a QSL card should send a request to Armed Forces Day Celebration, Chief, Air Force MARS, 203 W. Losey St, Scott AFB, IL 62225. Include a transcript of the received text, time observed, frequency observed, military station call sign, your full name and Amateur Radio call sign (if applicable), full mailing address (including ZIP code). *Automatic Link Establishment* Stations with Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) capability can contact a military station on specific half duplex crossband channels established for this purpose. ALE is a selective calling and linking method utilized by government, military, and amateur radio communications. Military stations will scan and receive certain amateur*HFLINK ALE frequencies *and transmit on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military frequency at 30- to 90-minute intervals. Amateur stations may scan military frequencies and monitor the soundings to build the LQA database or select the channel manually. Amateur stations will call military stations using ALE selective calling on one of the paired cross band channels. Source:ARRL 73 de *IW2BSF *- Rudy http://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/test-is-may-13-armed-forces-day-crossband-military-amateur-radio-communications.564575/ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 2 08:17:49 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 08:17:49 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Paul Kangas - W4LAA ESTATE In-Reply-To: <1191732253.118311.1493682154695@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1191732253.118311.1493682154695@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <57d826cf-e5b7-8b11-a6bf-899ef257bb60@bellsouth.net> My good friend and colleague Paul Kangas (Nightly Business Report), passed a few weeks ago. His son Mark asked me to liquidate his ham gear. I'm going to put the stuff on QTH and Eham but thought maybe the guys might want a crack at it before. All of Paul's equipment worked before he went into the hospital. Ill are best offer plus shipping if needed. Can pick up at house in North Miami. 1. Kenwood TS- 570D - $525 2. Kenwood TS 440S $490 3. Kenwood TL-922A - Legal limit amp - $975 + Spare 3-500G never used - On the box it says (G) not (Z) 4. Astron RS-35M - $120 (can be sold with one of the radios - let's talk) 5. Astron RS- 35A - $100 (can be sold with one of the radios - let's talk) Please make a reasonable offer on the following: Bencher Paddle Alpha Delta 2 position coax switch Heathkit HM-2110 watt meter Tribander up 50 or so feet on a Rohn 25g tower. Make a reasonable offer and take down yourself. If interested in anything or all please call Mark at (786) 452-2816 Thank you so very much, JEFF HUFF K3JMH From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 2 09:36:31 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 09:36:31 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> Message-ID: <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ From k.siwiak at ieee.org Tue May 2 10:14:56 2017 From: k.siwiak at ieee.org (Kai) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 10:14:56 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> ... and this from a country where the ham power limit is 400 W PEP! -Kai On 5/2/2017 09:36, Bill wrote: > Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? > > http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ > > > ______________________________________________________________ > QCWA69 mailing list > SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 2 11:40:24 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 11:40:24 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> Message-ID: <38b09e8a-fb57-59dc-ba95-b11f3d07be3b@bellsouth.net> But their customers are Japanese! Bill W2CQ On 5/2/2017 10:14 AM, Kai wrote: > .. and this from a country where the ham power limit is 400 W PEP! > -Kai > > On 5/2/2017 09:36, Bill wrote: >> Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? >> >> http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> QCWA69 mailing list >> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > QCWA69 mailing list > SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From k.siwiak at ieee.org Tue May 2 12:36:46 2017 From: k.siwiak at ieee.org (Kai) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 12:36:46 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: <38b09e8a-fb57-59dc-ba95-b11f3d07be3b@bellsouth.net> References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> <38b09e8a-fb57-59dc-ba95-b11f3d07be3b@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <127a9d87-90dd-abfc-5faa-b7cd71441186@ieee.org> Japan are allowed just 1 kW to the antenna. Don't we feel lucky with 1.5 kW? Kai, KE4PT On 5/2/2017 11:40, Bill wrote: > But their customers are Japanese! > Bill W2CQ > > > > On 5/2/2017 10:14 AM, Kai wrote: >> .. and this from a country where the ham power limit is 400 W PEP! >> -Kai >> >> On 5/2/2017 09:36, Bill wrote: >>> Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? >>> >>> http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> QCWA69 mailing list >>> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> QCWA69 mailing list >> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 2 13:33:15 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 13:33:15 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: <127a9d87-90dd-abfc-5faa-b7cd71441186@ieee.org> References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> <38b09e8a-fb57-59dc-ba95-b11f3d07be3b@bellsouth.net> <127a9d87-90dd-abfc-5faa-b7cd71441186@ieee.org> Message-ID: I guess you haven't seen all the photos or videos of the Japanese outside exhausts, and housings for their 5 KW + amps...hi. Bill On 5/2/2017 12:36 PM, Kai wrote: > Japan are allowed just 1 kW to the antenna. Don't we feel lucky with > 1.5 kW? > Kai, KE4PT > > On 5/2/2017 11:40, Bill wrote: >> But their customers are Japanese! >> Bill W2CQ >> >> >> >> On 5/2/2017 10:14 AM, Kai wrote: >>> .. and this from a country where the ham power limit is 400 W PEP! >>> -Kai >>> >>> On 5/2/2017 09:36, Bill wrote: >>>> Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? >>>> >>>> http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ >>>> >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> QCWA69 mailing list >>>> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> QCWA69 mailing list >>> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> >> > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 2 14:41:23 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 14:41:23 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?EMTRON_DX-3SP_=E2=80=93_H?= =?utf-8?q?F_Amplifier_=28_4=2E5Kw_=29_=7C_QRZ_Now_=E2=80=93_Ham_Radio_New?= =?utf-8?q?s!?= In-Reply-To: References: <13d3ee3f-c18b-4d39-896f-8e4660b1a76e@comcast.net> <43b6ece4-9124-3026-e863-0cbd7542f9a4@bellsouth.net> <03955f8e-6330-f6ed-cc2c-3588c8ea2ded@ieee.org> <38b09e8a-fb57-59dc-ba95-b11f3d07be3b@bellsouth.net> <127a9d87-90dd-abfc-5faa-b7cd71441186@ieee.org> Message-ID: <40020777-2e6d-97ac-d864-d92a839804e7@bellsouth.net> Yours for only $12,000 http://www.cqdx.ru/ham/qro-qrp/new-fully-digital-contol-japanese-hf-linear-amplifier-kl-11/ On 5/2/2017 1:33 PM, Bill wrote: > I guess you haven't seen all the photos or videos of the Japanese > outside exhausts, and housings for their 5 KW + amps...hi. > Bill > > On 5/2/2017 12:36 PM, Kai wrote: >> Japan are allowed just 1 kW to the antenna. Don't we feel lucky with >> 1.5 kW? >> Kai, KE4PT >> >> On 5/2/2017 11:40, Bill wrote: >>> But their customers are Japanese! >>> Bill W2CQ >>> >>> >>> >>> On 5/2/2017 10:14 AM, Kai wrote: >>>> .. and this from a country where the ham power limit is 400 W PEP! >>>> -Kai >>>> >>>> On 5/2/2017 09:36, Bill wrote: >>>>> Want power ?? here it is........ Can this even be sold in the USA? >>>>> >>>>> http://qrznow.com/emtron-dx-3sp-hf-amplifier-4-5kw/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>> QCWA69 mailing list >>>>> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >>>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >>>>> >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>>> >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> QCWA69 mailing list >>>> SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: >>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> >>> >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > QCWA69 mailing list > SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 4 16:12:57 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 4 May 2017 16:12:57 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications - May 13 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0d8cbfd3-247b-2f7c-c574-6c9826afaaa7@bellsouth.net> Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications Test is May 13 04/26/2017 The US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard will sponsor the traditional military/amateur radio communication tests on Saturday, May 13 to mark the 66th annual Armed Forces Day (AFD). Armed Forces Day is May 20, but the AFD Crossband Military-Amateur Radio event will take place a week earlier in order to avoid schedule conflicts with those attending Hamvention. Complete information, including military stations, modes, and frequencies, is*available* on the US Army MARS website. The annual celebration is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication between radio amateurs and military stations (authorized under ?97.111 of the Amateur Service rules). It features traditional military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, practice using legacy interoperability waveforms, and the opportunity for participating hams to utilize more modern military modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). Military stations and Amateur Radio stations are authorized to communicate directly on certain 60-meter interoperability channels ? 5,330.5, 5346.5, and 5,371.5 kHz. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and shortwave listeners (SWLs) a chance and a challenge to demonstrate individual technical skills and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station. QSL cards will be available for stations successfully contacting participating military stations. /*AFD Message*/ The Armed Forces Day message will be transmitted via Military Standard radioteletype modes (MIL-STD 188-110A/B). *Software* is available to demodulate the military serial PSK waveform, and detailed instructions can be downloaded. Utilizing this mode with soundcard equipment can be challenging; review the instructions carefully. A short practice transmission will be sent at 1930 and 2330 on May 6, 7, 10, and 12 on 13.506.5 MHz USB and 17.443.0 MHz USB. Military FSK is Baudot at 850 Hz, 75 baud, low mark, and 2000 Hz center. Most RTTY programs can be set to decode this mode. To achieve low mark while receiving in USB, select reverse shift. QSL cards are available for individuals that receive the Armed Forces Day test message. To receive a card, copy the printed text of the test message as received from the military station, and include it in your report. No attempt should be made to correct possible errors. Stations copying Armed Forces Day messages transmitted from US Army and US Navy stations and requesting a QSL card, can *complete* the QSL report form online. Stations copying the Armed Forces Day message transmitted from US Air Force stations and seeking a QSL card should send a request to Armed Forces Day Celebration, Chief, Air Force MARS, 203 W. Losey St, Scott AFB, IL 62225. Include a transcript of the received text, time observed, frequency observed, military station call sign, your full name and Amateur Radio call sign (if applicable), full mailing address (including ZIP code). /*Automatic Link Establishment*/ Stations with Automatic Link Establishment (*ALE* ) capability can contact a military station on specific half duplex crossband channels established for this purpose. ALE is a selective calling and linking method utilized by government, military, and amateur radio communications. Military stations will scan and receive certain amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies and transmit on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military frequency at 30- to 90-minute intervals. Amateur stations may scan military frequencies and monitor the soundings to build the LQA database or select the channel manually. Amateur stations will call military stations using ALE selective calling on one of the paired cross band channels. /*Announced AFD Special Operations*/ NEPM on board the USS /Iowa/ (BB61) will be on the air for its first annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications Test. The Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association (*BIARA* ) and qualified Pacific Battleship Center crew members will activate NEPM. The Potomac Valley Radio Club (*PVRC* ) and the *US Naval Academy Radio Club* will operate NSS on the site of the 1918 Naval Radio Transmitting Station on Greenbury Point in Annapolis, Maryland, across the Severn River from the US Naval Academy. Other Navy Stations scheduled to be on the air include NIIW, USS /Midway/, San Diego; NWKJ; NWKJ, USS /Yorktown/, Charleston, South Carolina, and NWVC, /LST-325/, Evansville, Indiana. http://www.arrl.org/news/armed-forces-day-crossband-military-amateur-radio-communications-test-is-may-13 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sat May 6 18:04:26 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sat, 6 May 2017 18:04:26 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] W5KUB Live-Streaming @ Hamention 2017 In-Reply-To: <1127872921825.1103600790276.3415.0.231603JL.2002@scheduler.constantcontact.com> References: <1127872921825.1103600790276.3415.0.231603JL.2002@scheduler.constantcontact.com> Message-ID: <2b6d7e71-d890-b7b4-e099-7fad9c98ebe5@bellsouth.net> Tom Medlin, W5KUB, host of Amateur Radio Roundtable, will be live-streaming the Dayton Hamvention for the 15th time this year ... and giving away a raft of prizes, including several subscriptions to CQ. Medlin is calling this year's live internet webcast the "Hamvention 2017 Marathon" as he will have the stream up for more than 48 hours. Medlin notes that there are many people who can not attend Hamvention for many different reasons. "You might be a youth with no means to go, or disabled," he says, "maybe have to work, are ill, or many other reasons. This live event is structured to make you feel that you are there." Viewers watching the webcast on W5KUB.COM will be able to communicate with other viewers logged into the chat room. They can even chat directly to the webcast team at Hamvention. Thousands of dollars in prizes will be given to lucky viewers who claim their prize as Tom's automated system called Hambot selects random winner names. Prizes include mobile rigs, HTs, antenna tuners, HF antennas, CQ subscriptions and much more. The scheduled live webcast starts Wednesday morning May 17, as the group pulls out of the garage and makes their way to Xenia, Ohio, over 500 miles away. The entire 10-hour drive will be televised on the website. Thursday, May 18, will be live during booth setup. You will see many familiar people and celebrities drop by, get on camera and say hello to you. The official show is Friday May 19- Sunday May 21. The return trip to Collierville, Tennessee will be Monday May 22 and will be webcast. Any prizes left over from the show will be given out during the 10-hour return drive. Also for the 4th year, Astronaut Douglas Wheelock , will be joining the W5KUB.COM team as a co-host. Come by, say hello, get an autographed picture. For those who attend virtually, you will be able to ask questions and communicate directly with him. W5KUB has been streaming ham radio events for 15 years, and for over 2 years has webcast a weekly ham radio program called "Amateur Radio Roundtable." The show can be seen every Tuesday night at 8:00 PM Central. In addition to the webcast, the show is also simulcast on international shortwave station WBCQ out of Monticello, ME on 5130 kHz. Special guests from around the world attend each week. CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, is a regular guest, previewing each month's issue for the Amateur Radio Roundtable audience. From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 11 10:20:10 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 11 May 2017 10:20:10 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Armed Forces Day - Frequencies Message-ID: <8477233f-3b06-398f-73c8-7c6e338441f8@bellsouth.net> Here is a site to view the information and Frequencies for "Armed Forces Day, and ALE set up and procedures for ham radio. http://hflink.com/afd/ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 12 08:21:48 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 12 May 2017 08:21:48 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Antenna system for sale In-Reply-To: <2607eeef-cdca-8009-e3d9-6abb61619196@telegraphy.com> References: <2607eeef-cdca-8009-e3d9-6abb61619196@telegraphy.com> Message-ID: <68fb6865-40d9-9f98-5c1a-ab5017b88b31@bellsouth.net> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Telex-Hy-Gain-LP-1001-4-30-Rotating-Log-periodic-Antenna-with-Dual-Towers-NOS-/332181838581?hash=item4d57949af5:g:lHAAAOSwsW9Yxxd7 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sat May 13 08:17:38 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sat, 13 May 2017 08:17:38 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?Hamvention_Organizers_?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=9CCounting_Down_the_Hours=2C_-_ARRL?= Message-ID: <137da79f-4eee-c83e-02c0-a428088e4a31@bellsouth.net> Hamvention Organizers ?Counting Down the Hours,? Anticipating up to 35,000 Visitors http://www.arrl.org/news/hamvention-organizers-counting-down-the-hours-anticipating-up-to-35-000-visitors 05/04/2017 Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) Treasurer and Hamvention? spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, said this week that everything is falling into place for ?a five-star event? at Hamvention?s new venue at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio, May 19-21. ?We?re counting down the hours,? Kalter told DX Engineering?s Tim Duffy, K3LR, in a May 2 *video* , produced by DX Engineering. The theme for Hamvention 2017 is ?Same friends, new home.? Kalter revealed to Duffy that after Hara Arena announced it would be closing last year, the Hamvention Organizing Committee pondered not staging a show at all in 2017. ?We had thought we might not even have the event for another year and take more time and get it all set,? Kalter said, ?but our team was determined to do this.? The flea market at the new venue turned out to be ?one of our more difficult areas,? Kalter said. The Hamvention flea market will have the same number of booth spaces as in 2016. ?It?s looking like it will sell out, but we?re not there yet,? he told Duffy. Inside exhibitor booth space is in very good shape, he noted. Kalter said he does not anticipate any problems with parking, explaining that free on- and off-site parking will be available, with shuttle bus service to and from Hamvention for off-site lots. Maps now are online to help visitors to navigate what will be unfamiliar territory for most. Kalter also told Duffy that he?s expecting a bumper crop of attendees at Hamvention 2017. ?The way ticket sales are going, and with most of the hotel/motel space sold out by mid-February?we?re expecting between 30,000 and 35,000 people,? he said. It?s still possible to buy tickets online through May 17 and pick them up at the show. Kalter said there was a lot of demand for forums this year, and Hamvention will be unable to accommodate any repeat sessions. Duffy noted that 2017 will mark his 35th year moderating the antenna forum. Kalter also said the Hamvention organizers made a commitment to better food. ?I think all of us at Hamvention have been a little disappointed in the food that was there,? he said. ?So we have made a concerted effort.? A beer garden on site will be selling a commemorative stein to note the very first Hamvention in Xenia. ?We?re going to learn a lot this year,? Kalter said, anticipating a lot of input from visitors, and he credited DX Engineering and other vendors for offering their constructive advice in the run-up to the show. Some 600 DARA volunteers are involved in making Hamvention 2017 happen. ?My hat?s off to the whole team,? Kalter said. ?It?s a huge undertaking.? From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sat May 13 10:04:16 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sat, 13 May 2017 10:04:16 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Watch Ham Nation and Contest University at Dayton next week In-Reply-To: <01C3E8C83C8D43608C0DEAEC223D02BD@laptop> References: <01C3E8C83C8D43608C0DEAEC223D02BD@laptop> Message-ID: <57dafe39-a6cf-c48e-eb96-3173052a7185@bellsouth.net> From TowerTalk: Bill W2CQ If you are not attending Dayton this coming week - here are a few interesting Dayton live events that you can watch on the Internet from anywhere. On Wednesday May 17 at 9 PM EDT Ham Nation will be LIVE from the Crowne Plaza Contest Super Suite. Ham Nation is led by Bob Heil, K9EID and along with Val Hotzfeld, NV9L this should be a very entertaining live show with guests from the Super Suite audience. To watch Ham Nation LIVE - go to this link on Wednesday, May 17 at 9 PM EDT https://twit.tv/live You can watch the recording of the "Ham Nation at the Crowne Plaza" show starting on Thursday morning (day after the live show) - go here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFKUe65yQy_vCT9kiubMkzZ6LQvESZn8O Thanks to Icom America, selected sessions of 2017 Dayton Contest University (CTU) will be shown LIVE on Thursday, May 18 starting at 8 AM EDT and lasting until 5 PM EDT. The CTU talks that will be shown LIVE are those in SALON ABCD or SALON B. You can see the CTU course times and topics (look for SALON ABCD or SALON B). See the PDF here: https://www.contestuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-CTU-Classe s-rev-5.pdf To watch the Icom LIVE feed from Contest University in Dayton go to http://contestuniversity.com and click on the CLICK HERE button under the home page photos - next Thursday morning at 8 AM EDT. There will be CTU recordings (these LIVE sessions) posted on the CTU website by Icom a few weeks after CTU. More details about Contest Super Suite and Contest University are here: http://contestsupersuite.com and http://contestuniversity.com 73, Tim K3LR From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 14 08:35:29 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sun, 14 May 2017 08:35:29 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Get the most out of The Dayton Hamvention from QuickSilver(edited) Message-ID: Good tips on restaurants and what to do and not do at the new venue. Bill W2CQ *Quicksilver Radio Newsletter* May, 2017 * * Be sure to stop by and see us in the Marconi Hall, Building #3, booths 3503-3506 & 3603-3606. *Eight booths filled with the best in Ham Radio Goodies, Gadgets, and Gizmos. * We received quite a few *recommendations for restaurants* in and around the Dayton/Xenia area. Here they are, in no particular order. Note that any comments are those of the poster, not mine: I have to recommend Austin Landing as a location with multiple eats. They have a Chuy's (TexMex and great place to catch up with friends), Dewey's Pizza and several more upscale dining options. Brown Street has a ton of great quick eats since it's close to the University. The best tacos are in an old gas station, Taquera Mixtera (1609 E 3rd St, Dayton, OH 45403) - It's cheap and amazing. But don't expect ambiance. Try the China Cottage. There are 2 locations; one near Hara Arena and one near the University of Dayton. The Oakwood club, in Oakwood. Best steaks around, in my mind. http://www.theoakwoodclub.com/ 2414 Far Hills Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45419 937-293-6973 Tudor's Biscuit World: Excellent biscuits and gravy plus lots of other treats. Best gravy and lightest biscuits I've had. For ice cream try Graeter's a local chain with locations in Beavercreek and Centerville. Delicious. City BBQ at 2330 N. Fairfield, Beavercreek gets excellent reviews on Trip Advisor. "The Buckhorn Inn", 8800 Meeker Rd, Dayton, OH, is a MUST. Great food,especially steaks and ribs!! Yummie!! BUT, call for reservations, it gets very crowded with the local folks and the Hamvention crowd streaming in Friday and Saturday evenings. Jimmie?s Ladder 11 on Brown Street in Dayton?best gumbo in the area and great walleye and perch. Young' Dairy!!!!!!!!! On US68 just north of Yellow Springs. Nick's in Xenia, great burgers and beer. https://www.facebook.com/justwingitatnicks/ The Dairy Station in Xenia, about 3 blocks away from the fairgrounds. The Tavernette in Medway . . . Dine on the patio & deck. https://www.facebook.com/TheTavernette/ Fat Back's BBQ https://www.facebook.com/FatBacksBBQandCountryStore/ Then there's always the http://melodeerestaurant.com/ in New Carlisle. It's been there forever. Thanks to everyone who participated. *I wish I had the time to try them all.* I have some tips to help you *get the most out of your* *D*ayton *X*pedition: *Make a list, and check it twice.*Our good friends at PCboard -- https://info.pcboard.ca/hamvention/ -- maintain a great database of vendors and their booth numbers. Note that it covers both indoor and flea market exhibits. Booth numbers correspond to the building or section. For example, Quicksilver Radio is in the *Marconi Hall (building #3) booths 3503-3506 and 3603-3606.* Maps of the grounds and each building are also available there. Make a list of vendors you positively want to visit, along with their booth numbers. Now add folks you probably want to see. And even those you might want to get to. Pro Tip #1: Enter them in a spreadsheet and you can sort them by booth number. Those nearby each other are now grouped together. Pro Tip #2: In most browsers. Ctrl-F opens up a little search bar to find a text string in a page. Use it to look for your favorites on the PCboard web site. Pro Tip #3: You can't see the booth numbers in the Flea Market maps without zooming in. In most browsers, press Ctrl-+ repeatedly until you can read them. Pro Tip #4: Bring a small notepad and pen. Jot down notes of answers to questions, folks you want to revisit, etc. If you want to see it all (or almost all) *you'll probably need all three days if you can manage it*, especially if you want to attend a forum or two. Maximize your time in any case. Some booths will be crazy busy early in the day, but after about 3PM Friday and Saturday the crowd starts to thin out a bit and the staff will have more time to answer questions. Try not to spend time waiting in line. (Do you REALLY need another Yaesu hat?). Sunday will be much less busy, and can be a great day to cruise the flea market for those "I don't want to take it back home" bargains. You'll be walking. A lot. *Wear comfortable shoes!* This is definitely NOT the time to break in a new pair. Pro Tip #5: *Bring two pairs of shoes* to the show. Halfway through the day, change them. Trust me on this -- if you're not used to standing/walking on a hard surface all day, your feet will hurt and your enjoyment level will plummet. Swapping shoes will almost feel like a new pair of feet. More personal comfort notes. *Stay hydrated.* Bring a bottle or two of water. If you need medications during the day, bring them with you. Some Advil or similar is a good idea too. Hiking back to your car to get them is just a waste of time. A light jacket and possibly a small umbrella are a good idea as well. Don't forget a hat and sunscreen. Keep an eye on the weather! *Stay fueled.* Hamvention is promising an array of food trucks, and a much improved dining experience over the past. Even so, lines are likely to be long just when you get hungry. Some snacks or energy bars will keep you going until the lines ease up. You can bet I'll be asking for reports on the BBQ truck ;-) *Bring cash!* While large commercial vendors will probably accept plastic, most smaller sellers will not. Credit card terminals rely on either WiFi or cellular service. Given that this is a new location, we won't know until we get there how well they will work. I have not seen any mention of ATMs at the show. Even if they're present, Murphy will ensure that it'll either run out of cash or malfunction just when you need it. Don't be surprised if *your credit card gets declined by your bank.* Here's a likely reason why. Banks have some pretty sophisticated fraud detection algorithms. You might typically use your card once a day for coffee, and once a week for gas and groceries, plus some other local shopping. All near your home. Suddenly, you're making multiple larger purchases, possibly far from home. They term this being "out of your pattern" and may flag your account. Then add to that -- my credit card terminal is naturally registered to my business in Connecticut. You might hit a diner in Xenia for breakfast on the way to the Hamvention. Your first stop in the show, of course, is to pick up some goodies at the Quicksilver Radio booth. Next, you buy a new call sign badge from our friends at the Sign Man of Baton Rouge. It may appear to your bank that within the space of an hour, you've been in OH, CT, and LA. Now I may drive fast, but I couldn't manage THAT!! You may be able to avoid this by*notifying your bank in advance* of your travels. In fact, I've set up text alerts on my phone. If I'm out of my pattern, I'll get a text asking "Did you attempt to make these recent transactions?" and listing them. All I need to do is text "Yes" in response. It might be prudent to *make sure you can read your bank's contact phone number* on the back of your card before you leave. Learn something. Dayton Hamvention has an *incredible range of forums* and other educational activities. Whatever your current or potential interest, you're likely to find something there. Talk to leading experts, get your questions answered, and expand your horizons. As always, I'm holding the annual *Hamvention Eats competition.* We started this as a "crowd-sourced" exchange of ideas for places to eat in and around Dayton (and now Xenia) 7 years ago. After a hard day of Hamfesting, a good meal with good companions is something to be savored. So we all need to know those restaurants you?ve enjoyed at previous Hamventions. Or, if you?re a local, your favorites. Same rules as always. No chains. Exceptions may be made for small/local/regional chains. (Hint: Waffle House and McDonald?s are NOT small/local/regional chains). *Extra points for great BBQ or baby back ribs.* Decision of the judge ? me ? is final. Stop by my booth any time during the show to see if you?re a winner. We arrive in Dayton Wednesday, so I?ll have 5 nights to test your recommendations. Winners will get something of (probably inconsequential) value. If I recall correctly, last year?s top 3 winners received new top-of-the-line HF Radios from one of the 3 major manufacturers. But my memory might be a bit hazy? ;-) I've added a breakfast category, so you have two chances to win. Same rules, no chains. Extra points if they're open at 5:00 AM. Previous winners have included: Quaker Steak and Lube in Fairborn. Sadly, they closed But we're anxious to try the new Wandering Griffin that opened in their place. Hickory BBQ on Brown St. The Pine Club also on Brown St Jay's Seafood on E 6th St That Indian place in a strip mall near Col. Glenn Highway whose name and exact location I can't remember. None of these are particularly inexpensive. But *good food is rarely cheap, and cheap food is rarely good.* Send your recommendations to hamvention-eats at qsradio.com . Just prior to Hamvention I'll send a quick e-mail with promising suggestions. Above all, *plan to have fun!* It's a new venue, and it's likely there will be some bumps in the road. Don't let them ruin your *D*ayton *X*perience. And for heaven's sake ignore the handful of loud-mouthed whiners who are convinced in advance of how bad the new location will be. Let them stay home and sulk while you and your buddies enjoy *The Greatest Hamfest on Earth. * Thanks and very 73, John Bee, N1GNV Quicksilver Radio Products www.qsradio.com ** From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 14 09:16:12 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sun, 14 May 2017 09:16:12 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] HamPlus Antenna Switching and more stuff. Message-ID: <1fe5ab16-1c70-11eb-fed4-1f1c24953d40@bellsouth.net> OK you have 4 towers and yagi stacks on 2 of them. That means 4 rotators too. Now you want to switch between 4 transceivers in the shack(because one or two simply is not enough). And just to be sure, you want a separate receiving antenna. Shop here: http://www.hamplus.com/index.html Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon May 15 11:12:50 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 15 May 2017 11:12:50 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] What's the wind speed outside? In-Reply-To: <38e165f4-2ddb-0a5a-4017-a41a8313b6b6@bellsouth.net> References: <38e165f4-2ddb-0a5a-4017-a41a8313b6b6@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: Wind Speed Indicator: http://windspeed.atcouncil.org/ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 17 09:04:31 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 17 May 2017 09:04:31 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for May 17, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170517100025.D4132200A3B3@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170517100025.D4132200A3B3@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2017-05-17 The ARRL Contest Update May 17, 2017 Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG /Contest Update/ Archive Contest Calendar ARRL Home Page Ad IN THIS ISSUE * New HF Operators: Dayton Activities, ARRL Field Day Locator <#_836323481788922-NewHF> * Bulletins <#_836323481788922-Bulletins> * Contest Summary <#_836323481788922-ContestSummary> * News: Region 2 ARDF Championships, FlexRadio SmartLink, RaDAR, and more <#_836323481788922-News> * Word to the Wise: RaDAR <#_836323481788922-Word> * Sights and Sounds: Dayton Contest Activities, Pin One Problem, 10 km 2.4GHz link, and more <#_836323481788922-Sights> * Results: WRTC 2018 Standings Updated <#_836323481788922-Results> * Operating Tip: Be in the Contest Moment <#_836323481788922-OperatingTip> * Technical Topics and Information: Avoiding Ransomware, Electric Field Tomography, and more <#_836323481788922-Tech> * Conversation: Increasing the Rate of JT Modes <#_836323481788922-Conversation> * Contests <#_836323481788922-LogsDue> * Log Due Dates <#_836323481788922-LogsDue> NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO Amateurs anywhere near Ohio are likely thinking about this week's Hamvention . This year the event drawing thousands moves to a new location near Xenia, Ohio. There's something for every facet of Amateur Radio, and manufacturers often use the occasion to announce new products or services. For contesters, in addition to the various sessions being held at the Hamvention grounds, a full slate of contest-related activities occur at the Dayton Crowne Plaza hotel. Contest University , the Contest Super Suite , and various contest organizations have formal and informal activities and presences. If you cannot attend, monitor Twitter and radio-related websites for announcements or live streams of ongoing events, such as those provided by W5KUB's Amateur Radio Roundtable and others. The ARRL Field Day event is coming up soon. Participating in a Field Day operation is a great way to find a radio club if you're not a member of one, meet new people in your club, or share your enthusiasm for the hobby with others. The ARRL Field Day Site Locator is standing by to help you find a location near you, or help advertise your club's operation. BULLETINS BUSTED QSOS George, K5KG, writes: "The N1MM+ IN7QPNE module now handles the Delaware QP. DE was added this year. All four are now supported: 7QP, IN, NE, and DE." "QSLs for the Martian New Year QSO Party , held May 5-6, should go to N2MA" (Tim, K3HX) CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information <#_836323481788922-Contests> for all contests follows the Conversation <#_836323481788922-Conversation> section *May 18* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *May 19* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint * Slobozhansky Sprint Contest *May 20* * UN DX Contest * NZART Sangster Shield Contest * Aegean RTTY Contest * EU PSK DX Contest * His Maj. King of Spain Contest, CW * Feld Hell Sprint * Baltic Contest *May 21* * NZART Sangster Shield Contest * UA2 QSO Party *May 22* * Run for the Bacon QRP Contest *May 24* * SKCC Sprint * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test *May 25* * CWops Mini-CWT Test * RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW *May 26* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint *May 27* * CQ WW WPX Contest, CW *May 28* * SARL Digital Contest * QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint *May 31* * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test Ad NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST Registration is now under way for the 2017 USA and International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) , which will take place August 3-6 near Harrison, Ohio. Rick, WW1ME, noted in the The ARRL Letter that "USA's ARDF Championships are an ideal opportunity to watch and learn from the best radio-orienteers in the US and from around the world, because visiting competitors from numerous other countries are expected to attend." It's not often that high frequency stock trading and explanations of coaxial cables and radio wave propagation are part of the same article, but here's one where the velocity of propagation can have some real financial consequences . Microwave links for communicating financial transactions beat fiber just enough to make them better. The article covers a wide range of issues related to optimizing latency between two locations. Remote Operation for contesting and operating in general just got a little easier. FlexRadio Systems has just announced its SmartLink remote access feature , to be included in the upcoming SmartSDR v2.0 software release. SmartLink makes it easier to "securely and easily operate your FLEX-6000 SDR over the Internet without the use of VPN or specialized hardware. SmartSDR v2.0 for Windows, iOS, and Maestro includes all of the necessary software for seamless remote operation. There will be live demonstrations of SmartLink in action at the 2017 Hamvention." There is also more information on the qrznow.com website . Sometimes a thing can be so bad that it earns grudging admiration for excelling at being bad. The Eico 753 HF Transceiver may qualify. According to Dennis, N6KI: "If you were a ham in the mid 1960s and have some spare reading time and want to ROFL, read the eham reviews about the Yugo of HF transceivers of that era. As a "starving" freshman college student, I ordered one from Lafayette Electronics catalog on a monthly payment plan my older graduate student room mate signed for as you had to be 21 and I had just turned 18...." U.S. customers interested in SOTAbeams antennas, filters, and testing tools, but uninterested in potential international shipping hassles can now order from the exclusive U.S. distributor, DX Engineering . DX Engineering will stock a number of SOTAbeam products, including the WSPRlite Antenna Performance Analysis System . If installing a logging program on your computer before a contest is just too much of a bother, you can still paper log, and then enter your contacts into a web form: http://www.b4h.net/cabforms/. Many popular contests are supported, see the web page for details. According to Scott, N3FJP, VHF Contest Log 5.4 is now available, supporting the brand new ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest. KE9V's /Calling CQ/ email newsletter noted N4KGL's RaDAR - Rapid Amateur Radio Deployment Challenge activity in Florida. RaDAR operators take everything they need to operate in the field for four hours of a 24 hour period, including food and shelter. The catch is that operators are to move locations every 5 contacts by at least 1 kilometer if on foot. Rocket triggered lightning strikes are NOT a good way to protect your towers from high energy events. It IS an exciting way to perform lightning research. And make impressive videos. (Dennis, N6KI) For ARRL Contests, remember that there are layers of rules. The General Rules state the Precedence of rules: * Rules for individual contests or events, including Field Day, take precedence over all General Rules. * General Rules for HF and VHF contests take precedence over General Rules for all contests. WORD TO THE WISE *RaDAR*: Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. Originated by ZS6BNE , it's the "concept for operating an amateur radio station anywhere, anytime and even in adverse environmental conditions." Operators are encouraged carry their gear as well as support items like food, water and shelter, to their operating locations, and during rallies or contests are encouraged to change locations after a certain number of contacts. Coordination is through a website , and RaDAR Challenge events occur on three weekends a year. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS Radio Shack stores around the country are being shuttered, another event in the unfortunate saga of the chain. The store on Market Street in San Francisco is advertising up to 80% off. The World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF) published a video entitled "Dayton 2017 Contest Activities With K3LR" describing Contest University and other contest related activities coming up this week. (Ken, K4ZW) Tim, K3LR, also posted a full menu of options for watching Dayton activities. Starting Wednesday evening at 9pm EDT with a Ham Nation LIVE broadcast from the Contest Super Suite , and including certain Contest University sessions broadcast courtesy of ICOM, The Pin One Problem performed at the International DX Convention in Visalia, California. [Photo: Courtesy of Bob, N6TV] At the recent International DX Convention in Visalia, California, the Contest Dinner featured a performance of the band "The Pin One Problem." Band members included K6JS on bass guitar, KU6F and others on vocals, K6SRZ on acoustic guitar, N6AN on electric guitar, N0AX on mandolin and vocals. Lyrics were by N0AX. Bob, N6TV, captured the moment and preserved it forever on YouTube . By clicking on the "Show More" button you can view the lyrics so you can follow and sing along. (Bob, N6TV) Some very inexpensive ESP32 hardware was used to transmit data over a 10 kilometer link via the 2.4 GHz band. The YouTube video covers the calculations for the link, and explains how the setup still conforms to the EU rules for unlicensed operation. Further links in the video provide information on how to gain access to lower-level packet operations of the ESP32 hardware. Ad RESULTS AND RECORDS The WRTC 2018 qualification standings have been updated to include *final* CQWW scores. (Ulf, DL5AXX) OPERATING TIP *Be in the Contesting Moment* With conditions being what they are, there could be plenty of dull moments during a contest, even on an open band. It may be tempting to read a book, catch up on email, check the latest XKCD , or any other non-score-building activity. Resist. Instead, use the 2nd VFO to find another station to work. See if another band is open. Only concentrate on activities that have a chance of increasing your score. TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION It hasn't been prudent to use Microsoft Windows XP since support for patches ended on April 8, 2014. The impact of this week's ransomware virus has compelled Microsoft to release a security patch for this obsolete operating system. According to Bob, N6TV, "In light of all the damage caused by the WannaCry ransomware, including many out-of-service Windows XP systems that many of us may still use on at least once computer, Microsoft has issued Security Patch KB4012598. You can go to the Microsoft web site (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us) and enter "KB4012598" in the Search box at the top to find it, or you can use this direct link to the software catalog page. The patch is a simple program (.exe file) that you download, run once, and then reboot. To verify installation after reboot: Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs. Check the *Show updates* box at the top, wait a bit, then scroll down to *Windows XP - Software Updates* at the bottom. You should see Security Update for Windows XP (KB4012598) at the bottom of the list." Using a technique called electric field tomography , researchers at Carnegie Mellon University can turn nearly any surface into a touch control . By spraying on an electrically conductive coating, then attaching electrodes to the perimeter of the area, touches to the surface can be detected and mapped with a one centimeter resolution. Imagine multi-function tuning knobs or an interactive compass rose for rotator controllers. (Dennis, N6KI) Mark, K6UFO, suggests: "I was using the Great Circle Mapper the other day to visualize directions and paths into Europe. If you don't know the Airport codes, it has a search function, it also can show Lat/Long of starting and ending points, and several map options." When roving for VHF/UHF Contests, or if you're lost during the Stew Perry Contest but found an awesome spot to put up your 160 meter blimp, you're doing to need to know your Maidenhead Grid . Some GPS units will display Maidenhead grid locators, and Lynn, N7CFO, keeps a list of them . (Bob, K0NR, via VHFcontesting reflector) Ad CONVERSATION Increasing the Rate of JT Modes Rob, N7QT, is putting together a DXpedition to Mellish Reef later this year and we have been talking over the last few months about how to operate in the face of declining sunspot conditions which will make communication on the higher bands a challenge. In addition to shifting the focus lower in frequency to 40, 80, and 160 meters, we started to discuss the newer JT65 and JT9 modes. These modes do seem to provide the potential for communications when a band is closed to other modes, but because of the six minute QSO cycle time - a maximum rate of 10 Qs per hour - operator resources would seem to be better deployed on more open bands with traditional modes. However, over the past couple of months JT65 and JT9 operators and operating techniques have changed in a way that has re-opened the discussion about whether JT65 or JT9 would be appropriate for a DXpedition. It appears that more people have "discovered" the mode, whether by choice or by finding that no other circuit is working. Here in the Pacific Northwest, Rob notes that 20 meters is full of workable JT65 calls from Asia and EU from morning until late in the evening. There are some familiar calls, but many more calls that might represent the 'next layer' of stations he doesn't normally hear. He also notes that frequently there is a solid 4 kHz of activity. He often decodes more signals between 14.076 MHz and 14.078 MHz than there are signals in the entire CW band segment. A DXpedition's use of the JT modes could provide an All Time New One (ATNO) opportunity for many stations that otherwise would not have the chance. Rob notes that in recent weeks, for an estimated 20% of the contacts he's made on JT65, the other operators reduce the six minute QSO time by omitting one of the 'legs' of the QSO. As an example, instead of sending a grid square in response to a CQ, they'll now send the signal report, saving one minute. They're exchanging just as much information as Phone or CW contact. Other operators are choosing to combine the "RRR" exchange with the "73" exchange , by sending a single "RR 73" exchange , saving another 2 minutes. Bengt, K7ADD, operating as E51ADD, encountered many stations eager for contacts on JT65. [Photo: Courtesy of Bengt, K7ADD] Bengt, K7ADD , was using JT65 on a somewhat recent operation from E51 - The South and North Cook Islands, and noted that he was able to have two JT65 QSOs going simultaneously, by offsetting two instances of WSJT-X in transmit frequency. By doing so, he had the potential to increase the rate to 20 QSOs per hour. That's not such a bad rate if the band is otherwise dead. He tried three instances simultaneously, but managing three instances of WSJT-X was not ideal, and operators on the other end were confused by signal reports being given to multiple stations simultaneously. However, his experience provides hints of operating conventions that could make JT65 more practical from a rate perspective for DXpeditions. Cut the exchange sequence to four minutes, exchanging just signal reports. The DX station could handle multiple simultaneous JT65 mode QSOs - let's say six -- where the DX station transmits in one 1.5 KHz window, carriers 250 Hz apart. Space them even closer if using JT9. The DX station would use more power, as it's being split between a number of carriers -- JT65 and JT9 are not by necessity low power modes. Stations would call the DX in another 1.5 KHz window. Sure, the same frequency window could be used, as JT65 signals are time multiplexed, but it's likely that not all operators would understand to transmit on the correct even or odd time interval. It would make it easier on the DXpedition operators if there were a version of JT mode software that could handle the 6 simultaneous QSOs with only one instance, keeping track of the progress of individual contacts. Most of all, the plan for operating this way would be disseminated ahead of time, so that everyone has the opportunity to avoid operator confusion. With these changes, the theoretical maximum rate could be 90 QSOs per hour... even 40 QSOs per hour would be a good rate for a "closed" band. That's all for this time. See you in Dayton or Xenia, Ohio? Remember to send contesting related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update at arrl.org 73, Brian N9ADG CONTESTS *18 May - 31 May 2017* An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. *HF CONTESTS* CWops Mini-CWT Test , May 17, 1300z to May 17, 1400z, May 17, 1900z to May 17, 2000z, May 18, 0300z to May 18, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: May 20. NCCC RTTY Sprint , May 19, 0145z to May 19, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: May 21. NCCC Sprint , May 19, 0230z to May 19, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: May 21. Slobozhansky Sprint Contest , May 19, 1800z to May 19, 1959z (SSB), May 19, 2000z to May 19, 2159z (CW); CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80m; Serial No. + Administrative District (URDA,RDA,province,state); Logs due: June 9. UN DX Contest , May 20, 0600z to May 20, 2100z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Kazakhstan: RS(T) + District Code, non-Kazakhstan: RS(T) + QSO No.; Logs due: June 4. NZART Sangster Shield Contest , May 20, 0800z to May 20, 1100z, May 21, 0800z to May 21, 1100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; ZL: RST + Serial No. + Branch No., non-ZL: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 17. Aegean RTTY Contest , May 20, 1200z to May 21, 1200z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + QSO No.; Logs due: June 15. EU PSK DX Contest , May 20, 1200z to May 21, 1200z; BPSK63; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; EU: RST + EU area code, non-EU: RST + QSO No.; Logs due: May 26. His Maj. King of Spain Contest, CW , May 20, 1200z to May 21, 1200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; EA: RST + province, non-EA: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 5. Feld Hell Sprint , May 20, 1600z to May 20, 1759z, May 20, 2000z to May 20, 2159z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; (see rules); Logs due: May 24. Baltic Contest , May 20, 2100z to May 21, 0200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80m Only; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: June 10. UA2 QSO Party , May 21, 1300z to May 21, 1659z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; UA2: RS(T) + RDA ID, non-UA2: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: June 14. Run for the Bacon QRP Contest , May 22, 0100z to May 22, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + (Member No./power); Logs due: May 28. SKCC Sprint , May 24, 0000z to May 24, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./power); Logs due: May 26. Phone Fray , May 24, 0230z to May 24, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: May 26. CWops Mini-CWT Test , May 24, 1300z to May 24, 1400z, May 24, 1900z to May 24, 2000z, May 25, 0300z to May 25, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: May 27. RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW , May 25, 1900z to May 25, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: May 26. NCCC RTTY Sprint , May 26, 0145z to May 26, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: May 28. NCCC Sprint , May 26, 0230z to May 26, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: May 28. CQ WW WPX Contest, CW , May 27, 0000z to May 28, 2359z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 2. SARL Digital Contest , May 28, 1300z to May 28, 1600z; PSK, RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; RST + QSO No.; Logs due: June 4. QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint , May 28, 2000z to May 29, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + (ARCI no./power); Logs due: June 11. Phone Fray , May 31, 0230z to May 31, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: June 2. CWops Mini-CWT Test , May 31, 1300z to May 31, 1400z, May 31, 1900z to May 31, 2000z, Jun 1, 0300z to Jun 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: May 13. *VHF+ CONTESTS* See Feld Hell Sprint , above LOG DUE DATES *May 18, 2017* * NRAU 10m Activity Contest *May 19, 2017* * Phone Fray *May 20, 2017* * Microwave Spring Sprint * AGCW QRP/QRP Party * Jakarta DX Contest 40m *May 21, 2017* * SKCC Weekend Sprintathon *May 22, 2017* * 10-10 Int. Spring Contest, CW * Nebraska QSO Party *May 27, 2017* * 50 MHz Spring Sprint * Arkansas QSO Party *May 31, 2017* * VOLTA WW RTTY Contest * MIE 33 Contest * Holyland DX Contest * Texas State Parks on the Air * 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint ARRL Information Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information *Join or Renew Today!* ** ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. Subscribe to /NCJ/ - the National Contest Journal . Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to /QEX/ - A Forum for Communications Experimenters . Published bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. /Free of charge to ARRL members:/ Subscribe to The ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! /ARRL offers a wide array of //products/ //to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- /support programs not funded by member dues!/ Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission at arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar . Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Contest Update is published every other Wednesday (26 times each year). ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/. Copyright ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 18 12:21:38 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 12:21:38 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention 2017 Message-ID: <265A7EA5-DD1E-4E88-8AF7-88E2AFEB63E3@bellsouth.net> First Blush: It looks a lot like Orlando. Lots more buildings, grass area flea market. Several main buildings house the larger vendors. They're only about half set up so far. Now for the best part. The Food! Whole Hog Sausage, Steak on a stick, Tator Tots, Baked Potatoes. Kettle Corn, BBQ Pork, Corn Dogs Best food at a Hamfest Ever! Looks like rain this weekend, hope not but it's lookin' good for a great Hamvention. Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 18 13:06:27 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 13:06:27 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention 2017 References: <265A7EA5-DD1E-4E88-8AF7-88E2AFEB63E3@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <2153E2EC-CAEC-46A9-9F98-203C4D6953EA@bellsouth.net> Second Blush: Outside it looks like Orlando, Inside it looks like Dayton. At Dayton pre 2017, If I rained you ran into Hara. This year if it rains you run into one of the many buildings(Marconi, Maxim, Hertz etc. Or tents, Lots of tents. Bill W2CQ > Subject: Dayton Hamvention 2017 > > First Blush: > > It looks a lot like Orlando. Lots more buildings, grass area flea market. Several main buildings house the larger vendors. They're only about half set up so far. > > Now for the best part. The Food! > > Whole Hog Sausage, Steak on a stick, Tator Tots, Baked Potatoes. Kettle Corn, BBQ Pork, Corn Dogs Best food at a Hamfest Ever! > > Looks like rain this weekend, hope not but it's lookin' good for a great Hamvention. > Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 18 16:34:39 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 16:34:39 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention 2017 References: Message-ID: <5733EE47-3136-4D66-B2C4-CF77B5B64810@bellsouth.net> Third Blush. I counted 25 food trucks and booths manned by local families. There are many home style pork and beef dishes. It may not be the healthiest but certainly refreshing from hot dogs and dry hamburgers we experience normally. More like a State Fair. I liked it, but I non of us come to a Hamfest for the food. It was just a nice surprise. So far the new Dayton is Looking good and will be as pleasantly mysterious in trying to find something you saw an hour ago. Wide aisles and all the familiar large vendors. I'm told the police will be assisting on the roads in from the main road "35". Parking is on the west side and the flea market section is on the west side. You have to enter the main grounds and walk through over the race track to the midfield where flea market spaces are. Not a big deal, just information. Both areas therefore open at 9am because of that. Bill W2CQ > > Second Blush: > Outside it looks like Orlando, > Inside it looks like Dayton. > > At Dayton pre 2017, If I rained you ran into Hara. > This year if it rains you run into one of the many buildings(Marconi, Maxim, Hertz etc. Or tents, Lots of tents. > > Bill W2CQ > >> Subject: Dayton Hamvention 2017 >> >> First Blush: >> >> It looks a lot like Orlando. Lots more buildings, grass area flea market. Several main buildings house the larger vendors. They're only about half set up so far. >> >> Now for the best part. The Food! >> >> Whole Hog Sausage, Steak on a stick, Tator Tots, Baked Potatoes. Kettle Corn, BBQ Pork, Corn Dogs Best food at a Hamfest Ever! >> >> Looks like rain this weekend, hope not but it's lookin' good for a great Hamvention. >> From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 18 17:25:48 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 17:25:48 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention 2017 In-Reply-To: <5733EE47-3136-4D66-B2C4-CF77B5B64810@bellsouth.net> References: <5733EE47-3136-4D66-B2C4-CF77B5B64810@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <619F614C-E2AB-4841-9570-70A0C9A96CB5@bellsouth.net> Correction: Parking lot west, flea market east. > On May 18, 2017, at 4:34 PM, William Marx wrote: > > Third Blush. > > I counted 25 food trucks and booths manned by local families. There are many home style pork and beef dishes. It may not be the healthiest but certainly refreshing from hot dogs and dry hamburgers we experience normally. More like a State Fair. I liked it, but I non of us come to a Hamfest for the food. It was just a nice surprise. > > So far the new Dayton is Looking good and will be as pleasantly mysterious in trying to find something you saw an hour ago. Wide aisles and all the familiar large vendors. > > I'm told the police will be assisting on the roads in from the main road "35". > > Parking is on the west side and the flea market section is on the west side. You have to enter the main grounds and walk through over the race track to the midfield where flea market spaces are. Not a big deal, just information. > > Both areas therefore open at 9am because of that. > Bill W2CQ > >> >> Second Blush: >> Outside it looks like Orlando, >> Inside it looks like Dayton. >> >> At Dayton pre 2017, If I rained you ran into Hara. >> This year if it rains you run into one of the many buildings(Marconi, Maxim, Hertz etc. Or tents, Lots of tents. >> >> Bill W2CQ >> >>> Subject: Dayton Hamvention 2017 >>> >>> First Blush: >>> >>> It looks a lot like Orlando. Lots more buildings, grass area flea market. Several main buildings house the larger vendors. They're only about half set up so far. >>> >>> Now for the best part. The Food! >>> >>> Whole Hog Sausage, Steak on a stick, Tator Tots, Baked Potatoes. Kettle Corn, BBQ Pork, Corn Dogs Best food at a Hamfest Ever! >>> >>> Looks like rain this weekend, hope not but it's lookin' good for a great Hamvention. >>> > > ______________________________________________________________ > QCWA69 mailing list > SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sat May 20 08:14:13 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Sat, 20 May 2017 08:14:13 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamfest Update Message-ID: <1F7AD5C4-1CA4-4F6E-9C01-E3FB14364213@bellsouth.net> Friday was a great day for Dayton. Sunny and hot most of the day. Inside and out. A light sprinkle early in the afternoon and rain at the end of the day when many had already left and flea market guys were folding up, so weather was not an issue Friday. Busiest Friday attendance I've ever seen at a Dayton. Can't tell exactly because the Greene County Fairgrounds gives a bigger feel. It's more spread but very comfortable navigating around to the tents and buildings. The Organizers did a great job. Wow what a project. All the major players are there of course. The aisles are wider it seems and walking around scooters and knapsacks wasn't as big an issue as Hara. More food than we've ever seen anywhere. More than I counted Thursday. Flea market was packed. Lots of hams seller my and lots of hams walking my and buying. It still takes a long time to see it all. Ups and downs. Get there early. Early. Friday I was there an hour early and ran into some traffic. I've been back and forth 5 times now and taken three different routes. I'd say there are maybe five(so far). Friday there were large large lines to get in. A thousand or more waiting for the 9 AM opening. After all, we're all used to a 8 AM opening. Maybe that will change next year but they had their reasons. Anyway I was not concerned because when the gates opened, they opened several at once, and we all went in the gates in a few minutes. Get there early.... I heard about traffic and cars on lines latter in the day but I didn't see them. I was there early. Knowing there are several routes helps. Getting into the parking lot will have to be improved. Single file doesn't cut it. They'll figure that out. But! There are farm wagons/carts with seats pulled by John Deere tractors to get you to the gates. Very cool! Just a little walking. And there are golf carts, if you missed the cattle cart. You can catch a tractor pulled cart to the buses for the offsite parking lots too. The main lot does fill up. The grass fields will be an issue in heavy rains. The path cars carve out gets muddy. The Thursday night rains made parking areas wet but not muddy. The flea market was a bit muddy in the morning but it did work out. I was in the buildings until 12 and then went to the flea market. By then it was dry with no problem walking around, but morning was a bit of a problem. It didn't stop most Btw I found walking on grass in the flea market was a little harder than walking on pavement. . Did I say get there early? Once inside it's Dayton...buildings navigate from one to the other with no difficulty. Two of the buildings I was told, had dirt floors from the poultry and livestock, and they fixed the floors and I could not tell the difference. All was like it had always been. There's not enough monitors to check for Door prizes but they'll fix that too. So you have to find one or remember a favorite, easy to find spot. Mine was Begali Keys. Yup the old man was there with his daughter. No door prizes yet at the Hamvention. But I did win one at the DX dinner. No problem with cell phone service like Hara. I could never get a signal there to call friends. No problem here that I found. There are issues and problems, but the staff people I talked to said they'll get together after the show and make what ever adjustments are needed for next year. They have the deal in place for three years I was told. Reminder, get there early. It's Saturday morning about 8:00. I'll finish my coffee(I'm writing this on my cell phone sitting in the rental car), and go catch the cattle cart and tractor to the entrance...I see my favorite farmer and his tractor putt putting my way. 73, Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sat May 20 08:46:58 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Sat, 20 May 2017 08:46:58 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] P.S. Dayton Message-ID: It's hard to get a cell phone to not change words with Spellcheck hi. Wx today is 55. I forgot that part. Cloudy, so heat is not today's problem. Gates about to open.... Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 21 10:26:42 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Sun, 21 May 2017 10:26:42 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention - Last Blush Message-ID: <5BD9199B-C185-4A70-AE14-BC54E2048CA8@bellsouth.net> It's Sunday morning and I'm waiting my to board my flight to Atlanta. If Friday was one extreme Saturday was the other. It was as cold. I had a light jacket but it was barely adequate at 56 degrees. I survived. Cool air for a Floridian I walked all the paved area of the flea market adjacent to the buildings and then ventured into the center of the race track. Well the late day rains Friday sure made a mess of things for the flea market. The grass where the cars drive an hams walk was in most sections a mud path. You could still walk the edges and that worked. Some dressed for the apocalypse traipsed right down the middle of course. I bumped into lots of SFDXA members notably I stopped at a the booth or trunk of K4DLX and AI4CJ(sort of). I must have been tired, cold lack of coffee or both because my facial recognition wasn't working. I failed to recognize the calls or faces. Sorry John... but I did recognize the rotator. So I walked the flea market avoiding the mud and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some areas were fine and others not. While walking one side if I saw something on the other side that item became geographically undesirable. Too bad for him but my white sneakers were still clean. Mostly. Lots of pictures Cypress in my camera. I bought a HP i7 11" laptop with Windows 7 Pro for $100. I couldn't pass it up. New battery, charger, wifi etc works like a charm. I though I'll go to a food truck for something BBQ, and then inside for a while, when lightning cracked over head and got just got inside when the rains came in a deluge. It didn't last long, but then knew I wasn't going back to the racetrack infield hi. Met lots of old friends and more SFDXA members. I also ran into Dr. Tamitha Skov, the "Space Weather Girl" on YouTube whose reports I've sent to you. I met her the night before after her presentation the night before at Top Band. We talked about that, sunspots and weather, gamma rays and clouds, when Dan K1TO came by and joined our conversation. She is so knowledgeable about her craft. Support her YouTube videos they are fascinating. Dan K1TO offered to help me get a ticket to the Contest Dinner that night. Dan and I had a great time at the dinner. We both won Door prizes and this is was the 25th anniversary so there were 500+ attending. Huge! More than the 450 at the DX dinner, and I won a Door prize there too So watch the weather and plan your day, get there early and remember where you parked your car... and what car your driving. This is really important when it's a rental. I got my cattle cart ride to the right area, walked into a sea of cars and said "what the devil am I driving"? So continually hitting the alarm button and it didn't take too long to find out what I was driving. If you've never been?...GO! 73, Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 21 13:12:08 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (William Marx) Date: Sun, 21 May 2017 13:12:08 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dayton Hamvention - Last Blush In-Reply-To: <5BD9199B-C185-4A70-AE14-BC54E2048CA8@bellsouth.net> References: <5BD9199B-C185-4A70-AE14-BC54E2048CA8@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <37FBE2F6-6900-4152-89E3-A0AAFE003310@bellsouth.net> While I can't say for sure what the attendance was I saw some ticket numbers in the 25,000+ for hourly show prizes at 4 yesterday. So it should be higher than previous years. It was crowded yesterday after the rain the sun came out and people were still coming in. Bill W2CQ AR > On May 21, 2017, at 10:26 AM, William Marx wrote: > > It's Sunday morning and I'm waiting my to board my flight to Atlanta. > > If Friday was one extreme Saturday was the other. It was as cold. I had a light jacket but it was barely adequate at 56 degrees. I survived. Cool air for a Floridian I walked all the paved area of the flea market adjacent to the buildings and then ventured into the center of the race track. > > Well the late day rains Friday sure made a mess of things for the flea market. The grass where the cars drive an hams walk was in most sections a mud path. You could still walk the edges and that worked. Some dressed for the apocalypse traipsed right down the middle of course. > > I bumped into lots of SFDXA members notably I stopped at a the booth or trunk of K4DLX and AI4CJ(sort of). I must have been tired, cold lack of coffee or both because my facial recognition wasn't working. I failed to recognize the calls or faces. Sorry John... but I did recognize the rotator. > > So I walked the flea market avoiding the mud and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some areas were fine and others not. While walking one side if I saw something on the other side that item became geographically undesirable. Too bad for him but my white sneakers were still clean. Mostly. Lots of pictures Cypress in my camera. > > I bought a HP i7 11" laptop with Windows 7 Pro for $100. I couldn't pass it up. New battery, charger, wifi etc works like a charm. > > I though I'll go to a food truck for something BBQ, and then inside for a while, when lightning cracked over head and got just got inside when the rains came in a deluge. It didn't last long, but then knew I wasn't going back to the racetrack infield hi. > > Met lots of old friends and more SFDXA members. I also ran into Dr. Tamitha Skov, the "Space Weather Girl" on YouTube whose reports I've sent to you. I met her the night before after her presentation the night before at Top Band. We talked about that, sunspots and weather, gamma rays and clouds, when Dan K1TO came by and joined our conversation. She is so knowledgeable about her craft. Support her YouTube videos they are fascinating. > > Dan K1TO offered to help me get a ticket to the Contest Dinner that night. Dan and I had a great time at the dinner. We both won Door prizes and this is was the 25th anniversary so there were 500+ attending. Huge! More than the 450 at the DX dinner, and I won a Door prize there too > > So watch the weather and plan your day, get there early and remember where you parked your car... and what car your driving. This is really important when it's a rental. I got my cattle cart ride to the right area, walked into a sea of cars and said "what the devil am I driving"? So continually hitting the alarm button and it didn't take too long to find out what I was driving. > > If you've never been?...GO! > 73, > Bill W2CQ > > > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue May 23 22:20:28 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 23 May 2017 22:20:28 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Missing Issues of Morsum Magnificat Now Available for Free Download In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From Tony N2MFT: Missing Issues of Morsum Magnificat Now Available for Free Download 05/18/2017 All copies of the English-language version of */Morsum Magnificat/*, the Morse Magazine, are now available for *free download* from the website of Lynn Burlingame, N7CFO. This includes the 89 issues published from 1986 to 2004. Mike Feher, N4FS, was able to provide the missing editions, which Randy Cole, KN6W, scanned for viewing. The 89 issues of /Morsum Magnificat/ contain more than 4,000 printed pages, covering all aspects of Morse telegraphy. The newly available downloads also include ?The Story of the Key: The Best of MM-1,? by Louise Ramsey Moreau W3WRE, which includes a list of American telegraph instrument makers from 1837 to 1900, compiled by Roger Reinke. In addition, there?s ?Key WT 8 Amp Worldwide Survey: The Best of MM?2,? by Tony Smith G4FAI, an updated and revised version of the 54-page booklet that provides information about the famous military Morse key, of which more than 100 versions were manufactured in six countries. Also available: /The MM Q & Z Codebook/, (English), compiled by Rinus Hellemons, PA0BFN, and Dick Kraayveld, PA3ALM, publishers of the original Dutch version of/Morsum Magnificat/. The codebook lists all Q & Z codes in their original applications, including a copy of the original single-page Q-code guide of 1912. All copies of /Morsum Magnificat/ or associated publications downloaded from the N7CFO website are for personal use only and may not be downloaded or distributed for any commercial purpose. /? Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio News via Tony Smith, G4FAI, co-founder of the English edition of /Morsum Magnificat http://www.arrl.org/news/missing-issues-of-morsum-magnificat-now-available-for-free-download From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 25 14:55:22 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 25 May 2017 14:55:22 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Direct Hit from Solar Eruption: Solar Storm Forecast May 25, 2017 Message-ID: <1606bf34-c93d-12ce-ad1f-dcecb75a6f4e@bellsouth.net> From my new best friend: Tamitha Skov has uploaded Direct Hit from Solar Eruption: Solar Storm Forecast May 25, 2017 Bill W2CQ The Sun launched a solar storm that is now en route to Earth and expected to hit May 26. Prediction models show the impact should be sometime after noon GMT. This storm is expected to be on the weaker side due to its average speed, but it is possible for aurora to reach mid-latitudes for a short while. GPS/GNSS and amateur radio propagation issues are also expected for several days after impact. The initial storm may be followed by several mini-storms that were launched shortly after the main one so we might see effects lasting over several days. Learn details about the coming storm and how it will affect you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlTZTcplsQU&feature=em-uploademail From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 25 18:59:18 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 25 May 2017 18:59:18 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Hamvention Gets Off to a Promising Start at Its New Venue Message-ID: <0f19f6d4-c76d-40a3-83f5-d923c4e22772@bellsouth.net> From The ARRL Letter: Hamvention Gets Off to a Promising Start at Its New Venue Official attendance numbers are not yet in, but Hamvention? 2017 drew a happy and enthusiastic crowd to its new venue at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center May 19-21 in Xenia, Ohio. The sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) was forced to relocate the event after the dilapidated Hara Arena in Trotwood closed for good last summer. Traffic jams were the order of the day on opening day, however, with those eager to experience Hamvention's first Xenia outing waiting, or up to 2 hours in traffic. Traffic flow smoothed out on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy rain on Saturday didn't dampen spirits, although it made things a bit dicey in the flea market. ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, a Hamvention veteran, gave the show high marks. "Overall, I would give it a 9 out of 10, just due to the [Friday] traffic and some mud," he said. "I had a great time, and I think a large collective sigh of relief went up from everybody that it all worked out as well as it did -- rain and traffic issues notwithstanding." Silver said DARA did "a fantastic job," in moving the show from Trotwood to Xenia. "I look forward to many more years of Hamvention. They saved it with this performance." Silver noted that Hamvention had renamed several of the large halls on site after such notables as Hertz, Tesla, and ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim. "I liked the way they had the buildings clearly labeled," Silver said, "so you could tell who was inside." The ARRL team at ARRL Expo. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] QST Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, felt Hamvention 2017 went well, by and large. "I visited a lot of forums and generally saw very good attendance," she said. She said ARRL's "Ham Radio Makers and Hackers" forum drew a capacity crowd. "Attendees seemed to be pleased with the number and variety of food trucks." But Schoenfeld and others also remarked on the warm and steamy atmosphere in the exhibit halls on Friday; cooler weather made things more comfortable on Saturday and Sunday. The ARRL Expo remained busy throughout the 3-day international gathering, which featured, among other things, a meet-the-author table. Visitors also took the opportunity to meet with League Board members and staffers as well as to stock up on new publications and ARRL Field Day gear. ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] More than 100 turned out for the ARRL Member Forum, where moderator and ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK, encouraged attendees to build something, mentor a young person, become a volunteer examiner, and contribute to Amateur Radio in some meaningful way. Keynote speaker and ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, offered members more information about the revamping of the ARRL Official Observer program, prompted in part by the FCC's closing of several field offices and cutting staff. "We will be retraining OOs," Roderick told the forum. "Instead of focusing on individual offenses by hams, we will focus on patterns of offenses, things that happen routinely. Once we observe and establish a pattern of offenses, then the FCC may become involved." Roderick also talked about possible changes to entry-level licensing, assuring those on hand that a new or revised entry-level license would not be "dumbed down" but redirected toward privileges that the "new generation" of hams actually want. He also challenged forum attendees to approach potential new hams with activities and information that they will find interesting. RBN aggregator software developer Dick Williams, W3OA (left), speaks with HamSCI's Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF. The Hamvention Youth Forum, moderated for her 30th year by Carole Perry, WB2MGP, attracted a large crowd on Saturday morning to hear some of Amateur Radio's best young minds present on a variety of topics. The HamSCI citizen science team reported "a successful weekend" at Hamvention, with a booth in the ARRL Expo area, where they discussed the HamSCI mission, upcoming experiments, and ways ham radio operators could participate in HamSCI activities, including the upcoming Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP). On Saturday, HamSCI presented an ARRL-sponsored forum about HamSCI research and activities. Schoenfeld said Hamventioneers seemed pleased with the choice of cuisine. "Over the course of the weekend, many Hamvention attendees commented on the variety of food choices that had been available, from 'walking tacos' and corn dogs, to pork chop sandwiches and local sausage," she said. The Hamvention flea market. [Photo courtesy of The SWLing Post] Products debuting at Hamvention included the FLEX-6400/6400M and FLEX-6600/6600M from FlexRadio Systems; the KPA1500 1,500 W amplifier from Elecraft; the IC-7610 HF/50 MHz transceiver from Icom; a new line of microphones from INRAD, and new antennas from MFJ, Momobeam, and SteppIR. The August issue of QST will include a roundup of new products. "Xenia was a significant upgrade over Hara Arena," noted contester and Hamvention regular Kirk Pickering, K4RO, told ARRL. He said the large, comfortable forum rooms were far better than those available at Hara Arena. Silver pointed out that the new arrangement meant no "QRM" from adjacent forums. "I really preferred the county fair atmosphere over Hara and am already looking forward to next year," Pickering added. "I felt good about the new venue and think that DARA has found a nice home for Hamvention. Major kudos to DARA for pulling it together." ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, compiled some short GoPro videos: The Faces of 2017 Hamvention and A Walk through 2017 Hamvention. From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 25 19:01:26 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 25 May 2017 19:01:26 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Hamvention Gets Off to a Promising Start at Its New Venue Message-ID: From The ARRL Letter: _Hamvention Gets Off to a Promising Start at Its New Venue_ Official attendance numbers are not yet in, but Hamvention? 2017 drew a happy and enthusiastic crowd to its new venue at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center May 19-21 in Xenia, Ohio. The sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) was forced to relocate the event after the dilapidated Hara Arena in Trotwood closed for good last summer. Traffic jams were the order of the day on opening day, however, with those eager to experience Hamvention's first Xenia outing waiting, or up to 2 hours in traffic. Traffic flow smoothed out on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy rain on Saturday didn't dampen spirits, although it made things a bit dicey in the flea market. ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, a Hamvention veteran, gave the show high marks. "Overall, I would give it a 9 out of 10, just due to the [Friday] traffic and some mud," he said. "I had a great time, and I think a large collective sigh of relief went up from everybody that it all worked out as well as it did -- rain and traffic issues notwithstanding." Silver said DARA did "a fantastic job," in moving the show from Trotwood to Xenia. "I look forward to many more years of Hamvention. They saved it with this performance." Silver noted that Hamvention had renamed several of the large halls on site after such notables as Hertz, Tesla, and ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim. "I liked the way they had the buildings clearly labeled," Silver said, "so you could tell who was inside." The ARRL team at ARRL Expo. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] QST Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, felt Hamvention 2017 went well, by and large. "I visited a lot of forums and generally saw very good attendance," she said. She said ARRL's "Ham Radio Makers and Hackers" forum drew a capacity crowd. "Attendees seemed to be pleased with the number and variety of food trucks." But Schoenfeld and others also remarked on the warm and steamy atmosphere in the exhibit halls on Friday; cooler weather made things more comfortable on Saturday and Sunday. The ARRL Expo remained busy throughout the 3-day international gathering, which featured, among other things, a meet-the-author table. Visitors also took the opportunity to meet with League Board members and staffers as well as to stock up on new publications and ARRL Field Day gear. ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo] More than 100 turned out for the ARRL Member Forum, where moderator and ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK, encouraged attendees to build something, mentor a young person, become a volunteer examiner, and contribute to Amateur Radio in some meaningful way. Keynote speaker and ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, offered members more information about the revamping of the ARRL Official Observer program, prompted in part by the FCC's closing of several field offices and cutting staff. "We will be retraining OOs," Roderick told the forum. "Instead of focusing on individual offenses by hams, we will focus on patterns of offenses, things that happen routinely. Once we observe and establish a pattern of offenses, then the FCC may become involved." Roderick also talked about possible changes to entry-level licensing, assuring those on hand that a new or revised entry-level license would not be "dumbed down" but redirected toward privileges that the "new generation" of hams actually want. He also challenged forum attendees to approach potential new hams with activities and information that they will find interesting. RBN aggregator software developer Dick Williams, W3OA (left), speaks with HamSCI's Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF. The Hamvention Youth Forum, moderated for her 30th year by Carole Perry, WB2MGP, attracted a large crowd on Saturday morning to hear some of Amateur Radio's best young minds present on a variety of topics. The HamSCI citizen science team reported "a successful weekend" at Hamvention, with a booth in the ARRL Expo area, where they discussed the HamSCI mission, upcoming experiments, and ways ham radio operators could participate in HamSCI activities, including the upcoming Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP). On Saturday, HamSCI presented an ARRL-sponsored forum about HamSCI research and activities. Schoenfeld said Hamventioneers seemed pleased with the choice of cuisine. "Over the course of the weekend, many Hamvention attendees commented on the variety of food choices that had been available, from 'walking tacos' and corn dogs, to pork chop sandwiches and local sausage," she said. The Hamvention flea market. [Photo courtesy of The SWLing Post] Products debuting at Hamvention included the FLEX-6400/6400M and FLEX-6600/6600M from FlexRadio Systems; the KPA1500 1,500 W amplifier from Elecraft; the IC-7610 HF/50 MHz transceiver from Icom; a new line of microphones from INRAD, and new antennas from MFJ, Momobeam, and SteppIR. The August issue of QST will include a roundup of new products. "Xenia was a significant upgrade over Hara Arena," noted contester and Hamvention regular Kirk Pickering, K4RO, told ARRL. He said the large, comfortable forum rooms were far better than those available at Hara Arena. Silver pointed out that the new arrangement meant no "QRM" from adjacent forums. "I really preferred the county fair atmosphere over Hara and am already looking forward to next year," Pickering added. "I felt good about the new venue and think that DARA has found a nice home for Hamvention. Major kudos to DARA for pulling it together." ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, compiled some short GoPro videos: The Faces of 2017 Hamvention and A Walk through 2017 Hamvention. From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 26 07:42:37 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 26 May 2017 07:42:37 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Before Twitter and Facebook, there was Morse code: - Washington Post Message-ID: Before Twitter and Facebook, there was Morse code: Remembering social media?s true inventor Before Twitter and Facebook, there was Morse code: Remembering social media?s true inventor By Michael S. Rosenwald May 24 Opera singer Ada Jones using Morse code in 1915. (Library of Congress archives) In late March of 2006, a college dropout named Jack Dorsey finished coding a site for Internet users to post 140-character messages. It was called twttr. Dorsey and his co-founders eventually added vowels to the service, forming Twitter. The name made total sense. ?The definition was ?a short burst of inconsequential information? and ?chirps from birds,? ? Dorsey said. ?And that?s exactly what the product was.? Internet histories record Dorsey?s first tweet as a pivotal moment in the rise of social media. They are wrong. The history of social media began almost two centuries earlier, on May 24, 1844, when Samuel F.B. Morse, a painter-turned-inventor, sent a message from Washington to Baltimore. This is what that message would look like today, typed into the Twitter iPhone app: Back then, Morse wasn?t typing with his thumbs but was instead tapping dots and dashes ?on a device of cogs and coiled wires,? as onehistorian later put it . While the telegraph had been around in idea and rudimentary form, Morse devised a way to use electricity for sending a series of codes signaling letters of the alphabet. None Painter and inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, poses with his hand on the telegraph. (Courtesy of the Kiplinger Washington Collection) Suddenly, the country began shrinking in ways that sound distinctly familiar. ?Telegraph operators could chat with each other by tapping on their keys,? the English journalist Tom Standage wrote in ?Writing on the Wall: Social Media ? the First 2,000 Years.? ?All the operators along the line could hear everything that was transmitted and join in the unofficial banter, in effect occupying a single, shared chat room.? There were early versions of OMG: ?G M? meant ?good morning,? ?S F D,? meant ?stop for dinner.? Standage writes that telegraphers played chess and checkers using Morse code, often becoming friends without ever meeting. ?Romances between operators who met each other online were not unknown,? he wrote. ?Such was the sense of online camaraderie that some operators in remote places preferred to commune with their friends on the wires than with the local people.? Morse?s work foreshadowed our status update world. He is one of the most unlikely inventors in history. Though he studied science at Yale, Morse didn?t see his future in a lab. He wanted to paint. ?I am now released from college, and am attending to painting,? Morse wrote to his parents in 1810. ?I still think that I was made for a painter.? Portraits were his thing. ?My price for profiles is one dollar,? he told his parents, ?and everybody is willing to engage me at that price.? And he was seriously talented, later painting noted portraits of presidents John Adams and James Monroe, inventor Eli Whitney, and even Marquis de Lafayette, the American Revolutionary War icon. /[The mother who made George Washington ? and made him miserable ] / Morse was in Washington painting Lafayette in the winter of 1835 when a letter arrived from his father ? via horse ? saying that his beloved wife Lucretia was ill. The couple had three children. ?My whole soul,? Morse once wrote, was ?wrapped up in her,? how she ?connected all that I expected of happiness on earth.? A day later his father wrote again: Mysterious are the ways of Providence. My heart is in pain and deeply sorrowful, while I announce to you the sudden and unexpected death of your dear and deservedly-loved wife. Her disease proved to be an affection of the heart. ? She was up about five o?clock yesterday afternoon, to have her bed made, as usual; was unusually cheerful and social; spoke of the pleasure of being with her dear husband in New York, ere long; stepped into bed herself; fell back, with a momentary struggle, on her pillow; her eyes were immediately fixed, the paleness of death overspread her countenance, and in five minutes more, without the slightest motion, her mortal life terminated. Lucretia was buried before Morse could arrive home by stagecoach. He was shattered. ?If I had desired any thing in my dear L. different from what she was, it would have been that she had been less lovely,? he wrote to a friend. ?I now feel this void, this desolateness, this loneliness, this heart-sickness.? His heart broken, Morse went on with his painting career, lamenting how he wasn?t able to learn of Lucretia?s illness until she was dead. In 1832, after a painting trip to Europe, Morse returned home by ship, stumbling into a conversation with passengers about Michael Faraday?s electromagnet. If there was one academic subject that interested him at Yale, it was math. ?When Morse came to understand how the electromagnet worked, he speculated that it might be possible to send a coded message over a wire,? according to a Library of Congress history . Morse began experimenting with batteries and wires, but quickly realized his painting career had not prepared him to tinker with electricity. He sought help at University of the City of New York from chemistry professor Leonard D. Gale. It would take them nearly a decade to perfect the technology, which spread rapidly across the country and then to Europe, for use in wars, business, newspapers and so much else before being replaced by telephones, fax machines, computers and Myspace, Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and ? well, ask your teenager what else. Back then, not everyone admired the new form of communication, especially the way Morse code allowed random observations or meaningless thoughts to be quickly shared widely. Standage noted a journalist?s complaint from an 1891 issue of Atlantic Monthly. ?America has in fact transformed journalism from what it once was, the periodical expression of the thought of the time, the opportune record of the questions and answers of contemporary life, into an agency for collecting, condensing and assimilating the trivialities of the entire human existence,? the complaint went. ?The effect is disastrous, and affects the whole range of our mental activities. We develop hurry into a deliberate system ? the pursuit of novelties and sensations into the normal business of life.? _*Full Article With Photos*_ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/05/24/before-there-was-twitter-there-was-morse-code-remembering-social-medias-true-inventor/?utm_term=.e82c85961b24 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 26 12:32:38 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 26 May 2017 12:32:38 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ARRL - WX4NHC Announces Communications Test in Advance of 2017 Hurricane Season Message-ID: WX4NHC Announces Communications Test in Advance of 2017 Hurricane Season 05/26/2017 Now in its 37th year, *WX4NHC* at the National Hurricane Center (*NHC* ) in Miami, will take to the airwaves on Saturday, May 27, for the annual NHC Station Test. The event will begin at 1300 UTC and wrap up at 2100 UTC. The exercise, which involves several bands and modes, serves to test Amateur Radio Station equipment, antennas, and computer systems prior to this year?s Hurricane Season, which starts June 1 and runs through November 30. The annual Station Test is /not/ a contest or simulated hurricane exercise but a practice run for operators to get familiar with Amateur Radio communication modes available during severe weather events. WX4NHC typically uses the annual station test to train its operators. ?We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data exchange ? ?sunny,? ?rain,? etc. ? with any station in any location,? said Assistant WX4NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R Ripoll said WX4NHC will operate on HF, VHF, UHF, 2 meter 30 meter APRS, and available via and *WinLink* (subject line must contain ?//WL2K?). ?We will try to stay on the recognized Hurricane Watch Net frequency of 14.325 MHz most of the time and announce when we QSY,? Ripoll said. Due to space and equipment limitations, WX4NHC will deploy only up to two operators per shift, so the station will not be on every band and mode simultaneously. Ripoll suggested using one of the DX spotting networks, such as such as *DX Summit* , to see where WX4NHC is at any given time. WX4NHC also plans to be on the *VoIP Hurricane Net* from 2000 until 2100 UTC (IRLP node 9219; EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). In addition, the station will be active on South Florida VHF and UHF repeaters. QSL cards are available to participating stations via *WD4R* ; include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Do not send cards to the National Hurricane Center. Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed into the NHC without prior clearance. Only WX4NHC operators on the approved operating schedule will be allowed entry. Full Article: http://www.arrl.org/news/wx4nhc-announces-communications-test-in-advance-of-2017-hurricane-season From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 26 13:54:40 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 26 May 2017 13:54:40 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?Don=E2=80=99t_Cry_for_Har?= =?utf-8?b?YSBBcmVuYSAuLi4h?= Message-ID: Watch W1BXY sing "Don't Cry for Hara Arena." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OKd9pV5W7U From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 26 16:42:50 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 26 May 2017 16:42:50 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] 2017 Dayton HamVention in New Location: Xenia, OH Message-ID: <7463c124-4d5c-0132-1088-56b3323826e4@bellsouth.net> One hams first trip since 1958 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQhB92ppd4 From n8pr at bellsouth.net Fri May 26 21:52:03 2017 From: n8pr at bellsouth.net (AT&T Update) Date: Sat, 27 May 2017 01:52:03 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?Don=E2=80=99t_Cry_for_Har?= =?utf-8?b?YSBBcmVuYSAuLi4h?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2093418882.1045122.1495849923746@mail.yahoo.com> I was there at the Topband Dinner, and she sang that after inner...? very funny ! PeteR N8PR On Friday, May 26, 2017 1:56 PM, Bill wrote: Watch W1BXY sing "Don't Cry for Hara Arena." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OKd9pV5W7U ______________________________________________________________ QCWA69 mailing list SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 31 15:48:25 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 31 May 2017 15:48:25 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for May 31, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170531095819.EDFC72010820@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170531095819.EDFC72010820@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2017-05-31 The ARRL Contest Update May 31, 2017 Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG /Contest Update/ Archive Contest Calendar ARRL Home Page Ad IN THIS ISSUE * New HF Operators: 2017 Contest University Videos <#_581438351486848-NewHF> * Bulletins <#_581438351486848-Bulletins> * Contest Summary <#_581438351486848-ContestSummary> * News: CQ Contest Hall of Fame, Humans Affect Space Weather, HRO is WRTC 2018 Silver Sponsor, and more <#_581438351486848-News> * Word to the Wise: Baud <#_581438351486848-Word> * Sights and Sounds: Hamvention, Contest University, Contest Dinner, and more <#_581438351486848-Sights> * Results <#_581438351486848-Results> * Operating Tip: Increase Your Accuracy to Increase Your Score <#_581438351486848-OperatingTip> * Technical Topics and Information: OTRSP compatible SO2R Switch, HF Amplifier Kit, and more <#_581438351486848-Tech> * Conversation: Powerful Changes <#_581438351486848-Conversation> * Contests <#_581438351486848-LogsDue> * Log Due Dates <#_581438351486848-LogsDue> NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO Take advantage of the contest related video content that has been posted to YouTube , courtesy of ICOM, from the 2017 Contest University. You'll find everything from "Introduction to Contesting" to "A Deep Dive into Stacking Yagis." Check out Ward, N0AX's session 6 :"The Most Bang for the Buck for the Small Station" (it is not titled correctly on YouTube, nor in the initial slide). CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information <#_581438351486848-Contests> for all contests follows the Conversation <#_581438351486848-Conversation> section *June 1* * CWops Mini-CWT Test * NRAU 10m Activity Contest *June 2* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint *June 3* * 10-10 Int. Open Season PSK Contest * PVRC Reunion * DigiFest * Wake-Up! QRP Sprint * SEANET Contest * UKSMG Summer Contest * IARU Region 1 Field Day, CW * RSGB National Field Day * Dutch Kingdom Contest * Alabama QSO Party *June 4* * PVRC Reunion * DigiFest *June 5* * RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data *June 6* * ARS Spartan Sprint *June 7* * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test *June 8* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *June 9* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint * HA3NS Sprint Memorial Contest *June 10* * DRCG WW RTTY Contest * VK Shires Contest * Asia-Pacific Sprint, SSB * Portugal Day Contest * SKCC Weekend Sprintathon * GACW WWSA CW DX Contest * REF DDFM 6m Contest * *ARRL June VHF Contest* *June 11* * DRCG WW RTTY Contest * Cookie Crumble QRP Contest *June 12* * 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint *June 14* * NAQCC CW Sprint * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test * RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW Ad NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST On Saturday, May 20, the annual Contest Dinner featured the induction of two new members into the CQ Contesting Hall of Fame: David Robbins, K1TTT, and Robert Wilson, N6TV. David, K1TTT, 2017 CQ Contest Hall of Fame Inductee, pictured at the K1TTT superstation [Photo by Brian, NJ1F] David is well known and recognized for giving back to the hobby by sharing his knowledge and experiences through his website , various email lists, and his PDF book Building a Superstation . Over the past three decades, he's hosted numerous multi-operator contest efforts for operators of all skill levels, where contesting techniques are shared and honed from his western Massachusetts superstation. Robert Wilson, N6TV, 2017 CQ Contest Hall of Fame Inductee [Photo Courtesy of Rus Healy, K2UA] "TV Bob" Wilson is recognized for his consistent contributions of new techniques and tools for contest logging, SO2R operation, and spotting infrastructure including the Reverse Beacon Network. Bob is a frequent speaker at Contest University and other instructional events. Many of the pictures and video that you see of contest-related gatherings are taken by Bob - he's more often behind the camera than in front of it. A recent scientific paper examined the potential effects that humans have had on space weather . A wide range of influences, including HF and VLF radio transmissions, rocket chemical releases, and high altitude detonation of nuclear devices, were reviewed and the effects considered. One finding is that VLF transmissions may be able to influence the location of Van Allen radio belts , keeping them farther away from Earth, potentially providing a wider sphere of protection against high-energy particles emanating from solar events. (Bill, K6WSC, Dennis, N6KI, and David, WA1OUI) WRTC 2018 has announced that Ham Radio Outlet has become a Silver Sponsor . "Ham Radio Outlet was founded in 1971 by Bob Ferrero, W6RJ (SK)...Bob was one of the early commercial sponsors of the WRTC idea. Following this tradition his son Robert W6KR, has signed the sponsorship agreement to support WRTC 2018 in Germany as a Silver Sponsor." HRO has 15 store locations in the United States as well as a strong online presence. The Central States VHF Society's 2017 conference will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 27-30 at the Sheraton Airport hotel. One of the featured conference activities will be a tour of the NRAO Very Large Array . "Continuing the Conference's tradition of highlighting experimentation, research, design, and construction happening within the VHF/UHF/microwave community, the 2017 Central States VHF Society Conference is seeking presentations, posters, as well as Proceedings papers for this year's event. If you are interested in submitting a presentation or poster at this year's Conference, please email us at presentations at rmham.org . Guidance and important dates for presenters is provided on the 2017 CSVHFS Conference website ." (Brian, N5ZGT) Washington State has a new distracted driving law to discourage use of handheld electronics while operating a motor vehicle. Governor Jay Inslee signed SSB 5289 into law on May 16, 2017. The governor also declared its implementation an emergency, causing the new law to take effect on August 16, 2017. There is an exception for Amateur Radio operators, stating: "Personal electronic device" means any portable electronic device that is capable of wireless communication or electronic data retrieval and is not manufactured primarily for hands-free use in a motor vehicle. "Personal electronic device" includes, but is not limited to, a cell phone, tablet, laptop, two-way messaging device, or electronic game. "Personal electronic device" does not include two-way radio, citizens band radio, or amateur radio equipment." Observation of an Amateur safely using radio gear while operating a vehicle will not alone be cause for issuance of a citation. Observation of unsafe vehicle operation can provide sufficient cause for a distracted driving citation. (Monte, AF7PQ ARRL Western Washington Section Manager) HamSCI , the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, is a platform to promote and publicize the Amateur Radio Service's primary purpose of "continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art." It encourages collaborative opportunities between professional researchers and Amateur Radio operators, and supports projects that align with HamSCI's goals to: * Advance scientific research and understanding through Amateur Radio activities * Encourage the development of new technologies to support this research * Provide educational opportunities for the Amateur community and the general public Though HamSCI doesn't perform research of it's own, or provide operations or funding support, it does support other research programs, such as those funded by organizations like the United States National Science Foundation, primarily by helping to maintain standards and agreements between people and organizations. The first big HamSCI project involves the August 21 Total Solar Eclipse, which will be visible across a large swath of the continental U.S. At the recent Hamvention, the HamSCI team staffed a booth in the ARRL Expo Area, and had a Saturday forum dedicated to their activities. Videos from the forum are on YouTube, and include an overview of HamSCI, presentations on the Solar Eclipse QSO Party, and propagation predictions for the eclipse period. WORD TO THE WISE *Baud*: The number of symbol changes that occur per second in a communications channel. A symbol can be represented by difference of voltage, phase, or frequency. It is named after Baudot, who conceived of the five-bit code used for teletype (TTY). The TTY code is made up of two symbols, ones and zeroes, so the bit rate for TTY is the same as the baud rate. Using Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) are two method of increasing a channel's effective number of bits per second by increasing the number of bits represented by each symbol. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS The Hamvention and coincident Contest University and Four Days in May events finished just over a week ago. Many first-person accounts of the activities that occurred have been blogged, "YouTubed", and "Facebooked", and are available for your enjoyment just by searching. A number of Contest University's sessions on Thursday were live streamed by ICOM. If you missed them, ICOM has already uploaded them to YouTube, and a CTU 2017-specific playlist is available. Dennis, N6KI, particularly recommends the presentation by Rob Sherwood, "Disruptive Technologies, How they Change our Hobby " to understand some of the trends influencing our radios. The Spurious Emissions Band 's performance on Friday evening has its own YouTube Channel. Bob, N6TV, videographer, recommends Becky, W1BXY's solo performance of "Don't Cry for Hara Arena. " Don't forget that the lyrics to each song are found in the Description section of each video. Joe, K0NEB put has put together a 2017 Hamvention video collage , including photos of the DARA annual award winners. (Ward, N0AX) Ad RESULTS AND RECORDS The results of the 2017 Seventh Area QSO Party (7QP) are on the 7QP website . Certificates will be forthcoming over the next few days, plaques will arrive for the winners over the next four weeks. The results of the 2017 Helvetia Contest are available . The comprehensive results write-up noted that the number of entries increased by 60% over 2016, attributed by the contest sponsors to a change of the contest rules to allow any station to contact any other station. Contest Sponsors also noted that some logs were submitted containing no contacts with Swiss Amateurs. (Dominik, HB9CZF) The results of the 2016 Oceania DX Contest have been published on the OCDX website . Despite poor conditions for the SSB segment, and high QRN in the South Pacific during the CW segment, there was an increase in the number of logs submitted versus 2015. Twenty-six new continent records and 144 new country records were set in 2016, despite the challenging conditions. One highlight of the contest was a contest-within-a-contest for Indonesian contesting newbies sponsored by Indonesian Elmers. Newcomers had the opportunity to earn a T-shirt. The 2017 contest occurs on October 7-8 (Phone) and October 14-15 (CW). OPERATING TIP *Increase Your Accuracy to Increase Your Score* In some contests, logging a contact incorrectly can be costly! You'll be penalized for the contact that was mis-logged, and some contest rules will penalize up to three additional contacts. Strive for an error rate of less than one percent. Some things you can do to log contacts more correctly include: * Copy entire calls at once * Log what is copied, not what a database tells you or fills in for you * Know your 'Kryptonite' copying weaknesses, and be vigilant * Analyze how others miscopied your call/exchange, take appropriate action * No guessing of callsigns or exchanges TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION Ash, KF5EYY, has shared his design of an Arduino-based SO2R controller and 6x2 Antenna Switch compatible with the Open Two Radio Switching Protocol (OTRSP). By supporting the OTRSP protocol, it's compatible with logging programs that use support OTRSP for SO2R radio control, such as Win-Test , DXLog , and N1MM Logger+ . Some Internet-connected televisions supporting the DVB-T standard (used outside the US) may be vulnerable to hacking by a malicious payload arriving via the DVB-T receiver. In a proof of concept , a malicious over-the-air signal was able to overwhelm the normal received signal, and the television was instructed to retrieve a firmware update from a malicious website. The specifically crafted firmware had access to the all of TV's resources. Carbon nanotubes were used to fabricate a Tellurium wire one atom in thickness. By constraining the Tellurium to one atom of thickness, it exhibited characteristics of a metal, versus its normal semiconductor properties. Called Extreme Nanowires (ENs), these may find application as semiconductor devices continue to shrink in size. (Dennis, N6KI) RF-KIT , a firm based in Germany, was exhibiting a legal-limit HF Amplifier Kit at the Hamvention. The unit on display was using two LDMOS power devices and sported a 7" color touchscreen for amplifier control and status. The kit includes everything necessary to build the amplifier except the Raspberry Pi 3 CPU, and three fans. The company's literature states that it can be built in less than a day. HobbyPCB , makers of the HARDROCK-50 HF Amplifier, were showing an RF Wattmeter Shield for the Arduino at Xenia. The shield itself is capable of measuring 0.1mW - 2W, and could be a useful component in automated monitoring of your station. Ad CONVERSATION Powerful Changes One reflection from attending the Hamvention last week was that it was a year of changes. The venue change was a positive one, and executed well by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. Getting the outdoor market better prepared for all types of May weather would make it just about perfect. Rob Sherwood's talk at Contest University about the success of the ICOM 7300 hinted at some potential big changes in HF radio buying behavior. According to his talk, it's estimated that over eleven thousand 7300s have been sold in a year. Those sales figures, if true, in a "ham-radio-is-declining" market are spectacular. Perhaps it will encourage the introduction of other innovative gear. There were a number of announcements of LDMOS transistor based high-power HF amplifiers, and a few are already shipping at prices mostly competitive with tube amplifiers. The availability of inexpensive, rugged, LDMOS devices may be due in part to their use in number of new high-volume applications such as microwave ovens, lighting, and even clothes dryers. How soon will it be that we'll see high power LDMOS amplifiers and ever smaller, feature packed rigs integrated into a single-box legal-limit HF rig? That's all for this time. Remember to send contesting related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update at arrl.org 73, Brian N9ADG CONTESTS *1 Jun - 14 Jun 2017* An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. *HF CONTESTS* CWops Mini-CWT Test , May 31, 1300z to May 31, 1400z, May 31, 1900z to May 31, 2000z, Jun 1, 0300z to Jun 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: June 3. NRAU 10m Activity Contest , Jun 1, 1700z to Jun 1, 1800z (CW), Jun 1, 1800z to Jun 1, 1900z (SSB), Jun 1, 1900z to Jun 1, 2000z (FM), Jun 1, 2000z to Jun 1, 2100z (Dig); CW, SSB, FM, Digital; Bands: 10m Only; RS(T) + 6-character grid square; Logs due: June 15. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Jun 2, 0145z to Jun 2, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 4. NCCC Sprint , Jun 2, 0230z to Jun 2, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 4. 10-10 Int. Open Season PSK Contest , Jun 3, 0000z to Jun 5, 0000z; PSK31; Bands: 10m Only; Name + (state/province/country) + organization membership numbers; Logs due: June 19. PVRC Reunion , Jun 3, 0000z to Jun 3, 0400z (CW), Jun 4, 0000z to Jun 4, 0400z (SSB); CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; PVRC Member: 1st year of membership + name + QTH + callsign when joined PVRC, non-Member: name + QTH; Logs due: June 17. DigiFest , Jun 3, 0400z to Jun 3, 1200z, Jun 3, 2000z to Jun 4, 0400z, Jun 4, 1200z to Jun 4, 2000z; RTTY75, BPSK63, MFSK16, HELLSCHREIBER, OLIVIA; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + 4-character grid square; Logs due: June 11. Wake-Up! QRP Sprint , Jun 3, 0600z to Jun 3, 0629z, Jun 3, 0630z to Jun 3, 0659z, Jun 3, 0700z to Jun 3, 0729z, Jun 3, 0730z to Jun 3, 0800z; CW; Bands: 40, 20m; RST + Serial No. + suffix of previous QSO ("QRP" for 1st QSO); Logs due: June 10. SEANET Contest , Jun 3, 1200z to Jun 4, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: July 4. IARU Region 1 Field Day, CW , Jun 3, 1500z to Jun 4, 1459z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 19. RSGB National Field Day , Jun 3, 1500z to Jun 4, 1500z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 9. Dutch Kingdom Contest , Jun 3, 1500z to Jun 4, 1500z; CW, SSB; Bands: 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: June 11. Alabama QSO Party , Jun 3, 1600z to Jun 4, 0400z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; AL: RS(T) + County, non-AL: RS(T) + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: July 3. RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data , Jun 5, 1900z to Jun 5, 2030z; RTTY, PSK; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 6. ARS Spartan Sprint , Jun 6, 0100z to Jun 6, 0300z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Power; Logs due: June 8. Phone Fray , Jun 7, 0230z to Jun 7, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: June 9. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Jun 7, 1300z to Jun 7, 1400z, Jun 7, 1900z to Jun 7, 2000z, Jun 8, 0300z to Jun 8, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: June 10. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Jun 9, 0145z to Jun 9, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 11. NCCC Sprint , Jun 9, 0230z to Jun 9, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 11. HA3NS Sprint Memorial Contest , Jun 9, 1900z to Jun 9, 1929z (40m), Jun 9, 1930z to Jun 9, 1959z (80m); CW; Bands: 80, 40m; HACWG Members: RST + Membership No., non-Members: RST + NM; Logs due: June 24. DRCG WW RTTY Contest , Jun 10, 0000z to Jun 10, 0759z, Jun 10, 1600z to Jun 10, 2359z, Jun 11, 0800z to Jun 11, 1559z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + CQ Zone; Logs due: June 18. VK Shires Contest , Jun 10, 0600z to Jun 11, 0600z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; VK: RS(T) + Shire, non-VK: RS(T) + CQ Zone; Logs due: July 1. Asia-Pacific Sprint, SSB , Jun 10, 1100z to Jun 10, 1300z; SSB; Bands: 20, 15m; RS + Serial No.; Logs due: June 17. Portugal Day Contest , Jun 10, 1200z to Jun 11, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; CT: RS(T) + District, non-CT: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: September 1. SKCC Weekend Sprintathon , Jun 10, 1200z to Jun 12, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: June 18. GACW WWSA CW DX Contest , Jun 10, 1500z to Jun 11, 1500z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + CQ Zone No.; Logs due: July 30. Cookie Crumble QRP Contest , Jun 11, 1700z to Jun 11, 2200z; All; Bands: All, except WARC; RS(T) + (state/province/country) + cookie no. + name; Logs due: July 31. 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint , Jun 12, 0000z to Jun 12, 0200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: RS(T) + (State/Province/Country) + Member No., Non-member: RS(T) + (State/Province/Country) + Power; Logs due: June 30. NAQCC CW Sprint , Jun 14, 0030z to Jun 14, 0230z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; RST + (state/province/country) + (NAQCC No./power); Logs due: June 18. Phone Fray , Jun 14, 0230z to Jun 14, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: June 16. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Jun 14, 1300z to Jun 14, 1400z, Jun 14, 1900z to Jun 14, 2000z, Jun 15, 0300z to Jun 15, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: June 17. RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW , Jun 14, 1900z to Jun 14, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: June 15. *VHF+ CONTESTS* UKSMG Summer Contest , Jun 3, 1300z to Jun 4, 1300z; not specified; Bands: 6m Only; RST + Serial No. + 6-character grid square + (optional UKSMG member no.); Logs due: July 1. *ARRL June VHF Contest* *, Jun 10, 1800z to Jun 12, 0259z; All; Bands: 50 MHz and up; 4-character grid square; Logs due: July 12.* REF DDFM 6m Contest , Jun 10, 1600z to Jun 11, 1600z; CW, SSB, FM; Bands: 6m Only; RS(T) + Serial No. + 4-character grid square; Logs due: June 19. Also see SKCC Weekend Sprintathon , above. LOG DUE DATES *June 1, 2017* * Indiana QSO Party * QRP to the Field *June 2, 2017* * CQ WW WPX Contest, CW * Phone Fray *June 3, 2017* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *June 4, 2017* * NCCC Sprint * SARL Digital Contest * NCCC RTTY Sprint * UN DX Contest * WAB 7 MHz Phone * Portuguese Navy Day Contest *June 5, 2017* * His Maj. King of Spain Contest, CW * FISTS Spring Slow Speed Sprint *June 6, 2017* * New England QSO Party * Delaware QSO Party * SBMS 2.3 GHz and Up Contest and Club Challenge * F9AA Cup, PSK *June 9, 2017* * RSGB National Field Day * Slobozhansky Sprint Contest *June 10, 2017* * Baltic Contest * Wake-Up! QRP Sprint *June 11, 2017* * QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint * Dutch Kingdom Contest *June 12, 2017* * FISTS Spring Unlimited Sprint *June 14, 2017* * CQ-M International DX Contest * UA2 QSO Party ARRL Information Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information *Join or Renew Today!* ** ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. Subscribe to /NCJ/ - the National Contest Journal . Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to /QEX/ - A Forum for Communications Experimenters . Published bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. /Free of charge to ARRL members:/ Subscribe to The ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! /ARRL offers a wide array of //products/ //to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- /support programs not funded by member dues!/ Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission at arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar . Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Contest Update is published every other Wednesday (26 times each year). ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/. Copyright ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 31 18:51:28 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 31 May 2017 18:51:28 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] A Message from Jeff In-Reply-To: <20170531224041.3339E20310ED@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170531224041.3339E20310ED@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <67f98207-a425-a403-90fb-0b0967a909db@bellsouth.net> Greetings to all, June 1st marks the beginning of the Atlantic Hurricane season. WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center conducted their annual station test on May 27th. This should signal to all of us to prepare for what might come our way this season. As the Florida DEM often reminds us, ?Get A Plan? And sign up with your local ARES group to provide the needed communications support for our communities. Our SFL ARES leadership team met on May 27th at the Palm Beach County Red Cross Chapter house in W. Palm Beach for their annual pre-season meeting. 17 ECs and AECs representing 8 SFL counties participated in the lively session conducted by SFL SEC Larry Zimmer, W4LWZ and ASEC Barry Porter, KB1PA. Gold Coast DEC Charlie Benn, WB2SNN and SM Jeff, WA4AW rounded out the presenters at the meeting. Our thanks to my XYL Myra, K3PGH for preparing the continental breakfast served before the meeting and the Red Cross for our afternoon snacks. At the May 10th South Florida DX Association meeting held at the Ed and Joanne Dauer Classic Car Museum in Ft. Lauderdale, SFL SM Jeff Beals, WA4AW, presented co-authors Kai Siwiak, KE4PT and Rich Quick, W4RQ with the March 2017 QST Cover Plaque Award for their article ?Does Your Antenna Need a Choke or Balun?? Congratulations, Kai and Rich !! Important Notice ? New MF and LF Bands are Not Yet Available to Use! The new 630-meter and 2200-meter bands are not yet available for Amateur Radio use. The effective date of the recent FCC Report & Order (R&O) granting these allocations has not yet been determined, and until the start date has been set, it is not legal under an Amateur Radio license to transmit on either band. The fact that the new rules contain a new information-collection requirement ? notification of operation to the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) ? complicates the matter of determining an effective date. According to the FCC R&O, the Office of Management and Budget (under the Paperwork Reduction Act) must first approve the information-collection requirements in ?97.303(g)(2), which must be in place before radio amateurs can use the new bands. Once that happens, the FCC will publish a notice in The Federal Register ?announcing such approval and the relevant effective date.? ARRL will announce the UTC notification procedures and the effective date to use these new bands as soon as these are known. June events in the SFL Section: June 6th- The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners proclaims ?Amateur Radio Week? during the week of June 19-25, 2017. PBC ARES and club representatives have been invited to receive the proclamation at the June board meeting. Proclamations have also been received from the cities of Belle Glade, Delray Beach, Mangonia Park, Wellington and West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County. If your club or ARES group has requested and received local proclamations, please let me know. June 18th- Kids Day Kids Day is designed to give on-the-air experience to youngsters and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children. For more info, please visit http://www.arrl.org/kids-day June 24th & 25h- ARRL Field Day- Field Day is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations. Many clubs around the section will be participating. Find the club nearest to you with the Field Day Station Locator- www.arrl.org/field-day-locator ASM Barry, KB1PA and SM Jeff will be on the annual SFL Field Day Tour during the weekend and will be using the FD Locator to plan our visits, so please list your club event on the locator map Have fun, be safe and look for you during FD weekend. For more info on Field Day, please visit http://www.arrl.org/field-day FCC Personal Radio Service Revisions Will Affect GMRS, FRS, CB, Other Part 95 Devices In a lengthy Report and Order (R&O) in a proceeding (WT Docket No. 10-119) dating back 7 years, the FCC has announced rule changes affecting the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), the Family Radio Service (FRS), the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS or ?CB?), as well as other applications that fall under the FCC?s Part 95 Personal Radio Services (PRS) rules and regulations. Part 95 devices typically are low-power units that communicate over shared spectrum and, with some exceptions, do not require an individual user license from the FCC. As the R&O explains, common examples of PRS devices include ?walkie-talkies;? radio-control cars, boats, and planes; hearing assistance devices; CB radios; medical implant devices; and Personal Locator Beacons. ?This draft Report and Order completes a thorough review of the PRS rules in order to modernize them, remove outdated requirements, and reorganize them to make it easier to find information,? the FCC said in a summary attached to the R&O. ?As a result of this effort, the rules will become consistent, clear, and concise.? GMRS and FRS devices are used for personal communication over several miles; compact FRS handhelds, often sold in pairs, are widely available. While GMRS and FRS share spectrum, GMRS provides for greater communications range and requires an FCC license; FRS does not. ?The rules will increase the number of communications channels for both GMRS and FRS, expand digital capabilities to GMRS (currently allowed for FRS), and increase the power/range for certain FRS channels to meet consumer demands for longer range communications (while maintaining higher power capabilities for licensed GMRS),? the FCC explained. The amended rules eventually will eliminate combination FRS/GMRS radios for the most part, but allow up to 2 W PEP output for FRS transceivers. ?[M]any current users of GMRS/FRS combination radios do not obtain licenses to operate over the GMRS frequencies in those radios,? the FCC said. ?Much of this problem likely arises as a result of the mass consumer marketing of combination devices for sale to the public in large quantities to users who do not know about or do not understand the licensing requirements attached to such radios and obligations associated with operating in the GMRS.? The FCC said it no longer will certify FRS devices that incorporate GMRS capabilities or capabilities of other services. Existing GMRS/FRS combination radios that operate at power levels of less than 2 W ERP will be reclassified as FRS devices; existing GMRS/FRS radios that operate above that power level will be reclassified as GMRS devices, requiring an individual license. Radios that can transmit on GMRS repeater input channels will continue to be licensed individually and not by rule. ?We believe the 2 W limit for FRS is appropriate, because many of the existing combination GMRS/FRS radios already operate under that level with no significant complaints about interference or other problems, and it provides a reasonable balance between the desire for increased range over the prior FRS power levels and battery life,? the FCC said. The FCC said changes to the decades-old Citizens Band (CB) rules will remove outdated requirements, including certain labeling requirements. DXing on Citizens Band will become legal too. Once the new rules are effective, CBers will be allowed to contact stations outside of the FCC-imposed ? but widely disregarded ? 155.3-mile distance limit. The revised CB rules further clarify how hands-free devices can be used with CB radios and will allow the use of wireless microphones with CB radios. ?We find the record persuasive regarding the consumer demand for this feature, and it will promote safety on the highways by reducing driver distraction for those using CB [radios],? the FCC said. The FCC left in place the current power limits for the CB Radio Service. The rule changes will phase out the use of voice-scrambling or ?obscuring? features in all Part 95 devices, and it will ultimately prohibit manufacture, importation, or sale of any devices incorporating such features, ?regardless of whether the Commission has previously certified that radio.? Overall, the FCC said, its action ?achieves a thorough review of Part 95 rules and creates a new rule structure where common administrative rules are consolidated to reduce duplication, and individual subparts are structured with a common numbering scheme.? The FCC said the changes remove ?outdated and unnecessary rules, while clarifying others.? Most of the new Part 95 rules will become effective 30 days after their publication in The Federal Register. Midway and Kure Islands Reinstated as DXCC Entities On March 31, 2017, the DXCC desk announced the deletion of Midway Island and Kure Island from the DXCC entities list. The stated reason for this action was because of changes in the administration resulting from changes in Papah?naumoku?kea Marine National Monument, formerly known as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, of which the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and the Battle of Midway National Memorial, the Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands State Marine Refuge, of which they are all included. After further review it has been found that the deletion of these two entities is not supported by the changes that were made to the relevant administrations. Therefore, the deletions from the DXCC list should not have occurred and the two entities, Midway Island KH4 and Kure Island KH7K, will return to the DXCC list as separate entities. Updated ARRL ?US Amateur Radio Bands? Charts Now Available ARRL has revised and updated its ?US Amateur Radio Bands? charts, and these now are available for download. These are PDF documents, available in color or grayscale presentations. The revised charts reflect the new 630- and 2,200-meter bands, but also emphasize that these bands are not yet available for Amateur Radio use. The effective date of the recent FCC Report & Order granting these allocations has not yet been determined, and until the start date has been set, it is not legal under an Amateur Radio license to transmit on either band. The FCC will publish a notice in The Federal Register ?announcing such approval and the relevant effective date.? ARRL will announce the UTC notification procedures and the effective date to use these new bands as soon as these are known. ARRL will update the Amateur Radio frequency charts at that time. These reference guides are available for purchase in 11 ? 17 and 8.5 ? 11 formats in packs of 50 from the ARRL Store. Both include an ARRL Worked All States (WAS) map on the reverse side. Some comments from ASM Barry, KB1PA I have been doing a lot of observing, listening and learning lately. There are 17,750 Licensed Amateur Radio Operators in the Southern Florida Section. The general public and many government officials view us as elderly members of an archaic hobby that uses outdated equipment, and whose members are physically unable to assist if called upon. We are seen as a liability. My conclusion, we have a serious image problem. When we interact with non hams, we need to show off modern high tech amateur radio. We need to open our minds and learn how to use new radio tools to keep up with the times and prove we are still a relevant hobby and service. We need to actively recruit younger hams and warmly welcome the newcomers to our hobby. They are our future. This along with many other topics will be discussed at the Annual ARES meeting at the end of May. Jeff and I will be making the annual Field Day tour in a few weeks (yikes its coming fast). I suspect this years Field Day is going to be very challenging with propagation being a big problem. I look forward to meeting everyone, seeing what kind of interesting antennas are being used and listening to your ideas and feedback. Please stay positive and promote our wonderful hobby. April ARES report from ASEC Barry, KB1PA Total number of ARES members: 401 Change since last month (+, -, same): +2 Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 7 Number of ARES nets active: 19 Number of nets with NTS liaison: 2 Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: K4BH, K1UQE, WA4ASJ, W9GPI. WW4RX, N4ZIQ, KM4EDR Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 20 Person hours: 275.5 Number of public service events this month: 3 Person hours: 45 Number of emergency operations this month: 0 Person Hours: 0 Total number of ARES operations this month: 29 Total Person hours: 365.5 Comments: No reports received from Brevard, Glades, Hendry, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee Counties April Traffic report from STM Ed, W2PH SAR - April 2017 SAR WA4BAM ? W9GPI 7 KR4ST 4 NT4TS 5 W4ZE 16 W2PH 59 KE4CB 40 W4CMH 18 KM4WNF 12 K4R4ST 4 K9GZT 4 KR4PI 5 NT4TS 5 KM4OWA 2 W2PAX 1 PSHR - April 2017 PSHR WA4BAM ? KE4CB 95 W2PH 130 NETS - April 2017 Net Information All Florida CW Net (QFN) Manager: WA4BAM QNI ? QTC ? QND ? SESSIONS ? Florida Med Speed Net (FMSN) Manager: AG4RJ/AB4XK QNI ? QTC ? QND ? SESSIONS ? SE Florida Tfc Net (SEFTN) Manager: KD4ZFW QNI 517 QTC 43 QND 1039 SESSIONS 27 SW Florida Traffic Net (SWFTN) Manager: KE4CB/N9WS QNI 466 QTC 75 QND ? SESSIONS 26 Tropical Fast Net (TFN) Manager: W2PH QNI 392 QTC 140 QND 451 SESSIONS 30 Well, I guess that?s about it for now. My thanks for all that you do for Amateur Radio. Get on the air, Elmer a new ham, support your local club and ARES group but most of all, have fun. Vy 73, Jeff, WA4AW -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southern Florida Section Section Manager: Jeff Beals, WA4AW wa4aw at arrl.org --------------------------------------------------------------------