Tag Archives: activation

OPERATING TIP

Posted on by
Reply

OPERATING TIP

CQ WW RTTY Director, Ed WØYK, shares the log submission issues experienced by all contest sponsors. “It is apparent that many people do not read the robot email reply they receive. At the bottom of that email, the robot lists the format errors in the log. If you don’t understand what the robot is telling you, then simply compare that specific QSO line with the format specified on the Logs web page. The problem should be obvious.

“Major logging programs like Win-Test, N1MM Logger and WriteLog all create compliant Cabrillo files … IF you enter your data correctly. For example, if you enter your sent exchange as ‘CA 03′ in N1MM Logger (which is backwards from the required order for CQ WW RTTY), it will come out in that (incorrect) order in the Cabrillo file.

“You can easily edit your Cabrillo file with a text editor. Since is it common to add, change or move the same parameter field in every QSO line, a column editor is invaluable. I recommend the freeware Crimson Editor.”

So read that robot message! If it tells you there is something wrong with your log – do something about it and resubmit it. Double- and triple-check your operating category and all of the information for your station. Once you have a happy robot and you are a happy log submitter – save the confirming message in an easy-to-find location. My email software has a folder named “Contest Log Submissions” for all of my log submission confirmation messages. It’s easy and helps avoid the dreaded “forgot to send in my log” disease.

DX Bulletin 43

Posted on by
Reply

This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by NC1L, W3UR, QRZ DX, The Weekly DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

ZAMBIA, 9J.  Gert, ZS6AYU is QRV as 9J2GR from the Mama Out of Africa lodge at the Zambezi river near Livingstone until October 22.
Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW.  Continue reading →

DX Bulletin 42

Posted on by
1

ARLD042 DX news

This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by NC1L, W3UR, QRZ DX, The Weekly DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

RODRIGUES ISLAND, 3B9.  A group of operators will be QRV as 3B9SP from October 16 to 23.  Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK with three stations active.  QSL via HB9ACA.

NIGER, 5U.  Stations 5U5U, 5U6E and 5U8NK are QRV Continue reading →

SOTA jerks are on the road again

Posted on by
2

(In a deep loud voice) SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY September 30th 2012 the jerks are heading out to a place unactivated.  That’s right,  We are heading to Burley Hill W1/MR-002.  Showtime will be 1600Z.  Modes CW, FM, SSB, and new to this activation PSK31.  Frequencies 7.034, 14.061 CW 7.190, 21.333, 14.3425 SSB depending on propagation, look for us on 10 meters also 146.52 – FM.

All Hams are invited to make contacts FREE of charge

There will be no tickets at Ticketmaster or the box office.

CONTESTS 26 September through 9 October

Posted on by
Reply

 

CONTESTS

26 September through 9 October

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

SKCC Straight Key Sprint–CW from Sep 26, 0000Z to Sep 26, 0200Z. Monthly on the 4th Wednesday UTC. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, SKCC nr or power. Logs due: 5 days. Rules

CQ WW RTTY Contest–Digital from Sep 29, 0000Z to Sep 30, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, CQ zone and State/VE area (US/VE). Logs due: Nov 1. Rules

Texas QSO Party–Phone,CW,Digital from Sep 29, 1400Z (multiple operating periods, see website). Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144, Frequencies (MHz): CW–20 to 50 kHz above band edge; Phone–25 kHz above edge of General segment. Exchange: RS(T), county or S/P/C. Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

ARS Spartan Sprint–CW from Oct 2, 0200Z to Oct 2, 0400Z. Monthly on the first Monday evening local time. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, and power. Logs due: 2 days. Rules

OK1WC Memorial Contest–Phone,CW from Oct 2, 1600Z (see website). First through fourth Monday of each month. Bands (MHz): 3.5, 50, 144, see website for bands. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 7 days. Rules http://www.hamradio.cz/ok1wc

SNS and NS Weekly Sprints–CW,Digital from Oct 5, 0200Z to Oct 5, 0300Z. Weekly on Thursday evenings local time. Bands (MHz): 1.8-14. Exchange: Serial, name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 2 days. Rules

DX/NA YLRL Anniversary Party–Phone,CW,Digital from Oct 5, 1400Z to Oct 7, 0200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: Serial, RST, and section/province/country. Logs due: 30 days. Rules

PSK Rumble – The Fall Classic–Digital from Oct 6, 0000Z to Oct 6, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: Name and call area (see website). Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

Worked All Provinces of China–Phone,CW from Oct 6, 0000Z to Oct 6, 2359Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T) and serial or province abbreviation. Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

EPC Russia DX Contest–Digital from Oct 6, 0400Z to Oct 7, 0359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: EPC member nr or serial and grid square. Logs due: Oct 22. Rules

Oceania DX Phone Contest–Phone from Oct 6, 0800Z to Oct 7, 0800Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS and serial. Logs due: Nov 7. Rules

Worked All Britain HF Contest–Phone from Oct 6, 1200Z to Oct 7, 1200Z. Bands (MHz): 14-28. Exchange: RS, serial, DXCC entity or WAB area. Logs due: Oct 28. Rules

California QSO Party–Phone,CW from Oct 6, 1600Z to Oct 7, 2200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: Serial and state/prov/”DX” or CA county. Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

EU Autumn Sprint–Phone from Oct 6, 1600Z to Oct 6, 1959Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-14. Exchange: Both call signs, serial, name. Logs due: 15 days. Rules

RSGB 21/28 MHz Contest–Phone,CW from Oct 7, 0700Z to Oct 7, 1900Z. Bands (MHz): 21,28. Exchange: Serial and UK district. Logs due: Oct 22. Rules

VHF+ CONTESTS

ARRL EME Contest–Phone,CW,Digital from Oct 6, 0000Z to Oct 7, 2359Z. Bands (MHz): 2.3G+. Exchange: Call signs, sig rpt, acknowledgement. Logs due: Jan 1. Rules

902 MHz Fall VHF Sprint–Phone,CW,Digital from Sep 29, 7 AM to Sep 29, 1 PM. Bands (MHz): 902+. Exchange: 6-character grid locator. Logs due: 4 weeks. Rules

432 MHz Fall VHF Sprint–Phone,CW,Digital from Oct 3, 7 PM to Oct 3, 11 PM. Bands (MHz): 432. Exchange: 4-character grid square. Logs due: 4 weeks. Rules

Texas QSO Party–Phone,CW,Digital from Sep 29, 1400Z (multiple operating periods, see website). Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144, Frequencies (MHz): CW–20 to 50 kHz above band edge; Phone–25 kHz above edge of General segment. Exchange: RS(T), county or S/P/C. Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

OK1WC Memorial Contest–Phone,CW from Oct 2, 1600Z (see website). First through fourth Monday of each month. Bands (MHz): 3.5, 50, 144, see website for bands. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 7 days. Rules

PSK Rumble – The Fall Classic–Digital from Oct 6, 0000Z to Oct 6, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: Name and call area (see website). Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

California QSO Party–Phone,CW from Oct 6, 1600Z to Oct 7, 2200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: Serial and state/prov/”DX” or CA county. Logs due: Oct 31. Rules

LOG DUE DATES

26 September through 9 October

 

SOTA Jerks head to the ‘dacks!

Posted on by
2

Frandy/N1FJ and I will be heading to the high peaks of the Adirondacks to activate a few mountains for SOTA. We will activate Whiteface Mountain Monday afternoon then meet up with Dennis/WA2USA Monday evening. The three of us will attempt summits on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning before returning to our respective homes.

Dennis, one of the US’s top chasers, is also an activator and very knowledgeable of the area, We’re looking forward to him lending expertise to the ‘Jerks’ and keep us from becoming an item on the 11 PM news! It will be a pleasure to meet Dennis in person for an eyeball QSO after all the contacts we’ve made over the air.

Tomorrow, Monday the 10th Dennis will be activating Cascade Mountain, W2/GA-010 and Frandy and I will be activating Whiteface Mountian, W2/GA-003. Check SOTAwatch for the specific times/frequencies.

We’ll be taking some pictures and will get them up on the website soon. Most likely when we return. Internet connectivity is pretty spotty in the ‘dacks!

So, if you have a moment check the spots and give us a shout if you’re by a rig.

’73 for now,
Frandy & Jim

Activating Crag Mountain, Northfield, Mass.

Posted on by
2

Around midnight on Friday (Aug. 31) night Jim/KK1W emailed me that he, Nick/K1MAZ and John/Kx1x would be activating Prospect Hill the next day. I had already activated Prospect Hill this year, so I decided to do Crag Hill in Northfield and snag a sure S2S (Summit to Summit). Jim was going to use NE1SJ so I used my own call. Nick and John used primarily NE1C, the Venture Crew’s call. (You can see their posting on this Group site from a few days ago.)

I set up a segmented 20/40 meter dipole, supported in the center by my new Jackite Pole at about the 20 foot level. On 40 cw, I got on and called cq and worked Boston & Maryland. Then I spotted an alert and put 8 more in the log, including NE1SJ and K1MAZ (on cw!). Then I switched to 20 meter cw (being lazy, I discovered that the KX3 tuned the 40 meter dipole fine on 20 meters). Sent an alert on SOTA, and 10 quick QSOs. Got briefly unlazy, and removed the jumpers to make the antenna a 20 meter dipole. 2 more contacts. Switched to 15 meter cw, reverted to being lazy and the KX3 tuned 15 meters fine on the 20 meter dipole. 14 Qs on 15. Then back to 20 cw for a few more. Recap: 41 QSOs, 2 S2S.

Conditions were good, weather ideal. The view of Northfield Mountain was great. The KX3 performed well. A 2.6 Ah LiPo battery weighing 8 ounces powered the KX3 for the entire operation, with room to spare. The segmented dipole is a pain to change singlehandedly, thinking of making a trap dipole and/or experiment more with an end-fed wire.

Frandy, N1FJ

NE1C SOTA Activation Review – September 1, 2012 – Prospect Hill

Posted on by
1

Nick (K1MAZ) and I, along with Jim (NE1SJ/KK1W) made the trek to Prospect Hill, MA (near Athol) for a SOTA (Summits on the Air) activation.  Great weather and great propagation made for a perfect day!!!

We hung a mini-G5RV from the fire tower (up about 80′ sloping to a tree branch).  We used KK1W’s FT100 to make contacts using 55w and mini-G on 20m, 15m, and 10m SSB.  We used the FT817 and the mini-G to make PSK31 contacts (yeah, 5w) on 20m.

We also used a home-made “tape-measure” 2m beam to work a few local contacts on 146.52.  If you’ve taken 146.52 out of your scanning sequence, you might consider putting it back in, especially on weekends when local hams may be looking to make a contact with you.

Stay tuned for more NE1C activations, coming soon!  Thanks for all of you that we contacted today, and all we’ll contact in the future!

’73 de Kx1x, John J. Pise, Jr.

Hover over a thumbnail to see the description, click any thumbnail to start the slideshow.

NE1C Activation Logs

 

 

Dueling KX3′s on Dry Hill

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s Frandy/N1FJ making a CW contact with a KX3 on Dry Hill – W1/CR-003 on August 15th, 2012.

Yep, dueling KX3′s? No, not really. We brought them both along but only used one at a time. Actually Frandy is using mine at the moment, his is the one further to the left on our ‘rock solid’ operating table. All in all we made 21 QSO’s, on 40, 20 and 15 meter CW.

The outing was a shakedown cruise for our KX3′s and a test of a new segmented dipole. The dipole is for 20 and 40 meters. At the end of the 20 meter segment you there is a connection you can leave open for 20 meters or complete the connection for 40 meters. It’s actually a three band antenna; when configured for 40 meters it will also tune on 15 meters (third harmonic). The antenna is purposely built very light to minimize the weight supported by the kite pole we use to hold up the center. It was configured as an inverted ‘V’.

The KX3′s worked very well, both of them sporting our ‘Palm Paddle’ modification. The transceiver is easy to use, the tuner is fast and we worked the world (well, from CA to Germany) with our 12 watts. Coming from an 817 the KX3 has more power, built in ATU, built in keyer, superb filtering, NR and a much easier to use display and menu system. The FT-817 chalks up some high points with better audio output and more durable packaging. But as Frandy says, “that KX3 is a keeper!).

KX3 #1124 (mine) should be QRV from a few summits in NS soon – stay tuned!

Jim/KK1W