Posts Tagged ‘CW’
Disturbing the Force
October 20th, 2014 | 
Author: Smartphones keep getting bigger. Out of the noise about the rising popularity of phablets, one notable observation bubbled to the surface, and that by tech pundit and radio amateur Leo Laporte, W6TWT. Laporte likes the large phones and when chided that it would appear he was holding a waffle to his head when making a telephone call he responds, “who uses a smartphone to make telephone calls anymore?”
That sounds funny, and seems to go against the grain, however, it’s spot on accurate. We very rarely use mobile devices to “talk” with someone after the manner of the ancient rotary phone. We send texts, photos, and Tweet’s. We Facetime, Hangout, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Fact is, we do almost everything with our mobile devices EXCEPT use them as wireless telephones. It’s not a telephone, it’s a personal communicator and the demand for larger screens simply reflects the rapid changes we observe in the way we communicate with each other in the 21st century.
I find that notable because there’s an oddity in the ham radio world that might be explained by it.
Contest organizers and RBN data detectives tell us that CW activity has been on the rise for nearly a decade. We can infer by the increase in QST advertising of paddles, keys, and other such devices that the sale of Morse instruments is at nearly a fever pitch. And yet, despite that, you talk to guys who live in the code trenches and they will lament the serious lack of activity. Sure, some of that may just be the imagination of old men who dream of the better day that never really was, but that doesn’t negate the many credible observations that casual CW use, especially rag chewing, is getting harder to come by.
So what’s really happening?
Hard to say for certain but there is one possibility that would explain the observed rise and fall, at the same time, of CW. It is possible that the way we communicate in the new age has changed from the way we used to do it. The efficacy of CW is legendary and highly advantageous in a contest or when chasing DX. It’s just possible that we’re using CW more for short, rapid exchanges of information — and less for casual operation.
This would explain why the RBN is telling us one thing (way more CW activity) while the good old boys who do nothing but pound the brass tell us something different (CW is dying). Both are right, and wrong. (I told you it was an oddity).
It also explains why way back in our long ago a spiral bound ARRL logbook would last an entire year or more while these days, many of the brethren are putting 2,000 Q’s in the log over a good weekend.
Short, rapid fire CW exchanges = text messaging. Get used to it. Besides, who needs to be loquacious in the 21st century?
(But if you really want to chew the rag using CW, meet me on 7.120 and we’ll do it 20th century style!)
OMG WTF? LOL 73
630m Crossband Activity Night Reminder
Just a reminder about the 630m Activity Night coming up at the end of this month. You may recall the details in an earlier blog. I think the most exciting thing about this evening will be the opportunity to try to make a crossband CW contact between one or more of the three participating Canadian stations, hopefully covering both ends of the country:
- VO1NA - Joe, in Torbay, Newfoundland. Joe will transmit on 477.7 kHz starting at 2130Z Oct 31 and will continue until 0130Z Nov 1. He will listen for callers on 3562 kHz and 7062 kHz.
- VE7BDQ - John, in Delta, B.C. John will transmit on 474.0 kHz starting at 0100Z and will continue until 1000Z on Nov 1. He will listen for callers on 3536 kHz.
- VE7SL - Steve, on Mayne Island, B.C. I will transmit on 473.0 kHz starting at 0200Z and will continue until 0600Z on Nov 1. I will listen for callers on 3566 kHz and 7066 kHz.
Joe should have pretty good coverage of the east coast with his fine antenna system, shown above.
Please note that, at present, the 'crossband activity' is planned for Friday evening only since Saturday night's CW Sweepstakes Contest will make HF listening more difficult.
All stations will either call CQ or run “VVV” marker beacons while listening on their respective HF receive (QSX) frequencies, which will be included in the CQ or marker beacon message.
Also know that it is completely legal for U.S. and VE amateurs to contact Canadian amateurs via the crossband mode. Unfortunately, it is not possible to contact those stations that may be operating in the Experimental Service and not using an amateur radio callsign.
For additional information, please see the ARRL's description of the event.
Remember that you don't need a fancy antenna to listen on 630m. One of your HF antennas, fed as a 'longwire', will probably do the job....even better if you can tune it to resonance.
I will blog another reminder just before the event. We all hope that you can be there!
Building For The ‘BK’
It's almost that time of the year when, once again, the '29ers start preparing for the winter Bruce Kelley Party. In case you're not familiar with the 'BK', it's a winter event celebrating the transmitters of 1929 and earlier. Transmitters used for the event must be self-excited only...no crystals allowed...and the tube(s) used must be those that were available in 1929 or earlier. It's an eye-opener to hear how the band must have sounded in the early days of amateur radio CW...even better if you're making those sounds yourself. The 'BK' usually spawns a flurry of construction, so if you think it is something that might interest you, you have until early December to get ready! Unfortunately many aspiring 29ers always leave it too late and inevitably run out of time before all of the building challenges can be overcome.Over the next few weeks I'll have more to say about the 'BK' and '29 style in general, since this year, I hope to add an amplifier to my self excited Hull Hartley, shown above.
For now, I'll tease you with the basic information regarding the QSO Party as published by the 'BK' sponsor...the "Antique Wireless Association"......just in case you want to start planning an entry (hopefully!).
The Bruce Kelly 1929 QSO Party is a yearly AWA sponsored event where participants build their own transmitters using the designs, techniques, and tubes that were available in 1929 and earlier, and then put those classic transmitters on the air and try to contact as many other 1929 stations as possible. Since they use early designs, it is a cacophony of whooping, chirping, buzzing, clicking, drifting, swishing, swaying, warbling, and other interesting signals. This is what ham radio sounded like in 1929 and for two weekends in December its 1929 again on the ham bands.
Input Power: Transmitters are limited to a power INPUT of 10 watts or less. However, to help make East-West contacts, power may be increased to 20 watts INPUT between the hours of 0500Z (12 Midnight EST) and 1300Z (8 AM EST). Note this is INPUT power. Power input is calculated by multiplying PA plate voltage x total PA plate current. Example: my plate voltage is 300 volts dc, and plate current is 30 ma, so total input power is 300 x 0.030 = 9 watts input. Stations running more power than this are considered “modern” for this event and do not count.
Frequencies: The QSO Party typically operates between 1800 to 1810 Kcs, 3550 to 3580 Kcs , 7100 to 7125 Kcs, plus or minus depending on QRM. 40 meter activity is up significantly because it offers both night time AND daytime propagation! So when 80 shuts down Sunday morning, I hope to see you on 40m. (Courtesy AWA)
You don't need much in the way of power....every year I work several eastern 'BK' stations that are running just 2 or 3 watts, usually using receiving tubes pressed into RF oscillator service....much like the real boys of '29 likely did.
If you want to try something really different and relive the days of early amateur radio then you've still got time to get started. I have some helpful building hints on my VE7SL Radio Notebook site.
One More Winter For The Tri-Tet-Ten?
Having completed the transmitter just in time for Cycle 24's hoped-for great 10m conditions, it turned out that only a couple of one-week periods over the past three winters where good enough to reach Europe. During the two "double-peaks" I worked many dozens of Europeans, all of them in response to my crystal-controlled CQ's, mostly on 28.042kHz.
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| Courtesy: http://www.noaa.gov/ |
Nobody was more excited than I, the first time I heard a reply from Europe....it was from G4RRA who, as fate would have it, recorded my signal on that early October morning.
There were a few mornings when I had long pileups and worked Europe for several hours, most of the time shaking my head in disbelief that such a simple transmitter could provide so much DX pleasure...but really of course, it was mostly the great performance of Ten....the "other magic band".
I really doubt that 10m will once again support European conditions good enough for my one-tuber but it's still fun to work the U.S. With Cycle 24 on the decline I was happy to see that F2 has returned to Ten once again and this week I sparked-up the tri-tet to enjoy the propagation.
My chirpy return to the band produced many enjoyable QSO's..... NG2T (NY), KD8IFJ (MI), K9DP (IN), KA2MLH (NY), W4NA (VA), N4OW (FL), K8NS (FL), N5AF (TX), WA5AFD (OK), K5TIA (TX), K9DX (IL) and VE3IKV/m, boldly travelling along the freeway at 120kph!
So....if you hear a chirpy CQ just a smidgen below 28.042, please.... give me a call!
Will I be lucky enough to squeeze out one last winter of tri-tet fun before having to move down to 15 or 20m? Time will tell....but somehow it won't be quite the same as riding that delicate 10m ether over the pole to Europe, on just one tube.
SKCC StraightKey Splendor
I was reminded this week of all the fun that the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) guys are having when receiving a nice e-mail from Bill, W0EJ:
Steve,
Since 2006, this 12,000 strong group of CW diehards have been doing their best to promote the magnificence of the mechanical key in everyday operation. With monthly operating events, awards, Elmering and an online sked page, there are plenty of fun activities for both newcomers and old hands to enjoy what was once the only way to send CW.
I can well recall tuning the CW bands as a newly-licenced teen in the mid 60's. Electronic keyers were just beginning to show up but the vast majority of amateurs still "pounded brass" with a straight key or with some type of bug. I held out for about two years before I parked my straight key and spent my Saturday job money on a brand new Vibroplex original, which I still use from time to time.
Getting back to Bill's mail....I was more than happy to grant permission to use the photograph of my little 6L6 Tri-Tet-Ten that I have had so much fun with over the past few winters on 10m CW during the peak of Cycle 24. I think their new 1000 Miles-Per -Watt award looks just great.....
....and here is what you need to do to earn one for your wall:
SKCC Introduces 1000 MPW Award
The SKCC is rolling out a 1,000 Miles per Watt Award, established to recognize the achievement of contacting another SKCC member using QRP power limits over longer distances.
A QSO must meet the qualifications of (Distance of QSO) / (Power Output in Watts) = 1,000 miles or more. Only the station applying for the award must operate at QRP levels. QSOs made on or after Sept. 1, 2014, are eligible.
For full details, see the award's main page.
Please check out the SKCC's homepage and consider signing-up...or drop by the K3UK SKCC Sked Page and get in on the fun....but, be sure to leave your keyer unplugged and enjoy some straight-key splendor!
CW Op’s Mini-CWT Contest – Results!
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| Map of Stations Worked in the Mini-CWT |
Every Wednesday the CW Operators Club has a mini contest called the MINI-CWT. It runs for one hour – 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm local time here in Kansas. This time works great for me – kids are in bed, and house chores are complete!
This is the second time I have operated this contest and I had a blast. Conditions on 20 meters were awful here – I didn’t hear one signal on the band except some digital signals. So I immediately went to 40 meters and stayed there for the duration.
All told I worked 20 stations, for a score of 400 points- all stateside with one except being Canada. I was really happy with this result!
When I worked the June contest I only worked 6 stations for a total score of 36 points, so I greatly improved tonight!
You can see a map of the locations of the stations I worked during the contest last night. I created this using a site that I found that is really cool. It is QSOMap.org – and it lets you upload an ADIF file and it maps the locations.
I really enjoy working contests. Running QRP it gives you the opportunity to work some really good operators that also have excellent antennas. Everyone I called last night, I worked!
Thanks to all the ops that pulled my signal out – you made it a fun night!
Also be sure and check out my N0HYD YouTube Channel!
CW Op’s Mini-CWT Contest – Results!
|
| Map of Stations Worked in the Mini-CWT |
Every Wednesday the CW Operators Club has a mini contest called the MINI-CWT. It runs for one hour – 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm local time here in Kansas. This time works great for me – kids are in bed, and house chores are complete!
This is the second time I have operated this contest and I had a blast. Conditions on 20 meters were awful here – I didn’t hear one signal on the band except some digital signals. So I immediately went to 40 meters and stayed there for the duration.
All told I worked 20 stations, for a score of 400 points- all stateside with one except being Canada. I was really happy with this result!
When I worked the June contest I only worked 6 stations for a total score of 36 points, so I greatly improved tonight!
You can see a map of the locations of the stations I worked during the contest last night. I created this using a site that I found that is really cool. It is QSOMap.org – and it lets you upload an ADIF file and it maps the locations.
I really enjoy working contests. Running QRP it gives you the opportunity to work some really good operators that also have excellent antennas. Everyone I called last night, I worked!
Thanks to all the ops that pulled my signal out – you made it a fun night!
Also be sure and check out my N0HYD YouTube Channel!
