Posts Tagged ‘CW’
Results from the SKCC Weekend Sprintathon
July 14th, 2014 | 
Author: I had low expectations for the July SKCC Weekend Sprint and I lived up to them. I usually try to get 2-4 hours in the chair during the 36 hour period but my only real shot at that this go round was on Saturday. And on that day, the thunder rolled from start to finish. I did manage to squeeze in an hour on Sunday morning that resulted in 10 contacts searching and pouncing.
Of those ten contacts, nine were in unique states. Two were with Senators and six with Tribunes. Four of those states, GA, SC, MD, and PA, qualified for a 25 point ’13 colonies’ bonus each. When you put it all together, it totaled a measly 280 points.
But hey, I enjoyed it. I always enjoy these sprints. They’re so much more casual than the real contests.
And I like pounding brass with a real key…
This may sound silly, but using a straight key is, to me, like using a manual transmission. The automatic is much easier and much more comfortable, but I feel more engaged, more connected to the machine with a manual transmission. Same thing with the straight key.
See you next month in the Weekend Sprintathon?
Filed under: Ham Radio Tagged: cw, skcc, wes
VE7 630m CW Beacons Report
Saturday night's CW beaconing by myself and VE7BDQ on 630m CW produced a number of interesting heard reports from various directions. It seems as though most receiving stations were bothered by the high level of thunderstorm QRN, very common at this time of the year and usually the limiting factor in reception. The Vaisala lightning map indicated various pockets of lighting in the PNW and a solid wall further to the east. Being located near any of these cells would make it difficult to hear anything at all and all but impossible nearer the wall.
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| Courtesy: vaisala.com |
Nevertheless, reception reports, often of both beacons, were received from Washington, Oregon, Utah, British Columbia, Alberta and as far east as Saskatoon, SK. It seemed like stronger signals were reported from the east rather than from the south or south-east which is more often the case. I suspect that the lower level of lightning in this direction, rather than enhanced E-W propagation, was the main reason for the nice 'over the Rockies' reception.
Thanks to the following enthusiasts who were kind enough to listen and to report on Saturday night's activities, hopefully I haven't missed anyone:
It appears that even under fairly severe conditions (mid-summer QRN), small backyard antenna systems and 100W can propagate well enough for CW contacts on the 630m band. The band is certainly much more prop-friendly than 2200m and quiet winter conditions will be even better. In the meantime I hope to make some crossband contacts with anyone that might like to try that mode.
Radio Scouts
Radio Merit Badge Requirements
I was cleaning up the shack on Friday. Unfortunately, the shack becomes a dumping ground for “stuff” that I think I may need at some point in the future. I have a bag of RS232 serial cables. Probably have at least a dozen. 75 ohm TV coax cable and splitters. POTS (RJ-11) two and four wire extension cords. A collection of Palm Pilots with a multitude of accessories. I don’t think any pf the Palm Pilots work anymore. A vast cornucopia of audio cables and connectors. A box of WiFi routers. Computer keyboards. Etc. Etc.
So, I was cleaning and organizing the “stuff” when I just happen to come across a station calling CQ on 40M. “CQ CQ 40 Meters, CQ Boy Scouts, Boy Scouts, this is KD0VMM”. That definitely got my attention. After a short QSO I figured out that these were Scouts from a camp about an hour north near St. Joseph, MO called Camp Geiger and these Scouts were working on their Radio Merit Badge. I continued to monitor the Scout’s QSOs until I heard a bugle blare in the background. The Merit Badge Counselor got on the air and explained the bugle (which had just blown at the top of the hour) signaled an end to that hour’s Merit Badge class. Additionally, there was another Radio class that was just beginning and the Scouts would be back on the air in about 20 minutes. Sure enough, this was the case and I was able to talk to another Scout. After an email exchange with Bruce, owner of KD0VMM, he explained that another group of Scouts would be back on the air next Thursday and Friday as they were finishing up their requirements for the Radio badge.
How cool having a Scout camp offering the Radio Merit Badge! I attended Scout camp many a summer as well as even being a counselor one year, but the Radio badge was never offered as a merit badge that could be earned. What a great opportunity to introduce Scouts to radio!
After a bit of research, it was interesting to see that back when the badge was created in 1918 it was called the Wireless Merit Badge. Then in 1923, it changed names to the current Radio Merit Badge. Requirements for the badge has evolved over the years… and most recently in 2009.
What I didn’t ask Bruce, KD0VMM, was if the Scouts had the opportunity at camp to earn the Morse Code Interpreter Strip. The Morse Code Strip is a fairly recent edition to Scouts and can be earned by:
Boy’s Life, the Boy Scouts of America’s monthly periodical, recently put up a web application called the Morse Code Machine. Looks like fun!
… as a final note, don’t forget about the Boy Scout’s Jamboree-On-The-Air (JOTA). This event occurs annually during the third weekend in October.
“Night of Nights” + VE7 CW Beacons – tonight
As many of you are aware, tonight from 0001Z-0700Z (1701- midnight PDT) is the annual 'Night of Nights' reactivation of many maritime CW MF stations operating near the 630m band. With Canadian amateurs recently getting 472-479KHz operating privileges, VE7BDQ and myself will both be operating CW beacons during the event.
VE7BDQ will transmit on 474.00 KHz while VE7SL will be on 473.00KHz. Both stations will be at the 100W power level.
Reception reports of either station would be gratefully received and confirmed by QSL if requested. Hopefully the usual noisy summer conditions will not detere listener activity.
I have more information on the 'Night of Nights' activity posted in an earlier blog if you are not aware of the event.
Check out the sunspots!
Just before the 4th of July, several sunspot regions rotated into view. Today, they are significant players in elevating the solar output of Extreme Ultraviolet energy — the energy helpful in ionizing the F-region of our Earth’s ionosphere. That, in turn, means better propagation conditions, even on higher shortwave frequencies.
As seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Sun is sporting quite a few sunspots, today. These are helping elevate the 10.7-cm flux, which is a proxy for solar output that strengthens the ionospheric propagation of higher frequencies in the shortwave spectrum. Expect good conditions on HF, this weekend.
73 and best DX!
Space Weather, HF Radio Propagation – The Interview on ‘Ham Radio Now’
Why would an amateur radio operator be interested in space weather? Is it worth the time and resources to forecast propagation, in the daily operation of a typical ham radio station?
Gary, host of the popular ‘Ham Radio Now’ video podcast, talks with Tomas Hood (NW7US), propagation and space weather columnist for CQ Amateur Radio Magazine (and in the late ‘Popular Communications Magazine’ as well as ‘CQ VHF Quarterly Magazine’) and The Spectrum Monitor Magazine. Gary discusses with Tomas how scientists forecast space weather, and how the average ham radio operator can also make predictions, and what propagation forecasting can bring to the daily operations of an amateur radio enthusiast.
Watch on YouTube: ‘Ham Radio Now’ Episode 156: Propagation…
Tomas, NW7US, talks about radio propagation on shortwave (HF) as well as space weather.
CWT Mini-Contest – QRP Style
In my continuing effort to evaluate my attic dipole, several guys have given me advice to get on during a contest because the activity level is higher on the bands and I could better evaluate what I can hear.
Every Wednesday (local) evening from 0300-0400Z (Thursday) the CW Operators Club has a mini-contest the call CWT. The exchange is name and member number or name and state if a non-member.
These guys are serious CW operators, and I knew the pace would be fast. I downloaded N1MM for logging as they have a dedicated module for the contest. They also have a call history file that you can load which allows you to enter the call and it matches the name and member number up for you.
So I had everything setup and ready. I started on 20 meters and heard some activity. I made one contact there before heading to 40 meters.
On 40 meters the band was filled with signals – this warmed my heart after my recent worries with my antenna!
CW was being sent very fast – but after several listens I could usually get the call. I just looked at the scores here http://3830scores.com/currecscores.php?arg=JxfqcDz6ficvT – I ended up last in the QRP category, but NOT last in the contest!
I ended the night with 6 QSO’s during the hour long contest. Honestly, I am happy with those results. My goal was 10 contacts, but I learned some valuable lessons which will help me next time!
Here is the list of my contacts (all CW Ops Members):
K1BG Bruce 20M – MA
N1LN Bruce 40M – NC
KC4D Bill 40M – VA
N5ZO Marko 40M – CA
AD4EB Jim 40M – TN
N5AW Marv 40M – TX
So I worked 6 different states – MA, NC, VA, CA, TN, TX – coast to coast!
Thanks to those that pulled my QRP signal out! I will be back to this contest in the future!
