Contester's Rate Sheet for April 5, 2006
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CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET
5 April 2006
Edited by Ward Silver N0AX
Published by the American Radio Relay League
Free to ARRL members!
(Subscription info at the end of newsletter)
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SUMMARY
o Beams Northwest, please - Japan International DX Contest
o MT, GA, MI, VE3 QSO Parties & QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party
o The Shacktopus and a Very Bon Voyager
o Towers Up and Down
o OH QSO Party, WAE, and FISTS Results
o En-Lightning Articles
o Transmit-capable Band Pass Filters by W3NQN
o Deflating The Baloney Trolls
BULLETINS
o At two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning on April
5th, the time and date will be (or will have been) 01:02:03:04:05:06.
This won't happen again for a thousand years. (Thanks, Tom N0SS)
BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time!
-oo --- -o - -- oo ooo ooo -o-- --- oo- o-o
LOG DUE DATES - 5 APRIL TO 18 APRIL 2006
o-oo --- --o -oo o o- -oo o-oo oo -o o ooo
April 6 - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: George Ignatov
(UT1HT), PO Box 87, Kremenchug-21 39621, Ukraine. Find rules at:
http://www.ucc.zp.ua/rtty2006rules_eng.htm.
April 8 - Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Bruce Meier, N1LN, 15283 Runnymede St,
Conroe, TX 77384, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.w5nc.org/ptac/CONTEST_DETAILS_2006.htm.
April 8 - Low Power Sprint, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.pvrc.org/lpsprint_2006/rules.htm.
April 9 - High Speed Club CW Contest, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Lutz Schroer,
DL3BZZ, HSC Contest Manager, Am Niederfeld 6, 35066 Frankenberg,
Germany. Find rules at: http://www.qsl.net/dl0hsc/en/contests.html.
April 9 - UBA Spring Contest, 6m, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Lode Kenens ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560
Lummen, Belgium. Find rules at:
http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2006.rtf.
April 11 - Idaho QSO Party, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find
rules at: http://voiceofidaho.org/. (See "Documents")
April 12 - NSARA Contest, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Martin Thomas, VE1AUZ, RR#1 Bridgewater,
Lun.Co.,Nova Scotia, Canada. Find rules at:
http://www.auracom.com/nsara/nsaracst.htm.
April 12 - Wisconsin QSO Party, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio
Amateur Club, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.warac.org/wqp/2006/06rules.htm.
April 12 - EA PSK31 Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper logs
and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.ure.es/hf/concursos/eapsk31/baseseapsk31ingles.pdf.
April 15 - Virginia QSO Party, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: VA QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA
20167, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2006_VQP_Rules.html.
April 16 - UBA Spring Contest, 2m, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Lode Kenens ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560
Lummen, Belgium. Find rules at:
http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2006.rtf.
April 18 - 9K 15-Meter Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: Faisal N. Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR, PO Box 1124,
Alfarwanya 80000, Kuwait. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/9kcc/9KCCRule.htm .
April 18 - RSGB RoPoCo 1, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: RSGB G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road,
Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England. Find rules at:
http://www.contesting.co.uk/hfcc/rules/rropoco.shtml
-o-o - o- - o ooo - -o-o - o- - o ooo -
CONTESTS - 5 APRIL TO 18 APRIL 2006
-o-o - o- - o ooo - -o-o - o- - o ooo -
Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the
contest rules summaries: SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multi-Op - 2
Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS - Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM -
Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB - All Band; SB - Single Band;
S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP - High Power (>100 W); LP -
Low Power; QRP (5W or less)
HF CONTESTS
QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party - CW, sponsored by the QRP ARCI, from 1200Z
Apr 9 - 2400Z Apr 10. Frequencies (MHz): 1.810, 3.560, 3.710, 7.040,
14.060, 21.060, 28.060. Categories: SOAB, SO-High Band (20-6), SO-Low
Band (160-40). QSO Points: member QSOs - 5 pts, non-member on same
cont - 2 pts, non-members on diff cont - 4 pts. Score: QSO points x
S/P/C x Power Multiplier (< 55 mW x 20, <250 mW �15, <1 W �10, <5 W
output �7, >5 W �1). For more information and log submission address:
http://www.qrparci.org/contest.htm. Logs due 30 days after contest.
Montana QSO Party--Phone/CW/Digital--sponsored by the Flathead Valley
Amateur Radio Club from 2300Z Apr 8 through 2300Z Apr 9. Frequencies:
160 meters-70 cm, no categories, repeaters and IRLP are permitted.
Exchange: RST and S/P/C or MT county. Work mobiles in each county.
Score: QSOs � S/P/C + MT counties (counted only once). For more
information: [email protected]. Logs due May 31 to
[email protected] or Norm Palin K7NCR, 68 Silver Leaf Dr,
Kalispell, MT 59901.
EU Spring Sprints--CW, Apr 8--managed by G4BUO (SSB, Apr 15--managed
by 9A6XX) from 1600Z - 1959Z. Frequencies (MHz): SSB--3.730, 7.050,
14.250; CW--3.550, 7.025, 14.040. SO category only (results list LP
with *), EU stations work everyone, non-EU stations work EU only.
Exchange: your call, the other station's call, serial number starting
at 001, your name--both stations must repeat both callsigns. If any
station initiates a call (CQ, QRZ, etc.) he is permitted to work only
one station on the same frequency and must move at least 2 kHz before
he may call another station or before he may call CQ again. Score is
the total QSOs (1 point/QSO). For more information or contest
software: http://www.eusprint.com/. Logs due 15 days after the contest
to [email protected] (ASCII format) or (CW) Dave Lawley G4BUO,
Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK
or (SSB) Hrvoje Horvat 9A6XX, 25 Rujan 4, HR-52000 Pazin, Croatia.
Japan International DX Contest (JIDX)--CW, sponsored by Five-Nine
Magazine from 0700Z Apr 8 -- 1300Z Apr 9. (Phone--Nov 11-12)
Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP), MO,
Maritime Mobile. Exchange: RST + JA prefecture number or CQ Zone. QSO
Points: 80 or 10-meters--2 pts, otherwise 1 pt. Score: QSO Points x
JA prefectures + JD1 provinces (JA stations use DXCC entities). For
more information: http://jidx.org/. Logs due May 31 to
[email protected] or JIDX "PHONE/CW" Contest, c/o Five-Nine Magazine,
PO Box 59, Kamata, Tokyo, 144-8691 Japan.
Georgia QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by SECC and SEDXC from 1800Z Apr
8 - 0359Z Apr 9 and 1400Z - 2359Z Apr 9. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters.
Categories: SOAB, MS, MM, Rover, Novice/Tech; HP, LP (<150 W), QRP;
CW/SSB/Mixed. Rovers must activate at least two GA counties, no
county line QSOs. Exchange RST and GA county or S/P/C. QSO Points:
SSB--1 pt, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO Points x GA counties (GA station use
states and provinces) counted only once per band and mode. For more
information: http://gqp.contesting.com/. Logs due May 10 to
[email protected] or mail to John Laney K4BAI, PO Box 421, Columbus, GA,
31902-0421.
Yuri Gagarin DX Contest--CW, sponsored by Patriot magazine from 2100Z
Apr 8 - 2100Z Apr 9. Frequencies: 160-10 meters and Amateur
Satellites. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO (10 minute rule), SWL.
Exchange: RST + ITU Zone. QSO Points: own country--1 pt, same
continent--2 pts, diff cont--3 pts. Score: QSO Points x ITU zones
from all bands. For more information:
http://www.srr.su/contest/GC/gc2006re.htm. Logs due May 9 to
[email protected] or GC Contest Committee, PO Box 2020, Moscow, 101000,
Russia.
DX YL to North American YL Contest--Phone, sponsored by YLRL from
1400Z Apr 11 - 0200Z Apr 13, work 24 hours max. Frequencies: all HF
bands. Exchange: RST, serial number and ARRL Section, province, or
DXCC entity. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x S/P/C counted
only once x 1.5 (<100 W CW, 200 W SSB) For more information:
http://www.ylrl.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
[email protected] or Nancy Rabel Hall KC4IYD, PO Box 775, North
Olmsted, OH 44070.
YU DX Contest--CW, sponsored by the Amateur Radio Union of Serbia and
Montenegro (SCG) from 2100Z Apr 15 - 0500Z Apr 16 and 0900Z - 1700Z
Apr 16. Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Categories: Low Band (1.8, 3.5,
7 MHz), Upper Band (14, 21, 28 MHz), QRP/LP/HP for both. Exchange:
RST + ITU Zone. QSO Points: with YU stations--1 pt, same continent--2
pts, diff cont--4 pts. Score: QSO points x ITU zones + YU prefixes
(counted once per band). For more information: http://yudx.net/. Logs
due 30 days after the contest to [email protected] or Savez radio-amatera
Jugoslavije, YU DX Contest, PO Box 48, 11001 Beograd, Serbia and
Montenegro.
Michigan QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Mad River Radio Club,
from 1600Z Apr 15 - 0400Z Apr 16. Bands: 80-10 meters. Frequencies:
CW--45 kHz from band edge, Phone (MHz)--3.850, 7.225, 14.250, 21.300,
28.450. Work stations once per band and mode, MI-to-MI QSOs allowed,
mobiles and portables can be worked from each county. Categories: SO,
MS, MM, Mobile SO, Mobile MO. Exchange: serial number and MI county
or S/P/C. QSO Points: CW--2 pts, Phone--1 pt. Multipliers for MI
stations are states, provinces and MI counties; multipliers for
non-MI stations are MI counties. Multipliers count once per mode.
Score: QSO points x multipliers. For more information:
http://www.miqp.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
[email protected] or Mad River Radio Club, c/o Dave Pruett, 2727 Harris
Rd. Ypsilanti, MI 48198.
Ontario QSO Party--CW/Phone, sponsored by Contest Club Ontario and
the Ontario DX Association from 1800Z Apr 15 - 1800Z Apr 16.
Frequencies (MHz): SSB--1.870, 3.735, 3.860, 7.070, 7.260, 14.130,
14.265, 21.260, 28.360; CW--30 kHz above band edges; VHF-SSB: 50.130,
144.205, 432.105; VHF-FM 52.540, 146.550, 446.1, no repeater QSOs.
Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP <150W HF & 50W VHF, QRP) in CW,
Phone, and Mixed Modes, SO VHF FM QRP, MS, SWL, Mobile, Rover.
Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C or Ontario QTH. QSO Points: HF SSB--1 pt,
HF CW--2 pts, VHF--5 pts (work stations once per VHF band), 10 pts
for each QSO with VA3CCO, VE3ODX and VA3RAC. No county line QSOs.
Score is QSO Points x Ontario QTHs (non-VE3 stations) or S/P/C +
Ontario QTHs (mults count once per band). For more information:
http://cco.ve3xd.com/oqp. Logs due May 31 to [email protected] or Ontario
QSO Party, Ontario DX Association, PO Box 161, Station "A",
Willowdale, Ontario, M2N 5S8 Canada.
TARA Skirmish--Digital Prefix Contest, sponsored by Troy ARA, 0000z -
2400z Apr 15. Frequencies: 160 - 6 meters, work stations once per
band. Categories: High, Low (<100W), Great (<20W), QRP (<5W), SWL.
Exchange: Name and Prefix. Score: QSO's x WPX prefixes x power
multiplier. (High x0.5, Low x1, Great x2, QRP x3) Multipliers count
once per band. For more information:
http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_dpx_rules.html or
[email protected]. Logs due May 15 via the contest score
entry form at n2ty.org/seasons/tara_dpx_score.html.
Holyland DX Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Israel Amateur Radio
Club from 0000Z - 2359Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters
according to IARU Region I band plan, work Israeli stations once per
band and mode. Categories: SO (Mixed Mode, CW, SSB, QRP), MS, MM,
SWL. Exchange RST and serial number or Israel district. QSO Points:
1.8 or 3.5 MHz--2 pts; other bands 1 pt. Score: QSO Points x
districts counted once per band. For more information:
http://www.iarc.org/. Logs due 31 May to [email protected] or Contest
Manager 4Z4KX, Israel Amateur Radio Club, Box 17600, Tel Aviv, 61176,
Israel.
Lighthouse Spring Lites QSO Party--all modes, sponsored by the
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society from 0001Z Apr 15 - 2359Z Apr 23.
Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.830, 3.530, 7.030, 14.030, 21.030, 28.030;
SSB--1.970, 3.970, 7.270, 14.270, 21.370, 28.370. Exchange: ARLHS
member/lighthouse number or serial number, name, and S/P/C. Score: 1
pt/QSO, plus 2 pts for ARLHS member, plus 3 pts for lighthouse. For
more information: http://arlhs.com/SL-2006-guidelines.html. Logs due
May 31 to Dave Ruch, NF0J, PO Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696.
ES Open HF Championship--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Estonian Radio
Amateurs Union from 0500Z - 0859Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 80 and 40
meters. Categories: SO (SSB, CW, Mixed), MS, SWL. Exchange: RST and
serial numbers, Duplicate QSOs allowed once per hour (see Web site).
QSO Points: SSB--1 pt, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO Points x ES prefixes
counted once per band and mode. For more information:
http://www.erau.ee/index.php?newlang=eng. Logs due May 20 to
[email protected] or Toomas Soomets ES5RY, PO Box 177, Tartu, 50002
Estonia.
EU Spring Sprint--SSB, from 1600Z - 1959Z Apr 15, see Apr 8.
EA QRP Contest--CW, sponsored by the EA QRP Club. From 1700Z Apr 15 -
1300Z Apr 16 in four parts (see Web site). Frequencies: 80 -
10-meters. Categories: QRP and QRPp (<1 W). Exchange: RST+"A" (QRP)
or "B" (QRPp) + M (Member EA QRP). QSO points: same country--1 pt,
same continent--2 pts, diff cont--4 pts, all QRPp--5 pts. For more
information: http://www.eaqrp.com/. Logs due 30 days after the contest
to [email protected] or Vocalia de concursos (Concurso CW), PO Box
48021, E-28043, Madrid, Spain.
VHF+ CONTESTS
EU EME Contest--CW/SSB, from 0000Z Apr 8 - 2400Z Apr 9. Frequencies:
144 MHz, 2.3 & 3.4 GHz. Categories: Single and Multi-band, QRP and
QRO--based on EIRP, Pro, CW, Digital, Mixed, Assisted. Exchange:
callsigns TMO/RST and "R". QSO Points: 144--100 pts for random, 10
pts for scheduled QSO, 2.3 GHz and higher--100 pts/QSO. Score: QSO
Points (x2 for QSOs at 2.3 GHz and above) x S/P/C from random QSOs
(or any QSOs at 2.3 GHz and above). For more information:
http://www.dubus.org/ or [email protected]. Logs due Jun 7 for CW/SSB to
[email protected] or Patrick Magnin, F6HYE, Marcorens, F-74140
Ballaison, France.
--o- ooo - --o- ooo - --o- ooo - -oo o
NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST
- oooo o o-o o- - o ooo oooo o o - -o-
ARRL CONTEST NEWS
Early delivery of January VHF Sweepstakes log-checking data means
that publication of these results can be moved up to the July issue
of QST, with a Web release in May. Certificates for the 2005
September VHF QSO Party are hitting the mail now. (Thanks, Dan N1ND)
- - - - -
Jim AD1C, Keeper of the Country Files has a new URL for them where
they're east to find: http://www.contest-country-files.com/. (Thanks,
Jim AD1C)
The RAC Contest Management Team of Bart VE5CPU, Sam VE5SF, and Bruce
VE5RC announce the addition of two new categories for the RAC Canada
Day Contest and the RAC Winter Contest: SOAB-CW and SOAB-PH. These
are in effect with July's RAC Canada Day Contest.
Hal N4GG reminds state QSO party enthusiasts that a proper CQ tells
people where you are. For example, if you are in-state, such as
Georgia, the CQ is: CQ GQP. If you are out-of-state, such as calling
Georgia, the proper CQ is: CQ GA. Who knows, you might be missing
some QSOs!
Are you one that puts the pedal to the metal? Then check out the
latest incarnation of Steve Robert's Web site -
http://shacktopus.com/. The project has some interesting history -
Steve began with a 580lb mobile platform that was bicycle powered in
the 70s/80s. Things are a little bit different today! (Thanks, Jeff
VE6GQ)
The 2nd Annual Northern California Contest Club "Thursday NCCC Sprint
Ladder" begins April 20 with an exciting new format combining Sprint
QSY rules with NAQP band-multipliers. Look for full rules at
http://www.nccc.cc/. (Thanks, Bill N6ZFO)
Speaking of weak ones, from the 1 April edition of AMSAT Weekly
Bulletin (http://www.amsat.org/ - ANS-092) On March 31 - an
AMSAT-DL/IUZ team received the American space probe VOYAGER 1 with
the 20m antenna in Bochum. The distance was 14.7 billion km. This is
a new record for AMSAT-DL and IUZ Bochum. The received signal was
clearly identified through means of Doppler shift and position in the
sky. This distance equals approximately 98 times the distance
between Earth and Sun. VOYAGER 1 is the most distant object ever
built by mankind. More information is available at
http://www.amsat-dl.org/cms under "News."
Eugeni EA3QP contributes the URL for SH5 post-contest analysis
software that runs under Windows OS (http://rescab.nm.ru/). It's a
freeware software with a lot of useful options to give the contester
an objective view of their results. Your editor wishes to remind the
reader that in his view the contest is over when the operator stops
making contacts. Changing the log afterwards based on analysis
software is a very questionable practice. That said, using this
software to evaluate your performance for improvement in the NEXT
contest is a good thing - go for it!
Last week a tower came down. This week a super big one goes up at
http://www.physorg.com/news12124.html. (Thanks, Tom K1KI)
Rusty Epps W6OAT will be the featured speaker at the 2006 Dayton
Contest Dinner. Rusty, inducted into the Contest Hall of Fame last
year, has been a very enjoyable speaker whenever I've had the
pleasure of being in the audience. All Contest dinner ticket orders
are handled exclusively by Craig Clark K1QX at
http://www.radio-ware.com/. (Thanks, Tim K3LR)
The Remote Amateur Radio Stations group is hosting their "Backyard
Bonanza" Challenge through Apr 7 and invite any interested parties to
participate. The challenge is open to all amateurs and all bands
including VHF / UHF (no WARC). For more information, please visit
http://rarsgroup.com/. (Thanks Terry KI4KQQ)
Here's a Dayton "Sneak Peek" - The microHAM DIGI KEYER
(http://www.microham-USA.com/Products/dk.html) is truly "plug and
play" with either Windows XP or Apple OS 10. It supports dual receive
radios and has the lowest noise floor of any device tested other than
"professional" sound cards. (Thanks, Joe N4TV)
And another set of towers bites the dust! (http://tinyurl.com/pzwz7)
For those wishing to submit operation announcements for the Fall
2006 CQWW DX contests, Bill NG3K has added the option for each on the
drop-down list on the submission page at
http://www.ng3k.com/Contest/consub.html.
Where does the "Gin" in "Gin Pole" come from? "GIN as in enGINe comes
from Middle English and refers to any mechanical device that
transfers energy into movement. The term "gin pole" refers to a
device used to lift or hoist heavy loads, derived mostly from those
used in mining. (Thanks, Bill K4XS)
Randy K5ZD reports "I only need 3 states to have 5BWAS confirmed: ND
on 40m and ND+WY on 80m. Others have also reported these as being the
difficult ones in LOTW. I know I have worked plenty of contesters
from those states on those bands. Please update your LOTW logs, even
for domestic contests! It doesn't cost anything and it would enable
lots of guys to finish their WAS awards without having to send you a
card."
The Georgia QSO Party (http://gqp.contesting.com/) currently has 21
sponsored plaques and more possible by contest time. New to the
contest this year are CW and SSB-only modes and the qualification to
be a rover has been reduced to only two counties. (Thanks, Hal N4GG)
Ken K6TA gives credit to Kip W6SZN for finding this Web site for low
cost headphones that fit in the ear and are great for Field Day
environments - http://www.scantracker.com/dictationheadsets.htm.
Back to Portugese vocabulary lessons this week. I am giving the
on-line Babel Fish translator at Alta Vista a try -
http://babelfish.altavista.com/:
Which way to the WRTC hotel? - Que maneira ao hotel de WRTC?
I've lost my soldering iron! - Eu perdi meu ferro de solda!
Please stop transmitting. - Pare de por favor transmitir.
Have you seen my WRTC partner? - Voc� viu meu s�cio de WRTC?
This QTH is very noisy! - Este QTH � muito ruidoso!
URL OF THE WEEK - There is a very active HFPack group on the air with
their "shacks in a pack". Learn more about these innovative amateurs
at http://hflink.com/hfpack/index.html.
oo-o oo -o -oo -o-- --- oo- -o-
RESULTS AND RECORDS
-o-o o- o-oo o-oo oooo o o-o o
ARRL CONTEST RESULTS NEWS
Updated records for the June VHF QSO Party were received from the
volunteer who maintains the list (thanks K9AKS) and posted to the
Web. The combined list of electronic and paper Logs Received for the
2006 ARRL International DX CW Contest has been posted at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/claimed (look at the second set of lists
- the top is automated from the robot and does not include any paper
additions.) If you find an error in your listing or it is not shown
please contact N1ND at [email protected] or by phone at 860-594-0232. If
you submitted electronically, please have your receipt available.
This is the earliest that the combined list for the DX CW contest has
ever been posted. (Thanks, Dan N1ND)
- - - - -
2005 RAC Canada Day results are posted on RAC Web site at
http://www.rac.ca/downloads/canadaday2005res.pdf. This includes a
complete summary for all entries. Past results are available here:
http://www.rac.ca/service/infocont.htm. (Thanks, Bart VE5CPU)
The results of the 2005 Ohio QSO Party are available at the Ohio QSO
Party Web site - http://www.oqp.us/ (Thanks, Jim K8MR)
The results of the Worked All Europe DX Contest RTTY 2005 are out
and published at http://www.waedc.de/. The UBN report for each
participant is also available from the site or send an email request
to [email protected]. (Thanks, Ben DL6RAI)
Results and wrap up comments for the 2005 FISTS "Coast to Coast"
contest are available at
http://www.tomochka.com/k7fff/fnw_c2c05.html. (Thanks, Paul NG7Z)
oo oo-o oo - ooo -o --- - -ooo o-o --- -o- o
TECHNICAL TIPS AND INFORMATION
-o-- --- oo- o-o o -o --- - - o-o -o-- oo -o --o
When selecting a relay for RF applications, the contact material can
make a big difference. For information on contact materials see
http://relays.tycoelectronics.com/app_pdfs/13c3236.pdf. For example,
in a receiving application, gold contacts are the preferred material.
(Thanks, Roger N1RJ)
What if your old logs are on paper and a pain to computerize? Craig
W8TN has an answer for you: "One way to ease the pain a bit is to use
my BasicLog spreadsheet system which makes the entries of old QSO
data go very fast. It requires Excel but produces an ADIF log that
you can import into your own logging program or upload directly to
LoTW. Using this application I can enter up to 25 QSO's in less than
5 minutes and faster if the date, band or mode doesn't change often.
Check it out here: http://www.w8tn.com/software.htm."
Summer thunderstorms are on the way so you might find Stan WA1LOU's
latest ARRL Web column "en-lightning" -
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2006/03/24/1/?nc=1.
And while we're on the subject, Jim W6RMK weighs in on spark gaps,
with some condensation by yr obdt editor. "The breakdown of air at
sea level in a uniform field gap is about 70 kV/inch (or 30kV/cm).
Almost any practical gap will breakdown at a lower voltage, depending
on field uniformity, surface roughness and other factors. A sphere
gap (two smooth spheres separated by much less than the diameter of
the spheres) will have a breakdown slightly lower. Design and rating
tables are available at
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimux/hv/sphgap.htm and
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlux/hv/spherev.htm, respectively.
Needle gaps break down at about 1/3rd of the uniform gap breakdown
voltage. Gap breakdown won't occur below 350 V. Breakdown voltage is
reduced proportionally with air density - at 5000 ft breakdown
voltage fall to about 80% of the sea level value. The challenge in RF
applications is getting a gap that has a close enough spacing to
breakdown at a low enough voltage, but that doesn't have significant
L or C, so that your circuit isn't perturbed. A couple bolts with the
right spacing works fairly well, and is reasonably adjustable." Red
WO0W also suggests Gas Discharge Tubes, such as those sold by Mouser
Electronics, available to 20,000 A current carrying capacity...once.
Gene AD3F recommends the technical documents available on the ICE Web
site - http://www.iceradioproducts.com/.
If you would like to build your own set of transmit-capable band-pass
filter, look no farther than Ed W3NQN's, article in the May 1997
issue of QST, "Clean Up Your Signals with Band-Pass Filters". They
are also commercially available from Array Solutions.
(http://www.arraysolutions.com/)(Thanks, Mike K4GMH)
And for information on homebrewing the PCBs for those filters, browse
on over to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs/ (Thanks, Leon
G1HSM)
Stan AK0B contributes a URL of a short paper on receiving the low
power markers that operate below the AM broadcast band and are
located around the USA airports:
http://lwca.org/library/articles/kh6sr/index.htm. It is excellent
reading for anyone who wants to improve their skills on digging out
the very weak ones.
TECHNICAL LINK OF THE WEEK - The Radio Jove NASA project -
http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/help/help.htm#setup. Just right for a
student project!
oo-o o o oo-o oo o oo-o --- o oo-o oo- --
CONVERSATION
-o- --- -o o-o o -oo - oooo o --o oo o- -o -
Deflating the Baloney Trolls
Surely you all remember the tale of the Billy Goats Gruff?
"Trip, trap, trip, trap!" went the bridge.
"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"Oh, it is only I, the Littlest Billy Goat,"
said the billy goat, in a small voice.
"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll!
Only a fairy tale, of course, but we do have our own trolls. They
live out of sight on the reflectors and Web sites. They lurk on
repeaters and on their "very own" frequencies. They lie in wait for
someone to cross their bridge and then spring to life.
No, they don't gobble up billy goats, but they roar into action
nonetheless. The are the keepers of the sacred, but unwritten,
protocols and the mystical, but mostly mythical, traditions and
legends. They are the protectors of their frequencies and channels.
They challenge all that dare traverse their domain - for they are the
Baloney Trolls.
Woe to the newcomer that strays the least bit from the Pure Ways of
Radio as known to the Baloney Troll! The troll's day is made if he
(and trolls are nearly always male) can cast newcomers off the
bridge, hopefully never to be seen again. The troll's weapons are
the sneer and pointed remark against which the exposed and tender
flesh of a newly minted licensee has no defense. The troll cares not
that his Ways are often bogus and of no particular Merit, even to
himself.
Pity the questioning innocent that inquires for directions or
instruction! This is truly a troll's delight, as he lives to dispense
the True Baloney. "Why, didn't you know...?" says the troll, followed
by a cornucopia of drivel delivered with an all-knowing and unctuous
demeanor. The Littlest Billy Goat replies, "Really?" in a
high-pitched voice and alas, he has swallowed the baloney and is
surely led into the thicket of Baloney Briars from which making an
escape is painful and laborious.
"And then the Big Billy Goat flew at the troll,
and poked his eyes out with his horns,
and crushed him to bits, body and bones,
and tossed him out into the cascade,
and after that he went up to the hillside."
What to do about the Baloney Trolls? They are seemingly everywhere,
poisoning every discussion and making life difficult for newcomers.
It falls to us, the Big Billy Goats, to deflate the Baloney Trolls,
for they are mostly made of hot air and have no real substance, only
the sound of their own exhalations to sustain them.
First, be not a Baloney Troll yourself! Be wise and patient when the
microphone button is pushed or when the characters leap from your
fingertips. Speak not in anger and eschew obfuscation. Be not afraid
of the magic words, "I Don't Know" for they lead to additional wisdom
for all. Give freely of the milk of human kindness. Above all,
remember what it was like to be the Littlest Billy Goat.
Engaging a troll in battle merely encourages them, so direct
deflation may not work very well. Big Billy to Little Billy, we must
speak to them in quiet ways and places not known to the trolls - by
letter and phone call, at meetings, and by email. Let the troll
deflate himself by his response to reasoned and clever questions and
examples. Call the troll by his true name so that the Little Billy
Goats are inoculated against them. Without someone to eat up their
baloney, a troll soon withers and finds another bridge to haunt.
Help the Little Billies to leave the Baloney Trolls behind in their
uncomfortable places. There are really very few of them and it is
only the sound of their roaring that makes them seem important and
fearsome. By sticking together, Big Billy and Little Billy, we can
all proceed up to the hillside and grow fat together.
"Snip, snap, snout.
This tale's told out."
73, Ward N0AX
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