January 1999 Volume 2 Number 1

SHOW AND TELL FOR JANUARY MEETING

By John Robertson KA0OSC

Once again there is an opportunity for members to bring interesting projects, circuits, ideas, and arguments to the Club Meeting on Saturday. These sessions have proved to be very popular, educational, and just plain fun. Let's see everyone with something to S & T, maybe a neat QSL card, a new rig, a clever problem solution, a novel antenna, something that Santa brought, or the like. These Show and Tell programs are a tradition with the club, and everyone can take part. By the way, why not bring a friend, ham or wannabes, and let them see the diversity of interest of the membership??

Meeting Minutes for December 5, 1998

by Dave Donaldson, WB7DRU

Attendance: There were 17 in attendance.

Minutes: Cla requested that the November 7th minutes be amended to clarify the purpose the MNQRP Society Constitution and Bylaws. They are the rules that this organization operates under. The ARRL affiliation status is a benefit of having them, not the purpose as previously stated.

Treasurers Report: Account Balance: $28

Old Business: Cla received a new application from the ARRL for club affiliation and will be sending it out.

Concerning the web page, Cla is leaning toward keeping the web page totally open with no member only section but is undecided at this point.

New Business: Elections: Nominations were opened. Steve Jacobs was nominated for position of VP. Nominations were closed. A motion was presented to elect the following slate of candidates for the 1999 year.

A question was asked about FYBO, when it will be. No one had heard. A motion was offered and seconded that if the Arizona club were unable to run it this year we would sponsor it with their permission.

A 2-meter net is being held on the 146.67 repeater every Sunday evening at 8pm local time. We want to thank the Anoka Radio Club for allowing us to use their system.

FYOB is FEBRUARY 6^th

By Claton Cadmus KA0GKC

Freeze your butts off winter field day is again conveniently on our meeting date. We should have a great chance at defending our first place title, but we will need YOUR help. I hope Larry and Jim's contesting program helped to inspire some of you as it did me. I know I'm going to be better prepared then I was last year. Larry KB0R is in charge again this year so contact him and get your name on the list. I'm sure we will need operators and loggers. We also need a couple items based on lessons learned last year. We need a camping lantern that will work in the cold. Last year we used my propane lantern but found we had to periodically warm the propane tank with our hands or the light was really dim. So we need a white gas lantern. We also found that the laptop LCD screen was very dim in the cold, so we need a different laptop to use for logging that is known to operate OK in the cold. It needs to be tested prior to the contest. I also think we need a tent with walls to keep the wind out. Last year the weather was as cooperative as possible for the event, don't think we can plan on being that lucky this year. So if you got stuff that can help us defend our club against the others that will be gunning for us you can contact Larry or call me at 612-920-5126.

Rookie Contester Reveals All

By Mike Smith n0wdm

Jim and Larry said contesting would be fun. So with the 10 meter contest coming up Dec. 12 & 13, I thought I would give it a try. First of all, the antenna needed to be upgraded. I consulted with antenna guru, Cla Cadmus and came up with a nice plan for a long wire. So it was on to the roof and some lessons learned.

1. There are no simple antenna projects in December ...... in Minnesota
2. Never .... Never go up on the roof without visegrips, no matter what other tools you might have.
3. Ladders are subject to the laws of physics. And ......
4. Ten feet down is a whole lot farther than ten feet up. ‘Nuff said.

Antenna’s up, so let’s test it out. Okay, so it won’t load right on 10 meters. I’ve got lots of antennas. Say, what happened to the 10-meter band on my Icom 706? It used to be there. Contesting isn’t fun yet, Jim and Larry. Well, it’s not just the 10 meter band but 12 meters and 6 meters too. Anybody got a radio I can use?

Yes, good friend and Ham extraordinaire, Dave Haefner K8AKR to the rescue. This fine fellow supplied not only a working radio, but also a 706 just like mine. Well, almost.... this one actually works on all bands, has filters and a little voice that tells me what frequency and mode I am using. Dave tells me this is for the blind drivers who want to go mobile. Cool!

A quick check of the remaining antennas indicates my best bet is my Solarcon A99 CB antenna. The SWR is virtually flat from CW land through SSB novice and a little higher. It slightly outperforms the trap vertical. Of course the CB antenna is up 35 feet; I’m told that helps.

Since my code speed is dismal, I decide to work SSB. The only problem is that no one seems to be able to hear me. Then I remember my KamPlus Packet Modem. Just like Captain America, it has a secret decoder ring. Maybe I can try CW anyway. Lo and Behold, there are the magic letters AD4TR calling CQ ‘TEST. I tap out N0WDM (or something like it) and surprise, the screen on my old Tandy 1110HD prints out N0WDM, 599, Florida! A new state for me on QRP. Nice start! This is starting to look more interesting, Jim and Larry.

Down, the dial a few kHz. (I read somewhere to always go high to low when contesting.... I won’t find out why for several hours yet.) Another signal; another state. That’s two multipliers. See I’m starting to talk, if not think, like a Contester. Say this Kam thing seems to be working okay. I listen for a signal, dial it in a little tighter and another one goes in the log.

The most surprising thing is that they are hearing me so well. Better check the power. Oh my, only 4 watts out. I really am QRP and they really CAN hear me. I feel like Sally Fields at the Oscars (movies.... not radios) ... "They like me.... they really like me."

So let’s try some USB. There’s one. Oh wow ... Hawaii. N0WDM, N0WDM, N0WDM. Nada, nothing. Hey good buddy, have you got your ears on? Nope. But here comes a K1 in Maine. Got‘em. The log is growing. I’ve been at it for a couple hours and I’ve got about 10 entries. Not setting any records. Could it be because I’m stopping to look up every other call sign in the call book? Still not thinking like a Contester.

Break time. I’ve got to run the kids to work and the pool.

Back at it now, rearing to go. Hey, where have all the signals gone? Okay so it’s dark outside big deal. Radio waves don’t need to see where they are going. There are still a few just below 28.100 MHz. Back to my secret decoder ring. Almost got it. Fading in and out. Down a few. There’s one. In the book but quickly the signal fades into the static. Now I know why you go from higher to lower frequencies. I’m chasing the fading propagation. It’s a short race and soon there is nothing but a rush of hash. I’m done for the day. But wait. "Hey now what’s that sound?" LU6UA, the sweet sound of DX. Argentina into the log for the first time ever! Then static and I really am done. I know that because my wife tells me so.

15:07 UTC. Okay so I’m not an early riser. Left off with DX .... start up with DX. F5POU, heck it even sounds French. Three French stations in rapid succession and then France is gone like a ghost. Another Argentina, where are these signals coming from and how are they getting into my radio? Another CA, another FL, Arizona. CW speed is getting a little better but without the Kam I’d be out of business.

This is getting good. I am having fun now. I decide to set a goal. 100 contacts by the end of the contest. I have 28 in the log. This goal seems unrealistic but I’ll see how close I can get. Here’s WA and more CA and more CA and more CA. Doesn’t anybody in some other state own a radio. CA, CA, CA, CA. I need another state! Okay Idaho. Thank you Massachusetts. Now Switzerland. American Samoa. Hello Minnesota. CA, CA, CA, CA. Washington (state). 60 plus in the log. I’m not gonna make my goal but this is more contacts in two days than I have ever had.

I try some Side Band, not bad. Now I’m approaching 85 in the log but even working down, the band is starting to fade. Oh wow, New Zealand. Here’s some local Minnesota. Thanks guys, I’m going for a hundred. A Novice station. That’s a multiplier, I think. California, where are you when I need you. I’ll never say bad things about CA again. 96 in the log. Florida, where have you been? Oh rats, that’s a dupe. KT0R tells me things are winding down. I agree. #99 another lovely Californian. 23:57 a weak voice calling CQ Contest. K6BUM, you are no bum at all. You’re number 100! Now I’m thinking like a Contester. Surely there must be one more out there. Nope, just the sound of rushing electrons. 100 contacts after dupes, 14 States, 11 Countries., 21 SSB and 79 CW for 4475 total points!

Thanks Jim and Larry. You’re right, contesting is fun. Thanks KAM electronics; I promise to work on my code. But thanks especially to Dave Haefner K8AKR, without whom it just wouldn’t have happened at all.

Wanted

Old military ARC-5 type VLF (very low frequency) receiver. John KA0OSC, good in book or email ka0osc@n0bsn.ampr.org

*** Events and Happenings Around January ***

Please send in upcoming events to the editor.

We can’t show them if we don’t know them!