“Storm Watch”

Newsletter of NZ1U – The Barnstormers Contest Group

    “The Barnstormers News”                                                                                                                                                      Volume 9 No.6, September 16, 2004

How did your Summer go ?

 

I don’t know about everyone else but this has been one of the fastest summers I have been through. Too bad no one went in the swimming pool!! I probably used two or three contest weekends of electricity to keep the pool going and that’s not even considering the chemicals. Well, it’s over now. The pool gets closed on Saturday and summer type activities come to an end.

 

Now for the important stuff:

 

Now it’s time to push to get the station ready for the 2004-2005 contest season. We have a number of unfinished projects from last year. My albatross is without a doubt “The Dallas”. It’s not done and it is my fault. I have to go keep my cousin company while he works on the boom and I just plain haven’t done that.  Kim kept up his part of the bargain and the prop pitch is running great.  “I gotta do what I gotta do!” We may have to have a backup plan like resurrecting Frank’s antenna just in case. We lost ground last year on 40 Meters and that is where we have to improve this year. I will do my best to get the “Dallas” done.

 

Dave has modified two MPs so far and still has at least Frank’s to do.

 

Kim jumped both feet into the VHF/UHF contest ring. See the article below for the details and picture. This did mean we tore apart some of the shelving and now we are considering making a partial wall behind Stations 3 & 4 with an opening at the stair end. This will help with blocking the sound for those not operating and also give us more wall area for beds rather than sleeping in the middle of the floor. It also adds back in some shelving. This is a project that anyone can help. No climbing, no soldering, no bees! What do you all think about this idea? Chris did raise a good question of ventilating this smaller area. We need to think what to do.

 

I still would like to get the East-West beverage done. Holes to dig, posts to set, wire to run.

 

The existing beverage needs the reversing switching redone/finished. I guess I will do this and hopefully faster than I am getting the “Dallas” done.  Station #1 computer still does no boot up most of the time. JP has a new computer so the worst we will have to do is configure his HP Kayak for use at this station.

 

We have a huge amount of cleaning and setting up to do. My goal is to be ready and give everything a good try the weekend before CQWW which will be the WAG (Work All Germany) contest. Chris and I have had a lot of fun over the years in this contest. This is mixed mode so even the non-CBers can operate.

 

The weekend of September 25-26 will be my first big push and would like to see any many of you here as possible. This week and next I will be around and hope to get some things done on the weeknights

 

 

N1XS/5

 

On or about September 1st Chris headed for Texas. Checking in a time or two on the node he got to Dallas pretty quickly. He showed me online the apartment complex he is staying at and I’d say it looks like a Sandals Resort! Only thing missing is the poolside swim-up bar! Chris still plans on getting back here for the major contests and Kim says last he talked to Chris he might come up by train. Two days and a heck of a lot cheaper. Chris says he is working hard and not any time for radio yet but I am sure he will some time soon. He drives by Texas Towers everyday. All Chris’ contact information remains the same.

 

 

Let’s not wait until October 25th to re-teach ourselves CT

 

With quite a few contests coming up in the next month let’s try to get some practice with our logging program. Still using CT and maybe someday we will change to N1MM Logger. Operate from home or stop over here to get some time on the keyboard.  As soon as we get the station more back together I will get a notice out as to what contest is coming up to practice in. With four permanent positions it becomes more important that we begin to pass not only multipliers but QSO's as well. This practice can be done in most of the many contests coming up soon.

 

 

Also…

 

With Chris gone and not totally sure to be here for all contests we could use one or two more operators. We have a lead on a young 16 year old that could be a great addition to the crew. Kim and I are working on that. Do you know anyone?

 

We are not the original Barnstormers!!

 

K1IN sent me this with the following:

 

Here is a photo of me at 1960 Field Day.  You're spared from seeing my face, since I'm in the background hidden by my friend Danny.  A fellow 12th grader in our radio/TV class invited us to operate from the hayloft of his family barn.  Kinda reminds me of operating from KB1H except this barn in WV was still meant for the animals to inhabit.  As you can see, we were not neat as at KB1H either.

 

 

KB1DFB @ KB1H – Power is good!

 

Well, Kim has decided to attack the opposition and with force. We all know that he has been hoping to increase his VHF/UHF operation here.  He has gone on the offensive! First he has purchased four K1JCL homebrew amps. Three 8877s and  pair of 3CXP-800A7s are capable of a KW or more on 6 meters through 432 Mhz. This past weekend we ran the amps with reduced drive but what a difference! As I said in the title above – POWER IS GOOD!

 

Kim also has purchased a used FT1000MP with all (yes  Frank, ALL) the filters. 8 total. He plans on using the MP to drive transverters but the side benefit is that we now have another MP available for HF contests.

 

Below is a picture of the VHF/UHF “Tower of Power”

 

 

And oh yes, it kicks butt!!!!

 

  

Dallas meets “The Dallas”….

 

During Boxborough weekend Dallas, K1DW, stopped by with Walt, KA1MM. It was the first chance Dallas had to meet with his namesake. Walt and Dallas got the cook’s tour and Walt took plenty of pictures with his new digital camera. Walt is an old friend from the HAWG Field Day group and I am trying to talk him into joining us for some contesting. Dallas had not been here in many years and was impressed with all we have done with antennas and the station. Below is a picture of Dallas getting up close and personal with one of “The Dallas” elements. You know, with him holding up the element it doesn’t look so big!

 

 

 

Ok Gang, I am ready to get started and I hope we all get the ambition to make this another “better” year at the KB1H Superstation.

 

73 for now, Dick