Ringing out 2006

Well, it has been a whirlwind last couple of weeks. I have had a little time to play on the radio. I was able to make contact with Jim (WX3B) while he was operating the special event stations K3C and K3N.

I was never able to work (or even hear) the VU7LD operation. I was rather upset about that. I sure would have loved having a new country.

I made my first PSK31 QSO by accident!!!!! I was fiddling with the setup trying to get it to key up the radio, when I hit the CQ button. Next thing I know, I have a Cuban station coming back to me!!!! But I still have some issues as the rig is still keying up after it finishes transmitting. So, there is still work that needs to be done there. But, it was interesting!!!!

I have been working DX stations, but no new ones. So, I can't wait for the next DX contest so I can see if I can add a new one or two.

The holidays have put a damper on the tower project, but I am hoping to get the permit process started over the next week or so.

I did get a chance to work both W1AW and W1F for the end of the Hello Program that was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first radio broadcast in 1906.

I accidentally entered the RAC Winter Contest. This was not planned, but I heard someone calling "CQ contest" on 80 meters and I just had to check it out. I wound up making 20-something contacts while I was looking for DX and special event stations last night (Friday) and today (Saturday).

So, there it is......It is now officially getting close to the end of the year and I am hoping to work a few more before the year ends. I might enter the CQ DX marathon, but I will have to see. It just depends on how much time I can set aside to do it.

A QSO with Santa

Yesterday (Monday) Emma and I had a wonderful QSO with Santa (W6S). I must say that I enjoyed it as much as she did. I was surprised how she talked to Santa. I expected her to be shy, but she was not. She even got to see him on the webcam. She was very excited and it was an unexpected treat. Santa said that he had been doing this for 34 years and I must say that I was impressed on how well he handled the kids. I have got to send a card to his QSL manager and frame it for her when it arrives!

VE certificate

Yesterday my ARRL VE credentials came in the mail. I am glad for this as I want to do everything I can to see the hobby grow and to encourage new people to join our ranks. So, with my new paper in hand, I am going to see if I can't get into my first testing session in April with our local club. I am also a W5YI VE, but I must be honest and say that I have not done a session with MPARC since I got my credentials. So, I need to get involved with one of their sessions also.

The FCC's latest R&O

I have been reading a bunch of handwringing from people crying that the removal of the Morse requirement for licensing will bring about the end of ham radio. I have mixed feelings about the issue.

It is true that the removal of Morse will bring more people into the hobby. Some of those will be of a less than stellar quality, just like a cross-section of our society. But, I do not see us moving along the path towards CB radio. We are a self-policing group and the FCC still has an enforcement bureau. I do not forsee the FCC throwing up its hands and walking away from amateur radio like it has done with CB radio. Anyone who tries to hold out that we who are currently in the hobby are role models for what the amateur radio service should be have not listened to some of the rubbish down on 80 meters at night. I am embarrassed by what I have have heard there. But, thankfully, I have seen the FCC enforcement actions against some of these characters.

We must admit that our hobby is growing grayer. I am middle aged and am often one of the youngest hams at our local radio club meeting. We seriously need an infusion of new (and younger blood) into the hobby. It is up to those of us who have been licensed for a while to become elmers to our newer licensees and in this way we can prevent some of those bad habits that have been so feared in the past. Each of us (other than the embarrassing people mentioned earlier) have a part to play in the future of our hobby. Each of us has a particular portion of this hobby that we have become specialized in. Some of us focus on emergency communications while others focus on DXing and contesting. Others love the digital modes, while others love CW and have forgotten where their microphone is. Some have forgotten the code and focused on SSB. Our hobby is limitless and as Dave Bushong says it is truly 99 hobbies rolled up into one.

I unfortunately have forgotten the code by not using it and that is my fault. I was out of the hobby for a number of years (7, in fact) and never even turned on a radio during that time. But, now I am back and I am working on my code skills. Code may not be required for licensing, but I know there are many DXpeditions that spend more time on CW than on SSB. Since I want to enjoy the fullness of my specialities (DXing and contesting), I need to keep the code in my skills. So, over the next few months I will be working at improving my code skills and even taking the plunge and doing some CW contests.

So, in my humble opinion, they may take away the requirement for code for licensing, but the code will not be going away anytime soon!!!

The tower has arrived!!!

Well, this gem arrived about 11am this morning and I was very happy to see it. Now the paperwork begins. I am hoping that we will get a couple of good warm days this winter and the tower can be up before the weather breaks. I have to see what the county requires for paperwork and then start jumping through the hoops. But, it is sure a welcome sight. I was amazed at just how light the tower truly is. With a rotor and antenna on it, it should weigh less than 150 pounds total. It is much more expensive than the Rohn 25G, but as it will not require maintenance, it should make up for the difference.

Speaking of DXpeditions......

I talked to N2WB (Wild Bill) Sunday night and told him that I hope I have better luck hearing him on his DXpedition next month to Burkina-Faso than I am having with the current VU7 operation. He said that we should be able to hear them better. I truly hope so as I need that one for a new country!!!! I also enjoyed talking with Bill about the Peter I Island video that I got a couple of weeks ago. It is fantastic!!! You can order the video here.

I first heard Peter 1 back during the 1994 DXpedition, but was not able to work them. I was quite pleased to get them in February.

Upcoming DXpedition

NE1RD and a group of other Buddipole operators including Budd himself will soon be heading for Montserrat. Check out the details of this DXpedition at: http://dxpedition-vp2m.com/ and give them a call!!! This might be the kind of thing that I could get Larry (W3MGL) to come with me on........Of course, he probably won't want to leave Virginia, but there is still a lot of places to go in-state!

ARRL 10 Meter Contest Results

It's not enough for a big finish, but considering all I had going on that weekend, it was still fun. I just need more sunspots!!!!

ARRL 10-Meter Contest
Call: W4TMN
Operator(s): W4TMN
Station: W4TMN
Class: SO SSB LP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 2
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
CW: 0 0
SSB: 58 20
-------------------
Total: 58 20 Total Score = 2,320

A Wonderful QSO

Today while on my way to a seminar in Richmond, I ran into Curt, K9CH, who moved from Newport News to Hopewell this past summer. It was a wonderful QSO and I enjoyed catching up on everything with him. He is a professor who teaches communications and is just a fantastic guy. He gave a presentation on photography at the Williamsburg Area Amateur Radio Club meeting a number of months ago that everyone enjoyed thoroughly. He is a very talented person and a whiz with CW. He was John's (my youngest son's) first ever HF QSO and went the extra mile to make up a certificate for him and personally hand delivered it to him. There are a number of wonderful hams out there and I am priviledged to know and associate with many of them. I miss having Curt in the area for our almost daily QSO's.

On the way home, I was able to talk to Curt more until his wife, Edie came home and I let him get off the radio and spend time with his lovely wife.

So, it was great to hear Curt and to have his company as I motored in the Richmond area today. I am hoping that we can have more of these in the future.

Sad News from KE9V

Jeff, KE9V, has said that he is going to shut down his blog......I was sorry to hear that as I enjoy reading his thoughts. But, fortunately, he is going to be continuing his podcasts!!! Even Allyson, who has absolutely no interest in becoming a ham, enjoys his podcasts. So, I am looking forward to continuing to listen to his well-done and thought out work on the podcast side of things.

But, even with the podcasts continuing, there is still a part of me that will miss reading about his interests and thoughts about many different topics.....

73 to ya, Jeff.............and thanks for not going totally QRT, just QRP!!!!

The Tower is Coming!!!!

The folks at Universal Towers sent me an e-mail today saying that the tower went out the door today. They sent me the shipping company's tracking number and they are anticipating it arriving at my house on Monday. So, it is definitely time to get that permit to put it up in the air!!!

I am hoping that all goes well and the process will go smoothly. If so, we should be able to have the tower ready by the end of January if there are no hitches.

So, now it is about to get serious.............

10 Meter contest

Well, I didn't get much time last weekend to operate in the 10 Meter contest and my score definitely showed it. I worked less than 3 hours and only made 58 contacts. This was not my best showing. There were a number of things working against me: a very busy schedule with church activities, an appointment with Santa on Saturday morning, sleep, family and propagation. The solar weather was terrible and the band seemed to be constantly shifting. On Sunday afternoon, I did get some trans-equatorial contacts, but they were few. I heard a Hawaiian station, but they could not hear my puny 100 watts. I then lost the Hawaiian in the static and started hearing West Coast stations. I worked a few and then the band shortened and I was able to add Minnesota and other 0 stations. Then the band shortened again and I had a pipeline to Minnesota!!! A couple more stations and then Michigan and Ohio were on the menu. The band got quiet, so I tried running stations and did get my QSO rate up to a respectable 40 QSOs/hour for a few minutes until the band stopped cooperating. After that, all I could hear is the despised bacon frying sound of static. So, it was very depressing. I still have to add the contacts to my logging program and send my entry to the ARRL. Hopefully, I will get this done over the next few days, along with posting my scores here on the blog.

Busy times!

I ordered a 40 foot self-supporting tower on December 4th. I called Universal Tower yesterday and they said that it is expected to ship the end of this week or the first part of next week. It will be greatly welcomed here!!!

I have watched the 3Y0X DVD that I ordered here a few weeks ago. I would love to be able to go on a DXpedition sometime!!! Larry and I are planning our mini-DXpedition and all is going well on that front. We are going to do a test run at Larry's with the Buddipole set up in his driveway. If that turns out well, we are then going to go out to a location and see how many contacts we can rack up.

Tonight, I bought an automatic antenna tuner from one of our club members. I am looking forward to seeing how it helps my contesting. I have installed it and it seems to work just fine. I will give it a shot over the next few weeks and hopefully it will cut down on tuning time.

We had our club meeting tonight and we are definitely going to be setting up a special event station for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown next May. My work schedule does not lend itself to operating a lot from the special event stations, but I am hoping that I will get some time to go down and get on the air.

So, lots of things coming up.........These are going to be exciting times!!!!