PVRC NEWSLETTER November 1996
From [email protected] Sun Nov 3 22:47:05 1996
Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 12:19:48 -0500 (EST)
From: "Dick Wilder (K3DI)"
To: Steve Affens K3SA
Subject: November Newsletter
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT KE3Q RICH BOYD (301) 464-8014 [email protected]
VICE PRES KF3P TYLER STEWART (301) 414-5444 [email protected]
SECRETARY WA3WJD BRIAN McGINNESS (301) 652-6768
[email protected]
TREASURER N3KTV JIM HORTON (301) 258-9731
HISTORIAN K3SA STEVE AFFENS (301) 774-0558
[email protected]
PVRC Charter Members: W3GRF (SK), W3IKN, W4AAV (SK), W4KFC (SK), W4KFT,
N0FFZ, W4LUE, W7YS, VP2VI (W0DX).
PacketCluster Contest/DX System (MHz):
K3NA Frederick MD 145.630
W3LPL Glenwood MD 145.590 441.250
KE3Q Bowie MD 145.570 445.375
N3RR Rockville MD 145.510 441.325
N4OHE Mt.Weather VA 145.710 440.925
N4SR Woodbridge VA 145.530 *
WR3L Baltimore MD 145.610
K4FJ Mt. Vernon VA 145.770 *
K3MQH S Mountain PA 145.630 (temp freq)
The system is sponsored by the Potomac Valley DX Spotting Network except
for nodes marked with "*" are funded & operated by the Rappahannock DX
Packetcluster Group.
PVRC on Internet:
Visit the PVRC Home Page, courtesy of K3SA, at:
http://www.access.digex.net/~k3sa/pvrc.html
Dues are by donation.
The mandatory $10 dues have been discontinued. So please send your
donation - hopefully at least $10 - to Jim Horton, N3KTV, 8527 Calypso
Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20879-1522. Make checks payable to PVRC. Thank
you.
Newsletter Editor:
Dick Wilder, K3DI, 913 Shore Acres Rd, Arnold, MD 21012-1724. The
communication ports are: (410) 757-6706, FAX/modem 757-6720,
[email protected], and the DXcluster. The deadline is for the December
issue is Monday, November 25.
The Next General Meeting is November 11th (always second Monday):
It will be at The Church of the Nativity (Episcopal), Route 5, Temple
Hills, MD at 7:30 PM. Arrive between 5:00 and 6:30 PM and enjoy an
Italian dinner buffet (about $10) at nearby Topolino's on Old Branch Ave
about 1/4 mile south of Allentown Rd. Directions to the meeting: Take the
Capital Beltway to Exit 7-A. Head south on Maryland Route 5 (Branch Ave)
toward Waldorf. Immediately after entering Branch Ave you will come to a
stoplight, which is Manchester Dr. Turn right on Manchester Dr. In the
middle of the block on the left hand side, you will notice the Church of
the Nativity sign next to the church entrance. Go up the drive to the top
and park in the church's parking lot.
PVRC Calendar:
Mon, Nov 11: General meeting, 7:30 PM, Temple Hills MD (see above)
Tue, Nov 19: NW meeting, Legends Restr, Frederick MD at 8:00PM
Nov ?: Deadline to order PVRC QSL's from AA3HM
Wed, Dec 18: 4th annual "Beezer" Xmas Dinner, Sylvia's Restr, 14670
Southlawn Ln, Rockville, MD 6PM -?.
Info: WB2BZR.
MINUTES OF THE PVRC GENERAL MEETING, VIENNA, VA. 10/14/96 by Brian
McGinness, WA3WJD, PVRC Secretary
The meeting was called to order at 7:15 PM by PVRC president Rich Boyd,
KE3Q. Members and guests were introduced. Guests were John Kirkham KC4B,
Richard Eschelman WK3I, and John Evans N3HBX.
Members attending were KF3P, AA4EL, N3JT, K3RV, K3ZJ, WR3Z, KE3Q, WB3ECU,
KC3RN, WR3L, WF3J, KI6ZH, N4MO, W9LT, W4VC, K3ZO, K4VV, KD4BK, K7CMZ,
WA3WJD, WI2T, N3KTV, W4RW, KE3KL, N1KCE, K3TM, and K3NA.
The treasurer (N3KTV) gave a brief report on our financial status. So far
we are doing OK strictly on donations - keep them coming!
where was a discussion by Rich, KE3Q about some of our paperwork flow
problems as we have gone forward with the regions voting in members. We
are working to resolve this. If anyone knows anyone who should be getting
a newsletter and who is not, please contact the secretary, WA3WJD.
Rich spoke about the PVRC intra-club competition and certificates, and
showed several sample certificates that preceded the final version of our
new color PVRC certificates. Members participating in the 1996 reunion
who were present were given their certificates. It is our plan to award a
certificate indicating your place within PVRC for every log submitted on
our behalf on the major contests which have an organized club competition.
There were four new applications for membership, and all had attended two
meetings and were eligible to be voted in. After a discussion all of the
following were voted into membership.
The first was Rich DiDonna, KI6ZH. Rich is an extra class operator coming
to us from the San Diego area. He has some contest experience, DXCC, WAS,
WAZ, etc. and was a member of the SCCC and the San Diego DX Club.
Currently he has no station set up and will be available to guest operate.
Next was John Kirkham, KC4B. John is an extra class operator who lives in
Fairfax. He is sponsored by KE3Q, has DXCC, WAS, WAC, WAZ, is an ARRL life
member and DXCC field checker, and is an NCDXA member. He has a station
with a KT34 at 45' and wires.
John Evans, N3HBX is an advances class operator who lives in Clarksburg,
MD. John works for Comsat and is sponsored by KO7V. John has assembled a
fairly large station consisting of three towers and stacks on 20 and 15,
and has done quite well in the phone contests. (Can we make a CW operator
out of him?)
The final application considered was from John Mitchell, WD4MUR. John is
an extra class licensee living in Catabwa, Virginia, sponsored by Marty
W3YOZ. John has some contest experience and operates in VHF contests. He
has over 100 countries worked on five bands, and 80 on 160 meters.
Fred, K3ZO gave a presentation on single-op unassisted techniques for the
upcoming CQWW SSB contest. For those who were not at the meeting, I kept
the best notes I could, and here is a summary of Fred's schedule:
At 0000 20 Asia/JAs then followed by 20 South to pick up South America,
the Caribbean and maybe Africa. At 0100-0300 work 40 towards Europe. Fred
says often Eu stations may be listening for USA now when the lower portion
of 40 has so much QRM that they are unable to work each other this early
on. If 40 meters is bad, Fred will go to 80 during this time period.
At 0300 80 Europe, working split transmitting just above 3800 and
listening below 3700. This is a good time to work VEs even if you can't
get a run going into Europe. At 0500 check 160 for Europe and Caribbean
stations. As a single op, check 160 on the hour but do not stay long. If
you are on 160 (long), you are losing the contest. After checking 160,
continue to work 80 or 40.
At 0600, check 160 again, then back to 80 or 40 for the rest of the night
until 20 opens. Fred says this is a good time for a couple hours sleep
until 20 opens.
At 1100 20 opens to Europe, maybe a little earlier for bigger stations.
Check 15 and 10 at the appropriate times to see if they open, and stay on
the highest band that you can keep the rates up on, most likely 20 at
this stage in the sunspot cycle. At 1900, stop and get 15 meter
multipliers and check 10 meters at this time. At 2100 start looking toward
Asia on 20 for JAs or KL7's, and check 15 on better days. At 2300, look
South on 20 for South America, Caribbean and maybe Africa. Then repeat the
same cycle over again for the second day.
There was a discussion about the club picking up the costs for QSL cards
for dxpeditions giving their score to PVRC. After some discussion, there
was a motion by N3KTV and seconded by WA3WJD to table the motion. The
motion to table passed.
Rich spoke about the upcoming November Sweepstakes, and how PVRC is in a
good position to win the club competition if we get just a few more logs
than last year. If you can get on either mode for any amount of time,
please do! We need the help! The CW sweepstakes is the weekend of 11/1 and
the SSB sweepstakes is the weekend of 11/15.
About 20 minutes of video on the raising of N3RR's second 2-el 40m beam
(40-2CD) using a cable tram was shown until we ran out of time. The
meeting was adjourned by the Fairfax County librarian at 2100!
NW REGIONAL MEETING MINUTES - 9/17/96 by Tyler Stewart KF3P
The meeting was held at Legend's Restaurant as usual. In record
attendance were members: KF3P, N3KKM, W9LT, ND3A, K3SME, K3TZV, N3KVF,
WD3A, AA6DC, K3LYW, WA3IKK, NE3H, K3ZNV, K3IXD, W3GHR, and N3RR, as well
as guests, Harriet Jeweler (xyl of K3LYW), and WB2DNE, Ed Kucharski.
During dinner, we watched a nice video account of the XR0Y/Z expedition,
graciously supplied by David, AA6DC. Later we saw the FT1000MP Promo
video and 40M antenna raising at N3RR's.
Notes from the introductions:
This was Ed, WB2DNE's first PVRC meeting, fresh from the VHF QSO Party.
N3KKM roved in the VHF contest. W9LT is "getting ready" for the contest
season with final antenna work. ND3A/R with WR3Z traveled 575 miles and
earned 11+k points in the VHF contest. NE3H is putting up a KT34 this
weekend with the assistance of WA3IKK, Dusty. Harriet continues to put up
with Norm, K3LYW's shenanigans. AA6DC is working on a new tower for the
Fall. N3KVF and K3TZV will be ground crew for NE3H's antenna party.
K3SME has started his seasonal nocturnal habits on 160. K3ZNV has a "new
call coming...". K3IXD stated that the K3MQH team has claimed another
huge score for the September VHF contest. W3GHR op'ed at K3MQH. N3RR has
his new beam up...not hooked up yet. KF3P op'ed 2 meters as usual at
K3MQH and noted the worst conditions ever experienced on Sunday. Also
working on completion of foundation for tower #2: 190' of heavy AB105 and
plans for V26B again for CQWW phone on 20 meters.
AA6DC will be at A61AF for the CQWW CW contest. David asked about PVRC
supplying QSL cards for his operation. After discussion, K3SME moved to
provide funding for 1/2 of David's QSL cards, N3RR seconded, and the vote
was unanimous. (This is subject to approval at the regular meeting in
October).
N3RR is looking for op's for CW Sweepstakes for a Multi Single.
N3RR synopsized the new RF radiation rules from FCC and their latest
efforts to provide official guidelines for the amateur community. Meeting
adjourned.
Next month we will rally for maximum participation in the Sweepstakes
contests. Most of the meeting will be devoted to strategies and
coordination of activity for SS as well as CQWW phone.
NW REGIONAL MEETING MINUTES - 10/15/96 by Tyler Stewart KF3P
The meeting was held at the usual place, Legend's Restaurant in Frederick.
In attendance were members: WB2BZR, WA3WJD, AA6DC, KF3P, W9LT, K3ZNV,
W3EKT, K3MQH, K3IXD, W3GHR, N5OKR, and W3LPL, as well as guest and new
member, Ed Kucharski, WB2DNE.
Introductions were made around the table.
KF3P reported on the regular meeting, which was held the previous evening.
Tyler relayed the notes he had taken from K3ZO's CQWW phone contest tips,
as well gathered tips for SS strategies. A plan to fund DXpedition QSL's
(specifically AA6DC's to A6) was tabled for future consideration. He
noted that the officers forgot to hold elections, so it will be conducted
at the November meeting.
This was WB2DNE's second consecutive NW meeting and Ed was rapidly
approved as a new member of PVRC. Congrats, Ed! Ed Kucharski is a general
class licensee from Westminster, MD. Ed is an excellent VHF/UHF
contester, but he also dabbles in the HF contests.
We viewed a video of W4MYA's station taken by N3RR on a recent day trip to
Bob's QTH.
NW Regional Meetings are held every third Tuesday at Legends Restaurant in
the Hampton Inn located at the intersection of Interstate 270 and Route
85. We gather for dinner starting at 6 PM with an official meeting at 8.
NC REGIONAL MEETING, 10/22/96 by Rich Boyd, KE3Q
K4PQL convened the PVRC North Carolina regional meeting Tuesday night at
N.C. State University's ham club, W4ATC, with KS4XG, Pete Soper,
assisting. Twelve were in attendance. Among them old hands W1IHN and
KI4HN.
K4PQL showed a videotape of KE3Q explaining PVRC and what we are doing to
get more competitive -- a tape KE3Q made specifically for this NC regional
meeting. This will be shown at a future general meeting to demonstrate
this approach.
Then the well-traveled "Building of the W3LPL super station" video was
shown.
There was general discussion of the upcoming CQWW and SS, operating
strategies and tips.
The reports indicate everyone had a good time with membership applications
on the way. More detail to follow.
(The following is edited from an Internet message from Howie, K4PQL.
-editor)
The NC State Club (W4ATC) will be activated by one hundred percent PVRC in
CQWW SSB and partial PVRC in SS.
New members are:
N3QYE, Jim Price of Raleigh NC ([email protected]) is trustee of the NC
club station, W4ATC. Jim has been instrumental in keeping the station
active and equipment up to snuff. He is a new ham and favors SSB.
AD4ZE, Warren Lewis or Cary, NC ([email protected]) is an avid sailor,
and enjoys CW operation.
KT4LD, Andrew Lewis of Chapel Hill, NC ([email protected]) is a sixteen year
old extra who is new to contesting. All signs point to his being an
excellent contest operator. He favors SSB operation.
PVRC RAPPAHANNOCK REGIONAL MEETING, edited from packet messages by Jack
O'Mara WB4NFS and Steve Bookout NJ4F
A regional PVRC Meeting of the Rappahannock Valley Region (between DC and
Richmond) has been scheduled for Wednesday 6 November at 7PM at NJ4F's
QTH. NJ4F is at the exact center of the PVRC contest area. All PVRC
members and anyone interested in contesting is welcome to attend. The
agenda is to discuss everyone war stories from CQWW Phone and SS CW and
contest strategy for the rest of the season's contests. So take your best
ideas so all learn what works and what doesn't. Steve (NJ4F) has quite an
impressive station also. If you have any questions please give call Jack
at 703-680-4106.
Directions: From I-95 take the exit marked 130W, Fredericksburg/Culpeper,
and go West about 8 miles to the Chancellorsville Battlefield Park and
make a left on to route 610; 1/2 to 3/4 mile to Subdivision on right; turn
right on Chancellor West Blvd.; make right at stop sign to approx 7th
drive on right; 8607 Lee Jackson Circle. Look for stupid balloons (or is
it baluns) on the mail box. Leave message on cluster (to NJ4F) if you
plan to attend so they can get an approx head count.
Editors comments: Typically, this Newsletter is in the reproduction and
distribution phase during the first week of every month which makes it
difficult to provide timely reporting about activities during that period.
Though the Rappahannock meeting will have passed when you receive this
issue, this information is included to assist those who may attend future
meetings.
N4ZC MT HOLLY NC NEEDS OPS
Don Daso ([email protected] or 704-531-1199) pleads for CW operators for CQWW
and maybe ARRL. Contact Don or Roger Burt N4ZC at 704-263-1133 for
details.
THE PVRC EXCHANGE by Ed Steeble, K3IXD [email protected]
AA3HM, Craig Lee, has extended the cut off date for the QSL cards due a
number of people waiting for the gate 2 vanity call signs. The order form
has been in previous issues and or contact him via packetcluster (tm)
AA3HM @ W3LPL; or email [email protected] (note new email -editor); or via
CBA. Don't delay. I doubt AA3HM will do another order before next August
so stock up now. Use the PVRC cards for those contest QSOs.
To order a PVRC name badge provide your call sign, your name as it is to
appear on the badge, and $5 (or $7 if you want it mailed to you instead of
picking it up at a club meeting). Mail a check (payable to Brian
McGinness) to WA3WJD, Brian McGinness, 4618 DeRussey Pkwy, Chevy Chase, MD
20815.
I am still planning on having the order form for another PVRC silk
screened T-shirt, sweat shirt, hat, and embroidered golf shirt order in
the January Newsletter.
SCORES
Please send your scores to Dave Blanchard, N3II, via the DXcluster,
[email protected], or 410-876-7546. He is collecting scores for
local information so, remember, you must still submit your score to the
Contest Committee sponsoring the contest.
WORKING CHINA'S NEWEST HAMS by Fred Laun, K3ZO
In conversations with BA1HAM at the 1994 Region 3 Conference in Singapore
and thereafter, and with BA1FB at WRTC, I was told that China's national
radio society, CRSA, in an attempt to spread amateur radio to the far
corners of the nation, had sent free FM transceiver kits to some 10,000
radio enthusiasts all over China. The recipients were people who were
unable to travel to one of the 28 cities where amateur examinations are
given due to lack of time or travel funds. The three-watt FM transceivers
are crystal controlled on 29600 KHz.
This measure was taken in the wake of a change in China's radio laws,
which were amended to permit Chinese hams to set up amateur stations in
their homes. Previously, Chinese hams were allowed only to operate at
club stations using the club station's call (BY prefix) or a personal call
sign meant specifically to be used at a club station (BZ prefix).
Now China's hams can set up stations in their homes. Home stations of
old-timers who were active before 1949 and others who have passed the
highest class examination get the BA prefix. The next-highest class get
the BD prefix, and the lowest-class home station is ordinarily awarded the
BG prefix. However, those who were unable to take any examination before
getting on the air were initially awarded the BH prefix, which did not
allow them to QSO foreign stations. Almost all of these have now been
upgraded to BG status, since it is felt that their on-the-air operating
experience qualifies them for the lowest class of regular home-station
license.
In tuning around the 40-meter band on my latest trip to Thailand where I
got on the air with my HS0ZAR call, I found some slow CW activity by BD
and BG stations, often in unusual parts of the band. The area above 7030
in East Asia is almost all given over to SSB, but I found BD and BG
stations calling CQ on CW frequently in the 7040-7050 area.
One day, however, I decided to see if I could hit the mother lode of
Chinese beginners by firing up on 29600 FM. Despite the current low state
of the sunspot cycle, Thailand is in an almost ideal position with respect
to China for 10 meter work, being located on the geomagnetic equator to
the South of China. On Sunday 15 September I called CQ on 29600 FM using
an IC-751 into an A3S at 135 feet, and was answered almost immediately by
Lee, BG9GQ. Other QSO's ensued with BG4UV, BD9SA, BG6GBA, BG6IV, BG4JX,
BD5DAA, BG4SED, BG9SD, BG6IZ, BG9AQ, BG4AAH, BG4SBE and BG6QK in that
order. Old-timer BA4CH was on hand on the frequency to help out.
I came back on Saturday 21 September and worked BG9SD, BG7KR, BG7LP,
BG8BQ, BG9BA, BV7GV, BG8BY, BV4LQ, BG4AAU, BG8ST, BG6IZ, BD8AI, BV7KO/2,
BY4CJT and BG4AAY. As can be seen, the fellows from Taiwan show up on
this frequency also.
The best propagation from Bangkok seemed to be into the BD9/BG9 call area,
which as BA4CH pointed out is in Zone 23. All five of the stations from
that area, three watts or not, pinned the S-meter at times in Bangkok and
were easily readable.
Communication on 29600 was not easy because of QRM from commercial FM
services on the same frequency, rumored to be taxicabs in Hong Kong. But
the 22 stations thus worked represented a preview of some of the
interesting things which will be available during the coming sunspot peak
five or six years down the road.
MORE AMATEUR RADIO SITES ON THE INTERNET
Compiled by Leo Boberschmidt, KA3TGY, [email protected]
Here are some additional amateur radio web sites that might be of interest
to you. If there is some ham radio area that is of particular interest to
you, let me know at the above e-mail address; I may already have a site
bookmarked.
General:
100 Years of Radio
[an interesting Marconi site]: http://www.alpcom.it/hamradio
AC6V's Home Page [interesing links]:
http://pw2.netcom.com/~ac6v/index.html
Amateur Radio Links- Licensing Abroad:
http://www.com-west.com/b-home.htm
Amateur Radio HomePages - World:
http://www.freenet.mb.ca/iphome/a/amradio/usahome.html
Bay Area DXers [BAD] Internet Resources:
http://www.netonecom.net/~ki8w/bad2.html
Daily FCC Activity: http://www.lantz.com/cbs/
National Contest Journal On-Line
[has table of contents for various issues of NCJ]:
http://www.waterw.com/~ncj/
Satellite DX Foundation:
http://www.accessone.com/~emunger/KA7LDN/index.html
YCCC Home Page [the gang up North]:
http://www.yccc.org/
DXpeditions:
CADXA DXpedition to Myanmar (Burma):
http://www.getnet.com/~kf7ay/myanmar.html"
Expedition to Heard Island:
http://ccnet4.ccnet.com/Ecordell/HI/scoping/
(editor note: Heard URL may be messed up.)
SM7PKK DX-pedition Site
[see what Mats has been up to]:
http://www.algonet.se/~sm7pkk/
South Sandwich Is. DX Group Home Page:
http://ocean.st.usm.edu/~gejones/ssidxghp.html
International Pages:
Australia:
Australian Radio Amateurs on the Internet:
http://www.mpce.mq.edu.au/~guy/amateurs.html
VK1DA's Amateur Radio Web Directory:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~andrewd/hamradio/radlink.html
Wireless Institute of Australia (New South Wales Division): Includes
information for overseas amateurs visiting Australia and the WIA's
bookshop [even though mostly ARRL books, there are a number of RSGB and
other books].
http://sydney.dialix.oz.au/~wiansw/index.html
Canada:
VE1 Ham e-mail addresses:
http://ccn.cs.dal.ca/~ac109/ve1a.html
Iceland:
Icelandic Radio Amateurs 50th Anniversary:
http://www.itn.is/~ve/ira/iraeng.html
TF3VET/TF4VET Hamlinks:
http://www.itn.is/~ve/hamlink.html