Happy New Year

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This first weekend of the new year has a several Radio Sport and On Air activities to partake in.

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First off ARRL Kids Day. While not really a contest or radio sport is it an event that encourages you to promote our hobby to youth. Share your hobby with your Kids, Grandkids, Church group, Scout, friends children etc.

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Complete details are at

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Remember to review the FCC rules on “Third Party Traffic” as current band conditions are favorable for DX contacts.

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The ARRL RTTY Roundup is happening starting at 18:00 GMT (1 pm local) Saturday January 4 thru 23:59 GMT (6:59 pm local) January 5

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Never tried RTTY? The ARRL RTTY Roundup offers a great playing field to learn a new mode. Chances are that you are already doing FT modes so shifting to RTTY is most likely setting up your digital software to do RTTY. Contest logging software like N1MM (free) supports the ARRL RTTY RU has the MMTTY engine as well as FLDIGI integrated.

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A good website for RTTY operating tips is

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Here is a link to a presentation on RTTY contesting that was given at a Yankee Clipper Contest Club meeting by Ed Muns W0YK

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So basically, Amateurs worldwide contact and exchange QSO information with other amateurs using only the Radioteletype (RTTY) mode on the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands. Any station may work any other station. Stations may be worked once per band, regardless of mode. Automated operation is not permitted, each claimed contact must include contemporaneous direct initiation by the operator on both sides of the contact.?

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The Exchange for US stations is our state, VE stations their providence and DX stations will give a serial number.

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This is a typical contest contact:

CQing Station: CQ RU DE NJ1F

Answering Station: W1UE

CQer: W1UE 599 NY

Answer: 599 MA

CQer: TU RU DE NJ1F

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Calling a station DX CQ looks like this

CQing Station: CQ RU DE SP9KR

Answering Station: NJ1F

CQer: NJ1F 599 231

Answer: 599 NY

CQer: TU QRZ SP9KR

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You can operate a max of 24 hours out of the 30 hour contest period.

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Complete rules at

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Band conditions have be fantastic to really bad. There are several very active sunspot regions facing Earth that have sent CME’s and solar flares which have wreaked havoc with the bands. Space Weather is predicting a glancing hit of a CME this weekend .

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THE NEXT STORM IS COMING: NOAA forecasters have issued a -class geomagnetic storm watch for Jan. 4th and 5th when a CME and a stream of solar wind are expected to graze Earth's magnetic field. This should be a relatively minor event, much less intense than the severe -class storm of Jan. 1st. Nevertheless, high-latitude sky watchers (especially near the Artic Circle) could get a good show if the storm materializes ?

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Hey the next Club meeting on Monday January 13^th will feature Fred K2TR interactively sharing his years of experience of HF and VHF propagation, answering questions ?and sharing propagation sites / tools.

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A friend W1VE will be operating in the ARRL RTTY Roundup as 7Q2T (Malawi) doing single band 10 meters. Tip I worked him during the recent ARRL 10 meter contest at 18:30 GMT with 100 watts and a dipole, so that would be a good time to look for him on Saturday or Sunday.

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Hope you get on your wireless set this weekend.

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73

Brian

NJ1F

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