Article on learning CW I mentioned at meeting
Attached is the article from CQ magazine that I mentioned last night at the meeting.
steve/ka1cnf
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I haven't had a chance to discuss this with the club board, but I'm trying to put something together for the meeting Thursday -?
A couple of things on tomorrow's meeting:
- For this months special topic, I wanted to discuss FT8.? Being quite busy at work and home, I looked for some useful presentations and found one I hope to be perfect as a starting point.? So the
special topic will be FT8 where I hope to have a virtual special guest.? Then maybe members who use FT8 can discuss their experiences with it.
- ?To enable the previous bullet, does anyone have a good small audio setup or powered speakers we could use for taking PC audio? and amplifying?? I have some small PC powered speakers, but quality
is not great.? If you have something that might work to put out decent audio in our meeting room, let me know.
-- Brian
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k2as@...
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New: No Radio Lunch for a bit -- let Flu subside...
Greetings,
Let's not meet for the radio lunch for the next month or so, and let the threat of the Flu subside. I am thinking our next lunch could be late April or early May.
Regards,
Ned
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Re: ARRL DX Contest (Phone)
nice work,?
It's nice to see that verticals work, _/) ? _/) ? ? ? _/) ?_/) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Wright62 Grand View Dr. Fairport NY 14450
3 Santa Maria Court Port St. Lucie FL 34952 585 771-0509 (cell text ok)
On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 12:00 AM Brian Donovan < k2as@...> wrote:
I was able to spend a few hours this weekend operating in the ARRL Phone DX Contest.? I had contacts on 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters.? Just did search and pounce and picked up 85 QSOs, with 66 multipliers, and a little over 17K score.? This was the first time using
an amplifier, and even at only 600 watts PEP, it made a big difference.? Plus a more modern radio with a Heil headset / footswitch helped as well.? I might have picked up a new country or two.? My modest vertical antenna was good enough, at least to work a
bunch of high power, professional contest stations with massive towers and antennas!
I did work ZM1A in New Zealand on 40 meters around 1 AM Sunday morning.?
I did submit under XRX ARC if anyone else is going to submit a log.
Anyone operate at all during the contest?
-- Brian
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I was able to spend a few hours this weekend operating in the ARRL Phone DX Contest.? I had contacts on 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters.? Just did search and pounce and picked up 85 QSOs, with 66 multipliers, and a little over 17K score.? This was the first time using
an amplifier, and even at only 600 watts PEP, it made a big difference.? Plus a more modern radio with a Heil headset / footswitch helped as well.? I might have picked up a new country or two.? My modest vertical antenna was good enough, at least to work a
bunch of high power, professional contest stations with massive towers and antennas!
I did work ZM1A in New Zealand on 40 meters around 1 AM Sunday morning.?
I did submit under XRX ARC if anyone else is going to submit a log.
Anyone operate at all during the contest?
-- Brian
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k2as@...
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Upcoming Event: XARC 2 Meter Net - Thu, 03/05/2020 8:00pm-9:00pm
#cal-reminder
Reminder: XARC 2 Meter Net
When:
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 8:00pm to 9:00pm,
(GMT-05:00) America/New York
Where:W2XRX Repeater 145.29 Mhz
View Event
Organizer: XARC
k2as@...
Description: The XARC 2 Meter net is every Thursday at 8PM (except meeting nights - 2nd Thursday of month).? 145.29 Mhz W2XRX repeater.
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New: Radio Lunch Location -- Durf's in Fairport -- Thursday 3/5/2020
Greetings,
This week we will continue to meet at Durf's Family
Restaurant in Fairport. This location promises to
have good food, lower prices and smaller crowds.
We are getting 4-8 folks each week -- some of whom we have not
seen in quite a while, plus some new faces!
Plan to arrive a bit early so as to get a table for six or more
in the back of the restaurant.
Details:
Date:? 5 March 2020
Time:? about noon
Location:
Durf's Family Restaurant
150 N. Main St. #4
Fairport, NY? 14450
Restaurant is set back on the east side of 250 (N Main) and south
of Whitney Rd.
See you
there!
Regards,
Ned, W2NED
585 734-1984
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Japan Stations on 20 Meter FT8
A few people at last weeks meeting mentioned never working anything beyond the west coast going west.? The last few days, quite a few Japanese stations have been on FT8 between 5 and 6:30 PM local time.? I was able to work quite a few with my vertical.
I don't know if they are workable in other modes, but hopefully it will keep up.? Give it a listen if you haven't recently.
-- Brian
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k2as@...
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Upcoming Event: XARC 2 Meter Net - Thu, 02/27/2020 8:00pm-9:00pm
#cal-reminder
Reminder: XARC 2 Meter Net
When:
Thursday, 27 February 2020, 8:00pm to 9:00pm,
(GMT-05:00) America/New York
Where:W2XRX Repeater 145.29 Mhz
View Event
Organizer: XARC
k2as@...
Description: The XARC 2 Meter net is every Thursday at 8PM (except meeting nights - 2nd Thursday of month).? 145.29 Mhz W2XRX repeater.
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New: Radio Lunch Location -- Durf's in Fairport -- Thursday 2/27/2020
Greetings,
This week we will continue to meet at Durf's Family
Restaurant in Fairport. This location promises to
have good food, lower prices and smaller crowds.
We are getting 4-8 folks each week -- some of whom we have not
seen in quite a while, plus some new faces!
Plan to arrive a bit early so as to get a table for six or more
in the back of the restaurant.
Details:
Date:? 27 Feb 2020
Time:? about noon
Location:
Durf's Family Restaurant
150 N. Main St. #4
Fairport, NY? 14450
Restaurant is set back on the east side of 250 (N Main) and south
of Whitney Rd.
See you
there!
Regards,
Ned, W2NED
585 734-1984
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Upcoming Event: XARC 2 Meter Net - Thu, 02/20/2020 8:00pm-9:00pm
#cal-reminder
Reminder: XARC 2 Meter Net
When:
Thursday, 20 February 2020, 8:00pm to 9:00pm,
(GMT-05:00) America/New York
Where:W2XRX Repeater 145.29 Mhz
View Event
Organizer: XARC
k2as@...
Description: The XARC 2 Meter net is every Thursday at 8PM (except meeting nights - 2nd Thursday of month).? 145.29 Mhz W2XRX repeater.
|
New: Radio Lunch Location -- Durf's in Fairport -- Thursday 2/20/2020
Greetings,
This week we will continue to meet at a new location -- Durf's
Family Restaurant in Fairport. This location promises
to have good food, lower prices and smaller crowds.
We are getting 6-8 folks each week -- some of whom we have not
seen in quite a while, plus some new faces!
Plan to arrive a bit early so as to get a table for six or more
in the back of the restaurant.
Details:
Date:? 20 Feb 2020
Time:? about noon
Location:
Durf's Family Restaurant
150 N. Main St. #4
Fairport, NY? 14450
Restaurant is set back on the east side of 250 (N Main) and south
of Whitney Rd.
See you
there!
Regards,
Ned, W2NED
585 734-1984
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Dusty, thanks for your interest. ? The laptop is taken, but the Dell tower is still available if you have any interest. Harry ----------------------------------------- From: "Kramer" To: [email protected]Cc: Sent: Sunday February 16 2020 12:11:20PM Subject: Re: [xarc] 2 free computers Harry, I happen to know someone that needs a working laptop. I’d like to take the Gateway off your hands. ? Bests, Dusty ?
From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of hwillia1@... Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2020 11:49 AM To: ' [email protected]' < [email protected]> Subject: [xarc] 2 free computers ? Before I take these working computers to Staples for recycling I wanted to check to see if anyone wanted them - pictures are attached.? The first is a working Gateway 15.6" laptop with an Intel i3 processor, 320 GB HD, 4 MG RAM, blueray disk drive and webcam.? It is running Windows 7 Home Premium and has MS Office installed.? It works fine but I don't need it.? The second is a Dell inspiron 530S tower only with Windows Vista 32bit OS, 3MB RAM, 1.6 Ghz dual core processor.? It works fine too.
Let me know if you have a good home for either of these working machines.? I will leave all the relevant software intact and delete the personal stuff.? If I don't hear from anyone soon I will offer it to other clubs.
Harry Williams
KF2TV
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I will take the laptop if it is not taken. That is if you don't mind my giving it to WA2MYF, a fellow ham friend of mine who could use it. He needs a bigger screen than the little Dell he has. He is not computer savvy but I would set it up for him. Thanks.
Before I take these working computers to Staples for recycling I wanted to check to see if anyone wanted them - pictures are attached.? The first is a working Gateway 15.6" laptop with an Intel i3 processor, 320 GB HD, 4 MG RAM, blueray disk drive and webcam.? It is running Windows 7 Home Premium and has MS Office installed.? It works fine but I don't need it.? The second is a Dell inspiron 530S tower only with Windows Vista 32bit OS, 3MB RAM, 1.6 Ghz dual core processor.? It works fine too.
Let me know if you have a good home for either of these working machines.? I will leave all the relevant software intact and delete the personal stuff.? If I don't hear from anyone soon I will offer it to other clubs.
Harry Williams
KF2TV
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Harry, I happen to know someone that needs a working laptop. I’d like to take the Gateway off your hands. ? Bests, Dusty ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of hwillia1@... Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2020 11:49 AM To: ' [email protected]' < [email protected]> Subject: [xarc] 2 free computers ? Before I take these working computers to Staples for recycling I wanted to check to see if anyone wanted them - pictures are attached.? The first is a working Gateway 15.6" laptop with an Intel i3 processor, 320 GB HD, 4 MG RAM, blueray disk drive and webcam.? It is running Windows 7 Home Premium and has MS Office installed.? It works fine but I don't need it.? The second is a Dell inspiron 530S tower only with Windows Vista 32bit OS, 3MB RAM, 1.6 Ghz dual core processor.? It works fine too.
Let me know if you have a good home for either of these working machines.? I will leave all the relevant software intact and delete the personal stuff.? If I don't hear from anyone soon I will offer it to other clubs.
Harry Williams
KF2TV
|
Before I take these working computers to Staples for recycling I wanted to check to see if anyone wanted them - pictures are attached.? The first is a working Gateway 15.6" laptop with an Intel i3 processor, 320 GB HD, 4 MG RAM, blueray disk drive and webcam.? It is running Windows 7 Home Premium and has MS Office installed.? It works fine but I don't need it.? The second is a Dell inspiron 530S tower only with Windows Vista 32bit OS, 3MB RAM, 1.6 Ghz dual core processor.? It works fine too.
Let me know if you have a good home for either of these working machines.? I will leave all the relevant software intact and delete the personal stuff.? If I don't hear from anyone soon I will offer it to other clubs.
Harry Williams
KF2TV
|
Re: Re-test of 6M Omni Angle
Thanks Harry R!? It also proves the point as we discussed that with these devices, calibration is a must, not a nice to have; the experiment makes that point nicely.? It also suggests that "single sweep" analytical results have inherent error compared with multiple/averaged results with "outliers" removed, which the Saver software allows. I have learned that periodic retesting of my antennas is necessary, where my latest review uncovered high SWR in my 2M/70cm halo; probably a bad connection.... I am in the process of using the NanoVNA to optimize my Palstar AT2K for the lower bands where minor changes in inductance or capacitance have large impacts on resonance.? I have been playing around with tuning my end-fed long wire antenna for 160M where it is easy to see how very minor adjustments to the tuner make big changes in the return loss or VSWR profile.? I'll send out a few examples down the road. Harry W - KF2TV
----------------------------------------- From: "Harry Ramos" To: [email protected]Cc: Sent: Saturday February 15 2020 2:47:42PM Subject: Re: [xarc] Re-test of 6M Omni Angle Harry W.,? Nice to see that the observations made by the audience were indeed well founded. As we get more gadgets and apps, it's always good to question the results by asking, "does that make sense?"? Imagine what could have happened if you tried to operate a radio in a portion where the swr was really not as good as originally thought.? Thanks again on an excellent presentation. Best Regards, Harry R. W2HRY
During the presentation of the NanoVNA last night, the group noticed that the VSWR plots of the 6M antennas didn't look right (i.e. too good) and we speculated that I might have generated the graphs without calibrating the unit generating the plots.? So today I reran the VSWR plots with an un-calibrated unit, two calibrated units and then tested the antenna with an old MFJ 259B.? The results (graphical comparison at the bottom of the spreadsheet).? The uncalibrated NanoVNA gave results that were similar to what we saw on the presentation slides (too good).? After calibrations (unit 1 with a 10 sweep average, unit 2 with 1 sweep), the VSWR curve looks like we would expect for the Omni Angle outside of the 6M band.? The two NanoVNAs were very close in their measurements, the minor? differences most likely being due to the single sweep results versus the average of 10 sweeps.? The MFJ 259B is directionally consistent with the NanoVNAs but tends to understate the VSWR as frequencies move away from resonance; or the MFJ is right and the 2 NanoVNAs are wrong.
Anyway, if you are interested have a look at the data and the graph.? Please let the group know if you have any observations or comments.
Harry W
KF2TV
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Re: Re-test of 6M Omni Angle
Harry W.,? Nice to see that the observations made by the audience were indeed well founded. As we get more gadgets and apps, it's always good to question the results by asking, "does that make sense?"? Imagine what could have happened if you tried to operate a radio in a portion where the swr was really not as good as originally thought.? Thanks again on an excellent presentation. Best Regards, Harry R. W2HRY
During the presentation of the NanoVNA last night, the group noticed that the VSWR plots of the 6M antennas didn't look right (i.e. too good) and we speculated that I might have generated the graphs without calibrating the unit generating the plots.? So today I reran the VSWR plots with an un-calibrated unit, two calibrated units and then tested the antenna with an old MFJ 259B.? The results (graphical comparison at the bottom of the spreadsheet).? The uncalibrated NanoVNA gave results that were similar to what we saw on the presentation slides (too good).? After calibrations (unit 1 with a 10 sweep average, unit 2 with 1 sweep), the VSWR curve looks like we would expect for the Omni Angle outside of the 6M band.? The two NanoVNAs were very close in their measurements, the minor? differences most likely being due to the single sweep results versus the average of 10 sweeps.? The MFJ 259B is directionally consistent with the NanoVNAs but tends to understate the VSWR as frequencies move away from resonance; or the MFJ is right and the 2 NanoVNAs are wrong.
Anyway, if you are interested have a look at the data and the graph.? Please let the group know if you have any observations or comments.
Harry W
KF2TV
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During the presentation of the NanoVNA last night, the group noticed that the VSWR plots of the 6M antennas didn't look right (i.e. too good) and we speculated that I might have generated the graphs without calibrating the unit generating the plots.? So today I reran the VSWR plots with an un-calibrated unit, two calibrated units and then tested the antenna with an old MFJ 259B.? The results (graphical comparison at the bottom of the spreadsheet).? The uncalibrated NanoVNA gave results that were similar to what we saw on the presentation slides (too good).? After calibrations (unit 1 with a 10 sweep average, unit 2 with 1 sweep), the VSWR curve looks like we would expect for the Omni Angle outside of the 6M band.? The two NanoVNAs were very close in their measurements, the minor? differences most likely being due to the single sweep results versus the average of 10 sweeps.? The MFJ 259B is directionally consistent with the NanoVNAs but tends to understate the VSWR as frequencies move away from resonance; or the MFJ is right and the 2 NanoVNAs are wrong.
Anyway, if you are interested have a look at the data and the graph.? Please let the group know if you have any observations or comments.
Harry W
KF2TV
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I will be bringing Pizza for tonight's XARC Meeting-See you all at 6pm!
I will be bringing Pizza to tonight’s XARC Meeting- See you all at 6PM. Harry R. W2HRY XARC Vice President ?
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