News from A.R.S. KD8JHJ

Another SKCC Week End Sprint has come and gone.  Higher than usual solar flux has contributed to excellent band conditions on the HF radio spectrum.  I know things are in great shape when I recieve a 599 signal report from Bert, F6HKA in Limoges, France using 100 watts and 33 feet of wire as my antenna.  During this event I just took my time and searched out an operator in a different state for each qso.  I used the NT9K Pro-Pump straight key for 100 percent manually generated Morse code.

February SKCC Week End Sprint

Green-  3.5 MHz  (80 meters)

Blue-  7 MHz  (40 meters)

Red-  14 MHz  (20 meters)

7.108     N0UMP     Missouri

7.106     K0LUW     Nebraska

7.117     W7GVE     Arizona

3.549     W9HLY     Indiana

3.551     N9ODY     Wisconsin

14.047   W4CU      Florida

14.057   F6HKA     France

14.050   NE5DL     Texas

7.108     N3MVX     Pennsylvania

7.120     KD2JC      New Jersey

7.108     W1DV      New York

14.050   N6DIT     California

7.107     Ko1U      Massachusetts

14.050   AB7KT     Nevada

14.047   N0TK      Colorado

January SKCC Week End Sprint

(January 9, 2011)

During the January edition of the Week End Sprint I was a running station on two occasions.  These runs can be noted by the group of contacts all on the same frequency.  The first being on 3.550 MHz and the second on 7.121 MHz.  Running is the most exciting part of radio contesting.  This requires a sharp ear as the next call sign comes in right after the last.

3.551     W4CUX      Georgia

3.549     WA3SLN    Pennsylvania

3.554     W3NP       West Virginia

3.554     K3Y/0       Missouri

3.550     NT8P       Ohio

3.550     WD0ECO   Missouri

3.550     K4NVJ      Alabama

3.550     WA0BGV   Missouri

3.550     W2HWW   New Jersey

3.550     WB8ENE   Ohio

7.111     W4CUX     Georgia

7.115     K5KV       Louisiana

7.116     W4TMW     Georgia

3.555     N4RE       North Carolina

3.556     W3OKC     Pennsylvania

3.561     K3Y/7       Washington

3.555     K3Y/5       Texas

3.555     K0LUW     Nebraska

7.111     K3Y/9       Wisconsin

7.109     K2VT       New Jersey

7.114     K4BAI     Georgia

7.122     NY3C       Deleware

7.107     K3Y/0       Missouri

7.116     KB2RAW   New York

7.121     N4FI        Virginia

7.121     W1HFF     Massachusetts

7.121     KB3LNP   Pennsylvania

7.121     N1ZS        Indiana

7.121     KM5IT     Georgia

7.121     K0KEX     Missouri

7.115     N2JNZ     New York

7.113     K3Y/1       Massachusetts

3.553     K4BAI     Georgia

3.556     KB4QQJ     North Carolina

3.558     W4KRN     Virginia

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PL-259 Connectors

Today I stopped at the Mansfield Mid Winter Hamfest & Computer Show and picked up some connectors.  These silver plated connectors ideal for use at high frequency wavelengths are great looking as well as an excuse to get out the soldering iron.  One of the four chassis mount sockets will be used on the matchbox of my homebrew 40 meter antenna.  With two of the connector plugs I plan to make a new 100 foot coax feedline for portable operations.  The rest of the pieces will go into my parts box.