For anyone interested, you have a chance to upgrade your license.  We at W1CGA are hosting a licensing session on Saturday morning 10:00, April 27, 2013.  If you might be interested, contact K1DM so we can make sure we reserve a large enough room.  There are several cadets who will be sitting for their Technician Licenses.  All license class exams will be available.  Testing fee is $17.00 (last time I checked).

There’s plenty of time to get your brain sharpened up, and get that next class of license!

K1DM

If you played in this contest earlier this year, then you probably received the e-mail giving the URL for the results.  I spotted three other CTRI call signs that I recognized.  There may be more.

Here is the link for those interested:   www.darc.de/referate/dx/contest/waedc/archiv/resultate/rtty/

73, Mike, K1DM

0200 GMT March 16th through 0200 GMT March 18th

Anyone have any plans to get into the fray and make a few QSO’s?

Just post your plans, invites, needs right here, and we’ll see what we can come up with.

73, Mike, K1DM

CQWW SSB WPX contest takes place March 30 thru 31 (UTC) 2013.  Carlos has invited us, CTRI CG, to come operate from his station for this event.

For us, there are several advantages to accepting this invitation.  First, during our recent visit in February we a) installed a new 2-element 40-m beam, b) replaced three rotators in three towers, c) repaired several rotor control boxes, and d) re-installed several PL-259 connectors that needed repair.  Second, all the work that we were able to complete, leaves Carlos’s station in pretty good shape.  Thus, if we mount an effort to go south for the SSB WPX, we should be able to put together a reasonable effort in the contest with a minor investment in the station.

This subject will be on the agenda for the February 23rd meeting.  But, before that meeting, we would like to get some idea of who would be interested in committing to the project as an operator?  Who would be willing to head up the team on this end to make sure everything that needs to be done gets done in a timely manner, and then sees that the mission is executed.

So, what say, CTRI, should we mount an effort for the SSB WPX from NP3U?  Who is willing to head up the logistics from this end?  Who can make the trip?

Please post comments below.  We will all monitor the comments, and they will guide the discussion at the February meeting.

Best 73, Mike, K1DM, CTRI President.

Check it out.  This will be the last chance for a real RTTY practice before you all fly south (or head for W1AN’s shack).  It looks like I will be on the road Saturday and Sunday, so I won’t be able to play.

Good luck.  73, Mike, K1DM

CTRI CG;

John and I got a good start this morning on getting things straightened up for the contest.  I am planning on arriving tomorrow around 11:00 to 11:30 so we can finish up a few things I didn’t get done.  John said an hour to hour and a half before start time (1300 EST) would be good.  I have a case of bottled water here that I will put in the van in the morning (it will freeze overnight) so we will have that.  Anything else you would like for snacks is fine.  There is no need to bring equipment, unless you want to bring headphones.  I usually take a pair with me.  Otherwise, we have 3 K3’s at Johns right now, at least 3 RTTY Meisters, and antennas for two stations.  You will be welcome to spend as much time operating as you like.  I can’t commit to the entire weekend, or overnight, but I will put time in both days.

If anyone else in the club would like to participate, please stop by.  We are planning on running one station for the contest, so the second station will be available for anyone who wants to join the fun.  I’d request you send an e-mail to John, W1AN, if you plan on dropping in.  That’s just so we can keep track.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Work whichever club members you hear.  We need the points and the practice.

73, Mike, K1DM

I am a very happy camper!  I just worked PJ5J on 80-m CW.  He’s working split, calling on 3510.98 and listening up the usual 1 to 3 kHz.  Since I got the Sub Receiver in my K3, I just turned on the SUB, set both VFOs equal, and tuned up with the main VFO until I started hearing what was going on, still listening to PJ5J on the Sub receiver.  With just a little patience, I found he was tuning up a bit after each QSO, so I listened for him to work one that I was hearing, turned up slightly, called with my 100 watts, and bingo!  He called me back!  Done!  So now I have a new one in the log on 80 CW.

I know none of this is new to you guys, but that’s the reason I bought the SUB receiver as part of the K3, and this is the first time I was able to make the contact.  There are other techniques, using SPLIT, but I like the two-receiver technique, since you can hear what’s going on at both ends.

So, enjoy the rest of your day!

73, Mike, K1DM

Gang,
Here is a summary of my attempt at SOAB(A) High Power for the CQ WW CW this past weekend.

   Band   QSOs   Pts   Zones   Countries    
---------------------------------------- 
   1.8     0      0      0         0     
   3.5     81     226    15        36
     7     209    595    21        68
    14     51     137    17        35
    21     239    684    23        81
    28     33     88     13        20
----------------------------------------
   Total:  613    1730   89        240
   Score:  569,170

   Operating time: 26 hours (N1MM)

I did notice some issues with so many spotted stations.Apparently N1MM keeps track of
every spot, and reloads them each time you restart the program. There may be a way to
deal with this, but I don’t know what it is. I also need to investigate removing spots
from the band map that are old. It’s really annoying to have spots from Friday night cluttering the
band map on Sunday afternoon. This might be a good topic to discuss at the January
meeting.

For now, 73, Mike, K1DM

Greetings,

     What’s the history behind starting our Saturday meetings at 11:00 A.M.?  I’m just looking for information, since I have not been around that long (still a new guy).  Thanks for the input.

73, Mike, K1DM, CTRI Contest Group President

With the instant e-mail alerting working now, I am listening on 15 with my 40-

dipole about 30 feet off the ground and copying JA’s on CW!  Jump in and work a few.

73, Mike, K1DM

CTRI gang,

      How many stations participated in the CQP this past weekend?  I submitted a score, I heard W1CTN, Radio Ansonia, but I didn’t hear anyone else.  If there is one more club member, we can enter the club competition.

      Please post here, and make sure you submit your score.  It is really easy to use their Log Submission form.  Go to their site, fill in a few things, tag some buttons, and then paste your cabrillo file into the appropriate window.  That’s it.  They will also accept the “normal” e-mail with the cabrillo file attached.

     I needed California on 80 meters, so I got into the fray.  Spent some time on Saturday evening, and then a couple hours on 15-m on Sunday afternoon.  My 40-meter dipole actually worked pretty well.  It will be much better when we get the stack for 15 playing at W1AN.  It’s getting closer to a reality!

73 for now. Mike, K1DM

Fellow CTRI’ers,

      It seems that events have overtaken our plans to meet Saturday, 6 October 2012.  Jim, K1SD, has said we can meet at his place NEXT Saturday, October 13th.  There are several members of the Executive committee who cannot make it to the meeting on the 6th, so that’s why I am going to change the meeting date!
     I give all of you permission to attend the Steam Up this Saturday, if you promise to come to the meeting on the 13th at the QTH of K1SD.
     I will post this on the Web Site, and attempt to post it on the Yahoo group, if I can get into it.

This will be one of the most important meetings of the year!  We will be holding elections!

Best 73, Mike, K1DM, President, CTRI Contest Group.

Gang,

     I think Ken is on the road, so I’ll post this.  PLEASE POST YOUR SCORES FROM THIS WEEKEND’S CQWW RTTY Scores here.  Thanks.  73, Mike, K1DM

CTRI Contest Group;

We are holding our October meeting at the QTH of K1SD.

 

Special Notice:  Beginning time 10:00 AM.

 

Major Business:  Annual Election of Officers

 

We also have a special plan for after the meeting:  The Rhode Island Wireless and Steam Museum is holding a special “Open House” on Saturday, October 6, and it’s just a few blocks from Jim’s (K1SD) QTH.  If you check out their web site, you will discover that you don’t want to miss this special opportunity to visit a National Treasure.  Of note is the former station from “PJ” a communication station from Point Judith, RI from the early days of steam ships.  There is an admission fee of $ 15.00 per person at the museum, but it’s a small donation to the organization

We look forward to seeing you all at the meeting.  You don’t want to get elected President, just because you missed the meeting, like I did last year.

If you would like to nominate someone for an office, please post that as a reply to this post.  Also, if you would like to nominate yourself for an office, or volunteer position, do the same.

I look forward to seeing all your smiling faces on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the QTH of K1SD.

 

73, Mike, K1DM, President, CTRI CG