In 2018 the club purchased a Hex Beam from Germany’s “FoldingAntennas” to be used on Field Day. Ken, K3IU, took on the laborious task of assembly. It wasn’t easy. We used it on Field Day 2018 to great acclaim on performance. Ask NG1G. Its novel feature is that it folds completely assembled into a four-foot carry bag. It was folded away intact twice before FD.

When checked just prior to FD 2019, the wires were hopelessly tangled – a veritable rat’s nest. We went ahead without it which limited our band selections during FD.

My best intentions were to repair it prior to FD 2020. But as a normal FD this year loomed not doable, the antenna languished in my garage untouched.

Fast forward tom the club’s recent Zoom meeting to elect officers. Informal discussion led by user W1WBB focused on the virtues of Hex Beams: small footprint, lightweight, somewhat visually undetectable, equal to a 2 element Yagi. Wow. What a great antenna for K1PAD’s Charlestown beach location to be used from time to time between FDs. Up one day. Down the next. No hassle from ocean gazing neighbors.

Rick was down to the beach QTH last weekend. Following some discussion, he agreed to take on the task of redoing the antenna. He picked it up Saturday morning and spent the rest of the day patiently removing and labelling all the myriad of wires. See photos by K1PAD. TNX to Rick, the antenna is well on its way to good health for future Field Day use and careful “folding” protocol under his watchful eye to avoid future complications. Meanwhile, as originally intended, make good use of it when not QRV for FD.

Kudos to Rick for stepping up to the plate.

For further history on this, search the club website archives for “FoldingAntennas[DOT]com.” – John, W1XX

CW Sweepstakes starts today at 4 PM Eastern (2100Z). Br sure your logging program has been updated
to reflect the addition of Prince Edward Island (PE) as a separate multiplier for a total of 84. PEI was previously included in the Maritime (MAR) section. Good luck.

CTRI will hold it’s annual elections meeting via ZOOM this Saturday, Oct. 17, at 9 AM. President Charlie,K1ECU, will preside. Meeting host is W1XX.

To offer respite from COVID-9 restrictions, this is an invitation to a CTRI informal ZOOM ragchew hosted by W1XX. This is not an official meeting.

You can download the ZOOM.com app to check into this meeting.

You should use your callsign as a screen name.  Once you are in the “waiting room,” a.k.a. the QRX room, the host will accept you in.

Agenda:  Share your recent contest activity with the group with your expectations for upcoming contest events.  For example,  I have had fun in  the SP DX Contest, YO DX Contest, and All Asia Phone Contest.  I know several of you have  done similarly.

Details follow.  If you need an individual email invitation, please let me know.

John Lindholm is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: W1XX’s CTRI ZOOM Ragchew

Time: Sep 14, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71643272511?pwd=K1NZSFoyb3ZGZGhNRFdOTWJETnJVUT09

 

Meeting ID: 716 4327 2511

Passcode: 2RjMHW

Hope to see then 73. – John, W1XX

Test

The 2019 NEQP results are now posted. Congrats to Don WA1BXY for winning the CTRI sponsored Rhode Island plaque.

We hope everyone survived the big wind storm yesterday. We were lucky here. Lost power about 3 PM and not restored until 9 AM this morning. The ProJo indicated that South Kingstown/Charlestown took the brunt of it. It was pretty scary. The 160 vertical bent in the wind but survived in perfect shape. The 40 meter Yagi was bending pretty good but heading the tower at 90 degrees to the wind avoided any damage., A big tree at the top of the driveway snapped taking down the 30 meter delta loop…actually a good thing as it cleared space for it to go back up higher/better later. Again, hope everyone was as lucky. We gotta be ready for all the contests coming up. 73 ! — John, W1XX

Call/Op/Station: W1XX
Class: SOAB Unassisted HP

Summary:
Band QSOs ZN Cty
————————————————–
80: 45 12 31
40: 76 16 43
20: 207 10 49
15: 138 13 55
10: 26 6 11
—————————————————-
Total: 492 57 189 Score = 348,090

Club: CTRI Contest Group

Comments: The contest provided periodic escape from a house full
of guests.

Members present: K1HSY, K1PAM, AA1AC, W1WBB, NG1M, W1AN, K1PAD, K1ECU, K1JSM, W1XX (in the chair).
Treasurer NG1M reported on the club’s financial status. Contest Manager K1ECU reported on past and upcoming contests. CTRI members have been active in recent contests and the next bigee is Sept. 28 — the CQ WW RTTY.
NG1Mike’s status report of the “scholarship” committee (W1AN, K1DM, NG1M) drew lots of discussion. Boiled down to deciding whether to offer $1000 every year or every-other-year; recipient be General Class a minimum or not; resident of New England or not. The residency filter of New England-only apparently resulted in no scholarship being offered. From the discussion, NG1M indicated he would check with ARRL to see if New England could simply be a priority not an exclusion. The matter not having been finalized, was therefore held over to the next meeting.
K1PAD provided a verbal status report of the so called Endgame Committee ( K1PAD, NG1M, NG1G) to fashion in the Constitution and By-Laws how to deal with any future dissolution of the club’s assets should that ever become necessary. The immediate results is — TNX to K1JSM and K1PAD — the posting of the Constitution and By-Laws on the website. See “Documents” on the pull-down menu. The Committee’s effort continues.
With much of the focus centering on finances, two other matters surfaced: dues and club monies spent on coffee/donuts. Dues discussion was tabled for a future meeting. To significantly reduce expenditures on coffee/donuts, a new system was VOTED. K1HSY has volunteered (as he has right along) to pick up the donuts/coffee. At the meeting previous, Dean will collect $2.00 from each member to cover the cost for the next meeting. Any shortfall will be covered by the club.
The meeting concluded on a happy note (you mean it wasn’t happy earlier?) as W1XX presented his “Ham Radio Current Events Trivia Quiz” consisting of 25 questions. Subjects ranged from Marlon Brando, WRTC 2018, Amelia Earhart, beer, FT8, and the purchase of Greenland. In a photo finish, Mark (AA1AC) edged out Bill (W1WBB) 19 to 18 to win an “ARRL Antenna Handbook.” Everyone else was left in the dust.
Next meeting = Sept 21 same place, same time.
Respectfully submitted, John, W1XX

Present: AA1AC, Chris (son of AA1AC), AJ1DM, K1HSY, AB1BX, KS1J, KE1J, K3IU, W1AN, K1DM, K1PAD, NG1M, K1SX, K1PAM, W1XX (in the chair).
NG1M presented the Treasurer’s report.
In lieu of the Contest Manager’s report, individual reflections were heard re the IARU HF Championship, CQ VHF Contest, and the IOTA contest in progress.
Field Day chairman W1XX made a lengthy report on Field Day results…everything from bonus points to feed line loss shortcomings on the 40/20 wire Yagi. Highlights focused on our initial use of FT8 on VHF (TNX K1SX) and super effort on satellites (TNX K1ECU) with seven (7) linear/FM QSOs in the log. W1XX recommended that prior to any future FD effort that (1) a new site be considered; and (2) if not, no further effort be expended to curtail the growth of brush in the “back 40” be attempted…i.e. no used as an antenna site.W1XX emphasized the need (a must) for new, younger, and fresh outlook for chairman for any future FDs.
Expressing disappointment over the lack of a successful candidate for our ARRL Foundation scholarship…being the sense of the meeting…the president appointed a committee to NG1M, K1DM, and W1AN to study the issue with recommendations to be presented at a future meeting.
To address a long standing issue of how to protect club assets in the event of a future dissolution of the club…should that ever become necessary …it again being the sense of the meeting…El Presidante appointed a committee of NG1M, K1PAD, and NG1G to review the club’s Constitution and Bylaws and report any suggested amendments at a future meeting. This charge includes any and all manner of addressing the objective.
Welcome to John, AJ1DM, of Westerly who was voted into membership.
Respectfully submitted,
John, W1XX

Call/Station/Op: W1XX
Class: SOAB HP
Op Time (hrs): 9

Summary
Band QSOs Grids
6 397 126
2 29 13
_____________________________________
Total: 426 139 Total Score = 63,245

Club: CTRI Contest Group

Comments:

Surprise…surprise. Classic CW/SSB is alive and well on 6 meters. Didn’t expect to do much in the CQ WW VHF Contest this weekend, but was pleasantly surprised. Had a few station issues in the first hour, but once we cleared out the cobwebs, it was GO. Had to open up a run frequency above 50.200 it was so busy. Worked a handful of DM grids which was nice. Time was limited on Sunday by prior family stuff, but got back on in the last hour which was gangbusters. Several rovers with outstanding signals called in on 6 meters. 2 meters suffered from the max activity on 6. Only CTRI’er I heard was K1SX who beat me out calling somebody. Lotsa fun!

Weather looks good for Field Day. We start at 9:00 AM tomorrow Saturday when we need mucho help for setup — especially the 40M/20M wire Yagi antenna. If convenient bring along: keyers, headsets, adapters, coax jumpers (marked with your callsign) just in case we are short something.

We have been asked by Skyscrapers to park cars near the street in the SW corner of the open field. They anticipate some public star gazing on Saturday night.

If you haven’t advised NG1Mike about your presence for meals, please do so. See separate posting regarding meals and bringing food items.

See my earlier posting that has all the essential; details. Good luck and have fun ! !

CTRI holds its June meeting this coming Saturday, June 8, at 0900 at the North Kingstown (Wickford) Free Library, 100 Boone Street, NK 02852.
The business agenda will be an abbreviated session to deal only with the upcoming Field Day. K1SX, K1ECU, and W1AN will be reporting on their extensive FD prep work on FT8 and satellite comms.
Our special guest presenter is Jeff Jolie, NM1Y, on his exploits as an operator on the Navassa, K1N, and ill-fated Bouvet, 3Y0Z, DXpeditions. We’ve invited the BVARC and Newport clubs to join us. All guests welcome. You don’t want to miss this.

At the most recent meeting, the club authorized renting a brush cutter (hog) to clear out the brush in the “back 40” for antenna installation. This to be followed by professional bug spraying. Our intent is to do this ASAP before growth starts to sprout. Prospective dates weather dependent are this Saturday (Ap 27) or Mon, Tues, or Wed next week…date to be coordinated with Jim Crawford of Skyscrapers. The brush cutter is located at Taylor Rental in Warwick. The hitch is that we need a pickup truck (or similar) to transport to the site in N. Scituate and return to Warwick. Can anyone help with a truck? Post here…email me at w1xx AT cox DOT net or …call my landline: 401-783-1588.

Be sure to attend CTRI’s first “East Bay” meeting this coming Saturday at 9:30 AM. Venue: The “Michael Mello Program Room” at the Portsmouth Library, 2658 East Main Rd., Portsmouth, RI 02871. Visitors welcome. Coffee/donuts as always.
AGENDA: (1) The usual officers’ reports
(2) Report of the “Challenge” Committee
(3) Hints & Kinks of Contesting: A roundtable exchange of contesting techniques. Bring your ideas for sharing in the discussion.
(4) Matters arising

Note the separate posting of the “informal lunch” by W1WBB. CU then. 73!