Hi I need some one to go my tower and turn my tribander to the NE and take down the butternut. Thank you. Andy calll 860-599-4905

As your contest manager, if no one objects, I will take some space here , more or less weekly, to point out some of the lesser known activities coming up.

This week’s plug:
Makrothen RTTY Distance Contest
This is not some obscure Bulgarian event, but a California-based, relatively young contest with interesting scoring and op time features. I found some decent activity last year. Scoring by distance gained credibility when it was included in the new WW-Digi contest. The broken-up time periods are a help to those of us who don’t have the oomph to last out a 24 much less a 48 hour BIC marathon.
Local times: 8pm Fri–4am Sat, Noon-8pm Sat, 4am-Noon Sun.
Bands: 80 thru 10
Modes: RTTY
Exchange: 4 char. grid
Multipliers: None
Scoring: Work stations once per band. 1 pt per km distance. 1.5x for 40m and 2x for 80m.
Assistance: Allowed, separate categories
Rules: http://www.pl259.org/makrothen/makrothen-rules/

I see that last year I secured CTRI a 94th place finish among 109 clubs.

Also up: Oceania DX CW, Scandinavian Activity Contest SSB

I’m getting ready for this weekends CQ WW RTTY contest starting Friday evening. Still looking for operators. Let me know times you can be here and ready for the ride. If you are operating from home, hope to work you on all bands.
73, John W1AN

The Museum of Wireless and Steam will hold its annual Steam Up on 5 October this year. I you haven’t attended, you are really missing a good time. You can get more details at…

<https://newsm.org/>

73, Ken K3IU

CTRI Contest Group
Minutes of Meeting Sept. 21, 2019

Meeting Location: N. Kingstown Public Library

Attendees: (14) W1XX, NG1M, K3IU, AB1BX, W1WBB, NZ1I, NA1CN, W1AN, K1JSM, AJ1DM, K1ECU, K1PAD, K1PAM, NG1G

The meeting called to order at 0915 by W1XX, President.
K1JSM was appointed recording secretary for the meeting by the chair.

1. Around the table introductions: name, call, QTH.

2. Officer’s reports: Treasurer & Contest Manager.

3. Donuts & Coffee: next meeting primary donut getter is W1XX; backup is K1JSM.

4. Committee Reports:
W1AN discussed some history re: the scholarship funds.

NG1M presented the scholarship committee’s recommendations, discussion followed. Vote taken and the following approved: the scholarship shall be $1,000 offered every year while funds last, it will be offered through the ARRL to an applicant with a General or Extra license, with first preference to a New England applicant, second preference to any applicant.

NG1G presented the Bylaws Committee’s recommendations for changes having to do with the club’s disbandment and disposition of assets — should that ever become necessary. Discussion followed with suggestions offered. Taking these under advisement, in accordance with the C & BL, the recommendations will be revisited at the next meeting and MAY be presented for approval of the membership.

5. Election of officers for 2020. The following were elected:
President, Charlie Estabrooks, K1ECU
Vice President, Bill Bliss, W1WBB
Secretary, Pat Atwood, NG1G
Treasurer, Mike Visich, NG1M
Contest Manager, Dave Eckerson, K1SX

Meeting adjourned at 1115.
Submitted by J. Mills, K1JSM

WB2VVV was QRV from home in FN41CR (Foster), and submitted the following score:

Band/Grids/QSOs
50/11/28
144/15/39
222/9/18
432/10/20
903/2/3
1296/3/5

Total # Grids worked: 50
Total # QSOs: 113
Total Score: 8350

Single Op – Low Power Category

There was no E-Skip on 6 meters. Sunday morning did have decent Tropo down the coast as far as FM08, which was worked on 144 and 432 MHz as those were the only bands available to work at W4IY in FM08.

One interesting station worked was W3BFC who was operating remotely from his home in a retirement community with his remoted IC-7100 2 meter transmitter in FM28 putting out 50 Watts on SSB at the base of a 500′ tower with a small omnidirectional horizontal polarization antenna at the top of the tower, fed with some 500 feet of 7/8 inch Heliax, so only 25 Watts getting to the antenna. He had a pile-up going as FM28 is a rare and needed multiplier. He will be running a net on Saturday nights at 9:30 PM for those interested in checking into FM28.

I uploaded an image of my small rooftop antenna array used for VHF/UHF Contests. It’s all on one mast to aim at the station I’m working on as many bands as possible.
73, Chris, WB2VVV

This weekend (Saturday 12z -Sunday 12z) SAC CW will take place.
Get on the air and work some Scandinavians!
Complete rules at https://www.sactest.net/blog/

I will be on as SM5DXT M/S.
Will be running LP so look for a weak signal!!
Find us and work us on as many bands as possible!
Looking forward to work lots of CTRI stations!

Lars, KE1J

Saturday’s Sept 21 meeting, 9 – 11 AM at the NK Library venue as usual. Important business meeting: Reports and recommendations from both the Scholarship and Constitution/By-Laws Committees.

Also ELECTION OF OFFICERS. If you are not there, you will be an officer in 2020!
Please consider offering your services to the club. Coffee/Donuts.

 

S O L D

73, Ken K3IU

All –

It has come to my attention that a significant number of club members are active operators via the CW mode (incl. a number of newer members). With the popular annual CW Open just a week away I’d like to encourage participation in this fun event (put on by the worthy CWOps organization) by entering a CTRI Contest Group team [maximum 10 team participants].

The contest occurs over three short 4-hour sessions starting this coming Friday eve (00z-04z on Saturday) with sessions two and three occurring 12-16z and 20-24z on Saturday. Team member participation can be for as much or as little as one can provide (ie. all 3 sessions or just part of one session). * No pressure* re: activity… would just like to get as near to ten available club members to be active on our team. Of course, increased team member participation (in more than one session) will add to our team final score. Additional event info is found here: https://cwops.org/cwops-tests/cw-open/

Contact me NLT Friday Sept 6 (by 2300z please) if interested in joining the team (membership in CWOps is NOT required for participation): wbliss1[at]cox[dot]net

Just for info — weekly CWOps Mini-Tests (good ‘live’ practice) are held each Wednesday at three separate times for an hour apiece…1300z, 1900z and 0300z (Thursday), utilizing a slightly different exchange.

TNX es 73! Bill W1WBB, CWOps #2207

Whether or not you’re a fan of the new digi modes, here’s an opportunity to be in on the first running of a new contest that seems to be hoping to join the CQ WW family. I’m hoping to make some Q’s in this, probably as a QRP entry. It’s 1200-1200Z Sat-Sun , FT4 and FT8, and you will want the latest version of WSJT-X with “NA VHF contest” selected as the contest mode, so that your exchange will be your grid square. QSO points are based on distance calculated from the grid, rather than continents. Get your call in the record book! Rules here– https://ww-digi.com/rules.htm

Dave K1SX

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

CTRI Contest Group holds its next meeting on Saturday, Aug 24, at 0900 at the North Kingstown (Wickford) Free Library, 100 Boone Street, NK, 02852.

Agenda: Regular business meeting, reports from committees, and SURPRISE PRESENTATION by John, W1XX

All guests welcome. You don’t want to miss this.

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

CTRI holds its next meeting this coming Saturday, July 27, at 0900 at the North Kingstown (Wickford) Free Library, 100 Boone Street, NK, 02852.

Agenda: “DXpeditions I’ve Been On” by Marc, AA1AC

All guests welcome. You don’t want to miss this.