HRD shows 7 New DXCC

Between the recent ARRL and CQ SSB contests,plus several Dxpeditions ,My Ham Radio Delux logging program analysis shows I gained seven new DXCC. Barbados, columbia,European russia,Iceland,Nicaragua,Revillagigedo and the Slovak Republic. Several of these i thought I had worked before but the logger is never wrong! Looking some of these on the QRZ database makes Me believe I won't get LOTW credit because they only QSL direct or bureau. Oh well! 73--Tim

CQ WPX SSB 2011

I actually did not plan on participating in this contest until Friday night after I turned on the radio at about 2330 UTC and hearing both 10 and 15m open. I made a few pre-contest contacts and decided I just couldn't stand by and not try to cherry pick some DXCC's. I checked 10m after the contest started but it seemed to have faded quite abit and after hearing the 15m activity , I stayed on 15m for awhile before going to 20m. Several DXCC's I needed I heard but the pile-ups were huge and I just couldn't break them and time was ticking away. I figured with all weekend to try ,I'd just snag them later! Friday night ended up being the only time I ended up having a chance to contest except for a very short time Saturday morning! My signal on the vertical at 100w seemed adaquate and My revised audio , gain settings for My Heil microphone worked well. I even had 6Y1X from Jamaica mention "nice signal" which I assumed meant signal strenght but it could have been an audio report! The conditions over the whole weekend were exceptional but I was only able to experience them friday night. I did manage to add several new DXCC's and as always had a very good time. Only managed about 70 contacts in the short time I was operating -all S & P! 73-- Tim

A New General!

My Nephew Brandon called while He was traveling back from the Buffalo swapfest to give Me the good news He passed the "General" test! I was aware He was studying for this upgrade but didn't realize He was planning on taking it at this certain swapfest. Brandon took His technician test about ten years ago and I guess I could consider Myself His "Elmer" although We live three hours drive time away so I've only had limited influence with any training. He was happy being a "technician" for along time but lately I guess the desire to be on HF was just too much-- I'm glad!! Now that He has expanded HF privledges I plan to help him raise some antennas for those bands. He might even buy My old Kenwood 850-- We'll see. I think I can part with it-LOL!! I remember My first setup- a borrowed HF rig, a homemade tuner and a dipole. I had alot of fun with that setup and in fact that dipole is still in use although its had several repairs performed on it over the years! I think Brandon has plans for a multi band vertical and I have a small wire antenna to donate. Should be more than enough for a good start! If you happen to hear KB0ZZK CQing-- give him an answer back! Who knows you might be His first HF contact! 73---Tim

Yaesu FT-950 Audio Set up

When I first set up this radio, I changed some of the Parametric Equalyzer settings and also the Tx bandwidth. I talked over the air to another Ham who has a Ft-950 and the end result seemed to work fine using My MD-100 Desk mike.
After I bought My Heil Proset plus I set it up over the air also but with another ham. This mike has two elements , an HC-4 and HC-5 which one is more for DX and another for casual talking. I've used it every contest since then and hear Myself thru the headphones with the "moni" set high enough to hear. I've never been exactly happy with what I'm hearing-- sounds a little "RFy" in My speech. Consequently, I don't have as much confidence using this setup and quite often revert to My desk mike for S & P operation. No way I can use a "run" frequency without handsfree though.
CQ WPX SSB is fast approaching and I decided to try and play with both the MD-100 and My nice Heil. I set up My Kenwood TS-850 into a dummy load and also did the same with My Yaesu FT-950 and turned power all the way down to 5 watts. I plugged headphones into the Kenwood and transmitted from the Yaesu- dummy load to dummy load.Word to the wise---always identify yourself- " N0UJJ testing,1,2,3 N0UJJ clear" as an example. Dummy loads are able to transmit sometimes lots farther than We want!!
According to several different internet sites, Heil included, its suggested to dump the lower frequencies. Change menu 64 from 1-30 ( 100-3000 Hz) to 2-28 ( 200-2800hz) to help raising the lower end. For Dx might want 4-26 or 400 -2600Hz! The next parameters are 91-99 dealing with the low,medium and high Parametric microphone equalizer settings.I set mine to the following: menu 91-200 menu 92--15 menu 93-5 for the low then menu 94-700 menu 95--6 menu 96-5 for the medium and menu 97-2400 menu 98-+8 menu 99-5.
Lets back up a minute- before I changed these settings I tried to listen to Myself with the old settings-not the default or new ones. I used both mikes and tried without eqalization and also with the processor and several different settings of mike gain. Then I changed to the new settings and again adusted mike gain and processor on/off and equalization in or off.
The old settings emphasized the lower end more and I think made My transmitted signal sound like it contain an element of RF to it. The new settings did not cause this effect. It was also nice to hear what processed and non-processed audio sounds like. Each have there place! The parametric equalizer is quite noticeable both in and out. The Heil mike sounds great either way-- the MD-100 sounds better with equalization but but I'm also not using it with high or low cut activated. Overall a real nice experiment I highly recommend.I know I don't want to be one of those over processed,over modulated lids!
73--Tim

4 new DXCC's

Even though My time operating during ARRL DX SSb last weekend was limited, I managed to add four new confirmed DXCC's thru LOTW. Dominica, Haiti,Saba and St Eustutius and Sint Maarten. All of these i've worked before but none had confirmed thru LOTW till now. I wish Cameroon and South Africa would confirm, I've worked both in the last month. Never can tell!
According to LOTW I only need the State of Wyoming for WAS. Voice ,RTTY, any band- LOL.
According to My log I've worked Wyoming before but again no LOTW confirmation. I could try sending direct QSL's but have not been that deseparate so far! Besides its expensive!
Fun to chase these awards- but looking on the ARRL website--wow,getting expensive! The price We pay for wallpaper!!
73---Tim

Just contacted 4A4A on 14.195/14.200 - running split- Yes! Missed Greenland on 17m. He was coming in at S9+ but just signing off. Maybe next time- 3/16/11 0140 UTC

2m Mobile Issue

I own several Yaesu FT-2800 2m FM mobile rigs. I bought My first one almost six years ago and liked it so much , I aquired several more to replace older units. They are built like a tank and have a huge heat sink so lots of chatter doesn't overheat the rig.

The first rig I bought i put in My company van but only using a temporary installation since I don't own this vehicle. Mag mount antenna and Cigarette/accessory plug makes this easy for removeal.

Tuesday night I was called in for trouble and on the way was chatting with some locals on 146.52 simplex and right during My turn transmitting- poof. Radio dies and out of the corner of My eye I saw a slight flash. Now it was very dark and to Me it looked like it came from the radio. I couldn't find the time to check into this until later in the week and since I had already checked fuses and I was assuming the radio died, I took My spare in the pole building and replaced it. That wasn't the problem and the old ,suspected bad radio powered up in the pole building.

The only piece still in the van was the Cigarette/accessory plug and in looking at it realized it was a cheaper one. Probably Ok for a small radio like a CB but not to handle 10 amps or more. I'm only guesssing when I installed it, I was planning to replace it when I had a chance. Now was My chance because it had very high resistance on the positive side and was discolored inside. Using a new adapter meant to handle up to 15 amps and using soldered connections instead of friction type has resolved My radio issue in the van.

My trusty old FT-2800 lives on-- -

73---Tim

ARRL Dx SSB contest

Well another contest is gone by. The bands were really hopping on parts of Saturday and Sunday but I only know this by reading Forums and email reflectors. I did participate for a short time Friday night but hardly any time after that. My cold still lingered and by early Saturday was causing My voice to disappear to a whisper. I also noticed My vertical was playing SWR games with Me Friday and by Saturday was kaput!! Not sure what's wrong but that only left 80 and 160m and again not much volume left in My vocal chords-- Oh well.
I did manage some contacts Friday night. VP5H from Turks and Caicos I snagged on 20m and since We're both members of MWA- they were operating as they always do from this warm location during this contest, the pile-up was fairly huge and when they heard" November zero" amidst the pile-up, the sea parted! "Who's the November Zero ?? " With a huge smile I gave My call and they returned the contest exchange and added "go MWA"... sweet. Good ears and a great group of guys made this little pistol station feel special for a time-- although reality was just around the corner for the next pile-up! I'm thinking next Year I need a tri-bander in the air!!
P40A was another neat QSO- He was running QRP and took Me by surprise when He returned " 5/9 zero five! What? 505 watts ?? It just was not registering after so many one-kilo's and 100s that He was only running five watts-- neat and a very fine signal in northern Minnesota!!
Hope the bands stay active and next year I hope some aluminum is shining from above!! LOL
73---Tim

Oh-- yeah only about 30 QSO's- -bummer!!! Next Year,Next Year..................