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Bill Mader, K8TE

Bill Mader, K8TE. Presentation Notes. DXing—why we operate radios.  Contesting—testing our systems against others’.  Combing the two, or doing them separately, leads to endless fun, non-stop challenges, stiff competition, and heartwarming camaraderie. 

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Bill Mader, K8TE

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  1. Bill Mader, K8TE ADXA W5UR

  2. Presentation Notes ADXA W5UR DXing—why we operate radios.  Contesting—testing our systems against others’.  Combing the two, or doing them separately, leads to endless fun, non-stop challenges, stiff competition, and heartwarming camaraderie.  Whether you’re a little pistol or a big gun, A beginner or an old timer, DXing and Contesting can provide more opportunity to enjoy amateur radio than you have time, money, or room for antennas, radios, and awards. 

  3. This Morning’s Agenda ADXA W5UR Chasing DXDX Awards; LOTW; QSLs; DXpeditions; Finding DX;Albuquerque DX Association; DX Resources Contesting—RadiosportCompetition; Types of Contests Which Mode?; Hardware; Software Propagation Goal Setting Bill Mader, K8TE@ARRL.net Albuquerque DX Assn

  4. Presentation Notes ADXA W5UR Last night you heard Bruce, K0BJ, mention that in spite of a poor showing by Old Sol, Contest logs submissions are on the increase. DXCC submissions are up too. I would suggest that if you haven’t tried either or you haven’t done much with one or the other, Take a look at what they have to offer. I enjoy watching road course racing on TV—drivers turning both ways. But I really enjoy getting behind the wheel and racing wheel-to-wheel with my Mazda Miata on a road course. Reading or talking about ham radio is fun. Getting on the air and doing it is great! This presentation will be available in PDF next week on the Duke City Hamfest web site.

  5. Nice, But Not Necessary ADXA W5UR

  6. Presentation Notes ADXA W5UR George, W9EVT, Washington Island, WI Mark, K5LXP, from here just spent two days with George touring this site and listening to George’s stories. George is obviously ready to chase DX! However, your and my antennas farms don’t need to look like this to chase DX or Contest. First, let’s answer the question: “What is DX?”

  7. Chasing DX ADXA W5UR Ham Radio’s Beginning Over the Hill The Next County The Next Grid Square The Next State The Next Continent The Next Country To the Moon and Back DX is different for each of us.

  8. Contesting ADXA W5UR Competition With Others With Ourselves Challenging Propagation Power Levels Modes Antennas QSO Rates Multipliers

  9. DX Awards ADXA W5UR ARRL DX Century Club (DXCC) CQ Worked All Zones www.dxawards.com www.ac6v.com/hamawards.htm 2012: DXCC Challenge

  10. 2012: DXCC Challenge ADXA W5UR 1937 DXCC List Work 100 from the List Endorsable: 125, 150, 175, 200, and 225 No QSLs Required! On-Line Tracking Honor Roll—9 Less than W1AW Works Special Award for working ALL 231 (revised) Entities! http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-diamond-dxcc-challenge

  11. There’s a Lot to Work Out There! ADXA W5UR W5JMW 14253 RT3DX 0202 03 Aug European Russia WA5NTI 14072 TA4AUL 0235 03 Aug Asiatic Turkey W5MT 14010.0 4Z5IW 0152 03 Aug Israel W5UHQ 18084.9 OM0FAL CW 2315 02 Aug Slovak Republic W5GA 18094.2 C31CT 02 Aug Andorra W5OZI 18142.0 JX9JKA 2216 02 Aug Jan Mayen WA5NTI 14071.5 IB0/IK2ZJR 0242 03 Aug Italy

  12. ARRL DX Bulletin #031/2 Aug 12 ADXA W5UR SPRATLY ISLANDS. John, 9M6XRO and Steve, 9M6DXX will be QRV as 9M4SLL from Pulau Layang Layang, IOTA AS-051, from August 7 to 13. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY with two stations. QSL via M0URX. PAKISTAN, AP. Tariq, AP2TN has been active on 30 meters around 2000z. QSL via DJ9ZB. COMOROS, D6. A group of operators will be QRV as D64K from Ngazidja Island, IOTA AF-007, from August 8 to 21. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters, and possibly 60 meters, using CW, SSB and RTTY with five stations. QSL via IV3DSH. ALBANIA, ZA. Tevfik, TA1HZ is QRV as ZA1TC from Durres until August 7. This includes an entry in the European HF Championship. QSL to home call.

  13. Logbook of the World (LOTW) ADXA W5UR A must! Save on QSL Expenses It’s “Easy.” Computerized Logging

  14. Getting Your QSLs Dos ADXA W5UR 5X7 or 6X9" SASEs at Your Bureau (K8 for me) Respond Quickly to Bureau Requests New Call? New Envelopes! Old Call Too! Notify Them of Your Address Changes ARRL Outgoing QSL Costs:$2 for 10 or fewer cards in one envelope,$3 for 11-20 cards in one envelope, or75 cents per ounce, for packages with 21 or more cards. http://www.arrl.org/outgoing-qsl-service

  15. QSL Bureau Don'ts ADXA W5UR No Outgoing QSLs! Be Patient (for Me) No K8TE Envelopes at 5th Bureau! No SASEs to ARRL Outgoing Service

  16. Where is the DX? ADXA W5UR Listen, Listen, Listen! Spotting Networks VE7CC Interface to Loggers Filter Spots for Your Location Propagation & DX Bulletins Listen, Listen, Listen! Patience (for me)

  17. DXpeditions ADXA W5UR Individual Challenge Intra-Club Competition September: NH8S Swains Island Very Expensive Operations! ADXA Donates to the NCDXF

  18. Albuquerque DX Association ADXA W5UR AA5B, Bruce, former Contest Journal Editor N7KA, Arne, DXAC, QSL Checker WF5T, Paul, T32C Doctor & CW Op Many ADXA Members Worked 25+ FD 2011 #12 Overall, 4,163 QSOs in 4A FD 2012 #5 Overall? 5,147 QSOs in 6A

  19. DXing Resources ADXA W5UR ARRL Operating Manual QST, CQ Magazine, World Radio DX Columns The Weekly DX by W3UR DX Clubs (ADXA) 3rd Wednesdays http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adxa/

  20. More DXing Resources ADXA W5UR https://sites.google.com/site/dl2nbycontestcalendar/ Add 400 contests to your Outlook or Google Calendar! The Complete DXer by W9KNI Up Two! by G3SXW Where do We Go Next by OH2BH

  21. DX News Services ADXA W5UR www.dailydx.com www.dxpub.com www.425dxn.org www.papays.com/opdx.html http://www.njdxa.org/dx-tools/dx-news.php ARRL Weekly DX Bulletin

  22. Racing and Contesting ADXA W5UR

  23. Presentation Notes ADXA W5UR My second racing weekend ever! My first pole position ever! My most frightening first two minutes ever! Racing and Radio Contesting are strikingly similar.  Maybe it's just me, but competition motivates me.  Most of all, I compete with myself.  In racing, I derive the most enjoyment from racing someone than I do winning.  I also recognize it's more fun to be a Big Fish in a Little Pond than a Small Fish in a Big Pond; i.e.; being a Little Pistol in a minor contest can turn us into seemingly Big Guns.  For example, last year's Colorado QSO Party plaque.

  24. Racing and Contesting ADXA W5UR Contest pileups are often less unruly than DX pileups simply because there are often more of them. “A Zen contest master knows that the reward is not in the win, but in the pursuit.” Steve Ford, WB8IMY, Get on the Air with HF Digital

  25. Presentation Notes ADXA W5UR Both require practice, practice, and more practice.  Each requires stamina.  Endurance racing is much like contesting since each requires intense concentration for an extended periods of time.  Both require us to be in good physical condition, perhaps racing even better physical condition.  The more on top of our game we are, the better are results will be.  Even so, each relies on a certain amount of luck.  I've had some bad luck in contesting as well as racing.  Still, we need to be in control of as many of the aspects of competition to the greatest extent possible.  Certainly, unlimited funds are valuable in both racing and DXing/Contesting.  However, I don't know many in either hobby who have all they could spend.  So using what resources we have to the best of our abilities is critically important.Chair Time vs. Seat Time.  Do it, rather than just talking about it. "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is." Attributed to both de Snepscheut and Yogi Berra...I prefer Berra.

  26. My Humble Beginnings ADXA W5UR 1972 ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB WA8WWM + WB2REM 5th in OH 66,640; 476Q; 70 Sec; 24 hrs. 1974 ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB KZ5WA Clean Sweep (one only 40 Single Ops) 156,150; 1,041Q; 75 Sec; 21 hrs.

  27. My Humble Beginnings cntd. ADXA W5UR 1979 ARRL 10 Meter Contest K8TE + W5VBO (now K7RE) 1st in NM Multi-op 446,896; 2,108Q; 106M; 25 hrs. 1980 ARRL Field Day W5VBO (now K7RE) + K8TE (NERDs) #1 Overall in 1B Battery 2011 Colorado QSO Party#1 Out of State SSB Low Power5,280; 81Q; 33M; 90 minutes

  28. CW vs. SSB for Little Pistols ADXA W5UR More Narrow Bandwidth Better Signal+Noise/Noise Ratio Reverse Beacon Network—My Signal? More S+N/N per Watt (QRP) Less Expensive Gear Faster Exchanges Possible with Experience 100 Watts is a Reasonable Power Level QRP Useful for Experienced Operators

  29. K8TE Antenna Farm ADXA W5UR

  30. Hardware? ADXA W5UR Like Racing, How Much Can You Afford? Antenna, Antenna, Antenna! “Can’t work ‘em if you can’t hear ‘em.” Yamaha CM500 Headset $49.95 Ergonomics—Chair, Monitor, Glasses, Keyboard Ht. Computer--$59.95 Specials (Desktop) Jump Drive Back-ups!!! Second Monitor Helpful Focus on Monitor/Keyboard—NOT Radio!

  31. K8TE Operating Position ADXA W5UR

  32. Know Your Receiver Well ADXA W5UR Filters Digital Signal Processing (DSP) RF Gain & Noise Blankers Often Generate IMD RIT/XIT A/B VFOs Second Receiver EVERY Feature and Control—RTFM! Audio Equalization AGC & RF Gain in Pileups

  33. Software?? ADXA W5UR Daily Loggers:N3FJP Amateur Contact LogHam Radio Deluxe (free or $59.95 w/support)DXLabs Suite Contest Loggers: N1MM—Free, Versatile, Great SupportN3FJP Contest-Specific VersionsK1EA’s CT for DOS (no longer supported)Win-TestWriteLog

  34. Operating Techniques ADXA W5UR You are - no you're not! When giving out exchanges, why say "You are..." And then give your own section? The right words are: "Roger" or "Thank you" Followed by your class and section WITHOUT ANY EXTRA VERBIAGE! Use a Script or DVR/CW Memories. “Time, time, time, what’s become of you?”

  35. Fall line-up of DX Contests.  ADXA W5UR http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html European HF Championship 4 August All Asian DX Contest, Phone 1-2 September CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY 29-30 September CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB 27-28 October All Austrian 160-Meter Contest 17-18 November CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW 24-25 November ARRL 10-Meter Contest 8-9 December

  36. Contest Scheduling—WA7BNM ADXA W5UR

  37. Get Your Feet Wet Contests ADXA W5UR Maryland-DC QSO Party 11-12 August North American QSO Party, SSB 18 Aug 12 hours ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY 19 August 12 hours Hawaii QSO Party 25-26 August Kansas QSO Party 26 August Ohio QSO Party 25-26 August Colorado QSO Party 1-2 September 0600-2000 Tennessee QSO Party 2-3 September ARRL September VHF QSO Party 8-10 September ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW 3-5 November ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB 17-19 November

  38. Goal setting is essential. ADXA W5UR Your Goals are NOT Others’. Challenging, but Attainable Consider Your Personal Constraints. Short and Long Term Year Over Year for Each Contest/Award Merge (not take over) the Rest of Your Life. Nobody, almost nobody, has enough time, money, or real estate. Unlike racing, operating costs are minimal! CQ WW Log Submission: Within 5 Days!!

  39. Propagation ADXA W5UR Reverse Beacon Network (CW) “Propagation doesn't matter; knowing how to use it to your advantage does.” Grey Line ARRL Weekly Propagation Bulletin W6EL Propagation Predictions http://www.hamqsl.com/solar.html

  40. Contesting Resources ADXA W5UR ARRL Operating Manual QST, CQ Magazine, World Radio Contesting Columns ARRL Contest Updatehttp://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues Contest Clubs (ADXA) 3rd Wednesdayshttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/adxa/ http://www.contesting.com/

  41. Final Words ADXA W5UR Be Safe; Have Fun. Expand Your Horizons. Partner with Another Ham or Hams. Challenge Yourself. It’s About Your Personal Best. Questions?

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