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Welcome to Northern California DX Club

Welcome to Northern California DX Club. March 19, 2009. Tonight’s Agenda. Club Business Introduction of Officers Introductions of Members New members DX news QSTs The status of the sunspot cycle Feature – Show & Tell NCDXC Raffle. Introduction of Officers. Officers

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Welcome to Northern California DX Club

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  1. Welcome to Northern California DX Club March 19, 2009

  2. Tonight’s Agenda • Club Business • Introduction of Officers • Introductions of Members • New members • DX news • QSTs • The status of the sunspot cycle • Feature – Show & Tell • NCDXC Raffle NCDXC Mar 09

  3. Introduction of Officers • Officers • President Craig Bradley AE6RR • Vice Pres Risto Kotalampi W6RK • Secretary Russ Bentson K6KLY • Treasurer Jose Picazo Jr. WT6X • Directors • Steve Jones N6SJ • Jim Abraham W6EB • John Eisenberg K6YP NCDXC Mar 09

  4. Introductions • Let’s Go Around the room… • Introduce yourself & any guests • Tell us what new DX you have bagged • K5D stories? • Any other news you wish to share? (please keep it brief) NCDXC Mar 09

  5. New members? • Secretary - Russ, K6KLY • He has applications are available… • Voting NCDXC Mar 09

  6. K5D Wrap Up • QSL info • Web Site and online log: http://kp5.us/ • QSL online (you do not need to send a card) • Mailed to you $5 (paypal or credit card) • Bureau (free) • QSL direct (SASE - $.44) • Bureau • LoTW (early next year) NCDXC Mar 09

  7. Final K5D QSOs NCDXC Mar 09

  8. DX News – KH4 • K4M - Midway Island • #24 most needed world wide • first operation in almost 10 years • 10 days in October 2009 • 19 Ops • 160 through 6m • www.midway2009.com NCDXC Mar 09

  9. DX News – VK9 • VK9AA – Christmas Island • Now on • VK9N/ON5AX – Norfolk Island • On until the 22nd • VK9GMW – Mellish Island • Starts on the March 22nd to April 6th • VK9LA – Lord Howe • Starts on the March 24th to April 3rd • 24/7 Internet with online logs NCDXC Mar 09

  10. Postage Rates Going Up May 11 • First Class letters - 44¢ (from 42¢) • Buy those Forever Stamps • They are great for SASEs • They are always good for 1st class postage • You can get them at discount prices at COSTCO • International - 96¢ (from 90¢) • Use up your old ones before May 11 or add 6¢ • Get those QSL cards out now • IRCs • Currently $2.10, will expire on 12/31/09 • Use up your old ones, many QSL managers will not take them in a few months • New prices not announced yet NCDXC Mar 09

  11. Upcoming DX Contests • Russian DX Contest • This weekend • See http://www.rdxc.org for details • CQ WPX • SSB • March 28-29 • CW • May 30-31 • Prefixes are multipliers • Exchange • RST + Serial Number • See the CQ website for the complete rules NCDXC Mar 09

  12. NCDXC Club Historian • The NCDXC has a lot of history • Much of it is on the heads of the old time members • Maintain lists of past officers, recipients for the CMOTY award, SKs, etc. • Custodian of club memorabilia • We should gather and record our history before it fades away… • Would you like to volunteer for this position or do you know someone who would be a good candidate? NCDXC Mar 09

  13. Silent Key List • At Visalia each year the clubs Silent Keys from the last year are remembered • I need to compile a list for the MC to read • If you know of a club member that has become a SK in the last year, please let me or Russ, K6KLY know • Even if you think that everyone knows, please contribute as we don’t want to overlook any one NCDXC Mar 09

  14. QSTs

  15. IDXC Visalia • IDXC 2009 (the 60th year) will be held April 17- April19, 2009 at the Visalia Holiday Inn • News from the committee? • John, K6YP • Steve, N6SJ NCDXC Mar 09

  16. NCDXC Net • Net coordinator - Don, AA6W • If you would like to be a net control, please see or contact Don • Please Remember - NCDXC Net • Every Thursday 8pm • Except on monthly meeting nights (3rd Thurs) • On W6TI repeater, 147.360 MHz, PL 110.9 NCDXC Mar 09

  17. DXer Material • Editor - Phil, K6TT • If you have suggestions for articles, etc. please see or contact Phil • If you would like to contribute (photos, articles, etc.), Phil will be very happy to talk to you! • This is your newsletter – help make it great! NCDXC Mar 09

  18. Tonight’s Raffle • Mike W6WZ & Carolyn WB6ABC have some great prizes! • 1st Prize: Yaesu FT-2800M, 65 W 2M mobile rig • 2nd Prize: Powerex MHC-9000 Charger-Analyzer • 3rd Prize: 3 Large Fair-Rite Beads • 4th Prize: Crimping Tool • 5th Prize: Multi-Purpose Pocket Tool with Light • Door Prize: 9-LED Flashlight with batteries • Need Tickets – see Carolyn or Mike • 6 for $5 - 12 for $10 - 24 for $20 • GOOD LUCK! NCDXC Mar 09

  19. Additional QSTs • Does anyone have any other announcements they would like to make? • Amtech Day? • Flea Market? NCDXC Mar 09

  20. Our Sunspot Cycle The sun has flat-lined…

  21. The Minimum • March 6, 2006 – Solar Minimum has Arrived • January 10, 2008 – Solar Cycle 24 Begins • September 30, 2008 – Blankest Year of the Space Age • November 7, 2008 – The Sun Shows Signs of Life • The last few sunspots that we had were old ones from cycle 23 NCDXC Mar 09

  22. Cycle 24 PredictionUpdated 3/4/09 NCDXC Mar 09

  23. Current Conditions Last Month This Month NCDXC Mar 09

  24. The Last Year NCDXC Mar 09

  25. SOHO MDI Continuum Latest Image NCDXC Mar 09

  26. SHOW & TELLorTonight’s Mini Topics Craig Bradley, AE6RR Risto Kotalampi, W6RK Phil Verinsky, W6TQG

  27. Why Do We DX? • Because we like to see the lights dim when we talk? • Because is it there? • Because we like talking to people in foreign lands? • Because we like the nice QSL cards? • Because we like Wall Paper (Awards)? NCDXC Mar 09

  28. CQ Magazine Awards Something else to do with your QSL collection while the bands are dead! - AE6RR

  29. CQ WAZ Award • Worked All Zones (WAZ) • One of the longest running in Ham Radio • Started prior to WWII • One of the most prestigious awards • Based on working all 40 CQ Zones • Equal difficulty from all areas of the world • 5-Band version available (5BWAZ) • 80, 40, 20, 15 & 10 m NCDXC Mar 09

  30. NCDXC Mar 09

  31. CQ Zones • We are in Zone 3 • The hardest zones to work from here are • 21, Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Georgia) • 22, India, Maldives, Laccadive (VU7) • 34, NE Africa (Egypt, Libya, Sudan) • 37, E Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi) • The path to these zones is over more land mass than the others • The path includes NA, EU & AS (or NE AF) • Water reflects signals much better than land • You probably have a better chance of working these areas via long path NCDXC Mar 09

  32. The World from San Jose NCDXC Mar 09

  33. CQ DX Award • Similar to the ARRL DXCC • Same entities • Similar rules (100 entities minimum) • If you need more “wall paper” and have DXCC, this one is easy • Just submit your DXCC record • I did it via email • eQSL, LoTW records and Cards accepted NCDXC Mar 09

  34. CQ WPX Award • Based on call sign prefixes (letters and numbers) • K6, N6, WD4, HG1, HG19, WB3, KC2, etc. • If you have worked the WPX contest, you get the idea • Minimum awards • Mixed: 400 • Mode (CW, SSB, Digital): 300 • Honor system: You do not need to send cards or have them checked! NCDXC Mar 09

  35. CQ DX Field Award • Based on the 324 Maidenhead Grid Fields • The grids are the two letter prefix (ie CM) • Basic award is 50 or more grids • Maritime mobile stations count • Somewhat equal difficulty from all areas of the world except there are more stations on land • eQSL, LoTW records and Cards accepted NCDXC Mar 09

  36. CQ USA-CA Award • Based on USA Counties • Base award is 500 counties • There are 3077 counties in the US • There are groups, nets and special frequencies for “County Hunters” • Some people do road trip expeditions to activate rare ones • eQSL, LoTW records and Cards accepted NCDXC Mar 09

  37. Applying for CQ Awards • CQ card checkers are hard to find but you can use ARRL DXCC checkers • CQ has announced that you can use eQSL, but this is not mentioned on the web site • I have used LoTW confirmations (also not mentioned on web site) – printed the QSL info • Find the award rules on the CQ web site and email the award manager for the latest acceptable procedure for that award NCDXC Mar 09

  38. Risto Kotalampi – W6RK Global QSL http://www.globalqsl.com/

  39. Phil Verinsky – W6TQG Using QRZ.com's XML for Call Sign Lookup and Bearing Convenient Log Database Synchronization with LOTW VE7VV Packet Cluster

  40. The NCDXC Raffle! • Does anyone need tickets before we start? • Prizes • Door Prize: 9-LED Flashlight with batteries • 1st Prize: Yaesu FT-2800M, 65 W 2M mobile rig • 2nd Prize: Powerex MHC-9000 Charger-Analyzer • 3rd Prize: 3 Large Fair-Rite Beads • 4th Prize: Crimping Tool • 5th Prize: Multi-Purpose Pocket Tool with Light NCDXC Mar 09

  41. Thanks for Coming Tonight! • Remember the net next Thursday night! • See you at Visalia • Pray for sunspots! • 73 & Good DX! NCDXC Mar 09

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