Posts from — June 2007

For many of us, getting to Dayton is tough, especially from the West Coast where I live.

Fortunately, generous hams post the Dayton presentations for us out on the web for downloading.

The 2007 Dayton Hamvention Antenna and Contest Forum presentations are now available for download on the web.

Thanks, Trey.

Scot, K9JY

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For those who have not done a trip for a DXpedition — even a portable operation not far from home — you will be surprised at how much planning and effort it takes to simply get all the stuff together and haul it to said destination.

So it was an interesting read about the KL7FF Contest Expedition to Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, for the June VHF contest. Note: this is to an island as well, meaning safe passage on a boat of some sort along with carrying all of the stuff needed for the DXpedition was required as well.

Throw in the new digital modes and a little propagation and the fun can really begin.

Take a read over at Contest Expedition to Prince of Wales Island — and make sure to check out the pictures as well.

Thanks to Paul, K7CW, for sharing the story and the photos.

Scot, K9JY

Want to know what a CW contest sounds like? W0MM provides a six-minute clip on what a CW contest sounds like using Morse Runner, a CW simulation program, the one I use for fun between contests.

YouTube  Morse Runner

Some browsers won’t show the video here. Instead, check out the video at You Tube.

Scot

Most of my ham radio life I’ve lived in a place where I have been able to have some sort of ham radio antenna. The house that I am currently living in, I can’t.

That’s OK. I have options. I can go on DXpeditions or operate from Multi stations here on the West Coast. Or go portable. A “100-pound DXpedition” from the United States.

To be fair, operating from a fixed location has a lot of advantages. Mostly related to convenience and being able to track changes in the shack against operating from before there were changes in the shack.

But I think portable operation has some merit on the HF bands as well. One can vary their location. One can try different antennas from a single location. One can vary power from a location.

And then try it all over again in a different place.

That’s portability.

Throw in salt water beaches and there is a powerful incentive for portability in that verticals on salt water perform. Finding a location and varying operating conditions at a salt water location adds some interesting learning to what is being done.

Now back from vacation, I’m moving to finding some locations and seeing what we can do to test things out. Should be fun.

Scot, K9JY

While on vacation this week, I was often treated to full size views of Lake Michigan. Not seeing the other side of the lake made me think of living on the ocean back in Seattle-land. There is a choice that kept setting itself up in my head.

Have a house on the beach or go portable with an RV and verticals and travel to the ocean.

I think anyone would say to have a house on the ocean beach, given a choice.

But, I have some problems with that.

The real ocean, from Seattle, is three hours away. That’s too far to get to a job. If you want to be on Puget Sound, which is salt water, be prepared to pay dollars that I could retire on for the price of the house. Even a house with a view.

So, while staring at the never-ending horizon of Lake Michigan this week and thinking of it as the Pacific Ocean, I’m still inclined to do the portable antennas on salt water with some sort of RV.

But, it sure would be nice to have a house on the salt water beach. Wouldn’t it?

Scot, K9JY