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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
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Here's a great-looking new tool to enlighten everybody on the current state of HF propagation. Congratulations to the developers, and I hope that it gets both well used and supported in the future. You can click on the interactive map to get a perspective from your own locator square, which is very neat. I guess time will tell how faithfully it represents real-world band conditions.
You can find it at http://hf.dxview.org
Berni M0XYF
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
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Quick reminder that tonight sees Mike Underhill visit the clubhouse to give a talk on HF High-Power Double Loops for Small Spaces.
Doors Open: 19:30
Presentation: 19:45
Sounds like it's going to be a packed hall this evening, so get there early.
Berni M0XYF
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I've been having a discussion with Mike Pollock G8KMP via email on the use of club callsigns - particularly with respect to remote operation of the clubs' Flex radio.
His position is very clear. You have two options:
- If you don't want to log every QSO you have, then use your own callsign and make no reference to any club callsign. Simple as that.
- Full licencees may alternatively use the club callsign G3ZMS, but in that case they must keep their own log at home of all contacts made regardless of context and provide a copy of that log directly to Mike every time you do so.
Personally, I will only ever use my own callsign, so if any Foundation or Intermediate level licencee wants me to 'sit in' with them to allow them to operate the Flex, then I will happily do so, and you may use my own callsign for that purpose. Obviously that only applies if I am currently logged into the radio and have given you written permission to do so in advance - which shouldn't ever be an obstacle to anyone who wants to make use of this facility.
The same rules apply if using the radio locally in the shack, but I can't really visualise that happening too often. In this situation, Foundation and Intermediate users may clearly use their own callsigns, as long as they abide by their own licencing conditions.
I'm contemplating making a proposal to the committee that the club registers a new club callsign for which there is no requirement to log or QSL, specifically for casual use on the Flex. Let me know what you think (...lights blue touch-paper and retires).
73
Berni M0XYF
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I've produced a .pdf version of the Flex Quickstart Tutorial for those of you who like to download and save, or even print.
It doesn't transfer very well into a paginated document, but at least you can keep a copy locally should you need to.
I won't be updating or correcting it. Revisions will only be made to the online version.
Berni M0XYF
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- Written by: Chris G4ZCS
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Following on from last month’s effort, I finally reached my 100 target just a couple of days late, and several more besides.
Conditions have been variable to say the least, however any of you 'new' licensees who have yet to experience a sunspot peak that comes about each 11 years will be in for a treat for a couple of years.
At the beginning of the month there were some good openings to North America, and Canada in particular. I worked a handful of western provinces Including north Alberta and greater Vancouver as well as a long rag chew with a Calgary station. A couple of Alaska stations rounded off a good couple of days. To the east, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan were worked many times and one bonus for me was 9N7AA in Kathmandu, Nepal for an ATNO (All Time New One).
Further east a number of Chinese stations were heard but not worked, but the Isle of Bali seemed easy with 3 stations in quick succession on 15M SSB. Africa has been a bit light with several expedition stations worked CW for a quick “599 Thanks”. Again, one 10M opening allowed a rag chew with Mark V51MA in Namibia talking about his project to build a full length 160M dipole in his 'garden'.
On the 18th and 19th, the American CW contest was on. Using 200W and my wire delta loop I worked not all, but 32 of the 'lower 48' together with 6 Canadian provinces. Now I know why Montana has the abbreviation “MT” as that is what it is - Empty. I think there was only one operator there the whole weekend! I missed several of the states that I had worked earlier in the month and that was frustrating.
Ken’s 15M lunchtime net has had several visitors, including one from Iceland and one from Rimini.
Even Bob N4XAT has popped up fully audible from his small loop antenna in New Jersey!
Next month I’ll do an update on IOTA for those that might be interested.
73s & good DX
Chris, G4ZCS
