The Spokane Hamfest resumed after a two-year break for Covid in 2022. There was a great crowd. SDXA members were very active in registration, setup, workshops and selling.
Here is a photo of the crowd by Joe Somday KF7PBM
Murf (N7UVH) and I (N7GCO) were busy selling the last of Janet’s equipment. (Photo by Joe Somday KF7PBM)
Peter K0NG received his DXCC Certificate for confirmed contacts with 100 countries. He is here with Mel N7GCO who was his mentor (Elmer).
Bob N7AU and Tom KC7UG installed Bob’s new crank-up tower September 2, 2022. This is the monster crank-up he bought and brought back from the south.
Thanks to Tom KC7UG and his helper they came over with a boom truck today and in about 2 hours we the tower out of the trailer and mounted.
This is a massive tower.
August 5-7, 2022 the SDXA hosted the Pacific NW DX Convention. It was the first in-person convention in three years due to Covid. It was help at the Davenport Centennial Hotel on the Spokane River. The speakers were outstanding and everyone enjoyed being together again.
(Photos by Meg Foltz)
Ed Hare W1RFI speaking on “Radio Frequency Interference and the Radio Amateur”
Our own Peter KJ7IEA won the grand prize of the complete Icom 705 package
August 29 & 30 a team from the SDXA took down Janet’s towers and antennas.
Work team included: Bob N7AU, Brandon W7BKS, Gary AD7XG, Jay N7ZUF, Jim N7ESU, Mel N7GCO, Mike K7STO, Murf N7UVH, Peter KJ7IEA and Woody N7HCJ.
(Photos from Bob, Murf, Jim and Brandon)
The group gathered today to put up Del’s WA7AQH High Tower antenna.
Del WA7AQH, Peter K0NG and Ted NA7TP making adjistments
Jeff NZ2S, Gary AD7XG, Del WA7AQH, Dale WU7X, Peter K0NG and Ted NA7TP adjusting the top stinger
Antenna Up
Fine tuning the vertical adjustment
We were sorry to hear that SDXA member Janet Lowery WX7P became a silent key on Thursday, May 26th. Janet was in the process of developing a contest station in Benton City, WA. A service celebrating her life will be held in California, where most of her family lives. We extend our sympathy to her partner Sarah KQ7C for the loss of Janet.
Last fall the wind destroyed Bob’s N7AU Trylon tower. Thankfully it missed his 5th wheel RV.
This week they took it down and are getting ready to replace it with an 89′ heavy duty crank up.
In this photo Bob is cutting the bend portion off and the boom truck is lifting it away.
Mark McMillian W7MEM has received his 40 year ARRL Certificate. Congratulations to Mark on this milestone.
Bob N7AU & Tom KC7UG Towers have new towers. The towers are US Towers HDX 589. 92 feet cranked up but 24′ 6″ cranked down and then they have the layover wench also to lay them in the horizontal position. They have an electric motor to crank up and down. These are very heavy duty towers.
Bob went down to Alabama to pick them up. In the photo you can see them on the trailer Bob picked up in Oklahoma.
Notice the wall thinkness.
Hopefully, Bob will be able to get his tower that blew over this winter taken down and his SteppIR antenna and 6-meter antennas repaired/replaced and all put back up this Spring/Summer. He is also working on his 80- meter antenna for his tall tower.
Congratulations to Stephen Sala K7AWB for 60 years as an ARRL member.
Mark is only the 17th person to receive the ARRL Fref Fish Memorial Award.
The Fred Fish Memorial Award was created in honor of Fred Fish W5FF (SK)m who was the first amateur to have worked and confirmed all 488 Maidenhead grid squares in the 48 contiguous United States on 6 meters. The award is given to any amateur who can duplicate W5FF’s accomplishments. Thinks about it – confirmed contacts on 6 meters with every grid square in the continental US.
Here are some pictures of the flagpole antenna Jon Kimball KL2A gave the SDXA.
Jeff NZ2S has been doing some testing of the antenna and reported his findings on the SDXA user group.
This is Jeff NZ2S standing beside the antenna where he has been testing it.
Here is the link to the website describing this antenna.
https://greylineperformance.com/collections/frontpage/products/20-foot-flagpole-antenna
Jeff drove a pipe in the ground and mounted the antenna on it.
The is the external antenna tuner barrowed from Mike K7STO for testing.
If you are a SDXA members and live in a HOA area or a place with limited yard and want to try it, you can barrow it for a few months. You will want an external antenna tuner. This is the 20’ model flagpole which is permissible in just about all HOA developments.
Jon’s company also makes a 24’ and 28’ model if your HOA allows that size that your can talk to Jon about them. He is a regular contributor here on the user group if you have any questions ([email protected])
Is it a Yagi on a 60’ tower, no. But it will get you on the air in a location that will not allow towers. It looks nice and well made.
CONGRATULATIONS to every person who participated this year. You help make it a record and fun year! I especially want to congratulate those who participated in one or more contests for the first time.
On July 15th a group worked at Ted Phelps KG6MTC to install his Hy-Gain AV-18 HT Hy-Tower. Work crew included: Jeff, Mike, Woody, Dale, Steve, and Pat and Del.
A great time was had by all. Here you can see a photo of the work crew with the new tower/antenna in the background.
The Hy-Gain AV-18 Hy-Tower is a popular antenna with the SDXA members.
