Spokane DX Association

Randy (from Moscow) spent the weekend activating eight Idaho counties on CW for the annual Idaho QSO Party. Here is his story with additional pictures at this LINK.

Since randy was going to be mainly on 20 meters, Steve K7AWB decided to see if he could work Randy in all of his activated counties over the two day contest. He did, just barely. The distance between the two stations was too short for F2 propagation so it required Steve to use a mix of headphones, adjusting the rf gain to reduce background noise, turning the DNR way up past usual use, going to 200 Hz filter, using the outboard 20 meter Yaesu preselector filter, and of course using a 20 meter yagi with 6 elements at 90 feet helped.

Clearwater County

Shoshone County

Kootenai County

In the woods of Massachusetts, pairs of contestants huddle in tents filled with communications equipment. Their voices soar through the air, riding waves into the atmosphere, as they comb through static and noise for a response from the other side of the world. They’re searching for loot–in the form of other voices in the sky. The rarer their contact, the more valuable their treasure.

Joining them in their quest is author J. K. George, an experienced radio operator himself, who guides you through the exciting world of amateur radio competition and the intriguing characters of the 2014 World Radiosport Team Championship. The competitors hail from across the planet–from youthful challengers to veterans with decades of radiosporting experience. You will meet fascinating personalities not only among the teams themselves but also among their ”widows”–spouses left behind for the allure of the airwaves.

They battle computer malfunctions, getting lost, and staying at the top of their game for 24 hours in a hot, stuffy tent. The final scores bring surprises, disappointments, even a recount, and decades-long friendships will be stressed in the fight for the crown of amateur radio–the ultimate ”contact” sport.

This amateur book about the last WRTC contest in New England is available from your favorite bookseller including AMAZON for $17.79 hardbound on May 26, reduced from $22.95 list.

Jay WS7I

It seems like forever that Jay Townsend WS7I has been our main QSL card checker for DXCC, VUCC, and WAZ awards. Jay has resigned the card checking from both the ARRL DXCC/VUCC program and CQ Publications WAZ program. He also reports is he is no longer the DXAC (DX Advisory Committee) member from the Northwestern Division for the ARRL.

Our remaining card checker is SDXA member Bruce Wade N7ZA whose contact information is at the bottom of this page. He can check DXCC, VUCC, WAC, and WAS cards for the ARRL awards.

Interested SDXA members for the card checking position should discuss their interests at the next SDXA meeting on April 6.

SDXA thanks Jay for the multitude of card checking, both in Spokane and at other regional ham gatherings.

I ran across this ham radio world map for sale on AMAZON. Although I have several ARRL maps on my shack walls, this map looks promising. I always check world maps to see if they are current by seeing if they show the latest country, South Sudan in Africa. On March 9, it was selling for $23.49, being 24″ x 36″ and showing the 40 CQ zones.

Although our birthday is really March 16, we celebrated early at the regular March SDXA meeting. Here are some shots of the activities and the CAKE (thanks Marybeth!).

Marybeth AE7GT cuts the cake

Around the cake table, left to right: Bob N7AU, Randy W7TJ, Dick W7BHP, Marybeth AE7GT, and Treasurer Harold AD7QJ

Happy Birthday SDXA

For a short history of the start of the organization, try this LINK by Lamar Ray WA7LT.

by Steve K7AWB

In the late 40’s and early 50’s, my folks owned the Boat Restaurant west of Smelterville, ID on Highway 10 (previous to I-90). They had car hops bring the trays of hamburgers to your car’s window. No roller skates then (as Sonic does now) due to the graveled parking lot. For the five years there, I was in grades 1-5. I asked my Dad why he parked his car up in front of the restaurant rather then behind the facility where it might be safer. He also had the car hops park their cars in the front too. He said that people driving by on Highway 10 would see the cars and presume the restaurant is open and is a popular place to eat due to all the activity. Tourists would be more likely to drop in if they saw activity at the place. Good marketing way back then.

So why the story? I figure if more of our SDXA members sign up early for our once-every-four-years DX convention in Spokane, it may spur others to sign up too, seeing all the local interest and activity. HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET? It is August 4-6 and there is a link to the separate website below by the trophy picture.

THE SUN WITHOUT SUNSPOTS ON MARCH 13, 2017
PROPAGATION RATED POOR

THE SUN ON DECEMBER 3, 2001 WITH A SUNSPOT NUMBER OF 271
PROPAGATION GREAT – TOP OF THE SUNSPOT CYCLE #23

AN ORANGE – SORT OF LOOKS LIKE THE SUN?

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7
AT THE ARGONNE ROAD LONGHORN BBQ
SPOKANE VALLEY


Nice meeting room, central location, something new. More info to come later.

At monthly meetings, we often get an update on propagation, the solar cycle, and the lack of sunspots during this solar minimum from Randy W7TJ. Here is a recent article Randy wrote on the subject. If you would like to see more articles like this, let him know.

Sunspot Cycle 24 fell down and was so dismal due to a extremely low and slow start; however, the main driver was the declining magnetic strength, complexity and size of the sunspots which initially started in cycle 23. This trend was “briefly” rectified 4th quarter of 2013, carried through 2014 (the year of the small peak), and started a decline again 2nd Quarter of 2015. All the forecasting models have used the Smoothed Sunspot Number as their “gauge” and reasonable sunspot strength (measured in Gauss is just {assumed}). Below is data from Livingston and Penn and NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado) and the HAO (High Altitude Observatory). *See the links below:

Livingston and Penn Sunspot Strength LINK

Sunspot Distribution LINK

Cycle 24 will continue it’s fast decline as MUFs fall (Best signal strength will be when operating at 70% of the MUF) and the low bands will see a nice up-sweep in propagation until the critical frequency drops below 2 MHz. Looking forward to the start of cycle 25:

New Sunspots must be of reverse polarity and high latitude on the Sun (above 60 degrees). The biggest factor is there MUST be a reversal of the declining Sunspot Magnetic Strength and Size (which has been on the decline since cycle 23 and is continuing).

So, three Possible Scenarios (the Current Data and Trends point to Scenarios #1 and #2 as most probable):

1. Sunspots could disappear completely, ushering in a Dalton or Maunder type Minimum.
2. Cycle 24 could see a long drawn out extended low {beyond 2019} (similar to cycle 23’s end), setting up cycle 25 to be a mere “Flash in the Pan”.
3. Or, Cycle 25 could get off to a fast start, with many large strong high latitude spots …… then we can get our 6 Meter Antennas ready.

Randy
W7TJ

This Most Wanted list was generated from Club Log’s Most Wanted page. You can chose several parameters such as NA East Coast vs. West Coast, all of NA, the World, etc. Sign on to Club Log and go to the bottom left corner of the home page to use this feature. Use this LINK just to see the NA West Coast list. If you are not a member of Club Log, just enter your user name (call?) and a simple password to join – no fees.

Their URL is: https://secure.clublog.org/

You don’t have to start your potato salad yet, but we have reservations to use the shelter at Shadle Park on Saturday, August 26 for our annual Summer Picnic. Details will come later, but mark your calendars!

STEVE K7AWB AND SON MICHAEL N7LIT

President Chris WX7B presenting to Lamar WA7LT

The award: Meritorious Service Award 2016…..Lamar Ray WA7LT
Thank You for Your Years of Service and Support as a Charter Member to the Spokane DX Association

Lamer WA7LT was awarded this plaque at the December Banquet, but could not attend. He was given it at the January meeting which he attended. It was good to see Lamar again. For a long time, Lamar had the only HF Multi-Op station in Spokane County until he moved to assisted living in the Spokane Valley. Here are a few pictures from his past.

Lamar wins the 2014 SDXA-sponsored EWA Salmon Run plaque

Lamar (right side) and Jim K9JF, former ARRL NW Division Director

A multi-op 48 hour contest operation at Lamar’s former QTH. Operators are (left to right) Steve K7AWB, Kirk K7EKM, Randy K7TQ, and Lamar WA7LT

In front of his antennas

Lamar at one of his former operating positions