Spokane DX Association

There has been activity on antennas this Summer at the home of Steve K7AWB. The Force 12 MAG620 (20 meter 6-element) blew a balun probably during a lightning storm and was removed, the balun replaced, and the antenna reinstalled on top of the Rohn 45 tower #1. The M2 2M5WL (2 meter 17-element) was removed and replaced with a M2 6M7 (6 meter 7-element) at the top. The 2 meter antenna will go up soon at the top of the Rohn 25 Tower #2. Also, a Force 12 5BA (5 band 15-element) will go on that tower. 1/2″ Heliax is being installed from some of the antennas to the bottom of the towers to junction boxes. All the work is not done yet, but the hope is to finished before the snow flies. Here are a few pictures.

Bob N7AU and Wayne WA1PMA detach the top guys to prevent interference to the raising of the Force 12 MAG620 Yagi and its 44′ boom (while Mark K7HPT observes)

Gerry AE7KI and Dick W7BHP next to the MAG620

Mark K7HPT, Chris WX7B, Gerry AE7KI, and Bob N7AU pondering the situation (the tractor did all the pulling!)

Jerimiah KD7DMP on top of Tower #1 with the 6 meter and 20 meter antennas installed

INTERNAL SDXA COMPETITION

George W6AEA

Congratulation again to George W6AEA for the highest score from a SDXA member. George had 9,575,802 points and entered all ten contests.

Jay WA0WWW

The other member who entered all contests too was Jay WA0WWW.
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Both are showing previously won plaques. Congratulations to both for their above average effort!

NORTHWEST CLUB COMPETITION
The winning club was the British Columbia Orca DX and Contest Club with 169,238,632 points. SDXA was 4th with 21,0872,626 points.

Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the hat which will make you walk proudly.

SDXA Treasurer Bob Lee N7AU showing off his SDXA hat

Here are the ordering details:

HATS $15.00 plus shipping
They say single hat shipping may be around $5 with bulk orders realizing savings in shipping to one address.

ProStitch Embroidery
PO Box 1633
Omak, Wa. 98841
Bus: 509-826-6858
Fax: 509-826-1685
Email: lori@omakprostitch.com
Web: www.omakprostitch.com

When you order, be sure to state that it is the Spokane DX Association hat. They have PayPal too.

Members are requested to purchase a SDXA name badge in the club adopted style; wear it to meetings, Field Day, DX Conventions, and other amateur radio gatherings to show your identification and support of the organization.

Typical badge showing font and colors:

Gary Swartout K7GS proudly showing his SDXA name badge.

Badges are now available from a company called The Engraver, Inc. Here is a LINK to their website. They are at 3817 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205 and phone is (509) 328-9508. Email is: info@theengraverinc.com

Make sure you tell them it’s a SDXA badge to match our style. And you always could pull up this webpage and show them if it is a newer employee there.

Prices are:
1 badge @ $15 (minimum purchase amount)
2-5 badges @ $9.50 each
6-10 badges @ $8.50 each
11-25 badges @ $7.50 each

Domestic shipping is $3.75 for a few

They come with a pin on the back although you can request one that slips over the shirt pocket for $1 additional.

If you need a badge, you might go in with other members to get your costs down.

Here is a link to the ARRL story at their site: WRTC LINK

Chris (KL9A)

A Rookie Goes to Curacao by Michael “Dink” Dinkelman N7WA in the May/June, 2014 issue of NCJ National Contest Journal published by the ARRL.

PJ2T Chronicles – Part 1: The Trials and Pain of Staying on the Air by current SDXA member Geoff Howard W0CG/PJ2DX in the March/April, 2014 issue of NCJ National Contest Journal published by the ARRL.

Actually we got preempted by the library for the regular meeting room so we met outside and those concrete benches were hard! The minutes for this June meeting are posted and the link is below in the The Latest News section.

From Randy W7TJ:

Due to the Solar Flux Averaging 155 for the past 5 Months, (and again thru the Month of April) along with 13+ Hours of Daylight, Long Path Propagation on the high bands at our Local Sunrise and Sunset times has been outstanding! LP has always been a constant on 20M; however during this time of year, 17 and 15 Meters have been very productive from 1400 to 1500 Zulu. For example, not only are South and East African Stations Q5 on 15M and 17M, but occasionally Northern EU Stations (although weak) where as the Short Path at these times is non-existent. The key is to listen on the High Bands and check the Long Path during Sunrise and Sunset times… even call CQ – you could be very pleasantly surprised !

Randy

This could be a big one!! They started their website today and, even though there is not much information there yet, it will grow with the details as the event approaches. There is another website for the scientific expedition concurrent with the DXpedition.
Here are their sites:

2016 Heard Island VK0EK DXpedition website LINK
2016 Heard Island Scientific Project LINK

They are looking for donations to support the endevor. The last time Heard Island was on the air was 1997. SDXA presented the DVD video at the May, 2004 meeting. Here is a LINK to that VK0IR DXpedition. The website has not been supported since 2002 so some of the internal links go nowhere.
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At the April meeting, the purchase of hats, badges, and vests were discussed. Here are typical samples of vests we can get with the SDXA look put on them. It would be nice if there was one official SDXA design consisting of color, logo, call letters, and handle. Someone needs to step up and correspond with the officers so at the next meeting it can be presented and voted on.

Product Description
• Great for Ham Radio
• Generously cut
• Large armholes for comfortable fit

Size : SM-3XL.
many color choices

Information on the new hats and the existing name badges are found at HATS & BADGES under The Association on the right side of the page.

John Kenney W7COI gave a presentation on Operating A Station At Low Power. The picture shows some of the QRP rigs and accessories that John has in his collection. Click on the picture for a closer view. John has agreed to share his presentation outline with us and it is available at this LINK.

This award is for working and confirming at least 1000 band-countries in the bands from 160 to 6 meters. You can receive a certificate or a plaque for your effort (you pay, of course). It is endorsed in 500 contact increments with a medallion such as shown below (click on the pictures to enlarge them). Steve K7AWB just received this medallion after a tremendous effort to catch up with a few of the other SDXA members who are way ahead of him such as Al W7AL (2092), Wayne WA1PMA (1891), and Mark W7MEM (1547). Incidentally, this DXCC Challenge Award has no relationship to the PNW Challenge Cup – the contest between the leading PNW DX clubs such as ours.

The plaque

the endorsement medallion for 1500 band-country contacts

If you are on the ARRL’s LOTW (Logbook of the World), you will see your Challenge count at the bottom of your DXCC Award Account status table.

Here is the link to the DXCC Challenge award.

Thanks Spokane DX Association for sponsoring the W7RM Award Plaque
for the 2013 ARRL RTTY Roundup, SO, HP, W/VE Winner. Plaque was received
today, 1/18/2014, and already installed in a prominent place in the shack.

73,
Mike, K4GMH

In case you forgot which plaques we sponsor:

The SDXA sponsors two contest plaques:

1. ARRL RTTY Roundup (January) — for highest score in W/VE Single Operator, High Power category. Award is called the Rush Drake W7RM Memorial plaque.

2. WA state Salmon Run (September) — for highest score in Single Operator, Low Power, Mixed category operating from within the EWA ARRL Section.