Spokane DX Association

Speaker Jim Fenstermaker K9JF talks about the reemergence of Kosovo as a ham radio nation.

Mark Van Winkle K7HPT shows off his award certificate for working all ten contests in the 2017-2018 PNW Challenge Cup. He was the only member to do this.

Looks like the start to eating. The man with clasped hands in the background is Spokane’s own ham radio author Bob Zavrel W7SX. His book entitled Antenna Physics: An Introduction is available at both the ARRL and Amazon.

Plate are clean; looks like an end to the eating period.

Mel Ming N7GCO received a certificate for the highest total score in the PNW Challenge Cup among SDXA members.

Gary Swartout K7GS received a plaque from the SDXA for the highest score in the low power, single operator, EWA Section, Mixed mode category.

NEW ARRL NW DIRECTOR
AND VICE DIRECTOR ELECTED

new NW Director W7VO Mike Ritz

new NW Vice Director KB7HDX Mark Tharp

Here are the votes:

Northwestern Division Director

Mike Ritz, W7VO 1,589
Bonnie Altus, AB7ZQ 1,308
Horace Hamby, N7DRW 495
Mr. Ritz was declared elected.

Northwestern Division Vice Director

Mark Tharp, KB7HDX 1,368
Daniel Stevens, KL7WM 1,228
Delvin Bunton, NS7U 767
Mr. Tharp was declared elected.

Hopefully we can have them visit us in 2019.

Jim was first licensed in 1959 as KN9TZH (nearly 60 years ago!). He achieved his first DXCC in 1962 as K9TZH – age 16. As an US Army Officer (Signal Corps), he was stationed in Germany and was assigned DL5JF. There, he commanded Company C of Signal Group 360 while still a 1st Lieutenant. After being discharged in Europe, Jim traveled around Europe for 5 months and met Martti Laine OH2BH in Helsinki. This meeting resulted in a nearly 5 decade friendship which culminated in an invitation to join Martti and an International Team in the first activation of Kosovo as a DXCC entity in January 2018.

Jim is an active DX’er with 369 entities worked/confirmed (#1 Honor Roll). In addition, he has WAZ on 7 bands with only one additional Zone needed on 12 meters and four zones on 160 meters.

Before and after his military, he was awarded degrees from Anderson University (BA), Indiana University (MBA), and Portland State University (Accounting Certificate).

He was an ARRL Director and Vice President for nearly eighteen years. Jim is a retired CPA, specializing in Management and Cost Accounting in Manufacturing entities.

Jim and his XYL Shirley W7SAF have been married 46 years and have 2 sons: Dr. Matt and Andy. Matt is a Physical Therapist working for a subsidiary of the St. Luke’s Hospital system in Spokane Valley. Andy KF7ZMM, is Marketing Manager for a Pacific NW region of Harley Davidson.

Jim and Shirley are looking forward to moving into their new home (part-time) in Liberty Lake.

ANTENNA PHYSICS BOOK
PUBLISHED IN THE
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2018 NCJ JOURNAL

LINK TO THE REVIEW

Reprinted with permission, Nov/Dec 2018 NCJ; copyright ARRL

Bob W7SX lecturing to the SDXA

For more information about the National Contest Journal, published by the ARRL, use this ARRL LINK

the hat of Dan Hearn N5AR (SK) – a great guy

SDXA badges and sdxa hats can be obtained at this LINK.

THANKS TO CHRIS HURLBUT KL9A
FOR HIS GREAT PRESENTATION ON THE
WRTC EVENT IN GERMANY THIS YEAR

An informative presentation on the 2018 event in which he and his partner Dan Craig N6MJ took 3rd place out of 65 teams; plus a review of when they took 1st place in the 2014 New England event.

The first, second, and third place team finishers. Chris is on the far right side.

Jack Tiley AD7FO, of Spokane Valley, has been appointed as the new ARRL Eastern Washington Section Manager starting January 1, 2019. Tiley will fulfill the unexpired term of office that Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, is vacating because he was recently elected as Vice Director of the ARRL Northwestern Division.

Tharp, of Yakima, has served as the Eastern Washington Section Managersince October of 2003, and he will begin his term of office as Vice Director in January 2019.

ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, appointed Tiley after consulting with Tharp and Northwestern Division Director Jim Pace, K7CEX, who is retiring from this position at the end of the year.

Tiley, an Extra Class licensee, is currently serving as an Assistant Section Manager and Technical Coordinator and Technical Specialist in Eastern Washington.

He invites readers to visit his web page at

http://www.ad7fo.com/

His appointment as Section Manager will be from January 1 through September 30, 2019. The nomination announcement for the next term of office for the Eastern Washington Section Manager position is scheduled to appear in the April 2019 issue of QST.

Congratulations to Jack!

WHAT IS AN ELMER?
SDXA MEMBERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR SERVICES TO YOU

SDXA ELMER LINK

the other members and their contact info, available from Secretary Jay WA0WWW by asking via email.

Oh, the Elmer definition. Here is an ARRL ELMER LINK to its meaning.

TRI-FOLD LINK

Members are urged to print copies of the brochure and distribute to their interested friends or at ham conventions, hamfests, and swap meets.

For more details on the wins of Gary K7GS and the duo of Jay WA0WWW and Randy K7TQ oererating as K7TQ/M, go to this SALMON LINK.

ONE OF THE TOP CW OPERATORS IN THE WORLD
CHRIS HURLBUT KL9A

Chris Hurlbut (KL9A) – World Radio Sport Champion

WRTC 2014 Gold Medalists N6MJ, KL9A

This year, N6MJ/KL9A (Dan Craig and Chris Hurlbut), the defending champions from 2014, took third place. They were the highest scoring US team with over 5 million points. So there is hope for everyone. With less than a 40’ tower and no amp, they made over 5 million points and 4,821 QSOs within 24 hours.

Here is the 2018 scoring for the team at the event (click it to enlarge it):

The World Radiosport Team Championship 2018 is held every four years. This year it was held in Wittenberg, Germany

All WRTC contest stations used a HD Spider Beam with a built-in 40m dipole. WIMO dipole antenna was used on 80m. The Spider beam was mounted at 12m height (Less than 40’) on an aluminum telescopic mast and just below the beam was the support for the 80m dipole. All stations were identical. Each contestant brought their own transceiver running 100 watts (No AMPS).

The book CONTACT SPORT featured above is the story of the 2014 WRTC event in New England, USA. A great story of each team and Dan and Chris. It is available from Amazon at $19.50 hardbound.

Chris was on the winning team for the WRSC/IARU contest in 2014 in Boston. He also won the NW Division IARU in July 2016 Operating K7IR in Oregon in Single Op, Mixed Mode, High Power. His team place third in the 2018 World Radio Sport Championship in Germany.

Chris is truly one of the best contesters in the world. His skill and ability in incredible. Chris will be sharing:

• His experiences with WRTC.
• Suggestions on how to be a better contester.
• Hints on working big gun contest stations.
This is a great opportunity to hear an Olympic champion.

Incidentally, Chris now resides in Montana; but, previously, he lived in Spokane and was a member of the SDXA while here.

DICK SNELL W7BHP

The call WX7P was held previously by one of our former members Wilse Morgan of Rice, WA for several years. Wilse was a great contributor to our organization and to contesting at his Rice station. He was inducted into the CQ Hall of Fame a few years ago and was the first VE in ALaska. He was also featured on two CQ Magazine covers. Congratulations to Janet for carrying on a great tradition in her call.

Here is a couple of pictures by Mel N7GCO.

The ARRL Forum program. That is our EWA Section Manager in the red shirt.

Some of the candidates for the position of ARRL Director of the Northwestern Division replacing Jim Pace K7CEX. That is Vice Director Bonnie Atlas AB7ZQ on the left and Mike Ritz W7VO, President of the Willamatte Valley DX CLub.