Spokane DX Association

SDXA TOOK 5TH OF THE 6 CLUBS.

Steve VE7CT Orca DXCC Club Vice President accepting the trophy. The traveling trophy is presented at the annual rotating PNW DX convention. SDXA sponsors this convention once every four years and 2017 is next.

PNW CLUB SCORES (2-page pdf) are posted at this

FINAL RESULTS LINK.

HOW DID THE SDXA MEMBERS DO IN THE CHALLENGE?

Here is the tally of our members’ 2014-2015 results: SDXA SCORES LINK

Our Club is an important institution and a valuable addition to our amateur radio hobby of DXing and Contesting. To keep the club vibrant and members interested plus being able to attract new members, it is important to have our monthly meetings and activities be a magnet for participation.

To accomplish this, we should have a good discussion on what direction we should take to spice up our meetings, club activities and presentations. Please put your thinking caps on and send your comments to me or share them with a club officer.

We all enjoy our hobby and the company of our fellow members; let’s work towards improving our monthly meetings and in turn our enjoyment and success in radio.

73,
Chris WX7B
wx7b@arrl.net

Two of our SDXA members put many Washington counties on the map for the Salmon Run contest. Here is their story from Randy K7TQ.

K7TQ/WA0WWW SALMON RUN LINK

ARTICLE LINK

Pictures from the event, courtesy of Gary AD7XG

Steve W7VI

Lamar WA7LT

Mary Beth AE7GT and friend

Jim KE7HTU and Gimmie AL7LB

Gary AD7XG, the host

QSOs on the porch

Maybe President Chris WX7B listening to a potential voter in the November election?

Randy K7TQ AND Jay WA0WWW sizing up Al’s new antenna

Here is the antenna they are sizing up!

The picnic was again held at the QTH of Al W7AL and Cheri in Snug Harbor of Sandpoint, ID. Thanks to the family for the hospitality and the tour of the grounds. Its a boat anchor heaven and a DXer’s modern high power station too. Here are some pictures of the event. The next big event will be our annual Awards Banquet in December; particulars to be announced when they arrive.

Bruce Wade, N7ZA
12467 E. Olive Ave.
Spokane Valley WA 99216
Day Phone: (509) 396-3082
n7za99@gmail.com

Bruce is a recent member of the SDXA and is a former card checker for the Tri-Cities. Bruce is replacing our former SDXA President and card checker Wayne WA1PMA who is riding his white stallion off into the sunset of Florida and beyond. Wayne could check 160 meter cards because of his personal 160 meter DXCC. The other longtime local card checker is Jay WS7I. The ARRL offers a search feature to find local card checkers at this CARD CHECKER LINK.

1. George W6AEA had 133,245 points and took 3rd in the Single Operator High Power CW category.
2. Gary K7GS had 18,981 points in the Single Operator Low Power CW category.
3. Randy K7TQ (and Jay WA0WWW) had 74, 424 points in the Mobile Multi-Single Low Power CW category. They activated 18 counties in ID/OR/WA. Randy says their certificate says:

Second Place, 7th-Area Mobile Multi-single Low-Power CW
First Place, Adams County, Idaho
First Place, Gem County, Idaho
First Place, Idaho County, Idaho
First Place, Nez Perce County, Idaho

There was a 25-QSO minimum per county to receive a certificate. We
qualified in 9 counties and won in 4 of them.

Here is a LINK to the 2015 Writeup.

Here is a LINK to the individual scores.

The plaque sponsored by SDXA for the Single-Operator Digital category High score went to N7AM of Pima, AZ.

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

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.

MEL MING N7GCO

Joe has supplied photos of some of his recent awards. If you have a new award, and want to display a photo of it, send it to Webmaster Steve as a jpeg.

This award is for working ARRL’s WAS on three modes, phone, CW, and digital; all confirmations are just by LOTW (Logbook of the World). RULES LINK

This award was available for operation in 2014 during the ARRL Centennial. You had to work the special W1AW/ stations in all 50 states and when they were on! Joe’s certificate shows seven additional territories and DC that he worked. If you worked all 50 states during the Centennial time period, but have not applied for your award, here are the details at this W1AW/ WAS LINK.

This award was for making a certain number of points working ARRL officials and volunteers in 2014 during the same Centennial. For example, various points were given for working a ARRL Life Member, a Section Manager, or at the top of the points pyramid, Kay N3KN the ARRL President. There were four levels of awards and Joe got the Top Award Level. More information at this LINK.

This award is for the yearly ARRL DX contests in which there are three separate contests, depending on mode. Joe’s win was for Phone (SSB) and he got First Place in our EWA Section for Single Op, High Power. Here is a link to the rules for these contests: ARRL DX CONTEST LINK

Remember that big year-long event last year where you got points for working ARRL officials and volunteers? Small points for Life Members; big points for working Kay the President. LOTW only.
Here is my Centennial Points Challenge Award for getting into the TOP LEVEL. Now I know other SDXA members got more points than I did so let’s hear from them for their achievements.
There was also a special W1AW portable stations WAS award, but that was not on my list to do.
Here is a link to the information on the awards – ARRL AWARDS LINK

As promised, Jay and I put 18 counties on the air May 2 while operating mobile from his pickup. We made a total of 455 Qs over the 16 hours (15 hours of operating). While we listened for SDXA folks, the only one we heard was Gary K7GS, who found us five times in ID Lewis, ID Owyhee, ID Washington, OR Malheur, and OR Baker. Only two operators were able to find us nine or more times – one in WV and the other in TX. Probably nine times was too high a bar. The jam is still safely stored in my basement. Perhaps it can be used as an incentive again in the Salmon Run in September.

Pictures and more details can be found at this 7QP TRIP LINK

Randy, K7TQ

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Here is a link to the complete story by Randy: K7TQ IDAHO QSO LINK