Spokane DX Association

2005 Annual Banquet
December 1, 2005

The banquet was held at the Harvester Restaurant in Spangle, WA. Sixteen people attended, braving the snowstorm and storm alert. More pictures here. Our special program was Ward Silver N0AX presenting slides on his recent K7C Kure Island Dxpedition.

Ward came off Kure Island thinking he was a pirate! At least he did not bring his parrot to the banquet.

Ward tries to sell his “last copy!”

All the way from Vashon, WA, Ward is the author of two major radio-related books, Ham Radio for Dummies and the new Two-Way Radios & Scanners for Dummies. He has also published N0AX’s Radio Puzzler book.

Ward was recently appointed as Chairman of the ARRL Contest Advisory Committee (CAC). He also creates an Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler on the ARRL web site and is editor for the internet contesting newsletter called the ARRL Contester’s Rate Sheet, both published every other week. He is often seen at Northwest conventions as well as at Dayton, either giving a presentation or being MC.

The goals of the Kure Island Dxpedition (September 25 through October 5, 2005) were to conduct amateur radio operations, implement an advanced real-time internet-based communications system (DXA), and carry out activities in support of the wildlife sanctuary and facilities on Kure. Many of you made contact with the Dxpedition, possibly with Ward on the other side of the circuit. Many thanks to Ward for braving the elements, safe inside his airplane ride, across the state. Because of the bad weather on both ends of the state, I tracked Ward’s air progress. Here is a typical shot of Ward at 19, 000 feet heading towards Spokane.

The Spokane DX Association (SDXA) gave its annual plaque to the winner of the 2004 September Salmon Run contest from the ARRL Eastern WA Section in the low power, mixed, single operator class. Again, for the second year in a row, W7WMO Gene Bye from Ephrata won it, this time operating from Pend Orielle County. The plaque was mailed to him as he was unable to receive it in person in Spokane.

For the 2003 Salmon Run, Gene came to our meeting and was presented the plaque in person.

The Salmon Run results are available from the Western Washington DX Club at:

http://www.wwdxc.org/salmonrun/2004finl.htm

The 2005 results are not available yet. The 2006 Salmon Run contest is September 16-17, 2006. When they are available, the 2006 rules will be posted at:

http://www.wwdxc.org/salmonrun/

SDXA members are asked to bring the plaque our way this year by entering the contest seriously.