SDXA DX NETS

DXpedition SOLICITATIONS

ALL DXpedition funding requests are to be in writing to the club’s mailing address. Since funding is limited, in this manner, our DXpedition funding committee can give your request the consideration it deserves.

SOLAR ACTIVITY AND PROPAGATION SECTION

For additional info, try this SOLAR LINK for everything you ever wanted to know about the current Sun at the SolarHam site by VE3EN
Link to SPACEWEATHER.COM, a quick source for the daily activity on the sun
Link to NOAA SPACEWEATHER
What is this?

SDXA CALENDAR

2024

• every wednesday HF Net on 3840 kHz at 08:00 AM local
• every sunday    6 Meter Net on 50.140 kHz at 08:00 PM local
• 02 May ‘24       SDXA Program & meeting on zoom 7:00 PM local
• 06 June ‘24      SDXA Program & meeting on Zoom 7:00 PM local
• 21-23 June ‘24   SDXA in ARRL Field Day
• 11 July 2024     SDXA Program & meeting on Zoom 7:00 PM local
• 01 August ‘24    SDXA Program & meeting on Zoom 7:00 PM local
• 17 August ’24    SDXA Annual Picnic
• 05 September ‘24 SDXA Program & meeting on Zoom 7:00 PM local
• 03 October ‘24   SDXA annual Awards Banquet tbd
• 07 November ‘24  SDXA Program & meeting Hybrid @ _tbd_ and on zoom 7:00 PM local
• 05 December ‘24  SDXA Program & meeting on Zoom 7:00 PM local
• contests of interest:
  a) Pacific NW Challenge Trophy contests:
  + CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY #1  0000Z, Sep 23 to 2400Z, Sep 24
  + CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB #2    0000Z, Oct 28 to 2359Z, Oct 29
  + CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW #3    0000Z, Nov 25 to 2400Z, Nov 26
  + ARRL RTTY Roundup #4                     1800Z, Jan 6 to 2400Z, Jan 7
  + CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest #5          0000Z, Feb 10 to 2400Z, Feb 11
  + ARRL Inter. DX Contest, CW #6        0000Z, Feb 17 to 2400Z, Feb 18
  + ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB #7       0000Z, Mar 2 to 2400Z, Mar 3
  + CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB #8          0000Z, Mar 30 to 2400Z, Mar 31
  + CQ WW WPX Contest, CW #9           0000Z, May 25 to 2400Z, May 26
  + IARU HF World Championship #10 1200Z, Jul 13 to 1200Z, Jul 14
• b) other contests for internal SDXA incentives:
  + ARRL Inter. Digital Contest               1800Z, Jun 1 to 2400Z, Jun 2
  + World Wide Digi DX Contest             1200Z, Aug 24 to 1200Z, Aug 25
• c) other contests for internal SDXA interest
  + Idaho QSO Party                                  1900Z, Mar 9 to 1900Z, Mar 10
  + 7th Call Area QSO Party                      1300Z, May 4 to 0700Z, May 5
  + Washington State Salmon Run         1600Z, Sep 16 to 0700Z, Sep 17 and
  1600Z-2400Z, Sep 17

JOIN THE SDXA

Regular dues – $20 per person.
Second family member – $10.
Under 19 years of age are free.
DUES LINK.
We accept PayPal too.

• NW HAM RADIO CONVENTION & SWAP MEETS

  Lynn N7CFO keeps the best listing.
  More Information

• CLUB CARD CHECKERS

  GENERAL INFO LINK
  

Gary Bytnar AD7XG

• IA ETHICS OPER PROCEDURES

  LINK

• OUTSIDE HELP IN ANTENNAS & TOWERS

  LINK

• DX NEWS LINKS

  1. DX WORLD.NET
  2. ANNOUNCED DX OPERATIONS
  3. DX SUMMIT
  4. I2MQP DX NEWS
  5. DXER.ORG (Lone Star DX)
  6. DXWATCH.COM
  7. DAILY DX
  8. DXMAPS
  9. DX UNIVERSITY
  

• CONTESTING LINKS

  There are a lot of links to contesting activities in the DX/Contesting drop down menu above the 24-hour clock on the right of this page. But here are a couple of the best.
  1. WA7BNM
  2. CONTESTING.COM

• INTERNET ENTITY PRONOUNCER

  How do you pronounce a DX entity’s name? Here is a link to the pronouncing. There is also a audio link to a human voice saying the entity’s name correctly. This authority is the 3rd edition Merriam Webster Geographical Dictionary. Covering only legitimate countries, it does not cover non-country ARRL entities.
  More Information

• HAM RADIO EQUIPMENT REVIEWS

  eHAM.net
  More Information

• Read More Recent News

11 Members of the Spokane DX Association (2 from Ephrata, 2 from Moses Lake, 1 from Davenport, 1 from Okanagon, and 5 from Spokane) made their way to Okanogon yesterday to take down a tower with antennas, plus three other masts with antennas for the widow of a SK (Chuck KI7DG). In spite of the rain we were able to get the job done. Appreciate the willingness of these SDXA hams to help a widow.

NEXT SDXA MEETING

May 2, 2024  on Zoom — 6:30 PM Social Time; 7:00 PM Program

“Station Design and How it Works for Contesting and DXing” with Craig Thompson K9CT

Craig is a well know contester on CW, RTTY and SSB and DXer.  He has achieved Honor Roll, 9BDXCC, 5BWAZ and DXCC Challenge. He is active on Top Band, Magic Band and 2M EME. He received the FFMA award was achieved in June, 2020 when he finished up all 488 continental grids on 6m. He only needs Zone 22 on 160m to complete WAZ on 160 meters. His DXCC Challenge count now at 2994.

2024 SDXA Programs

• January –“Operating Techniques: Tips & Tricks, and KL9A Station updates” with Chris Hurlbut KL9A
• February — H44WA Solomon Islands DXpedition” with Robin Amunbson WA7CPA
• March — Gary Sutcliffe, W9XT, Low Band Receive Antennas
• April — H4ØWA  Temotu DXpedition with Jay Lopes AC7DC

 2023 SDXA Programs

• January — DXpedition to Palau (T88WA) With Rob Fanfant N7QT (Zoom)
  • The team includes N7QT Rob, WA7CPA Robin, N7JP Jack, N9ADG Brian and K5EM Justin. Rob and Robin are both also members of the SDXA.
• February — Three mini-presentations (Zoom)
  • 1-How to improve weak signal FT8 Reception with Rob Fanfant N7QT
    2-Silent Key Estate Planning with Mel Ming N7GCO
    3-Reflections on CW Ops with Dale AveryWU7X
• March – Field Day 6A – Mike & Key Style with Michael Dinkelman (Z00m)
• April — SDXA Connection Dinner
• May — Practical Hints and Tools and Field Day Planning (Hybrid)
  • 1. Practical Hints with Mike Buettner K7STO
    2. Field Day Planning with the Idaho Renegades
    3. World Team Radio Championship Incentive with Randy K7TQ
• June — YJ0A Dxpedition with Al K7AR & Bob W7YAQ
• July – Picnic
• August – World Radio Team Championship & IARU Report with Geoff PJ2DX
• September – Improving your  Audio with Mike Daskalopoulos KJ6MIC
• October — Awards Dinner
• November – Officers Elections (planned program didn’t happen)
• December – Base Station Automation Techniques & Recommendations, with Bob Wilson N6TV

2022 SDXA Programs

• January — “Hot DX from Baker Island” with John Miller K6MM
• February — Everything You Need to Know About USB and Serial Interfaces with Bob Wilson N6TV
• March — “Planning Your First DXpedition” with Al Rovner K7AR
• April — “Rebuilding Your Ham Shack after a Fire” with Dave Ellison W7UUU
• May — Four Antenna Related Products/Recommendations by Mel Ming N7GCO & Del Morissette WA7AQH
• June — Receive Antennas by Mark Bauman KB7GF
• July — PNW DX Convention Preparation with Randy K7TQ & Mel N7GCO and
• DX Spotting Tool by Mel N7GCO
• August – PNW DX Convention
• September — Activating entities in the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) By Don Greenbaum N1DG
• October — Insights from the Idaho Renegades with Bob K7TM, Jim N7ESU & Pat N7UVH
• November — “Station Grounding” with Grant Saviers KZ1W
• December – Awards Program

2019 SDXA Programs

• January — “Station Audio” with Del Morissette WA7AQH
• February – “Antenna Modeling Orientation” with Bob Zavrel W7SX
• March 2019 — “Operation Salmon Run in the Field” with Mike Buettner K7STO & Woody Jacobson N7HCJ
• April 2019 — Home Brewing and Station Accessories
  • Gary Swartout (K7GS) Shared a number of his wonderful home Brewed equipment
  • Bob Lee (N7AU) Showed his designed and built Crank up Tower Pushing Tool
  • David Wilhelm (WA7TNT) Showed how to add the SDXA Logo to Your QRZ Page
  • Mel Ming (N7GCO) Showed a couple of Voice Keyers, Card to control your Rotators and PSTRotatorAZ, a  Rotator Control Program
• April 2019 Saturday Workshop – “Antenna Modeling: EZNEC” with Bob Zavrel W7SX
• May 2019 — Show and Tell
  • John Gager (K7KB) showed a “Serial rotor control box”
  • Mike Buettner (K7STO) showed his “NON-Tennis Ball Antenna Launcher”
  • Harold Hepner (AD7QJ) showed his “Tennis Ball Antenna Launcher”
  • Bob Hallock (K7TM) showed his “Antenna Launcher #3”
  • David Wilhelm (WA7TNT) showed his “Icom AH-4 Modification”
  • Mel Ming (N7GCO) showed an introduction to FT4
• June — “ARRL Sweepstakes from the Pacific Northwest” with Brian Moran N9ADG
• July– “Ducie Island 2018 DXpedition VP6D” with Rob Fanfant N7QT
• August – SDXA Summer Picnic
• September — “Using  and SDR To Identify Noise In The Shack” and “Behind the Curtain: Inside the ARRL Boardroom” with Mike Ritz W7VO
• October – Hints for DXing with Bob Hallock K7TM
• November — “Maximizing LoTW” with Bart Jahnke W9JJ
• December – SDXA Awards Dinner

2018 SDXA Programs

• .
  January – “low band transmitting antennas 40-80-160 using EZNEC” with Bob Zavrel W7SX
• February – “Mellish Reef DXpedition” with Rob Fanfant N7QT
• March – “Tools for DXing” with Mel Ming N7GCO
• April – “First Time DXpedition Experience” with Bengt-Erik Norum K7ADD
• May – “80 & 160 meter four square receive antennas” with Bob Zavrel W7SX
• Station Tour – Chris WX7B
• June – J5T DXpedition to Guinea Bissau in Africa.
• July – “Using FT8” with Rob Fanfant N7QT
• August – Summer Picnic at Shadle Park
• September – “RTTY Contesting” with Randy Foltz K7TQ
• October – “PJ2T station’s big anniversary” with Geoff Howard W0CG
• November – “Contesting” with Chris Hurlbut KL9A
• WRTC 2014 Gold Medalists N6MJ, KL9A
• December – Awards Dinner and Jim Fenstermaker K9JF  on ham radio in Kosovo

Congratulations to Bob Lee N7AU for getting the WAS Award for 160 meters

here is the link to the minutes: sdxa minutes_2024_03web

More than a year ago Mike/K7STO and Brian/W7BJN were talking about doing the 2023 and decided to do 80 SSB….in different categories for the simple reason they don’t like butting heads with good friends in Contests. So they ended up winning 2 different categories on High Power Single Op SSB. The heavy lifting on Brian’s end was just a simple Double Bazooka Inverted Vee. Mike’s antenna was the DX Engineering VA-2 Vertical… As you can see in the attached picture…One year and 2 days later they both received their Division Winner plaques in respective categories.