Archive for May, 2025

Welcome to the Spokane DX Association  

Serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho

 

 

 

 

 

SDXA DX NETS

DXpedition SOLICITATIONS

ALL DXpedition funding requests are to be to the SDXA President. Since funding is limited, in this manner, our SDXA Officers 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

Every wednesday 80 Meter Net on 3840 khz at 08:00 PT
Every tuesday   160 Meter Net on 1855 khz at 20:00 PT
Every sunday    6 Meter Net on 50.140 mhz at 20:00 PT
Monthly SDXA meetings; 19:00 PT unless otherwise noted
02 January  – zoom
06 February – zoom
06 March – zoom
03 April – In person only
01 May – zoom
05 June – zoom
03 July – zoom
09 August – Annual Picnic
04 September – zoom
02 October – Annual Awards Banquet
06 November – hybrid
04 December – zoom

Contest Calendar

Pacific NW Challenge Trophy contests, with other Pac NW DX clubs:

  1. CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY 0000Z, Sep 28 to 2400Z, Sep 29, 2024
  2. CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB 0000Z, Oct 26 to 2359Z, Oct 27, 2024
  3. CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW 0000Z, Nov 23 to 2400Z, Nov 24, 2024
  4. ARRL RTTY Roundup 1800Z, Jan 4 to 2400Z, Jan 5, 2025
  5. CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest 0000Z, Feb 8 to 2400Z, Feb 9. 2025
  6. ARRL Inter. DX Contest, CW 0000Z, Feb 15 to 2400Z, Feb 16, 2025
  7. ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB 0000Z, Mar 1 to 2400Z, Mar 2, 2025
  8. CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB 0000Z, Mar 29 to 2400Z, Mar 30, 2025
  9. CQ WW WPX Contest, CW 0000Z, May 24 to 2400Z, May 25, 2025
  10. IARU HF World Championship 1200Z, Jul 12 to 1200Z, Jul 13, 2025

Other contests of SDXA interest

  • Idaho QSO Party 1900Z, Mar 8 to 1900Z, Mar 9
  • 7th Call Area QSO Party 1300, May 3 to00Z, May 4
  • ARRL Inter. Digital Contest 1800Z, Jun 7 to 2400Z, Jun 8
  • ARRL Field Day 1800z, Jun 28 to 2100z, Jun 29
  • World Wide Digi DX Contest 1200Z, Aug 30 to 1200Z, Aug 31
  • Washington State Salmon Run 1600Z, Sep20 to 0700Z, Sep21 and 1600Z-2400Z, Sep21
  • FT Challenge 1800Z, Dec 6 to 2359Z, Dec 7

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.

The Miscellaneous Area

 

  • NW HAM RADIO CONVENTION & SWAP MEETS

    Lynn N7CFO keeps the best listing.
    More Information


Gary Bytnar AD7XG

  • IA ETHICS OPER PROCEDURES

    LINK

  • OUTSIDE HELP IN ANTENNAS & TOWERS

    LINK

  • 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

 

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CLUB MEETING

NEXT SDXA MEETING

June 5, 2025 Meeting on Zoom

“Reverse Beacon Networks” with Bob Wilson N6TV

Bob Wilson, N6TV — ″TV Bob” is an active CW contester, ham accessory provider, Win-Test supporter, and Elecraft volunteer Field Tester. He also provides consulting assistance to users of various transceivers, amplifiers, antenna controllers, and the Reverse Beacon Network. Licensed for 53 years, Bob competed at WRTC in San Francisco (1996), Slovenia (2000), and Moscow (2010). He finished first in the 2013 and 2019 ARRL November CW Sweepstakes CW from at W7RN, and first in the September 2014 CW NA Sprint, from home. In 2017, he was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.

The SDXA is considering putting up a Reverse Beacon for Eastern WA/North Idaho. Currently there are none. Bob will walk us through what is involved in setting one up.

Jay WS7I and Mel N7GCO discovered we have no local skimmer for our area. We begin the ask what it would take to set one up and run it. Jay AC7DC contacted Bob, who is the guru on these and he has agreed to present  how we could do it.

 

 

 

2025 SDXA Programs

  • January – WSJT-X: A Look into new developments with Brian Moran N9ADG
  • Febraury — “Helically Wound Vertical for 160M Antenna” with Bill Salyers AJ8B
  • March — POTA: Exciting Way to Get on the Air with Ara Kourchians – N6ARA
  • April – Mobile State QSO Parties  – Randy Foltz K7TQ
  • May – WA7BNM Contest Calendar and 3839Scores — Bruce Horn WA7BNM

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
  • May – Station Design and How it Works for Contesting and DXing with Craig Thompson K9CT
  • June – End-Fed Half-Wave by Steve Dick K1RF
  • July – Contest Operating at PJ2T – Three SDXAers share their experiences
  • August – SDXA Picnic
  • September – Next Level Contesting; Making the Move to SO2R – K5ZD
  • October – Annual Awards Dinner
  • November – Clipperton DXpedition with Rob Fanfant N7QT
  • December – Ham Radio DXing with Lucas Ford W6AER

 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

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