Spokane DX Association

For this year’s shootout, 12 Sep 26 (Sat.)  we used the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) to report signal strength and distance. Everyone sent ‘TEST TEST DE {their call} {their call} {their call}” then a 15 second wait three times on 20 m with a max of 50 Watts. A score was the sum of all the distance times the signal to noise ratio for each spot.

The max score was from Jay’s Hustler antenna mounted on the bed of his truck. Woody’s Outback antenna mounted on the top of his camper was a close second. In the attachment you can see all of the results.

We finished with all the testing before noon then enjoyed pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, slaw, chips and dips, and several cookies for lunch. The groups sat around until 2 pm telling stories and comparing notes then headed home.

Two Lessons Learned – Number one was that an IC-7300 needs to have PTT/break-in engaged in order to send CW. If you don’t have it engaged, you will hear the sidetone, but nothing will go out over the air. This one was really a Lesson Re-learned.

Number two was that in the TEST message if you put two spaces between the {your callsign}, the RBN would not spot you. That one took a long time to figure out why some of us were spotted and others were not. Woody figured that one out.

A great day to be outside, testing antennas, and visiting with SDXA members.