Spokane DX Association

A Rookie Goes to Curacao by Michael “Dink” Dinkelman N7WA in the May/June, 2014 issue of NCJ National Contest Journal published by the ARRL.

PJ2T Chronicles – Part 1: The Trials and Pain of Staying on the Air by current SDXA member Geoff Howard W0CG/PJ2DX in the March/April, 2014 issue of NCJ National Contest Journal published by the ARRL.

Actually we got preempted by the library for the regular meeting room so we met outside and those concrete benches were hard! The minutes for this June meeting are posted and the link is below in the The Latest News section.

From Randy W7TJ:

Due to the Solar Flux Averaging 155 for the past 5 Months, (and again thru the Month of April) along with 13+ Hours of Daylight, Long Path Propagation on the high bands at our Local Sunrise and Sunset times has been outstanding! LP has always been a constant on 20M; however during this time of year, 17 and 15 Meters have been very productive from 1400 to 1500 Zulu. For example, not only are South and East African Stations Q5 on 15M and 17M, but occasionally Northern EU Stations (although weak) where as the Short Path at these times is non-existent. The key is to listen on the High Bands and check the Long Path during Sunrise and Sunset times… even call CQ – you could be very pleasantly surprised !

Randy

This could be a big one!! They started their website today and, even though there is not much information there yet, it will grow with the details as the event approaches. There is another website for the scientific expedition concurrent with the DXpedition.
Here are their sites:

2016 Heard Island VK0EK DXpedition website LINK
2016 Heard Island Scientific Project LINK

They are looking for donations to support the endevor. The last time Heard Island was on the air was 1997. SDXA presented the DVD video at the May, 2004 meeting. Here is a LINK to that VK0IR DXpedition. The website has not been supported since 2002 so some of the internal links go nowhere.
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At the April meeting, the purchase of hats, badges, and vests were discussed. Here are typical samples of vests we can get with the SDXA look put on them. It would be nice if there was one official SDXA design consisting of color, logo, call letters, and handle. Someone needs to step up and correspond with the officers so at the next meeting it can be presented and voted on.

Product Description
• Great for Ham Radio
• Generously cut
• Large armholes for comfortable fit

Size : SM-3XL.
many color choices

Information on the new hats and the existing name badges are found at HATS & BADGES under The Association on the right side of the page.

John Kenney W7COI gave a presentation on Operating A Station At Low Power. The picture shows some of the QRP rigs and accessories that John has in his collection. Click on the picture for a closer view. John has agreed to share his presentation outline with us and it is available at this LINK.

This award is for working and confirming at least 1000 band-countries in the bands from 160 to 6 meters. You can receive a certificate or a plaque for your effort (you pay, of course). It is endorsed in 500 contact increments with a medallion such as shown below (click on the pictures to enlarge them). Steve K7AWB just received this medallion after a tremendous effort to catch up with a few of the other SDXA members who are way ahead of him such as Al W7AL (2092), Wayne WA1PMA (1891), and Mark W7MEM (1547). Incidentally, this DXCC Challenge Award has no relationship to the PNW Challenge Cup – the contest between the leading PNW DX clubs such as ours.

The plaque

the endorsement medallion for 1500 band-country contacts

If you are on the ARRL’s LOTW (Logbook of the World), you will see your Challenge count at the bottom of your DXCC Award Account status table.

Here is the link to the DXCC Challenge award.

Thanks Spokane DX Association for sponsoring the W7RM Award Plaque
for the 2013 ARRL RTTY Roundup, SO, HP, W/VE Winner. Plaque was received
today, 1/18/2014, and already installed in a prominent place in the shack.

73,
Mike, K4GMH

In case you forgot which plaques we sponsor:

The SDXA sponsors two contest plaques:

1. ARRL RTTY Roundup (January) — for highest score in W/VE Single Operator, High Power category. Award is called the Rush Drake W7RM Memorial plaque.

2. WA state Salmon Run (September) — for highest score in Single Operator, Low Power, Mixed category operating from within the EWA ARRL Section.

A hole opened up in the sky at 9:30 am and illuminated just the tops

2013 BANQUET FOOD

NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT FOR 2014 ENJOYS STACKING IT UP ON THE PLATE

EYEBALL QSO BETWEEN LYNN WB7UNU, GARY K7GS, AND GEORGE W6AEA

RANDY K7TQ RECEIVES THE “DXER OF THE YEAR” AWARD – PRESENTED BY JAY WA0WWW

President Chris Pritchard WX7B

Vice-President Gary Bytnar AD7XG

Treasurer Gary Swartout K7GS

Secretary Jay Holcomb WA0WWW

K7SDX with the Panoramaland ARC operated at the QTH of Lynn N2HS; entered the 2A category with 1358 points from 369 QSOs. 25 people operated during the event. Here is a summary of how our SDXA organization did. We operated in conjunction with the Panoramaland ARC up North.

3rd out of 4 in EWA Section in 2A category
10th out of 24 in EWA Section in all categories

19th out of 30 in NW Division in 2A category
78th out of 205 in NW Division in all categories

281st out of 398 nationally in 2A category
1270th out of 2548 nationally in all categories
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BOB N7AU PRESENTED A PROGRAM ON THE INSTALLATION OF HIS 130 FOOT TOWER AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AT HIS EPHRATA QTH

GENE BYE W7WMO WINS SDXA-SPONSORED PLAQUE FOR HIGHEST SCORE IN EWA SECTION, LOW POWER, MIXED MODE, SINGLE OPERATOR CATEGORY. THIS IS THE 5TH TIME GENE HAS WON THE PLAQUE. GENE IS FROM EPHRATA AND OPERATED FROM HIS GRANT COUNTY.

JUST TO SHOW THAT GENE IS AN OLD TIMER, HERE IS MY CARD FROM HIM DATED JANUARY 25, 1958:

SDXA member winners:

JAY WA0WWW wins with highest score in Spokane County with 73,075 points

DAVE WD7K wins with highest score in Stevens County with 65,300 points and had a clean sweep of all 39 WA counties

CHUCK KI7DG wins with highest score in Okanogan County with 180,284 points and was top dog in the Single Operator, High Power, SSB category in the entire state

MARK KB7HDX wins with highest score in Yakima County with 119,916 points

Here are the winners of the SDXA-sponsored plaque since the beginning:

2003-2004-2007-2010-2013 W7WMO Gene Bye from Ephrata
2005-2006-2009 K7OX Gary Elliott from Spokane County (SDXA member)
2008 WX7P Wilse Morgan from Rice (SDXA member)
2011 W7YKM Rick Olsen (N6NR) from Tieton
2012 K7UK Rick Werner from Walla Walla