CQ Amateur Radio October 2020

The World’s Best Contest QTH? p.
10
KWWSZZZFTDPDWHXUUDGLRFRP
C
COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
OCTOBER 2020
ANNOUNCEMENTS EDITORIAL STAFF
Richard S. Moseson, W2VU, Editor
Jason Feldman, KD2IWM, Managing Editor
Susan Moseson, Editorial Consultant
COVID-19 UPDATE
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered plans for any social gathering and hamfests CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
and ham radio-related conferences are taking a huge hit. CQ urges all readers to please check Kent Britain, WA5VJB, Antennas
with the organizers of these events to ensure the event will still be held. Gerry L. Dexter, The Listening Post
Joe Eisenberg, KØNEB, Kit-Building
Tony Emanuele, K8ZR, VHF
OCTOBER Tomas Hood, NW7US, Propagation
COLUMBUS JUNCTION, IOWA — The Muscatine Amateur Radio Club and Washington Area Jim Houser, WA8JIM, Awards
Amateur Radio Club will hold the 36th Annual Southeast Iowa Hamfest beginning 7 a.m., Sunday, John Langridge, KB5NJD, MF/LF Operating
October 4 at the Louisa County Fairgrounds, 101 Fairground Road. Contact: C. Scott Richardson, Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, Microcontrollers
NØMRZ, (563) 506-0304. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <www.waarc.net>. Talk-in Irwin Math, WA2NDM, Math’s Notes
Joe Moell, KØOV, Homing In
146.985- (PL 192.8). VE exams.
Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, Analog Adventures
MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK — The Orange County Amateur Radio Club will hold its Hamfest from Ron Ochu, KOØZ, Learning Curve
8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sunday, October 4 at the Town of Wallkill Community Center, 2 Wes Warren Drive. Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, Mobile/Radio Magic
Phone: (845) 391-3620. Website: <http://ocarcny.org>. Talk-in 146.76 (PL 100). VE exams. Scott Rought, KA8SMA, QRP
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — The Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society will hold the 55th Annual Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, Digital
Melbourne Hamfest and 2020 ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention from 1-7 p.m., Friday, October Rob de Santos, K8RKD, Communications Horizons
9 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, October 10 at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Bob Schenck, N2OO, DX
Boulevard. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://pcars.org>. Talk-in 146.850-. Tim Shoppa, N3QE, Contesting
TOWAMENCIN TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — Special event station W3T will be on the air from Jason Togyer, KB3CNM, Spurious Signals
Thursday, October 8 through Friday, October 16 to commemorate the 243rd anniversary of the Gordon West, WB6NOA, Short Circuits
Towamencin Encampment by George Washington and the Continental Army. Frequencies include 7.074 Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, The Ham Notebook
MHz on FT 8; 75, 40, and 20 meters for SSB and CW. Website: <www.w3t.info>.
HARROD, OHIO — The Northwest Ohio Amateur Radio Club will hold its Fall Hamfest beginning 8 AWARD MANAGEMENT
a.m., Saturday, October 10 at The Abby at the Westminster United Methodist Church, 6650 Faulkner John Bergman, KC5LK, WAZ Award
Road. Contact: Bob Butler, KE8BCJ, (419) 230-7977. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: Brian Bird, NXØX, USA-CA Custodian
<www.nwoarc.com>. Talk-in 146.670. Steve Bolia, N8BJQ, WPX Award
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY — The Bergen Amateur Radio Association will hold Keith Gilbertson, KØKG, CQ DX Award
the BARA Fall Hamfest from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, October 10 at the Westwood Regional Jr./Sr.
High School, 701 Ridgewood Road. Contact: Jim Joyce, K2ZO, (201) 664-6725. Email: <[email protected]>. CONTEST MANAGEMENT
Website: <www.bara.org>. Talk-in 146.79- (PL 141.3). VE exams and DXCC card checking. Andy Blank, N2NT, CQ 160 Meter Contest
John Dorr, K1AR, CQWW DX Contest
STINTON, TEXAS — The South Texas Hamfest Association will hold the South Texas Hamfest
JK Kalenowsky, K9JK, CQ VHF Contest
Saturday, October 17 at the San Patricio County Fair Grounds, 218 W. 5th Street. Website: <www.
Ed Muns, WØYK, CQ RTTY Contests
southtexashamfest.org>. John Sweeney, K9EL, CQ DX Marathon
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS — The Harvard Wireless Club, MIT Electronics Research Society, Joseph “Bud” Trench, AA3B, CQWW WPX Contest
MIT UHF Repeater Association, and MIT Radio Society will hold the Flea at MIT from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
Sunday, October 18 at the parking garage on Albany and Main Streets. Phone: (617) 253-3776. Website: BUSINESS STAFF
<www.swapfest.us>. Talk-in 146.52 or 449.725- (PL 114.8). Richard A. Ross, K2MGA, Publisher
HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK — The Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club will hold its Indoor Hamfest Dorothy Kehwieder, Associate Publisher,
beginning 9 a.m., Sunday, October 25 at Levittown Hall, 201 Levittown Parkway. Contact: Richie, K2KNB, Advertising
(516) 694-4937. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://limarc.org>. Talk-in 146.85 (PL 136.5). Richard S. Moseson, W2VU, Associate Publisher,
VE exams, DXCC / WAS card checking. Editorial
MADISON HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN — The USECA Amateur Radio Club will hold its Hamfest 2020 Emily Leary, Sales Coordinator
from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, October 25 at the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 876 Hall, Doris Watts, Accounting Department
876 Horace Brown Drive. Contact: John, N8KAN, (248) 709-5300. Email: <[email protected]>.
Website: <http://usecaarc.com>. Talk-in 147.180+ (PL 100). VE exams and DXCC card checking. CIRCULATION STAFF
Cheryl DiLorenzo, Customer Service Manager
NOVEMBER PRODUCTION STAFF

Elizabeth Ryan, Art Director
MITCHELL, INDIANA — The Hoosier Hills Ham Club will hold the 59th Annual Hoosier Hills Hamfest
Dorothy Kehrwieder, Production Director
beginning 8 a.m., Saturday, November 7 at the Lawrence County 4H Fairgrounds, 11265 U.S. Highway Emily Leary, Production Manager
50 West. Contact: W.W. Warren, KB9TMP, (812) 675-2450. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: Hal Keith, Illustrator
<www.w9qyq.org>. Talk-in 146.73- (PL 107.2). Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPI, Staff Photographer
TOWAMENCIN TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — Special event station W3A will be operating
November 12 through November 19 to commemorate the Adoption of the Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union on November 15, 1777. Frequencies include 7074 and 14074 on FT8. SSB and CW A publication of
on 75, 40, and 20 meters. Primary mode will be FT8. Website: <www.wv2m.com>. CQ Communications
NORFOLK, NEBRASKA — The Elkhorn Valley Amateur Radio Club will hold the 2020 Northeast P.O. Box 1206
Nebraska Hamfest from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, November 21 at the CHC Hall, 105 West Elm Sayville, NY, 11782 USA.
Avenue. Contact: Fred Wiebelhaus, KØFJW, (402) 992-7653. Email: <[email protected]>.
Website: <http://qsl.net/evarc>. VE exams. CQ Amateur Radio (ISSN 0007-893X) Volume 76, No. 10,
Published monthly by CQ Communications, Inc., P.O. Box
1206, Sayville, NY, 11782, Telephone 516-681-2922. E-mail:
DECEMBER [email protected]. Fax 516-681-2926. Web site:
www.cq-amateur-radio.com. Periodicals Postage Paid at
DELTA, OHIO — The Fulton County Amateur Radio Club will hold its Winterfest 2020 from 8-11 a.m., Hicksville, NY 11801 and at additional mailing offices.
Saturday, December 5 at the Village of Delta Memorial Hall, 401 Main Street. Contact: Bryan Patterson, Subscription prices (all in U.S. dollars): Domestic-one year
KB8ELG, (419) 822-5038 or (419) 250-6694. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: $42.95, two years $77.95, three years $111.95; Canada/
Mexico-one year $57.95, two years $107.95, three years
<http://k8bxq.org>. Talk-in 147.195+. VE exams. $156.95: Foreign Air Post-one year $72.95, two years $137.95,
PLANT CITY, FLORIDA — The Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council will hold the 45th Annual three years $201.95. Single copy $6.99. U.S. Government
Tampa Bay Hamfest and Electronics Show and the 2020 ARRL Florida State Convention from 1-6 p.m., Agencies: Subscriptions to CQ are available to agencies of the
United States government including military services, only on a
Friday, December 11 and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, December 12 at the Strawberry Festival cash with order basis. Requests for quotations, bids, contracts.,
Grounds Expo Building, 301 N. Lemon Street (now Berryfest Street). Website: <http://fgcarc.org> or etc. will be refused and will not be returned or processed. Entire
<www.tampabayhamfest.org>. Talk-in 147.165+ (PL 136.5). VE exams, WAS / DXCC / IARU / VUCC contents copyrighted 2020 by CQ Communications, Inc. CQ
card checking. does not assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts.
Allow six weeks for change of address.
CHELTENHAM, MARYLAND — The Prince Georges County ARES / RACES will hold SantaFest
from 8:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, December 12 at the American Legion Youth Camp, 9201 Surratts
Road. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://pgares.org>. Talk-in 145.230 (PL 110.9). Printed in the U.S.A.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
VE exams. CQ Amateur Radio, P.O. Box 1206, Sayville, NY, 11782
2 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

HAM RADIO NEWS
FCC to Hams: That’ll be $50, Please Editor Tim Shoppa, N3QE, reports that both K3LR and
The FCC is proposing a $50 fee for all amateur radio license W3LPL have announced that they will not compete in the
applications, modifications and upgrades, under terms of a multi-operator / multi-transmitter (also known as multi-multi
law passed by Congress in 2018. It would not include admin- or M/M) category this year in either the SSB or CW week-
istrative updates such as address changes, but according to ends of the CQWW. Both stations plan to be on the air, but
the ARRL Letter, the proposed fee would also apply to neither had announced its revised plans. This creates a new
requests for printed licenses. Over a 10-year license term, opportunity for other groups capable of mounting a COVID-
the fee would be the equivalent of $5 per year. safe M/M operation to compete in the category with an actu-
Hams have had to pay fees as high as $70 in the past for al chance of winning! CQ recommends that multi-operator
vanity licenses, but licenses with sequentially-issued call- contesting at this time be limited to family units already liv-
signs were exempted. The FCC eliminated all fees for ama- ing in the same house or remote operations in which each of
teur licenses several years ago. The fee proposal is con- the operators is in a different location. (We want you to have
tained in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in MD fun but also to be back next year!)
Docket 20-270. The full NPRM is at <https://tinyurl.com/
y58xuc7a>. Comments were being accepted for 30 days after Upgraded Space Station Ham Gear
publication in the Federal Register. (See our cartoonist’s take Coming Online
on this story on page 31) The first batch of upgraded ham radio equipment aboard the
International Space Station has been installed and is on the
Leadership Changes at ARRL air. The new gear replaces equipment that is 20 years old.
The ARRL has a new CEO and a new editor of QST maga- The ARRL reports that the first of the new radios — a “space-
zine. David Minster, NA2AA, of Wayne, New Jersey, began modified” Kenwood D710GA transceiver installed in the ISS
his new role as ARRL Chief Executive Officer on September Columbus module — came on the air on September 2 in FM
28th. According to the ARRL Letter, he had previously been cross-band repeater mode. The uplink is on 145.990 MHz
Managing Partner at a management consulting company and with a 67-Hz CTCSS tone; the downlink is on 437.800 MHz
Chief Information Officer at Unilever, a multinational con- (plus or minus Doppler shift). A second batch of new ham
glomerate, among other top management positions. equipment — planned for installation in the Russian Service
Licensed since 1977, Minster holds an Extra Class license Module — is still undergoing flight certification.
and is involved in a wide variety of amateur radio activities,
from contesting to traffic handling. Milestones: DK6SP Named to WWROF Board;
Steve Ford, WB8IMY, the longtime editor of QST and ARRL N1IN, K9STH SKs
Publications Manager, announced his retirement in the Twenty-two-year-old Philipp Springer, DK6SP, has been
September issue of QST. He is being succeeded by long- named a director of the World Wide Radio Operators
time Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, who took Foundation, which provides logistical support for CQ-spon-
the reins as QST Editorial Director as of the October issue. sored contests and others. He succeeds longtime board
The League also announced that Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW, of member Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, who stepped
Cedar Park, Texas has joined the staff as ARRL’s first Director down. According to WWROF, Springer has been a ham since
of Emergency Management. Gilbert is currently ARRL South age 10, is a member of the International Amateur Radio Union
Texas Section Manager and was most recently Radio Officer Region 1 Youth Working Group and coordinates the
for the Texas State Guard headquarters staff. The Texas Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) program in Germany. He was
State Guard is part of the state’s military department, along also a youth participant in the 2018 World Radiosport Team
with the Army and Air National Guard branches. Championship (WRTC 2018) held in Germany.
We are sad to report the passing of frequent CQ contribu-
Solar Minimum “Probably” Occurred tor Bill Sexton, N1IN. After retiring from a long career in jour-
Last December nalism, much of it spent at New York’s Newsday newspaper,
Bill became the Public Affairs Officer for Army MARS.
The Royal Observatory of Belgium reports that the solar min- According to Newsday, he was honored with the Presidential
imum marking the end of Cycle 24 and the beginning of Cycle Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Bill was 91.
25 “most probably” occurred in December 2019. The ARRL Also joining the list of Silent Keys this month is former CQ
Letter reports that the observatory’s Sunspot Index and Long- FM Editor Glen Zook, K9STH. Glen was the magazine’s first
Term Solar Observations branch, or SILSO, based its call on FM Editor, penning the column from 1971-73, just as VHF
this past January’s increase in the 13-month smoothed FM operation was beginning to take off. More recently, Glen
sunspot number, the first time that number has increased was a content moderator on QRZ.com.
since the last solar maximum in April 2014. SILSO also
reported that since last November, more new-cycle sunspots KD3Z Wins Intrepid DX Group Essay Contest
have been observed than old-cycle spots. They are differ-
Faith Hannah Lea, KD3Z, has been awarded first place in
entiated by their location on the sun’s surface and their mag-
the Intrepid DX Group’s “Dream Rig” youth essay contest.
netic polarity.
The ARRL Letter reports that over 60 essays were submit-
ted by young hams around the world. As first-place winner,
Opportunities for Multi-Multi Operations Faith Hannah is receiving an ICOM IC-7300 transceiver, a
in the CQWW Greyline flagpole antenna, a Heil Sound headset and more.
Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, two of the biggest Additional winners were Charlie Meadows, N4VTI, in second
U.S. competitors in the CQ World Wide DX Contest are tak- place; and Patrick Gawthrop, W9GGG, in third. For more infor-
ing a step back from their usual categories. CQ Contesting mation on the Intrepid DX Group, visit <www.intrepid-dx.com>.
www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 3

CONTENTS
OCTOBER 2020 • VOLUME 76 NUMBER 10
10 COVER: EF8R: THE

WORLD’S BEST
CONTEST QTH?
By Leonid Radchenko, RA5A
Hearing … and being heard by … EF8R on

46
the Canary Islands is somewhat less chal-
lenging than one might expect, due to the 28
different antennas and associated gear inside
this contest superstation built at what might be
76
the world’s best contest QTH. Cover photo
details on page 15; the story of “Magic
Mountain” begins on page 10. (Cover photo
by Aleksandr Gimanov, UA5C)
EMCOMM SPECIAL: Emergency communications have never been more important in 2020 with raging wildfires, a more active hurri-
cane season, and a worldwide pandemic combining to form a year that have left billions weary. This year’s EmComm Special has features
on organizing EmComm services, back-up power, and over-the-air email to keep you connected. Plus KOØZ has antenna tuner basics,
and Gordo highlights a ham club that focuses on EmComm. You can find their stories on pages: 19, 28, 32, 43, 76, and 80!
FEATURES COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS

19 PLANNING YOUR FIRST AMATEUR 58 MATH’S NOTES: Another Chance at 16 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS:
RADIO EXERCISE OR EVENT THz Experimentation Welcome to CQ’s Annual Emergency
By Scott Ruesch, W9JU By Irwin Math, WA2NDM Communications Special
28 BACKUP POWER WHEN THE GRID 60 THE LISTENING POST: COVID-19 By CQ Staff
GOES DOWN Continues Taking Its Toll on 91 VHF PLUS: How to Work Meteor
By Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Shortwave Broadcasters Scatter With MSK-144
32 WINLINK: KEEPING YOU By Gerry Dexter By Tony Emanuele, K8ZR
CONNECTED “WHEN ALL ELSE 64 KIT-BUILDING: May the Morse Be 94 DX: Chasing!
FAILS” With You By Bob Schenck, N2OO
By Jim Kocsis, WA9PYH By Joe Eisenberg, KØNEB 99 AWARDS: Awards Editor Needed
40 54th EDITION: CQ WORLD WIDE 68 QRP: QRP and POTA ... A Perfect By CQ Staff
DX CONTEST ALL-TIME RECORDS Match for Fun on the Air! 100 CONTESTING: COVID-19 Contesting
By Fred Capossella, K6SSS By R. Scott Rought, KA8SMA Spike Continues
43 SHERLOCK INVESTIGATES: USB 72 ANALOG ADVENTURES: Non-Linear By Tim Shoppa, N3QE
CONNECTOR FAILURE ABORTS By Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ 105 PROPAGATION: Good Conditions
FT4 / VARA EXPEDITION 74 MAGIC IN THE SKY: Is It Time to Predicted for 2020 CQWW DX SSB
By “Sherlock” Rethink Our License Exams? Contest
44 CQ CLASSIC: 72 Years Ago, CQ Said By Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR By Tomas Hood, NW7US
That More Youth Needed To Be 76 GORDO’S SHORT CIRCUITS:
Involved in Ham Radio Nothing Cancelled Here!
(August 1948) By Gordon West, WB6NOA 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS
46 ADVENTURES WITH PICO 80 LEARNING CURVE: Antenna Tuner 3 HAM RADIO NEWS
BALLOONS USING AMATEUR Basics
RADIO 8 ZERO BIAS
By Ron Ochu, KOØZ
By Tom Medlin, W5KUB 9 NEWSBYTES
84 MF/LF OPERATING: To The Mailbag:
51 THE HEX-BEAM REVISITED 15 ON THE COVER
A Few Considerations for Using a
By Mike Traffie, N1HXA 160-Meter Inverted-L on 630 & 2200 31 SPURIOUS SIGNALS
53 HOW’S MY AUDIO Meters 38, 79, 83 WHAT’S NEW
By George Wagner, K5KG and By John Langridge, KB5NJD 109 OUR READERS SAY
Lu Romero, W4LT 88 ANTENNAS: Measuring Things You 110 BEHIND THE BYLINES
56 THE DAY I LET THE SMOKE OUT! Can’t See
112 HAM SHOP
By Dr. Ron Milliman, K8HSY By Kent Britain, WA5VJB
ZERO BIAS: A CQ Editorial
BY RICH MOSESON,* W2VU
The “Young Hams Crisis” is Getting Old
ou hear it on the air, at hamfests (when we had ham- Date on this editorial? May 1938. Yes, 1938, 82 years ago.
Y fests), and club meetings (when we had club meet-

ings). You read it in news articles about ham radio.
“Ham radio is a dying hobby.” “There’s nothing to attract
I occasionally do a talk at clubs and hamfests titled “Ham
Radio: Successfully Dying for 50 Years.” It appears that the
title needs to be updated to 80.
young people to amateur radio today.” “We’re all going to die
off in the next 20 years and ham radio will die with us.” I’ve The Bottom Line(s)
been hearing it for years and frankly, it’s getting to be as old There are four main takeaways here:
as many of the hams who believe it’s true. In fact, even older. Bottom line #1: Virtually since the birth of amateur radio,
Now, I’m not suggesting that we don’t need to do all we there have been those predicting its imminent demise, even
can to introduce young people to amateur radio and to hope- some people occupying this chair.
fully get some of them to join us. But I am suggesting that Bottom line #2: They have consistently been wrong, and
the basic premise — that not enough young people are com- they are wrong today. The old-timers worrying today about
ing into ham radio to sustain it in the future — is false. Another the next generation started out as the young hams who pre-
premise behind the premise — that there were so many more sumably weren’t coming into the hobby 30-40 years ago.
young people becoming hams whenever you became a ham We do have a steady stream of young people entering the
than there are today — is also false. Ham radio has always hobby — not huge, but it never was — and some of them
attracted a small percentage of young people, a special breed are doing amazing things, as we frequently highlight in
of geek if you will, and it’s just that you and your friends were these pages.
part of that small percentage. Bottom line #3: Despite all that, we still need to work hard
You can blame former Contesting Editor Dave Siddall, to attract each new generation of hams to our hobby. There
K3ZJ, for my tirade this month. While Dave was writing the are always competing interests and there always have
Contesting column, he frequently highlighted the activities been. One difference from when I entered the hobby back
and accomplishments of young contesters. And he recently in the early 1970s is that many more clubs are welcoming
brought a couple of items to my attention. (Thank you, Dave!) of young hams today than they were 50 years ago, and
The first was a “Zero Bias” editorial from one of my prede- there are formalized programs in place to encourage and
cessors. You’ll find the full text in this month’s “CQ Classics” recognize the accomplishments of young hams. Some
column (p. 44) but let me share a few excerpts with you here: examples include the Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham
“Amateur radio today is attracting older men …equipment of the Year program, Carole Perry’s Youth Forum at the
prices have been forced higher along with everything else in Dayton Hamvention®, the Dave Kalter Youth DX Adventure
our daily lives … A second, and perhaps even more com- program and YOTA, “Youngsters on the Air” in Europe and
pelling reason for this lack of enthusiasm for our hobby by “Youth on the Air” in the Americas. The ARRL even has its
the younger, or youngest generation, is they have had little Hiram Percy Maxim award for outstanding young hams.
encouragement. Peer examples are not hard to find.
“Amateur radio needs new blood and too many youngsters Bottom line #4: Overall, young people are continuing to find
never even heard of ham radio … What we need is lots more their way into amateur radio and are advancing the way we
teenagers raising the roof at hamfests and … shuttling “do” hamming. If you feel there aren’t enough young hams
around on all bands.” where you live, don’t just complain about it; do something
Care to guess when this was written? 1990? 1980? Wrong about it. Plenty of resources are available. The future of ham
and wrong … this editorial appeared in the August 1948 issue radio is yours to make. Let’s keep it successfully dying for at
of CQ! That’s 72 years ago, folks. According to the editorial, least another 80 years.
there were about 100,000 licensed hams in the U.S. back in
1948. There are roughly 750,000 today.
But wait! (as they say on TV) There’s more! In This Issue
Dave also sent me an editorial on the same theme from This is our annual Emergency Communications Special and
QST … the author was quite diplomatic, writing, “The major as usual, we’ve got several articles to help you be better-pre-
trend in amateur radio during the past decade seems to have pared to help out in a crisis or in a public service event. Also,
been toward an increasing maturity … The day of amateur in our news columns this month, we touch on a few items
radio as the hobby of ‘attic experimenters’ and ‘basement which will likely continue to be on our collective radars for a
laboratorians,’ the art of lads of high school age or younger while … the FCC reinstating fees for amateur radio licenses
who dabble with it as a distraction … is passing. Indeed, it is … the coming loss of the 9-centimeter band … and the devel-
already past. opment of a possible “weather radar” system for tracking spo-
“Amateur radio is growing older, more mature. It has long radic-E openings. Finally (even though it’s on the cover and
been more than just a hobby for the youngsters; it has now the first article!), the SSB weekend of the 2020 CQ World
gotten well beyond their reach (in terms of cost and Wide DX Contest is coming up later this month and if you
complexity).” work EF8R in the Canary Islands, our cover story explains
why the signal is so loud!
*Email: <[email protected]> – 73 and good DX, Rich, W2VU

NEWS BYTES
Can Power Line Noise Help Track Sporadic-E? cation; position, navigation and timing; and intelligence, surveillance
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is hoping that a and reconnaissance.
combination of power line noise and an antenna built primarily for A more detailed scientific paper on the project is still undergoing
radio astronomy can help identify and track the movement of the peer review process as this is written and will likely be published
sporadic-E (Es) clouds in real time. And of course, a ham is part of sometime next year.
the team. And for those of you who are wondering why an antenna system
According to an Air Force news release, the research team — led operating at VHF is named the “Long Wavelength Array,” it was built
by physicist Ken Obenberger — is using the unintentional RF radi- primarily for radio astronomy work, much of which is done at
ation from power lines and the University of New Mexico’s Long microwave frequencies. So, for a radio astronomer (as one of them
Wavelength Array (LWA) to map and track dense Es clouds. The explained it to us), wavelengths of a few meters are considered
announcement explained that while the climatology of Es has long long. The University of New Mexico’s LWA is part of a much larger
been able to provide a probability of when it will occur (e.g., we know research effort looking back to the very early days of the universe
that it’s most likely in the summer, during late morning and late after- when star formation shifted into high gear.
noon / early evening), “but the actual presence of Es can only be
determined through trial and error observations at the time” (in the
case of hams, that means getting on the air and calling CQ!). This
method will reportedly permit what the Air Force is calling “now-
casting” of Es openings.
Chris Fallen, KL3WX, former Chief Scientist for HAARP, the High-
Frequency Active Aurora Research Program, is part of the AFRL
research team. He compared this method to tracking thunder-
storms. “This is similar to how meteorologists can predict how like-
ly thunderstorms will occur in the afternoon above New Mexico dur-
ing monsoon season,” he explained, “but use Doppler radar to
identify and track specific thunderstorms as they occur … Ken’s
technique basically provides weather radar for Es, only using radio Some of the University of New Mexico’s Long Wavelength Array
noise from power lines as the radar transmitter.” stations in the desert near Kirtland Air Force Base (also in New
The AFRL is interested in being able to more accurately predict Mexico). While built primarily for radio astronomy, this array is now
and track Es for more reliable military communications. As a key element of an Air Force Research Laboratory program to iden-
Obenberger explained, “understanding how Es develops and moves tify and track Es openings in real time. (U.S. Air Force courtesy
can improve our ability to design and use” systems for communi- photo)

Photo A. Original house and six towers (all photos courtesy of the author)
The CQ World Wide DX Contest’s SSB weekend is later this month, followed by
the CW weekend in November. If you’re on the air, there’s a good chance
you’ll work EF8R in the Canary Islands for your Zone 33 contact. Here’s why!
EF8R: The World’s Best Contest QTH?

BY LEONID RADCHENKO,* RA5A
Life is ... searching! When the millennium changed in 2000, I decided to start
looking for an even better QTH in Gran Canaria. One rea-
n this case, I mean searching for the best contest QTH in
I the world. In the 1990s, after traveling around the world

many times, visiting almost every Pacific island, contest-
ing and carrying radios and antennas on my back, I finally
son was that the towers at Sardina were starting to deterio-
rate, due to the damp and salty environment.
With Ville, OH2MM; Mauri, OH2BYS; and Manolo, EA8ZS
we made signal comparisons against Sardina from the sum-
got a better idea. Why not settle down in one place only — mits of many of the island’s mountains. I drove a car with a
at the best QTH in the world? tribander and radio and compared signals to Europe and the
U.S. against the same system at Sardina. I visited many
A Good Start crazy places and was lucky that the car never fell into a
Our group already had a good place in Faro de Sardina on ravine.
the north coast of Grand Canary Island (or more accurate- A couple of good places were found, signal-wise, but each
ly, in Spanish, Gran Canaria). We had made some excellent one had some problems. One place was too close to the
contest efforts from that location, including the incredible refuse dump. The other good one had no electricity or near-
multi-record-breaking CQWW SSB performance in 1999 by by water source. Then Manolo told me to drive to the top of
Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, operating as EA8BH. (That year, Jeff Guia Mountain. I hadn’t known there was a road to the top,
broke the single-op all-band record by more than 10 million but there is.
points — a record that still stands today — was the first to
make over 10,000 QSOs in CQWW as a single-op, and had
the highest-ever multiplier total for a single-op. –ed.)
On Top of Ol’ Guia…
The first tests were promising: Sardina was couple of deci-
bels weaker and Manolo’s QTH (which is in the valley) was
* Email: <[email protected]> down by more than 1 S-unit. Fine tuning continued: We found

Photo B. Hurricane Delta in 2005 destroyed all six towers and 10 antennas, striking immediately after the conclusion of
the CQWW CW Contest.
Photo C. During the hurricane, the team took shelter in this underground bunker.

Photo D. Some of the many contest teams that have
operated from Magic Mountain.

a house in the area with a lot of land as well as electricity and culated depending the position and direction. I noticed that
water. Hurray! the program really worked. Signal strengths were super and
I made a deal to purchase the property and contesting start- the tower heights ranged from 16-28 meters (52-92 feet),
ed immediately with the CW leg of CQWW DX on November depending on the location.
23, 2001. Jaakko, OH1MA, worked 10-meter SBLP (single- Contest life has been very active after that. In the three
band low power) using only a 3-element quad and a 2-ele- years after Hurricane Delta, we worked 28 contests until the
ment Yagi. Result: second in the world. CQWW RTTY Contest of 2008. This contest, which we oper-
Then, a few weeks later, I worked the ARRL 10-Meter SSB ated multi/multi, was one of the best. The team consisted of
Contest, using high power with the same antennas. Result: Val, RD3AF; Sasha, RZ3AZ (now UA5C); Jaakko, OH1MA;
first in the world. Juan, EA8CAC (now EA8RM); and Pekka, EA8AH (see
Then we started to put up more antennas and towers (Photo Photo D for a sampling of the different groups of operators
A) and the station was quiet for half a year. who have competed from our station). We scored over 13
Between 2001 and 2004, we had five wins and then in the million points and stopped working a couple of hours before
2004 CQWW SSB Contest, OH2U/EA8ZS, operating the end and opened a bottle of champagne.
multi/multi, had a big win. Work continued and 2005 was a
very active contest year; of the six contests we participated, Magic Mountain
we had three wins. The contesting continued, as we added more towers and
The 2005 CQWW CW was a memory-shaking contest. The more elements.
contest itself went OK, but when it was over, Hurricane Delta Our next interesting contest was ARRL DX CW 2010, which
hit the island and “killed” all 6 towers and 10 beams (see we operated M/2. We had some visitors from U.S. The team
Photo B)! During the storm, we moved “underground” into a for this competition included: Val, RD3AF; Sasha, RZ3AZ;
bunker which was a 120-square-meter (1292-square-foot) Juan, EA8CAC; Manolo, EA8ZS; and our American visitors,
cellar-space (Photo C). The only problem was a little water John, W2GD; and Don. K4ZA. The contest was memorable
coming in. because W2GD named the QTH “Magic Mountain.”
Rebuilding Another Big Win and Another Big Wind

After the hurricane, we had to start rebuilding the station. I In 2012, we had a big M/M operation from Magic Mountain
found an interesting program named “Antenna Analyzer,” in the CQ WPX SSB as EB8AH. For the first time, we arranged
which was really helpful. Our QTH is interesting because of so called co-pilot radios for each band. It was a huge effort,
big terrain slopes on all sides. Each tower’s height was cal- but resulted in a big score. We not only won but set a new
Photo E. The EF8R station in 2018.

Photo F. Current antenna layout.
record. The conductor of “the orches-

tra” was very busy during the whole con-
test: Changing connectors, changing
antennas to eliminate QRM, fixing lost
elements, etc. The hard work paid off
though, we were champions!
The next “funny” case was in the 2013
ARRL SSB DX Contest. We (Pekka,
Juan, Salva, Manolo) operated multi-
single, low power. The weather forecast
told us to “be ready for a big storm!” We
lowered the trailer towers, but it did not
help. When I went outside during the
night, I saw one of the trailers had lifted
its leg. I went to stand on the leg to pre-
vent it from falling down. But the trailer
decided to move downhill. I was still
standing on the leg when the trailer hit
another trailer and luckily stayed verti-
cal. At 2200, all antennas were unwork-
able, so we stopped the contest. The
wind speed was 180 kilometers per
hour (112 miles per hour).
A New Team
In 2015, a new team came to the sta-
tion, led by RL3AA, and a new large
round of contesting began.
For the CQWW DX SSB in 2016,
Photo G. Operating positions at EF8R … looks like a NASA control room! which we worked multi-single, the sta-

tion included 24 towers / masts, 120 ele-
ments, and 4,000 meters (13,000+ feet)
of coaxial cable.
As of 2019, Magic Mountain featured
35 towers / masts, 134 elements, and
more than 4 kilometers of coax. (See
Photos E and F). But the most impor-
tant thing is that we have the perfect and
most intelligent team.
Under the leadership of our coach and
team leader Mikhail, RL3AA; your
author (Leonid, RA5A); Juan, EA8RM;
Sasha, UA5C; and the rest of the team,
we have managed to build the best sta-
tion in the world today. The station itself
inside the bunker (Photos G and H)
looks like the control center for the
NASA moon flights.
Recent Results
The 2019 CQWW SSB contest went
very well for us. We operated multi-multi
and placed second with 41,951,525
points!
Here’s our band-by-band breakdown:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
160 614 17 78
80 1962 29 114
40 3271 32 134 Photo H. Behind the scenes … and we call this wireless?
20 4143 38 150
15 4299 38 155
10 1746 24 116
Last year’s CW weekend of the

CQWW went even better! Again oper-
ating M/M, we won with 47,808,624
points … more than 11 million points
higher than the second-place team. On the Cover
Here’s our CW breakdown:
A close-up look at just a few of the 28 The
e World’s
s Bestt Contestt QTH?
? p.. 10
Band QSOs Zones Countries antennas atop Montaña de Guía, 600 http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com $6.99
160 1577 26 101 meters (1968 feet) above sea level on
C
COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
80 3006 35 134 OCTOBER 2020
Grand Canary Island, which author Leo

40 4487 39 159
20 4316 39 166 Radchenko, RA5A, believes is the
15 3375 38 149 world's best contest QTH. The anten-
10 345 24 74 nas in the cover photo include, from left-
to-right, a 160-meter ground plane (just
Conditions were poor on 10 meters, barely visible at the very far left of the
but 40 was excellent. Our five elements cover); a 5-over-5 for 15 meters (the top
to Europe and five elements to the U.S.
one is hidden behind the CQ logo); a
on 40 were super.
Congratulations to all of the EF8R SteppIR DB18E; a 20-meter rotatable
team members: EA2OT, EA7RM, beam; and a 20-meter Yagi fixed on
EA8RM, EW2A, R3GG, R6FFS, Europe. All of the towers are 60 feet
R6FGG, RA5A, RC5A, RO4F, RU3XY, high. The peak in the background is
and UA5C. Excellent work! Pico de la Atalaya, at 432 meters (1417
feet), with the Atlantic Ocean beyond it.
Ready? For more information about this QTH and the contest superstation that's
In total through this year so far, we have been built there (and operated under several call signs, currently EF8R),
operated in 150 contests, got 70 wins see RA5A's adjacent article and a video from last year's CQ World Wide
and set 30 records. (These are approx-
imate numbers) Contesting continues! DX CW Contest at <https://tinyurl.com/y3yx5cpq>. (Cover photo by
We here on Magic Mountain are ready. Aleksandr Gimanov, UA5C)
Are you ready?

Emergency Communications Special
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
BY CQ STAFF
Welcome to CQ’s Annual Emergency Communications Special

Here’s a look at what lies ahead
Being an effective emergency or Knowing what

public service communicator resources are
available to you is
requires the right equipment and important in
the know-how to use it in a planning a public
variety of circumstances... service event or
emergency
activation. W9JU
very October, CQ supplements covers the basics
E this monthly Emergency Com-

munications column with an in-
depth Emergency Communications
of planning and
organizing in his
article on page 19
Special. This year, we have seven (W9JU photo)
features and columns (this one includ-
ed) that fit into our theme. Since some
of their EmComm connections might
not be immediately obvious, we thought
we’d use this space to introduce each
of the EmComm-related articles that
you’ll find throughout this issue.
Being an effective emergency or
public service communicator requires
the right equipment and the know-how
to use it in a variety of circumstances,
as well as training and experience in
net operations and the ability to work
with other people, including served
agency officials, net control and the
communications coordinator for your
event or activity. But being that coor-
dinator requires a whole different
skillset, one which may be daunting to
some people. Scott Ruesch, W9JU,
helps break down what’s involved in
this end of ham radio EmComm in his
article, “Planning Your First Amateur
Radio Exercise or Event.”
Having emergency power is a big
part of being able to provide emer-
gency communications, not to mention
keeping your lights on and your
refrigerator running. Bob Bruninga,
WB4APR, developer of APRS and
author of the ARRL book, “Energy
Choices for the Radio Amateur,” points
out in his article, “Backup Power When
the Grid Goes Down,” that owners of
electric vehicles (or gas / electric
hybrids) have a huge amount of stored
power as close as their garages. In The newest version of VARA software for Winlink email via amateur radio offers
fact, he even suggests that non-”EV” this dashboard for a quick view of your station’s status. in an emergency or dis-
owners consider investing in a used aster. See WA9PYH’s article on page 32 for a primer of setting up and using
electric vehicle primarily as a backup Winlink ham radio email. (Photo via WA9PYH)

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power source with the side benefit of giving you reliable local Among this month’s columns, “Learning Curve” editor Ron
transportation! Ochu, KOØZ, fills us in on “Antenna Tuner Basics.” You might
Much of our everyday communications these days involves not connect that right away with EmComm, but if you’re
email, especially for served agencies that need written / print- tasked with setting up an HF station in the field or at a tem-
ed records of requests and / or need to send lists of people porary location, you probably won’t have a tower and beam
or supplies from one place to another. Plus, individuals rely at your fingertips. A wire antenna is much more likely, put up
on email to keep in contact with family and friends. But what in a less-than-ideal setting and possibly needing to be used
do you do when the internet and / or cell service is down due on more than one band. At that point, an antenna tuner
to a natural disaster? Jim Kocsis, WA9PYH, introduces us to becomes essential, along with an understanding of what it
email via ham radio with his article, “Winlink: Keeping You does and how it does it.
Connected ‘When All Else Fails’.” Jim also introduces us to Finally, Gordon West, WB6NOA, devotes the first part of
VARA, the latest and greatest software to use with Winlink. his “Gordo’s Short Circuits” column this month to a public ser-
Testing VARA and FT4 was on the agenda recently for vice-oriented radio club in California and the innovative ways
“Sherlock,” our intrepid electronics detective. But a short in in which its members are carrying on with most of their activ-
a cable — discovered in the field — brought the whole test ities despite coronavirus restrictions.
to a halt. Sherlock reminds us of the importance, especially That’s a brief overview of the contents of this year’s
in an emergency response, of checking all equipment (includ- Emergency Communications Special. If your group is doing
ing cables) before heading off to an event, and of carrying something unique or outside-the-box in terms of EmComm,
backup for as much as you can in your go-kit. His article is tell us about it. We can share your story either in this column
“Sherlock Investigates: USB Connector Failure Aborts FT4 / or in next October’s EmComm Special. Meantime, stay safe
VARA Expedition.” and healthy and enjoy this issue.
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, has outfitted his 2013 Chevy Volt with rooftop solar
panels to make it even more “grid-independent” as a source of both local trans-
portation and backup power. See his article on page 28..
The Mountain Top ARA helped guide

An antenna tuner can become a critical piece of gear if an emergency deploy- a rescue helicopter to an injured cyclist
ment requires you to set up a makeshift HF station. KOØZ covers the basics in using APRS data to pinpoint his loca-
his “Learning Curve” column on page 80. (KOØZ photo) tion. (Photo courtesy of MTARA)

Congratulations! You’ve done such a great job as a public service

communicator that you’ve been asked to be in charge at the next event.
Help!!
Planning Your First Amateur Radio

Exercise or Event
BY SCOTT RUESCH,* W9JU
o you have been contacted and want to consider when planning for your For example, if you take the route GPS
S asked to support an event by pro-

viding radio communications or
you have been requested to participate
own event. Only you know the situa-
tions you will encounter in the field and
you must be prepared to meet those
provides to my home QTH, the GPS
tells you to take a road that is not much
more than an old logging trail. You will
in an exercise as the communications challenges. not make it through in a car without
coordinator. Perhaps you have lent compromising the undercarriage. Yet,
your expertise as a radio communica- Safety because it is a named road, it shows up
tions volunteer or other activity in the Before I delve into specifics of planning on GPS as the shortest route.
past and now you are being asked to and preparation for your event, I want to • Ensure everyone knows what to do
step up to the plate and organize such take a moment to talk about safety. if there is an emergency. If someone
an effort. Now what? Personal safety must be first and fore- gets injured, it may be necessary to call
If you’re like some of us, fear and pan- most in your mind as you draft your com-
demonium set in. The blood drains from munications plan. You must keep your
your face and your palms are sweating volunteers safe! The last thing you want
profusely. With a shaky voice and a to do is send someone home in a poor-
quivering lip, you agree to organize er condition than when they arrived. It
radio communications for the event. goes without saying that a major topic of
You have visions of the past where all your plan will be safety pertaining to
you had to do was show up at your radio operations. This would include
assigned location and do your part, electrical safety, erecting antennas, RF
then go home. Life was good, wasn’t it? radiation, etc. That is a different article.
The situation is not quite so rosy when However, there are other aspects of
you are the coordinator for amateur safety that should be considered:
radio communications. • Directions are needed on how to get
I hope I haven’t scared anyone off yet, to the communicator’s assigned loca-
but it is a very different perspective tion. Make sure everyone knows exact-
when you are the one leading the effort. ly where they are going. A few years
If you have never been in a position to ago at the Patriot North exercise, I was
supervise or lead people, that will be a assigned as a Salvation Army Team
bit of a challenge. You will need to learn Emergency Radio Network (SATERN)
how to handle people and all the per- radio shadow to one of the command
sonalities they bring to the table along staff and we were asked to deliver
with all the necessary planning activi- lunches to an airfield at Fort McCoy
ties. You may have even witnessed (see CQ October 2019 for more infor-
some of those idiosyncrasies with oth- mation about the Patriot North exer-
ers in the past. Having previous lead- cise). I had not been there before but
ership experience will certainly help in the driver had, so I thought, “No prob-
the long run. But do not be dismayed. lem.” Well, it turns out there are two air-
Help is on the way. Much of planning fields near each other and, of course,
involves dealing with people, too. we went to the wrong one. We didn’t
This article is not intended as a cook- know how to get to the correct one and
book plan for you to follow and be able it was fortunate we were able to contact
to run with it. It is meant to give you the other airfield by radio and they were
ideas and suggestions that you may able to guide us in. Also, do not totally Photo A. An example of a race course
rely on GPS to get you to your destina- map with checkpoints clearly identified.
* Email <[email protected]> tion the best way. Have a backup plan. (Except as noted, photos by the author)

911 or use the protocol that has been 200 competitors milling about at the Please don’t consider what I have
established beforehand. Where is the next checkpoint, which was ill-equipped described above as an exhaustive list
nearest first aid kit? I keep one in my go to handle those numbers. It took some of safety issues to consider and ad-
kit. You don’t ever want net control to persuasion on his part, but Kyle was dress. All situations are different. The
receive a radio transmission from a finally able to convince the checkpoint goal is to get you to thinking about safe-
communicator in the field wondering where he was located to send their sup- ty for your group in a proactive manner
what to do. Make sure everyone is clear. plies to the next where all the people rather than having to react when some-
The organization you are supporting were now stranded. thing does occur. It really should be your
may require incident reports to be filled • Ensure the areas assigned to the top priority.
out as well. You should know this infor- radio communicators are safe to enter.
mation ahead of time. Also, don’t ever If you are responding to a disaster, this Leadership 101
give an injured person’s name out over is especially important. Don’t become Most of us have learned at some time
the airwaves. Remember the airwaves part of the problem and make it neces- or another that leadership is not the
are public and could be monitored by sary for someone to rescue you! same thing as supervision. As the
anyone, including the media. It would • Don’t overburden any assigned leader, you will be directing volunteers
be a very bad day if someone was seri- areas. Consider whether net control with varying degrees of expertise and
ously injured and it showed up on the requires multiple operators. Some of having to deal with those differences.
six o’clock news before the family had the event areas in the field may become As noted earlier, these same volunteers
been informed. very busy. The plan you develop should bring with them a myriad of personali-
• If there is a reason to stop the event, incorporate methodology for extra peo- ties. For now, I want to stress that you
how will it be accomplished? Who ple to assist. For example, I was once must always remember that you over-
makes the decision and who will pro- assigned a busy intersection for a see volunteers, not employees. When
vide the information to you? How will triathlon where the participants arrived you need to enter the supervisory role
you implement the decision? My son, on bicycle then set off on the running with them, you must be very careful
Kyle, AB9AX, was supporting a major portion, which was a loop. When they how you do so. I cannot emphasize this
bicycle race a while back. There was a returned, the competitors again picked enough. They are volunteers, giving up
serious accident at the checkpoint next up their bicycles and finished up the their free time to help you out. Leaders
to his assigned location involving bike leg. I had to keep track of who was have very little positional authority with
dozens of competitors and requiring coming in on a bicycle, leaving on foot, them, so you need to be good at read-
some to be taken to the hospital. Word returning from the run, and taking off by ing people. They do not work for you in
was put out over the radio to stop the bicycle again. Of course, this all had to the traditional sense and can very eas-
race. This was easier said than done be relayed to net control. It was chaos ily take their ball and go home when
when you have bicycles whizzing by to keep it all straight. There was a huge upset, even at the slightest infraction
you at 40 miles per hour. A few stopped potential to lose track of someone. It against their ego. This is especially
immediately, but most just kept on would have been much easier if one true if the volunteers are essentially
going until they reached the accident radio communicator handled the bicy- strangers to you.
and were forced to stop. That created cles in and out while a second commu- It is sad to say, but volunteers will
a new problem. There were now over nicator handled the runners in and out. often do what they want to do rather
than what you want them to do. Quite
frankly, they may think they know the
situation better than you do or just want
to do things their way instead. I remem-
ber an event I was coordinating in which
we had time set aside for the radio com-
municators to set up their radios in vehi-
cles that would be used in the field the
following day. That evening, one of the
vehicle drivers approached me and said
he had not been able to link up with his
radio communicator so the radio could
be installed in his vehicle. That worried
me because I was clear with everyone
what was to be done. I was eventually
able to contact the communicator only
to find out he had gone into town! This
issue forced us to get up early the next
day to get the radio installed and — of
course — there were issues. It was a
few hours into the event when it was
determined that the antenna being used
was not appropriate for the application.
Fortunately, the problem was rectified
early in the day, but those issues should
have been resolved the day before as
Photo B. This go kit for VHF / UHF has its own battery as well as the capability planned, not the day of the event. In
to use a vehicle battery or plug into an AC receptacle. these situations, you will sometimes

just have to smile at them and thank them for their help. Even trying to address or better understand. If they don’t see me
though you may be seething inside, don’t let it show. in their area asking a lot of questions, it generally implies that
As a leader, do not assume you know the abilities of your I am satisfied with their performance. I’ve said this before but
radio communications volunteers. They may have Amateur it warrants repeating; remember to be tactful because they
Extra class licenses, but not all Amateur Extras are equal. It are volunteers.
really depends on the facet of radio you are using and what
they are familiar with. Generally, for local events, it will be VHF Training
/ UHF for the bulk of radio communications and perhaps a lit- Some of the best training you will receive will be what you
tle HF if a long-distance contact is needed. The Amateur Extra learn from participating in events with radio communications.
may not have a go-kit or even a mobile radio, only an HT, yet You will quickly learn what works and what does not and will
at their home station they could run circles around you trans- be able to apply this experience to your own planning
mitting messages anywhere in the world on HF using CW. process. I have been involved in events that have had mini-
Likewise, do not undersell any radio communicator just mal planning because the organizers wanted to use the
because he/she has a Technician license. You might be sur- opportunity to test how their group would respond in an actu-
prised at what a Technician can do. They may be profoundly al emergent call out. In my experience there are enough
proficient at VHF / UHF and could easily fill any role you give issues to manage without adding the complexity of an emer-
them, if given the opportunity. gent call out. However, there is some value to practice as if
Find out each volunteer’s capabilities. A few years ago, I the emergent situation was reality.
assigned a Technician to an area I thought would be good There are few things to think about if you are considering
for him because he was very green. He had been licensed this:
less than three months and only obtained an HT radio a month
before the event. I set him up in a room with a mobile radio • If your plan has been used multiple times to the point that
and spent a little time showing him basics on how to use it. supporting the event has become mundane, then I would
What should have been a quiet position for him to sink his think about operating as if the event were an emergent call
teeth into and gain some valuable experience fell apart rather out.
rapidly. His assigned location quickly evolved into a major • Secondly, be forewarned that you may have difficulty get-
command center with a beehive of activity, forcing non-stop ting volunteers on short notice so be prepared to work short-
radio traffic from his radio. He did a marvelous job. I wished handed. You may really need 15 people to support the event
I had 10 more of him. but, because of the short notice call out, are only able to get
Lastly, supervise if you must. By that, I mean that there will 10. The event organizers may not be happy with you if you
be times when you must deal with confrontation. It doesn’t are unable to provide the resources you said you would.
happen often, but it will occur from time to time and as a • Third, if the entire event you are supporting is structured
leader you cannot ignore it. It should be done quickly. Do not so that everyone involved will be called out on an emergent
let the issue linger. Nobody likes to deal with confrontation, basis, then it certainly would be appropriate to do the same.
but you have to do it. Your volunteers will respect you for it.
I tell my communicators that if they see me hanging around Many organizations provide formal training in order to
them in the field for a significant period of time, it typically obtain the required certifications to become credentialed. You
means there is an issue with them or their position that I am owe it to these organizations to be as qualified as you can
Photo C. This is a portable APRS I-gate using a Raspberry Pi. I have used this in the field with Wi-Fi. (Photo by Kyle
Ruesch, AB9AX)

be to ensure that you will be an asset and not a hindrance.
For example, with SATERN, the Salvation Army Emergency
Disaster Services (EDS) requires credentialing through their
organization in order to participate in an event or to be
deployed into the field for a disaster. This necessitates
coursework and a background check, among other things.
Other organizations have similar requirements. Find out what
is needed, then do it.
Meet with the Event Organizers

The organizers may not know exactly what you can provide
for communications so it is a good idea to explain the capa-
bilities available to them. Or some may know exactly what
they want from you and will tell you. Do they just want mes-
sage-passing capability or do they want boots on the ground
to keep track of field units and also be their eyes in the field?
Do they want a formal communications plan submitted? Find
out. Feel free to make suggestions but remember it is their
event and they make the call. A good recommendation for a
race might be whether they want you to track times and bib
numbers for each participant. Some may just want the lead-
ers and the stragglers, or anyone that has dropped out. But
in an isolated locale, it may be important to track everyone.
However, if the organizers want an apple and nothing more,
you had better deliver an apple at a minimum. Don’t just go
off and do your own thing because you think it would be bet-
ter for them. Most times this will not be an issue and the orga-
nizers will respond positively to your input. This is typical of Photo D. This is the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan SATERN
smaller events such as local races. For very large events, communications trailer. It has HF and VHF / UHF capabilities.
such as the Patriot North exercise, the planning is very for-
mal. There are multi-day planning meetings months ahead
at a premium. No matter how good your intentions are, do
of time. The exercise is scripted with controllers, role-play-
not self-deploy!
ers and the regular participants. Any input you may have must
be brought up during the planning meetings, not on the day
the exercise starts. Finding Your Communicators
Find out what the event areas include. Do the organizers Identifying volunteers to participate in the event can be easy
have a map with a route highlighted (see Photo A)? Are the or it can be hard. If the event is a local radio club supporting
checkpoints identified? Is there inside space available to a local race, there are typically enough volunteers in the club
establish net control or will it need to be set up in the field? to make it work. Or if the event is a little larger, neighboring
Ask about erecting antennas. Are there any restrictions such radio clubs can be solicited for assistance. For the largest
as no stakes for guy wires? Does Diggers Hotline need to be events, many radio clubs may need to be brought onboard
brought on board? At the Patriot North exercise, we had to fill all the positions. This is especially true if the event cov-
always been provided a building for net control and the grassy ers a wide area. Remember, if you are covering a large event,
area just outside was where the antenna farm was erected. some people just do not want to travel and prefer to stay close
One year, the military came by and asked to see our digging to home. Driving five miles to your assigned position is a lot
permit. “We never had to have one before,” was the reality, different than having to drive 50 miles.
but obviously was not the right answer. It was embarrassing The largest events require even more forethought to obtain
and I made certain the shortfall was corrected the following the resources needed. I would consider the largest events
year. Find out if the set-up area you requested is located on those that have more than about 200 people involved or it is
an impervious surface. It would be a sad day if you arrive a multiple-day exercise. For example, the main portion of the
only to discover you are not allowed to guy your antenna with Patriot North Exercise takes place over the course of a week
stakes. If there are no trees nearby a drive-on telescoping and includes about 1,000 participants. Last year the Salvation
antenna mast with boat anchors to secure the wire sure would Army contingent alone was about 80 people. We drew on
be nice to have. Plan for the worst possible situation you may SATERN communicators from all over the Midwest to find
encounter. individuals willing to give up a week of their time to support
If the event you are supporting is in response to a disaster, the exercise. It was a challenge. We were able to procure 17
the event organizers would be Incident Command (IC). It is SATERN communicators, but had hoped for more. As it
imperative that you discuss with them what your role will be turned out, the extras were not needed because a portion of
and where you will be located. Also, if you are responding to the exercise was scrubbed because some military units had
a disaster as part of a group such as SATERN, there are pro- to respond to a hurricane.
tocols for deployment that must be adhered to. One doesn’t Remember, I said that not all amateur radio operators are
just show up to the disaster site and expect to be welcomed created equal. As you are enlisting volunteers ensure you
with open arms. If they are not expecting you, they most like- get an idea of what their capabilities are, and not just the tech-
ly do not have logistical support in place to take care of you. nological aspects. What is their physical condition? I have no
You are now a burden and will probably be turned away. problem using people that have some health issues.
Remember, this is a disaster and all internal resources are However, I do need to know so I can ensure they are assigned

a position which will accommodate their limitations. Some With SATERN it is expected that each volunteer commu-
time ago, I was coordinating a large event and at the end of nicator arrives with his / her personal go-kit (see Photo B).
the event one of the volunteer radio communicators came to How they choose to build their go-kit is an individual choice,
visit the net control building. There was a small step up to but must include the following at a minimum:
access the building and the person asked to hold my arm for
support to make the step. My look of disbelief must have been • VHF / UHF mobile radio
obvious because they then explained to me that they had just • High-gain magnetic mount antenna
had their hips replaced! I had nearly assigned this person out • Power supply (AC power supply, DC battery and / or abil-
in the field requiring some walking and climbing, far from civ- ity to use vehicle battery)
ilization not knowing the situation. Fortunately, I had tasked • VHF / UHF HT with high-gain rubber duck antenna
this individual to an inside location because it was going to
be very hot that day. I may not be so lucky next time. Granted, not all SATERN communicators will have a fully-
For large events in which you are the communications coor- developed go-kit and, at times, they may still be able to be
dinator, it would behoove you NOT to assign yourself a posi- used in an event if certain assigned positions can satisfac-
tion as net control or in the field as a communicator. If an torily be manned with an HT only, or extra radio equipment
issue crops up during the event, you need to be available to is brought by others that can be loaned. When deployed in
address it. I was once involved in an event where the com- the field, one never knows what resources will be available.
munications coordinator was also the event director, net con- I take the stance that the only resources you have are the
trol, and a SAG vehicle. I don’t think I need to elaborate to ones you bring with you.
you how well that worked. Is a repeater needed or will simplex operations suffice?
Your situation is unique and you will know (or need to learn) Simplex certainly is less complicated and is preferred if pos-
the best way to garner the radio resources you need. The sible. Unfortunately, I have been involved in only one event
point is that for larger events, more upfront planning is nec- where simplex was able to be used for the whole area that
essary to ensure you will have a successful contingent of needed to be covered. But use it if you can. While repeaters
radio communicators available. are typically open to everyone, it is common courtesy to ask
permission beforehand to use someone else’s repeater. If
Radio Equipment Needs you will use your own club’s repeater, then that is not a prob-
When you know the scope of the event and the communi- lem. If repeaters are utilized make sure each volunteer has
cators you will need, it is time to figure out what radio equip- the frequencies (including CTCSS tones) programmed into
ment is needed and who will be bringing what. For a local their radio prior to arrival.
race it will most likely be VHF / UHF but there are still things Consider the use of cross-banding. I use this quite a bit in
to consider. If everyone shows up with just an HT you may the field for an event. It allows me the freedom of movement
be disappointed. Depending on location, a mobile rig may be with an HT yet use the transmitting power of a mobile unit. I
required for adequate communications. It would also be would recommend half-duplex if possible. If you elect to use
especially prudent if Net Control used a mobile radio to full duplex then ensure your radio is capable of transmitting
ensure they can reach everyone in the field. your callsign periodically to stay within FCC requirements.
Photo E. Normally, leapfrogging radio positions is a good alternative to having vacant checkpoints when short on
communicators. However, this practice was not particularly effective for this fast-paced motocross event involving about
100 competitors.

Using full duplex also places additional
wear and tear on your radio that you
utilized, this equipment is either specif-
ically requested or is brought in from the
From MILLIWATTS
To KILOWATTS
SM
may want to think about. Salvation Army divisional or territorial
For large events, the use of APRS resources. You will have to decide what
More Watts per Dollar
SM
(Automatic Packet Reporting System, you will need in this regard. If there is a
see <www.aprs.org>) may be beneficial need to send photographs and forms,
to track communications units in the then digital resources will need to be
field. This would be especially helpful if
there are roving positions. It should be
arranged for as well.
Finally, consider using a communica-
Transmitting &
determined beforehand that all areas
encompassing the event are able to
tions vehicle / trailer your group may
already have at its disposal. Most are out-
Audio Tubes
reach a nearby digipeater. If not, you fitted specifically for radio communica-
®
may have to use a portable I-gate or tions and can be rolled up to any desired
your own digipeater to ensure reliable location. They make for an excellent net
tracking with APRS (see Photo C). control station (see Photo D).
There are options. Why do I mention all this when we may
Will HF capability be required? In a
large exercise or other event where
only be planning for an event such as a
local race? It’s true we are supporting a COMMUNICATIONS
there is a need to transmit over long dis- community event, but we are also prac-
tances, then most likely net control or a ticing for response to a real-world disas- BROADCAST
designated HF relay station would be ter. These planned events are golden
the only station that would need this
capability. When HF is required during
opportunities to test things out. Whether
you are a member of SATERN, ARES /
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Photo F. Setting up the antenna farm for net control at the Patriot North exercise
is a team effort.

or any other organization utilizing amateur radio for emergency net control before entering the field to ensure any issues can
response, it does not matter. You should at least consider how be corrected immediately. Also have them check in with net
participating in a local event supports the organization you control when they reach their destination.
serve and strive to be prepared for any situation that arises. • What if a repeater that you planned on using fails? Have
you arranged for a backup? Does net control have a suffi-
Document the Plan ciently high antenna with significant gain to reach everyone
It helps to write down your plan and share it. Get input for using simplex? Can the use of relays be employed?
things you may have missed or forgotten. For large events, • What if the net control station fails? Will someone step up
this is not optional. Don’t leave things to memory. Also, the in the field to act as net control to salvage the crisis? I remem-
plan you create should be finalized long before the actual ber a triathlon I was supporting where all field operators lost
event or exercise takes place. A plan is considered finalized communications with net control, which had two radios and
when all necessary resources have been identified and prop- two operators. This was fortunately at the very onset of the
erly arranged for, including the volunteer communicators. At race and the field operators started putting together a plan
the Patriot North exercise, I try to have the plan finalized a on the fly. Fortunately, net control got back on the air after
month ahead of time. For smaller events, not as much time about 15 minutes. It turned out they were both using the same
is required. This buffer of extra time is used to address last- power supply and it failed. One of the operators happened
minute brush fires. And there will be brush fires to put out! to have a vehicle jump-start kit in his truck and they were
Some examples include equipment unavailability, person- back in business.
nel cancellations, or possible changes to the event itself. • Did anybody get lost or injured? This includes radio com-
The extra time you allotted by completing your plan early will municators as well as competitors / participants. It’s amaz-
be used to address these emergent problems. If you find
yourself performing initial planning during this buffer phase,
you have done a great disservice to yourself and your team.
Keep stress to a minimum and give yourself a buffer zone.
You will be amazed at how relaxed you will be during this
time because if you did initial planning right, you will already
have been thinking about potential setbacks and how to
resolve them.
The Day of the Event

The best of plans can go right out the window when you show
up for your event if you did not carefully consider necessary
contingencies. The best plans will have accounted for any
contingencies, but perhaps not all. It’s time to hit the ground
running and revise the plan on the fly if necessary. However,
there are some things you can do to minimize any new issues.
• Perform a pre-job brief. Be sure the communicators know
where they need to be and at what time. Make sure you cover
all the aspects discussed so far. Also, is there required attire?
Some race organizers want you to wear their shirt promot-
ing the race. Some events want radio communicators to wear
special vests. The Salvation Army EDS requires all volun-
teers on deployment to wear red shirts with its logo on them.
• Did some of your volunteers not show up? You will have
to decide whether to leave a position vacant or leapfrog some
positions. Sometimes a position will be finished early in the
event and the person there could be moved to a later check-
point to which competitors have not yet arrived. It is worth
trying, but there are times when this will not work very well.
A few years ago, I was involved with a 100-mile amateur
motocross rally in which the race organizer elected to use
amateur radio at the last minute. We were only able to get
four radio communicators to cover the 100 miles through
roads and woods around two counties (see Photo E). The
communicators leapfrogged positions as quickly as they
could, but as the event progressed, competitors became
more spread out so that we could not get to the next check-
points fast enough. But we did the best we could under the
circumstances.
• Procure help for setting up net control before everyone
heads out into the field (see Photo F). It is very easy when
trying to set up an antenna farm with extra hands as opposed Photo G. When your checkpoint is in the middle of a nation-
to doing it all yourself. al forest or other publicly-accessible location, you may be
• Did everyone program their radios beforehand? It’s time called upon to assist individuals not associated with the
to find out. Have each communicator test their radios with event you are supporting. Do your best to help regardless.

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ing how many people consider you an authority on every- your plan. Likewise, provide feedback to them as well. They
thing because you are wearing a chartreuse vest and have certainly have the desire to improve and they need to hear
a radio. Make sure you know what to do or how to direct peo- any ideas or concerns you may have. Remember to use tact
ple. In one race I supported, I was stationed at an intersec- when doing this. Don’t throw anyone under the bus. Pose
tion of two dirt roads in the middle of a national forest. I had any criticism to them with a questioning attitude. Get them to
one person ask me how to get to a certain trout stream and start thinking about it without putting them on the defensive.
another how to get to the local bait shop (see Photo G). And In other words, don’t say, “You did…” or, “You need to…”
this was before the race started! Please try to be helpful Phrase your words such that you are merely describing some-
regardless. Ironically, in that same race, a competitor took a thing that occurred, without any finger-pointing. Please offer
wrong turn between my checkpoint and the one prior. It was suggestions for them to contemplate to fix the issue.
a tremendous help to the SAG vehicle to know that he had Remember you were there and witnessed it, they did not, so
not arrived at my position and they were able to backtrack be helpful and give them some ideas.
and find the runner who had wandered off course. Solicit feedback from the radio communicators. They were
• Are any assigned positions being overburdened with traf- in the best position to see things that worked well and also
fic? Send some help if you can, or perhaps lighten the posi- the things that did not. If you have a post-job brief (and I rec-
tion’s duties temporarily. ommend you have one), ask for comments on an individual
• Did all stations stay active until permitted to shut down by basis. If you just throw it out to the group you will not get
net control? Typically shut down should not occur until it can everyone’s input. Make sure you document any lessons
be assured that there will be no more activity in that area and learned for radio communications. You would be surprised
everyone is accounted for. Regardless, field stations should how many details fade from memory over time.
not pack up and go home until released.
Now It’s Your Turn
After the Event As I alluded to in the beginning of this article, it is impossible
Please thank your hosts for allowing you the privilege of sup- to script everything when planning for an event in which you
porting them. I always feel I gained more value from these are providing radio communications. I intentionally did not lay
events than they may have received from radio communica- it out in a checklist-type itinerary for it to merely be copied.
tions. The organizers are generally very grateful for your help. That work is left for you. The intent is to get the thought
Ask for feedback from them regarding what you could do bet- process going and get you to thinking about things you may
ter with communications to support them. It is a good feeling not have considered in your own experiences with planning.
when the race director says they were getting better infor- Remember, only you know your event and how to best sup-
mation from the field from the radio operators than they were port it. A well-thought-out plan will provide your best chance
from their own staff. Then you know you hit the mark with for success.

Ham radio keeps working when our everyday communication infrastructure fails.
But even we need power for our radios. APRS developer WB4APR offers a power
source that may be under your nose without your realizing it.
Backup Power When the Grid

Goes Down
BY BOB BRUNINGA,* WB4APR
any hams enjoy building, plan-
M ning, and preparing for emer-

gency and field operations
almost as much as operating. Turns
out, the transformational electrification
of transportation is a genuine game
changer in these areas. More than half
of the dozen-plus deaths in Hurricane
Laura were from carbon monoxide poi-
soning from home generators. On the
other hand, electric vehicles (EVs) and
plugin-hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)
now have huge batteries with energy
capacity ranging from 4 to 85 kilowatt
Photo A. The author’s 2013 Chevy Volt modified for a flat roof and 240 watts of
hours (kWh) (and / or 50 kilowatts or
solar panels.
more generators in the plug-in hybrids)
suitable for powering field or grid-down
home power for hours or days, as noted about the same price can give more both backup power and transportation
in the ARRL publication “Energy Choices than double that battery capacity, while for less cost.
for the Radio Amateur.”1 also serving as reliable local trans-
My latest toy is what I call the back- portation the other 99.9% of the time. EV Air Conditioning
to-the-future FrankenVolt shown in Meanwhile, the expensive Powerwall is Another huge advantage of EVs during
Photo A. It is simply my old 2013 Chevy stuck at home unused 99.9% of the time summer field operations is operating
Volt (cost $12k used in 2017), modified for most homeowners. In fact, in this from the car for hours with full climate
with plywood side panels to hold the lift- example, the entire storage capacity of control. It’s quite an experience to stand
gate horizontal to support three rather 14 kWh is really only a bit over $2 worth next to a quiet EV sitting in the hot sum-
large low-cost flat solar panels totaling of electricity. mer sun and realize the person inside
to about 240 watts peak in the summer. Don’t misunderstand, the home bat- is in perfect comfort with hardly any
Not only can this added energy amount tery is definitely in our future, but it noise or oppressive heat coming from
to about 30 more free solar miles a makes no economic sense now, until under the hood. An EV is more than five
week, but the real advantage to me is the grid and your utility start to pass times more energy efficient tank-to-
providing field operating power with or along the true value of its electricity wheel than an internal combustion
without the HV battery system being back to the consumer during peak engine (ICE), and considering that a
powered up.2 demand. In other words, the energy in belt-driven AC compressor operating at
the home battery can be worth more engine idle is probably only half as effi-
Whole House Battery Backup than ten times the normal rate for the cient as the electric compressors in
You may have heard about whole two hours after the sun goes down until EVs, it is estimated that the heat from
house battery backup systems such as the grid ramps up to meet base load. If the ICE with the AC on is ten times that
the Tesla Powerwall.3 It can provide 14 you got paid for that premium daily, then from an EV, not to mention the ten times
kWh of backup energy, which would be the battery would pay for itself in around more fan noise to keep the gas burner
about 14 hours for the typical home, at two years and basically, you’d have a from overheating. Yet both provide the
a cost of roughly $7,500. But in com- whole-house battery to boot, at no extra same amount of cooling.
parison, a used electric Nissan Leaf for cost. But until that happens, don’t waste
the money for a bit over $2 worth of Energy Consumption
backup electricity per power outage, As for energy consumption, I drove my
*Email: <[email protected] and simply consider an EV to provide Volt at 1 MPH in a 4th of July parade for

the total energy needed from the vehi-
cle for the duration of the outage (in
kWh). The total energy is not so impor-
tant to a plugin-hybrid with a full gas
tank that might last for a week, but is
critical for determining the duration of
the supply from a BEV battery. Most
electrical loads do not run full time but
are used intermittently or cycle on and
off as needed. In my emergency power
example above (LED lights and the
refrigerator), the lights are only needed
about six hours a day and the refriger-
ator’s compressor is only actually run-
ning maybe half the time.
Looking at the nameplate data on the
refrigerator might suggest 1,000 watts,
but that includes the occasional strip-
heaters used for defrosting. The actual
compressor might only draw 250 watts
and without kids opening and closing it
all the time, the compressor may only
run half the time. I use a simple 1,200-
Photo B. Connecting a 2-kilowatt inverter to the Chevy Volt’s 12-volt battery under watt modified-sine 12-volt inverter
the trunk. (about $100) on my Prius battery7
which is not only sufficient for these
loads but I have also run electric lawn
two hours with the AC on high and the the key to understanding the duration mowers, chain saws, other power tools,
windows open (for waving). I used 16 of power from your vehicle is to under- and even a small window AC unit on it.
miles of range in the two hours to go two stand your load. Although the typical When I tried to run these on a more
miles. This includes driving power, max American home draws about 1-kW sophisticated 1,000-watt pure-sine
AC power and “on” power. The Volt con- average under routine conditions, this inverter, it would fault-out on these big
sumes about 500 watts just being on, can be reduced 80% or more under con- loads. So, I prefer the more robust 1,200
to power up its internal systems. With servation power-out conditions and or 1,500-watt modified-sine models.
the Volt’s 50-mile EV range, that can especially with modern LED lighting. Example: For overnight, say a dozen
equate to about six hours of full AC (More on this below) lights for six hours (at 6 watts each = 12
operation at idle before the gas engine x 6 x 6 = 422 Whrs) and the average
would start to replenish the battery. need of the refrigerator [250 W x 24 Hrs
Backup Circuits x 50% (duty cycle) = 3 kWh] gives a total
More, if the car was not actually mov- I moved every lighting circuit in my
ing the whole time such as during field 24-hour energy requirement under 4
house (six circuits — 60 light bulbs and kWh per day. Looking at kWh capacity
operations. outlets) plus the refrigerator to a sepa- of all the BEVs and PHEVs gives a
rate six-breaker subpanel and 60-amp range of operation of about two days for
Choosing an Energy System A/B switch to switch to the EV when the a Prius Plugin before the engine would
The sidebars show at least 56 models grid goes down. Instead of a $150 emer- start and then give another couple of
of EVs on the market in 2020 with a gency transfer panel, I took two $11 60- weeks’ run-time on gas. Or if you have
variety now including wagons, SUVs, amp air conditioner disconnect boxes a typical 250-mile Battery EV like the
and crossovers. Sidebar 1 shows the and threw away one of the pullouts so Chevy Bolt, with an 88-kWh battery, it
fully battery electric models (BEVs) I could never have both in at the same would theoretically run my emergency
currently available. In addition, five or time. Or you can combine the switches house loads above for 22 days.
more electric pickup trucks (most with from two of the more expensive $15 AC WRONG (Don’t forget overhead):
multi-kW 240 VAC power) will be com- disconnect switches (GE) and gang These calculations assume that the
ing next year. This gives the field oper- them together with some aluminum only thing running on the EV or PHEV
ating ham a wide variety of economi- brackets.6 Total draw with the refriger- is your loads. But you also need to con-
cal vehicles from which to choose. ator and every bulb on is only about 600 sider the overhead of having the EV
Nearly half of these vehicles by 2018 watts, which still leaves room for a small powered up in the ON or “READY” con-
cost less (with incentives) than the window AC unit when powered from a dition so that the power feeding the 12-
average gas car4 and about half now 1,200-watt inverter from the EV 12-volt volt battery “indefinitely” is actually
have ranges over 350 miles.5 More battery. coming from the big HV battery down
than half are plugin-hybrids (shown in into the 12-volt system. Most EV/
Sidebar 2) which have all the advan- Calculating the Load PHEVs will consume from 500-1,000+
tages of full electric daily operation The most important aspect of design- watts just sitting there. This is more than
locally but also include a gas-engine ing your backup energy system is double your actual loads, so you should
backup for longer distances. understanding the concept of duty- divide these optimistic numbers by
When deciding on the EV to power cycle, not only on the power capacity of more than half to get a more realistic
your ham operations or home backup, the inverter itself (in kW), but also on run time. You can also avoid midnight

Sidebar 1: The 29 Full Battery Electric EVs on the market in
2020. (Source: The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater
Washington, DC <evadc.org>)
snacks and let the refrigerator just coast until morning so you
can shut down the EV and drastically reduce the overhead.
Also, many BEVs and most PHEVs will shut down after an
hour or two in case someone forgot and left the car in ON
position (very easy to do with a quiet car that is not idling on
gas until shut off). Imagine if the car is in a closed garage.
Once the battery was depleted, you would not want the
PHEV’s gas engine to start up on its own in an enclosed
space until the gas runs out. In the Volt, a simple rubber band
around the shift-button (while in Park) will keep it ON indefi-
nitely. Eventually we hope hams can document which EVs
and PHEVs can run indefinitely and which ones time out (and
what workarounds have been found).
EVs’ 12-Volt Continuous Duty Capacity

There is one other thing to consider and that is the capacity
of the car’s built-in HV-to-12-volt DC/DC converter. It main-
tains the 12-volt battery at about 13.8 volts by drawing from
the HV (high-voltage) battery. In the Prius, this has been
found to be about a 1-kW converter. But at a continuous 1-
kW load, the battery will begin to droop below 13.8 volts, so
the continuous power from such a Prius car system has been
found to be about 800 watts continuous. Of course, the 12-
volt battery and the DC/DC converter can easily provide 2 or
3 kW for burst loads for a few minutes, but the long-term aver-
age — 24 hours a day — should stay below 800 watts for the
Prius (remember another 250 watts or so is just keeping the
car’s 12-volt system alive). In contrast, the Chevy Volt has a
2.5-kW DC/DC converter to the 12-volt system and so can

Join Christian, K0STH at the intersection
of life and amateur radio.
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Sidebar 2: The 32 Plug-in Hybrids currently available, with

both all-electric miles and gas engine backup listed. (Source:
The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, DC
<evadc.org>)
provide almost double the continuous power (though it draws

over 500 watts of overhead just sitting there in the ON /
READY position). A 2-kW inverter added in the trunk of a Volt
is shown in Photo B.
Conclusion
Do not overlook the huge batteries in BEVs and generators
in PHEVs for your ham needs when you think about emer-
gency power. Especially considering that you can also use
the car for daily transportation that is better, faster, cleaner,
quieter, safer, and cheaper to buy (with incentives), cheap-
er to operate and cheaper to maintain. With an EV or PHEV,
the emergency power aspect is almost an additional freebie
and even when run as a generator, the toxic emissions due
to its catalytic converter are down 10:1 compared with a
portable generator.
Notes
1. Bruninga, “Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur,” ARRL,
Newington, CT 2019
2. <http://aprs.org/FrankenVolt.html>
3. <www.tesla.com/powerwall>
4. <http://aprs.org/Energy/EV/EV-costs-color-c.pdf>
5. <http://aprs.org/Energy/EV/EV-ranges-color-b.pdf>
6. <http://aprs.org/ac-disconnects.html>
7. “Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur,” Figure 9.12B

“The Big One” has just hit your area. Fortunately, you and your neighbors
are fine, but you have no power, no phone service, no internet. How do
you tell people outside the affected area that you’re OK? WA9PYH has
one solution … email over ham radio via Winlink.
Winlink: Keeping You Connected

“When All Else Fails”
BY JIM KOCSIS,* WA9PYH
onsider this scenario: What if you had no power, no
C access to cell service and internet, and you needed

to let loved ones far away know that you are safe and
sound during a localized disaster (tornado, explosion, ice
storm, hurricane)? How would you reach them? One
answer: A mobile setup or home station powered by a gen-
erator, and Winlink.
Winlink ® is a means of sending and receiving email via
ham radio on HF and VHF. The purpose of this article is to
provide you with a starting point for Winlink on HF. It’s not
nearly as fast as a true internet connection but it has its place
in ham radio because in a mobile setup, it is independent of
local power, cell and internet availability, and will get the mes-
sage through. If you have a generator for power, Winlink can Photo A. Homebrew push-to-talk (PTT) circuitry for an
get a message through to the internet then on to its final des- RS232 port, built into a DB-9 connector.
tination. Think of it as going through a wireless router hun-
dreds of miles away. You probably already own the hard-
ware required to use Winlink. The hardware is the same as tab. The information there will get you up to speed quickly.
that used in the newer digital modes (FT8, etc.). You only Also, there is a Winlink Google Program Group. This group
need to spend around $100 for membership and the latest, has some excellent technical folks who do a great job
greatest, software. answering questions.
On June 30, 2020, a new version of VARA (version 4.0)
was rolled out. It adds a 500-Hz-wide mode. This allows
A (Very) Brief Overview of Winlink and Modes VARA operation in narrow channels. This is especially impor-
Used With It tant on 40 meters, where there is a narrow 5-kHz wide ACDS
Using a PC, an HF transceiver, and an audio interface (Automatically Controlled Digital Stations) band for the 2300-
between the radio and the computer’s audio in / out ports and Hz-wide VARA mode. With VARA 500 Hz, you can operate
PTT, you “connect” over the air to a gateway station. The gate- outside this narrow band.
way has a local high-speed connection to the internet. Once I’ve done some testing of the 500-Hz mode with gateways
connected, you send and receive email. Attachments are han- running the new mode and it is absolutely amazing. With a
dled the same as when using your “regular” email. good connection (strong signal), it works as well as the 2300-
The modes I’ve experimented with are WINMOR, ARDOP Hz-wide mode. I connected to a gateway station that was
(Amateur Radio Digital Open Protocol) and VARA. Each is buried in noise. The software was able to dig out the signal
successively faster and more robust than its predecessor. perfectly. Author Jose, EA5HVK, has done an excellent job
(Robust here means being able to get through during poor of composing this newest software.
band conditions –JK). WINMOR is quite slow, ARDOP is
faster but VARA is much faster and more robust. In fact, I’ve My Path to the Best Part of Winlink
been able to transfer a test email using VARA when the gate-
For several years, I used a desktop PC and WINMOR.
way station was barely audible. The data transfer wasn’t as
Although it worked, I was not happy with the speed or its abil-
fast as when band conditions are perfect, but it got through.
ity to operate in poor band conditions. For a brief time, I exper-
There is a LOT of information on the <www.winlink.org>
imented with using PATWinlink software, a Raspberry Pi-
website. Checkout the FAQ page and the excellent videos
3B+ and a HAT board which only provided ARDOP
by Rob, K4REF. Those two valuable resources and much
capability. My goal was to use that setup in my car with a
more can be found by clicking on the “Book of Knowledge”
mobile HF rig. It worked after a fashion, then quit working
entirely (I will be the first to admit that I’m not an expert on
* Email: <[email protected]> Pi operation –JK). In PATWinlink, characters on the Pi screen

are small, there is very little information on the status of an can be accomplished several ways. The PC that I use at my
email exchange and the hardware configuration required an home QTH has a true serial port (do you remember RS232?)
external display, mouse, and keyboard. Granted, it’s a small that I’ve wired to a small TTL IC-size relay that keys my rig.
computer, but packaging it turned out to be a major project It’s built inside a DB-9S connector. Schematics of each are
in addition to it looking homebrew. I wanted a compact and shown in Figure 1 and pictures are in Photos A and B. As an
inexpensive setup since I have emergency communications alternative, you can purchase a USB-based interface such
(EmComm) in mind. A laptop has a keyboard, mouse, and as a RigBlaster Plug-n-Play ($120) that provides all inter-
big display all in one enclosure — just what I wanted. In addi- facing (RX/TX audio and PTT). That is the interface I have
tion, Winlink looks much like popular email software we are used in the past in my mobile setup but have changed to a
familiar using. simpler and much less expensive setup as described in the
Recently, I switched from WINMOR and ARDOP to VARA next paragraph. My Netbook audio in / out connector became
on my home PC. VARA is far superior. Additionally, it shows intermittent so I added a USB-to-audio sound adapter as
a lot of status information during an email exchange. (VARA shown in Photo C. They are available at Amazon, Walmart,
offers a display that is similar to a car’s dashboard that I think Best Buy, etc. Mine cost $10.
is especially “neat” –JK). YouTube has many videos that There is an option in the software for automatically setting
show Winlink in use. The sounds of the three modes differ the band, frequency, and mode and operating the PTT func-
markedly from each other. VARA sounds very different from tion. These settings are all done via commands sent from
WINMOR and ARDOP — like a group of birds all chirping at Winlink to the rig when you select a gateway station from the
once. All of my testing up to now has been from my home list (see below). For my mobile rig, a Yaesu FT-857D, a $25
QTH. Recently I realized it would be much more useful and CAT (Computer Aided Tuning) cable does all the interfacing
valuable if I could use it mobile. Now I have VARA and Winlink except the audio in / out connections. This feature will elimi-
running in my car on 40, 30, and 20 meters. nate your having to dial in the frequency and band when
changing gateway stations. I spent several hours getting it to
Hardware and Software Options work. My rig’s ACC connector can be set to CAT, TUNER, or
If you don’t operate the digital modes, an audio interface can LINEAR. Mine was set to TUNER which prevented it from
be homebrewed. Two small 1:1 audio transformers, a resis- accepting any commands from Winlink. Make sure yours is
tor and two potentiometers are all that’s required, along with set to CAT.
connectors that match your PC and radio. The PTT function Here are the settings I used: 1 stop bit, 8 data, no parity
NC
x x xx NOTCH
ON TOP
2 x 1N914 OR 1N4148 x x xx
DB-9
C NO
5 CP CLARE, INC.
TO PC TYPE PRME 15005B OR OTHER
RS-232 WITH 350 Ω COIL
4
150 Ω NO
¹/W C
TO PTT ON ACC CONNECTOR
NC
2 x ¹/" PLUG
R - RIGHT
2 x 1:1 AUDIO TRANSFORMERS
L - LEFT
10K-TO-10K
G - GROUND
2 x 5K 10 TURN POTENTIOMETERS
R
L RECEIVE AUDIO
G
TO PC RIG GROUND
LINE IN
100K ¹/W
R
L
G
TRANSMIT
TO PC
AUDIO
LINE OUT
Figure 1. Schematic of push-to-talk (PTT) and audio interface for running Winlink between your computer and your
HF transceiver.

Winlink, don’t use an SDR. The latency
typical of SDRs, no matter how small,
will add significantly to the turnaround
times and affect the exchange of data.
(When listening to a typical “session” I
couldn’t hear any delay between when
my rig sent a short burst of data and the
gateway sending its short burst of data.
Consider that my home rig [the Eagle]
can operate full break-in, so I didn’t have
a latency problem. –JK)
The software contains a list of gate-
way stations that you can update via the
internet. An option of doing this via radio
is shown but I haven’t tried it.
The gateway station list also provides
a prediction of the best station and band
to use at the current time (see Photo G).
Those shown in green are most likely to
provide a good connection (good sig-
nal). Those in yellow are doubtful and
those in red probably will not work at all.
Photo B. You can purchase an audio interface device between your computer The software takes into consideration
and your rig, or you can build your own. the distance from you to each station
and the time of day. This can be
observed by noting that 80 and 40
meters will be rated the best at night,
while the higher bands (30 and 20
meters) will be rated best during the
daytime.
When operating mobile you must be
able to charge the PC’s battery.
Otherwise you will be off the air in a few
hours. The AC wall charger that is used
with my Netbook outputs 19 volts. For
mobile charging, I use a 12- to 19-volt
voltage booster that I found on Amazon.
(p/n gczwpn4y5o or UPC 746771655444
is the unit I purchased for $25.59 or you
can do a search on Amazon “12V to NNV
voltage booster” for a unit that matches
that of your AC charger –JK). I attached
a cigarette lighter plug and a connector
that fits my PC. The laptop manufactur-
ers use barrel connectors that you prob-
ably won’t have in your junk box. I have
Photo C. A RIGblaster Plug & Play interface for a USB connector on a computer.
a large selection of them but not one fit
my Netbook PC! On eBay I bought a
and 2 stop bits. In my rig I set menu #19 This feature makes operation so simple charger for $7 made specifically for the
(baud rate) to 9600, menu #20 to CAT. because you don’t have to set the fre- model of my Netbook PC. I cut off the
In Winlink VARA, the radio settings are quency or band. Also, the interface is cable and connector and spliced it onto
as follows: Radio model to your radio, much less cumbersome. the voltage booster. See the mobile
mode to USB digital, radio control to What type of PC is needed? At home charging components in Photo D.
COM N (N is the USB device # of your I use Windows 7 on a very mature (old)
CAT cable), PTT port to your model 32-bit desktop. In my car, I use an HP
radio (mine is Y8&7 for many Yaesu Netbook running Windows 8.1. Neither Software Setup and Getting
models), RTS and DTR buttons NOT is very fast but both work perfectly when More Information
selected. At present, I’m using a running Winlink VARA. Go to <www.winlink.org> and download
RigBlaster for the audio in / out con- What type rig is needed? At home, I the latest software. You will have to
nections only. If you use the CAT cable, use a TenTec Eagle; in my car, I use a enter your callsign, name, address, grid
don’t plug in the RigBlaster USB con- Yaesu FT-857D. Neither rig is very square, etc., to register your station with
nector. Eventually I will construct a sim- fancy, but both provide the needed con- the Winlink organization. The use of
ple interface for the audio in / out sig- nections for PTT and audio in / out. WINMOR and ARDOP are free but you
nals instead of the RigBlaster. That These signals are usually available at will be requested to donate $25 to
interface is simply two 1:1 audio trans- the accessory connector at the back of ARSFI, the Amateur Radio Safety
formers, the same as in the RigBlaster. the rig. As stated in the quick guide for Foundation, Inc. ARSFI oversees the

BAND LOW LIMIT HIGH LIMIT If you make a connection and are sending an email or you
(METERS) (MHz) (MHz) are receiving one, a green progress bar will move across
the upper part of the screen: Right to left when receiving an
email, left to right when sending an email in VARA. However,
80 3.5850 3.6000
you don’t have to send an email just to test connecting to a
40 7.1000 7.1050
gateway.
30 10.1400 10.1500
How long does it take after a message is received by a gate-
20 lower 14.0950 14.0995
way station to reach its destination? For a test I sent a mes-
20 upper 14.1005 14.1120
sage to myself (relayed through the ARRL email forwarding
17 18.1050 18.1100
service) and it took less than a minute for it to appear in my
15 21.0900 21.1000
home email account.
12 24.9250 24.9300
10 28.1200 28.1890
Why Get Involved With Winlink?
I remember reading early in my ham career that “amateur
Table 1. FCC HF subbands for automatically controlled dig- radio exists for the service it provides.” We are given oper-
ital stations (ACDS), including most Winlink gateways. The ating privileges on parts of the valuable RF spectrum to pro-
20-meter segment is split in order to protect propagation bea- vide a service to the country. That service can take many
cons on 14.100 MHz. forms, such as training people in electronics and providing
communications during an emergency. Do you recall the hur-
development and operation of the Winlink system and keeps ricane that hit Puerto Rico a few years ago? Ham radio was
the entire system running. See <www.arsfi.org> for more the only means of getting messages in and out during the
information. Be generous and make that contribution! (Note: first few weeks. ARRL equipped a group of hams with HF
As this is being written in mid July 2020, WINMOR eventu- rigs, computers, and interface devices to provide desperately
ally will be removed from the software –JK). needed communications with the U.S. mainland.
You will have to configure the software for your radio and
interface. The audio levels for both transmit and receive will Some Limitations and Suggestions
need to be adjusted so that you don’t overdrive the trans- Your communications are NOT private. Keep that fact in mind
mitter or the sound card in your PC. To make sure your trans- when sending email messages. Inform the person receiving
mit audio is actually going “out the door,” you should listen your email of that fact so they don’t send you an email with
to it on another receiver. sensitive information in it.
Compared to WINMOR, ARDOP and the free version of
VARA, the purchase of the high speed VARA software is well
worth the price of $69. I cannot stress this enough! After buy-
ing the software, you will receive a registration key that is tied
to your callsign. One key will work on multiple computers. Eliminate Hash & Noise with
Making a Connection Clearspeech® Audio Solutions
Here’s the sequence to follow to connect to a gateway sta- Clearly hear voice & amplify your audio!
tion (Screenshots E-H show the various windows that you
will use):
1. Open the main screen called RMS Express. The icon is CLRspkr ‫ݹ‬$PSహLHGVSHDNHUZLWKDGMXVWDEOH
a purple and white checkered flag. YROXPHDQGDGDSWLYHQRLVHసOWHULQJ
2. On the main screen in the upper right, select VARA HF ‫ݹ‬,GHDOIRUPRELOHRSHUDWLRQDQG
Winlink (use the slider bar if you don’t see it listed) KRPHVWDWLRQ
3. Click on Open Session ‫ݹ‬5HFRJQL]HVWKHQDWXUHRI&:DOORZLQJ
4. When the next window opens, click on Channel Select WRSDVVQRLVHIUHH
5. Double click on a gateway station that is in the green
area
6. Set your VFO to Dial Freq. (kHz), NOT “Center Freq.
(kHz)” CLRdsp ‫ݹ‬:DPSOLసHUZLWKQRLVHUHGXFWLRQ
SURFHVVRUIRUVSHDNHURU
7. Use USB on all bands, or if your rig has a data mode, KHDGSKRQHDSSOLFDWLRQV
use that. Make sure the data mode is set to USB.
8. If you have variable IF bandwidth, set it to 2600 to 2700 ‫&ݹ‬RQQHFWVWRDQ\SRZHUHGRU
Hz to “fit” the audio inside the passband XQSRZHUHGVSHDNHUZLWK‫ݴ‬MDFN
9. If you have variable IF passband, adjust the settings so
the band noise is centered between the two red lines on the ‫ݹ‬,QGHSHQGHQW'63QRLVHUHGXFWLRQ
waterfall IRU0DLQDQG6XE5;
10. Click Start. The computer, rig, and gateway will do the CLRstereo
rest. ‫ݹ‬,QGHSHQGHQWYROXPHWRQHDQG
‫ݹ‬
సOWHULQJIRURQHRUERWKFKDQQHOV
Hopefully, you will hear a gateway station come back to

‫ݹ‬,GHDOIRU625
you. It may take a few tries because the station may be in
the scan mode, checking other frequencies or bands. If you
RADIO
can’t make a connection, either the band is not open to that WEST MOUNTAIN Sales: 262-522-6503 EXT 35
[email protected]
gateway or it may be busy on another frequency or band.
westmountainradio.com/CQ1120

There are narrow bands within our HF see Section 97.221(a) through (c) of the that info available but if they do, you’re
bands that are allocated for digital FCC rules. there to help. (Picture that “deer in the
modes such as Winlink. The stations Okay, so you’re ready to be that “hero headlight” look when you ask them for the
operating there are referred to as ACDS OM or YL with the ham radio” and you’re email address of their Aunt Bessie –JK).
(Automatically Controlled Digital going to exchange messages during an You should have those email addresses
Stations). Some gateway stations are emergency or disaster with a distant fam- stored BEFORE the emergency.
located in Canada and other countries, ily member. Do you know their email These modes are 100% duty cycle.
but U.S. amateurs should not use those address? Don’t depend on your cell They use upper sideband but are
gateways unless they are inside the phone’s contact list. Remember, if every- putting out full power when they are
U.S. ACDS bands. There are gateways thing is “out” you may not be able to get transmitting. When I first tested VARA,
located worldwide but I doubt you will the person’s email address there. The my Eagle was set to 100 watts (full
be able to connect to non-U.S.-based cellphone battery may be dead, the power). During a long transmission, the
stations. But, why would you want to do phone may be lost or damaged. cooling fan came on and ran faster than
that? A better connection can always be Hopefully, the addresses are on the PC I’d ever heard it run before. YOU DON’T
obtained using U.S. stations. The chart but store them on a thumb drive just to NEED A LOT OF POWER TO GET
in Table 1 shows the ACDS bands. Also, be sure. Your neighbors may not have THROUGH. Set your actual power to
50% to keep your finals cool. Here’s
how: Set your transmitter for full power
in CW mode, then adjust the audio level
for half power output. That keeps your
power amplifier happy and assures you
there won’t be any distortion caused by
the rig’s ALC cutting back the power and
creating distortion. You want the purest
waveform going out, not distortion.
Have you seen wide, overdriven signals
on the waterfalls of FT8, PSK, etc.?
Don’t be one of those stations.
When using your mobile setup,
remember that there are dangerous
voltages at the antenna. You will be
parked so you need to warn people to
stay away from the antenna. Some yel-
low pylons and caution tape will help
establish your boundaries. Also, people
should stay clear of the mobile antenna
because if anyone is nearby, they can
detune it so much that the rig’s SWR
protection circuitry may reduce power
Photo D. Voltage booster to provide 19 volts to a computer from a 12-volt car or change the pattern.
battery. After a lot of testing, I have found 40,
Photo E. Main screen of the newest VARA software for Winlink.

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CQ Communications, Inc.
Phone 516-681-2922 • FAX 516-681-2926 http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
what’s new
Par EndFedz EF All-Band KW

Par, a division of Virboplex, has updat-
ed its EndFedz antenna lineup with the
all new EF-ALLBAND-KW, which is a Photo F. The VARA screen when you’re ready to connect.
1-kilowatt ICAS power handling anten-
na for eight amateur radio bands
designed to be employed without the 30, and 20 meters to be the most reli- If that works, follow up with a live
use of an antenna tuner. able bands. If 17 and 15 meters are demonstration. Sending an email to an
Covering the 80-, 40-, 30-, 20-, 17-, open (if you hear any activity), try them; HOA board member’s cell phone dur-
15-, 12-, and 10-meter bands, the new but at this point in the sunspot cycle, I ing the demonstration should impress
EF-ALLBAND-KW features all stain- haven’t found 17 or 15 to be usable. If even the most skeptic member. A block
less steel hardware with thimble and you have a good mobile setup for 75 diagram showing your station, its loca-
dual wire clips, strain relief at the 50- meters (more than my 5-foot loaded tion and the location of a gateway, and
ohm feedpoint, and rugged construc- mobile whip), you should be able to how it works will explain the “magic” of
tion of #18 Poly-STEALTH® polyeth- communicate reliably in the early Winlink and how it works. Be sure to
ylene-coated copper clad wire so the evening. I prefer 30 meters as it pro- stress that you are not using any local
antenna can be put up once and left vides 10-kHz bandwidth, while 40 pro- internet router / modem.
for permanent use. vides only 5 kHz and 20 provides 16-
kHz bandwidth (split into two subbands In Closing…
Weighing just over 2 pounds with a
to avoid interference to the NCDXF bea-
length of over 132 feet, this antenna is This is a valuable service you can offer
cons on 14.100 [see QST July 2019,
also an ideal travel companion for to your community, friends, neighbors,
page 59]).
multi-band operation without multi- and relatives. Consider setting up your
Attachments should be limited to what
pounds of weight added. Works well in very own EmComm station, either at
is absolutely necessary. A large attach-
sloper, vertical, straight, or inverted-V home, in your car, or ideally both. A few
ment can consume a lot of airtime. A
configurations. dollars and a few hours’ time will be well
photo attachment should be reduced to
The matchbox is constructed using spent. You really don’t know when your
the minimum resolution required to con-
a 49:1 transformer, two FT-240-43 cell provider’s or ISP’s “reliable” and
vey the needed information.
toroids, #14 enameled wire windings, “familiar” email service will fail. Get set
silver-plated SO-239 connector, Amp- up now.
Hams With Antenna I suggest you test your setup (home
henol side air vent plus vent and drain
holes at the bottom.
Restrictions and mobile) frequently to ensure every-
The Par EndFedz EF-ALLBAND-KW If you live in a neighborhood governed thing is working properly and that you
is available now and has a suggested by an HOA (homeowners association) remember how to use it. Don’t let it sit idle
retail price of $169.95. There is a spe- that doesn’t permit outdoor antennas, for so long that you forget how to use it
cial offer for ready-made RG8X coaxi- Winlink may be a way to allow you to or find out something doesn’t work prop-
erect at least a simple wire antenna. The erly. I suggest testing both the home and
al cable assemblies included with the
idea here is to explain and demonstrate mobile setups weekly. Operation (set-
purchase of the EF-ALLBAND-KW
the usefulness of Winlink in an emer- tings, use of menus, etc.) should be sec-
that’s made in the U.S. by INRAD. For
gency. A discussion with the HOA board ond-nature. During periodic testing,
more information, contact Vibroplex,
is the starting point. Generate a good, update the station list — it would be a
1001 N. Broadway Street, Knoxville, honest list of what you want to discuss. waste of time trying to connect to a gate-
TN 37917. Phone: (865) 309-5073. Use some of the text in this article if way that is no longer available (i.e., a
Email: <[email protected]>. Web- needed, but be sure to be positive. gateway may have moved to a different
site: <http://vibroplex.com>. Explain that you will need to erect a tem- frequency or stopped operation entirely).
porary wire antenna to test your setup. I’ve had a lot of fun connecting to gate-

ways, learning how Winlink works, should be interested in it, too. Perhaps The NEW EZ HANG
building interfaces, and experimenting once you’ve gotten up to speed on it, Square Shot Kit
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Show a neighbor how it works and with this article and suggesting I switch of HAM’s and Cable Installers
around the world, led to a
how it could really come in handy dur- to VARA. Otherwise I might have been complete redesign of the
ing an emergency. They might just learn in the “slow lane” with WINMOR for a EZ Hang. Custom Designed
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you. Get them on your side. Your local A special thank you to my wife for less chance of misfires or hitting the yoke.
ham group that provides EmComm proofreading this article. OVER 15,000 SOLD AROUND THE WORLD!
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Photo G. VARA provides a list of available gateway stations, along with which
ones you’re most likely to be able to access, based on your location and time of
day. The list may be updated over the internet.
Were you first licensed

25 years ago and
licensed today?
Then you should join the
Quarter Century
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To Join or Renew, Visit:
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For more information please contact
Photo H. The dashboard feature of VARA.
[email protected]

54th Edition:CQ World-Wide DX Contest All-Time Records BY F. CAPOSSELA, K6SSS
These records represent the pinnacle of achievement by the true champions of contesting. We congratulate them on their success. Number groups after calls are:
year of operation, total score, contacts, zones and countries. All-Band and Multi-Operator records include a band-by-band breakdown of the world leader in each
category. NOTE: Complete records can be found at <www.cqww.com>.
Phone Single Operator/Single Band CW Single Operator/Single Band

WORLD RECORD HOLDERS WORLD RECORD HOLDERS
1.8 IG9/IV3TAN(’96)...............................441,252 ........1,203 .........24......102 1.8 CN2FF(’07) (Opr. UA2FF)...............618,849 .........1,599 .........26......107
3.5 CN2R(’06) (Opr. W7EJ).................1,091,694 ........2,409 .........33......126 3.5 CN2FB(’07) (Opr. UA2FB) ...........1,590,288 .........3,244 .........35......133
7.0 EA9LZ(’16) ...................................1,802,047 ........3,760 .........35......134 7.0 CN3A(’09) (Opr. IK2QEI)..............2,156,652 .........4,285 .........36......135
14 PYØFM(’94) (Opr. PY5CC) ...........3,202,242 ........5,109 .........38......175 14 FY5KE(’16) (Opr. F6FVY) ............2,428,248 .........4,540 .........38......146
21 HC8A(’10) (Opr. N6KT) .................3,565,674 ........6,571 .........38......151 21 FY5KE(’14) (Opr. F6FVY) ............2,475,510 .........4,462 .........39......151
28 HC8A(’01) (Opr. N6KT) .................3,916,600 ........6,957 .........39......161 28 ZD8X(’13) (Opr. OH2KI)...............2,423,123 .........4,591 .........37......142
Single Operator/All Band Single Operator/All Band
AF EA8BH(’99) (Opr. N5TJ)..............25,646,796 ......10,253 .......176......692 AF EA8BH(’00) (Opr. N5TJ) ............18,010,765 .........7,555 .......183......634
AS A61AJ(’04) (Opr. S53R)...............15,272,745 ........7,204 .......173......622 AS P3N(’10) (Opr. R2AA) ................11,654,496 .........6,549 .......137......527
EU CR2X(’13) (Opr. OH6KZP) ..........16,259,949 ........9,111 .......174......573 EU CR2X(’12) (Opr. OH6KZP) ........11,839,500 .........7,209 .......165......585
NA 8P5A(’13) (Opr. W2SC) ...............17,059,840 ......10,126 .......162......518 NA ZF2MJ(’15) (Opr. N6MJ) ............16,730,788 .......10,014 .......170......527
O NH2T(’13) (Opr. N2NL)................12,215,161 ........6,855 .......179......444 O NH2T(’12) (Opr. N2NL) .............11,455,401 .........6,374 .......180......453
SA HC8A(’99) (Opr. N6KT) ...............18,607,050 ........8,638 .......175......595 SA P4ØE(’03) (Opr. CT1BOH).........15,943,070 .........7,828 .......169......546
QRP P40W(’00) (Opr. W2GD)................5,097,780 ........3,599 .......127......381 QRP P4ØW(’99) (Opr. W2GD) .............5,024,800 .........3,277 .......137......413
LowPwr. D44TD(’02) (Opr. IV3TAN) ..........11,199,793 ........6,097 .......141......508 Low Pwr. V26K(’13) (Opr. AA3B)...............10,261,251 .........6,751 .......141......462
Asst. 9Y4ZC(’03) (Opr. DL6FBL)..........14,979,055 ........8,114 .......137......500 Asst. 9Y4ZC(’04) (Opr. DL6FBL) ........14,581,665 .........6,576 .......169......596
WORLD RECORD WORLD RECORD
Station Band QSOs Zones Countries Station Band QSOs Zones Countries
1.8 150 13 54 1.8 197 17 60

EA8BH 3.5 547 18 80 EA8BH 3.5 541 20 82
(Opr. N5TJ) 7.0 682 27 97 (Opr. N5TJ) 7.0 1,091 33 95
(1999) 14.0 2,655 39 158 (2000) 14.0 1,601 39 129
25,646,796 21.0 2,071 39 148 18,010,765 21.0 1,746 39 134
28.0 4,148 40 155 28.0 2,375 35 133
Total 10,253 176 692 Total 7,555 183 634
Multi-Operator/Single Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Single Xmtr.

AF CN2AA(’14)................................33,435,840 .......12,471........187.........741 AF CN2AA(’13)................................33,276,270 .......11,080........213.........829
AS P33W(’14)..................................26,183,520 .......10,696........173.........691 AS P33W(’14)..................................31,772,672 .......10,975........210.........814
EU TM6M(’11) .................................20,427,450 .........8,644........196.........759 EU 403A(’14) ...................................18,303,516 .........9,210........212.........811
NA VP2E(’03) ..................................25,299,296 .......11,617........182.........720 NA 8P9Z(’99) ...................................18,711,252 .........8,245........192.........669
O KHØAA(’02) ...............................12,599,064 .........6,872........158.........490 O KH7X(’11) ..................................13,322,608 .........6,191........195.........563
SA PJ1B(’93) ...................................22,596,570 .........9,386........164.........646 SA P4ØL(’11) ..................................22,396,296 .........8,722........192.........705
1.8 71 15 68 1.8 520 22 88
CN2AA 3.5 551 24 92 CN2AA 3.5 1,827 34 125
(2014) 7.0 1,771 34 117 (2013) 7.0 1,967 39 148
33,435,840 14.0 3,092 37 146 33,276,270 14.0 1,710 39 149
21.0 3,040 39 155 21.0 2,365 40 158
28.0 3,946 38 163 28.0 2,691 39 161
Total 12,471 187 741 Total 10,014 200 799
Multi-Operator/Two Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Two Xmtr.

AF CN2R(’15)..................................36,582,798 .......13,906........183.........734 AF D4C(’15) ....................................42,437,395 .......14,799........211.........790
AS UP2L (13) ..................................27,846,478 .......11,486........189.........698 AS P33W(’18)..................................29,509,542 .......12,467........178.........671
EU TM6M(’13) .................................23,072,088 .......11,369........184.........692 EU TM6M(’14) .................................22,478,634 .......10,534........204.........777
NA VP2E(’04) ..................................40,907,104 .......16,868........188.........804 NA K1LZ(’13) ...................................24,945,250 .........9,229........196.........769
O KHØAA(’03) ...............................14,109,480 .........7,589........172.........488 O KH7X(’12) ..................................17,699,500 .........8,846........190.........510
SA PJ4X(’12) ...................................32,580,440 .......13,941........179.........636 SA P4ØL(’13) ..................................32,307,440 .......12,585........187.........693
1.8 216 17 62 1.8 360 24 88
VP2E 3.5 945 23 102 D4C 3.5 1,303 33 104
(2004) 7.0 2,346 34 145 (2015) 7.0 2,846 40 142
40,907,104 14.0 3,794 40 172 42,437,395 14.0 2,593 40 152
21.0 4,771 39 163 21.0 4,418 39 162
28.0 4,796 35 160 28.0 3,279 35 142
Total 16,868 188 804 Total 14,799 211 790
Multi-Operator/Multi-Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Multi-Xmtr.
AF CN8WW(’00)..............................78,170,508 .......25,711........199.........854 AF CN2AA(’14). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73,299,950 .......23,459........217.........858
AS A61AJ(’02) .................................33,377,700 .......13,376........186.........784 AS 9K2HN(’14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,917,878 .......15,171........203.........738
EU ES9C(’13) ..................................39,013,828 .......19,244........208.........814 EU ES9C(’13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,790,130 .......15,246........219.........866
NA VP2E(’01) ..................................44,332,785 .......19,214........185.........760 NA 6Y2A(’98) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,279,140 .......17,609........192.........740
O KHØAM(’90) ..............................35,730,600 .......16,309........179.........565 O ZL8X(’10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,240,941 .......11,744........193.........594
SA PJ4B(’99) ...................................59,127,810 .......20,618........188.........834 SA PJ4B(’99) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,516,600 .......17,889........208.........757
1.8 923 17 77 1.8 1,470 24 94
CN8WW 3.5 1,818 25 106 CN2AA 3.5 2,840 35 120
(2000) 7.0 3,545 37 138 (2014) 7.0 4,357 40 150
78,170,508 14.0 6,737 40 177 73,299,950 14.0 5,704 39 161
21.0 5,754 40 175 21.0 4,457 39 166
28.0 6,934 40 181 28.0 4,631 40 167
Total 25,711 199 854 Total 23,459 217 858

54th Edition: CQ World-Wide DX Contest All-Time U.S.A. Records
BY FREDERICK CAPOSSELA, K6SSS
Tabulated below are the record-high scores achieved by U.S. contesters in the CQ World-Wide DX Contest. Number groups following calls and
bands are: year of operation, total score, contacts, zones, and countries. NOTE: Complete records can be found at <www.cqww.com>.
PHONE CW
Single Operator/Single Band Single Operator/Single Band
1.8 K1ZM(’95) .........................................55,420 251 15 70 1.8 K3BU/8(’06) ....................................151,970 527 26 104
3.5 K1ZM/2(’96) ....................................292,100 952 27 100 3.5 W1MK(’06)......................................530,264 1,390 32 104
7.0 W4AAA (KK9A)(’13) .......................635,769 1,964 32 109 7.0 W3UA/1(’11) ................................1,049,760 2,395 34 126
14 KQ2M/1(’08) ................................1,242,150 2,504 38 144 14 K2WK(’98) ...................................1,007,781 1,955 39 144
21 KQ2M/1(’99) ................................1,327,139 2,624 39 148 21 K3RV/4(’13) ....................................980,880 1,865 39 144
28 W4ZV(’01)....................................1,464,255 2,654 40 155 28 W4ZV(’00).......................................965,874 1,984 37 137
Single Operator/All Band Single Operator/All Band

1.8 97 11 38 1.8 72 15 44
K1DG 3.5 278 15 60 K3CR 3.5 552 23 81
(2014) 7.0 321 20 79 (2014) 7.0 1,323 33 107
9,552,092 14.0 841 37 112 10,871,028 14.0 966 35 105
21.0 1,466 36 127 21.0 1,074 34 108
28.0 2,039 31 116 28.0 1,265 34 104
Total 5,042 150 532s Total 5,252 174 549
QRP QRP
KR2Q(’00) .................................................1,507,506 1,181 104 358 K1TO/4(’13) ..............................................2,758,313 1,651 138 449
Low Power Low Power

N1UR(’13) .................................................4,911,440 2,969 136 448 WA1Z(’14) .................................................6,842,375 3,496 146 469
Assisted Assisted
NN3W(’11) ..............................................11,828,236 .........4,921 185 683 K5ZD/1(’14).............................................12,768,365 4,993 190 697
Multi-Operator/Single Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Single Xmtr.
1.8 46 12 39 1.8 196 20 82

K1LZ 3.5 293 22 89 K1LZ 3.5 706 28 114
(2014) 7.0 764 30 100 (2012) 7.0 1,571 37 137
13,771,733 14.0 1,211 39 146 15,586,106 14.0 1,200 39 154
21.0 1,554 39 146 21.0 1,302 38 148
28.0 1,979 37 152 28.0 885 32 138
Total 5,847 179 672 Total 5,860 194 773
Multi-Operator/Two Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Two Xmtr.

1.8 42 13 36 1.8 146 18 66

KC1XX 3.5 518 25 85 K1LZ 3.5 1,204 29 116
(2013) 7.0 1407 35 123 (2013) 7.0 2,187 38 149
23,851,137 14.0 1,782 39 149 24,945,250 14.0 1,715 40 140
21.0 3,150 40 155 21.0 2,160 38 153
28.0 2,625 38 155 28.0 1,817 33 145
Total 9,524 190 703 Total 9,229 196 769
Multi-Operator/Multi-Xmtr. Multi-Operator/Multi-Xmtr.
1.8 489 19 69 1.8 389 23 80

K3LR 3.5 999 28 100 K3LR 3.5 1,534 35 120
(2013) 7.0 2,227 35 130 (2014) 7.0 2,823 40 150
37,402,560 14.0 3,346 40 169 37,486,260 14.0 3,370 39 165
21.0 3,739 40 163 21.0 2,664 38 161
28.0 3,380 39 167 28.0 2,078 40 164
Total 14,180 201 798 Total 12,858 215 840
CLUB RECORDS
WORLD
Club Combined Record: Yankee Clipper Contest Club (’99) 702,296,971
Team Contesting: Phone – Neiger’s Tigers Team #1 (’99) 66,546,582
CW – Pile-Up Survivors (’12) 64,559,451

For emergency communications as well as everyday hamming, it’s
important to make sure everything is working, to test station components
before deployment and to have backups whenever possible.
Sherlock discovered this the hard way on a recent remote operation.
Sherlock Investigates: USB Connector

Failure Aborts FT4 / VARA Expedition
BY “SHERLOCK” *
recent expedition to Ice Station Zebra (ISZ)1 (see
A Photo A) for an FT4 and Winlink / VARA2 test had to

be aborted because of a USB cable failure. The test
involved having a lot of RF around the radio and modem, so
a short (1-foot) USB-A to USB-B cable was ordered (see
Photo B). The cable was not bench tested before the trip.
While setting up the gear, the ISZ computer interface would
not connect to the CODEC interfaces. The computer said the Photo A. Ice Station Zebra access road in the winter.
USB interface was defective. While the CW portion of the
test was successful, the entire digital-mode portion had to
be aborted.
Failure Analysis
Back at the Baker Street failure analysis lab, the cable was
found to have a short from pin 2 to shield ground. The USB-
B connector had the lowest resistance short, so it was cut
open. The molded plastic covering was removed and the pins
were easily seen. The white wire going to pin 2 had a single
strand of shield wire soldered to the pin with it, causing the
short (see Photo C).
There was no way to correct this problem in the field and
a spare cable was not available. The team made a serious
mistake not doing a pre-expedition check before leaving, and
for not having a spare cable. The cable was repaired and put
back into service. The Trip to ISZ was nice and it was a good
CW operation. Photo B. Overview of USB jumper connectors.
This episode illustrates the need for emergency prepared-
ness to extend to even the most basic accessory items. Being
an effective emergency communicator requires that you test
your gear — all of it — before it’s needed in the field, and
that you pack backups of as many station elements as pos-
sible when you do deploy.
– Sherlock
Notes:
1. ISZ is at the Las Brisas Observatory, high in the Colorado Rockies,
See Photo A.
2. To learn more about Winlink and VARA software, see “Winlink:
Keeping You Connected “When All Else Fails” elsewhere in this issue.
*c/o CQ magazine Photo C. Closeup of shield wire shorting to white wire.

CQ CLASSICS
The Fountain of (Not Enough) Youth
“There are far fewer young amateurs to be seen … Amateur
radio today is attracting older men.”
We’ve all heard it on the air, heard it at club meetings and hamfests (back when there were club meetings and hamfests), heard
and seen it in newspaper and TV stories about amateur radio … the hobby is in danger of dying out because it isn’t attracting
enough young people. But here’s the thing. The quote above comes from the “Zero Bias” editorial below … from the August 1948
issue of CQ! This complaint is nearly as old as the hobby itself and yet, neither ham radio nor the worry over its future have gone
away. So take a look at the concerns as expressed in these pages 72 years ago, then check out this month’s “ZB” for a 2020
perspective. (And tnx to K3ZJ for bringing this to our attention) – W2VU
ZERO BIAS AN EDITORIAL
IN AMATEUR RADIO, at least, everything isn’t beset with things stand permanently etched in our memories about
difficulties or disputes as one might be led to believe by read- these gatherings.
ing “Zero Bias” month in and month out. On the contrary, The wonderful times we had and how we could always
it is the relative serenity of our hobby, the intense enjoyment renew old acquaintances at them. Certainly one of the con-
that the participants derive, that makes it necessary for a tributing factors to those wonderful times was the fact that
page such as ours to point out the faults of our hobby. If we there were so many amateurs pretty much our own age. We
didn’t they might pass unnoticed by the great majority of still have a good time today and we are still renewing old
amateurs until the matter was past correction. “Zero Bias” friendships, but they’re the same old ones—the same faces
tries at times to be the conscience of amateurs who are too and calls that wre’ve known for ten or more years. There are
busy to do anything but pursue their own course. But remem- far fewer young amateurs to be seen, and talking to them on
ber, at best it represents the opinion of one amateur, pos- the air will verify this.
sessing all the human frailties plus those of the dyed-in-the- Amateur radio today is attracting older men. There may
wool ham. We mention this because several recent letters be several explanations for this. It is more expensive to get
have asked, “Is anything all right with amateur radio?” Sure, going than before the war. Equipment prices have been
almost everything is all right. In fact, one of the few big trou- forced higher along with everything else in our daily lives.
bles today is that there aren’t enough amateurs to enjoy its Manufacturers know that they may be pricing themselves
blessings. out of the lowest income market, but are powerless to do
We can see the hackles rising on the necks of amateurs anything about it. A second, and perhaps even more com-
everywhere. But when the smoke clears away, the fact is pelling reason for this lack of enthusiasm for our hobby by
there just aren’t enough amateurs. Sure, all the bands are the younger, or youngest generation, is they have had little
badly crowded at one time or another, but take 14 mc for encouragement.
example. In every 24-hour period there are more hours when It’s an old story how the first amateurs have grown up and
20 is relatively free from QRM than QRMd. Every other out of the tinkering stage. And so it is with the second gen-
band could stand more occupancy based on this measure. eration and even third generation of amateurs. The war years
Now it is true that you can’t confine a new licensee to oper- have caused a tremendous gap between youngsters of today
ating when QRM is the lightest. But why not try to encour- and the youngest pre-war group of amateurs. They have
age new licensees whose normal operating habits would fit nothing in common, no talking or meeting grounds. It isn’t
into this grove. There is such a class and they make the best a case of a high school junior talking to a young man start-
kind of amateur material. ing college—it’s a case of a kid in high school trying to talk
Not so many years ago, when we might have been typed to a man already out in the world trying to make his own
as a young squirt, we can remember going to every hamfest way. Amateur radio could be a common meeting ground,
within walking or hitching distance of our home QTH. Two but we are not giving it a chance. And what is happening is

that we are creating a lost generation of amateurs—a gen- exclude them. And 40 and 80, with great wide open spaces
eration that amateur radio can sorely afford to lose. We must would welcome some thumping and pounding. What does it
have new amateurs to replace those who drop out, those who add up to?
find other interests or have too little time, and at the present Well OM, and we do mean “old man,” it is high time that
moment we’re not doing that. present-day amateurs started a real “hell-for-leather” pro-
Don’t think not having these youngsters means less QRM, gram to encourage new amateurs. Radio clubs in every city
because the active amateurs of today won’t appreciate the should organize classes, arrange cooperative programs with
difference in their lifetime of operation. It does mean that science teachers, etc. Code practice classes, simple theory,
eventually there may be less QRM, and there may be less field days outings for youngsters—there are a hundred
year after year until ham radio isn’t justified in terms of its things that could and should be done. Amateur radio needs
frequency allocations. It would be a crime laid directly on new blood and too many youngsters never even heard of
the steps of present day amateurs because in order to pro- ham radio. Talks and demonstrations in front of local boy
tect themselves against more QRM they didn’t want to scout troops and in schools would be welcomed by their
encourage new amateurs—they would be so selfish as to adult leaders.
deprive others of the pleasure they themselves derive from At the end of the war figures on the number of prospec-
amateur radio. tive amateurs went up as high as a quarter million. The
Now earlier in this discussion we mentioned how we actual number today is closer to 100,000. The increases
thought all of our bands could stand greater tenancy during haven’t measured up to expectations and it isn’t because
most of the day. And youngsters would give it the occupancy amateur radio has lost any of its glamour. The trouble is
during these hours. While the OM was out bringing home that lots of youngsters who might have entered the hobby
the bacon they could be pounding brass. Between classes in were deprived of their contacts during the war. It’s up to
the afternoon and dinner you could tolerate plenty more us to help them now. What we need is lots more teenagers
QRM. In the morning there is quite a difference between raising the roof at hamfests and lots more 6L6s and 807s
dashing off for the commuters train to get you to work at shuttling around on all bands. Let’s get a breed of ham on
8:30 and the youngster who can take a leisurely dash down the air that still considers trans-continental contacts big
the street to get into classes at 9. Sure they might even snag stuff, and we’ll be doing our bit toward insuring the future
some of the choice DX, but that’s a mighty slim reason to of amateur radio.
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Back issues of CQ Amateur
Radio are now available on disk
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If you want to use ham radio to help teach math, physics, meteorology,
geography and more … and have lots of fun in the process … join W5KUB on
one of his long-distance balloon flights – or start planning one of your own!
Adventures With Pico Balloons

Using Amateur Radio
BY TOM MEDLIN,* W5KUB
mateur radio is a great hobby.
A After being licensed for 57 years,

I still find new adventures and
enjoyment in the ham radio hobby
(Photo A). My recent activities have
taken me to the new area of pico bal-
loons. Pico balloons are not to be con-
fused with weather balloons or other
high-altitude balloons as they are small,
as little as 3 feet in diameter, carry pay-
loads as light as 8 grams, and with luck,
can circumnavigate the earth. Using
ham radio, specifically APRS (Auto-
matic Packet Reporting System) and
WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Re-
porter), you can track a balloon’s alti-
tude, speed and position, as it plots on
a real-time map while making its jour-
ney across the country, oceans, and
continents.
Pico balloons have been around a
while, but only a select few ham radio Photo A. W5KUB holding one of the tiny trackers he’s built for his pico balloon
operators worldwide are launching missions. (Photos courtesy of the author)
them. I became interested in pico bal-
loons a few years ago when I met Bill
Brown, WB8ELK, who became my bal- feet. This is a cause for concern as $160. After launching so many bal-
loon mentor. Bill is a well-known expert many storms are higher and will bring loons, to reduce expenses, I decided to
and has launched over a 1,000 balloons down a balloon. I have had a higher suc- build my own. Eduard Voiculescu,
in the last past 30 years. Bill has gra- cess rate flying the higher-end balloon, YO3ICT, a friend from Romania, was
ciously shared his knowledge and has which can fly around 45,000 feet, kind enough to share his plans for a
assisted many of my launches. putting it above most storms. small, lightweight tracker that he
Launch day (Photo B) needs to be designed. I sent the plans to a PCB
sunny because moisture can bring it manufacturer who made the boards,
Materials Needed down … even 5 or 10 drops of rain will and now I build trackers for myself
There are only a few usable pico bal- be a disaster. Use care when filling the (Photo D).
loons on the market. The balloon is balloon as measurements down to the
about 1-mil thick and requires special tenth of a gram are essential (Photo C). About the Tracker
handling. Do not fold, crease, or touch These balloons fly on just a few grams When finished, the complete tracker
it without gloves any more than is of lift, and it does not take much to bring weighs only 1.6 grams (0.056 ounces).
absolutely necessary. The less expen- one down. They are called pico for a The boards include a GPS and a WSPR
sive balloons cost about $4 each, and reason. Keeping the weight low is a transmitter based on the SI5351 chip.
there is another high-end balloon which constant challenge and must be moni- The transmitter runs 10 milliwatts and
costs about $160. The inexpensive bal- tored. Some payloads may weigh as lit- can be placed on any band by the
loons’ drawback is that they hold a tle as 6 grams, but the average payload firmware. The tracker’s processor is an
smaller gas volume, limiting their alti- is about 15 grams, equivalent to about ATMEGA 328P, and the firmware puts
tude to only about 28,000 to 36,000 three American nickels. A couple of everything into motion. It brings up and
companies sell trackers for these transmits our call on WSPR every 10
* email: <[email protected]> launches, costing between $100 and minutes and can make a JT9 transmis-

sion as well. It also sends a second WSPR transmission with the tracker hangs about 20 feet below the balloon, it is pos-
additional data (discussed later). sible to install the dipole by running half the antenna (17 feet)
One other important aspect of the firmware is geofencing, up the string and let the other half hang below in the air. We
the ability to shut off the transmitter over certain countries use #36 magnet wire to maintain a low weight. The anten-
that do not allow transmitting. Using its GPS location, it will na’s total weight and the line add only 1.3 grams (just a little
turn off the transmitter when flying over North Korea, Yemen, more than one U.S. penny) to the entire system weight.
and the United Kingdom. Laws prohibit transmission in air Our first attempts to build the tracker were not fun; I quit at
space above these countries. We do not want to start World least seven times and promised that I would never do it again.
War III! However, not being one to give up too quickly, I kept going
back and trying again. Each tracker became less difficult to
Tracker Power build, and now I can complete one in about two hours using
Most of our flights are solar-powered only. Adding a battery special tools. The parts used are some of the smallest sur-
would more than double the weight of our payload. Therefore, face-mount parts available. Resistors and capacitors are size
we only get tracking every 10 minutes while the tracker is in 0402 and are about the size of a tweezer’s fine tip (Photo E);
sunlight. We have had some mixed success experiencing I use a binocular microscope to build and inspect the boards
with a LiPo battery at low altitudes, but it is not effective with because of the small-sized parts. When building a tracker,
the temperatures at -70°C (-94°F) at the higher altitudes. No use ham radio ingenuity. For example, in our build, we use
one makes a rechargeable battery that will function in those a 2.5-centimeter length of guitar string for the GPS antenna.
temperature extremes. Believe it or not, we have researched
and found a nuclear battery that does not need charging for
Tracking the Flight
20 years. The problem was that it does not provide the Pico balloonists use both APRS <www.APRS.fi> and WSPR
required current, and the cost is over $2,000. <www.WSPRnet.org> to track their flights. APRS is excel-
lent as the transmission time is very short, and you can
receive minute by minute position reports. However, the
Building the System ARPS range is only about 250 miles from 45,000 feet, and
The antenna system is fundamental, a half-wave 20-meter there are no APRS stations over the ocean or North Africa,
vertical dipole. Putting a 34-foot antenna on the balloon might among other locations. The balloon may not appear for one
seem to be impossible, but it is actually straightforward. As to two weeks using APRS alone. On one of our previous
Photo B. A pico balloon must be launched on a sunny day, as even the tiniest bit of rain can bring it down.

flights, we only used APRS, and it was across WSPR. It is possible to send a still have all our fingers and eyebrows.
silent for two weeks as it crossed the second WSPR transmission containing Helium purchased at party stores is not
Atlantic Ocean, Africa, and the Middle additional data, which matches your call pure and will not fly as high as pure heli-
East. The signal was not received until and sends that data to be decoded and um; however, it will work and provide
it crossed into China and again over converted to a spreadsheet for flight much excitement on the first launch.
Japan. During this time, it was not specifics. A Python script runs on the
known if the balloon was still flying or if ground, pulls information from the Science and Math
it had crashed. WSPR database, converts alpha letters
Weight is another essential item and
Using WSPR eliminates the problem and numbers to real numbers like speed,
plays a massive role in a successful
of “going dark.” Instead of being limited altitude, course, voltage, and more.
flight. Bottom line: The lighter the bet-
to about 250 miles, our little homebrew Then that Python script sends that infor-
ter. When building the balloon and pay-
10-milliwatt tracker has transmitted mation over the internet to APRS, which
load, it is vital to reduce weight in all
16,050 kilometers, or 9,973 miles, giving plots it on the map and provides the spe-
areas. Insulation on a single wire or a
us the capability of getting regular 10- cific data.
couple of extra drops of glue or adhe-
minute tracking nearly anywhere in the
Hydrogen or Helium? sive will add several unwanted grams
world (Photo F). One problem with
to the total weight.
WSPR is that it typically only provides a Altitude is important. Either helium or
There is also a certain amount of sci-
four-digit grid square position (a box sev- hydrogen gas is used to achieve float
ence and math involved in preparing for
eral hundred miles square) and does not altitude. Hydrogen is cheaper than heli-
launch. There are formulas, spread-
provide other needed data, such as alti- um and will take the balloon about 3,000
sheets, calculations, and measure-
tude, speed, and voltage. To fix this feet higher, but a user must take spe-
ments to do for the flight. Many of the
problem, Hans Summers, GØUPL, in- cial precautions when using hydrogen
calculations are in user-friendly, shared
vented a method to get all this data gas, as it is highly flammable. So far, we
spreadsheets. Those sheets consider
and calculate the type gas used, cubic
volume of the balloons, temperature,
free lift, amount of gas for the balloon,
to name a few. Once the numbers are
input, the data will project the altitude
within 100 feet. Our last flight flew at
43,200 feet for 72 days.
Upon launch, the balloon intentional-
ly looks almost empty, so it will reach its
float altitude and not burst as the gas
expands. Using these tools to prepare
the launch will provide the best chance
of a long and successful flight. I almost
forgot two other essential things need-
ed for success: Good luck and a coop-
erating Mother Nature!
Web Resources
Many great weather websites will
enhance the experience as the balloon
makes its way around the world. Since
the altitude and exact position are
known, these websites can show the jet
streams, speed, and actual path.
Storms in the path and height of the
cloud tops are also available on these
websites.
Another great site that plots the bal-
loon’s position on a map is habhub
<http://tracker.habhub.org>, which in-
cludes weather overlays. Habhub has a
feature to turn on the path traveled and
a travel projection for the next 80 hours.
These predictions are similar to the hur-
ricane models seen on the weather
forecasts. Hysplit, part of NOAA (the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration), provides these very
accurate predictions.
Under the callsign W5KUB-18, our
Photo C. Extreme care must be taken to fill the balloon with precisely enough last balloon circled the earth three
gas to give it the lift it needs while not bursting at its maximum altitude. times. On two occasions, it went into the

Arctic Circle for a week or two. Its final resting place was the day. The Federal Aviation Administration has determined that
Norwegian Sea between Greenland and Norway (Photo G). pico balloons are not a risk and are allowed under FAA 101
Previous launches went down in the Atlantic Ocean, Japan, rules.
China, the Sahara Desert, Spain, Poland, and Romania. Most If you follow those simple rules, you will be okay. You do not
downed balloons are not recoverable, but the SP2KMH need to get a permit, file a flight plan, or anything else. Even
Polish ham club recovered the one that went down in Poland though not required, you should stay away from large metro-
(Photo H). politan areas and busy airports. It is okay to call the tower and
notify them of the launch if close to aircraft activity.
Legality and Safety
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “What Mixing Fun and Education
about an airplane hitting the balloon?”. The sky is a vast place. Pico balloons are becoming very popular in STEM
A ham radio friend has been a commercial pilot for 35 years (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) class-
and has never seen a balloon, not even a weather balloon. es, including for young kids. The kids become excited and
Weather services launch about 1,000 weather balloons each energized as they launch their balloons. During the flight, the
Photo D. The author now builds his own trackers, using a

circuit from a ham in Romania (YO3ICT) and his binocular Photo E. Some of the tracker’s components are so small
microscope for the tiny surface-mount components. that they can barely be seen at the tip of these tweezers.
Photo F. WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) map showing stations across North America that received the bea-
con transmission from the W5KUB-18 balloon.

Photo G. Tracking map of W5KUB-18 as it made three trips around the world before finally coming down in the
Norwegian Sea.
kids are glued to their computers, watching the journey. As

they follow, they learn things such as geography, famous
landmarks, weather patterns, jet streams, science, electron-
ics, and they gain the knowledge of combining radio, com-
puters, and the internet to monitor their worldly flights. These
kids may choose to become astronauts or pilots, or maybe
meteorologists, never forgetting their experiences as children.
You Can Do It!

Hundreds of people have expressed interest in launching
their own balloon. My recommendations are the following:
(1) Purchase an already built tracker.
(2) Begin with one of the inexpensive balloons, using heli-
um party gas, which is safer. It is possible to go around the
world with that configuration.
(3) Furthermore, and most importantly, you will need luck
and Mother Nature on your side.
Our experience has shown that one out of every 10 launch-
es will make it around the world. Be prepared to be persis-
tent. Do not give up. We launched nine flights before we made
it around the world.
By starting this way, you will have some fun, gain some
experience, and then will be ready to move on to bigger and
better flights.
Photo H. One of Tom’s balloons was recovered by a group For more information on our balloons and other amateur
of hams in Poland! radio activities, please visit <www.W5KUB.com>.

If you’ve used a (lower-case) hex beam antenna, you may not know that it
started out as the (upper-case) HEX-BEAM® antenna, designed, built and sold
by Traffie Technologies. While Mike Traffie, N1HXA, has retired from the business,
he’s still studying and discovering new things about his antenna design.
The HEX-BEAM® Revisited

BY MIKE TRAFFIE,* N1HXA
he HEX-BEAM® began with a creative spark based on
T the snowflake, which also has six sides, forms flat, and
forms from the middle out (Photo A)1,2,3. The first HEX-
BEAM® contact was with Tom Christian, VR6TC, on 15
meters during a big pile up on April 22nd, 1992 (Photo B).
The band was just closing when Tom answered and I was
stunned. I was more than stunned, it was an unforgettable
experience.
Many versions of hexagonal beams have been introduced
since the introduction of the HEX-BEAM® with most, if not
all, using a “U-shaped” reflector. Unfortunately, the priorities
have changed from maximum performance and high Q to
achieving broadband performance that takes away from the
advantages of the original HEX-BEAM® with its two “W” ele-
ments. For the greatest signal strength at the receiving sta-
tion, we do not need a broadband design but rather an anten-
na design optimized for narrowband and maximum field
focusing ability.
In our own field tests, and those of many others, it was
observed that the HEX-BEAM® consistently compared well
with a 3-4 element Yagi-Uda in actual operation even though
it is much smaller and has only two elements. About 20 years
ago, we built a 3-element, 17-meter Yagi-Uda whose design
was verified by a professional antenna designer for a major
manufacturer. The HEX-BEAM® and the 17-meter Yagi-Uda
were mounted on towers at the same height and at nearby
locations. The same length of feedline from each antenna
was used to attach to an antenna switch to allow an “A/B”
comparison. Over a period of some weeks, numerous QSOs
were made in Europe, the West Coast of the U.S., and some
other DX locations. During the QSOs, the DX operator was
asked to compare the two antennas and answer if A or B
was the better or about the same, with the Yagi-Uda and
HEX-BEAM® randomly changing designations between Photo A. The HEX-BEAM® antenna has six sides, forms
QSOs. Independent analysis of the log data indicated that flat, and forms from the middle out. (Photos courtesy of the
about 30% of the time the antennas were determined to be author)
about the same, about 30% of the time the Yagi-Uda was
considered to be better, and about 40% of the time the HEX- HEX-BEAM® are very flat and very intense. There is a deep
BEAM® was thought to be better. How can this be? null in the element plane separating an upper component
and a lower component in each of the two elements. It is
Differences in Field Intensity important to note that we find four components in a two-ele-
With the HEX-BEAM®, the field intensity is increased by its ment antenna. Current balance in the array is accomplished
configuration at the signal source instead of adding multiple by coupling of the element ends. With the proper remote tun-
diffused fields on a boom like is done for a typical Yagi-Uda. ing (i.e., focusing) on a fixed location on the globe, maximum
The fields produced by the two W-shaped elements of the gain and front-to-back ratio are achieved. Also, nulls well in
excess of 100 dB are possible. The nulls can be steered and
the takeoff angle can be varied without changing height
* c/o CQ magazine above ground.

Photo B. The first QSO on the first HEX-BEAM® was with
Tom Christian, VR6TC, on Pitcairn Island.
In January 1993, we experimented with a remotely tun-

able HEX-BEAM® for the 10-meter band. The results were
exciting and created motivation for further investigation of
remote tuning of the HEX-BEAM®. During May 1994, we
built a HEX-BEAM® for the 40-meter band that had step-
ping motors to allow adjustment of the electrical length of
the reflector and independent changing of the tip spacing
being fed from a spool. It was observed that the takeoff
angle could be adjusted as well as the flattening of the field.
Additionally, the F/B ratio and the forward gain could be
controlled using the stepping motors. The inherent null
direction (typically about ±110°) was also found to be con-
trollable and with an adjustable attenuation depth reaching
a remarkable 100 dB or more. Although we learned a great
deal about the behavior of the HEX-BEAM®, the cost and
complexity of commercially manufacturing such an anten-
na system for the amateur radio marketplace was imprac-
tical at that time. It is noted that some decade and a half
later, SteppIR, Inc. developed a Yagi-Uda-like remotely tun-
able beam antenna suite that uses a system configuration
which incorporates stepper motors to change the element Photo C. Flattened fields permit close stacking of HEX-
lengths. Their patent was filed in 2011 and awarded in 2015 BEAM® antennas. This photo shows a stacked pair of 5-ban-
(USP 8,963,560 B2). ders with a 40-meter HEX-BEAM® in between.
Achieving Optimum Performance the intense flattened fields allow close stacking of five
The answer to achieving optimum performance lies in the monobanders in about 3 feet fed with a single feed line
utilization of these intense fields and critical coupling in a nar- (Photo C).
row-band HEX-BEAM® that is tuned for existing conditions.
The antenna is first tuned for maximum F/B on the signal More to Learn
source with stepping motors as was done on our 40-meter I was going to use the title “The HEX-BEAM ... The Rest of
version. Then it is rotated 180°. As mentioned earlier, best the Story” for this article, but I realize after these years of
gain and maximum F/B are co-incident as it should be for working with the HEX-BEAM®, we still remain surprised and
maximum efficiency. The antenna is automatically tuned for amazed. We believe we have just scratched the surface of
best takeoff angle using this technique. If a broad range of the controlled field concept, so we don’t know the “the rest
frequencies is desired, the spreader arms could be hinged of the story.” Where things go from here remains to be seen.
like a backyard patio umbrella and the feed line can be used Having now retired, we are not able to continue the HEX-
to become elements as necessary. BEAM® effort at this time, so our hope is that others would
An additional advantage of the HEX-BEAM® is its surpris- come to see the importance of this approach to beam design,
ing “quietness” when properly tuned. We have also noticed take it to the next level and carry on where we left off.
unique advantages such as reduced QSB when working
HEX-BEAM® to HEX-BEAM®. Chuck Brady [N4BQW (SK) NOTES:
and 3YØC] used a HEX-BEAM on Bouvet Island and we 1. Mike Traffie, N1HXA (Spring 1996). “Miniature Antennas”.
communicated frequently with him, noting that we had HEX- Communications Quarterly (Spring 1996): 99.
BEAM®s at 42 and 90 feet. Depending upon conditions, one 2. Lew McCoy, “The Five-Band HEX BEAM”. CQ Amateur Radio (April
of these antennas would almost always allow us to hold our 2000, p. 30-33).
QSOs when no other stations were able to hear him. Also, 3 Mike Traffie “The HEX-BEAM” Electric Radio, (Sept. 1994)

A single-sideband signal with poorly adjusted audio sounds bad, creates
interference on adjacent frequencies, and might even result in out-of-band
splatter and harmonics. Here’s a primer on how to make your signal crystal clear
and focus most of your voice energy where it can do the most good.
How’s My Audio?
BY GEORGE WAGNER,* K5KG AND LU ROMERO,# W4LT
his article is for the new ham who to engaging in an extended phone radio’s menu. I recommend they get on
T likes to work phone but is uncer-

tain of how to set up a radio’s
audio controls, and for the seasoned
transmission, I suggest asking on the
air, “How’s my audio?” Responses will
vary, such as “it sounds terrific” or
the air with a local ham who can give
them feedback on the quality of their
audio as mic gain, compression, and
operator who may be unaware of the maybe “you’re driving your audio too equalization adjustments are made.
quality of his or her transmitted audio. hard,” “it’s too hot,” “terrible,” “distort- At this point, let us dive into some of
This piece addresses the problem of ed,” etc. Any negative responses need the more technical aspects of trans-
poor “transmit audio” and what to do to be investigated. ceiver audio, and see what can be done
about it. Whether it is in a contest or casual to correct problems with it. My co-
Let’s focus on stations with distorted operating, if I hear a station with unsat- author, W4LT, tells me “the key to good
audio. Single-sideband (SSB) trans- isfactory audio, I will not hesitate to audio is to make minor incremental
mitters whose audio controls are not point it out to the operator. Most of the improvements and, once you reach a
properly set may contribute to on-the- time, I get a “thank you” since they may level that you are comfortable with,
air interference such as splatter, blast- have not realized they had a problem. DON’T FIX IT!”
ing audio, distorted audio, or even weak If I get a positive response, and I usu-
and feeble audio. ally do, I will suggest they reduce their Audio Dynamic Range
I (K5KG) usually avoid phone con- mic gain and / or compression if their Dynamic range in audio is the ratio of
tests, but I recently worked the ARRL audio is “too hot.” That usually takes the quietest sound to the loudest sound
DX phone contest, and found it to be a care of it. in a signal. A wide dynamic range (high
mixture of both fun and frustration. When “Elmering” or mentoring a ham to low frequencies) is nice in a quiet
What made it fun were the exciting, fast about their transmit audio, I suggest medium like FM broadcasting of classi-
runs and being able to give quick hel- that they first study their radio’s manu- cal music but is unsuitable in SSB trans-
los to friends who called in. Although I al with regard to microphone (mic) set- missions. In amateur radio, we are
much prefer CW contests, I do find tings (bias / no bias), and proper adjust- transmitting into a very noisy medium,
phone contests to be more “person- ment of mic gain and compression and the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) gets
able.” On the downside, what can make using the radio’s ALC (automatic level even worse in contesting, which raises
phone contests agonizing and tiring is control) and compression meter dis- the noise floor to ungodly levels. So,
splatter from adjacent stations, distort- plays. They should also check the audio dynamic range in SSB transmit-
ed or blasting audio, stations with weak transmit equalization settings in the ters should be narrow to concentrate
audio, stations calling off-frequency,
stations using phonetics improperly (or
not at all) and, occasionally, accents
that are difficult to understand. Tuning
in SSB signals properly, using phonet-
ics and understanding different accents
are learned through experience.
Correcting distorted transmit audio,
however, requires adjustments of the
equipment. The bottom line is that there
are many things that can contribute to
making phone contests either enjoy-
able or tiring and difficult to work.
“How’s My Audio?”
So how do you know if your transmitted
audio is causing a problem? First, prior
Figure 1. The frequency spectrum for the human voice is roughly 150 – 4000 Hz,
* Email: <[email protected]> but anything below 300 Hz or above 3000 Hz conveys little information and is
# Email: <[email protected]> essentially wasted energy. (Figures courtesy of the authors)

available transmitter power within range of the voice fre- ALC was designed to manage the current in a power ampli-
quencies that are being transmitted. fier (PA) stage so as to not allow the peaks of the signal to
exceed the current output capability of the amplifier’s power
Human Voice and Bandwidth supply. This happens every so often, and at random. When
The idea in SSB transmissions is to use every watt God gave the ALC senses that an audio peak has consumed more than
you to communicate effectively with the guy or gal you are the current available in the power supply, the circuit then both
working. Early experiments in dynamic range found that most controls the output of the modulating signal and supplies
of the intelligibility in the human voice is found in the 1,200- additional stored current in the capacitors in the circuit. At
Hz to 2,500-Hz range with consonants. Consonants are rich the same time, this circuit supplies a DC voltage that can be
in harmonics, which is necessary for understanding the spo- fed to an external RF power amplifier to adjust its level in the
ken word over the air. same way as the exciter (transmitter, if using an external
Vowels, on the other hand, have the most energy of any power amplifier) did — although feeding ALC to an external
part of human speech, and they carry most of the “informa- amplifier is highly discouraged for reasons discussed below.
tion” of a language (the sounds that determine what you are ALC functions like a speech compressor does, but it is too
“trying to say”). These are found in human speech from 350 slow to follow signals that have compressed dynamic range,
Hz to 2,000 Hz (see Figure 1). that is, a signal that is “processed” by a speech compressor
Anything below 300 Hz or above 3,000 Hz is wasted ener- that has more peaks and fewer valleys. Consequently, attempt-
gy. Unfortunately, the low-frequency part of the spectrum has ing to use ALC to act as a compressor defeats the purpose of
more power than the high end of the spectrum. In the human ALC and creates distortion as the ALC circuitry is not fast
voice, power decreases as frequency increases, which leads enough to adjust to more densely modulated audio signals.
to a loss of power at the higher frequencies where it is need- There is no industry standard for the level or polarity of ALC
ed for intelligibility. So how do we fix that? DC voltage. Different manufacturers have implemented the
feature in their own unique ways. Typically, ALC is a nega-
Equalization and Compression tive DC voltage, but in some transceivers or amplifiers, it is
positive. For this reason, the only place that ALC should be
Equalization is used to remove frequencies below 300 Hz used to control an RF signal is within the exciter.
and above 3,000 Hz, and to flatten the voice frequency spec- Feeding an ALC voltage from a transceiver to an external
trum to maximize audio power by placing rising emphasis on amplifier, especially one that may or may not adhere to the
the areas that carry the most intelligibility — 1,200 to 2,500 voltage reference used by the exciter manufacturer, is adding
Hz (see Figure 2). yet another variable to the RF signal and may cause more
Following equalization, speech compression is applied to harm than good. We must assume that if the exciter is “lin-
reduce the dynamic range of the signal by raising the lower- ear,” the amplifier will be as well, and adding the ALC con-
power parts of the content and lowering the high-power parts trol voltage from a transceiver to an external amplifier may
of the content. This allows as much of the transmitter power introduce unexpected results.
as possible to move intelligible information efficiently for a ALC is a feature that is often misunderstood, as some oper-
given transmitter power output level. ators tend to increase mic gain and push the ALC reading
past its designed optimum level. The more the ALC is pushed
ALC (increased) to compress a signal, the less available current
Automatic level control (ALC) is a feature that has been is in the PA’s capacitors and the greater chance there is to
included in just about every transmitter and transceiver built run out of current and clip the signal peaks. This, in turn, will
since the mid-1950s. It was designed by Collins Radio for cause harmonics that will that widen the transmitted band-
the company’s KWM series, and the idea was so good that width, thereby creating distortion (splatter) and making you
it became a de-facto standard across the industry. a “bad neighbor” on the band.
Figure 2. Results of processing a voice signal. The image on the left is an off-air audio waveform, while the image to the
right graphs voice power vs. the audio spectrum.

As mentioned above, ALC controls the amount of signal and better to overcome the natural (and unnatural) noise that
going to the PA. This can be the final amplifier in the trans- exists on the band.
ceiver, or to an external PA connected with an ALC line. While solid-state amplifiers are rapidly gaining popularity,
Connecting ALC from the amplifier to a transceiver is highly there are still many tube amplifiers on the air today. Since
discouraged for two reasons. First, using ALC to control the amplifiers are usually the last thing a ham purchases and the
power output of an external PA can cause distortion if the last thing he replaces, tube amps are likely to be used well
ALC level is set too high and, second, different ALC DC volt- into the future.
age levels or polarity (±) can cause unexpected results. One of the most popular types of tube amplifiers is the
grounded grid amplifier. In grounded grid amps, keeping an
eye on grid current and not letting it go past its design limit
Linearity and Amplifiers on peaks will result in a clean signal. Too much exciter power
Linearity is the property of a relationship that can be repre- drives up the grid current, which in turn causes clipping and,
sented by a straight line. As an example, linearity in an therefore, distortion. This is a common causes of SSB splat-
amplifier is the property that the output signal strength will ter. The result is a wider signal due to the added harmonics
vary in direct proportion to the strength of the input signal. from the clipping. The exciter’s signal is no longer a sine wave
Most modern rigs with solid-state finals are very linear. With since its peaks are clipped by the overload condition. And,
the proliferation of broadband tuned solid-state amplifiers, as we know, clipping a peak is distorting a signal.
if the exciter is linear, the external power amplifier will like- It is our hope that this article has provided some answers
ly be as well. of how to manage transmitted audio. There are many great
Linearity in the amplifier stages of a PA is important for sev- articles out there that discuss this, and it is highly recom-
eral reasons. The most salient reason is that the more linear mended that that you search them out. A few excellent ref-
the amplification (linear being “a faithful reproduction of the erences are shown below. You should become intimately
original signal”), the “cleaner” the transmitted wave will be. familiar with your equipment’s manual, and you may even
In other words, a “clean” signal — one lacking intermodula- wish to join an email reflector that brings together like-mind-
tion distortion products that are produced anytime a complex ed operators with similar transceivers and amplifiers.
audio waveform is modulated into RF — will be easier to copy Now, how’s my audio?
References:
“ALC Exciter Power Overshoot,” by W8JI: <https://tinyurl.com/y5o9jemj>
“ALC Adjustment Procedure,” by KØBG: <https://tinyurl.com/y5dfcf9b>
“Never Apply Positive Voltage to the Rear-Panel ALC Jack!” (of an ICOM transceiver), by VA7OJ/AB4OJ: <https://tinyurl.com/y4647nt7>
“How to Use an ALC Meter,” by AE7PD: <https://tinyurl.com/y3zgdhgt>

It was a well-known fact, especially back in the days of discrete components,
that each of those components contained a certain amount of smoke,
which was essential to their functioning. Your goal, particularly as a new ham,
was to keep that smoke inside the components. K8HSY reminisces on a
less-than-successful effort…
The Day I let the Smoke Out!

BY DR. RON MILLIMAN,* K8HSY
ack in 1957, my buddy Don, KN8OEY, and I were a
B couple of goofy kids, just getting into ham radio and

willing to try anything. We built my first transmitter fol-
lowing the plans given in the Radio Amateur’s Handbook.
It was a little two-tube oscillator rig that lots of us got start-
ed with in those days; it used a 5Y3 rectifier and a 6V6 oscil-
lator and was crystal controlled. It put out maybe 15 watts
if we were lucky. Then, we made the big trip to Fair Radio
in Lima, Ohio, and loaded up Don’s Willies with WWII sur-
plus gear … Command sets/ARC5s, BC-454s, BC-455s,
BC-457s, BC-459s, and even a couple of BC-348s and an
ART-13.
Then, we experimented with all kinds of antennas; even
some crazy things like window screens, bed springs, and the
gutter that went around my parents’ house. We brought the
feedline, just a single wire, into my bedroom going through
the window and to a knife switch which we used to switch
the antenna from the receiver to the transmitter and back
again. Nothing worked all that well, but it was good enough
for us; after all, we were just kids and had nothing to com- not too hard to construct. We thought we were following
pare anything with. the plans we found in one of the ham publications, and
strung it up in the front yard. Well, evidently, we did some-
Into the Big Leagues thing wrong.
OK, finally I saved up enough from the various jobs I was I was so excited to connect the new Zepp antenna to my
doing to earn money to move into the big leagues. Well, rig and give it a try. I started dipping and loading my DX-40,
it was big leagues to us. I purchased a used Heathkit DX- tuning it up. It acted a little strangely, but I didn’t think much
40 from Purchase Radio Supply in Angola, Indiana. Now, about it. After all, it was a different antenna, and I expected
I was putting out some serious RF, a full 75 watts input it to load up a little differently.
on CW! However, it was a struggle trying to separate out
the signals using my Hallicrafters S-38D general cover- “CQ, CQ, CQ, de KN8HSY, KN8HSY dah dit dah”
age shortwave receiver or the ARC5 Command Set
receivers. Saying the selectivity was poor was a gross A KN9 came back to me, and I was so excited. It seemed
understatement. like my new Zepp antenna was working just great. We got
My parents heard me complain about hearing five stations into a pretty long QSO, and I noticed during one of my long
all on top of each other, and my not being able to tell who transmissions that something was smelling strange, like
was calling me and who was calling someone else. Much to something was getting a little hot. Then, suddenly right in the
my total shock, the first Christmas after I got my Novice tick- middle of my next long transmission, all hell broke loose! I
et, my parents gave me a Hallicrafters SX-71 receiver. heard sparks and smelled lots of smoke. It was my DX-40
Compared to what I was using, that SX-71 was at least a 12 ... literally burning up!
on a scale of 10! The heavy smoke, that terrible electrical smell, wafted
throughout the entire house. I opened the windows, but I just
Time for a Serious Antenna couldn’t get rid of the pungent odor.
Now, it was time to put up a more serious antenna. Don Oh, no, Mom and Dad were coming home from work; they
and I decided to try a Zepp antenna. We really didn’t know were pulling into the garage. Then, I heard the back door
what a Zepp antenna was, but it sounded interesting and open, and my Dad no more got into the house, and I heard
him yell:
“What is that terrible smell? Ronnie, what in the hell have
*Email: <[email protected]> you done this time?”

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course, it helped that my Mom sprayed
deodorizers all over the place every so
often for the next several days. And,
once my Dad settled down, he actually
agreed to take me over to Heathkit in
Benton Harbor to have them look at my
DX-40 to see if it was salvageable.
Lesson Learned
I told the fellow at Heathkit what hap-
pened as best as I could since I wasn’t
really sure what happened myself. He
was really nice about it. He sat my DX-
40 on the bench and opened it up. He
took one look and chuckled. He said:
“I’ll bet I know what you did. You said
that you were using a new antenna.
So, what was the SWR on that new
antenna?”
I responded by saying: “SWR? What
do you mean SWR? I have no idea what
SWR is.”
That was when I learned about stand-
ing wave ratio, what it was, what could
happen if it were too high, and how, evi-
dently, the SWR on my new Zepp
antenna was so high that it created too
much heat in the tank coil of the output
tuning circuit. He explained that when
that happened, it caused the insulating
material used to separate the windings
on the output tank circuit coil to melt,
shorting out the tank coil, which, in turn,
took out several other parts going back
to the power supply.
It didn’t seem like it took him very long
to replace the burned-up tank coil and
other parts and get my DX-40 opera-
tional again. Oh, it still smelled pretty
bad, but there wasn’t anything he could
do about that. He checked it out, canned
it back up, and said: “I think you have
had your first lesson about the impor-
tance of SWR, and why you want to
keep it as low as possible, like below 2
to 1 and as close to 1 to 1 if you can.”
So, that was the day I let the smoke
out of my DX-40! It is a lesson I’ve never
forgotten.

MATH’S NOTES
BY IRWIN MATH,* WA2NDM
Another Chance at THz Experimentation
rom time to time, we have tried to present various devices are, relatively speaking, still far from being narrow
F thoughts, ideas, and even some circuitry regarding

possible new areas for experimentation by technical-
ly inclined amateurs. One of our favorites has been optical
band and the bandwidth of these sources alone are very
wide. So far, stable ultra-narrow bandwidths of light are not
easy to come by.
or THz transmission. While we have received numerous If one considers the normal channel width of an amateur
emails with various comments, we have not personally SSB signal, for example, this usually takes up around 3 to
heard from actual experimenters in this area to any great 6 kHz. Imagine how many 6-kHz channels you could fit into
degree and we feel that this is a mistake. As I have said a 500-THz wide channel (500 x 1012 Hz)! Exactly how to do
many times in the past, early experimenters in radio, begin- this is where the experimenter can potentially make signif-
ning with Loomis, Hertz, Branly, Tesla, Marconi, etc., all icant contributions. While it is obviously difficult for an exper-
started out with very basic crude equipment but did prove imenter to design and fabricate LEDs or lasers, perhaps
that wireless communication was possible and eventually there are other methods not previously considered. Many
we wound up with full-color high-definition pictures from sources of white light exist. Could exotic optical filters be
outer space. This, I feel is where optical transmission tech- developed to filter what is wanted? Or could light sources
niques (at least from an amateur’s point of view) are today. such as arc lamps, various gas discharge tubes or some-
But don’t underestimate amateurs. Sometimes not being an thing even more extreme be developed? If you think “out of
“expert” in a field allows one to try things that “could not pos- the box” perhaps something unique, or even something obvi-
sibly work” but somehow do. ous will turn up.
THz Basics On the Receive Side

To refresh your memory, a portion of the terahertz (THz) The same goes for the receiving end. Photodiodes are com-
region of the electromagnetic spectrum contains visible light monly used to detect light, but they are also use a very wide
(which is really just electromagnetic radiation that we can band. A simple silicon photodiode, for example, covers the
happen to see). For reference, this visible portion extends entire visible region as well as many hundreds of THz (opti-
from red (which is at a wavelength of around 700 nanome- cally) above and below it. Maybe filters here are the answer,
ters and a frequency of around 426 THz) to blue (which is at as well, or maybe something even more exotic. Who would
a wavelength of around 400 nanometers or around 743 THz). have thought, in 1875, that a carbon filament light bulb with
I suggest these since it is much easier to work with signals a metal plate in it, originally intended to prevent early incan-
you can actually see. Note: The wavelengths and frequen- descent lamps from darkening prematurely, would become
cies I just mentioned are approximate values and if you want a super RF detector, easily surpassing the coherer and var-
to specifically calculate them, you can certainly do so, but ious other exotic schemes being developed at the time? If
the point here is to indicate that they are well within the THz Edison had only paid a little more attention to it, the entire
region and can be experimented with. electronics industry could have been years ahead. I hope
you get the point.
THz Transmitters
For transmitters, various LEDs and laser diodes exist which Distance
can be used for CW (digital) or voice experimentation by The other major area is communication distances. THz trans-
being turned on and off or modulated with AM, various pulse missions are line of sight … as far as we know so far. Just
techniques and the like for audio. Current digital modulation like UHF and microwave distances, they are severely limit-
techniques exist well into the millions of pulses per second ed without a direct unobstructed path, but are there other
and analog modulation techniques exist well into and well ways? Could you perhaps bounce light signals off some
beyond high-definition analog video transmissions. These unknown layer of the atmosphere or even clouds to extend
techniques are commonly used in various fiber-optic trans- range? I know some of this sounds crazy but I have a col-
mission systems and can be easily researched by those inter- lege textbook from 1890 that mentions Hertzian waves but
ested. What is lacking, however, is long-distance free-air also indicates there is probably no real practical application
transmissions and the refinement of the extremely wide fre- for them.
quency range available. The aforementioned is concerned with the optical portion
Today’s optical (THz) technology consists of varying the of the THz spectrum but keep in mind that it does not end
different light sources I just mentioned, but like the efforts of here. In theory, the spectrum increases infinitely with no con-
spark-coil amateur experimenters at the start of the 20th cen- ceivable end and who knows what lies there? It also extends
tury, when entire “swaths” of frequencies were turned on and downward, eventually into the microwave region, after pass-
off, real meaningful selectivity was slow to come. Today in ing through the infrared region. As in the case of amateurs
the THz region, like the spark coil, turning LEDs or a laser over 100 years ago, the “200 meters and down” region was
on and off still switches large amounts of bandwidth. These not originally used by the “professionals” at the time and was
left for us “amateurs.” The rest, of course, is history.
*c/o CQ magazine – 73, WA2NDM, Irwin

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Phone 516-681-2922 • FAX 516-681-2926 http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
THE LISTENING POST
BY GERRY DEXTER
COVID-19 Continues Taking Its Toll on Shortwave Broadcasters
~ It seems I stepped off the curb too

soon a month or so back when I did an
obit for Radio Pilipinas. The station is
back. It’s now on via U.S. government
transmitters in the Philippines. The
false alarm was caused by COVID-19.
(I keep wondering what happened to
COVID 1-18 –GLD)
~ Radio Tarma (4775 kHz) in Tarma,

Peru, has cut back its schedule due to
the economic effects of the COVID-19.
Tarma now operates from 1100-1400
UTC and again at 2200-0000 UTC, its
500 watts were fairly well heard in the
evenings.
~ Iran International TV is now sup-

posedly being relayed by Armenia on
11570 kHz in Farsi from 0400-1200
UTC and on 11550 kHz at 1200-1400
UTC, also in Farsi with both via the
Yerevan site. IIT is a London-based Radio Nacional Arcangel is much in the shortwave news but is seldom in logs.
“independent” news service. LRA36 is in Argentine Antarctica.
~ Radio 208 is another shortwave out- ~ New Guinea’s Radio Fly from Port address, and email then into contempo-
let based in Denmark. It’s recently Moresby is back. It was using 3915 kHz rary Christian music. (Taylor, WI)
opened on 5805 kHz with a U.S.-made and 5960 kHz. If you hear the station, it ALGERIA—R Radio Algerienne, 6050 via
250-watt transmitter which did not do would be in the very early mornings. France at *0358 with a man talking in
the job and so was replaced by a trans- Arabic, station ID, English station ID, and
mitter built in the UK, now operating with the sequence repeated. (D’Angelo. PA)
~ Radio Vanuatu is much in the news
under 200 watts from the Copenhagen 9655 at 2011 in Arabic. (Brossell, WI)
of late. It’s being heard on its third har-
suburb of Hvidovre. 13820 via France at 1835 with an inter-
monic in the 25-meter band on 11835
kHz. One has to wonder how long this view in French, switched back to Arabic
~ Another newish Northern European can continue, hopefully for quite a while!
at 1845. (Taylor, WI)
broadcaster is Radio Northern Star ASCENCION—B BBC Relay-English Bay,
from Bergan, Norway, on 5895 kHz 5875 at 0657 in Hausa, with woman speak-
from 1300-2200 UTC. Curious that Readers’ Logs ing then a man spoke and gave several
many of those countries which once had Your shortwave broadcast station logs mentions of BBC; off at 0700. (Taylor, WI)
major international voices have seen are always welcome. But please ensure AUSTRIA—A Adventist World Radio,
stirrings from private broadcasters eye- to double or triple space between the 9630 via Moosbrunn in Hausa at 0512
ing to replace them. logs, list each according to the station’s with an African song, then a preacher or
home country and include your last an educational feature. (Taylor, WI)
name and state abbreviation after each. BRAZIL—(All in Portuguese –GLD)
~ The German broadcaster Missions-
Also needed are copies of QSLs, sta- Radio Difusora Roraima, Boa Vista, (p)
werk has ended its shortwave broad-
tion schedules, brochures, pennants, 4875 excited talk from a man at 0121, pos-
casts via Nauen, Germany. The Russian sibly soccer play-by-play. (Taylor, WI)
airings lasted for some 16 years. station and / or shack photos and any-
thing else you think would be of inter- Voz Missionaria, Camboriu, 5939.6 at
2358 with a female preacher. Wiped out
~ The Cross Radio, formerly active est. The same holds for you amateur
by WWCR sign on 5930. (Taylor, WI)
from Pohnpei, Micronesia, on 41 radio operators who also listen to short- Radio Nacional Brasilia, 11780, with
meters won’t be back on shortwave wave broadcasts ... I know you’re out station ID at 1929. (Brossell, WI)
after Typhoon Dolphin wiped out the there! You, too, are also most welcome CANADA—B Bible Voice Broadcasting,
station some years ago. It’s little con- to contribute. C’mon, I don’t bite! 5900 via Moosbrunn, Austria at *0256-
solation to us, but their FM station still Here are this month’s logs. All times 0330* “overcoming” Overcoming Ministry
operates. are in UTC. If no language is mentioned with an Arabic program which was repeat-
English is assumed. ed at 0315. (D’Angelo, PA) 15310 via
ALASKA—K KNLS, Anchor Point, 9795 Nauen, Germany in Amharic at 1653.
*c/o CQ magazine at 1215 ending English with station ID, (Brossell, WI)

CHINA—C
China Radio International, 6145, Qinghai at 1057
in Mandarin with two streams of talk, both stopped at same time
and returned, then back after 30 seconds and into chatty woman;
11780, Kunming at in Burmese at 1446; 11935, Shiajiazhuang
at 1252 in Russian; 11990, Nanning at 2336 in Cambodian.
(Brossell, WI) 11640 via Mali at 2102 with news in English end-
ing at 2105, then a feature on COVID-19. Off at 2130 in Mandarin.
(D’Angelo, PA)
CNR-8, 11810, Beijing at 0021 with two men speaking in
Mongolian with music bridges. (Taylor, WI)
PBS Xinjiang, 5960, Changgi at 1201 in Mandarin with possi-
ble news; 6145, possibly from Xining in Mandarin with Chinese
ballads and male announcer at 1104. (Taylor, WI)
Voice of the Strait, 4900, Fuzhou at 1121 with Chinese bal-
lads and male announcer. (Taylor, WI)
China Huayi Broadcasting Corp., 6185, Fuzhou at 1215 in
Mandarin with animated woman speaking, then another, slow-
er-paced woman then into a seeming radio drama. (Taylor, WI) Radio Republik, Indonesia’s regional outlet at Makassar
Firedrake jammer, 6105 at 1123 with the usual loop against (Sulawesi), relays the Voice of Indonesia on 7295 kHz.
RTI. (Taylor, WI)
CUBA—R Radio Havana Cuba, 9630 in Spanish at 2258 jock- FRANCE—R RFI, 11700, Issoudun at 0430 with news in French.
eying with KBS for control of the frequency, station ID at 2300. (Sellers, ON)
(Figliozzi, NY) GERMANY—D Deutsche Welle, 15200 via France with talks in
ECUADOR—H HCJB / Radio Mufriha in Hassinya at 2210. Hausa at 1820. (Brossell, WI) 15215 via France at 1851-1859*
(Brossell, WI) with man and woman speaking in Hausa, instrumental music,
ENGLAND—B BBC, 5930 via Moosbrunn, Austria at 0046 in man giving station ID, and closing. (D’Angelo, PA)
Dari, news with correspondent reports; 9410-Woofferton at 0502 GREECE—V Voice of Greece, 9420, Avlis at 0230 with Greek
with news; 11810.1, Woofferton at 2111 in English. (Taylor, WI; music, multiple station IDs. (Barton, AZ)
Sellers, BC) 11875, Oman Relay at 0341 with man speaking in GUATEMALA—R Radio Verdad, Chiquimula, 4055 at 0124 with
Farsi, various announcements, station ID, into woman reading religious talk in Spanish and instrumental music. (Barton, AZ)
the news at 0400. (D’Angelo, PA) Hymns in Spanish at 0248. (Brossell, WI)
ESWANTINI—T Trans World Radio, Manzini, 9940 at 2002 in GUINEA—R Radio TV Guineenne, Conakry, 9650 at 2023 with
Lingalia. (Brossell, WI) drums, flutes, and French talks. (Brossell, WI)

INDIA—A All India Radio, 11560 at 0203 in Arabic at 0213 with
familiar IS at 0215, man beginning program, into news at 0220,
followed by music at 0230. (D’Angelo, PA)
IRAN—V VOIRI, 7410 in Arabic at 0203. (Brossell, WI)
JAPAN—N NHK-Radio Japan, 6090, Yamata at 1959 in Korean
with IS, station ID, time pip, man giving an announcement, and
fanfare. (Taylor, WI) 11970 via France in English at 0045 with a
guest economist. (Sellers, ON)
Radio Nikkei One, 3920, Nagara at 1153, man speaking at
length in Japanese. (Taylor, LFP)
MADAGASCAR—W World Christian Broadcasting, 11610,
Majahanga at 2100 with station IDs before opening in Mandarin.
(D’Angelo, PA)
Madagascar World Voice / Radio Feda, 11965 at 1906 with
Arabic talks. (Brossell, WI)
MALI—R RTV Malienne, Bamako, 2355-2359* with man speak-
ing in French, then a vocal to close. (D’Angelo, PA) 2346 in local
Bambara with Afropop music. (Taylor, WI) Also seldom heard is the low powered Chilean Radio Triunfal
MEXICO—R Radio Educacion, Mexico D.F., 6185 at 0910 with Evangelica on 5825 kHz.
Greek folk music, Spanish announcer, station ID at 1000 fol-
lowed by marimba music. (Barton, AZ)
NEW ZEALAND—R Radio New Zealand, 5945 at 1045 in Tok
Pisin. (Taylor, WI) 9700, Rangitaiki at 0507 into “Checkpoint”
news program. (Sellers, BC) 11840 at 2110 with “ Dateline Radio”
program. (Barton, AZ) 13840 at 0400 with news. (D’Angelo, PA)
NIGERIA—V Voice of Nigeria, 7255, possibly from Abuja at 0652
with Afropop music, man with music bridge, man with excited
talks. (Taylor, WI) 11770 at 2014 in Hausa at 2014. (Brossell,
WI) 2021-2058*, man with long talk and messed up audio, light
instrumental music to close. (D’Angelo, PA)
NORTH KOREA—V Voice of Korea, 9435 at 1302, ending NA
into DPRK opera, 9665 possibly in Korean at 1149 with orches-
tral music and opera. (Taylor, WI) 9875 at 2314 with man and
woman speaking in Korean beamed to SE Asia at 2314.
(Figliozzi, NY) 11710 in French at 1438. (Brossell, WI)
KCBS, 3320 at 1040 with patriotic Korean music. (Barton, AZ)
11710 at 1255 with man speaking in Korean under typical NK
Radio Vanuatu has become an international broadcaster,
grind / roar jammer. Were they jamming themselves? (Taylor, WI)
OPPOSITION—R Radio Ndarason International (via Woofferton
by mistake, thanks to a 3rd harmonic, which puts them on
to Chad), 12050 at 1906 with talks in Kanuri, rustic vocal at 1928, 11835 kHz.
station ID, woman hosting talk feature. (D’Angelo, PA)
Echo of Hope (South Korea to North), 6255 at 1120 with bare- 0130 with station ID with rock, brief talk. WDOG, 5060u at 0123
ly audible man speaking in Korean. (Taylor, LFP) with music, dog howls after each song, talk program, more howls.
Voice of Hope (South Korea to North), 3930 at 1037 in Korean, Zeeky’s Attic, 6933u at 0054 with chatter, eclectic music.
//3910 was jammed. (Taylor, WI) Ballsmacker Radio, 6960 at 0104 with mellow music, rock,
Radio Tamajuz (possibly via Vatican to South Sudan), 15310 address for an e-QSL. (Taylor, WI)
at 1403 in with long talks in Sudanese Arabic. (Taylor, LFP) ROMANIA—R Radio Romania International, 11650, Tiganesti at
Eye Radio (via Madagascar to South Sudan), 7340 at *0358 2144-2158* woman speaking in Spanish hosting Spanish ser-
with instrumental open, station ID in Arabic, into English at 0415, vice, station ID at closing followed by IS. (D’Angelo, PA)
back into Arabic at 0430. (D’Angelo, PA) SAO TOME—V VOA Relay-Pinheira, 13590 at 1936 on injus-
Denge Welat (via France to Turkey), 11530 at 2023 in Kurdish. tices in Zimbabwe. (Figliozzi, NY)
(Brossell, WI) 2051-2100* with nice Kurdish vocals to close in SOUTH KOREA—K KBS World Radio, 6015, Hamnijok, woman
mid-song without announcements. (D’Angelo, PA) and man alternating talk in Korean. (Taylor, WI) 9785 with pop
Radio Dap Loi Song Nu (via Taiwan to Vietnam), 9670 (p) at music at 1530, female announcer. (Barton, AZ) 9640 with K-pop
1234 with man talking briefly, then woman talking at length, then music at 2252 against RHC to close at 2300; 15575 at 1300-
man talking at length. (Taylor, WI) 1400 with English to North America, 2 men on social / econom-
Republic of Yemen Radio (Saudi Arabia to Yemen), 11860 at ic conditions there. (Figiiozzi, NY) 15575 at 1417 with news in
2147, man speaking in Arabic, then continuous vocals to anoth- Korean. (Brossell, WI)
er man speaking in Arabic, back to music at 2256. (D’Angelo, PA) SPAIN—R Radio Exterior Espana, 9690 at 2130 Sundays with
PHILIPPINES—F FEBC Radio, 9275, Bocaue, with tuning sig- exotic Ladino for Sephardic Jews, especially good with a pow-
nal to open at 0955 with man speaking in Chinese. (Barton, AZ) erful signal in ECNA. (Figliozzi, NY) 2157-2258* when English
PIRATES—M Mix Radio International, 6930 usb (u) at 0014 with opened at 2200, man talking about flamenco guitar music.
smooth jazz, make announcer. Black Star Radio 6935u with (D’Angelo, PA) 11940, Nobeljas at 2215 with woman speaking
rock, some instrumental music. WILD, 6935u at 0208, rock, stain Spanish. (Barton, AZ)
tion ID, sudden fade at 0212. Damn Skippy, 6950u at 2352 with SRI LANKA—S Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp., 11905,
rock, Grateful Dead, many SSTVs. Sycko Radio, 5150u at 0203 Trincomalee at 0050-0058* with male vocal, female announcer
with talk. Radio Free Mars, 6872.1 weak just at static floor, later speaking in Bengla with closing announcements. (D’Angelo, PA)
piano music. WEED Radio, 6935 at 0045 with rock or rap. Poor SWEDEN—IIBRA Radio, 15260 via Woofferton with man and
but was able to get a station ID. Nuttin’ on Shortwave, 6925u at woman talking in Arabic at 1747. (Taylor, WI)

TAIWAN—R Radio Taiwan International,
9490, Tanshui at 1104 in Russian, man and
woman reading the news. (Taylor, WI)
9555, Kouhu at 1204 with man speaking in
Mandarin at length; not audible with CNR-
1 jammer on 9660 and 9680. (Taylor, WI)
TURKEY—V Voice of Turkey, 7260, Emiler
at 0112-0154 with Turkish vocals, woman
speaking Greek, station ID in several lan-
guages at 2329 to close; 9830, Emiler at
2315-2330* woman speaking Greek, multi-
lingual station ID at 2329. (D’Angelo, PA)
9635, Emirler in French at 2002. (Brossell,
WI) 13635 at 1234 in Turkish. (Taylor, WI)
UNITED STATES—V Voice of America-
Philippines Relay, 15110, Tinang, at 1448
in Mandarin. (Brossell, WI) 15130, Tinang
with man and woman speaking in Mandarin
at 1337; 15165 Thailand Relay in Mandarin,
jammed by CNR at 1343. (Figliozzi, NY)
VOA/Deewa Radio, 12035, Thailand
Relay at 1600 in Pashto possibly with man
reading the news. (Barton, AZ)
Radio Free Asia, 9555, Tadzikistan at
2310 with woman speaking in Tibetan and
CNR-1 jammer; 15275 at 1346 in Tibetan.
(Figliozzi, NY; Taylor, LFP) 15470 at 1356
in Tibetan. (Brossell, WI)
Adventist World Radio, 7385 via Austria
at 0208 in Urdu. (Brossell, WI) 9800 via
Germany in English / Nigerian Pidgin.
Address in Lagos and Abuja at 2126, off
at 2129. (Taylor, WI, D’Angelo, PA)
Radio Farda, 17830, Lampertheim
Relay at 1428 with Farsi music and female
announcer; //12005 via Woofferton.
(Taylor, LFP)
VATICAN—Vatican Radio, 15565 in
Swahili at 1616. (Brossell, WI)
Quien Sabe
Ralph Perry notes an unidentified sta-
tion at around 0330 UTC on 6135 kHz.
Perry said that he heard a woman host-
ing a program with fairly non-descript
music; some HOA, and other African
stuff to 0359 UTC and then closed with-
out an announcement.
Just Sayin’
... Another guy, a highly experienced,
professionally equipped medium wave
DXer, noticed a minute variation in the
frequency of BCB stations prior to the
arrival of an earthquake. I don’t know if
the theory has ever been proven ...
another, a well-known comic, enjoyed
listening to ship-to shore phone calls on
his ICOM I-71 receiver. And so ends this
multi-month excursion.
Thanks for Your Logs

Mark Taylor, Madison, WI and LFP-
Lake Farm Park, near Madison; Rich
D’Angelo, Wyomissing, PA; John
Figliozzi, Half Moon, NY (WELCOME
John!); Rick Barton, Sun City, AZ; and
Bob Brossell, Pewaukee, WI.

KIT BUILDING
BY JOE EISENBERG,* K0NEB
May the Morse Be With You

ith very few in-person hamfests or meetings taking the North Fulton Amateur Radio League sells for $10 and
W place right now, many hams find themselves look-

ing to better their skills for more on-air enjoyment.
Learning and practicing Morse code skills has long been
has a minimal number of parts, yet delivers a great code
oscillator that fits in an Altoids® tin.
When choosing a good kit for a beginner, a few factors
something with which many hams have struggled. I found come in to play. One is a low number of parts, so that if built
two kits that give a great building experience and serve as in a group situation, it can be completed in about an hour.
useful tools for learning CW. Second, it should be simple to use. Third, the layout of the
One of the questions I get asked most often is “what is a PC board should not be so crowded as to make parts place-
great kit for a beginner?” One of the kits I recently built real- ment difficult for a newcomer. The PC board for this kit is
ly fills that need and was designed by Jim Stafford, W4QO, very well labeled on both the top and bottom.
and Warren Merkel, KD4Z. The Morse Code Practice Kit from
NFARL Morse Code Practice Kit
*7133 Yosemite Drive, Lincoln, NE 68507 The NFARL Morse Code Practice Kit uses a combination of
email: <[email protected]> two types of input, a plug-in key jack and a built-in touch key.
NFARL Code Practice Kit parts. There are only 11 parts needed to build this kit.

I have seen touch paddles in keyer kits, device and its volume is regulated by
but this is the first I have seen one used opening or closing the tab taped on top
as a straight key. The touch module is of the piezo device. I left mine com-
a tiny board with surface-mount com- pletely covered, as the oscillator was
ponents that comes pre-assembled, plenty loud.
only requiring a 3-pin terminal to be sol- An issue that often surfaces when
dered to it and then to the main board. selecting a kit for a beginning kit builder
There is also a red LED on the bottom is the quality of the instructions. This kit
of the touch pad that lights up in addi- has very thorough instructions with
tion to the blue LED that lights on the good quality color photos and is orga-
right side of the board whenever the kit nized so only the steps for one part at a
is keyed. The sound comes from a piezo time are on each page. Each page is one
HamTestOnline™ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐĂƌĞ
ϱϬƟŵĞƐŵŽƌĞůŝŬĞůǇƚŽŐŝǀĞƵƐ
ϱƐƚĂƌƐƚŚĂŶƌĞƋƵĞƐƚĂƌĞĨƵŶĚ
ďĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞǇĨĂŝůĞĚĂŶĞǆĂŵ͊
H+DPQHWUHYLHZV
ϴϮϮ
RXWRIVWDUV
VWDU ϴϬϭ
VWDU ϭϴ
VWDU Ϯ
VWDU ϭ
VWDU Ϭ
ĞƐƚƐƚƵĚǇŵĞƚŚŽĚ͕ƐƚƵĚǇŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ͕ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌ
ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͕ĂŶĚŐƵĂƌĂŶƚĞĞŝŶƚŚĞŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͊
www.hamtestonline.com
The Altoids® tin is prepared by drilling four holes corresponding to the holes in Real Hams Do Code
the PC board, then mounting four 4-40 standoffs anchored by screws.
Learn code with hypnosis today.
Download Now!
www.success-is-easy.com
561-302-7731
Success Easy
568 SE Maple Ter.
Port St. Lucie, FL 34983
The completed kit is ready to send Morse code.

A straight key or keyer output can be plugged into the 1/8-inch jack on the left or the red touch pad can be used to key the
oscillator.
part, and the steps are well explained to assist a new builder. the proper bit size to finish the job. I highly suggest down-
The kit comes with a business card sized Morse code chart loading the manual for the kit at nfarl.org to see the thor-
as well as cutout-sized versions printed as part of the manu- oughness of the instructions and to see how this kit is put
al. The suggestion is made in the instructions to use one as a together. Downloading manuals for any kit is a good idea to
bottom insulator between the bottom of the PC board and the see if that kit is a good fit for your building skills.
base of the mint tin. I chose to go a different way, and to first If building this kit as a group kit-building experience, it might
drill holes, then mount the board using four 4-40 hardware be wise to have someone skilled with working with these tins
threaded standoffs. These standoffs hold the board well above pre-drill them and supply the necessary 4-40 hardware to
the bottom of the tin and yet give plenty of headroom for the mount the kit into an Altoids tin. This avoids the logjam at the
top of the kit to fit under the lid. If you don’t have standoffs end of a group experience when everyone needs to drill their
handy, a couple of 4-40 nuts on each bottom screw can pro- tins to mount the board.
vide adequate spacing. I have also used the plastic credit-card To order the NFARL Morse Code Practice Kit, check at
shaped things I get in junk mail as a base insulator for my <www.nfarl.org>. The kit sells for $10 plus shipping and is a
Altoids® projects. In addition to the four holes in the bottom, I great deal if your club wants to group kit-building experience.
had to drill a single hole in the left side to allow a 1/8-inch plug Once the COVID-19 crisis is over, I will be glad to help with
to connect an external key. your group builds of this and other great beginner’s kits.
The Morse Code Practice Kit is powered by a pair of
CR2032 coin cell batteries. These are the same batteries as Morserino 32
in many common remote-control devices, so they are easy The second kit I found was the Morserino32, a kit that comes
to find. Two of these batteries are supplied with the kit. The all the way from Austria. The Morserino32 is an Arduino-
only oddity I found was that, if mounted in an Altoids tin, plac- based kit that pretty much does about anything you might
ing the tin on a metal surface, like a metal table or one of my want in a code trainer / decoder and offers the ability to trans-
cookie sheets, resulted in irregular operation of the touch mit and receive via Lo Ra to another identical unit nearby as
pad. That is because a touch pad is a capacitive device and well as via Wi-Fi though the internet. I will go into more detail
placing the kit on a metal surface changes the behavior of about assembling and using this kit in my next column,
the capacitive sensor. Simply moving it to a wood tabletop Including shipping, the cost of the Morserino32 is about $100
eliminated that issue. U.S. (the exact cost depends on the Euro / USD exchange
Drilling holes in an Altoids tin can be tricky as the metal is rate at the time of purchase.). You can order the Morserino32
very thin. I used a small bit in a Dremel tool to drill the initial at <https://tinyurl.com/yxb4ljd5> and expect it to take 2-3
pilot holes in the tin. I then used a more conventional drill with weeks to arrive. Until next time, 73 de KØNEB

BEST SERVICE. BEST WARRANTY. BEST VALUE. NO ONE BEATS LDG! CONTACT YOUR FAVORITE DEALER TODAY!
Any way you look at an LDG tuner, it functions as a variable impedance transformer. No matter where you place it in the
feedline, it’s just like a balun, unun or any other matching transformer device. Way back in 1944, Phillip H. Smith (of
Smith-Chart fame) wrote about the eight ways to configure an L-type matching circuit for transmitters using one inductor and
one capacitor. Smith wrote in Electronics for Engineers: One of the simplest and most effective impedance transforming
networks for RF applications is the half-section L-type circuit. Those circuits, with the aid of microprocessors and software
control, have been whittled down over the years to the standard LDG “Switched-L Network”.
The tuning range of the typical LDG tuner is about 15 to 1 to favor high impedance (Hi-Z) loads such as dipoles, vertical, end-
fed, ect and about 8 to 1 for less popular low impedance loads (Lo-Z) like loops, folded dipoles, ect. Choosing the components
for the range are critical, as going too far beyond a 10:1 range will cause excess losses to accumulate in the tuner. Using
decades of feedback from our users, LDG has tailored the range in our models to best fit the needs of today’s Ham.
410-586-2177 [email protected] www.ldgelectronics.com

QRP: Low-Power Communications
BY R. SCOTT ROUGHT,* KA8SMA
QRP and POTA … A Perfect Match

for Fun on the Air!
everal months ago, I was tuning across the ham bands
S and heard a station calling “CQ POTA … CQ POTA.”

This was not the first time I had heard a station calling
“CQ POTA” and knew it had something to do with contact-
ing a park, but not much else. As I listened, a steady stream
of hams began making contest-like exchanges with the call-
ing station — “Thanks for calling, you are 58 into park K-
1995, Sycamore State Park in Ohio.”
“Roger, you are 55 into northern Minnesota … thanks for
activating the park, this is a new one for me”.
As I continued to listen, more stations began calling and
eventually a small pileup formed on the frequency. What I
heard next surprised me. The operator at the park indicated
he was using an Elecraft KX2 with 5 watts into an inverted-
V at 25 feet. I could not recall the last time I heard a QRP
station working a pileup. As a QRP operator, I am generally
There are two ways to participate in POTA, either as an
the station on the other side of the pileup, not the one being
activator or as a hunter. Activators set up the portable oper-
sought. A few minutes later, I was online reading about Parks
ation at the park and call CQ. An activation can be set up
on the Air (better known by its acronym POTA) and how I
from a picnic table, campsite, alongside a hiking trail, etc.
could become part of the fun.
You can even operate from your vehicle, if desired. The only
This month we discuss POTA, an on-air program that offers
rule for activating a park is that the operation needs to occur
something for every ham. Whether you want to set up a
inside park boundaries. There are no mode or frequency
portable operation and activate a nearby park, contact parks
restrictions for making POTA contacts, so SSB, CW, AM,
from the leisure of your ham shack, or plan a trip for a multi-
FM, digital, satellite, etc. all count. The only restriction is that
park operation, POTA will keep you busy. The program also
contacts made via a repeater do not count. Also, there are
has a variety of awards that can be earned by making con-
no power limitations as an activator or hunter.
tacts with designated parks or activating parks. Additionally,
Alerting park staff that you are operating from the park is
in QRP Spotlight, our monthly segment dedicated to those
not necessary; however, a friendly chat with personnel on
QRPers who do a little more with less, we feature VK4QS of
your way in is not a bad idea as it may save an interruption
Queensland, Australia. We’ll hear again from VK4QS in
later. I have made several activations and I have been asked
December when we continue our discussion from June’s col-
once what I was doing. When I told the park ranger I am an
umn on the “True Meaning” of QRP and share some of his
amateur radio operator, his eyes lit up and the conversation
thoughts from the land down under.
shifted to stories about how he and his grandfather listened
to Radio Moscow and other shortwave stations in the early
POTA – The Ultimate “on the Air” Program 1980s. After 20 minutes of the ranger reminiscing about the
The purpose of the POTA program is to promote communi- good ol’ days, he walked down the trail to visit with others. It
cations from national and state / province level parks while was a good conversation, but I would rather have been mak-
helping amateur radio operators further develop their skills ing contacts.
and demonstrate our hobby to the public. There are currently One benefit of being an activator is that you will polish your
22,524 parks worldwide that are part of the POTA program. operating skills. You will learn how to manage pileups, refine
More parks are being added all the time and chances are your emergency communications skills and learn how to call
you are not too far from at least one of them. Do not let the CQ if you are new to amateur radio. For me, POTA has helped
“Parks” in POTA fool you as the program also includes many me better learn how to type (log contacts) and talk at the
state and federally listed entities such as fish hatcheries, same time – a skill I have not yet mastered.
wildlife management areas, state game lands, national mon- In addition to activating the park, activators are respon-
uments, designated scenic sites, etc. Within a 1-hour drive sible for uploading their contacts to the POTA website fol-
of my QTH there are 11 entities, three of which are state lowing the activation. POTA will accept any log that is in
parks and the remaining eight are a mix of state fish hatch- ADIF file format. Most ham logging software will export files
eries, wildlife management areas and state game lands. The in this format with the click of a button. POTA will not accept
POTA website <www.parksontheair.com> has a complete paper logs, so be sure to use appropriate software to log
list of registered entities and a user-friendly map showing your contacts, just ensure the software will export your log
each location. as an ADIF file.
If you do not want to go to the effort of being an activator,
hunting can also be fun. POTA has a unique spotting net-
*<[email protected]> work that aids hunters in knowing when a ham may be acti-

vating a park and helps activators let check the scheduler for upcoming acti- the world know I am on the air. If I have
hunters know when they are on the air. vations. There is also a spotting feature a cellular connection, I use my cell
The spotting network also contains a that can be used by activators to “self- phone to self-spot my operation on
scheduling tool that can be populated spot” when they begin an activation or POTA’s website and within minutes I
by activators with information regarding for a hunter to post a spot for an acti- have a slew of hams lining up to con-
their planned activation dates, park vator after they make a contact. tact me. When I do not have a cellular
location, frequencies, and times when When activating a park, I find the spot- connection (this happens when I am
they will likely be on the air. Hunters can ting network to be a valuable tool to let camping out in the boonies), I simply
ask hams to spot me on DX Summit or
one of the other spotting networks prior
to ending the contact. Either way, be
sure you have something to drink and
a snack on hand because after you have
been spotted you will likely be on the air
for a while.
Awards Galore
If you like collecting certificates and
earning awards, POTA has many to
offer in recognition of your dedication to
the program. There are several cate-
gories of awards including the number
of parks activated or successfully hunt-
ed, successfully hunting or activating
parks in all 50 states, activating multi-
ple parks in one day, activating or hunt-
ing the same park 20 times or more, and
so on. The bronze award is earned by
contacting 10 different parks as a hunter
or activating 10 different parks (as an
activator) and is generally the first
award earned. After learning about
POTA it did not take long for me to earn
Photo A. POTA’s Silver Hunter Certificate for successfully working 20 different the Silver Hunter award (Photo A) for
entities, one of the many awards offered. contacting 20 different locations.
Photo B. VK4QS in his shack.

Photo C. Vintage keys at VK4QS. From left to right – AWA WT 8 AMP No. 2, AWA R688B used by Australian Coast
Watchers in WWII, Pre-WWII Japanese Naval Spark key, German WWII Junkers Kriegsmarine key, and a WWII Flameproof
U.S. Navy key.
The neatest part about POTA’s awards program is that 191,522 contacts in 2018, 371,510 contacts in 2019, and as
hunters do not need to report their contacts to POTA for cred- of August 2020, 399,088 contacts made for the year thus far.
it, POTA automatically tracks this information from activator’s There have also been 29,358 park activations (as of August
logs that are uploaded into the system. As long as an acti- 2020) and over 21,000 certificates issued since 2017. These
vator does not forget to upload his/her contacts or did not are some astounding numbers, especially when taking into
make a mistake in recording the hunter’s callsign, the process consideration the number of hams who are currently inactive
is iron-clad. due to the lull in the sunspot cycle.
When the system determines you have qualified for an As for the future of POTA, W3AAX foresees a Yelp-like
award, it automatically downloads a certificate (.pdf) into an database for park activations / activators where an activator
awards folder that is maintained on the POTA website. For can record overall values for their experience. A rating sys-
the system to keep track of your information (awards issued, tem for how accessible the park was; whether you can oper-
number of hunted QSOs, completed activations, etc.), you ate only by park bench, boat, or car type vehicle, etc.; or how
need to register for an account. This process is free and friendly the rangers / park staff are, would be stored by users
straightforward and there are easy-to-follow instructions on and averaged out to provide well rounded data. There will
the website for registering. also be a nice collection of park border maps at the ready.
“It might sound complicated, but we will attempt to simplify
W3AAX – A Ham with Vision the interface”, says Johnston. Considering the accomplish-
To gain a little more information about the program and how ments made by the POTA team thus far, this unique addition
it started, I sent an email to the POTA website help desk. to the system may not be too far in the distant future.
Within 24 hours, I received feedback from Jason Johnston, At 5 watts or less, QRP operators are not often the focus
W3AAX, President / Owner of Parks on the Air, Inc. of a pileup; however, POTA provides any QRP operator work-
W3AAX was licensed in 2014 and started out with an ing from one of the nearly 23,000 registered locations in the
Elecraft KX3 and an Alex Loop antenna. “I was extremely world the opportunity to be a highly sought station. For me,
active in SOTA (still enjoy it to this day on occasion), but it POTA is a dream come true as it blends portable operating,
was frustrating when the nearest decently sized mountain leisurely operations from my QTH, and certificate hunting all
was a minimum of three hours away. In 2016, the ARRL had in one package … QRP-style.
the year-long National Parks on the Air program which I
enjoyed even more.” At the end of this program “I reached QRP Spotlight – VK4QS
out and verified that ARRL did not have the budget to keep This month we highlight Mike Charteris, VK4QS, of Granville,
the program running, and then thought, wow, I wish there Queensland, Australia (Photo B). Mike has been interested
was a way to keep this going…” With his background as an in radio for as long as he can remember and first went on the
information technology architect and some ham ingenuity, air during the Citizens Band radio craze in the 1970s. Shortly
POTA was soon born. thereafter he discovered amateur radio and began studying
W3AAX has built a solid team of nearly 100 volunteers who for the Australian Novice exam. In 1985 he was licensed as
are responsible for various tasks to keep the system running VK4MAE and took to the air with a Yaesu FT-200, an FT-
and points out that “the volunteers of POTA are paramount 401B, and a Hy-Gain Long John 5-element beam on 15
to its success.” A well-oiled machine is important as the pop- meters and worked the world from “down under.” Shortly
ularity of this program continues. Since its inception, the pro- thereafter he studied for and passed the next level license
gram has grown each year with 86,687 QSOs made in 2017, and was issued the callsign VK4JDW. “Jack Daniels Whisky

— what more could a young man wish amateur radio operators in Queensland ber when we continue our discussion
for to call CQ DX to the world with, I ask prior to World War I (WWI) and was the from June regarding the “True Meaning”
you.” In the early 1990s he passed the only Queensland pre-WWI amateur to of QRP.
Morse code element of Australia’s renew his license after the war.” VK4QS Also, a special thanks to W3AAX for
license structure and was issued VK4IQ, holds the callsign VQ4XQM in his honor providing additional background infor-
which he later changed to VK4QS. and to perpetuate this ham’s good work mation on POTA. Keep up the good
Today, VK4QS uses one of Yaesu’s prior to and after WWI. More informa- work. A personal benefit in preparing this
elite class transceivers, the FTDX-9000, tion about this radio pioneer is available month’s column is learning who my XYL
which he jests, “I should never need by visiting VQ4XQM on QRZ.com. can hold responsible for those heated
another transceiver before I go to God in discussions when I want to activate my
the future.” Also, “you can bet many do A Final Word local state park on a Saturday afternoon
not believe you operate QRP when they I would like to thank VK4QS for sharing and she has other plans — now I can say
see your transceiver is a Yaesu FTDX- some of his QRP achievements with us. blame W3AAX, not me, hi!
9000,” albeit, VK4QS turns the power He will join the column again in Decem- – Until December, 73, KA8SMA
down to 5 watts and has been enjoying
QRP for many years now. “The lure of
QRP came after 33 years of yarping
‘Ducktalk’ and I needed a new challenge
in the hobby.” CW is now my preferred
mode of operation and very rarely, if
ever, do I use SSB anymore. The CW
keys I use are all WWII vintage, being
German navy, Japanese navy, U.S.
Navy, an Aus- tralian Coast Watcher
AWA Key and a WT 8 AMP No. 2 AWA
key.” See Photo C for his collection of
vintage keys.
The lowest power Mike has worked is
5 watts (from the back of the transceiv-
er) and he plans to build a QRP rig with
less than 5 watts output. VK4QS
believes one of the biggest challenges
faced by QRP operators is faith — faith
that you will be heard, faith that your
antenna theory will stand up under Last Year, our members worked thousands of hours for
harsh conditions, and faith that you will
be rewarded for your efforts after call-
ing CQ for an hour (with a straight key)
with no contacts. I cannot agree more;
a little faith goes a long way when work-
NO PAY
ing QRP. And this year are well on their way to doing
EVEN MORE!
VK4QS has many QRP achievements
including contacts with F5IN (France —
distance of 16,064 kilometers) and long
path contacts with VE7ACN (Cortes
Island) and GW3YDX (Wales), which
are 28,263 kilometers and 23,479 kilo- WHY?
meters from his QTH, respectively. He
also has several QRP category wins in Because they are giving back to their communities! They are
CQWW contests for Australia and
Oceania. It is important to note that helping with civic events, motorist assistance AND MORE,
VK4QS also sponsors the CQWW CW yes even emergencies and disasters, if needed!
Low Power plaque.
Although he rarely cranks the power
beyond 5 watts, “I have indulged in QRO CONTACT
from time to time to make a point or
event just to see how far the band is REACT INTERNATIONAL
open. I start with a few hundred watts 301-316-2900
then just wind it down over CQs to see
what the Reverse Beacon Network Or write to
turns up.” He also uses QRO when REACT INTERNATIONAL
using his other callsign, VQ4XQM, to P.O. Box 21064, Dept CQ100
ensure he is heard by other hams.
Glendale, CA 91221
“VQ4XQM is a very special call with a
great deal of radio and military heritage. RI.HQ@REACT Intl.org
XQM was the callsign of one of a dozen

ANALOG ADVENTURES
BY ERIC P. NICHOLS,* KL7AJ
Non-Linear
lthough it is common to syn-
A onymize (is that a word?) analog

with linear, there are many non-
linear analog functions, the most com-
mon being the logarithmic amplifier. In
our last installment, we explored the
Gilbert Cell, a most useful non-linear
analog building block. As a four-quad-
rant multiplier, the Gilbert Cell adds the
logarithms of the applied signals to cre-
ate the product of those signals … just
as a slide rule (Photo A in case you’re
too young to remember them) adds log-
arithms to achieve multiplication.
I suppose we should do a whole arti-
cle or two on slide rules, since one can
really gain some tremendous mathe-
matical insights by their use, but we’ll
save that for another time.
0 Hertz Revisited
We mentioned early in this series that
there’s a tremendous amount of really
interesting “RF” down in the sub-Hertz
frequency range. We are allowed to call
this domain RF because while the fre- Photo A. A portion of KL7AJ’s slide rule collection.
quencies are below audio frequencies,
they are electromagnetic in nature, and
other than the actual numbers involved, A long time ago, I learned that tent our universe is? We will then follow
all the radio equations and principles the Music of the Spheres was up our instrumentation amplifiers with
still hold. appropriate low-pass filters (integra-
Because the monolithic double bal-
often a lot more interesting than
tors) to accommodate the bandwidth
anced mixer, as useful as it is, contains the typical ham radio QSO … (integration time) that we need.
a couple of transformers, it does have
a lower frequency limit, which is why the our lock-in amplifier. Well, almost. One Slow
Gilbert Cell is the preferable mixer for of the really neat features of the Gilbert I have a confession to make. About two
“almost DC” lock-in detection. In addi- Cell is its balanced input … which is just weeks ago, I joined the unwashed mul-
tion, the Gilbert Cell also has a degree what we want when working with bal- titudes on FT8 … just for a day or two.
of gain, unlike the fully passive double- anced magnetic-loop antennas, com- There’s no question about it, FT8 and
balanced mixer (DBM). In either imple- monly used for VLF / ULF / ELF work. its ilk have remarkable capabilities
mentation, however, the “converter” The antenna can be connected direct- when it comes to pulling signals out of
stage of a lock-in amplifier is always a ly to pins 1 and 2 without having to con- nothing … and in interior Alaska at this
multiplier, or product detector. sider persnickety baluns and such. And time, we are pretty much in a state of
Now, in case you have come away the local oscillator can be conveniently nothingness, propagation-wise. FT8 is
with the impression that the Gilbert Cell fed to pin 6. However, this will need to also surprisingly fast. But it’s also
is some exotic sort of circuit, the near- be a much lower level than the LO (local unspeakably boring.
ly ubiquitous NE602 / SA602 family of oscillator) used with a DBM, since there A long time ago, I learned that the
“really cheap radios on a chip” have a is some gain in the Gilbert Cell. The Music of the Spheres was often a lot
Gilbert Cell at the core … as well as a detected output will be extracted from more interesting than the typical ham
few other components we won’t need pins 4 and 5, which are also perfectly radio QSO … and the lock-step nature
in our lock-in amplifier (see Figure 1). balanced. Under a normal locked-in of FT8 and other structured modes
We can simply “drop in” a pair of these state, pins 4 and 5 will give us a differ- makes this more so than ever.
chips in place of the original DBMs in ential DC voltage, which will ideally Detecting Schumann Resonances
drive an instrumentation amplifier … (and other natural radio phenomena)
remember those? As promised, every- takes a lot of patience, dedication, and
*3763 Lyle Avenue thing we’ve learned in this series will be a lock-in amplifier. I’m not a prognosti-
North Pole, AK 99705 coagulated / consolidated in our lock-in cator, because I’ve often been sur-
email: <[email protected]> amplifier. See how wonderfully consis- prised. But I would almost be willing to

33 Simple Weekend Projects
For the Ham and Student and the Experimenter
By Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, SK
Dave Ingram pulled together a wide-
ranging collection of do-it-yourself
electronics projects ranging from the
most basic to the fairly sophisticated,
and even touching on the frivolous.
You'll find an interesting and very "do-
able" array of useful devices. Add a
measure of practical tips and techniques
on how to build electronics projects
yourself, and you've got an information-
packed book that will keep the new-
comer or the experienced homebrewer
busy for many a pleasant weekend!
6 X 9 Pape
Here's a look inside: rback
Chapter 1: The Joys of Homebrewing
O n l y $17.95
plus shipp
Chapter 2: Elmer's Sugarcoated ing!
Electronic Theory
Chapter 3: Projects for the Home Station
Figure 1. Equivalent circuit of SA 602 “Radio on a Chip.” Chapter 4: HF Antennas
Chapter 5: Special Treats for VHF Enthusiasts
Chapter 6: Big Time Accessories for you HF Mobile Rig
bet that no JT or JT-derived digital mode will ever allow detec- Chapter 7: A Potpourri of Fun Projects
tion of Schumann Resonances, especially automatically. Order yours today!
What is so special about Schumann Resonances? In them-
selves, not much, except they are the traditional bench- CQ Communications Inc.
mark for weak-signal detection performance. If Dr. JT POB 1206, Sayville, NY 11782
comes out with a Schumann Resonance mode in the WSJT 516-681-2922
suite, I will have to eat my words, but I am predicting it will Visit CQ’s Online Bookstore: http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
never happen.
Young Ladies’ Radio League, Inc.
Field Day Debrief
By the time this installment comes out, Field Day 2020 will Since 1939
have already transpired, as will most of what follows here. For 75 years the Young Ladies’
But here are my plans. Since ARRL has modified the rules Radio League, Inc. (YLRL) has
to allow full credit for home stations, I’m taking the opportu-
nity to upgrade my long-neglected antenna farm, with the aid
helped women find their voice in
of Field Day visitors (indentured servants) to KL7EX (my club Amateur Radio with members of
station). I plan to have a little community “barn-raisin’” to get all ages and interests.
my refurbished HyGain tribander up where it belongs. I have The YLRL sponsors a number of certificates for
a military surplus AB-577 / GRC “launcher” tower coming … both YLs and OMs. Members can earn special
a very interesting device. We’ll see how that works … I should YL Certificates.
get the Yagi up to around 40 feet with this … without having YL-Harmonics is our bi-monthly publication
to pour even a cubic inch of concrete.
This antenna will also give me a nice top-loaded 40-some-
highlighting what women are doing in Amateur
thing-foot vertical for some more effective LF experimenta- Radio.
tion. (Currently, I’m using just an inverted-L for 2200 and 630 YLRL gives out scholarships to YLs each year.
meters, which leaves a lot to be desired –EN). I also plan to For more information on the YLRL, the current
do some VHF work for Field Day … something I’ve never dues amounts, weekly YL Net locations or how to
done before. I had a bit of fun last weekend during the ARRL join please go to our website at www.ylrl.org or
VHF contest, since HF was absolutely abysmal, and will con- contact the Publicity Chairwoman, Cheryl Muhr,
tinue to be for the foreseeable future (at least up here).
As always, I invite your comments on my column; I answer
NØWBV at [email protected]. All Officer
every email comment I get. I’m also open to suggestions for informationis also listed both on the website and in
new topics … as long as they are fundamentally analog in each edition of the magazine and you may
nature. I don’t want to tread on our wonderful digital colum- contact any Officer as well.
nist’s bailiwick!
Oh, yes … one final note. I just got in yet another huge col- With thanks to the OMs who
lection of electronics components, which I’m sorting through encourage and support us.
right now. If I don’t have it, you probably don’t need it. So, if
you’re looking for an oddball part, do give me a scream. Visit us at www.ylrl.org
– 73 es stay safe! Eric

Commentary
MAGIC IN THE SKY
BY JEFF REINHARDT,* AA6JR
Is It Time to Rethink Our License Exams?

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author Procedurally, each candidate needs to have his or her iden-
and do not necessarily reflect the views of CQ. – ed. tity verified by at least three VEs and submit a properly exe-
cuted FCC 605 form. Then fees are collected, making it nec-
iven that we know this year is like no other, “the new
G normal” is a considerable distance from “the old nor-

mal” in ways too numerous to list in this space.
Methods of licensing new operators and upgrades for exist-
essary to handle cash or checks, or the VE team needs to
acquire a cashless method of payment. Test papers are then
graded by at least three VEs, passing them from person to
person to person. Then 605 and Certificate of Successful
ing hams are among the challenges to which we should Completion of Exam (CSCE) forms must be signed by each
devote some thought. I know of what I speak, having been VE, again transmitting documents through multiple handlers.
a volunteer examiner (VE) or coordinating VE at more than All of these are elements VE coordinators did not have to
100 exam sessions over 20+ years. In short, since the out- consider as problematic prior to this year. How many VE
break of COVID-19, the old model of VE sessions just doesn’t groups or clubs are able to clear these obstacles without risk
work anymore. to anyone now? And don’t dismiss the expenses associated
Some will take issue with that stance. Yes, there have been with preventive measures and devices.
VE sessions that use work-around methods, such as hold-
ing exam sessions remotely, having candidates take tests in Where We Are Today
their cars, having sessions outdoors, and the like. The opin-
In the past several months, exam sessions across the coun-
ion here is that these methods are “band-aid” solutions to a
try have been cancelled or very limited in size or scope.
larger issue, with one exception — read on …
Formerly available public spaces that hosted exams, such
as municipal facilities, have been closed to public access.
A Parable Yes, there have been remote sessions and other accom-
Stay with me through this. In the late 1960s and early ’70s, modations (see photo), but they require tremendous
automakers were faced with newly-enacted regulations amounts of preparation.
intended to reduce pollution. American automakers Also at risk is the integrity of the license exam process.
approached the challenge through kludge solutions limited While it may not be nice to mention in polite company, cheat-
to existing technology that retained carburetors and other “off ing is a reality that examiners must consider when emplac-
the parts shelf” items that used easy (read inexpensive) con- ing accommodations that facilitate an exam session con-
ventional approaches such as leaner fuel mixtures and ducted using normal or unconventional means.
retarded engine timing to meet the new standards. The result When COVID-19 first appeared, it was assumed by many
was cars that ran poorly, had poor fuel economy, dieseled that this would be a temporary inconvenience and life would
when the operators attempted to turn them off, and more. soon return to “normal.” We have since found otherwise and
Woe befell many an owner of those vehicles, perhaps the science is learning more about the virus all the time. Unless
worst being 1974 models. Meanwhile, European and and until there is a significant breakthrough, it is apparent the
Japanese engineers took new approaches. They respond- virus will be a lingering challenge for the foreseeable future.
ed with computer-controlled ignition systems, electronic fuel So with a few exceptions, we’re using old technology to
injection, and engines that not only performed well but met meet a new challenge. As those “Only seen on TV” products
the new emission regulations. So rather than use old meth- proclaim, “there has to be a better way.”
ods to meet new challenges, new thinking and new technol-
ogy won the day. Some Alternative Ideas
Here are a few thoughts for the amateur radio community
Current Challenges for VEs and the FCC to consider as we think through safe and enlight-
Forget about testing methods for a moment. When consid- ened approaches to the licensing process.
ering a VE session in the COVID age, here are some of the • Consider a new entry level license. For the sake of dis-
thoughts to mull over. Is a VE willing to put his or her life on cussion, let’s call it the “Communicator” class and it would
the line to act as a volunteer at a session? Consider that only require a signed form submitted to the FCC. Such a
many VEs are in one or more higher-risk categories that may license form would include acknowledgement of the rules
include age, weight, and other pre-existing medical condi- and regulations pertaining to the basics such as identifica-
tions that make COVID-19 exposure something to avoided. tion and safety practices, maybe limited to frequencies above
What are the prudent steps to take to protect examiners and 222 MHz and limited to no more than 5 or 25 watts. This
candidates at a VE session? Hand sanitizer, a Plexiglas® would bring new life to the higher frequencies as a side ben-
barrier for each VE, six feet of separation between VEs and efit. If thought to be necessary, a unique call prefix could be
between candidates, face masks for everyone and perhaps assigned to this group. Put your “CB” concerns aside, it’s
a touchless temperature scanner. These are all good steps, time to move on.
but some basic problems remain. Another alternative might be a throwback — a temporary
certification or license upgrade for a two-year period that
*5904 Lake Lindero Drive, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 would require the holder of that temporary authorization to
e-mail: <[email protected]> take a test within that two-year span in order to complete the

This photo from our July issue shows a drive-in license exam session in Florida, with candidates in their vehicles and vol-
unteer examiners monitoring the session from the parking lot. AA6JR says this is a band-aid approach and that going for-
ward, all amateur license exams should be administered online. (Photo by Rajesh Verma, K4SK)
upgrade. Such a conditional upgrade could be submitted as a great deal of time and expense could be saved and expo-
an electronic application and use identifiers similar to today’s sure to COVID-19 through the VE process would no longer
“Temporary AG or AE” designations. This is somewhat based be a concern.
on the hope that a successful vaccine and / or treatment for Exam sessions could be at set times or even available 24/7.
the virus could be successfully developed in the interim, They can be conducted using available technologies that
enabling standard test sessions to resume. allow observation of the candidate throughout the exam
process. Or maybe exams could be constructed to be com-
Here’s the “Big One” pleted within a certain amount of time.
Or, let’s just throw out the old system and take testing com- If you think this too extreme or a threat to the integrity of
pletely online. Period. the licensing process, consider that it’s already happening at
As reported in the July 14, 2020 CQ Newsroom update: “remote” VE sessions and in Alaska.
Meanwhile, other jurisdictions are moving professional cer-
As of July 1, all exams conducted by the Anchorage Amateur tifications such as accounting, bar (law), and professional
Radio Club VEC (Volunteer Examiner Coordinator) have engineering exams in that same direction. Quite simply,
been using a web-based platform for both the tests them- we’ve learned that for now, placing many people in an
selves and the documents normally filled out on paper by enclosed space for a significant amount of time is a bad idea.
both candidates and examiners. Don’t get me wrong — I have enjoyed the privilege of being
The entire process is paperless, according to an announce- a VE for a few decades. It’s been a great way to “give some-
ment by the group. “Examinees will take their examinations thing back” to our hobby. It’s terrific to see the smile of a new
on a computer that is connected to the internet. All docu- ham or upgrade when a test is successfully completed. But
ments will be electronically completed and signed by the time and circumstances have rendered that system obsolete,
examinee and VEs.” if not outright hazardous. As a VE session coordinator, I would
“The system not only renders one-time-use examinations for never want to endure the experience of knowing an examin-
each individual examinee,” the announcement continues, er or candidate became ill (or worse) as a result of having
“but also can provide a live video / audio feed using the exam- participated in a volunteer activity.
inee’s webcam / microphone. This feature has been utilized So IMHO, it’s time to move on. We are a group that
extensively during (the Anchorage VEC’s) remote testing embraces new technologies and methods, while respecting
effort” as a result of in-person test session cancellations due our proud traditions of public service, protecting life and prop-
to COVID-19. erty, and welcoming new licensees to our community. That’s
In addition, the group says, “(e)xaminations are graded another benefit of online testing. The license process would
immediately and automatically. When video and audio mon- be available to anyone in the U.S. (or beyond) without the
itoring is used, those data streams are recorded and become need to locate and travel to a VE session; it would be as close
a permanent part of the examination record.” as your access to an online computer. It’s logical to believe
The Anchorage ARC is also able to file test results directly there would be an influx of many new licensees and upgrades
with the FCC almost immediately after the end of a test ses- for existing hams would be easily accessible.
sion, with new licenses or upgrades issued as quickly as one It’s been said that COVID-19 has changed retailing forev-
hour later. er, moving it ahead by 20 years or so. One only needs to look
at the success of Amazon, in-car deliveries of merchandise
Some other Volunteer Exam Coordinators (VECs), includ- at stores, or “to go” meals and other changes that are here
ing W5YI and GLAARG (Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio for now, if not permanently. Sadly, some older reference
Group) are also beginning to adopt this process. Conducting points such as shopping malls, crowded restaurants, schools,
fully online exam sessions also eliminates the need for field sporting events, theaters, and social gatherings have had to
VEs, maintaining an inventory of paper exams, answer reconsider their positions. We do too, if we are to continue
sheets, 605 forms, CSCE documents, mailing expenses, and expanding the numbers of those who want to put some Magic
the like. In short, the existing VE process could be deleted, In The Sky.

GORDO’S SHORT CIRCUITS

BY GORDON WEST, * WB6NOA
Nothing Cancelled Here!

alifornia’s Mountain Top Amateur Radio Association,
C like many ham groups across the nation, responded

to the COVID-19 pandemic by moving its activities to
the internet and the radio. The club’s 140 members gather
on Zoom for regular monthly meetings, and three training
nets a week are held both on the air and online. Tracy
Lenocker, WM6T (Photo A), says he gets more participants
in these Zoom meetings than he ever expected.
“Vic, KK6WKI, the current association leader, encouraged
the club to offer educational 1-hour sessions a couple times
a week, with field photos and videos of club members in
action setting up antennas, and bench workshops to teach
soldering skills,” comments Tracy.
For non-Zoomers, radio nets are coordinated by Denise
Loxton, N6DEE, with rotating net controls to train all of their
members in this 5,000-foot mountainous area around Lake
Arrowhead how to handle emergency radio traffic, especial-
ly for fires on the only two roads up the mountain, accidents
or snow closures (yes, it snows out here in California, too!). Photo A. Tracy Lenocker, WM6T, founder of the Mountain
(See Photos B and C) Top Amateur Radio Association (MTARA). (Photo courtesy
Mountain Top member Dede Hermon, K6DDZ, runs a 222- of MTARA)
MHz ladies’ “YL Happy Hour” net. Dave Esquer, K6WDE,
hosts a gathering of hams concurrently on Zoom and HF, On the other hand, everyone can have their own camp-
making contacts for the study of propagation, band-by-band fires, tall antennas, ATV riding to fabled gold and quartz
ground wave, and NVIS (near vertical incidence skywave) deposits, kite flying, hootenanny and individual music after
with loops on 40 meters. dark outside their RVs, amateur television show-and-tell fun
Tina and Dave Bremer, W6TNA and W6DVE (Photo D), received on their RV TV system cable channel over the air,
offer testing on the mountain, meeting guidelines during this fun trips to town to see what’s up (or what’s down), tent camp-
pandemic, with several other VEs assisting. Gary Johnson, ing, stargazing, ISS spotting at dusk, local and DX radio nets,
AA6GJ, offers license classes on Zoom for club members and friendships, all at a distance.
and those going for their first ticket. “This will be our 25th annual gathering, and this year, social-
Nothing gets cancelled by this association up at Lake ly distanced.” adds Kris Weed, KR1SS, seasoned gathering
Arrowhead. Same story with hundreds of ham groups around organizer for many years. “Morning walks, individual swap-
the country, keeping membership in high gear and keeping meet activities, four wheeling, with morning nets at sun up on
members trained and prepared for emergencies! 146.550 simplex … this simplex net is for everyone to find out
what you’ve been doing, and your plans for the day, that oth-
Quarzfest 2021: We’re On Our Own ers can look in and take part in, at a safe distance,” add Kris.
(See You There!) “So keep the dates January 17th to 23rd on your winter trav-
The popular week-long ham / RV gathering held each el calendar to attend Quartz-Pause with all of us,” adds Lyn
January in Arizona, known as Quartzfest. Next year will Weed, KJ7DSE.
become Quartz-PAUSE 2021. But we will still see you there! For the latest on “Quartz-Pause 2021,” go to <www.
Everyone is invited, same location, five miles south of quartzfest.org>. Remember, this year, we are all on our own,
Quartzite, Arizona, for a free boon-docking stay on Bureau but distanced “together” to beat this pandemic. No close
of Land Management desert, up to 14 days (Photo E). contacts other than on the airwaves. Bring masks, and
With pandemic precautions, Quartz-PAUSE will go back to marshmallows.
where and why it started 24 years ago by Harvey and Margie
Tetmeyer — a casual non-event fun gathering of RV hams Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
in the middle of the desert! No organizer back then, no com- (and Hear Sound Bites!)
mittees, everyone on their own. This coming January, there Passing the new 2020-2024 Extra Class examination has
will be no seminar tents, no pre-planned tent or single fire just become more straightforward than past Extra class tests.
ring seminars, no PA systems, no special event station, just Not necessarily easier than before, but much more logical
ham radio RVers who want to get away from it all. exam questions.
There are still 50 questions on the test, taken from a pool
*CQ Contributing Editor of 621 questions, down from the previous 712 — with 91
2414 College Dr., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 questions deleted which were either obsolete, nearly dupli-
emial: <[email protected] cate, or missing the mark in being ham radio related.

All current question pools, developed
by National Conference of Volunteer
Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC)
Question Pool Committee, are updated
every four years, and the NCVEC QPC
will consider all comments and sugges-
tions from the ham community. I have not
seen any major push by the NCVEC QPC
to publicly encourage hams to send in
fresh questions for a pool under review,
so send them to me. I’ll get them to each
NCVEC QPC member for you.
Technician Class test updates re-
quested early next year for the new
Technician Class pool in 2022. Send
them to me. (<[email protected]>)
Sort out the current questions you think
are off the mark for a new ham and give
us some new Qs that you think ALL new
operators should learn about.
My Extra Class book (Photo F) ar-
Photo B. The Gran Fondo Mountain Bike Race in Big Bear, California. The tac- ranges similar questions in groups, cut-
tical location is “Heaven.” Front, left to right, are Mountain Top Amateur Radio ting study time in half, and logically
Association (MTARA) members Gail Brarmann, KM6GBN; Jodi Lenocker, putting like topics together. See this
WA6JL; Back row, Denise Loxton, N6DEE; and Tracy Lenocker, WM6T. (Photo method at the W5YI Group’s free in-
courtesy of MTARA) structor/club site, <www.haminstructor.
com>. Sign up for the free materials
Some of the older questions were offered to club elmers and instructors.
modified slightly for proper grammar, You can tune me in on a 53-minute,
and a handful of entirely new questions on-the-air audio program free from
were added in the digital field question the W5YI Group at <www.w5yi.org/
pool. Here are some examples: page.php?id=367>. Listen to the on-air
recorded excitement on Extra Class fre-
• AFSK vs. FSK quencies. Plenty of band-by-band activ-
• IMD levels for PSK ity for fun listening.
• PACTOR and Winlink
• FEC and ARQ for error detection QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo
• Orthogonal Frequency Division I was pleased to join with fellow CQ writ-
Multiplexing ers and editors in early August at
• FT8 and other digital modes with the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo.
WSJT Organized by QSO Today podcast pro-
• Mesh networks ducer and host Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, the
• Not to panic CW ops, still included online hamfest had over 26,000 regis-
are the same questions on CW keying trations, with more than 14,000 visitors
wave forms and CW bandwidth. attending each of the hamfest’s two days.
Photo C. The MTARA Command Post

at the Gran Fondo bike race talks
directly to the helicopter pilot to give the
pickup location of an injured partici-
pant. MTARA used APRS and
SARTrack to report the injured party’s
location to the rescue units. (Photo Photo D. Tina, W6TNA, and Dave, W6DVE, MTARA’s VEs, organize distanced
courtesy of MTARA) in-person testing. (Photo courtesy of MTARA)

Photo E. Quartz-Pause 2021 will draw hundreds of campers, but this year, all must SPREAD OUT!
For the first time in ham radio history, with fellow hams and exhibitors, prizes, umn and feature article ideas were
a convention with more than 20,000 and visually exciting booth layouts. shared with all of our columnists, and
signups had no parking problems, full An important aspect of working the this continues to help us steer new fron-
capabilities to recall sessions that you CQ booth at this Ham Expo was the tiers for new technology writings for CQ.
wanted to see later, lively chatrooms capability of the chatroom. Future col- Best of all, the QSO Today Hamfest
was a streaming success of presenta-
tions, where at the conclusion of a seg-
ment, you could easily go into a live Q
& A with the presenter, with a nearly
automatic hand off via Zoom.
Now if we could just add computer-
ized smell, to lead us to the virtual snack
bar for a boosh burger.
Military Using HI-Q HF

Antennas
At the Yuma hamfest last February
(about the last live-person hamfest
before the epidemic shut them all
down), I spotted a Hi-Q center-loaded,
electronic-tuned HF antenna on a mili-
tary aircraft coming in for a landing.
Charlie with Hi-Q Antennas confirmed
that his work with the military indeed has
several of his antennas on both aircraft
and tactical small craft for HF comms
on military frequencies. (See <www.
Photo G. Manual or motor driven, the hiqantennas.com>)
Photo F. Gordo’s new Extra Class inside contactor on the Hi-Q antenna He says the motorized antennas tune
book, from W5YI.ORG, is available easily slides up and down within the coil nearly instantly for reliable military HF
from most ham dealers plus Amazon. for resonance. (Photo courtesy of Hi-Q) comms (Photo G). And he also showed

what’s new
RFMW Announces Ampleon Transistor

RFMW announces design and sales support for a high effi-
ciency transistor from Ampleon. The BLP9LA25S(G) is a
25-watt device designed for mobile radio applications
supporting frequencies from HF to 941 MHz. Operating
from a 13.6-volt supply with 72% drain efficiency, the
BLP9LA25S(G) is ideal for TETRA, SSB, and LTE mobile
radio applications in VHF and UHF bands. Capable of with-
standing a VSWR mismatch of 65:1, it’s extremely rugged
and contains integrated dual-sided ESD protection for
demanding environments. Mid-band power gain is up to
18.4 dB when biased class-AB. Offered in a gullwing con-
figuration for surface-mount applications, a drop-in version
is also available.
The Ampleon transistor is available now with pricing
depending on volume. For more information, contact:
RFMW, 188 Martinvale Lane, San Jose, CA 95119. Phone:
(408) 414-1450. Email: <[email protected]>.
Photo H. The Hi-Q manual antenna is mounted at the far

right of this military vehicle’s rooftop. (Photo courtesy Hi-Q)
me a manually tuned man-pack HF antenna (Photo H), like

his original manual-tune line a few years ago.
These manual-tune antennas for 75-15 meters are great
for parking lot ham demonstrations of resonance, by listen-
ing to the ham radio’s rush of signal strength on receive back-
ground white noise.
“Yes, we continue to offer Hi-Q motorized and manual
tune antennas to hams, too, built to tough military stan- RFMW Announces Qorvo Amp
dards” adds Charlie. RFMW announces design and sales support for a high-per-
“Special order HI-Q antennas is my specialty,” smiles formance power amplifier. The Qorvo QPA2610, GaN on
Charlie. See his ham lineup at <www.hiqantennas.com>. See SiC amplifier provides 2 watts of saturated output power
them in action ... at a distance ... at Quartz-Pause on the with 23-dB large-signal gain from 8.5 to 10.5 GHz. With
Gordo communications van. 47% power-added efficiency at 20-volt drain bias, RF ports
are matched to 50 ohms and include integrated DC block-
Safety First! ing capacitors. The QPA2610 is ideally suited for phased-
Stay safe this winter — wear your protective face covering array radar applications where tight lattice spacing is
any time you are out in public or the desert floor, social dis- required. The Qorvo QPA2610 is offered in a 5- x 5-mil-
tance in person, and get up as radio-close as you want over limeter plastic overmold QFN package.
the airwaves. The Qorvo QPA2610 Power Amplifier is available now
And WOW, those virtual hamfests, radio club Zoom meet- with pricing depending on volume. For more information,
ings, and training keep ham radio strong. Keep making things contact: RFMW, 188 Martinvale Lane, San Jose, CA
happen over the airwaves! 95119. Phone: (408) 414-1450. Email: <[email protected]>.

LEARNING CURVE
BY RON OCHU, KOØZ
Antenna Tuner Basics
very year, CQ dedicates its Octo-
E ber issue to emergency commu-

nications (EmComm) and all the
hams who volunteer their time to aid their
communities in need. Aiding our com-
munities with communications, espe-
cially during emergencies, is a primary
reason for the existence of the Amateur
Radio Service. Preparing ourselves and
our stations for the rigors of EmComm
and community service is an ongoing
process, one that depends on our indi-
vidual EmComm awareness and per-
sonal involvement. As ham radio oper-
ators, we primarily communicate from
the comfort of our shacks (radio rooms)
at our homes or from our mobile instal-
lations. But what if we need to set up for
a few days (or longer) from a remote
location? As you may recall from study-
ing for your license, a simple length of
wire can serve as an antenna on sever-
al ham radio bands. Sounds good in the-
ory, but just how do we accomplish such Photo A. Vintage Heathkit HFT-9-B QRP tuner sits atop an MFJ Deluxe Versa
a trick? Tuner II. Note the MFJ tuner includes a built-in SWR / power meter which is
extremely useful. (Photos by KO0Z, except as noted)
Antenna Resonance
To be honest, there’s no trick; rather,
it’s all about understanding antenna
resonance. Antenna resonance is de-
fined by Antenna Theory.com <https://
tinyurl.com/yxhhvkrx> as: “When the
antenna input impedance is entirely
real, i.e. Zin = R + j*0.” In other words,
at a single radio frequency, the anten-
na’s capacitance and inductive reac-
tance cancel out leaving only resis-
tance. Please note the importance of
the word, “single.” Theoretically, every
antenna has only one resonant fre-
quency, which is determined by the
length of the radiating element (alu-
minum tube or wire). That doesn’t mean
that as we move away from the reso-
nant frequency that the antenna will
cease to work. The antenna will still
radiate, but if we move too far from its
resonant frequency, SWR (standing
wave ratio) will increase and less power
will be transferred to the antenna.
Power that isn’t radiated turns into heat.
Every radio wave has a physical length.
That’s why we have 40-, 20-, 10-, 6-,
Photo B. An ICOM transceiver being used with an antenna tuner outdoors.
*Email: <[email protected] (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Pi impedance network
Figure 1. Typical Pi network.
2-meter, and 70-centimeter antennas,

just to name a few. When an antenna is
resonant on the band we wish to oper- Photo C. An RF inductor coil (center). The coil plays a big part in selecting the
ate, then maximum power will be trans- band of operation.
ferred between the transceiver and the
antenna for both transmit and receive.
But what happens if we don’t have a
resonant antenna? If the antenna is
non-resonant, then instead of pure
resistance, we now have increased
capacitive and / or inductive reactance.
Somehow, we need to deal with pesky
reactance.
Enter the Antenna Tuner

You’ve probably heard plenty of talk
about the antenna tuner (Photo A). For
some reason, in amateur radio circles,
there’s some mystique surrounding it.
Simply put, an antenna tuner is a device
that matches the impedance of your
transceiver, typically 50 ohms, to the
impedance of the antenna. Remember,
an antenna’s impedance is made up of
its resistance and reactance. Many
commercially made ham radio anten-
nas exhibit a 50-ohm impedance. If the
transceiver and the antenna both exhib-
it 50-ohm impedances, then there’s no Photo D. Variable capacitors (right) used in an antenna tuner. One matches the
need for an antenna tuner. On the other tuner to the transceiver and the other matches the tuner to the antenna.
hand, if the antenna has a significantly
different impedance than 50 ohms, then As with all amateur radio systems, a into ground (Figure 1). The purpose of
an antenna tuner is warranted. good single-point ground to Earth is the inductor coil is to add inductance
necessary to ensure proper operation where required (Photo C) and the
“Mystical” Inner Workings and to reduce any “RF hot spots” (cur- capacitors, yep, you guessed it, add
For an antenna tuner to be effective, it rent flowing on the outside of conduc- capacitance (Photo D) when needed.
needs to be placed between the trans- tors). So, how does this magic box If we are using a single antenna for a
ceiver and antenna because it must work? broad range of frequencies, such as a
match the impedance of the transceiv- Antenna tuners primarily use either a wire antenna strung between two sup-
er and the antenna (Photo B). The L impedance matching network or a Pi ports, then that antenna will offer us an
antenna tuner has two major sections. impedance matching network. A Pi net- impedance other than 50 ohms at all but
The first section is to match the trans- work can be thought of as two L net- its resonant frequency. Hence, we will
ceiver’s impedance to the tuner and the works back to back. An “L” network is need our antenna tuner to match our
second section matches the antenna’s made up of an inductor (wire coil) and antenna to the band / frequency on
impedance to the transceiver / tuner’s a capacitor. A Pi network usually has which we wish to operate. Will a non-
impedance. one inductor and two capacitors tied resonant antenna transmit a signal?

Yes; however, the efficiency of the a 100-watt transceiver. Running exces- antennas. Coax direct means the tuner
antenna will not be as good as that of a sive power levels will arc over the is bypassed; whereas Coax 1 and Coax
resonant antenna. capacitors or the inductor coil; thereby 2 allow for two different antennas to be
Antenna tuners work because they rendering them useless. selected and matched with the tuner.
balance out the antenna reactance While we are on the topic of antenna
through increasing / decreasing capac- selection, another important point to
itive and inductance reactance, which On the Outside remember is to select an antenna tuner
allows us to transfer more power into Once we have a properly rated anten- that will cover the bands you are inter-
the antenna and into the air. Like most na tuner for our power level, our next ested in operating. For example, an HF
things in life, there’s no free lunch and order of business is to look at the front (high frequency) tuner will not work with
antenna tuners work well, but there is panel. Looking at Photo A, we see two, a VHF (very high frequency) tuner and
still power loss in the transfer. That loss older model antenna tuners: A Heathkit vice-versa. An impressive feature of the
is converted into heat, which brings up HFT-9-B QRP tuner and an MFJ Deluxe MFJ tuner is the addition of a SWR /
a good point. Please ensure that you Versa Tuner II. For the most part, front power meter.
purchase or build an antenna tuner that panels are alike. There’s a knob for The backside of the Heathkit antenna
will safely handle the power output of transmitter matching, a knob for induc- tuner is straightforward and user intu-
the transceiver. For example, the tor selection and one more knob for itive (Photo E). There are two SO-239
Heathkit HFT-9-B, which is a QRP (low antenna matching. The MFJ tuner has female coax jacks, one for the antenna
power) tuner, will not work for long with an additional knob for selecting two and the other for the transmitter. There
are also three lug screws for a wire
antenna (such as a long wire) or for a
balanced input using ladder line. Also
worth noting is the ground lug used to
attach the tuner to a properly installed
single-point Earth ground. MFJ’s tuner
is very similar to the Heathkit, but it has
an additional SO-239 jack (Photo F) for
the second antenna.
Tuner Operation
Connect the transceiver’s coax to the
antenna tuner’s transmitter jack. Next
connect the antenna coax to the
tuner’s antenna jack. If your tuner does
not have a built-in meter, I’d suggest
putting a power meter in line by con-
necting the antenna coax to the power
meter output and then installing a coax
jumper from the tuner’s antenna jack
into the power meter’s transmitter input
Photo E. Heathkit antenna tuner back panel. There are coax connectors and lugs jack. I find that a power meter is easi-
for wire and balanced lines. er for me to read when tuning up.
Ensure all the coax connections are
good and tight then select the band on
which to operate.
Turn on your transceiver and leave it
in receive. Play around with the trans-
mitter matching knob and the inductor
knob by turning them and listening for
maximum noise from the transceiver.
Usually, the inductor knob selects
points soldered on the inductor coil that
closely match an amateur radio HF
band (Photo G). Select a position with
the inductor knob and then turn the
transmitter matching knob (capacitor)
and tune for maximum noise. Keep try-
ing this procedure until you hear the
most noise. Next, turn the antenna
matching knob (capacitor) and tune for
maximum noise.
This procedure will put you “in the ball-
park.” Now, it’s time to apply low power
from the transceiver. Apply a few watts
Photo F. MFJ antenna tuner back panel is similar to the Heathkit, but it has an into the tuner and adjust the transmitter
additional SO-239 jack for a second antenna. and antenna matching knobs for maxi-

mum forward power output / minimum
reflected power (or minimum SWR).
Once you’re satisfied that you have the
best match possible, the power level
can be raised to full output, provided
your antenna tuner is rated for that
power level.
Retuning
Once the antenna is tuned, you should
not need to retune the antenna tuner
unless the frequency is changed.
Depending on the antenna resonance,
moving a few kilohertz may require
retuning the antenna tuner. You will
know if the system needs retuning when
the power level begins to drop. Manual
tuning doesn’t take much time, once
you are familiar with the procedure. If
cost is not a problem, there are manu-
facturers who offer automatic antenna
tuners that will do the work for you. I do
Photo G. Note the wire taps along the RF inductor coil which go to the inductor
want to note that in an EmComm situa-
selection knob / switch for band tuning.
tion where power consumption is criti-
cal, an automatic antenna tuner will
draw power while it is tuning. a resonant antenna, but location, avail- an antenna tuner. I can envision a sce-
able space and antenna restrictions can nario where having the internet to pass
That’s a Match certainly put a crimp in our antenna traffic would be helpful, but it isn’t avail-
Antenna tuners are versatile tools. plans. A properly installed antenna able in a stricken area. A longwire
Hopefully, I’ve done a good job of tuner can make the difference between antenna, an antenna tuner, a rig, a lap-
explaining the “magic” of these tuners wishing to be on the air and actually top computer running RMS Express
and how they can work. Nothing beats being on the air. Go-kits should include could be an EmComm asset.
Looking Ahead what’s new

Here are some of the articles we’re
working on for upcoming issues of Amateur Contact Log 6.7 Available Now
CQ: N3FJP’s popular Amateur Contact Log has been updated to AC Log 6.7. This version
has a bevy of new enhancements including the ability to interface with up to three rigs
• CW Results: 2020 CQ World simultaneously and it allows you to switch between them with a keyboard shortcut.
Wide WPX Contest In addition, users will have the ability to specify CW and phone settings files to
associate with a specific rig. To do this, you can toggle with Ctrl-X, and your CW and
• A Closer Look at Wintertime phone settings will automatically update.
Sporadic-E (Or Is It?) Additional improvements and added features include:
• Build a Dual-Band Low-Noise • Grid Sent on AC Log’s Setup form.
Amplifier • Added Technician and Advanced filtering for DX spotting.
• Ability to disable keyboard tuning (requested by blind hams, who use the key-
Plus… board shortcuts used for tuning in other ways).
• Rules: 2021 CQ World Wide • Added Satellite Name to the eQSL upload.
160-Meter Contest • Ability to record text to send via speech to text mic input on the CW buffer form.
• Operator field can be mapped to the Call value entered in setup or made blank
• Rules: 2021 CQ DX Marathon when exporting in ADIF.
• More “CQ Classics” for Our 75th • Option to include Station Callsign in LoTW upload in case an override of an
Anniversary Operator value is required.
• To be identified as an LoTW user in AC Log, the station must have uploaded in
Upcoming Special Issues the last two years.
• Reordered LoTW All Since and All Confirmed download buttons to better reflect
December: Technology the priority of the All Since button, which is the one that should typically be used most
February: QRP often.
June: Take it to the Field • Added a button on the LoTW Form to view LoTW queue status.
• Added additional Tool Tips on the LoTW form.
Do you have a hobby radio story to tell? • Port for TCP Networking is now user customizable instead of being locked at
Something for one of our specials? CQ 1000.
now covers the entire radio hobby. See
our writers’ guidelines on the CQ web- Amateur Contact Log 6.7 is available now and can be downloaded for a free try-
site at <http://bit.ly/2qBFOdU>. out at <www.n3fjp.com/aclog.html>. If you would like to continue using AC Log 6.7,
the cost is $29.95.

MF/LF OPERATING: Life Below the AM Broadcast Band
BY JOHN LANGRIDGE, * KB5NJD
To the Mail Bag: A Few Considerations for Using a 160-Meter

Inverted-L on 630 and 2200 Meters
his has been a remarkably busy
T quarter for questions about 630-

and 2200-meter station-building
and I can only imagine that this is due,
in part, to amateurs being stuck at home
through the spring and summer.
Additionally, statistics on my website
suggest that there are operators in
needed states (states that currently
have no operators) on both 630 and
2200 meters who are actively seeking
technical information about how to
approach station-building in such a way
that their chances of on-air success are
as high as possible. It’s great progress
for what we do. If you are one of those
people and have questions, please ask
one of the friendly operators who are on
the air and “in the trenches” nightly.
Most of us are happy to try to answer
your questions and provide some per-
spective on your particular situation. A
link to the 630-meter operator list can
be found in the bottom section of the
front page of my website1 and a link to
Photo A. An inexpensive way to remotely control a variometer is to use an old
N1BUG’s 2200-meter operator list2 can
TV antenna rotator which is common on the used market or even in many ama-
be found at the bottom of the 630-meter
teurs’ garages. It eliminates the need for limit switches and only needs to move
operator list page.
over a range of 90°.
In previous discussions I have pre-
sented my own exploits and those of
other operators in story form, leaving that can be answered in a more defini- complete. Many of those details are the
many of the specific details for the tive manner. Often, that requires a lot of same, regardless of band. Most sta-
prospective operator to consider or reading after determining what holes tions that are already active on 160
question at a later time. Every situation might exist in knowledge. meters can probably transition to 630 or
is different and trying to detail every step The other type of correspondence 2200 meters relatively easily, particu-
necessary to get on the air, with all of the that I receive is usually from people in larly if they can keep their aspirations
possible if-then logical scenarios, is an a position for action. These prospective for remote band switching in check or
exercise in futility. This is not a “plug tab operators have considered the options they have deep pockets for vacuum
A into slot B” affair. Additionally, it’s good and have a plan of what they want to relays. All three stations were either
for someone to critically think through achieve, sometimes knowing what using or wanting to use a 160-meter
their situation, even if that means strug- resources are available and maybe inverted-L wire vertical antenna fed
gling a bit. Sometimes I receive emails having a tentative plan on how they against a radial system and supported
or letters with the seemingly simple want to implement the system. In that either by a tower or mast. At this point
request, “tell me how to get on the air.” case, my job is simply filling in some a few options came to mind that need
I wish it were that simple and I often find holes and that’s where today’s story to be considered:
myself offering only food for thought and takes us.
consideration for the prospective oper- 1. Loading
ator to help them reach a point to make A Three-Band MF/LF Antenna? 2. Band switching
good decisions about how to proceed. 3. High-voltage management
Three amateurs in the eastern half of
There really isn’t much I can do to help 4. The radiator and toploading
the U.S. had similar goals in mind, to
until that operator has considered the
work 160, 630, and 2200 meters using
options and devised specific questions Let’s briefly touch on each of these.
a single radiator. Two of the stations
were already active on 160 meters, cre-
*827 Middle Run Ct. ating an ideal situation since the Loading
Duncanville, TX 75137 mechanical aspects of antenna con- The most common loading method for
<[email protected]> struction and erection were already 630 and 2200 meters is base loading

Photo B. Mike, W3TS, of Halifax, Pennsylvania, was in dry dock for much of the early Summer due to persistent storms.
Mike’s experience was repeated by countless stations across much of North America. This image shows a brief but wel-
come pause in the action allowing him to log some air time. (Courtesy of W3TS)
and the most common loading implement is the variometer. at high voltage (and thus the vacuum relay), but I use bayo-
This approach may seem counterintuitive until one consid- net / banana plugs and connectors to rapidly install networks
ers that both 630 and 2200 meters are regulated by radiat- for other bands. My big vertical was killer on 20-meter CW at
ed power rules so, to a point, power can be used to make up Field Day 2020. In this scenario, the hybridized approach was
for transmit losses. I won’t go into details here about build- a bit less expensive and allowed some flexibility with band
ing a variometer because numerous detailed articles have switching from the ham shack. If your antenna is located 1,000
already been published, including one that I consider to be feet from the ham shack, however, that is probably little con-
the definitive work on the topic in the modern era by John solation and you probably need to plan to dig deep for vacu-
Molnar, WA3ETD, that was published in the September 2017 um relays throughout your system.
issue of CQ. One of the nicest features of the variometer is
that parts are readily available from local home improvement High-Voltage Management
stores. Base loading will also provide easier band switching
and adjustment options, but it’s probably in the best interest Most operators underestimate the high voltages present
of the prospective operator to plan on using separate, inde- while operating 630 and 2200 meters until they set some-
pendent coils for 630 and 2200 meters. thing on fire. It’s a little less daunting on 160 meters when a
Remote tuning is a valuable asset as short, reactive anten- full-size antenna is used, but some nasty voltages can still
nas can interact with the surrounding environment and val- exist at the feed point and particularly at the far end of the
ues of R and X can change over the course of an operating top loading wire of the inverted-L. Since the feed point has
session. Having to run outside to the antenna with the ana- been discussed in detail in previous articles, let’s focus on
lyzer on a cold, dark night to make an adjustment is really the far end of the top loading wire. There are a number of
not very enjoyable or ideal. The astute ham will be able to crazy stories of guys looping top-loading wires over tree
adapt either a stepper motor or even an unused antenna rota- branches in lieu of an insulator. This might be OK in some
tor mounted sideways like I did to adjust my variometer cases on 160 meters, but it’s a bad idea on 630 and 2200
remotely (see Photo A). No limit switches to worry about here. meters. In fact, end insulators should probably consist of a
minimum of two and probably three insulators in series (Photo
C). This will save you grief later as high voltage can arc to
Band Switching wet supporting ropes or across insulators contaminated with
Unless you are prepared to spend $1,000-1,500 on vacuum pollutants. This approach is cheap insurance unless your end
relays, build a modular system that will allow you to use support for that top-loading wire is easy to restring.
jumpers to rapidly switch bands. Those prices are conserva-
tive estimates for new vacuum relays in the 15- to 20-kilovolt
range, which will be necessary for 2200 meters. In some cases, The Radiator and Top Loading
it may be possible to hybridize the system, using a combina- As hams, we are used to installing wire antennas but some-
tion of bayonet / banana plugs, knife switches, and vacuum times long spans of wires like those we use for top loading
relays. In my system I have a vacuum relay to select whether can break due to the builder trying to pull them too taut.
I am operating 630/2200 meters or 160 meters. Inside my Sometimes the answer can be using a pre-stretched copper-
630/2200-meter ATU, I use a knife switch to select which coil jacketed steel wire such as Copperweld®, but I find that stuff
I feed so I must decide what band combination I want to oper- to be too difficult to deal with most of the time and end up
ate and manually select. Also, the 160-meter network floats with a tangled mess or worse. As a result, I recommend old

Photo C. This is how many operators increase their ability to stand off high voltage on top-loading wires. The individual
lengths are not generally critical, the goal is to make it tougher for arcs to occur.
fashioned THHN wire like you find on spools at your local which often forms a parabola between two support points. In
home improvement store and likely also used to wind what- the case of my longer, 200-foot, top-loading wire on my ver-
ever loading device that was selected. tical, in the center of the wire, 100 feet from the top of the
Thirty years ago, there was an article in one of the ama- radiator, the sag is about 2 feet. That system has been in the
teur publications that addressed just how much sag was per- air and trouble-free since 2012. Avoid using top-loading wires
missible in a long span of wire in order to prevent breakage. as guy wires unless you are prepared for some advanced
I believe it was geared more toward longwire antennas, but engineering.
the information is also applicable to long top-loading wires. These discussion points were top of mind in these specif-
There were formulas that took into account exact geometries ic cases but it’s important to remember that a myriad of addi-
and wire gauges and, while I paid careful attention to the tional considerations exist.
details at the time, I never went to so much trouble as to make
those calculations for my systems. Instead I’ve found over
the years that a good rule of thumb is to allow approximate- K5DNL Retiring His 630-Meter Amplifier Line
ly 1 foot of sag per 100 feet of length with stranded, insulat- Ken Roberson, K5DNL, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, reported
ed wires. That 1 foot of sag is found at the center of the wire, that he will cease construction and sale3 of his popular 630-
Resonating and Matching a Vertical with a Variometer and Ferrite Transformer

For the past few years, when presenting in-person at ham- of R that you measured. The value to the left of the decimal
fests or club meetings, I have performed a demonstration point will be the number of turns you will place on the ferrite
where I resonate and match a small model vertical using a core. For example, if you measured 30 ohms of resistance,
variometer and ferrite transformer. The model approximates the square root is 5.5. Five passes of wire should go through
a 45-foot vertical with two 50-foot, top-loading wires and a the core but keep enough wire to add a sixth later, if nec-
quality radial field, and those attributes are represented by essary. Use a 2.4-inch type-77 ferrite core that is wrapped
values of capacitance and resistance. The point of the with fiberglass tape. Space the windings so that a turn can
demonstration is to not only show how quickly the process be placed in between each turn and ensure that you use as
can be completed but also the steps and order that the much of the core as possible (don’t wind to just one side of
process should follow. Those steps are detailed below. the core, spread them out). These windings will be the sec-
ondary or antenna side winding.
1. Connect the “hot wire” from the variometer to the base 9. The primary or coax side winding will require about
of the vertical antenna. seven turns for a 50-ohm coaxial feed line (square root of
2. Secure the ground connection from the coax to the 50 is approximately 7). Place a turn of the primary between
antenna’s ground system. a turn of the secondary but maintain spacing between the
3. Connect a short jumper with alligator clip to the center windings to minimize capacitance. Close-spaced windings
conductor of the coax. which might result from using a core that is too small will
4. Set the variometer to 45° with respect to vertical and require additional inductance from the variometer in order
horizontal. to resonate and will increase losses.
5. Connect your antenna analyzer to the coax and adjust 10. Connect one lead of the secondary winding to the coil
for 475 kHz. You want to be able to measure values of tap that you identified earlier when X=0 and connect the
resistance and reactance, R and X, respectively (Photo other lead for that same winding to the ground system (sol-
D). SWR is a meaningless value for developing reactive der the connections this time!)
antenna systems. 11. For the primary winding, connect one lead to the cen-
6. Starting at the top of the fixed coil, test each tap and ter conductor of the coax and the other to the braid. Probably
note the values of X. You are looking for the tap closest to best to use an SO-239 connector if the coax is using a PL-
0 ohms reactance. Don’t worry about resistance right now. 259 connector.
7. Once you have found the tap closest to X=0, note the 12. Recheck the values of R and X and you should find
value of R. This value is the unmatched feed point resis- that you are very near 50 + j0 ohms. If you look at the SWR
tance or total system resistance. If the value is over 40 ohms, now, it should be very near to 1:1. If the measurements show
you probably need more radials or you need to improve your a bit of reactance, readjust the variometer until you are near
overall ground system. 0 ohms reactance. The transformer will usually load the sys-
8. Assuming the value is in the 1- to 40-ohm range (com- tem just a bit.
mon for many on the air), take the square root of the value 13. You are all set — now get on the air!

Photo D. Find the tap closest to destroyed all of his antennas except for
zero reactance (X) on the fixed a lone 2-meter vertical. Fortunately, he
coil and then match the resis- returned to air by mid-July.
tance (R) with a transformer for The western region was not un-
the characteristic impedance of scathed as high noise levels from the
the feed line. R and X are the eastern storms and a general lack of
only values that are important long-haul stations for QSOs resulted in
in this process so avoid the stagnating activity. By mid-July, the sit-
temptation to look at the SWR uation had improved and more stations
until you are done. were venturing out onto the bands to
operate. In addition to storms, the long
periods of daylight remain a significant
complicating factor. By the time of pub-
meter amplifier at the end of 2020. He (Photo B), who was mostly in monitor- lication of this article, shorter days will
indicated that a lot of work and effort only mode from June through August have arrived and improving trans-con-
went into the design and construction of using a lightning-safe antenna and tinental and trans-Atlantic activity
the line, adding that “it’s a lot harder to receiver. In other cases, the severity of should be observable.
build something to sell than build some- the storm systems resulted in antenna That’s all for this month. If you have
thing for yourself.” Having been in the system failures. Dennis, N8IVE, report- questions or comments, please contact
amplifier construction business several ed recently that early summer storms me at [email protected].
years ago, I can attest to this fact. While
he has released the schematics on his For your convenience the following links, in addition to bonus material, can be
website, Ken hopes to find someone to found at <http://njdtechnologies.net/cq/>.
take up the cause of assembling, test-
ing, and servicing this line of amplifiers 1. 630-meter operator list: <https://tinyurl.com/yaxhz33t>
for amateurs who either cannot or will 2. 2200-meter operator list: <https://tinyurl.com/ybdzj6ev>
not design and assemble for them- 3. K5DNL’s 630-meter amplifiers: <https://tinyurl.com/ybs97a4b>
selves. Interested parties should con- 4. N3FJP logging software: <https://tinyurl.com/ya4lyle9>
tact Ken at his QRZ.com email address.
N3FJP Adds Support for 630

and 2200 Meters to
His Logging Software
As I was updating my logging software
for Field Day, I found that N3FJP has
added both 630 and 2200 meters to
his suite of logging software. I cannot
confirm that all packages contain sup-
port but his Amateur Contact Log
suite, designed for general, everyday
logging, as well as the 2020 Field Day
logger were updated. Kudos to Scott
for making this a reality. It is very much
appreciated. While ARRL Field Day
rules remain unchanged, excluding
both 630 and 2200 meters from QSO
points, it would likely be impossible to
proceed with making a case for inclu-
sion without support from a popular
logging software package. It’s my
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ANTENNAS
BY KENT BRITAIN, WA5VJB
Measuring Things You Can’t See
here are certainly a lot of different
T ways to measure standing wave

ratio, or SWR, and a lot of differ-
ent devices with which to measure it
(see Photo A). Although I must admit
that once you have used dB return loss,
you stop thinking in terms of SWR.
Sounds like a good future topic.
NanoVNA
This got started with one ham com-
plaining of problems he was having
measuring SWR with his new
NanoVNA miniature vector network
analyzer (Photo B). Cute little guys, I
ordered three. One for my lab, one for
the lab at an antenna company I do a
lot of work for, and one for playing with
all the software mods different people
have come up with for these guys.
His issue was the inconsistent results
he saw on the NanoVNA versus using
his HF rig and SWR meter. So out
comes the test equipment to measure
my new test equipment.
It varies a bit with frequency, but my
NanoVNA was putting out about
0.00005 watts. For the more technical- Photo A. Many varieties of SWR meters are available. The lower-cost ones may
ly inclined, mine measured -13.5 dBm not be as good as professional-grade models (such as the Bird meter at top cen-
at 100 MHz. I think I got all those zeros ter) at filtering out energy from other RF sources that may affect their accuracy.
right. When looking at an antenna with
an SWR of 2:1, the NanoVNA will be
seeing about .000005 watts of reflect-
ed power, or -23 dBm of RF power. For
the same antenna, his HF rig would be
putting out 100 watts or so and seeing
about 10 watts of reflected power. So
you have a good signal-to-noise ratio
on that reflected power. But not with
0.000005 watts.
Back to the NanoVNA. It uses a sim-
ple power detector and a resistive
bridge to measure reflected power.
There is no frequency selective filtering.
Now any local AM radio stations, FM
stereo transmitters, TV stations, 5G cell
sites, etc., are all picked up in that power
detector. If these add up anywhere
close to 0.000005 watts on that long
wire antenna, you are going to have
measurement errors. I have already
heard a report that one ham can tell
when a ham neighbor some blocks
away is on the air by looking at his
NanoVNA’s SWR sweep. Photo B. The popular NanoVNA is a tiny and low-cost vector network analyzer.
It packs a lot of computing power into a small box, but it has its limitations, as
email: <[email protected]> Kent explains.

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There’s a lot of computing power in
that tiny form factor, but you have to
watch what you are doing.
RF Levels Around the Shack

More and more, we are seeing require-
ments to know the RF levels around our
stations. And this is not just in the U.S.,
but in many other countries as well.
I have done quite a bit of field-strength
measuring, and it does require anten-
nas with known characteristics and
either a spectrum analyzer or an RF
voltmeter.
To our rescue are several websites
with RF field calculators at our dispos-
al. Well, it seems like a good idea. So
far, every one I have worked with con- Figure 1. Many online calculators are available to help you measure RF
verted the antenna to an infinitesimal fields, but their readings are more valid in the far field (several miles away)
point. In Figure 1, we have a typical HF than in the near field (around your shack and your neighbors’ homes). See text
inverted-V. The highest RF fields close for discussion.
to the antenna are near the tips of the
antenna. OK, but all the RF field calcu-
lators I tested convert that 200+ foot- they must be used with care on the HF umn topics. You guys do come up
long 160-meter inverted-V into an infin- bands to determine RF exposure with some doozies at times and are
itesimal point. It even converted a levels for your shack and your neigh- always good fodder for a future
2-meter EME array with 16 Yagis into a bors’ homes. column. Email your questions to
point the size of the period at the end of <[email protected]> or
this sentence. Feed Me Fodder! snail mail to my QRZ.COM address.
These kinds of calculators are valid Feel free to contact me with your anten- For other antenna projects visit
in the far field, i.e., miles away. But na questions or suggestions for col- <WWW.WA5VJB.COM>.
W6SAI HF Antenna Handbook

By William I. Orr, W6SAI, SK
One of amateur radio’s most respected authors, Bill Orr, W6SAI, shared his many years of knowledge and experience
with us in The W6SAI HF Antenna Handbook. This 184-page paperback is jam-packed with dozens of inexpensive,
practical antenna projects that work! Discover the available resources and tools that will make your future antenna
installations easy to build and give world-class results. Whether you’re a seasoned
antenna enthusiast or a beginner, there’s something of interest in this book for you!
Here’s a look inside: 7. How antenna analysis programs can work for you
1. Multiband dipole antenna designs 8. Low-cost Yagi beam projects
2. Off-center-fed multiband antennas 9. A triband quad for 20-15-10 meters
3. Data on the G5RV antenna 10. Feedlines and antenna accessories
4. The ins and outs of baluns, tuners, and matching 11. A high-gain 2-element Yagi you can build
networks 12. What your SWR meter readings are really telling you
5. Valuable information on loop antennas 13. How to adjust your Yagi beam - on the ground
6. Easy-to-build 160-meter antennas . . . and more!
8.5 X 11 Paperback Only $19.95

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VHF PLUS
BY TONY EMANUELE,* K8ZR
How to Work Meteor Scatter With MSK 144

VHF Calendar tab and check the box labelled: Special
operating activity: Generation of FT4,
432 MHz Fall Sprint: Wednesday October 7th from 7-11 p.m. local FT8, and MSK144 messages and then
ARRL EME contest 50 to 1296 MHz: October 10th & 11th enable the NA VHF Contest button. In
Microwave Fall Sprint: Saturday October 10th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local order to enable the short-format mes-
Leonids Meteor Shower Predicted Peak: November 17th – November 18th sages check the “Sh” box on the main
ARRL EME Contest 50 MHz to 1296 MHz: November 28th – 29th WSJT-X MSK144 screen (Figure 1).
Geminids Meteor Shower Predicted Peak December 13th – 14th The CQ message in contest mode is
CQ TEST W9ABC EN70. However, the
message can be a bit ambiguous as it
he year closes out with two major 12-bit hash of the two callsigns rather
T
does not inform those monitoring the
meteor showers: The Leonids than the callsigns themselves plus a 4- frequency whether the station calling
with its predicted peak on the bit numerical report — an acknowledg- CQ will use the Sh format messages for
night of November 17th into the morn- ment RRR or sign-off 73. Only the Tx3, Tx4, or Tx5 as the QSO progress-
ing of November 18th and the Geminids intended QSO partner can decode es. A more informative CQ message is
with its predicted peak on the night of short format messages. The Sh for- CQ CMSH W9ABC EN70 denoting CM
December 13th and into the morning of matted message will be displayed with for Contest Mode and SH for short-for-
December 14th. Like most major mete- the callsigns enclosed in <> angle mat messages.
or showers, the increase in the number brackets, as in the following example: There is a noticeable increase in
of meteors starts a few days prior to the activity during the major meteor show-
peak and lasts a few days after the pre- CQ K1ABC FN42 ers and therefore it is even more impor-
dicted peak. Both the Leonids and K1ABC W9XYZ EN37 tant that operators adhere to the stan-
Geminids offer a good opportunity for W9XYZ K1ABC R FN42 dard operating practices. During a
the newcomer to give meteor scatter a <K1ABC W9XYZ> R R R major meteor shower, working stations
try, particularly on 6 meters where the <W9XYZ K1ABC> 73 one or two grids over is frowned upon,
“burns” will be more frequent and longer especially in grids where activity is high.
in duration than on 2 meters. There is little or no advantage to using Why not just QSY to 50.313 MHz to
The go-to meteor scatter mode is MSK144 short-format messages on 6 work on FT8 or to the SSB part of the
MSK144 with 50.260 MHz and 144.150 meters as most pings are long enough to band and say hello? Stations new to the
MHz considered the meteor scatter call- support the standard messages, which mode will frequently call CQ on the first
ing frequencies in North America. On 6 has the advantage of being decoded by sequence regardless of the direction
meters, most stations exchange signal anyone monitoring the frequency. that they are trying to work. The con-
reports and not the contest exchange To configure MSK144 into contest vention is the westernmost station
of grid locator. On 2 meters the stan- mode, see Settings and the Advanced transmits first sequence.
dard practice is to use the contest mode
exchange instead of signal reports. The
reasoning is that using the contest
mode exchange reduces the overall
number of exchanges between the two
stations. When compared to 6 meters,
all things being equal, the number of
usable meteors is less on 2 meters.
Only the larger meteors will ionize the
E-layer enough to support communica-
tions at 2 meters. One less message to
transmit / receive increases the odds
that the QSO partners will complete
their QSO on 2 meters.
The other important difference be-
tween 6- and 2-meter meteor scatter
when using the digital mode MSK144 is
that on 2 meters, short format “Sh”
mode is used for messages Tx3, Tx4,
and Tx5. These messages are 20-mil-
liseconds long compared to 72 mil-
liseconds for a full-length MSK144 mes-
sage. Their information content is a
Figure 1. Screenshot of Sh-enabled & Contest mode on MSK144. Note the red
email: <[email protected]> circles that point out how to set up MSK144 in SH and Contest mode.

A common practice during times of high activity, during sure the distance from the top and bottom of the dish to the
either a contest or a meteor shower, is to call CQ on the call- feedhorn and “remains in place so that the position can be
ing frequency but note intended QSO frequency. For exam- checked throughout the life of the radio.” The 1-pps GPS1
ple: CQ 255 W9ABC EN70. Stations decoding the message receiver is mounted on the top of the die-cast box.
will respond by transmitting on 50.255 MHz and once the sta-
tion calling CQ decodes a response on 50.255 MHz, the Spring Sprint Results
remainder of the QSO takes place there. Think split-fre- The 2020 Spring Sprints results have been tabulated and
quency operation until the station calling CQ decodes a reply. scored courtesy of the Central States VHF Society, the
On 6 meters, there is plenty of spectrum as the meteor-
scatter window extends from roughly 50.240 MHz to just
below the FT8 calling frequency of 50.313 MHz. However, Spring Sprints Results Table 1
on 2 meters the spectrum window is narrower as EME activ-
ity can be found starting at 144.140 MHz with FT8 activity on 50 MHz Spring Sprint
144.174 MHz. Of course, the moon is not always up during Rovers
a major shower. There may be little or no EME activity in your 1st Place ACØRA/R Wyatt Dirks 4,560 points
immediate locale but it is good practice to avoid the EME por- 2nd Place K9PW/R Pete Walter 3,360
tion of the band as it is likely only a matter of time before you 3rd Place K9JK/R John Kalenowsky 2,828
try to complete a 2-meter meteor-scatter QSO below 144.150
MHz, forgetting that the moon is above the horizon (it doesn’t Fixed
have to be nighttime! – ed.). 1st Place K1TEO Jeff Klein 6,223
A frequently asked question from those attempting their first 2nd Place K2DRH Bob Striegl 5,768
meteor scatter QSO is where do I point my antenna? Since 3rd Place K1WHS Dave Olean 4,725
meteor scatter communication is the result of ionization of
the E-layer, point your antenna at the station that you are 144 MHz Spring Sprint
intending to work. For those new to the mode, it is recom- Rovers
mended that you become familiar with the program by mon- 1st Place ACØRA/R Wyatt Dirks 5,720
itoring the calling frequency and getting a feel for both the 2nd Place K9PW/R Pete Walter 1,953
program and the standard practices, preferably before either 3rd Place K9JK/R John Kalenowsky 1,794
a contest or meteor shower. The Ping Jockey Central web-
site <www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk> is a good to place Fixed
for those new to the mode to ask questions or make sched- 1st Place K1TEO Jeff Klein 3,959
ules. You will find the regulars on the site more than willing 2nd Place K2DRH Bob Striegl 3,652
to help you through your first meteor scatter QSO and answer 3rd Place W2KV Dave McGee 2,080
any questions that you may have.
222 MHz Spring Sprint
122-GHz Activity Rovers
1st Place ACØRA/R Wyatt Dirks 2,760
A year ago, who would have thought that there would be
2nd Place K9JK/R John Kalenowsky 1,633
reports from numerous stations of their 122-GHz activity?
3rd Place K9PW/R Pete Walter 1,092
The design and manufacture of the 122-GHz board by
VK3CV changed all that by making readily available a 122-
Fixed
GHz printed circuit board with all components populated and
1st Place K1TEO Jeff Klein 861
the board tested (the difficult part). Though populated with
2nd Place K1RZ Dave Petke 748
all the surface-mount and through-hole components, as deliv-
3rd WZ1V Ron Klimas 648
ered the board is by no means turnkey as it requires the addi-
tion of switches, connectors, etc., and the ability to solder
432 MHz Spring Sprint
small gauge wire to the printed circuit board. Taking the board
Rovers
and adding what is necessary to make it a functional trans-
1st Place K9PW/R Pete Walter 3,045
verter is well within the capabilities of anyone who has had
2nd Place ACØRA/R Wyatt Dirks 2,880
some experience either kit-building or homebrewing.
3rd Place K9JK/R John Kalenowsky 1,344
The January 2020 VHF Plus column summarized the
board’s technical details. To date, the vast majority of QSOs
Fixed
on 122 GHz made using the VK3CV board have been over
1st Place K1TEO Jeff Klein 1,625
distances of less than 10 kilometers. As we move into fall
2nd Place W2KV Dave McGee 602
and winter, distances are expected to increase as dew
3rd Place WZ1V Ron Klimas 527
points for many regions will be lower. The following have
made QSOs on the 2.5-mm band this summer: AA5AM,
Microwave Spring Sprint
K2DH, K2UA, K2DLU, K6ML, K6TJ, K8ZR, K9PW, KB8U,
Rovers
KB8VAO, N5BRG, N6KLD, N9JIM, VA3ELE, VA3TO,
1st Place ACØRA/R Wyatt Dirks 13,139
VE2UG, W5LUA, WA8VPD, and WB2BYP. Certainly, oth-
2nd Place Andrea Slack 5,108
ers have also been active or will soon be on the band. A
3rd Place K9PW/R Pete Walter 3,803
search on YouTube for “122 GHz” will result in several
videos of recent QSOs.
Fixed
Photo A shows Pete Mahowald, K6TJ’s, implementation of
1st Place K1RZ Dave Petke 10,817
his 122-GHz system. The 122-GHz board assembly with feed
2nd Place K1TEO Jeff Klein 10,783
in a die cast box is mounted at the focal point of the dish.
3rd Place VE3ZV Stephen Land 4,395
According to Pete, the string in the picture is used to mea-

sponsoring organization (see Table 1).
As noted in previous columns, sprint
activity based on log submissions is
trending upward. Congratulations to the
winners. Your participation, whether
just a few contacts or an all-out effort,
is appreciated by the weak-signal VHF+
community. The 432 MHz and Micro-
wave Sprints are scheduled for this
month. The sponsor of the Fall Sprints
is the Southeastern VHF Society.
On the Bands
Proving the point that Sporadic-E on 6
meters can take place anytime of the
year was the August 24th opening from
the east coast of North America into
Western Europe. The following is a
sample of what was worked: SV9CVY
& KM3T, IT9RZR & K1SIX, WZ1V &
DJ8RZ, K8ZR & F4VPC, VE1PZ &
EI4DQ, and WW1L & G3LHJ. The
opening was brief with most signals
weak, i.e. -15dB or less but welcomed
just the same, given the typical condi-
tions late August.
– CU on the bands & 73, Tony, K8ZR
Note:
1. The VK3CV 122-GHz printed circuit board
(pcb) requires a user-supplied 1-pulse per sec-
K6TJ’s 122-GHz station. Note the red circle is where K6TJ mounted his 122-GHz ond reference for the PLL. The pcb can be mod-
transverter. See text for more details. (Photo by K6JT) ified to accept a 10-MHz reference.
BEHIND THE BYLINES...

… a little bit about some of the authors holds an Extra Class license, General Radio Telephone
License, and is a Senior Member of the IEEE. Tom is also the
whose articles appear in this issue. host of Amateur Radio Roundtable, a popular weekly amateur
Scott Ruesch, W9JU (“Planning Your First Amateur Radio radio video podcast.
Exercise or Event,” p. 19), is the SATERN (Salvation Army Team
Emergency Radio Network) Coordinator for The Salvation Mike Traffie, N1HXA (“The HEX-BEAM® Revisited,“ p. 51), is
Army’s Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Division. This is his second the inventor of the HEX-BEAM® antenna. He built and sold them
Emergency Communications Special article for CQ. His first, in for many years until retiring. He is still discovering new things
the October 2019 issue, described SATERN‘s role in the about the design and hopes that someone in the amateur com-
Defense Department’s annual Patriot North exercise, which munity will pick up on what he’s written here and apply it to refine-
trains military and civilian groups to work together in response ments in hex-beam design.
to natural disasters.
George Wagner, K5KG (co-author “How’s My Audio?” p. 53)
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR (“Backup Power When the Grid Goes is a frequent contributor to CQ. He has traveled extensively
Down,” p. 28), is a pioneer of amateur packet radio and the father for work and has operated from all over the world, both during
of APRS, the Automatic Packet Reporting System. He also has work assignments and on DXpeditions. Bad audio bugs him!
a longtime interest in electric vehicles, and brings his twin pas-
sions for amateur radio and electric vehicles together in this arti- Lu Romero, W4LT (co-author “How’s My Audio?” p. 53), is
cle. Bob is also the author of the ARRL book, “Energy Choices retired from a long career in broadcast technology, starting in
for the Radio Amateur.” the days of film and manual patchbays. One constant through-
out the industry’s many technical changes has been the need
Jim Kocsis, WA9PYH (“Winlink: Keeping You Connected ‘When for clear, high-quality, audio.
All Else Fails’,” p. 32), is a frequent contributor to CQ. A ham since
1964, Jim has had a variety of amateur radio interests overe the Ron Milliman, K8HSY (“The Day I Let the Smoke Out,” p. 56),
years. His current one is Winlink e-mail over amateur radio, which is a professor of marketing at Western Kentucky University. He‘s
is the subject of his article in this issue. been a ham since 1957, prefers CW over phone and has writ-
ten several articles for CQ in the past. In this article, Ron looks
Tom Medlin, W5KUB (“Adventures With Pico Balloons Using back at his first lesson in the importance of maintaining a low
Amateur Radio,“ p. 46), has been licensed since 1964. He SWR in your antenna system!

DX
BY BOB SCHENCK, N2OO
Chasing!
e are living in strange times.
W DXpeditions are virtually non-

existent, yet the bands seem
to be very active with “other” DX. For us
DXpedition Memories
Since there are virtually no DXpeditions to report on right now, here is an assort-
ment of pictures from some past DXpeditions … just to keep you ready for future
ones ... Enjoy.
“dyed in the wool DXers,” it is time to
figure out what to chase now. Ob-
viously, DXpeditions to those rare far- Here are a few pictures from Desecheo K5D in 2009. I thought you might like
flung corners of the earth just aren’t comparing these to the pictures in the August DX Column about the 1981 KP2A/D
happening right now or in the immedi- Desecheo DXpedition.
ate future. Who would have thought that
traveling anywhere could be just as
hazardous as going to a sub-Antarctic
island? So, why are the bands so busy?
Not much of anything else to do? I think
it is simply being able to find some new
stations to work. Let me share what I
have been doing lately.
60 Meters
As I have detailed earlier, I found 60
meters to be tons of fun. Even though
there are no “major” awards that allow
60 meter QSOs to count for anything,
as I previously detailed, there are
awards offered via <http://60meterson-
line.com>. My original goal was pretty
simple. I wanted to work all 50 states,
100 DXCC entities (I am holding at 104),
and all continents. Mission accom-
plished and it really didn’t take that long.
All but one entity was on FT8. It was a The “food pantry” and the cook on Desecheo K5D 2009.
blast and kept me busy for months.
States Awards
Since everyone is staying close to
home, activity from home stations all
around the world is higher than normal.
In the U.S., there is obvious high activ-
ity on the bands, especially on FT8.
Locally, I have noted many of our non-
DXers have been wandering around on
FT8 chasing DX. If you never chased
the various “Worked All States” awards
including the ones for specific bands,
now is a great time to start, or maybe
“pick up” where you have left off. I had
discovered that I needed a dozen or so
states on 12 meters. Within a few days,
I wrapped up WAS 12 meters. Again,
FT8 has been an awesome way to
chase awards, and with JT Alert run-
ning, you can make a special effort to
work what you need because the state
is posted in the program.
The radio operating tent on Desecheo K5D 2009.

*email: <[email protected]

CQ Awards The WAZ Program
<www.cq-amateur-radio.com>
CQ’s Grid Field Award SINGLE BAND WAZ
The CQ DX Field Award is issued in four categories — Mixed, CW, SSB, and 6 Meter
Digital — for confirmed two-way contacts with 50 or more grid fields, based on 158........................................................US5WE, 25 Zones
159.........................................................UX4UA, 28 Zones
the Maidenhead grid system. There are 324 grid fields, 10° latitude by 20° longi- 160.........................................................UT3UA, 26 Zones
tude rectangles lettered AA through RR, covering the entire world. This can be a 161.........................................................US4EX, 26 Zones
difficult challenge since so many “fields” are entirely water based. When I was on
15 Meter CW
the RV Braveheart operating as VK6FZM/MM with the FT5ZM team en route from 374........................................................................JA8FHM
Perth, Australia, to Amsterdam Island (and back), we sailed through grid field “NF.”
15 Meter Digital
This particular grid has NO LAND and is not especially in any shipping lanes and 4............................................................................JA7OUV
thus, pretty darned rare. As such, we kept track of all QSOs made from that grid
field just for those chasing this award. While you are stuck at or near home, now 17 Meter Digital
5...........................................................................OE2SGU
might be a good time to figure out what “grid fields” you need for the award and
watch out for new ones. 80 Meter CW
107........................................................................JA7OUV
5 Band WAZ 160 Meter

643 ..........................................................N6RW, 34 Zones
As of August 15, 2020 Callsign Zones Zones 644 ..........................................................W3UR, 40 Zones
2239 stations have attained at least the 150 Zone level, Needed 645 ......................................................SQ7FPD, 32 Zones
and KØDEQ 198 22, 26
1062 stations have attained the 200 Zone level. K1BD 198 23, 26 160 Meter Update
K2EP 198 23, 24 466.......................................................JA7OUV, 40 Zones
As of August 15, 2020 K2TK 198 23, 24
152 ..........................................................9A2AJ, 40 Zones
The top contenders for 5 Band WAZ (Zones needed on 80 K3JGJ 198 24, 26
or other if indicated): K3LR 198 22, 23
CHANGES shown in BOLD K3PA 198 18, 23
K4JLD 198 18, 24 ALL BAND WAZ
Callsign Zones Zones K5OT 198 18, 23
Needed KI1G 198 24, 23 on 10 CW
AK8A 199 17 KZ2I 198 24, 26 1094......................................................................JA8FHM
DM5EE 199 1 N4GG 198 18, 24 1095..........................................................................W5GJ
EA5RM 199 1 NX0I 198 18, 23 1096 ..........................................................................K7RR
EA7GF 199 1 UA4LY 198 6 & 2 on 10
H44MS 199 34 1097.....................................................................SQ5EBM
UN5J 198 2, 7
HAØHW 199 1 US7MM 198 2, 6
HA5AGS 199 1 W5CWQ 198 17, 18 Digital
I5REA 199 31 W9RN 198 26, 19 on 40 172 ........................................................................JA3HLX
IKØXBX 199 19 on 10M WC5N 198 22, 26 173........................................................................JA8FHM
IK1AOD 199 1 WL7E 198 34, 37 174............................................................................W5GJ
IK6DLK 199 1 ZL2AL 198 36, 37 175 .........................................................................JH3IEG
IK8BQE 199 31
176 .......................................................................OE3EVA
IZ3ZNR 199 1
JA1CMD 199 2 177 .......................................................................UB3GEL
The following have qualified for the basic 5 Band WAZ
JA5IU 199 2 Award: 178.........................................................................JL1KBS
JA7XBG 199 2 179........................................................................JK6DXD
JH7CFX 199 2 Callsign 5BWAZ # Date # Zones 180........................................................................JA3ENN
JK1BSM 199 2 N6RW 2230 2020-07-15 193 181 ........................................................................JA5JGY
JK1EXO 199 2 RA3SS 2231 2020-07-16 200 182 ..........................................................................HL1ZN
K1LI 199 24 IK4DCT 2231 2020-07-17 153
K2RD 199 18 W5GJ 2233 2020-07-20 174
K7AWB 2234 2020-07-20 164
Mixed
K4HB 199 26
7L3SQL 2235 2020-07-27 153 9889 ....................................................................JG1OGM
K5TR 199 22
K7UR 199 34 K9SM 2236 2020-07-31 190 9890 .........................................................................N6RW
K9KU 199 22 on 15 JA2MNB 2237 2020-08-06 179 9891........................................................................RA3SS
KZ4V 199 26 SV2JAO 2238 2020-08-11 200 9892......................................................................JA8FHM
N3UN 199 18 CT7ANG 2239 2020-08-11 172 9893..........................................................................W5GJ
N4NX 199 26 9894.......................................................................UT6CW
N4WW 199 26 Updates to the 5BWAZ list of stations: 9895 ........................................................................IU8IYE
N4XR 199 27 9896........................................................................YO3YV
N8AA 199 23 Callsign 5BWAZ # Date # Zones
RAØLQ 1948 2020-07-17 153 9897.......................................................................RØQAF
N8DX 199 23
N8TR 199 23 on 10 IK5ZUK 1908 2020-08-11 188 9898......................................................................JE8KGH
RA6AX 199 6 on 10M 9899 ..........................................................................PA1H
RU3DX 199 6 New recipients of 5 Band WAZ with all 200 Zones con- 9900..........................................................................WN7J
RWØLT 199 2 on 40M firmed: 9901 ...........................................................................NF4J
RX4HZ 199 13 5BWAZ # Callsign Date All 200 # 9902 ....................................................................7K3OWM
RZ3EC 199 1 on 40M 2231 RA3SS 2020-07-16 1060 9903 .......................................................................WA4PT
S58Q 199 31 2232 IK4DCT 2020-07-17 1061 9904 .....................................................................CT7ANG
SM7BIP 199 31 2238 SV2JAO 2020-08-11 1062 9905......................................................................SV2JAO
VO1FB 199 19
9906........................................................................N6DHZ
W1FJ 199 24 Rules and applications for the WAZ program may be obtained
W1FZ 199 26 9907.........................................................................5T5PA
by sending a large SAE with two units of postage or an address 9908.......................................................................W2ARP
W3LL 199 18 on 10M
label and $1.00 to: WAZ Award Manager, John Bergman, 9909.......................................................................JA7JAA
W3NO 199 26
KC5LK, 125 Deer Trail, Brandon, MS 39042-9409. The pro-
W4LI 199 26
cessing fee for the 5BWAZ award is $10.00 for subscribers
W6DN 199 17
(please include your most recent CQ mailing label or a copy)
W6RKC 199 21 Rules and applications for the WAZ program may be ob-
W6TMD 199 34 and $15.00 for nonsubscribers. An endorsement fee of $2.00
for subscribers and $5.00 for nonsubscribers is charged for tained by sending a large SAE with two units of postage or
W9XY 199 22
each additional 10 zones confirmed. Please make all checks an address label and $1.00 to: WAZ Award Manager, John
9A5I 198 1, 16
EA5BCX 198 27, 39 payable to John Bergman. Applicants sending QSL cards to a Bergman, KC5LK, 125 Deer Trail, Brandon, MS 39042-
F5NBU 198 19, 31 CQ checkpoint or the Award Manager must include return 9409. The processing fee for all CQ awards is $6.00 for sub-
G3KDG 198 1, 12 postage. KC5LK may also be reached via e-mail: <kc5lk@cq- scribers (please include your most recent CQ mailing label
G3KMQ 198 1, 27 amateur-radio.com>. or a copy) and $12.00 for nonsubscribers. Please make all
HB9FMN 198 1 on 80 & 10 checks payable to John Bergman. Applicants sending QSL
I1EIS 198 1 & 19 on 10 *Please note: Cost of the 5 Band WAZ Plaque is $100 shipped cards to a CQ checkpoint or the Award Manager must
JA1DM 198 2, 40 within the U.S.; $120 all foreign (sent airmail).
include return postage. KC5LK may also be reached via e-
JA3GN 198 2 on 80 & 40 mail: <[email protected]>.
JA7MSQ 198 2 on 80 & 10
JH1EEB 198 2, 33

CQ WPX
Another fun thing to chase is working “prefixes.” The CQ WPX Award does this.
D X Wo r l d Many logging programs (I use AC Log) track them for you. There is an almost unend-
ing number of prefixes out there to work. Again, JT Alert tracks new ones for you
on FT8. Whenever I see a dark blue decode in JT Alert on 20 meters (which is the
Guide color I happened to set up for any new prefix), I pounce on it because it is usually
a new one overall following the same process outlined in the last paragraph.
The WPX Program

4th Edition!
CW 4067 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON7GLF
By Franz Langner, DJ9ZB 3973 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WJ8Y 4068 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IU1HGN
3974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NS4X 4069 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N5JED
3975 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AE4AN 4070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JM8BPM
3976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K5HEM 4071 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K4DXT
4072 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KB8KIM
SSB 4073 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K5HEM
4306 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WJ8Y
4307. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KA5WSS Digital
h
Buy Bot !
4308 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KM9Z 1296 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WB5CON
4309 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NS4X 1297 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NYØK
E
and SAV
4310 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W2GI 1298. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KA5WSS
4311 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G6AD 1299 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KI5IXP
4312 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IU8IYE 1300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KG5PIO
4313 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I1YDT
1301 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K4BH
Mixed 1302. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI7P
4049 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AB5J 1303 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NG9J
1304 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W7SUT
4050 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GM7NZI
1305 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NS4X
4051 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NØYK 1306 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WB9DAR
4052 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N6TTO 1307. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W9TAM
4053 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KM9Z 1308 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AA5H
4054 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KD3PC 1309 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BG8KFP
4055 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WJ8Y 1310 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K4OBL
Known throughout the DX 4056 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K5DEU 1311 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N3NMP
4057 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NG9J 1312 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA5YCG
and DXpedition world as a 4058 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NS4X 1313 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IU1HGN
meticulous and tireless operator, 4059 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PDØJDF 1314 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N2EDU
4060 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WB9DAR 1315 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N5JED
Franz Langner, DJ9ZB, is also 4061 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K9AAN 1316 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K6PST
noted as one of the most 4062 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AA5H 1317 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JH1KKT
4063 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W1XMM 1318 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N2TC
knowledgeable individuals in 4064 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K4OBL 1319 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K4DXT
1320 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EA2AA
Amateur Radio in terms of 4065 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AE4AN
1321 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KB8KIM
4066 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KT3LZY
documenting DXCC entities.
This is the fourth edition of his CW: 350: K5HEM. 500: AC6BW. 550: NZ7Q, EA2AA. 650: NS4X. 900: WJ8Y. 1100: DK5JW. 1200: K3XA, AB7RW. 1400:
series of books bearing the title KN1CBR. 1900: WA6KHK.
DX World Guide. It was first SSB: 400: GM7NZI, EA2AA. 450: KA5WSS, NS4X, N6PM, I1YDT. 500: WJ8Y. 550: CT7ANG. 600: G6AD. 650: KJ4KVC.
published in Germany in 1988 850: K3XA, K6VXI. 900: K6HRT. 1850: WA6KHK.
and followed by a second Mixed: 450: AA5H, K4OBL, AE4AN, K4DXT. 500: NYØK, KT3LZY, K5HEM. 550: KM4VI, WB9DAR, IU1HGN. 600: W4DWS.
edition, also in Germany in 1977. 650: N5JED, KB8KIM. 700: WW5XX. 800: KA5WSS, I1YDT. 850: K6VXI. 900: KJ4KVC. 950: IZØFYW. 1000: IZØOTV.
The third edition, published in the 1050: EA2AA. 1100: DL5KW, AC6BW, AF4T. 1250: WJ8Y. 1300: K6HRT. 1350: K9AAN. 1400: AA8SW. 1500: KE4KMB.
1650: K3XA. 1800: CT7ANG. 1900: NS4X. 2000: N6PM. 2400: WA6KHK, G4FKA. 2800: K9RR.
U.S.A in 2012 was the first to use
color throughout. This 380-page, Digital: 350: K5DEU, NG9J, W9TAM, AA5H, EA2AA. 400: N6TTO, NØYK, WB9DAR, N5JED, JH1KKT, K4DXT. 450:
KA5WSS, K4OBL, N3NMP. 500: W4DWS. 550 IU1HGN, WW5XX, W4DWS, KB8KIM. 650: IZØFYW. 750: NS4X, AC6BW.
fourth edition, also full color 800: KE4KMG. 950: WI7P, AF4T. 1000: W9VOB, IZØOTV. 1300: HL2ZN. 1350: K9AAN. 1450: G4FKA. 1750: W1EQ. 1850:
throughout, includes information N6PM.
on well over 300 DX entities. 160 Meters: EA2AA, KB8KIM

80 Meters: EA2AA, KB8KIM
Whether used as a desk 60 Meters: AA8SW
reference for the DXer of any 40 Meters: KA5WSS, K5DEU, NS4X, AA5H, IU1HGN
30 Meters: HL2ZN, IZØFYW
level of proficiency or as a “wish 20 Meters: KA5WSS, WI7P, KM4VI, KD3PC, WJ8Y, K5DEU, AB7RW, NS4X, WB9DAR, K9AAN, AA5H, K4OBL, N3NMP,
book” for DXers just starting his or HL2ZN, IU1HGN, K6PST, I1YDT, AC6BW, W4DWS
17 Meters: HL2ZN
her DXCC journey, the new DX 15 Meters: WJ8Y, AB7RW, NS4X, AA8SW
World Guide is a worthy and 10 Meters: WJ8Y, NS4X, AA8SW
6 Meters: G4FKA, DH4JQ, AA8SW
pleasant companion!
Africa: G4FKA, KE4KMG, EA2AA
This 380-page, Fourth Edition is Asia: WJ8Y, AB7RW, KE4KMG, NS4X, K9AAN, AA5H, BG8KFP, IZØOTV, JH1KKT, AC6BW, IZØFYW, EA2AA
available in paperback and on CD! Europe: GM7NZI, WJ8Y, AB7RW, NS4X, PDØJDF, K9AAN, AA5H, AE4AN, ON7GLF, G6AD, IU1HGN, N5JED, JM8BPM,
I1YDT, W4DWS, EA2AA, KB8KIM
6 X 9 Paperback – only $49.95 Oceania: AB7RW, KE4KMG, NS4X, AC6BW
North America: WB5CON, AB5J, WJ8Y, KA5WSS, NYØK, KI5IXP, KG5PIO, K4BH, N6TTO, NG9J, KD3PC, WJ8Y, K5DEU,
Book on CD – only $34.95 W7SUT, NG9J, NS4X, WB9DAR, K9AAN, W9TAM, AA5H, W1XMM, K4OBL, AE4AN, W2GI, KT3LZY, N3NMP, WA5YCG,
Buy both the Paperback and CD – HL2ZN, IU8IYE, N2EDU, N5JED, IZØOTV, K6PST, JM8BPM, N2TC, K4DXT, KB8KIM, K5HEM
only $68.95 South America: NS4X, K9AAN
Plus applicable shipping and handling charge. 6M Bar: DH4JQ

Single item shipping charge applies when you
purchase both the book and CD together. Complete rules and application forms may be obtained by sending a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope (for-
eign stations send extra postage for airmail) to "CQ WPX Awards," P.O. Box 355, New Carlisle, OH 45344 USA. Note: WPX
will now accept prefixes/calls which have been confirmed by eQSL.cc. and the ARRL Logbook of The World (LoTW).
CQ Communications, Inc. *Please Note: The price of the 160, 30, 17, 12, 6, and Digital bars for the Award of Excellence are $6.50 each.
516 681-2926

Grid Squares and 6 Meters titude of awards. One of those things it tracks is grid squares.
Here is what has caught my attention lately. My initial intro- Since it seems to only track on the particular band and mode
duction to grid squares began just a few years ago after get- on which you are operating, it is a little daunting to keep track
ting active on 6 meters for pretty much the first time since of everything if you are only interested in how many grid
getting licensed in 1965. I just happened to wander onto squares you have worked on “mixed bands and modes.” So,
6 meters FT8 a few years ago in June and got caught up in what I have done is focused on 20 meters only because it is
the Sporadic-E activity that lasted into July or August. I knew obviously the busiest FT8 band I have come across and my
that my SteppIR antenna covered 6, but I never really exper- most actively used band over the years. So, my new chal-
imented there. Over the last three years, I’ve been able to lenge to keep myself in the “chase mode” is to work every
work 48 states (no KH6 or KL7 yet) and 63 DX entities (all new grid that pops up in JT Alert on 20 meters. What I have
confirmed). It has been a long time since working Germany found is that around half are all time new grid squares (any
anywhere got me to jump up and shout out a “YEAH!” The band) anyway. So, when I see the JT Alert decode pop up
ARRL VUCC Award is awarded for contacting grid squares in bright green (which is the color I happened to set up for
and is aimed at VHF / UHF. (My current total on 6 meters is any new grid), I pounce on it. If it becomes difficult to work,
344/360). But alas, I have not got the patience to wait around I’ll check the grid in my “AC Log” logging program to see if it
for the less frequent openings once the Sporadic-E season is a new one overall. If it is, I’ll move into a more diligent chase
is over. So, onward to my next challenge. mode. Anyone who says that FT8 is not a challenge hasn’t
really done it much. There is a lot of strategy involved in tim-
ing and finding a clear frequency to call the station in the
HF Grid Square Challenge passband. Sometimes if you go too high, you might not get
For any of you who operate FT8 with JT Alert, I am sure that answered if the station you are calling doesn’t have a wide
you are familiar with the way that JT Alert lets you know if enough filter in his receiver. Sometimes, you may plop onto
ANYTHING decoded is something that you need for a mul- someone with a stronger signal than yours so dragging your
CQ DX Honor Roll
The CQ DX Honor Roll recognizes those DXers who have submitted proof of confirmation with 275 or more ACTIVE countries. With few exceptions, the ARRL DXCC
Countries List is used as the country standard. The CQ DX Award currently recognizes 340 countries. Honor Roll listing is automatic when an application is received
and approved for 275 or more active countries. Deleted countries do not count and all totals are adjusted as deletions occur. To remain on the CQ DX Honor Roll,
annual updates are required. All updates must be accompanied by an SASE if confirmation of total is required. The fee for endorsement stickers is $1.00 each plus
SASE. (Stickers for the 340 level and Honor Roll are available.) Please make checks payable to the Award Manager, Keith Gilbertson. Mail all updates to Keith
Gilbertson, KØKG, 21688 Sandy Beach Lane, Rochert, MN 56578-9604 USA.
CW
DL3DXX ....339 K4CN ........339 N7RO ........339 K8SIX........338 K9OW ......334 W9IL..........329 N2LM ........321 W6WF .......309 K7CU ........282
HB9DDZ....339 K4JLD .......339 NØFW ......339 KA7T .........338 PY2YP ......334 IKØADY ....328 ON4CAS ...321 KT2C........ 307 PP7LL ......282
K4IQJ ........339 K4MQG .....339 OK1MP .....339 WA5VGI ....338 WG5G/ OZ5UR......328 W2OR .......320 K4DGJ ......307 WR7Q .......282
K9MM........339 K5RT.........339 W3GH .......339 W1DF........338 QRPp ....334 AB4IQ ......327 HB9DAX/ W4ABW ....306 N2VW........280
N4MM .......339 K7LAY.......339 W4OEL .....339 W9RPM.....338 WD9DZV...334 K6CU ........326 QRPp .....319 K7ZM ........305 K4EQ ........280
WB4UBD...339 K7VV.........339 W5BOS .....339 G3KMQ .....337 K2OWE .....333 KE3A.........326 W6YQ ......319 HA5LQ ......301 W8BLA......280
WS9V........339 K8LJG .......339 W7CNL .....339 KØKG........337 K5UO ........333 EA5BY ......325 HA1ZH ......318 RN3AKK....300 WB5STV ...277
EA2IA........339 N4AH ........339 W7OM.......339 W7IIT ........337 N6AW........333 KA3S.........325 N6PEQ......318 WA9PIE ....298 YO6HSU ...275
F3TH .........339 N4CH ........339 W8XD........339 K8ME ........336 W4MPY.....333 N3RC ........324 CT1YH ......316 K4IE ..........295
K2FL ........ 339 N4JF .........339 WK3N........339 W6OUL .....336 K6LEB.......331 N7W0 ........324 EA3ALV ....315 YU1YO......295
K2TQC ......339 N4NX ........339 WØJLC .....339 JA7XBG ....335 N7WO .......331 KEØA ........322 RA1AOB ...313 WA2VQV...292
K3JGJ .......339 N5ZM ........339 WØVTT .....339 F6HMJ ......334 OK1DWC ..331 YT1VM ......322 WA4DOU ..312 4XIVF ........286
K3UA.........339 N7FU.........339 YU1AB ......339 K1FK .........334 K6YK.........329 4Z5SG.......321 YO9HP......312 K6YR.........284
SSB
AB4IQ .......340 K6YRA ......340 VE3MRS ...340 W4UNP .....339 HB9DQD ...335 KE3A.........332 K7HG ........327 IV3GOW....312 F5MSB ......293
DJ9ZB .......340 K7VV.........340 VE3XN ......340 W9RPM.....339 IKØAZG ....335 N2VW........332 K6GFJ.......326 N8SHZ ......312 W9ACE .....291
DL3DXX ....340 K8LJG .......340 VK2HV ......340 EA3EQT....338 IW3YGW ...335 N5YY.........332 KE4SCY....326 OK1DWC ..311 N3KV.........289
DU9RG .....340 K8SIX........340 W3AZD .....340 K3UA.........338 OE2EGL....335 K5UO ........331 KF4NEF ....325 KU4BP ......310 W6MAC.....289
EA2IA .......340 K9MM........340 W3GH .......340 K7LAY.......338 VK2HV ......335 KC2Q ........331 W6WF .......325 W6NW.......310 K7CU ........287
EA4DO......340 KE5K.........340 W4ABW ....340 K9HQM .....338 W4WX.......335 SV3AQR ...331 W9GD .......325 I3ZSX ........309 N5KAE ......283
HB9DDZ....340 KZ2P .........340 W5BOS .....340 N4NX ........338 WB3D........335 WØROB ....331 VE7EDZ ....324 G3KMQ .....308 IZ1JLG ......282
I8KCI .........340 N4CH ........340 W6BCQ.....340 YU1AB ......338 AA4S.........334 W6OUL .....331 WA5UA .....324 KA1LMR....308 WA9PIE ....282
IK1GPG.....340 N4JF .........340 W6DPD .....340 4Z4DX.......338 EA5BY ......334 XE1MEX ...331 F6BFI ........323 RA1AOB ...308 WD8EOL...281
IN3DEI ......340 N4MM .......340 W7BJN......340 K1UO ........338 K9OW .......334 KD5ZD ......330 ON4CAS ...323 XE1MEX ...308 IWØHOU...277
K2FL .........340 N5ZM ........340 W7OM.......340 N7WR .......338 PY2YP ......334 WA4WTG..330 VE6MRT ...323 IK5ZUK .....307 AKØMR.....276
K2TQC ......340 N7BK.........340 W8ILC .......340 WA5VGI ....338 VK4LC.......334 WØYDB ....330 W5GT........323 IØYKN.......306 NØAZZ......275
K3JGJ .......340 N7RO .......340 W9SS........340 W2CC .......338 W8AXI.......334 ZL1BOQ....330 N6PEQ......322 XE1MW.....305 SQ7B ........275
K4CN ........340 NØFW .......340 WB4UBD...340 W7FP ........338 XE1J .........334 AD7J .........329 W4MPY.....322 K4IE ..........304
K4IQJ ........340 OK1MP .....340 WK3N........340 W9IL..........338 CT3BM......333 N3RC .......329 K8IHQ .......321 K4ZZR.......304
K4JLD .......340 OZ3SK ......340 WS9V........340 N4FN.........337 IK8CNT .....333 VE7SMP ...329 KW3W.......320 K7ZM .......303
K4MQG .....340 OZ5EV ......340 XE1AE ......340 IØZV..........336 K8LJG .....333 WØULU.....329 TI8II...........320 4Z5FL/M....302
K4MZU......340 VE1YX ......340 YU3AA ......340 K3LC .........336 N6AW........333 CT1AHU....328 YO9HP......320 K7SAM......301
K5OVC......340 VE2GHZ....340 JA7XBG ....339 K8ME ........336 OE3WWB..333 N1ALR ......328 W1DF........318 KA8YYZ ....301
K5RT.........340 VE2PJ .......340 KØKG........339 EA3BMT....335 WD9DZV...333 N2LM ........328 XE1RBV....317 4X6DK.......298
K5TVC ......340 VE3MR......340 W2FKF......339 F6HMJ ......335 AA1VX ......332 AE9DX ......327 N7YB.........315 K2HJB.......295
RTTY
NI4H . . . . . 338 WK3N . . . . 338 OK1MP . . . 337 K8SIX . . . . 334 W3GH . . . . 333 AB4IQ . . . . 323 N4MM . . . . 302 K8ME . . . . 278
WB4UBD . 338 N5ZM . . . . 338 K4CN . . . . 334 W9RPM . . 334 K3UA . . . . 332 K4WW . . . 323 K4IQJ . . . . 300 IN3YGW . . 275

feet to watch the waterfall might be beneficial. Anyway, now new band / mode entity from time to time just by keeping me
that I have worked all DXCC mixed, all states on all feasible on the air more than I was.
bands, all CQ zones on all feasible bands, even all U.S. coun- As many of you might know, I have never gotten caught up
ties … I have found that there is ALWAYS something for a in gathering the plaques or paper for most awards. Except
DX chaser to do, even during a pandemic. Other than the CQ for my Mixed DXCC, WAC, WAZ, WAS, and my USA-CA
DX Field Award, there don’t seem to be any ongoing HF grid awards, I really never went after the paper awards very much.
square awards sponsored by the normal organizations out I find ample satisfaction just knowing that I have worked what
there. The Wireless Institute of Australia does sponsor an HF I have worked and tracking it in my logging program. So,
grid square award; details are at <https://tinyurl.com/ chasing HF grids fits that mold perfectly. Maybe I will create
y6hpclm9>. There might be others out there as well. my own award and design a certificate for myself just as a
memory for the accomplishment.
Band Fillers Bottom line! Have fun! Chase “STUFF”. Work “STUFF”. Get
Meanwhile, anytime I happen on a new band / mode DX enti- together with your other locals on the RADIO and compare
ty anywhere, I pounce on it as well. I found that chasing the notes. And above all else, stay safe.
grid squares and prefixes has worked well for picking up a – Di-dit de N2OO
DXpedition Memories
These photos are from the HKØNA Malpelo DXpedition
in 2012.
Sometimes, getting “onto” a DX entity is pretty scary! “El Tangon” is the only Everett, WZ8P, prepares the HKØNA
decent safe access to Malpelo. It is a hanging rope ladder high above the QSL cards for shipment to the QSL
water. Manager (N2OO)

AWARDS
BY CQ STAFF
Awards Editor Needed

Plus Parks, States, Grid Fields, and More
If you’re an active paper-chaser who
likes to uncover little-known awards and
help guide your fellow hams in the art of
earning “wallpaper” for their shacks —
and you have the time to research and
write a monthly column — we’d like to hear
from you. Please drop a note to CQ Editor
Rich Moseson, W2VU, at <w2vu@cq-
amateur-radio.com> and we’ll talk.
POTA, States, and CQ Awards

Meanwhile, we won’t leave you high and
dry because award-chasing is on the
menu for two of our other columnists. QRP
Editor Scott Rought, KA8SMA, devotes
much of his column this month to POTA, POTA — the Parks on the Air program —
the Parks on the Air program. Scott notes is the focus of this month’s QRP column.
that taking your rig to a designated park
and calling “CQ POTA” is one of the few
Awards Editor Jim Houser, WA8JIM, is ways for a low-powered station to end up sions of the Worked All States award,
stepping down after only five months to on the receiving end of a pileup. The along with VUCC (the VHF / UHF Century
devote more time to family health issues. POTA program offers a wide variety Club), the Wireless Institute of Australia’s
of awards. Read Scott’s column (page Grid Square Award and CQ’s DX Field
XX) and check out the Parks on the Air and WPX Awards. Bob’s column begins
e unfortunately need to an-
W
website <www.parksontheair.com> for on page XX and, as always, includes the
nounce the resignation of Awards details. latest updates on who’s earned what in
Editor Jim Houser, WA8JIM, due DX Editor Bob Schenck, N2OO, sug- the CQ awards program.
to family medical issues. We thank Jim for gests that DX chasers frustrated by the Again, if you think you’d like to write this
taking on this position this past May and COVID-induced absence of DXpeditions column, we’d like to hear from you. Please
filling it ably for the few months during this year use the opportunity to chase con- be sure to let us know about your experi-
which he was able to do so. We wish Jim tacts for some awards with a different ence in ham radio, certificate-hunting, and
and his family all the best in these difficult focus. He takes a look at various state- writing for publication (or broadcast).
times. level awards and filling in single band ver- – 73, The editors
If there’s not much rare DX to work because of cancelled DXpeditions, DX Editor N2OO writes in his column this month, try chas-
ing states, grid fields, or prefixes.

CONTESTING
BY TIM SHOPPA,* N3QE
COVID-19 Contesting Spike Continues

ast month, I noted that contests
L from March through June of 2020

had shown an extreme rise in par-
ticipation. This trend continued in July
Contest
July NAQP RTTY
August NAQP CW
August NAQP SSB
2019
600
913
800
2020
733
1241
1170
Growth
22%
36%
46%
and August.
Table 1 shows the count of logs Worked All Europe CW 1187 1518 28%
received in 2019 and 2020 for four pop-
ular summer contests, the RTTY, CW Table 1. Year-over-year increase in activity for four popular summer contests
and SSB segments of the North
American QSO Party, and the CW
weekend of the Worked All Europe Contest Novice Technician General Advanced Extra
(WAE) Contest. New record high levels 2019 CQWW CW 0.1% 0.1% 3.4% 1.0% 95.2%
of participation were reached for all 2019 CQWW SSB 10.3% 2.2% 87.5%
three modes of the summer North 2020 NAQP Aug CW 0.1% 0.2% 3.7% 0.5% 95.3%
American QSO parties. And Peter, 2020 NAQP Aug SSB 12.7% 1.8% 85.5%
DL7YS, busy processing the WAE CW 2020 ARRL Jun VHF 1.5% 10.9% 4.8% 82.7%
logs, noted “one thing we already know,
the highest growth in submitted logs is U.S. Licensed hams 1.0% 50.6% 23.5% 5.0% 19.8%
coming from the U.S.”
Not only was activity up, but so was
propagation on 10 and 15 meters, at Table 2. Distribution of U.S. license classes submitting logs in five recent con-
least in the SSB leg of the North tests. Below the contest statistics are FCC license statistics for all U.S. hams.
American QSO Party. Many stations
reported hundreds of QSOs on 15 and
10. John Laney, K4BAI, writes “Who The Advanced Class license hasn’t likely to hear recently licensed 2x3 for-
would have thought that 10 meters been issued since the FCC’s restruc- mat sequential callsigns from Generals
would produce the highest number of turing of 2000. Advanced class li- on the phone bands than on the CW
QSOs on all the bands?” after making censees are twice as likely to send in a bands. And I would make the general-
209 QSOs on 28 MHz. log for an SSB contest than a CW con- ization that many recently-licensed
test. I held an Advanced Class license Generals are enjoying HF SSB contests
from 1982 through 2007. In 2006, I had but are not comfortable with CW, or at
License Classes and Contest gotten active in some contests and least the higher CW speeds (25 WPM
Log Submissions DXing, and I had noticed that the bot- or higher) that dominate the majority of
Which hams get on for contests? Is tom 25 kHz of the 80-, 40-, 20-, and 15- CW contest activity.
there a relationship between license meter CW bands, where my Advanced That brings us to the most common
class and contest participation? Can we ticket did not allow me to transmit, were license class of U.S. hams — the Tech-
use licensing data to help draw more packed with lots of interesting DX both nician Class, which is held by a little
hams into contesting? Is there a corre- in and out of contests. There’s also 25 more than half of all U.S. hams.
lation between license class and modes kHz of spectrum on the 20- and 15- Technician Class hams have full VHF
used? meter phone bands, as well as 100 kHz privileges and do send in logs in VHF
I attempted to accumulate some sta- on 75-meter phone, that is unavailable contests — at the 1.5% level. Techni-
tistics to answer these questions by to Advanced licensees but is available cians also show up in very small frac-
cross referencing contest “logs receiv- to Extra. These band segments are tional-percent levels in the CW con-
ed” callsign lists against the FCC U.S. packed with activity in each big DX contests, since they have limited CW priv-
Amateur license database, I created test. The dense contest activity I heard ileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters.
Table 2, showing submissions for five in these segments gave me the incen- Finally, there are still some U.S. hams
popular contests, broken down by U.S. tive — for the first time in 25 years — to holding the Novice Class license. This
amateur license classes. Also, I show study for the Extra exam and gain those license class is no longer issued, but
current FCC license statistics for each extra privileges. Novices are eligible to renew and they
class of U.S. license. General Class licensees represent have HF CW privileges. You see that
Extra Class hams make up only 20% 23% of U.S. licensed hams and are the some of the Novice licensees still are
of U.S. license holders, but they submit lowest license class with broad-based on the air and participating in CW at the
more than 80% of the logs in every con- HF voice privileges. None of the CW less than 1% level.
test I researched. I’m not surprised — contests for which I checked callsigns
those who have made the effort to reach had more than 4% log submissions
the highest license class are also those from General Class hams. But the SSB License Classes and Contest
most likely to participate in contests. contests had more than 10% of their log Participation
submissions from General Class I also took the FCC database and used
email: <[email protected]> licensees. I can relate that I am far more it to find the license classes of U.S. calls

in my activity in the 2020 Maryland-DC QSO party (where venture into the General Class bands is missing out on 10%
the vast majority of my activity was on SSB) and in my activ- or more of the participants.
ity in 2020 NAQP SSB. My CQ for both events included “CQ
Anyone Anywhere” and I consciously made an effort to CQ Is 150 Watts Low Power?
in the General segment of the HF phone bands. Many contests have “High Power” and “Low Power” cate-
In the license class breakdown tables in Table 3, note that gories. You might read one set of rules for one contest and
35% of hams I worked in the Maryland-DC QSO party held assume it’s the same limit for a different contest the follow-
a General Class license, and 21% of the hams I worked in ing weekend. But it’s more complicated!
NAQP SSB held a General Class license. Does this mean For every ARRL HF contest, the maximum power output in
more General Class hams are on for state QSO parties than low power category is 150 watts. This 150-watt definition for
for contests? Perhaps this is the case, but it is hard to make low power originated back in the 1960s when many rigs with
a generalization based on just these two logs. sweep tubes or 6146Bs in their final amplifier were rated (per-
A likely possible bias exists in my logs: I called CQ only in haps optimistically) for up to 150 watts PEP output.
the General Class phone band. If my statistics were aver- In 2020, for every CQ-sponsored contest with a low power
aged in with other operators who operated in the more priv- category, the maximum power allowed is 100 watts. This
ileged sections of the bands, perhaps this is more represen- includes each mode of CQWW, CQ WPX, and CQ 160. The
tative of overall participation. limit is stated as “total output power” — this is the maximum
A more general study of contests, state QSO parties, and power developed at the output of the transmitter or amplifier.
special event activations would result in more useful statis- Even though ARRL is the current publisher of the National
tics, and I look forward to gathering logs of all these kinds to Contest Journal, note that the NCJ North American Sprints
study the activity of the different license classes on the bands. also use 100 watts as the cutoff. There is no high-power cat-
There is a more general lesson I learned: if I had been egory for the NCJ NAQPs; entrants above 100 watts are clas-
CQing outside the General Class phone segment, I would sified as checklogs and are not scored.
not have worked the hundreds of General Class hams that I And the ARRL VHF contests have yet another definition of
did during those weekends. Any phone contester who doesn’t low power — on 6 and 2 meters, 200 watts is classified as
Calendar of Events
All year CQ DX Marathon http://bit.ly/vEKMWD
Oct. 1 SARL 80m QSO Party http://bit.ly/H0IqQf
Oct. 3 FISTS Fall Slow Speed Sprint www.fistsna.org/operating.html#sprints
Oct. 3 German Telegraphy Contest http://bit.ly/291wozN
Oct. 3-4 YLRL DX/NA YL Anniversary Contest https://ylrl.org/wp/dx-na-yl-contest
Oct. 3-4 California QSO Party www.cqp.org/Rules.html
Oct. 3-4 International HELL-Contest https://bit.ly/3iMvJ4m
Oct. 3-4 Oceania Phone DX Contest www.oceaniadxcontest.com
Oct. 3-4 Russian WW Digital Contest http://bit.ly/2MF8xoC
Oct. 3-4 SKCC QSO Party http://bit.ly/2Xl2vyx
Oct. 3-4 TRC DX Contest https://trcdx.org/rules-trc-dx
Oct. 4 Peanut Power QRP Sprint www.nogaqrp.org
Oct 4 UBA ON 80M SSB Contest https://bit.ly/3kKYKzj
Oct. 4 RSGB DX Contest https://bit.ly/3iWoeZQ
Oct. 5 RSGB Autumn Series CW https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Oct. 7 432 MHz Fall Sprint http://svhfs.org/wp
Oct. 7 UKEICC 80m Contest SSB http://bit.ly/2MbaURB
Oct. 7 VHF-UHF FT8 Activity www.ft8activity.eu/index.php/en/
Oct. 9-11 Nevada QSO Party http://nvqso.com/contest-rules
Oct. 10 10-10 Intl. 10-10 Day Sprint http://bit.ly/1FrFeBc
Oct. 10 FISTS Fall Unlimited Sprint www.fistsna.org/operating.html#sprints
Oct. 10 QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party www.qrparci.org/contests
Oct. 10 Microwave Fall Sprint http://svhfs.org/wp
Oct. 10-11 Arizona QSO Party www.azqsoparty.org
Oct. 10-11 ARRL EME Contest www.arrl.org/eme-contest
Oct.10-11 Cosack’s Honor VHF/UHF Contest http://cshonor-vhf.ho.ua/eng1.html
Oct. 10-11 Pennsylvania QSO Party http://paqso.org
Oct. 10-11 Makrothen RTTY Contest http://bit.ly/2uZd6oF
Oct. 10-11 Oceania CW DX Contest www.oceaniadxcontest.com
Oct. 10-11 PODSX 070 Club 160M Great Pumpkin Sprint http://bit.ly/2RUkcE6
Oct. 10-11 Scandinavian SSB Activity Contest www.sactest.net/blog
Oct. 10-11 South Dakota QSO Party https://sdqsoparty.com
Oct. 10-11 Veron SLP Contest http://bit.ly/2L9eT1L
Oct 11 UBA ON 80M CW Contest https://bit.ly/3kKYKzj
Oct 11 UBA ON 6M Phone/CW Contest https://bit.ly/3kKYKzj
Oct. 14 RSGB Autumn Series Data https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Oct. 14 VHF-UHF FT8 Activity www.ft8activity.eu/index.php/en
Oct. 17 Feld Hell Spooky Sprint https://bit.ly/3g8gpxD
Oct. 17 Argentina National 7 MHz Contest https://tinyurl.com/yyowv5ro
Oct. 17-18 10-10 Intl. Fall CW Contest http://bit.ly/1FrFeBc
Oct. 17-18 Araucaria World Wide VHF Contest www.avhfc.com/rules/en.pdf
Oct. 17-18 New York QSO Party www.nyqp.org
Oct.17-18 JARTS WW RTTY Contest http://jarts.jp/rules2020.html
Oct. 17-18 Worked All Germany Contest http://bit.ly/2uDQRSV
Oct. 17-18 Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge www.kkn.net/stew/stew_rules.html
Oct. 18 Asia-Pacific CW Sprint http://jsfc.org/apsprint
Oct 18 UBA ON 2M Phone/CW Contest https://bit.ly/3kKYKzj
Oct. 18 RSGB RoLo CW Contest www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2020/rolo.shtml
Oct. 18-19 Illinois QSO Party www.w9awe.org/ILQP.html

low power, and above 902 MHz, 50
watts is the low power maximum. There
is another category, “Single Operator 3-
Band,” where the limit on 50 MHz is 100
watts. The CQWW VHF Contest does
not make any distinction between high
and low power. As always, read the
rules to be sure.
Mobile and Multi in Maryland

QSO Party
In most state QSO parties, there is a
“Rover” or “Mobile” in-state category
that encourages mobile operators to
activate a series of different counties.
The 2020 Maryland-DC QSO Party was
the first roving experience for Iain Kelly,
AD5XI (Photo A). In preparation, he did
some research to help target some of
Photo A. Iain Kelly, AD5XI, operated as

a rover through seven counties in the
2020 Maryland-DC QSO Party.
Oct. 18-21 Fall Classic Exchange CW https://bit.ly/3fYa9Iv

Oct. 19 RSGB FT4 Contest Series http://bit.ly/38xg9V7
Oct. 19-20 Telephone Pioneers QSO Party https://bit.ly/314dGkx
Oct. 19-23 ARRL School Club Roundup http://bit.ly/MaLmBs
Oct. 21 AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening http://bit.ly/2LCDywm
Oct. 24-25 Veron SLP Contest http://bit.ly/2L9eT1L
Oct. 24-25 CQWW DX SSB Contest www.cqww.com/index.htm
Oct. 28 UKEICC 80m Contest CW http://bit.ly/2MbaURB
Oct. 29 RSGB Autumn Series SSB https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Oct. 31-Nov. 1 North American SSB Sprint Contest https://ssbsprint.com/rules
Oct. 31-Nov.1 Russian WW MultiMode Contest http://bit.ly/2CMbWOM
Oct. 31-Nov.1 UK/EI DX Contest www.ukeicc.com/dx-contest-rules.php
Nov. 1 High Speed Club CW Contest www.highspeedclub.org

Nov. 1-4 Fall Classic Exchange CW https://bit.ly/3fYa9Iv
Nov. 2 RSGB Autumn Series, Data https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Nov. 4 UKEICC 80 Meter Contest SSB http://bit.ly/2MbaURB
Nov. 4 VHF-UHF FT8 Activity www.ft8activity.eu/index.php/en
Nov. 7-8 IPARC Contest www.iparc.de
Nov. 7-8 Ukrainian DX Contest http://urdxc.org/rules.php?english
Nov. 7-8 Marconi Memorial VHF Contest https://bit.ly/3kM459J
Nov. 7-8 AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 Memorial QSO Party https://bit.ly/2FtzQEn
Nov. 7-9 ARRL CW Sweepstakes www.arrl.org/sweepstakes
Nov. 8 EANET Sprint Contest https://fediea.org/news/?news=20201108
Nov. 8 FIRAC HF Contest www.firac.de/html/contest.html
Nov. 11 RSGB Autumn Series, SSB https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Nov. 11 VHF-UHF FT8 Activity www.ft8activity.eu/index.php/en
Nov. 14-15 AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 Memorial QSO Party https://bit.ly/2FtzQEn
Nov. 14-15 10-10 Digital Fall Contest http://bit.ly/1FrFeBc
Nov. 14-15 JIDX Phone Contest www.jidx.org
Nov. 14-15 OK/OM CW DX Contest http://bit.ly/19rrRjl
Nov. 14-15 SARL VHF/UHF Analogue Contest http://bit.ly/H0IqQf
Nov. 14-15 Worked All Europe RTTY Contest http://bit.ly/2vufgcb
Nov. 14-16 CQ-WE Contest http://cqwe.cboh.org/rules.html
Nov. 14-16 PODXS070 Club Triple Play Low Band Sprint http://bit.ly/2Cq2yUA
Nov. 15 Homebrew & Oldtime Equipment Party www.qrpcc.de/contestrules/hotr.html
Nov. 15 YO Int’l PSK31 Contest http://bit.ly/2w93WEd
Nov. 16 RSGB FT4 Contest Series http://bit.ly/38xg9V7
Nov. 20 YO International PSK31 Contest www.yo5crq.ro/Rules.htm
Nov. 21 Feld Hell Turkey Sprint https://bit.ly/3asfcjj
Nov. 21 RSGB 2nd 1.8 MHZ Contest CW https://tinyurl.com/y378u9wn
Nov. 21-22 All Austrian 160M Contest http://bit.ly/32ZYYd4
Nov. 21-22 LZ DX Contest http://lzdx.bfra.bg/rulesen.html
Nov. 21-22 REF 160-Meter Contest https://bit.ly/3iHzsQU
Nov. 21-22 SARL Newbie Party http://bit.ly/H0IqQf
Nov. 21-23 ARRL SSB Sweepstakes www.arrl.org/sweepstakes
Nov. 25 UKEICC 80 Meter Contest CW http://bit.ly/2MbaURB
Nov. 26 RSGB Autumn Series, CW https://bit.ly/2XF8mSB
Nov. 28-29 ARRL EME Contest www.arrl.org/eme-contest
Nov. 28-29 CQWW DX CW Contest www.cqww.com/index.htm

the less-commonly activated Maryland counties. Iain used QSOs in 2016. WA3EKL has hosted 161 Multi-Op contest
Google Maps in combination with an online tool that overlaid efforts in the past five years.
the county boundaries <https://tinyurl.com/yyko8a5l> to plan
his route through seven Maryland counties. “My mobile sta- Automatic CW Keying, 1957-Style
tion consists of a Kenwood TS-480SAT and a Tarheel Little “CQ SS” will be heard many times this fall in the ARRL’s CW
Tarheel HP screwdriver antenna mounted on the rear door,” Sweepstakes contest in November. You might wonder what
Iain writes. cleverness hams in earlier eras used to help automate their
For the fifth consecutive year, a multi-operator team at Alan CQing. Photo C shows Vic Clark, W4KFC’s, “code wheel”
Hoffmaster, WA3EKL’s, station entered the Maryland-DC that was heard across North America in the 1950s and 1960s
QSO Party as a “club” category station. This year, the team ARRL Sweepstakes contests. (Vic was a major player in ham
of K3MTR, K6ZO, KB3VQC, N3DPB, WA3EKL, and WT3K radio in the mid-20th century, on-air as a contester and DXer,
(Photo B) entered using K3MTR’s callsign and made 738 and off-air as IARU Region 2 president, QCWA director,
QSOs, more than doubling their previous team record of 365 ARRL director, and ARRL president. He became a Silent Key
Photo B. Five operators of the K3MTR multi-op “Club” entry in the 2020 Maryland-DC QSO Party. Top Left: Daryl Olson,
WT3K; Top Right: Alan Hoffmaster, WA3EKL; Bottom Left: Susan Hoffmaster, N3DPB; Bottom Middle: Tyler Reece, K3MTR;
Bottom Right: Zory Glaser, KB3VQC.

Contest General Advanced Extra
N3QE August 2020 NAQP SSB log 20.9% 2.6% 76.5%
N3QE 2020 Maryland-DC QSO Party log 34.6% 4.8% 60.5%
Table 3. Distribution of U.S. License Classes in two recent N3QE contest logs.
No Novices or Technicians were contacted.
available on sub-$100 refurbished PCs 2020, no new 4-letter F suffixes will be

popular in hamshacks through 2017, it issued. New Foundation Class hams
is incredibly rare today to find a used or will be assigned 2x3 VK calls, and exist-
refurbished PC with parallel or serial ing Foundation Class hams have the
ports. option of keeping their current callsign
Photo C. W4KFC’s “CQ SS” code The USB (Universal Serial Bus) jack or applying for a 3-letter suffix callsign.
wheel, an early example of CQ keying has replaced serial ports for almost all Details about Australian callsigns can
automation. (Photo courtesy of Buddy purposes on desktop PCs. If you still be found at the RASA website, <https://
Smith, W4YE.) have a serial port keying adapter, you vkradioamateurs.org>.
can continue using it on a newer PC by
in 1983. – ed.) A 4-RPM gear motor using a USB-to-serial port converter October-November Contests
turns an aluminum disc, into which Vic dongle. If you read the N1MM interfac- The North American SSB Sprint Contest
cut slots and folded back the metal to ing page at <https://rb.gy/ocowkg>, you is a four-hour contest held the evening
spell out his CQ message. Art Boyars, can find many hints on using a USB to of Saturday, October 31st. Like the other
K3KU, tells me that the early versions serial adapter for keying and radio com- North American Sprints, QSYing is
of Vic’s codewheel disc was made from munications. required after CQing and making a QSO.
a pie tin, but Vic’s comments in the Another approach is to skip the serial As a result, no one station owns the fre-
April 1966 QST indicate that the more port and use a modern USB-based quency for more than a few minutes —
evolved version pictured here uses a smart keyer. These have the advantage in fact, the CQer’s goal is to quickly make
blank pre-World War II aluminum over serial port keying in that they don’t a QSO and turn the frequency over to his
phonograph disc. depend on PC processor timing for caller at the completion. The result is a
With a button press, Vic would acti- forming the dots and dashes — com- lively contest filled with motion for all
vate the motor, which began its 15-sec- plete characters are sent by the com- entrants, and an opportunity for every-
ond cycle. The rim of the big metal disc puter to the keyer over the USB con- one to be handed a run frequency. Full
makes and breaks the CW keying cir- nection, and then an embedded chip in rules as well as operating tips for this
cuit, while a second contact not only the smart keyer controls exact timing exciting contest can be found at
keys the transmit / receive relay, but and produces perfect CW even if your <https://ssbsprint.com>.
keeps the motor energized until it has PC is busy with other tasks. The K1EL CQWW SSB and CW are the world’s
completed its message and then stops, WinKeyer USB <https://rb.gy/5qbfny> biggest contests and use a very simple
ready for another activation. is the archetype and it has worked flaw- exchange — RST and CQ zone. At
If you read around the edge of the disc lessly in my shack since 2011. Many press time, there are only a handful of
counterclockwise, you will see “CQ SS multimode ham interfaces have built-in announced DXpeditions coinciding with
CQ SS CQ SS DE W4KFC W4KFC Winkeyer protocol compatibility and the these contests, but there will be no
W4KFC”. Vic wrote that the mechanical Mortty kit <https://rb.gy/6tvnul> has shortage of hams to work at their
CQ has a “come hither” quality that was recently become very popular with con- homes. The 2020 SSB contest is
superior to his own hand keying. testers. October 24-25th and CW is November
W4KFC won the CW Sweepstakes in 28-29th.
1958, 1964, and 1965, so it certainly Australian Callsign Updates The 87th running of the ARRL No-
worked! The Australian Communications and vember Sweepstakes uses an ex-
Media Authority has made two changes change format based on traffic-handling
Automated Keying, 2020-Style to VK callsigns effective July 30, 2020. traditions. The CW contest is November
From the 1990s onward, it has been Originally suggested by a Radio 7th and 8th, and the SSB contest is
quite common for Morse keying to be Amateur Society of Australia commit- November 21st and 22nd. Of special
done by the PC running the logging pro- tee, a new 2x1 call format is now avail- note this year, there are now 84 ARRL
gram. The techniques of serial port key- able. Clubs and Australian Advanced / RAC sections now that the Radio
ing and parallel port keying were very class license holders are now eligible to Amateurs of Canada has separated
popular for decades, because every PC request a 2x1 call just for contesting Prince Edward Island (PE) from the
or PC-clone had serial or parallel ports activities. To maximize the number of Maritime (MAR) Section. Please update
readily available at the time. A small cir- 2x1 calls that can be issued, two new your contest software to handle this
cuit consisting of a transistor and a few prefix letter blocks — VJ and VL — will transition smoothly. An excellent intro-
resistors allowed the low voltages on be used in addition to the traditional VK duction to Sweepstakes operations is
the computer port to directly key the prefix letters. “An Enticement for Contest Newbies” by
transmitter. For several years, Australian Found- NØAX, K5OT, and N2MG, online at
Real serial and parallel ports are rare ation Class hams — the introductory <https://eham.net/article/31081> and
on PCs today. They began disappear- license class in Australia — have been the ARRL Sweepstakes page at <www.
ing from standard motherboards before identifiable by having four letter suffix- arrl.org/sweepstakes> has many details
2010, and while they were still readily es starting with F. Effective July 30, about this long-running contest.

PROPAGATION
BY TOMAS HOOD,* NW7US
Good Conditions Predicted for 2020 CQWW DX SSB Contest
A Quick Look at Current One Year Ago: A Quick Look at Current

Cycle 24/25 Conditions Solar Cycle Conditions
(Data rounded to nearest whole number) (Data rounded to nearest whole number)
Sunspots: Sunspots:
Observed Monthly, July 2020: 6 Observed Monthly, July 2019: 1
12-month smoothed, January 2020: 2 12-month smoothed, January 2019: 3
10.7-cm Flux: 10.7-cm Flux:

Observed Monthly, July 2020: 70 Observed Monthly, July 2019: 67
12-month smoothed, January 2020: 71 12-month smoothed, January 2019: 70
Ap Index: Ap Index:
Unavailable Observed Monthly, July 2019: 6
12-month smoothed, January 2019: 9
radio enthusiasts celebrate the arrival of the fall However, it is expected that the higher bands will have a lot
HF and winter DX season. From October through

November 2020 we will see a steady annual
improvement in the DX bands. With the CQWW contests tak-
of fluctuation in performance. The lower frequency bands will
be quiet, much like last year.
Even if you are not a dedicated contester, you should give
ing place in both months (SSB in October, CW in November), this contest a try. If you are trying for your DXCC or other
we should experience fair success — we are witnessing the paper, this is the contest of choice.
very starting phase of Sunspot Cycle 25.
The 2020 CQWW SSB Contest <www.cqww.com> will
start at 0000 UTC, Saturday, October 24th, and run through LAST-MINUTE FORECAST
2359 UTC Sunday, October 25th. Looking at the 27-day rota- Day-to-Day Conditions Expected for October 2020
tion of the Sun, taking into consideration the current solar
activity at the time of writing this column, propagation should Expected Signal Quality
Propagation Index (4) (3) (2) (1)
be fair to good this weekend. Expect conditions to be com- Above Normal: A A B C
parable with conditions from last year’s contest weekend. 1, 3-11, 14-15, 18-19,
28, 30-31
Predictions for one 27-day rotational period are far more High Normal: A B C C-D
accurate than for three 27-day rotational periods so be sure 2, 12-13, 17, 20, 27, 29
to carefully check conditions on September 27th and Low Normal:
2, 12-13, 17, 20, 27, 29
B C-B C-D D-E
September 28th, since this would be one rotational period Below Normal: C C-D D-E E
23
before the SSB contest weekend. There is better than a 90% Disturbed: C-D D E E
chance that conditions observed on those days will recur dur- 25-26
ing the October contest weekend.
Where expected signal quality is:
See the “Last-Minute Forecast” for expected day-to-day A--Excellent opening, exceptionally strong, steady signals greater than S9
conditions for the entire month of October. You can also see B--Good opening, moderately strong signals varying between S6 and S9, with little fading or
noise.
an up-to-the day “Last-Minute Forecast” on my propagation C--Fair opening, signals between moderately strong and weak, varying between S3 and S6,
resource center, at <http://SunSpotWatch.com>. with some fading and noise.
D--Poor opening, with weak signals varying between S1 and S3, with considerable fading and
Table 1 tabulates the smoothed sunspot count during pre- noise.
vious CQWW DX Contest periods since 2009, and what’s E--No opening expected.
predicted for the 2020 contest. Contest conditions should be

much the same as those of last year. Low to middle latitude
HOW TO USE THIS FORECAST
propagation paths should be good on the lower HF bands 1. Using the Propagation Charts appearing in “The New Shortwave Propagation Handbook,”
(160, 80, and 40 meters). There is a moderate chance that by George Jacobs, Theodore J. Cohen, and R. B. Rose.
a. Find the Propagation Index associated with the particular path opening from the
we will experience reasonably long windows of propagation Propagation Charts.
on the higher HF bands above 20 meters for paths spanning b. With the Propagation Index, use the above table to find the expected signal quality asso-
ciated with the path opening for any given day of the month. For example, openings shown in
lower latitudes over sunlit and gray-line termination regions. the Propagation Charts with a Propagation Index of 1 will be fair on October 1, poor to fair on
October 2, fair on October 3 through October 11, and so forth.
2. Alternatively, you may use the Last-Minute Forecast as a general guide to space weath-
er and geomagnetic conditions throughout the month. When conditions are Above Normal, for
* P.O. Box 110 example, the geomagnetic field should be quiet, and space weather should be mild. On the
Fayetteville, OH 45118 other hand, days marked as Disturbed will be riddled with geomagnetic storms. Propagation
of radio signals in the HF spectrum will be affected by these geomagnetic conditions. In gen-
Email: <[email protected]> eral, when conditions are High Normal to Above Normal, signals will be more reliable on a given
@NW7US (https://Twitter.com/NW7US) path, when the ionosphere supports the path that is in consideration. This chart is updated daily
at <http://SunSpotWatch.com> provided by NW7US.
@hfradiospacewx (https://Twitter.com/HFRadioSpaceWX)

Table 1
2009 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20
October 12 36 84 85 114 102 62 29 15 6 3 *5
November 13 41 86 87 115 98 59 28 14 6 2 *6
* Predicted sunspot values expected during the 2020 contests
Smoothed Space Weather Prediction Center Observed Sunspot Number data during CQ World Wide DX Contests since
2009 (October SSB, November CW)
Take a look online at my up-to-the-day

Last-Minute Forecast chart, available
on my Space Weather and Radio Prop-
agation Center at <http://SunSpot
Watch.com>.
October Shortwave (HF)

Propagation
The following is a band-by-band sum-
mary of the most popular CQWW con-
test bands (except for 10 meters, which
is expected to be poor –ed) propagation
conditions expected from mid-October
through mid-December and centered
on the two CQWW contest weekends.
Next month’s column will update this
summary.
160 Meters: As usual, this slice of
radio spectrum begins to turn attractive
for DXing, as well as everyday use now,
with the considerably decreased sea-
sonal static levels. However, with the
geomagnetic field somewhat more
active, the top band will be somewhat The end of August saw a minor geomagnetic event, when the Bz remained slight-
more variable than a year ago during ly southward, and the solar wind speed increased along with a dense plasma
this season. The longer hours of dark- cloud released by the Sun just days before. Geomagnetic activity with a Planetary
ness in the northern latitudes should K-Index of 5 or greater is usually associated with a decrease in the Maximum
provide a number of DX openings on Usable Frequency over a given path between a transmitter and receiver (i.e.,
this band. These openings will often be from your station to some DX station). (Courtesy of SWPC / NOAA)
weak due to the relatively high signal
absorption since we are not yet to the erally western direction, expect a peak south should be possible throughout
longest periods of daily darkness. But just after your sunrise. The band should most of the night-time period.
give this band a try, as some fairly good remain open toward the south through- 20 Meters: DX openings should be
openings should be possible toward out most of the night. Propagation in this possible on this band both day and
Europe and the south from the eastern band is quite similar to that expected on night. Conditions should peak from
half of the U.S., and toward the south, 40 meters, except that signals will be about an hour or two after sunrise and
the Far East, Australasia, and the South somewhat weaker on average, noise again during the late afternoon and
Pacific from the western half of the levels will be a bit higher, and the peri- early evening hours. Expect to work into
country. Other DX openings might also od for band openings in a particular some areas of the world between sun-
be possible. The best propagation aid direction will be a bit shorter. rise and sunset when conditions are a
for this band (and for 80 and 40 meters 40 Meters: This should be the hottest mix of low geomagnetic activity and an
as well) is a set of sunrise and sunset DX band during hours of darkness as increase in solar activity. Good open-
curves, since DX signals tend to peak the seasonal static levels are lower than ings should be possible to many areas
when it is local sunrise at the easterly they were during the summer. The band of the world during the dusk and dawn
end of the path. should be open first for DX toward periods, following the gray line termi-
80 Meters: Here is the workhorse Europe and the east during the late nator. When conditions are above nor-
nighttime band for those with a well- afternoon. Signals should increase in mal, expect 20 meters to offer a few sur-
designed antenna system. This band intensity as darkness approaches. prises with worldwide DX openings
provides great DX openings to many During the hours of darkness, expect during the night. Look for long-path
areas of the world during the hours of good DX openings to most areas of the openings for about an hour or so after
darkness and into the sunrise period. world. Signals should peak from an sunrise and again for an hour or so
The band should peak towards Europe easterly direction about midnight, and before local sunset. Signal levels are
and in a generally easterly direction from a westerly direction just after sun- expected to be exceptionally strong dur-
around midnight. For openings in a gen- rise. Excellent openings toward the ing the October contest period.

15 Meters: This year, 15 meters may play less often as a check for radio propagation would be from around midnight
DX band. During the daylight hours, this band should see onward until dawn, locally.
some significant action, but not better than the last few years. Draconid meteors are exceptionally slow moving, a charac-
Fair to Good conditions are expected from shortly after sun- teristic that helps separate genuine shower meteors. This
rise through the early evening hours. The band could remain shower could produce meteor scatter mode (Ms) propagation
open into the evening toward southern and tropical areas. openings on VHF and UHF. Predictions are indicating that the
only interaction with these meteors will be from a thin wispy
VHF Conditions trail of debris that will intersect Earth’s orbit, this time around.
Watch for possible tropospheric ducting conditions during See this month’s VHF+ column for a best-practices
October because of changing weather patterns. Two meters guide to working meteor scatter with the FSK-441 digital
is the best band to watch for this. mode. Check out the International Meteor Organization
There is a moderate to strong chance to work meteor-scat-
ter VHF propagation off this year’s Draconids, active during
October 6th through October 10th. This shower is not expect-
ed to produce more than about 10 per hour. The best time to
The geomagnetic activity as seen in the A-Index, which aver-

ages the K-Index readings, clearly shows the geomagnetic
activity stronger at the higher latitudes, but still somewhat dis-
This chart details when alerts are sent out from the Space turbed in lower latitudes. (Courtesy of SWPC / NOAA)
Weather Prediction Center and / or NOAA, when a geo-
magnetic storm is underway. The end of August was a bit
chaotic in terms of geomagnetic activity. This activity degrad-
ed HF communications on higher frequencies. (Courtesy of
SWPC / NOAA)
The end of August was a period of increased geomagnetic

activity, with a K-Index of up to 7 measured at the College
observatory. The College observatory is located on the
Geomagnetic activity reached the G1-level of the scale for College International Geophysical Observatory (CIGO), a
geomagnetic storms. G1 is a minor disturbance, but this is facility established in 1996 through a collaborative effort
enough to lower the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) over between the USGS Geomagnetism Program and the
a given radio propagation path. (Courtesy of SWPC / NOAA) University of Alaska. (Courtesy of SWPC / NOAA)

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Falling prices...
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Ground Radial
by Sevick, W2FMI
This small but solid guide

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6 x 9 Paperback $10.00
The NEW Shortwave

Propagation Handbook The dark area in the middle segment of the Sun is a coronal hole, from which
by W3ASK, N4XX & K6GKU plasma escapes the Sun’s magnetic grasp. This image was captured in the 211-
A shortwave propagation
Angstrom wavelength. We cannot see that with the naked eye, but the instru-
book with information on
ments on the Space Dynamics Observatory (SDO) can capture this and then give
sunspot activity, propagation it false color for our benefit. (Courtesy of NASA / SDO)
predictions, unusual
propagation effects and do-it- <https://tinyurl.com/y59jwnl8> for a complete calendar of meteor showers in 2020
yourself forecasting tips. and 2021.
8.5 X 11 Paperback $19.95 If you use Twitter.com, you can follow <@hfradiospacewx> for hourly updates
CD Version $14.95
that include the K-index numbers. You can also check <http://sunspotwatch.com>
for the latest numbers along with a wealth of current space weather details as well
Buy both for only $29.95 as links. Please report your observations of any notable propagation conditions,
by writing this columnist via Twitter, or via the Space Weather and Radio
Sloper Antennas Propagation Facebook page at <https://fb.me/spacewx.hfradio>.
By Juergen A. Weigl, OE5CWL
Single- and Multi-Element Current Solar Cycle Progress
Directive Antennas
for the Low Bands The Royal Observatory of Belgium reports that the monthly mean observed
With calculations and sunspot number for July 2020 was 6.48, slightly higher than June. The 12-month
practical experience, this book running smoothed sunspot number centered on January 2020 was 2.3. A smoothed
shows which basi sunspot count of 8, give or take about 6 points, is expected for October.
concepts have to be The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory at Penticton, BC, Canada,
considered for sloper reports a 10.7-cm observed monthly mean solar flux of 69.47 for July 2020. The
antennas for the low bands. 12-month smoothed 10.7-cm flux centered on January 2020 is 69.5. The predict-
6 X 9 Paperback $24.95 ed smoothed 10.7-cm solar flux for October 2020 is 70.
CD Version $18.95 The observed monthly mean planetary A-Index (Ap) for July is unavailable, as
Buy both for only $36.95 is the 12-month smoothed Ap index centered on January 2020. This is due to
changes at the Space Weather Prediction Center and NOAA’s Space Weather
Shipping & Handling: U.S. add $7 for the first item, services. This column will review these changes in an upcoming issue.
$3.50 for the second and $2 for each add’l item. FREE Geomagnetic activity this month should be mostly quiet with fair to good propa-
shipping on orders over $100 to one U.S. address.
CN/FN add $25 for 1st item, $10 for 2nd and $5 for each
gation conditions, except for those days indicated in the Last-Minute Forecast dur-
additional. Buy Both=single item! ing which we expect degraded propagation (remember that you can get an up-to-
the-day Last-Minute Forecast at <http://SunSpotWatch.com> on the main page).
CQ The Radio I welcome your thoughts, questions, and experiences regarding this fascinating
Amateur's Journal science of propagation. You may email me, write me a letter, or catch me on the
HF amateur bands. If you are on Facebook, check out <https://fb.me/spacewx.hfra-
Phone 516-681-2922 dio> and <https://fb.me/NW7US>. Speaking of Facebook — check out the CQ
FAX 516-681-2926 Amateur Radio fan page at <https://fb.me/CQMag>. – 73, Tomas, NW7US

OUR READERS SAY...
Bomb-Mounted Yagis On 15, I find a SWR of 2.1 at the bottom rising to 2.5 towards
The following letters were in response to WA5VJB’s June the middle of the band, then dropping to 1.9 at the top of the
Antennas column, which included discussion of the 3-ele- band.
ment Yagi mounted to the side of the atomic bomb that was On 10, everything is below 2.0 until you get to 28.5 and
dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, 75 years ago to hasten the then it rises rapidly to the top end of the band.
end of World War II: Forty is essentially flat with low SWR of 1.8 at the bottom
and 1.9 at the top.
Hi Kent, On 80, I was surprised to see that it was also very flat, with
I read your article in June CQ magazine about the anten- a low of 1.1 at 3.6 MHz, topping out at 2.0 at the top of the
na mounted to the side of “Fatman.” I’m interested in any band, with most of the band being below 1.8.
design formulas or requirements when making one like that So, would you recommend any changes to the lengths of
for either 2 meters or 436 MHz. Does it have to be mounted the two sides and would you recommend cutting off the
to a ground plane or flat metal surface? (Sorry, I don’t have excess wire and just terminating the ends with a good wrap
any bombs in my junk box ... hee hee). I have never in all my and taping?
days seen something like that! Just when you think you’ve Hopefully, my measurements above will be helpful to you
“seen it all” a new item pops up. in your work, and I would appreciate any recommendations
– 73, Jim Kocsis, WA9PYH that you might offer. I plan on ordering the 160-meter ver-
sion soon and putting that up at my farm where I have more
WA5VJB replies: room and tall pine trees to support it. You might be interest-
Hi Jim, ed to know that I can tune this antenna with my tuner on 160
Just take half a Yagi! meters with fairly good results, but I am afraid to raise the
Yes, all elements must be electrically part of ground. power level above 100 watts because I do not know if it would
If you wanted some rooftop gain on your car, take a 1/4- destroy the balun. Any thoughts?
wave mag mount. Get two more mag mounts without coax. – Best, John Seibels, K4AXV
Make one a bit longer, one a bit shorter, and stick them near Columbia, SC
the 1/4-wave with coax … three-element beam!
W1IS responds:
Editor, CQ:
Just received my June issue of CQ; in the (Antennas) col- John,
umn, the author incorrectly identifies the B-29 that dropped Thanks so much for telling us about your 80-meter OCF.
the “Fat Man” bomb on Nagasaki as “Boxcar.” The correct Your results are about what we would expect. The tuning
name was “Bockscar” (also sometimes called “Bock’s Car”) may change a little as you raise the long end above 15 feet,
as a play on the commander’s name, Frederick Bock. with the minimum SWR going up a bit in frequency on the
Thanks! high bands, so leave the 2 feet wrapped on the ends in case
– Michael D. Hagen, M.D., NØMH you want to move the minimum SWR location. We usually
leave at least a foot wrapped on the ends of all the anten-
W2VU replies: nas we make. It makes no measurable difference in SWR or
Hi Michael, performance.
I’ve long believed that history should not be taught as a You are correct in not putting too much power into the
series of events, but rather as a series of individual stories antenna on 160 meters; the balun may not take the SWR
that caused or influenced events. Thank you for adding this well. The rig and tuner may tune 160 but the antenna will not
fascinating tidbit of information. perform all that well. I’ve tried and finally put up our 160-
meter OCF and an inverted-L for 160 meters as well. The
The following letters were directed to authors Bob Rose, OCF is much better than the inverted-L at distances of
KC1DSQ, and Bob Glorioso, W1IS, in response to their June approximately 1,000 miles, with the inverted-L doing better
article, “Multiband Off-Center-Fed Dipoles for 160 & 80 beyond that.
Meters.” Let us know how the 160-meter OCF does; we’d love to
hear from you again.
Dear Bob and Bob, – 73, Bob, W1IS
Thank you very much for this antenna innovation, I built it
and am extremely pleased with the results. I do have a ques- Good Morning from Alaska,
tion or two, however. I ordered the high-powered load for the I wanted to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your arti-
80-meter dipole from you and built it exactly to the specifi- cle on the off-center-fed dipole concept in the June issue of
cations in the magazine article, using your end insulators and CQ magazine. This is absolutely one of the most practical
the 14-gauge insulated wire from the big box store. I also and potentially useful designs for an easy-to-build trans-
used a balun from the Balun Engineers company and sup- portable wire antenna that I have ever seen. While the multi-
ported the center of the dipole at approximately 70 feet in a band Windom concept goes back almost a hundred years,
pine tree. The short end of the antenna goes out horizontal- your version — which compensates for the vanishing-end
ly, while the long end droops down to a height of about 15 effect and aligns with modern amateur band allocations —
feet presently, but I plan to raise it to about 40 feet. Both ends seems ideal for my particular situation.
have approximately 2 feet of wire wrapped back onto itself Our home was severely damaged in the 7.1-magnitude
with the insulation still on it. earthquake in November and will have to be torn down at
On 20 meters. my SWR curves are all below 1.9:1 except some point in the near future. I recently constructed a rooftop
the very top of the band is 2.1. array out of hamfest leftovers that has provided excellent

capability from 20 meters up through 1296 MHz [see Craig’s I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, let us
article, “Building Antennas During the Pandemic,” in last know.
month’s issue of CQ. –ed.] However, I have been looking for – 73, Bob, KC1DSQ
a wire antenna design that I can hang from the tall spruce
trees that surround my QTH and will load well from my Drake The following letter was directed to “Ham Notebook” editor
TR-7 transceiver and L7 high power amplifier without using Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ:
a tuner. This leads me to a few basic questions:
A) Your Figure 1 construction values in the article are spec- Hi Wayne,
ified for the CW segments. Since I primarily operate in the I noticed your mention of using turret terminals on the repur-
phone portions of the bands, what should the dimensions and posed power supply (“Ham Notebook,” May 2020 CQ) and
/ or series capacitance values be for the lowest average SWR wanted to ask why.
in those band segments? Since this is Alaska and I have plen- I recently have been playing to turrets on a circuit board
ty of room to run wires, I won’t be using the drooped-end and just don’t get the appeal. I got started on this because a
design if I decide to build the 160-meter version. generous soul on Facebook (K6RRE) sent me some scrap
B) Based on what I have on hand, it would be easier for me tube circuit boards that he designed specifically for use with
to run window line or heavy-duty twinlead from the antenna turrets. Of course, I couldn’t find turrets of the right size so
feedpoint down through ceramic feedthrough insulators in a had to go larger. But I really don’t get the appeal. You really
plywood window insert to a 4:1 balun located behind the need to get out the big iron to solder to them, and I don’t see
Drake L7 amplifier. Does this sound like a workable way to that they make inter-board connections any easier.
go, in your opinion? So what am I missing?
C) Your pre-built potted designs as shown [on the Battery Attached is a photo of what I’m doing, part of an AM
Eliminator Store website] look really well made. I will proba- transmitter.
bly start out with these components unless the capacitance I always enjoy reading your column; please keep up the
values are different for the phone portions of the bands as I good work!
asked about in A) above. Ron Wagner, AC6RW
Thanks for your time and consideration.
– 73, Craig Bledsoe, KL4E KH6WZ replies:
KC1DSQ responds: Ron -

Thank you for reading and enjoying my column in CQ.
Thanks for the kind words about the article. I’m sorry to hear Regarding turret terminals — the reason I use them is
about your earthquake damage. because I have thousands in my junk box. Some are gold-
Designing an OCF antenna is an exercise in compromises plated and some are tin-plated. But they do serve two good
because you don’t have independent control of individual purposes when attaching them onto circuit boards:
bands. Our design intent was to place the resonances at the 1) The terminals — actually any sort of terminal, including
center of each band. Some bands came out on the low end “flea clips” — will enable “top access,” so I can screw the
and some came out on the high end. Just getting the reso- board into place and then solder wires to the board later.
nances inside each band is a major accomplishment. I would 2) They prevent wear on circuit board traces. Often, when
suggest you start by trimming the length and see if you can I am experimenting or modifying, I will use and re-use chunks
get what you need on each band. of circuits on boards. If wires go to the pads, there is a good
For the typical OCF, you cut the length and live with what chance the traces could de-laminate and come off.
you get on each band. For our 80-meter design, you can On soldering them, I use my normal Weller WTCPS iron
increase the frequency for 80 independently by decreasing with Number 8 tips. I have two of them, one of which has
the value of the capacitor at the center. A 270-pF capaci- been in use since I was a kid in high school. They work fine.
tor will probably work well. The higher bands are determined I use 63/37 solder, which has a slightly lower melting point,
by the length. The ability to independently control 80 meters maybe that is the reason I have good success.
allows you to lengthen the antenna to cover the higher By the way — I like your tube breadboards — they look great!
bands well. When it’s done, show us what you did with them and share
For our 160-meter design, decreasing the value of the your story — including your turret terminal experience ...
capacitor at 1/4 of the length will increase the frequency for 73 and keep building!
both 160 and 80 meters. Decreasing the value of the other
capacitor at 7/8 of the length will increase the resonant fre-
quency on 40, 80, and 160. The higher bands are determined
by the length. Changing the value to 270 pf for one or both
positions may help.
We simulated using an open wire feedline and balun at the
shack entrance and it didn’t work well. The antenna’s imped-
ance is around 200 ohms and using a higher impedance feed-
line did not work well. We recommend 50-ohm coax feeding
the balun at the feedpoint. The coax loss actually helps by
lowering the measured SWR at the transmitter end.
We referenced an article by Serge, ON4A, who actually
invented the 80-meter version 13 years ago <https://tinyurl.
com/u8jw95n>. He uses his tube amplifier with no tuner and
claims he can tune up to 3:1 SWR by adjusting his pi-net- A work in progress by AC6RW. Eventually, these boards will
work output filter. be part of a tube-run AM transmitter. (AC6W photo)

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
OCTOBER 2020
Advertiser Page Phone Website

100 Watts & A Wire .............................31................................................www.100WATTSANDAWIRE.COM
Advanced Specialties Inc.................39 ...........201-VHF-2067.............www.advancedspecialties.net
Air Boss — Innovative Tech................65 ...........252-249-0287..............www.kr4loairboss.com
Alinco..............................................55,61 ...........209-900-1296..............www.alinco.com
Amateur Radio Roundtable .............63 ...........901-570-2188..............www.W5KUB.com
AOR U.S.A., Inc......................................5 ...........310-787-8615..............www.aorusa.com
Buddipole Antennas ..........................27 ...........503-591-8001..............www.buddipole.com
CQ Calendar ......................................23 ...........516-681-2922..............http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
CQ Merchandise ....................59,Cov III ...........516-681-2922..............http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
CW Easy/Success Easy ......................65 ...........561-302-7731..............www.success-is-easy.com
Communications Concepts, Inc. .....57 ...........937-426-8600..............www.communication-concepts.com
EZ Hang................................................39 ...........304-856-1026..............www.ezhang.com
Electric Radio Magazine ...................65 ...........720-924-0171..............www.ermag.com
ETON...............................................Cov II................................................www.etoncorp.com
HamTestOnline....................................65 ...........888-857-6164..............www.hamtestonline.com
Icom America Inc. .............................17................................................www.icomamerica.com
International DX Association .............87................................................www.indexa.org
LDG Electronics................................1,67 ...........410-586-2177..............www.ldgelectronics.com
Pacific Antenna..................................65................................................www.qrpkits.com
3DUDGDQ5DGLRZZZSDUDGDQUDGLRFRP
preciseRF .............................................89 ...........503-915-2490..............www.preciserf.com
QCWA..................................................39 ...........352-425-1097..............www.qcwa.org
RF Parts ................................................25 ...........800-921-4834..............www.rfparts.com
RT Systems.........................................9,57 ...........800-921-4834..............www.rtsystems.com
REACT Int’l ...........................................71 ...........301-316-2900..............www.REACTintl.org
W2IHY Technologies...........................87 ...........845-889-4253..............www.w2ihy.com
W5SWL...................................................65.................................................www.W5SWL.com
W7DXX Remote....................................63.................................................www.w7dxx.com
West Mountain Radio..........................35 ...........252-522-6503 ..............www.westmountainradio.com
YLRL ......................................................3................................................www.ylrl.org
Yaesu.................................6,7,41,Cov IV ...........714-827-7600..............www.yaesu.com
Let CQ help you get the most for your advertising dollar!
Contact Dottie K, CQ’s Advertising Director
at 516-681-2922 x 106 or via email at [email protected]
HAMSHOP
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CQ Amateur Radio October 2020

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The World’s Best Contest QTH? p.

NOVEMBER PRODUCTION STAFF

2 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 3

10 COVER: EF8R: THE

Hearing … and being heard by … EF8R on

FEATURES COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS

The “Young Hams Crisis” is Getting Old

Y fests), and club meetings (when we had club meet-

8 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 9

EF8R: The World’s Best Contest QTH?

I the world. In the 1990s, after traveling around the world

10 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 11

12 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

Rebuilding Another Big Win and Another Big Wind

Photo E. The EF8R station in 2018.

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 13

record. The conductor of “the orches-

14 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

Last year’s CW weekend of the

160 1577 26 101 meters (1968 feet) above sea level on

Grand Canary Island, which author Leo

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 15

Welcome to CQ’s Annual Emergency Communications Special

Being an effective emergency or Knowing what

E this monthly Emergency Com-

16 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

The Mountain Top ARA helped guide

18 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

Congratulations! You’ve done such a great job as a public service

Planning Your First Amateur Radio

S asked to support an event by pro-

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 19

20 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 21

Meet with the Event Organizers

22 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

24 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

3CPX800A7 4CX1000A 810

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 25

The Day of the Event

26 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

• Used by Emergency Services Groups

Same quality and performance as the

See our videos tel: (503) 591 8001

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 27

Backup Power When the Grid

any hams enjoy building, plan-

M ning, and preparing for emer-

28 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 29

EVs’ 12-Volt Continuous Duty Capacity

30 • CQ • October 2020 Visit Our Web Site

Sidebar 2: The 32 Plug-in Hybrids currently available, with

provide almost double the continuous power (though it draws

www.cq-amateur-radio.com October 2020 • CQ • 31

Winlink: Keeping You Connected