I enjoyed working the ARRL Sweepstakes again this year. I operated in both CW and Phone this year. My major effort was in CW, where I managed a personal high score, finally breaking the 100K point barrier. For several years I have been wishing I was involved with a Club that could use my scores... Continue Reading →
ARRL Sweepstakes CW (SSCW) 2014
Here we go again. Time for ARRL Sweepstakes CW (SSCW) 2014. Same plan as always - main objective is to get a personal high score. Secondary objective is to get that elusive "clean sweep" - all US and Canada Sections in one weekend. I have been within 1 or 2 sections the last several years,... Continue Reading →
“Updgrading WINDOWS XP” – a Walk Through Hell
Well my main Shack PC was running XP. It is "no longer supported" by Microsoft - which may mean it is finally stable. I was going to just keep it, but the Microsoft-subservient software vendors do not make updates for XP. This is their part in helping M$ to force you to upgrade. So I... Continue Reading →
Mobile Antenna Testing
I was doing some testing of mobile antennas on my F-150 this weekend. I had a mag mount on the roof, and a door-edge mount on the rear door. Both had NMO mounts, so I could easily move antennas between the mounts. Here is what I found: I had an HT (Kenwood TH-F6A) connected to... Continue Reading →
IC-7000 and N1MM Interfacing
Getting prepared for the upcoming VA QSO Party (check it out if you want to work a great contest this March). My plan is to operate mobile this year using an IC-7000. I used it in the past with N1MM just for frequency control. This year I plan to use N1MM again, but adding the... Continue Reading →
Sweepstakes – Close Again
Well, had a good time in the ARRL CW Sweeps this year. Still no sweep. It was the curse of the 'askas. With a couple hours to go I needed Alaska and Nebraska. Surprisingly enough, I got Alaska but never heard Nebraska. Oh well. At least I am convinced that poor antennas is no longer... Continue Reading →
November Sweepstakes: Is this the year?
I have been operating in the ARRL CW November Sweepstakes for several years. It is the ultimate contest - long exchange, many stations active, and a fast pace. If you like contesting, there are many enjoyable contests, but this one is special in my book. One thing that continues to elude me in ARRL CWSS... Continue Reading →
LOTW – Stepping Up to the Challenge
I see the ARRL really is serious about making LOTW a user-friendly, main-stream QSO confirmation tool. Recent delays have been disconcerting, and the infrequent status reports have made it difficult to know what is happening when you submit a Log. As I recently asked (and I am sure many others did too), they are now... Continue Reading →
Sweepstakes Results for 2012
Well I kept up the time-honored tradition of missing 1 or 2 Sections in the CW SS contest this year. Had about 575 QSOs (a personal best) and all but 2 Sections - MB and NNY. I never had trouble with a New York section before. I guess the monster storm Sandy may have been... Continue Reading →
LOTW – Ready for Prime Time??
I have been using the ARRL Logbook of the World (LOTW) recently for confirmation of my radio contacts. I like the basic idea very much but I have been having some issues. After a recent contest, I uploaded a Log File. I waited 3 or 4 days and nothing happened. I uploaded again, waited a... Continue Reading →
Kg3v Ham Radio Blog 