Snow melting and antenna still up!

Posted on February 6, 2022 by robert

I don’t know why I didn’t post this photo earlier – it was taken Jan 29th after we had a blizzard.  Because of hurricane strength winds, it was hard to measure.  I took 20 readings along our driveway and came up with 16″, but many people around us were in excess of 20 inches.

The following week we had another hurricane strength wind storm with sleet and freezing rain.  Despite some ice buildup, my antenna managed to stay up in the air.  I had done some math and calculated that 1/4″ of ice (total diameter, not radius) would add about 500 pounds to my Inverted-L antenna wire.  We had about half that much ice here.

Posted in Antennas | Leave a comment

Solar Cycle 25 Continues to Amaze

Posted on January 15, 2022 by robert

The official prediction for Solar Cycle 25 was a bit disappointing, with most forecasters agreeing that it would be similar to Solar Cycle 24, and only a few suggesting it might be better.

Well, in the 15 months since Solar Cycle 25 began, the solar activity has consistently been above the prediction, and we have already been enjoying frequent 10m DX.  Solar activity hasn’t been at this level for 5 years.

Let’s hope the trend continues – if so Solar Cycle 25 might be fantastic!

Posted in Propagation, Solar Cycles | 4 Comments

2021 Goal Review and 2022 Goals

Posted on January 2, 2022 by robert

For the first time ever, all goals for a year were completed in 2021

  • Teach a Technician Class (Completed)
  • Reach 1500 Band-Points in the DXCC Challenge (Completed with 1,521)
  • Complete DXCC on 160-Meters (Completed)
  • Reach a total of 50 park activations in RI (Completed)
  • Add 1,500 QSOs to the log (added 4,450)

Some other achievements for 2021 were:

  • Completed CWops CW Academy Advanced Course
  • Became a member of CWops (#2903)
  • Participated in 92 CWTs (Silver Medal at 80)

The following are my goals for 2022

  • Teach a CW Academy Course
  • Teach a Technician Course
  • Conduct NCRC’s first electronic VE exam
  • Build my QRP-Labs QCX 20m Transceiver
  • Participate in 120+ CWTs for the CWops Gold Medal
Posted in 160-Meters, CW Academy, CWops, CWT, DX, Goals | Leave a comment

First snow for 2021 season

Posted on December 9, 2021 by robert

Well it had to happen sooner or later, the first snow of the season, a dusting here at casa-WB4SON

Now if that were all we would get, life would be grand.  But winter is coming, along with brutal nor’easter storms with near hurricane strength winds.  In fact, this fall, we have already had four nor’easters (rain, not snow) and the tree damage to go along with it.

Every morning I get up and hope my antenna is still up in the air.

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Yes you can get an Amateur Radio Plate on a EV in RI

Posted on December 9, 2021 by robert

I had obtained an Amateur Radio tag for my truck about a decade ago.  It was quite an ordeal due to a lack of documentation at DMV, and their inability to be able to enter the request in their computer system.  In fact, shortly after speaking with the director of the DMV at the time, a new form appeared that spelled out the process.

After 20 faithful years of service, I retired my truck this year and replaced it with a plug-hybrid.  I was a tad concerned about getting the Amateur Radio tag converted over, but it was an easy process, all done at the dealer.  The new plates showed up about 5 weeks later.  All I had to do was pay the regular fee for obtaining a replacement tag (the old tags were beat up and did not identify it as a EV/HEV, which is important for fire services to know).

Posted in From the OM | Leave a comment

160 Meter DXCC Certificate Arrives

Posted on December 8, 2021 by robert

The ARRL continues to be fast; the DXCC Certificate #3,752 for 160 Meters arrived on Monday December 6th.

Back in 2012, when I got my DXCC Mixed certificate, there had been 48,128 of them issued, and no doubt many more have been issued in following 9 years.  Clearly 160 meter DXCC is more rare, which is understandable due to the size of the antenna, and that the band is only usable for about half of the year due to high noise in the summer.

Posted in 160-Meters, DX | 2 Comments

Kudos to the ARRL

Posted on December 3, 2021 by robert

Often it is far too easy to complain about things that aren’t working well, than to recognize when things work so smoothly that you don’t even notice them.  This was the case with the ARRL and the DXCC Desk.  I can’t believe that I applied for 160m DXCC at 9 PM, and had the award issued by 3 PM the next day.  That’s simply outstanding service!

So thank you ARRL!

 

Posted in ARRL, Awards | Leave a comment

DXCC 160m Issued by ARRL!

Posted on December 1, 2021 by robert

When I woke up this morning, I checked LotW and noted that I had received confirmation #100 in LotW for 160m from Ark 4O7CC (Montenegro).  Just like that, my quest for 160 meter DXCC was complete.  I received a nice note from Ark, after thanking him for being #100 – turns out he is a master on 160, with 325+ confirmed on that band, mostly from his home station in Russia UA4CC.

I filled in an application via LotW about 7:30 AM, and by 3 PM today, it had been completed.  So things are official now.

 

 

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DXCC 160m Completed

Posted on November 30, 2021 by robert

Thanks to John V47JA in Saint Kitts & Nevis, I now have 99 confirmed countries in LotW.  I have a QSL card from Warwick E51WL in the North Cook Islands, so that makes 100 confirmed counties – it’s just a matter of waiting for the paper QSL to be processed by the DXCC desk before the official 160m DXCC award is granted.  Close enough in my book to consider 160m DXCC accomplished in 2021, which means for the first time ever, I have completed all my goals.

I’ve worked Barbados, and Argentina multiple times, with stations that have uploaded to LotW in November, so I am hoping one of those might confirm before the end of the year. In addition, I’ve made contacts with Bermuda, Bosnia, Cape Verde, Cypress, Montenegro, and Wales as well (don’t think they use LotW).

 

Posted in 160-Meters, DX | Leave a comment

Getting close to DXCC on 160M

Posted on November 26, 2021 by robert

After almost giving up hope on completing 160m DXCC this year (my one remaining goal for 2021), I’ve gotten VERY close.  With a LotW confirmation from Sander JW4PUA in Svalbard , I now have 98 confirmations in LotW for 160 meters.

I have been holding a QSL card from Warwick E51WL in the North Cook Islands on 160m, so technically I am sitting at 99 confirmed and need one more to complete DXCC.

Recently I’ve worked Barbados, and Argentina multiple times, with stations that have uploaded to LotW in November, so there is some hope that they may confirm a contact.  In addition I’ve worked stations in Bermuda, Bosnia, Cape Verde, Cypress, Montenegro, and Wales, so there is always a possibility that I might be able to request a card from them, or perhaps a LotW confirmation might show up eventually.

There isn’t much time left in 2021, but there is still hope!

 

Posted in 160-Meters, DX | Leave a comment