Michael, my Paint Shop Pro will make a negative image.  Perhaps that might be a way to make white on black?

Broken ferrite rod should still work, if you have problems getting a replacement.  Not much different than the split type ferrite chokes.  Just glue pieces together, closely as possible.

OfficeMax does laminating, might be one near you.

I suspect that those stations running a freq with all kinds of splatter are doing it on purpose.  Keeps others from closing in on them.  Then there's that jerk at about 14270 with gross overmodulation/drive, the "No Contest Contester".  Real class guy.

I do have to wonder, however, about those guys who apparently want to do well in the contest, but have such terrible audio that others can't understand their call signs.  I myself just past by.

I piddled around a bit in this years CQ SSB contest.  Had my K3 down to 1400 Hz bandwidth at times.  Busy 20M band.

I was rebuilding a small unit.  The original homebrew unit used rub-on dry transfer lettering, which looked pretty good.  I saw some suggestions recently (maybe here, don't recall), so decided to try something new (at least new for me).  The box was a Ten Tec, with front and back panels about 1 7/8 high by 8" wide. 

I drilled the front and back panels for controls and jacks.  Then, using Microsoft Word, created my text.  Used Arial Bold, 12pt (mostly).  Some in color.  Then printed copy and compared with panel holes.  I did this several times until text lined up with holes.  Then printed on some heavier glossy (photo type) paper.

I trimmed the top and left side to fit the panel (front, or back, whichever I was working on).  Then sprayed panel with Scotch 77 spray adhesive.  Used three light coats, plus some masking tape behind holes and at sides to avoid overspray.

Then CAREFULLY aligned paper at left and top, and pressed down.  Since my panels were less than 2" high, I then applied some 2" clear packing tape over paper.  (for larger panels you can buy clear adhesive sheets).  Then trimmed right and bottom sides with razor blade.  Cut holes for controls and jacks through paper with xacto knife.

Final results were very professional, if I do say myself.

Per ARRL DXCC Rules:

"All stations must be contacted from the same DXCC entity. The location of any station shall be defined as the location of the transmitter. For the purposes of this award, remote operating points must be located within the same DXCC entity as the transmitter and receiver".

So if transmitter was at KP2, that is a valid contact for DXCC purposes to KP2.  It would not count for the VK operator for DXCC purposes since KP2 is not in the same DXCC entity as he is (VK).

I find it very helpful to use a propagation prediction program.  There are a number of good ones.  I personally use HamCap, which is free and easy to use.  On the Parameters screen (1st screen), if you enter the prefix of the country you are wanting to work (ie VK) in the DX Call box, then click on the chart and map screens.

Download:  http://www.dxatlas.com/Download.asp
Tutorial:  http://www.dxatlas.com/hamcap/files/HamCAP%20Contest%20Tutorial.pdf

In Windows (Word, for example), hold down ALT key while pressing 0216 on numeric key pad.  Here is example Ø

Not everyone is attracted to technical hobbies.  But members of our radio club have conducted classes for, and licensed, over 150 new hams under age of 18 in last three years (plus 500 older).  ARRL Youth Editor was one of our kids.  Two were on the Youth DXpedition this year to Costa Rica.  Our club VP is 14, and was part of the ARRL Youth booth at Dayton Hamvention.

Besides running classes (Tech, General, and, yes Extra Class), our club also runs "Get on the Air" clinics to do hands on demos and help to new hams to actually use their VHF or HF equipment.   Not surprisingly, our club is the largest (and growing) club in the area.

John. 

I'm ready to buy!  Especially after all those "Smith" family endorsements.  However, I do have two concerns.  I will have to move my Wifi outside.  Not sure about the "don't use around electrical equipment" caution.  I'll figure out something.

Here's my fix, which might be of value to someone running remote and using wav files:

I will use my PC for logging (N1MM) and playing wav files (via N1MM).  Will be the primary focus during contest.
My laptop will be used to run the radio control program (TRX Manager) and Skype.

I made up a 40 db pad (per Tim's suggestion above) to connect PC Line Out to Laptop Mic input.  I added a 1/8 splitter to the laptop Mic input so can plug in both the pad and headset earphones.

Pressing a wav function key in N1MM (on the PC), sends to the Line Out, which, after pad, goes into Laptop Mic.

John.

Scott, in Skype (Tools, Option, Audio Settings), I only have the default audio shown.  In Control Panel, Recording, I have selected Microphone.  Don't see anything like Stereo Mix.  If I select Mono Out on Recording, then the Mic is unclicked.  There is a "Wave Out Mix" in recording.  If I select it instead of Mic or Mono Out, I see both my Mic and wav audio in the Skype Mic display (IE, working ok).  However when I turn on radio (K3) and connect audio via Skype, the K3 audio out (line out) gets mixed with the Mic and wav audio.  Apparently Wave Out Mix must mix everything!  So cannot use.

Skype config looks like only mic input.  So perhaps I could use your suggestion to feed a bit of the line out into the mic input, in parallel with mic.  I'll do some experimenting.  Thanks.  John.

I plan to operate in the Colorado QSO Party in Sept.  I will likely use N1MM software since it includes the Colorado contest in its setup (my normal logging software doesn't).  I operate remotely with Skype for audio, and typically use VOX to switch to transmit.  My intention is to record various wav files, and play thru Skype to trigger the VOX, same as using my mic.  To test the setup, I recorded a sample wav file and linked to F1 in the software.  Pressing F1, I can hear the wav file audio (thru speakers or headset plugged into my PC).  But apparently the audio is not getting to Skype.   Any ideas?   John.

Give some thought to aviation headsets.  The earphones give about 25 db of sound attention to everything.  The mics are meant for close talking, so don't pick up as much room noise from sides and back.  Communication quality freq response.  Most all are very well constructed.  Only drawback is that the mic is NOT compatible with ham equipment since it is "carbon mic equivalent".  That means it works the same as the old carbon mics.  High output, low impedance, and requires a voltage.  

If this would be of interest, I would refer you to my Hints and Kinks article in April 2010 QST for a simple adapter that will make the aviation mic compatible with your equipment.  This circuit, and aviation headsets, are now being used by several top contesting stations.  

The brand I use are SoftComm, which are very much like the David Clark headsets (top of the line), but about 1/2 or less in price.  I like the C-20 model.

John.