We had planned to combine the ARRL VHF Contest and the AR QSO Party into one event but while I was in AR from Sept 8th thru 18th, a load of problems prevented it. Car issues and the fact it rained everyday, almost all day long for most of the time really put a damper (no pun intended) on our efforts. Only time I saw the sun was a few minutes on the afternoon on the 14th. Myself and a couple buddies attended the Queen Wilhelmena Hamfest atop Rich Mountain near Mena, AR with plans to do the VHF contest from a old fire tower lookout point high above the surrounding terrain. I had worked Field Day from that spot in 2006 and worked almost 50 grids on 6M with a loop and 100W. This time we had 6M thru 1.2Ghz but the rain and storms were too much. Maybe next year we'll be there putting EM24 on the air on 6M and Polk County on other bands.

Gene W5DQ

with
Steve NS0M
Jerry NR4VT

I don't want to add fuel to an already raging fire, but I might point out that if you had taken a little more time to give a bit more detail as to what sort of help you were needing in performing a tube replacement then a lot of this flack might (just might) have been avoided.

I see a lot of questions on the forums that need to be expanded in order to be more clear, so you're not the Lone Ranger here. Next time it might be advisable to give more detail.

If you separate the wheat from the chaff, your answer is in the posts. Good Luck.

W5DQ

I agree with whats been said HOWEVER here is something to keep in mind.

I take it from your posting that you want to be able to know when to expect DX signals to be heard in your area. The telnet DX clusters will tell you this but in a real time operating mode not in a prediction mode.

If you want to be sure to be in front of the radio when DX signals are being received in your locale, you will need to be able to predict when that time will occur. Sure you could keep checking the DX clusters and when you see the DX you want, jump on the radio and start operating. But if you need to be doing something else and can't get to the computer to check, knowing a time to be ready to operate helps alot. As was mentioned, predicting (or forecasting) propogation from point to point on the globe isn't hard to do but it does take some time to learn the processes, programs and data sources.

I can safely say I am no expert on the subject but I have a good handle on propogation to my QTH. What I would recommend is reading up on the subject of propogation and looking at some of the automated tools available on the internet. A lot of these tools will provide graphical display to help you understand the results. Some specific programs were mentioned in previous posts.

I use the DX Lab Suite of software and find it very useful in doing propgation predicting as well as all the other facets for computerized ham shack (logging, tracking awards, digital modes, call lookups, etc.).

Good Luck.

Gene W5DQ

"I know that and am not very impressed with their stuff"

There are alot of Ameritron users that seem to be very satisified with their amps. I'm one of them. Granted it isn't an ALPHA but then again, I didn't have to mortgage the house to buy it either. For basic amateur radio service, there's nothing wrong with an Ameritron amp that is installed correctly and used properly. One should not buy an AL-811 and expect an ALPHA 9500 performance. That is what it seems like when I read gripes about MFJ quality.

I have owned and still have many MFJ products. Some weren't so great and needed that little bit of TLC once they got in my shack. But all work as advertised once any issues fixed. One note I will say is most of them I bought used because the original owners could not get the device to work correctly and I have the ability to correct any issues. Saved me a bunch of money.

Not everyone is able (or willing) to do that sort of thing and that is where MFJ (and subsidiary companies like Ameritron) get into trouble and earn a bad rep. If their QC was better, they would have a better rep and probably a larger market share. Of course Microsoft uses their customer base as a second level Beta test group too and they own the world. So go figure?

Gene W5DQ

W7ETA writes "I couldn't get into the BAMA site for SB200 info"

For what it is worth, you won't find any Heathkit manuals on BAMA anymore nor many places on the internet. Recently, the copyright protection on Heathkit documents was exercised across the internet by a new owner of the Heath brand and most sources have been told to pull access to the docs. It is a shame that old Heath gear is now being singled out just so someone can make a few bucks selling copies of the old docs.

Gene W5DQ

W7ETA writes "I couldn't get into the BAMA site for SB200 info"

For what it is worth, you won't find any Heathkit manuals on BAMA anymore nor many places on the internet. Recently, the copyright protection on Heathkit documents was exercised across the internet by a new owner of the Heath brand and most sources have been told to pull access to the docs. It is a shame that old Heath gear is now being singled out just so someone can make a few bucks selling copies of the old docs.

Gene W5DQ

Jim N2EY writes "I think one of the problems is that most consumer electronics doesn't require as much know how as ham gear...... None of this is a new ham's fault; it's just the way things are.
"

I agree it isn't anyone 'fault'. I'm (and I suppose like most here) not pointing fingers but simply emphasizing a point that it seems the more new folks we get into ham radio who have little to no experience, I'm seeing more of these 'tell me exactly what to do' requests. That, in my humble opinion, is NOT what amateur radio is supposed to be about. Being a licensed ham should indicate some things about that person, namely:

1) they are interested in technical things (i.e. a technically based hobby) so they are willing to learn the technical stuff about the hobby
2) they are have intelligence enough to pass a test for a license (albeit anymore it is more of an ability to memorize than learn for most), so this shows they can read and write
3) if they post on eHAM or other forums, they have access to the internet and thus should (can't think where they would not) have access to eHAM, QRZ, AC6V.COM, search engines like Google & Bing, etc.

Every piece of gear does come with manuals. Maybe not the best manuals, but combining the manuals with other sources and searching thru forums before asking the same question for the umpteenth time would really show initiative on the requesters part. If they can't find the information (again I'm hard pressed to think of an instance where the basic information could not be found and executed to a point of where maybe something doesn't work), then I guess that's when they should ask. This process is called learning and it sometimes appears to be a dying art in our schools, thus our culture.

Like I posted before, I am no genius, just a typical guy who went to school, learned about electronics, computers, engineering, etc and I like to tinker, build, experiment, operate my radios and help out newbies provided they are first willing to help themselves. I find I very rarely have to go outside of the internet to get the info on any issue or problem I run across so I feel the same 'rules' should be applied to those with little or no experience in ham radio. How else are they going to learn unless challenged a little bit.

To ask the most basic questions really indicates to me (at least) that the requestor has not even tried to figure out anything for themselves and wants someone to spoon feed them the information and process, step by step. So what happens, say 2 months after it is all together and something doesn't work. Do they come back to the group for another dose of info? When I used to work on real technical things years ago before becoming a paper pusher, I got paid a nice salary to do custom turnkey systems for individuals who wanted to walk in, sit down and use the system. No technical experience required. Maybe this is what ham radio has become or is becoming, but it isn't my ham radio. I was Elmered to try first, ask second. learn from my mistakes and get better at doing it the first time round. Like you stated, the basic home PC is all standardized and most people can put that together without even reading the docs. This shows to me they have intuition about things and that is the first step towards learning. being able to recognize information, process it and retain it for later recall.

I'll get off my soap box before I start getting flamed by someone who thinks I am picking directly on them (which is not the reason for my comments).

73 to all,

Gene W5DQ

No disrespect intended to anyone that requests help or assistance, but I have started to notice that there are more and more requests for assitance in doing basic station configuration and cabling than was seen many years ago.

With the plethora of information on the internet, finding information on how to hook up this and that is usually readily available if you're serious about finding it. No it isn't just going to magically appear on your browser but with all the search engines available, you can get the majority of any information you need on any topic. Years ago hams had to maintain their own library of handbooks and texts to refer to. The internet is a Godsend to ham radio in this regard.

I see this 'problem' as people get into the hobby and want to setup a station with lots of whizbang this and that options along with a amplifier, etc. They have the money to buy the equipment but not the experience to connect it all together. And in some cases, could be they are just downright lazy.

Not pointing a finger at the OP here, but almost daily you can find a request for 'how do I hookup my transciever to an amplifier' on any of the ham related forum sites. If folks would do their due diligence first, I would guess to say that probably 80% or more of their questions would be answered. However, if the amplifer didn't come with a 'plug and play' cable and instructions that state plug in connector #1 into socket A, etc, etc, they are at a loss of what to do.

I am no genius but I know how to find the answers I need by searching the internet and other venues. My opinion on these sort of assistance requests is "If someone can't figure out how to do it themselves, maybe they should ask themselves if they should be trying to do it in the first place".

If someone does not know how to solder and needs a custom built cable, maybe they should learn to solder first and then they can use their new skill to make all the cables they will ever need. I learned to solder as a teenager and make all my own cables from scratch. Although I passed a NASA certified soldering course at my first job out of college, that isn't required to make any cable needed to connect ham radio gear.

Again, I mean no disrespect to anyone asking for assistance but rather want to plant the seed of discovery so that they can possibly learn and succeed in their project with little assistance.  

Now having said all that I am happy to provide assistance to anyone requesting it if I have the information at hand but I won't go and do research for someone else to use if I have no personal need for it.

Gene W5DQ

During the last 22 years of having KI6LO, I had knocked around the idea of getting a vanity callsign when the vanity program started. I was an Advanced until 2000 when I decided to try for the Extra. Back then I didn't do that much CW work so I really didn't miss having the Extra segments.

In Dec 2008 my father passed away and I decided a fitting tribute would be to capture his 1x2 callsign although it was from 5 land and I was in 6 area (CA). In Feb 2009, I applied for and was granted W5DQ. As one responder mentioned, sometimes it isn't just the length but the 'weight' of the call in CW that makes the difference. W5DQ weight is 50 where KI6LO was 58. Not a great difference in weight but enough to make it easier to send W5DQ. Another thing is I know some folks would disagree, but since I'm not required to do it, I don't usually sign the '/6' on CW unless I feel it helps in the QSO or is required for a contest.

Bill,

That is exactly why I use an electronic logging system (DX Lab Suite) to manage all my QSLs; paper, LOTW and eQSL. It takes no time at all to upload the new ones to LOTW and EQSL (handled seperately for award tracking) and to get responses back for those QSOs with matching QSLs from both services.

It sounds like you may be not using any electronic logs or maybe an older less efficent logging system if it takes a long time of laborous effort to manage your QSLs. If not, I would suggest you take a look at DX Lab Suite. It's free and I haven't found anything it won't do in respects to logging and operating.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Glad to see you found eQSLs useful. Like I mentioned before, I use it simply as a service to those that like that route over paper or LOTW. I have qualified for a couple of their awards but haven't worried about processing them nor do I print the QSL cards from eQSLs becasue like was said, many of them are the default boring design. I only collect real paper QSL cards and use LOTW for awards along with the cards.

Gene W5DQ

LOTW and eQSL are two totally different animals. LOTW is a double blind system where neither side knows of the other's uploaded QSLs until the LOTW software determines that there is a match based on time +- 30 minutes (I think), same band and mode and matching callsigns.

eQSL is based typically on the honor system. As you have noticed, you can get 77 QSLs waiting on you (and be notified as such) to upload your matching QSO data from your logbook. Now here is where the rub is. You could cheat and enter a matching non-existent QSO in your online log or accept the sent QSL as is and have a matching QSO entered. This looseness of the data is the reason that LOTW will not accept eQSL data.

Most probably the waiting QSLs are from the same folks you have received the fancy paper QSLs from. I have the same results in my eQSL account.

I use LOTW mainly but also do eQSL as a favor to those that seem to think eQSL is the cat's meow.

Hope this is informative.

Gene W5DQ

One other thing I forgot to mention .... this only works for regular 2 conductor keying. If you're trying to key with paddles into the rig and us and internal keyer, won't work. This sort of setup is exactly how I use my digital/keyer into my TS-940S CW port.

Gene

It's called a "Y" cable or splitter. 2 inputs and 1 output. No harm in paralleling the 2 keying circuits since you're only supplying a ground to key the xmitter.

Solder the an appropriate size inline jack connector (probably 1/8" or 1/4") to the ends of two short 2-conductor cables. Then solder the 2 cables in parallel to an appropriate plug (usually 1/4" for CW key). Plug digital interface into one inline jack, plug keyer into other jack, and plug the plug into the rig's CW key port. You can then do keyboard CW and hand fills with keyer. Or use either alone or together however you want or need.

Should cost less than $10 if you have to buy all the parts otherwise it could be free if you have a well stocked junk box. You do have a junk box, right?

Do it yourself, save money and take pride in your work! It's called homebrewing and hams have been doing for decades.

Force 12 or why bother!

No traps, not moving parts, no tuner needed, just plain old fashion quality engineering and construction.

Mine has withstood many years of Mojave desert heat and high winds and still performs 100%. Many trapped yagis around here have died or needed repair. Forget quads in high winds. Had one. Lasted 2 years before started falling apart. Tried beams with this and that and were hard to tune and touchy to operate.

"... but with Win XP and later Windows operating systems, the computer is doing so many things in the background that the Morse element timing will be badly mangled."

I disagree. I use a homebrew interface that combines 2 inputs: 1) a K1EL outboard keyer with Virbroplex Vibrokeyer and 2) the serial port RTS signal to key up my TS-940S. I use Windows XP (latest Srv Pks) and when operating CW, usually have DX Lab Suite, MixW, Firefox and other apps open and operating with no problems whatsoever in the timing of CW sending via the RTS signal. My PC is a 2.6 Ghz Dual Core AMD with 4 GB of RAM. No pain, no strain in my operating CW, up to 40 to 50 wpm (I tested it that fast, NO WAY I could operate normally that fast .

Blanket statements like the quote above are confusing to many operators and need to have a caveat added. I will agree that if you have a slow PC and limited memory, you could easily get to a point where the hardware has too much latency to effectively run a digital CW keying interface.