Got it one and all.   The responses basically confirm my way of thinking about how to do it.   I have always used a window for cable entry before.  But never had the shack below ground level before so that method wont work this time.  Basically, schedule 40 PVC through the foundation, to 1 foot above ground level and the 90 degree bend to make it more difficult for any unwanted intrusions.    Sounds simple enough, but of course the devil can sometimes be in the details.  I will be having an appropriate discussion with my builder and foundation person.   We are a month or so, before they pour anything so I'm hoping to get it decided relatively quickly. 

Oh and yes, the shack will be under the master bedroom.  I tried not to do that, but lost that battle during the design process.  So yes we're going to try and sound proof between the floors, but I dont have a lot of faith in that, so I expect she will regret having won that fight.  We will see, hi hi.   

Thanks again everyone.  And if you think of anything else I could or should have done, while I still can.  I really would appreciate an email directly or a response here.  I will check back from time to time.

73
Noel
WS7X

I have an opportunity to build almost what ever I want into the design of our next house.  So I'm soliciting ideas of what I should build in so to speak for cable entrance and for ground and lightening protection. 

I've heard I should put a ground rod at the closest place to my cable entrance and also tie it to the house's electric service ground.  I'm not sure I said that right.
Anything else you would do if you were building from scratch?

The shack will be in the basement this time and I'm worried about water coming in if I put a conduit from ground level to the basement.  How is that done and not cause issues? 

What size conduit should I use?  I was thinking 3 inch PCV at least.  Do I just have it installed through the foundation?  I'm thinking like a clothes dryer vent.

I'm having a dedicated 240 volt circuit put in.   But seems like there is more I should do.

What else would you do?
Thanks
Noel

Confirmed.  It works again.  yea!

Here's a good site: http://www.ac6v.com/nets.htm

All - Thanks for the responses so far.  Great to hear all the different perspectives and always interesting to hear how the propagation was a little different from our locations. 
A few individual comments:  Dave you and I worked during the NAQP in Jan and the 10 meter contest in Dec of 2011.  So that setup of yours works fine out may way.  I see an upgrade in your future if you want to play on more than just 10 meters.

Benni - whew! glad you made it without injury to you or the antenna... hope to hear that big signal on the air sometime.  Don't think you missed much in this one though.  Don't recall hearing any TF signals and certainly didn't get any in the log this time.  Also I have no experience with those beacons you mentioned. 
 
Ken - My cw isn't good enough to do a CW contest.  I did make about 10 contacts during the CQ WW CW contest last year though.  Straight key sending about 10 wpm.  A few slowed down enough to give me a contact.   Someday I may try to become CW proficient. 

John - Guess what almost every other DX stations will get when i send my call.  Without fail they will hear Whiskey Seven Sugar Xray (W7SX) Instead of  Whiskey Sugar Seven Xray.  I feel your pain!  Sometimes takes them a long time to get it. 

I only play in a few contests and they're all SSB.  NAQP, CQ WW, WPX and the 7the Area QSO Party, which is coming up in May.  I've done it two years running now and it has gotten more fun each time.   I will also play in the 10 meters contest too when that band is open like it was last year.  But that hasn't happened much in quite a few years now. 

I can't speak for the multi op multi transmitter stations, because those guys are competing with other multi multi stations.  My competition is with other single operator single transmitter stations, (other than competing with myself that is.)  I have not heard that some dislike WPX compared to other contests.  But then again I don't know many contesters in person.  I can say there are a few I'm not particularly fond of for different reasons.  i.e. the Sprint where you have to change frequency after each contact.  Never took to that one.    There's also a JA contest I've played in where you exchange the year you were first licensed, which I keep forgetting hi hi. 

Noel

  Well it's over and I for one had a lot of fun.   If you were looking for the "I hate contests" thread, this isn't it.  I did see one of those however so keep looking hi hi (Its a fun read too).    Propagation on 15 meters was not as good as last year and I was a bit disappointed because I did not beat my score from last year.  I got almost as many qso's during this contest and operated about the same amount of time but the amount of higher point DX stations just wasn't the same as it was during last year's contest, especially on 15.  20 meters was good and as usual was a "zoo".  I got a kick out of working stations in between the splattering signals of some of the stations who seemed to be 10 kcs wide.  I wont name call signs but I did write one down so I could look it up later, who I felt was particularly annoying. (hi)  I do think there were more stations a little wide during this contest.  I wonder if anyone else thinks that was the case or maybe it was just me?  Still, the patience of many to keep trying was fun to see and hear.   Amazing how many signal reports and serial number exchanges can occupy the same frequency at the same time.  I spent the majority of my time call CQ and probably about 40 percent during the old search and pounce.  The DX were mostly sitting there and waiting to be called and enjoying their pileups.  Don't you hate it when they don't give their call signs often enough and you've been waiting for five minutes only to hear that you've worked them before?   

 And here's another one...So I'm working a small pile up of my own and I've acknowledged say kbXXq and asked him to repeat my number.   Why then does NXXR keep calling me, and covering up the station I'm trying to work?  Does he really think I'm going to answer him even though he keeps covering up the station I went back to?  Seriously frustrating when that happens because even if they can't hear the station I'm working, they can at least hear me and hear that I went back to someone else.  So why do they continue to call, not once but over and over?    OK that's my one rant.  (hi hi) 

  During the last couple hours of the contest, 15 meters seemed to pick up into Asia.   I had quite a good time working JAs and even a few China and Indonesia and a few other countries as well.  There were some really strong JA stations just booming into my QTH.  Anyone else worked some really weird call signs?   Not even sure they're legit? 10 meters was disappointing and was only open into South America from here.  I did manage to work a few big guns spread out across the band but it wasn't enough to keep me on the band for long.  I did spend some time on 40 and got lucky a few times as a few DX stations took pity on my weak signal and gave me a few points.  On 80 meters it was only a few US stations sharing a point here and there, so it wasn't even as good as 40. 

   Still with all the frustrations,  I had a great time and it was nice to just work anyone I could hear as opposed to say the last contest which was only for working DX.  And oh yeah, there were a few stations who insisted on calling me but had no idea what the exchange was supposed to be.   Then, when I try to tell them they got annoyed that I just don't want to have a qso right now.  That's always funny too.  What was your experience during this year's WPX?  I'd love to hear it.

Noel - WS7X

I too use one of the Heil headsets and for the most part it works ok. Nice to have both the dx and rag chew mike elements.    However since I wear glasses I find that the headset squeezes the glasses against my head and this becomes uncomfortable after a couple hours.  The ear pads are a little on the hard side and the part on top of my head is annoying.    So whatever you decide on, you may want to try them on first and consider if you can wear them for hours on end during a contest.  I bought mine without trying them first and may have chosen something else had I known they were going to be so uncomfortable.  Mine is the pro set plus and it's built to last but...maybe the newer ones are more comfortable?     My ear still hurts from yesterday...

Well it does not appear that DXKeeper has any log analysis features.  It does have a contest mode but that's all.  Maybe you are calling DXCC tracking "log analysis"? 
Noel - WS7X

Well you're right about DXLab's software being one of the few that has been kept current.  Forgot that one.    I do use DXview a lot and may give DXkeeper another try.  Didn't realize it had any log analysis software built in. 
Thanks
Noel

Thanks for the link to CBS.  Not sure if that would work on my Windows 7 PC.  MS DOS based?   

If you find something that works Ian I'd be curious to know what it is.  Here is a link to CBS   http://www.kkn.net/~n6tv/cbs

I have not tried it and am not sure I could even get it to work on my windows 7 computer and not sure I'd even want to try.
 
  You would think that with contesting being so popular, analysis software would be common but this does not seem to be the case.   In fact much of the software for ham radio use in general with a few exceptions (like HRD) are quite dated.  I understand why few people are making software to teach CW anymore but, loggers and contesting are still alive and well.  But most of the logging software is old too.  In most cases the authors just barely got them to work on the latest windows and mac pcs.    I don't think a good contest log analysis program is out there...Unless you're still running MS DOS and can write a few batch files...

I could be wrong but...

Same results here.  It used to work great with my old phone.  Got a new one with one with Android 4.02 (ICS) and echo link no longer works.  Sent the developer an email but got no response...move on... They may upgrade it or they may not...ICS is not yet the dominant version of Android.  When/if that happens lots of old apps will get "updated".


 

Didn't know that site even existed thanks.  One of the big contests is next weekend.(CQ WPX) They do a nice job of giving you some feedback on your log.  Best one I've seen and I've played in a few of the them. hi hi.    I've been contesting for a couple years now (on and off) and I find that even with the two sites listed below it can be difficult to find current information.   You will notice that a lot of the info will be quite "dated", but also mostly still relevant.  And each contest is completely different, so be sure to look at the rules and follow them if you want to submit your log.   Just find yourself a good contest logging program like N1MM and have fun.    N1MM is also an old program, but it works even on newer computers.  Actual scores will be a little different because they will remove duplicates or incorrect exchanges and a few other things your log may not have taken into account before you submitted it.  But usually the claimed scores will be close.   

There used to be some software to help you analyze your log after the contest, to show countries worked, when, where (what freqs) and a host of other useful information to help you next time.  But I haven't found anything like that recently.  Its probably out there but may be a well kept secret.  Oh yeah, contesting is a little competitive - who knew?

I always Operate Single Operator Non-Assisted.   Because using spotters feels too much like cheating to me.  But as long as you are only competing with other "cheaters" then I suppose it's still fair.
Each contest has different categories so be sure your log reflects the correct one for your station before you submit it. 

Another after contest thing you may want to do is keep track of your scores for each contest so you can have a basis to work from for next year.  How many QSOs, your score etc.  I'm always trying to compete with myself from one year to the next.    Good luck and have fun.

WS7X
Noel

Michael,
I suppose one could say it was a little like the "good ole days" -  but not quite.  If you think it was good during the contest, wait until the sunspot number gets around 200.  You'll work JAs on a slinky antenna and 10 watts, hi hi.  India however will most likely be a challenge whenever.  There aren't quite as many active Indian ops and you'll see/hear the same call signs all the time.  Tough to work em most times, but still doable.  I had lots of fun this contest.  I finished it - worked em all I think.   Like surfing the internet and getting to the end. Hi Hi.  Looking forward to the next one.

Noel
WS7X

one vote for sending  a card with new call and a note with old call. 

Chuck's talking about the QSO not being in the log...I'm asking about the call sign used. Obviously the QSO is in the log just with the old call.  So you invalidate the contact because the person happened to change calls since you worked em??

W5ESE says don't send a DX station a QSL card with my old call sign even though I worked em with my new call sign??? Not sure why anyone would do that but...

Maybe there's no wrong way as long as its clear what call sign was used during the contact.  OK thanks for the replies folks.

Noel