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We’re beaming (almost) live across the airwaves with microwatts of broadband energy to bring you the long-awaited show 29 of TX Factor. In this programme we increase the power to as much as ten Watts when Bob, Dave and Noel head to the Wiltshire hills with a pair of Icom IC-905 all-mode transceivers to see what can be achieved.
Bob takes the TX Factor cameras to the heart of England to the UK’s last remaining shortwave transmission station and ramps up the power to a staggering 250 kilowatts. Woofferton, near Ludlow, is the home to some venerable Marconi senders from the 1960s still beaming programmes across the globe.
Oh, and there’s a free-to-enter draw. Visit our website for full details.
txfactor.co.uk

A recent e-mail in the AWA Group from Eddy, VE3CUI, elicited some intriguing comments which you may find of interest. Highlights from the exchanges have been selected for brevity:

Eddy VE3CUI – VE3XZ/3: 

I’m here at the summer cottage, gamely calling “CQ” with my trusty old Vibroplex Vibrokeyer on what sound like dead bands on 15- and 20-meters…yet, when I check the on-line DX Beacon, my quota of entries at 100 is exhausted from across the continent, and beyond, from monitoring stations that have clearly copied me.

All of a sudden, 15-meters just explodes with CW contestors in the middle of Wednesday afternoon with morse machines all honking out endless “CQ CWT” at some 30+ WPM. I snag some very easy quickie exchanges from “VE7” and “W6” from the west coast — and then just as suddenly, the contest is over and I’m right back to “CQ…CQ…CQ” in silence again, all in vain.

How very ironic that  self-professed “…devotees” of the CW art and craft — “CW Tops-Ops” — can all devote attention to the object of their affection for but one single hour, and in the middle of the week…! Shouldn’t they otherwise be gainfully fully employed earning a living, like all of the other non-retirees…?! Otherwise, why “…kiss and run” so, if they really and truly love the mode…?!

I just do not get it, I’m afraid…

Well, as for the middle of the week timing, more people work from home now. I guess they stepped away from their work computer and spent an hours snagging some QSOs.

Good afternoon blog readers I hope you are still enjoying the summer heat and are putting it into perspective as it compares to winters freezing cold? 

I have a question, when it comes to CW contesting…how fast is to fast? I have asked myself this question during CW contests, when I decide to search and pounce most of the time the speed is in around 30-34 wpm. Now having said that there are some big guns that run at close to 40wpm. BUT they have been spotted and always will be thus for the most part then the caller already knows their call. It is just the exchange that has to be handled and if it is a contest that has a generic exchange (CQ zone, ITU zone so on) then the software fills in the exchange details.  

For a small gun like me it’s only now and then I get spotted on the cluster and I know when this happens as I get into a pileup situation. I am not some multi operator high power station with dream antennas I am just small potatoes. I feel that if I was to knock out code at 36 wpm I think my contact rate would drop? In my humble opinion ( please correct me if I am wrong) I should stay in the 30-34 wpm range to gather fish in my net? 

What say you fellow CW contesters…..in a dark place in my mind I am thinking that for me its a waste of time to practice for the 38-40 wpm goal because with my 100 watts along with a simple vertical antenna at that speed I will hear crickets when calling CQ contest? What say you…………

Listen Now

Spin the Random Topic Wheel (Segment 1)

• The Best Whiskey Under $30

This Weekend in Hedonism (Segment 2)

• Cheryl’s Recipe Corner!

• Easy Shrimp Ceviche

• Description

• I served this at a family dinner, and it was a huge hit.  It’s light and refreshing.

• Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

• 1 pound pre-cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined, 16 to 20 count size

• 1 cup (157 g) diced tomatoes seeds removed, ¼" dice

• 1 cup (145 g) diced cucumber ¼" dice

• 1/2 cup (70 g) minced red onion

• 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped cilantro

• 1 tablespoon (10 g) minced jalapeno, seeds removed

• 1 teaspoon (1 g) lime zest

• 1/4 cup (120 ml) lime juice

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

• 1 cup (145 g) frozen diced avocado 1/2" dice - optional

• Directions

• Chop the cooked shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces—place in a large non-reactive bowl.  To the bowl of shrimp, add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Taste and season with more salt as desired.  If you choose to use avocado, serve it on the side (as an optional mix in for each person). To Serve - Pair shrimp ceviche with chips or on tostadas.

• Cheryl’s Mixed Drink Corner

• Mexican Mule

• Description

• A quick and easy mule with Tequila, instead of Vodka

• Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila

• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

• 4 ounces ginger beer

• For the garnish: lime slice

• Directions

• In a copper mug or glass, pour in the tequila, lime juice, and ginger beer. Add ice and garnish with a lime slice. Serve immediately.

• Russ’s Drink Corner

• Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt Japanese Whiskey

• Description

• Miyagikyo Single Malt is a range of single malt expressions from the Miyagikyo Distillery. Nikka’s founder Masataka Taketsuru chose a valley in the Miyagi prefecture as the site for his second distillery, and started its operation in 1969. He aimed to make a complete contrast between the two distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi, with different natural environments and production methods. Miyagikyo malts are described as elegant and fruity. Made from light peated and non-peated malted barley, whiskies distilled in pot stills heated by indirect steam express a signature fruitiness and delicate mouthfeel. This no-age-statement version was released in 2016 as a permanent product that showcases the elegant style of Miyagikyo malts, when all age-statements were discontinued. This bottling has estery aromas generated by carefully selected yeast strains along with distinctive Sherry cask influence.

• Details

• Mashbill: 100% Malted barley

• Proof: 90 (45% ABV)

• Region: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

• Color: Light, spun gold

• Nose: Vanilla, cinnamon, honey, pear, clove, baked biscuits, plantain

• Taste: Orange, toasted bread, chocolate, honey, vanilla, oak, toasted grains, pear, green grapes, light pepper

• Finish: Green grape, vanilla, hints of dark berries and citrus, light pepper

• Price: $85 (750ml)

• Rating: 96

Segment 3 (Announcements & Feedback)

• Minecraft Server Updated to 1.20.1

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• Show Topic Suggestions

• We are running low on Weekender topics. If you have any ideas or any topics you’d like to hear us fumble on about, please send them our way.

Segment 4 (New Subscribers, New Supporters & Live Participants)

• Mastodon

• LeftyLabourTechToronto

• KF7CCC

• black_rain

• YouTube

• Julio PY9DB

• Fundi Willy

• Bret Holcomb

• Mailing List

• KJ7UZN

• Discord

• Mossad

• debconf

• Merchandise

• Kevin Moderow

• Live Chat

• Tony, K4XSS

• Don, KC9ZMY

• Steve, KJ5T

• Jon, K1BTZ

• Winston, KB2DLL

• Mike, K6GTE

• Ted, WA0EIR

As readers of my blog have likely observed, I’ve been promoting a “served agency” partnership between the ARRL-affiliated clubs and local public libraries. I’m told by my Division Director, David K5UZ, that the Plant the Seed, Sow the Future Initiative was formally adopted by the ARRL Board of Directors in a recent meeting. I’ve had virtual meetings with ARRL HQ staff on advising them regarding technical details of adding maps, databases, and other material to the arrl.org website pages pertaining to clubs. The entire website was recently revised (again) so this is taking some time. Need I say, LoTW?

Locally, I’ve been working with the Jackson ARC in their recent formal partnership with the Madison County (MS) Public Library System to enhance the emergent “maker spaces” in that library system. Over this year in my role as Delta Division Assistant Director, I’ve been doing club development work with the Vicksburg ARC who is refocusing their activities and initiatives, including some discussions with the Warren County Public Library System, whose slogan is “We’re more than just books!” VARC is interested in partnering with them on creating maker space activities. These meetings and conversations have universally been met with a very strong desire by the library administrators there to welcome amateur radio into their programming. How can this be effected in ways that allow amateur radio to reach the two key demographic audiences of women and youth that visit public libraries at twice the rate that they visit movie theaters?

I’ve created a new but common proposed activity to be just one of several such ways to operationalize this “served agency” relationship: holding periodic “on the air” events at public libraries. LiOTA, short for Libraries On The Air, is outlined in a concept memo I’ve submitted to my Division Director, David K5UZ. I’ve posted it here for transparency. We will see if the ARRL Board of Directors takes advantage of the concept. If not, there may be other groups who wish to implement it.

Below is the spatial distribution of the 9,215 libraries in the current (2021) public library database. Not surprisingly, they follow population settlements which generally reflect the spatial distribution of amateur radio licensee locations. It’s also not a shock to know that they are not dissimilar to the pattern of ARRL-affiliated clubs. In other work for Plant the Seed, I’ve created spreadsheets by club for each Division showing for which public libraries the club is the nearest one to that library. These market areas can be used to easily identify potential nearby LiOTA sites. And, yes, POTA participants, I’ve already created an exhaustive list of public library entity numbers in spreadsheet and map format, ready for the League to use on their website for LiOTA, should they adopt the program.

Because of the targeted-marketing concept driving this prospective program, the logo I created includes a female radio operator at a library. Using control operators, getting women and young people on the air at libraries is the key metric of outreach in this program. Passive options, such as planned programs, displays or kiosks, books donated on amateur radio, club meetings, at public libraries are further means to reach this audience. But getting non-hams on the air will likely be a key. (If not, why do we use GOTA stations at Field Day?)

Here is the logo that I’ve created for the LiOTA Program. Hmm. It might look good on a spiffy tee shirt.

Here’s the brief memo that I submitted to David K5UZ. Time will tell as to it’s fate. Contact your ARRL Division Director if you support the program!

Amateur Radio Fun in the Colorado Mountains
August 4 through 7, 2023
www.ham14er.orgAmateur Radio operators from around Colorado will be climbing Colorado Summits On The Air (SOTA) peaks and communicating with other radio amateurs across the state and around the world. Join in on the fun during the annual event by activating a summit or contacting (chasing) the mountaintop stations.This event is normally held the first full weekend in August. Again this year, we will add two bonus days to the Colorado 14er Event. The main two days remain Saturday and Sunday (Aug 5 & 6), while the bonus days are Friday Aug 4 and Monday Aug 7th, for those SOTA enthusiasts that need more than two days of SOTA fun! Be aware that many mountaintop activators will hit the trail early with the goal of being off the summits by (1800 UTC) noon due to lightning safety concerns.

The 14er event includes Summits On the Air (SOTA) peaks, which provide over 1700 summits to activate. (See the W0C SOTA web page or browse the SOTA Atlas.) The Colorado 14er Event was started in 1991, about 19 years before the SOTA program was set up in Colorado. As SOTA grew in popularity, this event expanded from just the 14,000-foot mountains (14ers) to include all of the SOTA summits in the state. We still call it the Colorado 14er Event because, well, that’s where it all started and the 14ers are the iconic summits in the state.

Important: The recommended 2m FM frequencies have been changed to 146.58, 146.55, and 146.49 MHz, to align with the use of the North America Adventure Frequency for SOTA (146.58). The National Simplex Calling Frequency (146.52) may be used as appropriate. There will be plenty of action on the other ham bands, for more information see the operating frequencies page.

Resources:
Colorado 14er Event webpage  – Everything to Know About The Colorado 14er Event
Beginner Guide – For the first-time activator
Ham14er Groups.io  – Discussion Group for the event
Colorado SOTA groups.io – Colorado SOTA discussion group

Colorado 14er Event Task Force
[email protected]

The post 2023 Colorado 14er Event (Summits On The Air) appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Now it's not a numbers game I play with myself but my goal is to get better at what I do. Improving my skill in whatever it is, is important to me. With Amateur radio CW is my skill and I will be honest I work hard on it and it's nice to see the efforts are being rewarded oh and it's a lot of fun too. To gather as much understanding about my radio, antenna, propagation, pileup skills and the list goes on is what keeps my hobby a busy one and exciting one.
Cheers to the upcoming 6 months of 2023!