Reverse Beacon: ViewProp - Innovative Partner with the RBN

Reverse Beacon: ViewProp - Innovative Partner with the RBN: For those who may have missed it, ZL2HAM's ViewProp is now available free in a public beta test. Before you yawn and dismiss ViewProp a...

This is such a neat and practical application, just have to love today's technology !!!

cheers!
steve
KG5VK

This is the best written story of radio sport Every

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1002473/1/index.htm

If you want to show someone why you love radios port ask the to take a few moments and read this awesome story 

Cheers!

Steve

KG5VK

OQRS - Online QSL Requests - User Guide - Club Log Documentation

OQRS - Online QSL Requests - User Guide - Club Log Documentation

Operate RTTY ?????

A skimmer for RTTY

read more here

Cheers !
steve
KG5VK

AGC Settings for K3 in pile ups

I don’t think there is a one AGC setting that covers all.

 

I am using these settings when working a pile up here on NA045.  My goal is to keep as many of the calling stations as I can at different levels.  This helps separate the calls so I can work the strongest, “loudest”, and move to the next.  For me this works great to keep the rate up but when it comes time to hunt for mults I smooth the AGC back a little.

 

 

AGC DCY Soft
AGC HLD .5
AGC PLS nor
AGC SLP 2

AGC THR 17
AGC F 120
AGC S 20

 

Working from an Island might be different than other locations.

 

 

Keith, K5ENS

Spokane DX Association » Blog Archive » VE7CC CLUSTER DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

Spokane DX Association » Blog Archive » VE7CC CLUSTER DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

Great Propagation resource

home

I am looking at implementing the Cifton Labs z10000 in my K3

Looking at the Sept/Oct 2012 NCJ artical by N2QT
I am strongly considering adding it to my K3
Clifton Labs

Steve
KG5VK

lotw and hrd

what HRD wants in the second part of the screen
is not always simply your callsign again and your password for TQSL

But more precisely exactly everything that you see in your TQSL
after the first Hyphen

for example most ops have "theircallsign - Home"
in my case I have KG5VK - KG5VK for my primary certificate

so in the HRD upload screen
I place KG5VK then my LOTW password
then further down I place KG5VK and my TQSL password
where you may have anything after that first hyphen

double check what you have by using TQSL and manually signing an adif file
it will show you what you have after the Hyphen

I hope this helps someone !

PS spacing and case sensitive applies to what you enter !!!

cheers !
Steve
KG5VK

Noise Reduction (NR) with the K3

here is a link to a video on NR on the K3

cheers   steve KG5VK

Creating Macros for your K3

Click here, This is a silent movie (no sound)

Let me know if you have questions or comments

steve
KG5VK

Qualifying Events | World Radiosport Team Championship 2014

Qualifying Events | World Radiosport Team Championship 2014

Bob Harrison G4UJS, Amateur Radio Site.

Bob Harrison G4UJS, Amateur Radio Site.

Try his de-duped RVBN feed !

steve
KG5VK

Using the DXAlert.com Badge - KG5VK

Click here to see if I am QRV and where

73
steve
KG5VK

Azores Islands Hunt

Azores Islands Hunt
Earn more than wall paper or a "woody" :)
Cheers !
 

Display Reception Reports

Display Reception Reports

Ham Radio Deluxe Forum - Orlando 2012

PC5M main

PC5M main

The home of Athena for N1MM

cheers!

steve
kg5vk

N9VV Amateur Radio Website

N9VV Amateur Radio Website

[Club Log] OQRS for non-expedition calls -

Great news of a new feature from ClubLog.........
------------------------------------------------------------
Hi all,

The much anticipated 'non-expedition' OQRS features are now live. This means that all Club Log users, not only expeditions, can use OQRS to supply bureau and direct cards to DXers. You can set the price for direct cards, but you must offer bureau cards too, and bureau cards are free (QSLing ethics).

Please start here:

http://www.clublog.org/docs/x/E4Bk

As this is a pretty complicated feature, I would be grateful if you would be vigilant and report any unexpected bugs or issues you find.

Thanks & 73

Michael G7VJR

--------------------------------------------------------------

mast plate

Coax-Stubs.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Coax-Stubs.pdf (application/pdf Object)

a really good set of ideas with connecting 75 ohm hard line
to coax fittings

stubs.pdf (application/pdf Object)

stubs.pdf (application/pdf Object)

I found his comment and analysis on this very worthwhile
esp when I was in need of a tight sub to keep the digital mode guys out of the phone sub bands during ARRL FD

steve
KG5VK

Coax Stubs

Coax Stubs

Ubuntu and Ham Radio | radio.McDougallsHome.net

Ubuntu and Ham Radio | radio.McDougallsHome.net

N1MM-ClubLog Gateway » N2AMG's Place

N1MM-ClubLog Gateway » N2AMG's Place

I love using Club Log's on line logging tools
and was pleased to find this great tool set offered by N2AMG
for linking the log of N1MM q's to ClubLog

cheers!

Steve
KG5VK

The NVARC “Ugly” Filter Project

The NVARC “Ugly” Filter Project

Shreveport Amateur Radio Association Fellowship day

The Shreveport Amateur Radio Association (SARA)
will hoist a social April the 14th

April 14, 2012 - Cook-Out On Arthur Teague Pkw, at the Boat Launch Pavilion Under the Barksdale – Shrev City Bridge. $5.00 per head. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs. There will be 2 or 3 equipment On-the-Air demonstrations.

N1LI with some neat info and a great wav file of K1DG's Four Sq

click here

my personal contacts from Ti5 are in the log.....

use this club log tool to see if I logged you....

http://www.clublog.org/logsearch.php

73

steve
KG5VK

WRTC Rankings

http://wrtc-rank.com/

CQ North America from Ti5N......

Yes we are well under way and having a blast at Ti5N
great team of ops here with me, Aj3G,Wk4Y,WA4PGM, and K1DG

Less than four hours into the contest and our team broke 1.5 million points
this morning our Q's were over 3k and the average Q rate per hour at times was almost 400 yes that is 400 Q's per Hour !!!

We (our team) has managed a few hundred Q's on 160 meters !!!

Steve
KG5VK

Club Log: Search all expeditions on Club Log for QSOs with KG5VK

Club Log: Search all expeditions on Club Log for QSOs with KG5VK

if ur registered as a club log user this is a neat feature
if ur not with club log, why !

http://www.clublog.org/globalsearch.php

73
Steve
KG5VK

Cq Dx Contest from TI5N........

I have been invited and decided to accept joining a team of great OPS at Costa Rica's TI5N during the upcoming ARRL DX Phone contest the weekend of March 3 & 4.
It's been awhile since I have been on the other side of the pile-ups and this should be a blast!
http://kg5vk.com/

Steven Lott

http://www.wa4pgm.us/TI5/2012/Operating_Plans.htm

ARRL Diamond DXCC award tracking

I ran across this announcement for a software tool to assist us in tracking our progress for the ARRL DDXCC award......

-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://dwestbrook.net/projects/ham/checker/

I have added support** for the DXCC Diamond -- figured this was as good a reason as any to finally get this checker project off the back burner :) Example DXCC Diamond report:

http://dwestbrook.net/projects/ham/checker/reports/KJ4IZW/DXCC-Diamond.html

Note this is beta ... I got 95% done with it about a year ago and then couldn't get back to it -- But it's a general framework for parsing a ADIF file and checking pretty much any kind of awards. (It started out as a checker for the 070 Club endorsements)

This checker works very well with output from DXKeeper (which produces good adif!!).

Any comments or requests for other award series, please let me know ...
dwestbrook@gmail.com

73!
--david
KJ4IZW
------------------------------------------------------------
My thanks to David KJ4IZW for his work on this project !
Steve
KG5VK

Simple Antennas work

Not everyone of us (least not I) can afford big aluminum on all HF bands
wires and ladder line work really well for the low freq stuff
For me it has always been pretty simple 1005/f for a loop of wire
But many can't get even a small loop on the low freq's within their property
Here is a smart guy that shares other methods.........
http://www.w5dxp.com/notuner.htm

cheers!
steve

Ham Radio and Friends

It's synonymous for me, Ham Radio and My friends are so en-twined
and here is a link to one of the famous Ham friends that was in my circle of friends during high school.

Back then it was WN0FOI or friendly old Indian, WA0DYV Bill Orgroski, Gary Novak . Bill Ames WA0WBJ, who we were all jealous of because he had Drake Twins and a Quad and Jay Portnoy

There is also Al Rosenthal (Al and I got our License together, he was wn0foj) and a few others that I have lost touch with many years ago.

Yes, indeed Ward Silver N0AX and I ran in the same circles, yes that is a bit scary if you know Ward well :)
If you don't then you are missing out on a person that is a whole lot of fun to be around !

Of course my circle has grown since those days with many new friends
like Tom KR5D, Bob K8KI and Les Diefenbach which we met during our Air Force career

Today there are many others and I consider it a privilege and honor to know each and everyone
as that is the greatest gift of all friendship.

Randy,Marsh,Floyd,Ray,Mike,Tim,Marcel,Scott,Bobby,Mark,Glenn,Hugo,Matt, Joe, John and Ted

There are a few other Hams that I need to work on rekindling our friendship
as life has just drawn us apart, such as my old buddy Brian Lewis
which a bike ride brought us to come to know that we are both amateur radio ops.

Many of you I talk to almost daily either on the radio or the phone or by email
I look forward to spending more time in 2012 with each of you, either contesting alongside you or just chatting on the radio

73 and Happy New Year everyone !

Steve
KG5VK

wow more Clublog.org features discovered

if your a user of clublog.org (if your not, then why !)

then you can use a script (html) like below (after u are logged into your clublog.org account)

http://www.clublog.org/dxccchart3.php?call=kg5vk

(substitute ur friends call on the end in place of mine, unless u just like tracking my progress)

cheers!
steve
KG5VK

see the last Ten Q's I uploaded to ClubLog

click here
This will show you the last Ten QSO's I uploaded to Club Log.org

Here are a couple of other Widgets.....

DXCC

Log

Cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

listen to ur audio from GW7X

This shared with me by George K5GH....

If you worked GW7X in the recent 10m contest (or several of the other contests since 2005) you can listen to how your QSO sounded at the GW end at the website below:

http://gw4ble.dxlist.co.uk/index.php

cheers!

Steve
KG5VK

Uploading your log to ARRL LOTW

click here for a short movie on uploading your ADIF file to the ARRL LOTW server
This movie does exactly what the title says (Logbook of the World)
I plan on building more movies on LOTW features
dependent on the feedback from this one

cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

Tools that help us work what we need

ClubLog.org

Offers several great tools
Besides the obvious of being a log tool it
has a feature set that may often be over looked

DX Spots for Needed DXCCs

Using this tool, you can search the DX Cluster for spots related to DXCCs that you have not yet worked. There are 10,551,747 spots in the database up to 19th December, 2011, so the search is limited to the last 30 days or 300 results.

Did you see those key words.........

Spots related to DXCCs that you have not yet worked

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is a powerful tool
if your working towards a specific award, say DXCC on 80m
then once up upload your current log in ADIF form to club log
it will give you focus with this tool on needed countries for that band !!!

Try it out I think it will help you work more new ones within a shorter amount of time
Of course we need t verify what we hear is what someone posted on cluster
and when I copy a call diff than what someone else did and spotted I always try and repost with the correct call - also not that the spots are from all over the world, so a spot posted from an op in India may of course not be workable from our country.

Cheers !

Steve
KG5VK

She is nice and shinney & hanging out at 85 feet

4 el 40m M2 Beam
at
KG5VK

ARRL Phone Sweepstakes is this week-end and we are in South Louisiana

KN5O
Run Station

My results from 6 hours in the chair during CQWW Phone DX 2011

CallSign Used : KG5VK
Operator(s) : KG5VK

Operator Category : SINGLE-OP-ASSISTED
Band : ALL
Power : HIGH
Mode : SSB
Overlay Category :
Default Exchange : 4


Name : Steven Lott Smith

ARRL Section : LA
Club/Team : Louisiana Contest Club
Software : N1MM Logger V11.10.0

Band QSOs Pts DXC Zn
7 13 38 4 12
14 73 206 19 60
21 79 230 21 67
28 1 3 1 1
28 135 395 27 94

Total 301 872 72 234


Score : 266,832

ARRL FD 2011 SARA K5SAR operated at KG5VK's shack

2011 Field Day

Displaying entries for Section=LA

Entries 1 to 22 of 22 listed

#	Call	Score	Category	QSOs	Power Mult	GOTA Call	Section	Participants	Club
1	W5ZR	10,986	2A	2,692	2	W5RZY	LA	30	Louisiana Cane Field CC
2	W5EA	9,704	2A	3,284	2	N5LCC	LA	55	Twin City Ham Club
3	N5RD	6,560	2A	2,265	2		LA	15	Minden ARA
4	K5DF	5,636	3A	1,536	2	W5YW	LA	35	Daton Rouge ARC
5	K5SAR	5,128	4E	1,665	2		LA	15
6	K1DW	3,470	1E	1,063	2		LA	2
7	W5DDL	2,028	1A	449	2		LA	47	Acadiana ARA
8	N5II	1,952	2A	589	2		LA	7	Springhill ARC, Inc.
9	W5BII	1,828	2A	489	2	WA5LQZ	LA	33	Southwest LA AR Club
10	AC5PW	1,568	2A	239	2		LA	17	North Rapides RC

KA5M & KG5VK as seen last Oct at W5WZ's contest station

Ham Radio Deluxe HRD SOLD

while I have not confirmed this.....


Simon Brown, HB9DRV, has sold the rights to his popular Ham Radio Deluxe software package to a group consisting of Mike Carper, WA9PIE, Randy Gawtry,K0CBH and Rick Ruhl, W4PC. All three principals have more than 25 years of experience with radio data communications. Rick Ruhl is the president of W4PC Software, Inc whose products include the PakRatt , PKTerm and Radio Operations Center software suites. Randy Gawtry is the president of Timewave Technology Inc whose products include the PK and DSP families of data controllers and other commercial data products. Mike Carper is an experienced Fortune 500 technology executive, educator and f eatured speaker
in the areas of wireless technologies and IT Service Management.

cheers!
steve

Ham Radio License Frame - Amateur Radio License Frame - General Radiotelephone Operator License Frame - General Radiotelephone and Radiotelegraph License Frame

Ham Radio License Frame - Amateur Radio License Frame - General Radiotelephone Operator License Frame - General Radiotelephone and Radiotelegraph License Frame
This guy makes some really neat stuff
and he is right here in Louisiana
Made in The USA!

New RBN Aggregator Available (version 0.92b)

New RBN Aggregator Available (version 0.92b)

This from Pete Smith.......

Many CW Skimmer or Skimmer Server users are probably aware of the Reverse Beacon Network. The RBN uses a small piece of software called the Aggregator to collect spots from CW Skimmers and Skimmer Servers all over the world and forward them to the RBN's database server.

Since the inception of the RBN, we have been using an effective bare-bones version of the Aggregator written by Felipe, PY1NB, founder of the RBN. Now, thanks to the programming skills of Dick, W3OA, we have a new, Windows Aggregator in a near-final beta form, available for download and use. In addition to being much easier to configure and use, the new Aggregator has some important new features.

* It adds the option of a master.dta check to Skimmer Server (like the Paranoid validation mode in CW Skimmer).

* It also allows users to send spots to the Aggregator without first filtering them to remove the non-CQ spots. The Aggregator then forwards only those spots the RBN requests. For now, that will be CQ spots for HF and all spots for 50 MHz and up. In the near future this will allow us to experiment with spotting the NCDXA HF beacons, and probably other tricks that have not been possible up till now.

* And finally, the new Aggregator permits RBN contributors to connect locally to it with their logging programs, either taking advantage of the new filtering capability or not, as they wish.

For the full story and a download link, see the Reverse Beacon Network blog at http://reversebeacon.blogspot.com/.

--
73, Pete N4ZR

Hurricane Watch Net

Hurricane Watch Net

websdr.org

Have you ever wanted to listen to what your signal sounds like on the other side of the pond ?
Now you can !
Not only that, you can listen to what propagation is in lots of places
and all you need is a computer and internet access !
Check it out at......
websdr.org

Cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

STØR - South Sudan 2011

STØR - South Sudan 2011
Use PayPal to get those Southern Sudan cards fast

STØR - South Sudan 2011

STØR - South Sudan 2011

U. S. Counties Qso Party Rules

U. S. Counties Qso Party Rules

GPS Modules

GPS Modules

HMC5883 3-Axis Compass | Modern Device

HMC5883 3-Axis Compass | Modern Device

Digital Compass Navigation Kits

Digital Compass Navigation Kits

Compass Module - HDPM01

Compass Module - HDPM01
One of the few sites where there are lots of things to use when building your own circuits
Micro controller chips (PICS) are fun my first kit is from http://Hamstack.com
They offer fantastic support and neat projects as well.

Steve
KG5VK

How to Make a Contest QSO -

This is from an old High school buddy that writes on the contest reflector for the ARRL
I had never seen this , but it arrived in a contest reflector email
and thought hmmm, I wonder how many people did not know some of this stuff
As another buddy of mine says we all have to start some where and many of us that have a few thousand Q's under our belts tend to forget
to share the basics that we take for granted.

So here is a conversation on contesting from my friend Ward N0AX
CONVERSATION

How To Have A (Contest) Conversation

After the last issue was emailed to readers, I received a most reasonable request. "This issue shows how NOT to make a Field Day QSO. How SHOULD I make a Field Day QSO?" Here is a good example of how experienced operators (i.e. - your editor) can forget that criticism without instruction is not helpful. One has to demonstrate the right technique so as to illustrate why the wrong technique is, in fact, wrong! So here goes...


First, a disclaimer. There is no One Perfect Method for efficient, effective contest operating. The "right" technique depends on band conditions, how many are (or aren't) calling, the intensity of the competition, and the skill of the operators on each end. What follows are guidelines and I am assuming that the contest is a phone contest. The reader should be able to apply the same principles to CW and digital contest operation.

To make a lot of QSOs in a fixed period - the goal of nearly every contest - you need to minimize the time you spend making each QSO. The first step in minimizing the duration of a QSO is to remove all unnecessary verbiage. In a perfect world, the only thing you should hear going back and forth during a contest is call signs and exchange information. It should sound like this:

1 - CQ Field Day KOØA

2 - [pileup]

3 - W1ABC 2 Alpha Missouri

4 - 1 Alpha Eastern Massachusetts

5 - Thanks KOØA

Not a wasted bit of transmitting exists in that exchange. Lines 1 and 5 are "bookends" in which KOØA identifies and solicits QSOs. (This style of operation is sufficient for W1ABC, as well.) This is the standard to which you should aspire on either end of the QSO. In Line 3, KOØA has pulled out a full call sign from the pileup, sent it to notify everyone who the QSO is with, given the information in the expected order and stopped transmitting. KOØA does not say, "Please copy..." or "You are..." or repeat any information or say, "Over" or "Go ahead" or any number of other things that take up time but don't add anything to the flow of the contact. In Line 4, W1ABC responds when called, gives the contest information, and stops transmitting. That's it - no extra "stuff" to slow things down. In Line 5, KOØA acknowledges that the information was complete and the call sign ends the transmission. No "QRZed" or "CQ Field Day" or "from" is required. If no stations call, then a longer CQ transmission starts the cycle again. (A nit to pick...when a station says "You are" and then describes their own configuration, shouldn't that really be "I am"?)

When should you deviate from this ideal? There are lots of reasons to do so. In Line 3, KOØA should not give out any exchange information until sure of enough of the caller's call sign that only one station is likely to respond. For example, if KOØA doesn't get the last letter of W1ABC's call..."W1AB-something 2 Alpha Missouri, what's the last letter?" W1ABC should respond with something like, "W1 Alpha Bravo Charlie, last letter is Charlie, 1 Alpha...etc" Why does W1ABC repeat the full call? To confirm that the missing letter is the last one and that the call is not W1CAB or just W1AB. Similarly, if KOØA has W1ABC's call wrong, W1ABC might simply respond with, "W1ABC". At that point, KOØA can resume with Line 3 shown above.

What about repeating your information? If not requested to do so, don't! 9 times out of 10, even a QRP station will be perfectly readable in Line 4 above. The other callers are standing by (hopefully) so KOØA is probably going to get the information on the first transmission - don't waste time with unrequested repeats! If a repeat is requested, repeat only the information requested.

Should W1ABC give KOØA's call sign in Line 4? Whenever there is any question about the intended receiving station give the call sign. It is very common under crowded contest conditions for two stations to be extremely close together or even on the same frequency if they are in each other's skip zones or have antenna nulls aimed at each other. When this happens, don't depend on timing - give the other station's call sign before sending your own information. If you don't, you take a chance that the "wrong" station will log you. The extra information often saves losing a contact (and the multiplier and the possible penalty).

What if W1ABC misses some of KOØA's information? Then W1ABC should request a repeat ("What is your section?") BEFORE proceeding with "1 Alpha Eastern Massachusetts." W1ABC should not transmit any exchange information until all of KOØA's information has been received. If W1ABC waits until after sending the category and section to ask for a repeat, KOØA will likely assume W1ABC received the information OK and will proceed with Line 5 too soon. This gets everything out of sync for everybody, including any callers waiting to contact KOØA. Yes, W1ABC could wait until KOØA's next contact to copy the information but I can tell you from personal experience - it doesn't always work out that way! Get the information you need during the contact and don't assume you can get it on subsequent contacts - that's a big waste of time for you.

Obviously, there are many more variations on the basic theme. By practicing, you'll learn the basic principles of snappy, crisp operating. To learn more about effective, efficient operating, listen to the top operators on the air while they are "running" and try to emulate them.

Learn to pull a full call sign out of a pileup whenever you can
Give your full call whenever calling in a pileup
Transmit exchange information the same way every time
Eliminate wasted syllables and words
Speak clearly without rushing or mumbling
Speech audio should be non-distorted and free of background noise

The top operators are flexible, too. When conditions require it, they will "change gears" to a faster or slower technique in order to maintain the flow of information and keep the contacts coming. Just like a long-distance runner who only lifts each foot enough to clear the ground, the top operators only transmit enough information to keep making contacts. You might not think the difference between "Thanks" and "Thank you" is worth much, but if in a 48-hour contest the goal is upwards of 5000 contacts, saying the extra "you" 5000 times is significant. This may be "cutting the tags off the teabags" as the backpackers say but work on eliminating non-essential transmissions and see if your log doesn't fill up a little quicker!

Should this be the style of operating for casual, non-contest contacts? Of course not! But it would be completely appropriate for a net control station trying to run an emcomm net with many calling to check in, pass traffic, report status, etc. When trying to handle that load "extra stuff" can really gum up the works. The habits and skills formed under contest conditions help make you an effective operator when the chips are really down - in a disaster or emergency situation when every minute counts.

73, Ward NØAX

Club Log: Amateur Radio League Tables and Most-Wanted Lists

Club Log: Amateur Radio League Tables and Most-Wanted Lists

Club Log offers some powerful tool sets !!!

You can even allow searches within your log

like I did here.....

See if your in My Log

73
steve
KG5VK

MY Presentation on SO2R as it stands now for Ham Com 2011

">click here to preview and please send me some feedback !!!

Bill N5YA's HF contest station & Marshall K5QE Vhf/UHF

One of the greatest things about Dayton is on the air plane ride home I meet a couple of guys from right here in Louisiana that have that true Ham Radio spirit
From contesting on HF to the nose bleed freqs
These two guys have it covered !

Dayton 2011

Wow I started early this year the night after attendance of a full day at Contest University

With some great Buckeye hospitality at the local Hooters

Please visit our State version of the ARRL website

I am really amazed at how little activity there is to the ARRL site for our state
and I am hoping that before the site is abandoned by the current webmaster
we can get a buzz started about the site and the tools offered there

http://www.laarrl.org/index.html
There is a survey posted there
for the usefulness of the site
and only 13 surveys have been completed

I know there are a lot more than 13 ops that are computer savy enough to benifit from tools on the site
please visit the site, do the short survey and post constructive comments

Please make the webmaster there feel their time and effort is not wasted !!!

This site has had a lot of work done to it as compared to what it was several years ago
but it looks like only a few people visit it.

Thank You and 73

Steve
KG5VK

http://www.KG5VK.com
My Ham Radio Friends

This week-end is one of the biggest contest of the year

The ARRL DX Phone contest is this week-end March 4th 2011
for those of us in the USA the contest strats this evening

Even if your a non contest get on and work a few new countries
and Have fun !

73
Steve
KG5VK

after the contest analysis tools

A very useful post-contest utility that operates on Cabrillo files is
CBS.exe by Ken Adams K5KA. It parses your file and outputs a host of
useful statistics on rate, six-band QSOs, call areas worked,
multiplier summaries, and so forth. This neat program is free and can
be downloaded from http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/software/Cbs.exe. Thanks
to K5KA! (Also thanks to K5TR for the tip.)

Another utility that analyzes log files finds your top rate for any
continuous hour is the free MS-DOS(tm) utility called RATE.EXE that
you can download from http://www.k1ea.com/utilities/index.htm or
http://www.benlo.com/ham.html#software. RATE will parse any ASCII log
that has its data in fixed columns and a four-digit time (no colon) --
this works for Cabrillo, as well. Run the program without specifying
an input or output log (enter "RATE" at the DOS prompt) and a list of
commands will follow. You will also have to specify the column in
which the first digit of the time appears -- for Cabrillo, that's 25.
Unfortunately, the program also tells you your Minimum and Average
rates.

Innovation in Contesting tools

Tor N4OGW

Has brought us a new software tool
that embraces SDR technology in contesting

http://code.google.com/p/so2sdr/

While some ops on the CQ Contest reflector
are debating wether Tor's software may be used for SO unasssited or places the entraint into assisted

I feel it is more important to encourage further development of this software
while my contest software of choice is N1MM, I am anxious to see innovation.

Any embracement of new technology should be applauded
and let the individual contest OPS and the contest sponsors determine if the
use of software/hardware places the entrant in assisted.

Lets see more innovation in 2011 and beyond !

Steve
KG5VK

less than a week from now, ARRL Sweepstakes Phone !!!

Most of the antenna farm repairs that can be done are now done
I replaced one long cable run, that Dick WA6MDI helped me identify as having failed
Removed one bad ICE Lighting arrestor from the cable run to the KT-34xa
Attempted to get the rotor position indicator pot working for the Telrex Pair - with no luck, so beam position for that array will be by way of closed ciruit TV monitor

Rates last year we very good for just a few periods of time

which band at what time.............
we need to watch our rates and move if they fall too low
where to set the mark of too low is the question !!!

Last year we had a good run and if I had not gotten bogged down with the amp issue we may have beat AE5T

Total Q's last year (2009) was 1436

142 on 80m
501 on 40m
792 on 20m
1 on 15m
0 on 10m

In 2008 we had 1033 Total Q's
BUT I over slept and we were only on the air for 23 not 24 hours !!!

289 on 80m
323 on 40m
378 on 20m
43 on 15m
0 on 10m

2007 we had a total of 1034 Q's

390 on 80m
76 on 40m Wow low number for 40m
542 on 20m
26 on 15m
0 on 10m

2006 we had a total of 1046 Q's We won Delta Division here

80 on 80m
449 on 40m
418 on 20m
99 on 15m
0 on 10m

I think we need to break into 1800 Q's this year
that is going to be tough !!!

That would be an Q rate of 75 for every hour on the air
1600 Q's if more realistic goal but every year since 2006 everyone is placing Higher Q totals and with the increased activity in SS I am sure this will continue !

cheers!

steve

ARRL SS Sweepstakes at KG5VK

I am building the list of OPS that will join us for ARRL Sweepstakes Phone contest on November 20th
The Contest starts at 3pm local Saturday November the 20th, 2010

here is the list of ops scheduled to be here so far.......

KA5M
K5SL
N5SH
W5WZ
and of course myself

don't see your call listed but want to play
send me an email !!!!!!!!

Steve
KG5VK

DX and Contest infi is close at hand for Delta Division members

check this out !
Propagation forecasts for the current week-end for us
Delta division members already made !!!

73
steve

W5WZ

A friend needs a blessing you can see more here

please wtach this vid for more info Thank You !

For Men of Morse

http://www.k9ya.org/
Click Here
Lots of neat notes and short articles on Morse code

cheers !
steve

13 Colonies special event stations

http://www.13colonies.info/

Skim Scan for use with Skimmer

Here is the link to this great software for those using skimmer to watch for band openings
click here
Cheers !

ARRL FD what is it

ARRL Field Day: “Hams” take it to the streets June 26-27

Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana - Amateur Radio activities are growing and many radio operators, often called “hams,” will be showing
off their capabilities June 26-27 at The Gazebo near the public boat launch on Arthur Teague Parkway on the Bossier City side of the Red River.
Thousands of Amateur Radio operators will be Erecting radio stations at community parks, campgrounds, schools and emergency centers around the country, they will hold a “Field Day” showing their emergency communications capabilities while having fun talking and texting to friends with their radios.

Far from fading in the age of cell phones and Internet,
Amateur Radio has been growing in the US and 2009 saw over 30,000 new
people became “hams.” Figures from the ARRL, the national
association for Amateur Radio, show consistent growth for the past five
years. The technical skills of hams also improved as almost 50% of
American Amateur Radio operators now go beyond the entry level FCC
licensing requirements and pass the more difficult testing to earn
higher class federal licenses. There are now more than 682,000 Amateur
Radio operators in the US, and 2.5 million around the world.

In past months, many reports of ham radio operators
providing critical communications in emergencies have been in the news.
From Haiti to California, during floods, fires, earthquakes, tornados
and other crises, Amateur Radio volunteers are providing emergency
communications for many rescue and recovery groups. Amateur Radio
operators are often the first to report critical information to
responders in the first hours of crisis situations. FEMA, DHS, the
National Weather Service, and emergency management offices include
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) operators in their
communications plans. On June 26-27, the public will be able to meet
and talk with the hams and see for themselves what Amateur Radio is all
about. Using everything from Morse code to modern digital and satellite
systems, voice communications and even Web-radio hybrid capabilities,
they prove “It’s not just your Grandfather’s radio anymore.”

Several of the local Shreveport/Bossier amateur radio operators have deployed in the past during times of disaster, when normal communications were disrupted.

The amateur operators will construct temporary, emergency
style radio stations around the country for the weekend and send
messages in many forms -without the use any other infrastructure that
can be compromised in a crisis. Over 35,000 Amateur Radio operators
across the country participated in last year's event. To learn what
modern Amateur Radio systems can do, go to www.ARRL.org/fieldday.
There you can find information about the locations the Amateur Radio
operators will set up in your home area. They can even help you get on
the air!

For more info
http://www.arrl.org/field-day
Steven Lott Smith
Shreveport Amateur Radio Association 2010 Field Day Chairman
KG5vk@arrl.net

DXCC

Many years ago a great friend KR5D got mne interested in getting some coveted wall paper on my Shack walls
The DXCC award is very valuable to me and those that have it displayed are in great company
Of course Honor Roll is a long way off for me, but we all start the journey with one step at a time
My thanks to Tom KR5D for mentoring me into the DXCC awards program

Here is my current standings..........
it's a bit tough to read unless you just look at the last number on each line

AwardSelectedAppliedAwardedTotal / Current
Mixed *630143206 / 203
CW94026120 / 120
Phone *540121175 / 172
RTTY420648 / 48
160M9009 / 9
80M300333 / 33
40M800585 / 85
30M7007 / 7
20M *470111158 / 158
17M150015 / 15
15M82019101 / 99
12M2002 / 2
10M4702875 / 74
6M2002 / 2
Challenge3210163--- / 484
* = Award has been issued

I eligible for CW DXCC Now as well as 15m (Mixed)
and only 15 Q's away from getting 40m mixed

cheers !

New Mobile Antenna

I now have the new Rav4 configured for HF operation
Yesterday I installed the Little Tar Heel HP (High Power)
with my IC-706 Mark IIG
This morning I had a pleasant QSO with N5BOS from Alexandria, LA
while in the relatives driveway here in Texas
We will be on 20 or 40 meters while heading home tomorrow
So far the Little Tar Heel is performing well, I'll have a good review after I get home

http://www.tarheelantennas.com/little_tarheel_ii

Cheers!

SV2KBS and KG5VK

Steve KG5VK gets to visit with the prettiest and one of the most experienced DX OPS at Dayton, Victoria is from Greece at was at Dayton during the largest gathering of Ham Radio enthusiast in the world.

KA5M Turns in QSL cards and may soon join Honor Roll

N0AX and KG5VK at Dayton 2010

Ward Silver N0AX and Steve Smith KG5VK at Dayton 2010

Dayton 2010-DX/Contest Dinners were Memorable

Got to meet KL7RA, VU2PAI, and VQ9LA...and many others. I walked by a table and as we all do glance at call sign badges. I stopped when I saw KL7 Radio Alaska! About 8 or 9 years ago I set up a JOTA station at a local catholic church picnic area for the 40 or so scouts there. That afternoon on 15m I was called by a very loud KL7RA. I thought he was in CF not Alaska. He said I had a great signal up there and he had been listening and going back to when he was a scout in Bossier City-while his dad was stationed @ Barksdale. Said he remembered getting his swimming merit badge on Lake Bisteneau, and was it still there and a lake you could swim in.
He then told me he was testing out his 4(yes 4) stacked array of yagi's on a 100' tower for SS.
Needless to say his great sig, and this qso was a real show stopper for scouts and parents alike there that afternoon. He told me he remembered the qso like yesterday..
VU2PAI was my first India on 17m, phone and cw ever-qso only 2 mo or so ago. He kinda remembered it, as La not often worked on 17m. (Said QSL for sure!) I mentioned he and VQ9La were the "voice of the Indian Ocean"..He responded "he is here also-met him 30' away 2 min later! GREAT!

look for my high school buddy this week-end in CQ WPX CW

Ward Silver N0AX will be running the 15 meter band in CQ WPX CW this week-end with the callsign KU0W

73
steve

New Green Herone Products in KG5VK's shack

http://www.greenheronengineering.com/download-files/wireless-cable.pdf
One base unit and Four remotes from the product shown in the above pdf
The new dual coupler board for my digital watt meter
Some clip on ferrites (rfi cures) and some heavy duty ground clamps
73
kg5vk

What is Radio Sport, you prob know but if you need help expalining it to a friend this may help

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/media_events/videos/irn5/default.aspx
Icom with the help of a talented young lady by the name of Ashley KI4MTU
do a great job in show casing what Radio Sport is like

cheers!
steve
KG5VK

Are we a League or a Internet Vendor?

Are we a League or a Internet Vendor?: "The ARRL new website perhaps replaces an outdated webpage style, but at a cost – blatant commercialization. The useful portion of the ARRL homepage has gone down, and now it is tarted-up but with a result of being blah, busy and overloaded with “sales focused web features.” Lets look at the new website, first as [...]"

It's Time to travel to Mecca, Dayton Ohio

Randy Fulco K5SL and I (KG5VK) will be departing early Thursday morning by air
to Dayton, Ohio

It has been about trwenty years since my last trip to Dayton
and Randy and I are eager to see and do as much as we can
We both have tickets to the Conetst and DX dinner and are looking forward to meeting up with other friends during Dayton.

Speaking of old friends Ward Silver is an old High School buddy
of course most of you know he is very active at the ARRL
Ward also has a Blog up for keeping track of Dayton happings......
http://www.arrl.org/ham-zero-dayton-blog-by-ward-silver-n0ax

73 Steve
KG5VK

ARRL Contest Blog new URL

http://kx9x.wordpress.com/

what's new.....

Contesting
I had planned on being at K1TTT's station for this week-end's running of the ARRL DX Phone contest, but instead I am here at the home front getting some work done.

Family
Had a recent scare with a visit to the local emergency room with my wife
when I say scary, I mean it. Zo had a very bad alleric reaction to a new drug she was subscribed. I am glad I called 911 fast, as soon as we knew she was having a reaction (just the itching and rash had begun) by the time they got here she was in dire straits, heart trouble, bearly comontose. An IV and 20mg of benadryl and she was stable, but not out of the woods yet.

I am very thankful she is doing fine now.
We now have an epi pen that we keep close by.

Those that know me and anyone that has been to my station knows how much support I get from my wife in everything I do
She is truely the wind beneath my wings.

Accolades
To me the greatest reward ever is to be recognized by one's peers
at a recent luncheon someone mentioned that they saw kg5vk
in a listing of recent nominee's for membership in the A-1 Operators club
I swear my jaw must have dropped when I heard this
just a nomination to this elite group means a great amount to me
While there is yet no certificate and the nomination may never be seconded I wanted to say Thank You !!!

New computer
I hate breaking in a new CPU or more to the point new software oo even more poignant Operating System
Windows XP Pro was good and stable and it worked with just about everything we hams use, without jumping thru hoops to get things to talk to each other.
Well I am breaking in a new windows 7 machine, life is challenging at times !

Dayton 2010
Randy K5SL and I will be flying to Dayton this year by way of a side trip to the Wright Pat AFB Muesum
this should be a load of fun
I have not been to Dayton since the 80's when Zo and I lived in Indiana
We have dinner reservations at the Contest Dinner Banquet and may also attend the DX Dinner.
I look forward to seeing some old friends and making lots of new ones during the hospitality suite visits

The Big Contest is this week-end
My best effort in any contest without a doubt has to be First Place Europe in the 1981 running of the ARRL DX Phone contest
My self and a few friends, did a MM from N2BVJ/LX and the Luxembourg club
station LX0RL
This was my first ever Wooden Plaque award, thanks to the members of the Grosse Point Farms DX Association for their sponsorship of that really nice plaque !

I am ready to play big time in this contest again
although not from K1TT's super station in Peru, MA
maybe at Pat's station W5WMU in Southern Louisiana
Anyone want to join me ???
If no one wants to do the road trip I might just settle in here at KG5VK for this one. Please let me know asap if your wanting to play in M/S or even M/M
either here at KG5VK or at Pat's station

SARA
The Shreveport Amateur Radio Association
continues to grow, meetings are more and more entertaining
the comraderie is awesome
If you missed the last one you missed a good meeting
Next meeting is the 11th of this month (March)

ARRL FD
just a few months away, ARRL FD
yes I am the chairman this year, but I have several key helpers
Randy K5SL in the cw trailer, Marsh KA5M in the Phone trailer, Mark K5JMR has his own digital trailer (which is roomy and well airconditioned, as are all our trailers)
There will be several UHF and VHF stations and even 6 meters
We will have a Saturday Hot dog outing at Mark's K5JMR the week-end before FD
and of course the first meeting in June will be used soley for FD discussions

Our Goals are....
Be Safe
Have Fun
Present some very good scores to the ARRL and our section manager
Recruit new Ham's and Ham's to the contesting sport

The ARRL Rookie Contest
Speaking of recruiting Ham's to contesting
My doors are open and the rookie contest is a great time to train new ops into contesting
I hope to get at least one new contesters out of this year's Rookie Phone Contest
April 16, if your interested contact me ASAP
So far John K5ESY is the only one eligible that has expressed intrests
Come on guys and gals don't be shy, this will be fun - I promise !!!!

73
Steve
KG5VK

The A-1 Operators Web page

Web page
I know I have heard of this before but it is one of those things you figure you may never see your callsign asociated with
what a great honor, to be recognized by our peers !

73
Steve

It's not really DX unless it's worked on the air....

I agree it is not really a DX contact unless it's worked thru the air wave from one end of the QSO to the other, in other no links or repeaters

But today with many Ham's stuck in no antenna zoning, or just no antenna resources
D-Star and even Echo link allow them to enjoy our hobby

While no D-Star or Echo link contact will ever get a QSL card from me
many still enjoy it and I do use the mode occasionally

Fact is there are so many aspects of enjoying Ham Radio we often find the local 2 meter repeaters with little or no activity, esp compared to the level of activity we saw in the 70's and 80's

All that said here is some D-Star info........
http://www.dstarinfo.com/Newsletter/D-STAR%20Info%20Vol%201%20Issue%204%20(1.0).pdf
73

Steve

A great website with Solar and Propagation tools and discussion

click here

http://tinyurl.com/ydd8hf7

http://tinyurl.com/ydd8hf7

Thoughts on Four Square Arrays

click here to see my discussion on Four Square Array

Thoughts on Four Square Arrays
by KG5VK
Steve

from radio-sport.net - Your home for ham radio contest news

radio-sport.net - Your home for ham radio contest news: "North American QSO Party SSB
1800z January 16 - 0600z January 17; more on the rules at the NCJ web site.
CQ 160 CW Contest
2200z January 29 - 2200z January 31; more on the rules at the NCJ web site.
For much more comprehensive schedule information, check the contest calendars maintained by the ARRL or WA7BNM"

RTTY Round up

ARRL RTTY Roundup Contest
1800z January 2 - 2400z January 3; more on the rules at the ARRL web site
last year this contest grew in popularity by almost 25% more entries according to Radio-Sport.net

I am not surprised it is a fun contest !

cheers !
Steve

KB9MWR Speaks on “ARES/RACES is a Waste”

KB9MWR Speaks on “ARES/RACES is a Waste”: "Steve KB9MWR makes some very valid observations on the ARES/RACES situation:

Everyone’s opinion on ARES/RACES will differ, but Steve KB9MWR has captured many of the issues with ARES/RACES and “Paraprofessional Emcomm” accurately in his presentation.
His points are 100% a fit with why I have been advocating the self-preparation plan Freecom as a replacement for Emcomm.
73
Steve
K9ZW
[...]"

DXpedition of The Year 2009

Vote for the DXpedition of the year at:

http://dx-hamspirit.com/dxpedition-of-the-year-2009/

73,
Marsh, KA5M

ARRL SS Phone at KG5VK 2009

Just a quick summary
I will post more facts, images and stats later

A Clean sweep was attained at 1020 local Sunday
by working KP4 on 15 meters

Here is the Contest Summary sheet...........

SSSSB Score Summary Sheet

Start Date : 2009-11-21

CallSign Used : KG5VK
Operator(s) : KG5VK, KG5U, KA5M, N5VU, K5SL, N5FH, N5SH

Operator Category : MULTI-ONE
Band : ALL
Power : HIGH
Mode : SSB
Default Exchange : M 72 LA
Gridsquare : EM32

Name : Steven L Smith
Address : 138 Amy Lane
City/State/Zip : Benton LAT 71006
Country : USA

ARRL Section : LA
Club/Team : Louisiana Contest Club
Software : N1MM Logger V9.10.3

Band QSOs Pts Sec
3.5 142 284 7
7 501 1002 22
14 792 1584 50
21 1 2 1
Total 1436 2872 80


Score : 229,760

With Hindsight, we should have spent an hour or so on 15 meters
I need to operate less and manage the station more.
Steve
KG5VK