Two Radio Notes - A Story and NA/CT updates

Sun Aug 7 17:07:06 EDT 1994

Funny thing happened during the NAQP. I was CQing on 20 and
tuning on 15. Wasn't much happening on 15, then I came across N6TR
CQing. I figured I would see if Tree got any action and if he did
I would switch to CQing on 15 and tuning 20. Tree wasn't getting
any responses on 15. I wasn't getting much action on 20 either,
until N6TR called me. During the exchange I could hear Tree CQing
while I was sending my exchange. After he sent his exchange, I
told him I was listening to him on 15 and concluded with HI HI.
His dit dit came back on 15. Well, it is a story only two radio
contesters can appreciate. The XYL gave me a blank stare when
I related it to her on our walk this morning.

Some NA and CT two radio notes. I just upgraded to NA 9. When I
tested it before NAQP I found it wasn't picking up the different
band when I switched to Radio B from Radio A. I talked to Tim,
K3LR about it. Two days later he called to say a new beta version
was available for me to download that would poll the radio every
second. It worked great, except when I went to edit a previous
QSO (if I toggled to Radio A before pressing ENTER to log the
QSO, or to make a call or name correction.) Then the edited QSO
would change to the current band and the time field would blank.
The edited QSO would also write over anything on the current QSO
line, which cost me a least one Q in NAQP as I forgot the call of
the guy I just worked. (One problem with using computer logging
is I forget stuff immediately since I figure the computer will
remember it. I've sent a note to Tim on this. My suggestion for
a fix is to just have current band info passed to the current QSO
line.

I also just downloaded a beta test version of CT9.03 which lets you
specify Radio 1 and Radio 2 (via different COM ports) and toggle
between them with ALT-Period. Now if you can control keying using
LPT 1 and LPT 2 and wire a harness to handle the keyer paddle,
and if the band map and needed mults window are toggleable? we will
be in two radio heaven.

73, Ken, AB6FO KWIDELITZ at DELPHI.COM

>From James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com>  Sun Aug  7 23:41:00 1994
From: James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> (James White)
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 94 17:41 EST
Subject: NAQP from new stn de K1ZX
Message-ID: <02940807224120/0006492564PK1EM at mcimail.com>

de K1ZX

NAQP CW Claimed score - KA9FOX (or whomever) please add this to the
pan...for the soup that is.

        K1ZX s/o 

        160     22/14    dipole broken-used 2L Cushcraft 40! GOOD EARS GUYS!

         80     65/29    NOISE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Summer in FL

         40     136/39   ...low dipole was a godsend

         20     233/50   20 M beam broken - used low tribander

         15     94/32    NP4Z was 40 over 9....

         10     18/9     el stinko!

               568 x 173 =  98,264

.............did not do any passing other than once (tnx
K1DG)...........would QSY when asked.........that will be next skill I will
work on for the next one! Hands were full (with two ears of different audio)

Bottom line-stn works well domestically...should be a fun Sweepstakes!

....tnx to all who worked me - especially during my dyslexic periods of
trying to figure out what switch to throw for which ear and what function
key to hit next, etc

                                Jim, zx ..........sorry for the typos

>From Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com  Sat Aug  6 01:46:14 1994
From: Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com (Fred Hopengarten)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 20:46:14 EDT
Subject: SWR Analyzers
Message-ID: <2e42dd5a.k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com>

On Thu, 04 Aug 1994 20:34:18 -0400 (EDT),
KWIDELITZ at delphi.com wrote:
> Anyone have experience with AEA, MFJ and Autek units. How
do they compare?
> Which should I buy? Subject is SWR Analyzers.

K1VR:  KA1BQ has the MFJ with the Optoelectronics frequency
readout.  I believe that they are now combined in one MFJ
unit.  We use it for tuning the omega match on my gamma rod
to load the tower to EXACTLY 1832 KHz.  Used to accomplish
this task by hauling a table out to the tower, with AC line,
TS-820, SWR bridge, tarpaulin to protect from snow falling
from branches, etc.  Hauling, set up, tuning, etc. would
take 1 hour.  Now it takes six minutes.  When the temp is
minus 10 F, six minutes is a lot better than one hour.  We
love it.
-- 
                      Fred Hopengarten K1VR
           Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
     home + office telephone:  617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
                   internet:  k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
"Big antennas, high in the sky, are better than small ones, low."