Archive for December, 2014

144.240 Net Report from 12/17/14

Friday, December 19th, 2014

9:30am Fri.

Busy stretch here, so I’m going to post WB9LYH’s emailed report just like I got it.  I will probably add grid squares later on this weekend.
Very glad to report Mark had an active net, with a strong turnout of 19 check-ins.

Just so everyone’s clear, the 144.240 Wed. net from WI will be OFF on Dec. 24th and Dec. 31st.  It will be back Wed., Jan. 7th, 2015.  WB9LYH says his schedule for January looks clear so as of now, expect the net to be ON every Wed. in January.

Todd,

Propagation was good to the east.  Checkins were N8WNA, AC8GD, WB8AUK, N8JGG, W8YXT, N9JBW, KD8NVC, K9CCL, KA9VDU, KC9CLM, KA9DVX, KC9OVD, W1JWS, W9BBP, WB0SWQ, WA9BNZ, N9DG, KB9PSE, and WB0YWW.

I will next be on the net the first Wednesday in Janyuary. Tnx for your support, and Merry Christmas.

73,
Mark

KC9BQA Gear For Sale Update — Towers, Yagis, Coax and Rotors

Saturday, December 13th, 2014

11:30 am Sat.

This is the last of 4 posts today.  Make sure to scroll down thru the other posts dated Dec. 13th and you’ll be caught up.

If you haven’t visited in a very long time, you need to know that I’ve been selling off my first-rate VHF/UHF station.

Click on this link for my current for sale list:   http://kc9bqa.com/?p=7852   Within that link is 2 towers, multiple long yagis for 50 thru 2304 MHz, separate runs of hardline for each band, plus several rotors and control boxes.  It’s all explained in that link above.   Take some time and read all about it.
Actually, all the info in that post from June 27th is still current, as of Dec. 13, 2014.
Contact me directly if you’re interested.   My email is good at qrz.com.  If you can’t access it that way, you can also use my alternate email address of wi.todd (at) yahoo (dot) com   I don’t check Yahoo as often, but it works.

If you know of someone who would be interested, by all means, forward the info to them.

First VHF Contest of 2015 is Jan. 24-25th

Saturday, December 13th, 2014

11:30am Sat.

Want everyone to remember that the ARRL Jan VHF Contest is on the weekend of Jan. 24-25th, 2015.  All bands from 50 MHz on up thru the microwaves will be in play.   Visit here:  http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf  for all the details.   Check back toward mid-January and I’m sure I will have more info.  For now, just help get the word out to other VHF’ers.  Start making plans to get on for the ARRL January VHF Contest, on Jan. 24-25th, 2015.

Realize many readers might be enjoying the ARRL 10m contest this weekend.  Good luck there and have fun.

WB9LYH Will Call the 144.240 Wed. Net on Dec. 17th

Saturday, December 13th, 2014

11:15am Sat.

If you follow kc9bqa.com, you knew it was going to get quiet here for a few weeks.  I posted back on Nov. 20th that WB9LYH was going to be away from the net until Dec. 17th.

WB9LYH emailed me last night and asked me to help get the word out — that he will be back ON this week.  Look for the 144.240 Wed. night net — called by WB9LYH in EN54cl, Central WI — to be ON Wed., Dec. 17th, at the usual start time of 8pm central/9pm eastern.  From near WI Rapids, WI, WB9LYH starts out looking NE into the U.P. of MI.  Then he’s soon looking E and SE into MI/VE-3 and OH.  Then SE and S into IN and IL.   Then S and SW into IL/MO and IA/KS/NE.  Then W and NW and N into the Dakotas, MN and VE-4 if the band is open.

Remember that WB9LYH has stacked 17-element (horizontal) yagis and 500 watts from a ridgetop location.  He can make contacts out to 400+ miles with flat band conditions.  Plus Mark loves pushing the propagation limits.  He’s always looking to find those DX surprises in the 500+ mile range.  Help this happen by spreading the word in a very wide circle.  Also log into the ON4KST.com chat (specifically the IARU Region 2 Chat for 144-432 MHz) and you can get Mark’s attention there.

I’m assuming that WB9LYH will NOT be available on Christmas Eve, which falls on a Wednesday this year.  When I learn about his schedule for Dec. 31st and into January, I will share that info here.

VHF/UHF Bands Have Been Open This Morning, Perhaps All Weekend?

Saturday, December 13th, 2014

10:45am central, Sat.

My wife just realized today is 12/13/14.  That looks cool in print.  Just had to toss that nugget into this post.   🙂

Actually I’m going to make a few posts this morning.  Stay tuned.

 

This post is about band conditions.  W8IO in western MI reported that earlier this morning, the 2 meter band was open from MI down into GA, TN and KY.  So turn on the rig and make noise.
As long as we’re in the milder weather, there’s a good chance for enhancement.  This could continue into tonight, tomorrow morning, maybe even into Monday.  But none of it means a thing unless guys get on the air and call CQ.  Swing the beams around, look around, see who’s out there.  Get something started.  If 50 guys in different states and grids are all at their rigs, but “just listening”, how many contacts get made?

Once you’re in a QSO, please take it off the calling frequency (144.200) and let others have a chance.  It’s good to have an active call freq., for sure.  You just don’t want to monopolize it.  Common sense.   If you were at a grocery store and 4 check-out lines were open, but 7 people were all standing in the same line, would you stand behind the others like sheep or go to an open lane?  There’s all kinds of bandwidth between 144.150 and 144.260.  Use your VFO.

If you’re newer and don’t know about a few websites that can help you stay on top of potential openings, here you go:
1st would be this:  http://aprs.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/  It’s not a perfect indicator.  It sometimes has false openings, and it’s even more important to remember that 2m SSB/CW has a standard range of 200-400+ miles under flat band conditions.  Don’t fall into the habit of only trying when that map looks good.  You will miss little mini-openings that pop up under the radar, so to speak.
2nd would be this:  http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html   This site attempts to predict band openings for days in advance.  Like weather forecasters, the forecasts here are not always accurate.  But I still feel the Hepburn site has value.  It’s very seldom that a major, widespread tropo event doesn’t show up here,  a few days in advance.  Make sure you update this site every day in the early afternoon, when Mr. Hepburn updates his forecasts.
3rd is fading in importance but is still alive, at least:  http://dxworld.com/144prop.html   By now, most VHF’ers are getting way more out of the real-time ham chats at ON4KST.com.  (More about that next) but this old 144 MHz Propagation Logger has been around a long time and is still up and running.

I promote the www.on4kst.com ham chat websites often.  They are part of my “permalinks” (called “essential posts”) at kc9bqa.com.  (Look toward the middle right of my website).  All the info you need is at that permalink.  But if you can’t find it that way, here’s the link that explains what the ON4KST.com ham chats are all about.  http://kc9bqa.com/?p=1072
I imagine there’s been plenty of live chatter this morning about any band opening.  Specifically, at the IARU Region 2 Chat for 144-432 MHz.  Over 4,000 USA and Canadian VHF’ers are registered for this free and no-BS ham chat.  Visit the link directly above if you want more info.

Now on to the next post… WB9LYH will be back with the 144.240 net on Wed., Dec. 17th, usual start time of 8pm central/9pm eastern.  Look toward EN54cl, Central WI.