This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you
by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables,
and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or visit pl -259
.com. And by ICOM, heard it, worked it, logged
it. Visit www .icomamerica .com slash amateur
for more information about ICOM radios. Here
we go with Neorep, here we go Welcome to Amtopi,
call in, let's talk, Neil's your guy Hello everyone,
it's time for HamTalk Live episode number 291,
Dayton Contest University 2022, a new chapter.
Recorded on March 3rd, 2022. I'm your host, Neil
Rapp, WB9VPG. Thanks for tuning in to this episode
of HamTalk Live. Tonight we're joined by Tim
Duffy, K3LR. and we'll get to that conversation
in just a little bit. Last episode, Mark Smith
in 6MTS was here to talk about SOAR, Satellite
Optimized Amateur Radio. If you missed that show,
you can listen anytime at HamTalkLive .com or
on your favorite podcast app or on YouTube. And
don't forget, you can catch the rebroadcast of
HamTalk Live over on WTWW Shortwave. 5 0 8 5
a .m. Saturday afternoons at about 3 30 p .m.
Eastern Time. So thanks again to WTWW for carrying
the show and I'll be back with Tim right after
this word from Tower Electronics right here on
HamTalk Live. Hey honey, have you seen the PL
259s anywhere? No, I haven't. Come on kids, let's
go. There's just one place to go for all of your
connector needs. Tower electronics. Tower electronics.
Tower electronics. A giant warehouse of connectors
and adapters for every occasion. Thousands to
choose from in every shape, size, and color.
And they have antennas, soldering supplies, cables,
meters, and more. Where do you go if you want
to buy a connector at a fraction of retail cost?
Tower electronics. Tower electronics. Tower electronics.
And this weekend only, take advantage of our
special I'm Scott, KB9AMM of Tower Electronics.
I like the PL259 connectors so much, I bought
the company. Tower Electronics, coming to a hand
fest near you or online at pl -259 .com and we're
on the yellow pages under amateur radio connectors.
My, wherever did you get that lovely PL259? Tower
Electronics, pl -259 .com or call 920 -435 -2973.
Do we sell PL259 connectors? And coming up on
the tower electronics ham fest schedule this
weekend March 5th They'll be in Cave City, Kentucky
and then March 18th and 19th They'll be at Fort
Walton Beach, Florida and March 25th and 26th
at Belton, Texas But you can reach them anytime
anywhere at PL -259 .com All the information
you need for your trip to Dayton. It's Hamvention
Preview here on HamTalk Live. Welcome back to
Ham Talk Live. Tonight, Tim Duffy, K3LR joins
us on the Orlando Amateur Radio Club and Hamcation
Zoom line. Tim Duffy is the founder and chairman
of Contest University. In addition to being the
director of Contest University, Tim is also the
chief executive officer of DX Engineering, among
many other things. and Tim is a member of the
CQ Contest Hall of Fame and has been Team USA
for the World Radio Sport Team Championship five
times. He's a graduate of the Pennsylvania State
University and he is the recipient of the 2015
Amateur of the Year Award presented by the Dayton
Hamvention Awards Committee. Tim, welcome back
to the show once again to talk about Contest
University. And you know, it's just been so exciting
to start making plans for Hamvention and actually
be in person. So, you know, it's time time of
year to start thinking about Contest University.
So tell us a little bit about what's going to
happen. Give us a little preview of what's going
to take place at this year's Hamvention Contest
University. You know, this is the time of year
that we start thinking about Hamvention and we
start thinking about Contest University at Well,
almost senior. Yeah, almost senior. Yeah. Yeah.
And we'll talk about that here in just a little
bit, but, uh, give us a little bit of a, an idea,
a preview of, of what's to come at CTU. I know
every year it's, it's a different lineup, um,
some similar themes, but, but a different lineup.
So, uh, give us a little bit of a preview of
what's going to happen this year. And, um, and
we're just excited to have. people in person
again? Oh, I mean, that is the thing. I mean,
you know, we had two good years of online Zoom
contest universities, Neil. And what I tried
to do was make sure that we had, you know, contributions
from people that would never attend Hamvention.
They just couldn't. distance, cost, whatever.
But this year, it's going to be great because
we're going to be in person. And we will have
some of the sessions online. So we will have
kind of a hybrid thing, but not all of the sessions
will be there. And we have over 20 different
talks that are given at Contest University. World
-class guys like Frank Donovan W3 LPL Neil you
you've listened to Frank he is just fabulous
and So he's gonna give at least three talks and
of course Ward silver I mean this guy is the
editor of the handbook the the antenna book and
also has this great book grounding and bonding
which is just spectacular. Doug Grant is coming
back, K1DG, and he wrote a recent book on contesting
as well. And you know, the ever -popular Rob
Sherwood, NC0B, he's gonna be going over the
latest radios that have come out, and W0YK, Ed
is a really good digital guy. I mean, he's involved
with the CQ Contest on the RTTYN and also does
the worldwide Digi Contest for the WWROF. And
at Orlando, I secured Joel W5ZM. And he's going
to give a great talk as well. So we have just
a A really good mix for contest university this
year and at the hope hotel. Yeah. So yeah, let's
talk a little bit about the hope hotel and. Some
of the changes, you know, ever since I can remember,
it seems like, you know, all the events, all
the big events were downtown Dayton at, you know,
one of the downtown hotels and now that's changing.
So talk a little bit about this new venue and
what that's going to bring to Contest University.
You know, it's going to be really good, Neil.
You know, the Hope Hotel is right there at the
Air Force Base. And I think it's, you know, it
is definitely closer to Xenia. And, you know,
we're going to have bus service from the Hope
Hotel right to Convention. So you don't have
to even mess with your car. And the Hope Hotel,
It is a very, very nice venue. I think everybody
is going to enjoy it. They have very large meeting
spaces, which is important for us. And I just
think it's a better deal for us. So with the
two years that we weren't able to go, we were
able to make this change. And I think it's really
good. within a few hours, it sold out when we
announced it. So obviously it's going to be good,
Neil. It really is. So I was taking a look. It's
actually like on the Wright -Patterson Air Force
Base grounds and the hotel there, like you said,
sold out immediately. But I'm just thinking that
You know, you've got the bus service to that's
gonna that's gonna really help. But also, you
know, parking, I would think would be a whole
lot easier there instead of having to fight everything
downtown and try to figure out which way to get
in the parking garage and all that kind of thing.
Can't can't help but think that this is this
is going to be a whole lot more accessible. And,
you know, I always take a panoramic picture of
the room. And, you know, it's to get the concept
of the size of this event. And it's just amazing
how many people you have. So if you've got some
bigger spaces, that's going to help too. Oh,
yeah. The parking at the Hope is really, really
good. uh neil i mean you know it's not a parking
garage it's it's right there uh it's a huge area
and so uh that that is one of the area one of
the things that i you know i always got complaints
about was parking so i think we got that fixed
Yeah, I think so. And, uh, you know, if you had,
if you had a room there at the hotel and you
were already there, it was kind of nice. But,
uh, if you're like me and had to drive in and
out, uh, just didn't work and yeah, I, I, I tried
to book a room and they're like, yeah, no, we're
sold out. So, but, but you've got space and contest
university though. Right. Oh yeah. Yeah, we've
got lots of space at Contest University. And
just go to contestuniversity .com and all the
information is there about Contest University
and about the Hope Hotel. And we'll have the
topics up there in a few weeks, you know, of
what we're going to be covering. But Neil, it's
going to be fabulous. Oh yeah can't can't wait
and it's always great and and I always make mention
too that you know even if you are not a contest
or which i'm a very casual contest or but it
even if you're not a contest or there's there's
so many talks that you can select out of the
lineup that you're going to learn something whether
it's you know how to build your station how to
put on appeal to fifty nine how to keep track
of your usb ports for everything uh... there's
a lot more there than just pure Hardcore contesting
and so it's well worth the time and the effort
and and the little bit of money to go It is and
you know, and the food's good, too You know between
the breakfast at the Hope Hotel and the lunch
It's really good. And you know, we have not changed
the price for to attend Contest University ever.
It's always been the same. And thankfully, we
have some really good organizations that help
us so that we can keep the costs down low. YASME,
ICOM America. I mean, Ray Novak has just been
tremendous. And of course, DX Engineering, we're
all in. We're all in and you know and you and
you're very right Neil. It is a it's a great
opportunity to learn things about amateur radio
that can really help your station and And help
you have more fun. I mean, that's what it's all
about Yeah, now we're doing we're doing Audio
only here right now, but we've got our webcams
on so you can probably see in the background
I've been building a station now that I've moved
and and so we're trying to Get it all straightened
out and right now the dipole is hanging up in
the room unfortunately and not outside, but we're
working on that so hopefully that'll that'll
pay off but I don't know how many lessons from
Contest University that I learned that went into,
you know, this new shack behind me and hoping
that it'll make a huge difference once we do
get the authority to have an antenna. So thank
you for that because, you know, coming several
years now, you know, picked up a lot of good
ideas. Well, and that that that's really what
it's all about Neil and I want to to applaud
you and the students that you brought with you
and the mentoring that you've done and certainly
with what you did last year for the The Yoda
camp and it was just spectacular and it really
it does dovetail with Contest University Yeah,
and I know youth has always been you know a part
of that you've had some of your young contesters
come in and talk about youth and contesting and
and support them and and support team exuberance
and those kinds of things so You know, you've
done some some incredible stuff there too. And
and so I'm I'm very appreciative of that Well,
you know We're working together and you're doing
great things. So thank you so much, Neil, for
your support. And also, you know, there's there's
more to do. There's always always more. Absolutely.
Always more. Never ends. All right. Well, we're
going to take a break. And when we come back,
we're going to talk about some of the associated
activities, we'll call them. They are related
to contesting, but some other activities that
are going to be taking place during Hamvention
Weekend that you don't want to miss. So I'll
be back with Tim right after this word from ICOM
America right here on HamTalk Live. Spring is
just around the corner and ICOM's new ID52A handheld
is now shipping. The ID52A is an industry first
handheld that can send photos over the D -Star
network. This radio is perfect for working your
favorite bands inside the ham shack and venturing
out. The ID52A is now shipping. ICOM's newest
handheld amateur radio is a VHF -UHF dual bander
with D -Star and FM dual mode functions. This
radio supports conventional FM communications
and D -Star simplex repeater, regional and worldwide
calls over the D -Star internet gateway. The
ID52A is the first amateur radio handheld with
a full color 2 .3 inch waterfall display and
the ability to send photos over D -Star. with
a connected Android device. Other features include
a wideband receiver with a guaranteed range of
144 to 148 and 440 to 450 megahertz, integrated
GPS including grid square location micro SD card
slot, micro USB connector, and IPX7 waterproof.
For more information about ICOM radios go to
icomamerica .com slash amateur. Everyone in the
audience on HamTalk Live today is going to get
one of my favorite things. You get a 5 -9! You
get a 5 -9! Everyone gets a 5 -9! Welcome back
to HamTalk Live! Be sure to check us out on Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram and we'll have some more
date and preview shows coming up as things get
closer. We've been spending some time actually
today preparing some Hamvention things so we'll
be talking more about those and have some more
guests on the show. to get you ready for that.
But right now, before we get back to Tim Duffy,
K3LR from Contest University, it's time once
again for the HamTalk Live Joke of the Week.
Now it's time for the HamTalk Live Ham Radio
Joke of the Week, the part of the show where
Rick tells us a ham radio joke. The HamTalk Live
Ham Radio Joke of the Week is brought to you
by QRM Labs. Now, here's Rick Garrett in 9GSU
with today's HamTalk Live Joke of the Week. It's
really hard to find ham radio programs for Mac
computers So I loaded up my Mac computer and
my MacBook and my iPad and took them all and
traded them in on Windows computers I guess you
could say it was a Apple turnover This has been
the ham talk live ham radio joke of the week
with Rick Garrett in nine GSU Tune in again next
week for another joke from Rick And we're back
here on HamTalk Live with Tim Duffy K3LR the
CEO of DX Engineering and the founder and chairman
of Contest University and and Hamvention is coming
around the corner and You know, one thing I didn't
mention was, you know, just a couple of weeks
ago, we were at Hamcation and you had a little
contest university action going on there. So
I didn't put this in the script here, but talk
a little bit about Orlando. You know, any time
the ARRL asks me to do something, I step up.
I mean, it's just I think the ARRL is, I mean,
it is the foundation of our hobby here in the
US. And so I was very happy to work with Bob
Ingebrigtsen and Bob Nauman and all of the rest
of the ARRL team. And we had about 60 attendees
at Contest University in Orlando. And we had
All the presentations were done by the Florida
Contest Group, primarily, along with the section
manager of the Virgin Islands. I mean, that's
really cool. Fred, MP2X. So it was a great event,
Neil, but none of those talks will be given at
Contest University in Dayton. you know, that
this it's a whole different thing. So if you
came to Orlando, you need to come to Dayton as
well. And and we've got other great events to
Neil. Oh, yes, we do. So yeah, let's talk about
the these events. Now, you know, you've got the
new facility. So, you know, it's going to be
something new. But, you know, kind of like You
know, Hamvention moving to Xenia, you know, there
were a lot of improvements. So it was a good
thing. So talk a little bit about these dinners
and the Contest Super Suite and how that's all
going to work in the new facility. Yeah, you
know, the Contest Super Suite is a very special
place because, you know, we have it for four
nights. So it's on Wednesday night, Thursday
night, Friday night and Saturday night. four
nights and We have we have free pizza you can't
beat free pizza, you know every night and all
the details all the details are on the contest
super sweet comm and then on Friday night, you
know, we have the top band dinner so these are
160 meter enthusiasts and We're gonna have a
great speaker Uh, for the top band dinner on
Friday night, that's top band dinner .com. And,
uh, also on, on Saturday night, it's the contest
dinner and that's contest dinner .com. And, uh,
that's the, the induction into the CQ contest
hall of fame. Um, and the, the prizes are unbelievable.
We're going to have an IC 7610, uh, as the main
prize, but you know, many years we've had almost
a hundred different prizes. So if you attend,
you got a really good shot at getting a prize.
And so it's just a really good time. Peak attendance
was almost 600 people. So we're really proud
of the contest dinner. So lots to do, you know,
surrounding Hamvention. Yeah, I always laugh
at some of the pictures of the empty pizza boxes
that are stacked up a mile high from Right from
all the nights of pizza. So, you know, it's a
great chance to come by, you know meet some people
Get on the rig check things out Of course the
the inductions on Saturday night and everything
just a great time So so as we finish up here,
let's remind everyone How do they find this stuff
online? And what do they have to do to register?
What do they have to do if they want to go? yeah,
the best place to go is contest super sweet calm
and That you There are links to the other websites
but contestuniversity .com, contestdinner .com,
and topbandinner .com. So there's all these websites.
They have all the information. You can get your
registration, get set up, and it's going to be
a fabulous weekend. Close to Xenia. Yes, close
to Xenia, absolutely. A little easier drive.
You have spots available in everything except
for the hotel correct? Yeah the hotel is completely
sold out but there are nearby hotels I think
that still have rooms but you know you need to
check. Yeah I was starting to check on mine and
they were they were starting to fill up in the
area so uh... make sure you check online and
and figure out uh... where you can stay but uh...
there are plenty of options there you might have
to drive a little more but uh... uh... this is
going to help out uh... with the people at the
Hope Hotel a little closer to Hamvention bus
service even so now how does the bus service
work or do you have those details? We don't have
those details just yet but uh... when we have
the details they'll be on the websites Neil Okay,
very good. All right, Tim. Well, anything else
here before we go? No, it's it's it's great to
be on with you again. And thanks so much for
all you do for ham radio. Well, the same goes
to you. And thanks for being here. It's it's
just exciting to be, you know, thinking and planning
for a trip to hamvention. Again, it's we had
some great virtual events, like you said, but
Nothing beats being there in person and just
really excited to get back there. So I will I
will see you there See you there Neil. Thanks
so much All right, that is a wrap for this edition
of ham talk live Thanks to my guest Tim Duffy
K3LR and everybody out there in cyberspace for
listening in and invite you back next week when
we have another episode. And for a list of all
of our upcoming guests, visit HamTalkLive .com.
So for now, this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, saying
seven three, seven five, and may the good DX
be yours. Well you came right back to my secure
call The readability five and strength nine You
never once mentioned your weather at all And
I didn't mention mine We talked and talked for
hours and hours I completely forgot you're a
ham I don't know your power or the height of
your talent Frankly I don't give a damn Your
73's to you and your family I'll be seeing you
further down the line Your 73's to you and your
family I'll be seeing you further down the line