WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.620 This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you 00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:06.019 by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables, 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:12.939 and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or visit pl -259 00:00:12.939 --> 00:00:17.640 .com. And by ICOM, heard it, worked it, logged 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:22.859 it. Visit www .icomamerica .com slash amateur 00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:30.780 for more information about ICOM radios. With 00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:36.299 Neographer, here we go Welcome to Hamtok Live 00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:40.759 Call in last stop, Neil's your guide Hamtok Live, 00:00:41.079 --> 00:01:00.159 here we go On Hamtok Radio Hey, good evening, 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:05.840 everyone. It's time for ham talk live. It's episode 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:13.719 number 269 the portable ops challenge 2021 recorded 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:19.180 live on Thursday, August 26 2021 I'm your host 00:01:19.180 --> 00:01:23.239 Neil rap WB nine VPG. Thanks for tuning in to 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:25.540 this episode of ham talk live tonight. We're 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:30.310 joined by Dr. Scott Wright KZeroMD and we will 00:01:30.310 --> 00:01:33.230 take your calls live a little later on in the 00:01:33.230 --> 00:01:37.930 show. Last week Faith Hannah Lee KD3Z and Don 00:01:37.930 --> 00:01:43.000 Wilbanks AE5DW were here. to talk about the 2021 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:46.939 Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award. So if you 00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:50.439 missed that show, you can listen anytime at HamTalkLive 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:55.239 .com or on your favorite podcast app or on YouTube 00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:58.819 and be sure to catch the rebroadcast of HamTalk 00:01:58.819 --> 00:02:04.299 Live. every Saturday afternoon on WTWW. That's 00:02:04.299 --> 00:02:08.960 5085 on your AM dial. And again, that's Saturday 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:12.979 afternoons at about 3 .30 PM Eastern time. So 00:02:12.979 --> 00:02:16.020 we're going to talk about the portable ops challenge 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:19.379 tonight. So get your questions ready to go. If 00:02:19.379 --> 00:02:21.900 you're listening to us live on Thursday night, 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:25.159 you can call us after the interview. I'll let 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:27.939 you know when it's time to call. uh... but let 00:02:27.939 --> 00:02:29.740 me give you the phone number so you can have 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:37.719 it ready to go it's eight five nine nine eight 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:43.800 two seventy three seventy three again the number 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:51.370 eight five nine We'll give that out several times 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:55.150 later on in the show. Also, you can tweet us. 00:02:55.169 --> 00:02:58.770 I'll be watching that tonight. It's at HamTalk 00:02:58.770 --> 00:03:01.469 Live on Twitter. And if you're on Spreaker, you 00:03:01.469 --> 00:03:03.870 can type in the comments and we'll see that as 00:03:03.870 --> 00:03:06.389 well. So I'll be back with Scott right after 00:03:06.389 --> 00:03:09.330 this word from Tower Electronics right here on 00:03:09.330 --> 00:03:14.800 HamTalk Live. Thanks for choosing Tower Electronics. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:19.240 How may we help you today? We have PL259s, we 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:22.580 have in connectors, we have SMA adapters, we 00:03:22.580 --> 00:03:25.419 have BNC adapters. What can I show you today? 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:28.819 Where's the tower? Well, we don't actually have 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:31.960 a tower with us. But we have all kinds of things 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:34.939 you can use with a tower. We have power poles, 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.879 antennas, soldering irons and meters. Where's 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:41.180 the tower? Ma 'am, that's the name of our company. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:44.280 We can't haul towers to all the ham fest across 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:46.740 the country that we visit, but we have almost 00:03:46.740 --> 00:03:49.319 every connector and adapter you would need to 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:51.419 connect your antenna that's on your tower. I 00:03:51.419 --> 00:03:53.759 don't think there's a tower back there. I really 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:57.229 don't. Tower Electronics, visit us at a HamFest 00:03:57.229 --> 00:04:02.810 near you or call 920 -435 -2973 or see our whole 00:04:02.810 --> 00:04:06.830 catalog at pl -259 .com. Sorry, one thing we 00:04:06.830 --> 00:04:10.770 don't have is a tower. Running barefoot is for 00:04:10.770 --> 00:04:15.150 the beach. We're cranking 1 .5 trillion nanowatts 00:04:15.150 --> 00:04:30.060 right here on HamTalk Live. Welcome back to HamTalk 00:04:30.060 --> 00:04:33.379 Live. Thanks to Scott and Jill over at Tower 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:35.300 Electronics for sponsoring the show tonight. 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:38.040 They help bring HamTalk Live your way each and 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.560 every week. Coming up, they will be in Shelby, 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:44.019 North Carolina at the HamFest there, September 00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:48.100 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Findley, Ohio, September 12th. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:52.620 Peoria, Illinois, September 18th and 19th. Belvedere, 00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:56.120 Illinois, September 26th. Belton, Texas, October 00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:59.959 2nd. Then they've got Crestview, Florida on October 00:04:59.959 --> 00:05:03.939 9th. Check the schedules, make sure those are 00:05:03.939 --> 00:05:07.459 still going with our COVID situation, but you 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:14.579 can catch Tower Electronics anytime at PL -259 00:05:14.579 --> 00:05:20.069 .com. So welcome back and tonight, Dr. Scott 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:23.089 Wright, KZeroMD joins us on the Orlando Amateur 00:05:23.089 --> 00:05:26.810 Radio Club and hamcation Zoom line. Dr. Scott 00:05:26.810 --> 00:05:29.350 Wright is an excellent contester. He's been on 00:05:29.350 --> 00:05:31.750 several de -expeditions and is the past editor 00:05:31.750 --> 00:05:34.790 of the National Contest Journal. He works for 00:05:34.790 --> 00:05:37.189 the Mayo Clinic teaching cardiology, which often 00:05:37.189 --> 00:05:39.990 lets him take his ham radio with him to all kinds 00:05:39.990 --> 00:05:44.379 of cool places. He's based out of Rochester, 00:05:44.379 --> 00:05:49.620 Minnesota, and is a graduate, of course, of the 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:54.139 University of Kentucky. And that's the University 00:05:54.139 --> 00:05:58.779 of Kentucky, by the way. So good evening, Scott. 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:02.300 Hey, good evening, Neil. What a pleasure to join 00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:06.800 you and be on the number one ham radio talk radio 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:09.759 show in the United States. And I continue to 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:12.560 be amazed that your broadcast tower has 1 .5 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:16.220 trillion nanowatts. Wow. It's amazing how we 00:06:16.220 --> 00:06:20.660 do that. You'd think that would be illegal, but 00:06:20.660 --> 00:06:24.920 it's not. No, you've got a license. I know. Yeah. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:27.980 Well, and there's no interference with your neighbors. 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:33.579 Right. Exactly. None at all. So we're talking 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:37.550 a little bit about using. power or not using 00:06:37.550 --> 00:06:40.850 power tonight uh as we're talking about the portable 00:06:40.850 --> 00:06:44.730 ops challenge and and what makes this a very 00:06:44.730 --> 00:06:49.350 unique contest is uh the way that it's set up 00:06:49.350 --> 00:06:52.310 to kind of equalize out those people who are 00:06:52.310 --> 00:06:56.389 running 1 .5 trillion nanowatts um and those 00:06:56.389 --> 00:07:00.970 who are only running you know 100 billion nanowatts 00:07:00.970 --> 00:07:05.829 so or maybe even five billion nanowatts. So why 00:07:05.829 --> 00:07:07.930 don't you talk a little bit about it? I know 00:07:07.930 --> 00:07:11.209 it's in its second year now. So just kind of 00:07:11.209 --> 00:07:13.569 remind everybody what it's about and how this 00:07:13.569 --> 00:07:17.370 is different from a traditional or at least what 00:07:17.370 --> 00:07:19.949 most people would consider a traditional contest. 00:07:21.910 --> 00:07:23.870 My pleasure. Thanks again for inviting me onto 00:07:23.870 --> 00:07:27.730 your show. When I was editor of the National 00:07:27.730 --> 00:07:31.699 Contest Journal, it became clear to me that We 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:33.839 needed to grow the ranks of contesters, but we 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:37.339 were bumping up against some limits that were 00:07:37.339 --> 00:07:40.660 challenging to deal with. We have so many ham 00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:44.040 radio operators who live in covenant restricted 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:48.100 homes or live in cities and apartment buildings 00:07:48.100 --> 00:07:50.740 or condominiums or other places where it's just 00:07:50.740 --> 00:07:53.879 not possible to get a tower from tower electronics 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:59.800 and put up an antenna. Like your pet you like 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:02.220 your ads by the way, but anyway, so I put it 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:04.259 in one of my editorials a couple of years ago 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:06.800 I asked that the contesting communities please 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:09.819 consider and propose some ideas of how we could 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:13.579 engage urban contesters Throwing out ideas like 00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:15.839 should we do a worked all boroughs contest for 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:20.160 New York City? or should we do a special urban 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:24.920 parks on the air contest and Despite all of the 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:27.420 interest by a number of clubs to promote contesting, 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:32.639 no one really picked up that baton and did anything 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.879 with it except one individual from Jackson, Mississippi, 00:08:35.940 --> 00:08:40.019 Dr. Frank Howell, K4 Fox Mike Hotel. And Frank 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:42.320 thought it was a good idea. And Frank's, of course, 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.019 an accomplished sociologist and demographer. 00:08:45.059 --> 00:08:48.740 He fully understands the trends of aging in the 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:51.159 contest community and the need to have new fresh 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:53.740 blood, so to speak, not just fresh meat for sweepstakes, 00:08:53.860 --> 00:08:55.740 but fresh contesters for a number of events. 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:58.580 So he put together an international committee 00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:04.080 of hams from Asia Pacific Rim, from South Africa, 00:09:04.860 --> 00:09:08.720 from the United States, from Europe, including 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:12.500 some very prominent contesters, prominent soda 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:16.700 activists and portable operators, and said, let's 00:09:16.700 --> 00:09:18.519 pick up Scott Wright's challenge and see what 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.629 we can do. And so his group, and I was on the 00:09:22.629 --> 00:09:24.330 initial steering committee, designed something 00:09:24.330 --> 00:09:26.070 called the Portable Operators Challenge. And 00:09:26.070 --> 00:09:28.470 this is the second year. It's a contest event 00:09:28.470 --> 00:09:33.429 designed to allow a more level playing field 00:09:33.429 --> 00:09:36.629 between those who have, as I do, and many other 00:09:36.629 --> 00:09:40.529 contesters, a tower and yagis, and those like 00:09:40.529 --> 00:09:42.710 you, Neil, who live in a home with a covenant 00:09:42.710 --> 00:09:44.730 restriction and who really will have trouble 00:09:44.730 --> 00:09:47.090 just getting a dipole up without it being too 00:09:47.090 --> 00:09:50.519 stealth. or my good friend and neighbor K4IU, 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:53.600 Fred, who has covenant restrictions and can only 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.200 use wires, or those who want to operate portable. 00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:59.399 And so the contest is designed to create a level 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:02.720 playing field by scoring it on the concept of 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:07.379 sort of the kilowatt per kilometer, rather, per 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:12.620 watt using exchanges. And it will give extra 00:10:12.620 --> 00:10:15.019 credit for those who are running low power or 00:10:15.019 --> 00:10:20.299 QRP power, as you said, five billion. For those 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:22.600 who might be running full legal power in the 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:24.320 United States, which is, as you pointed out, 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:27.659 1 .5 trillion nanowatts. And for those who, like 00:10:27.659 --> 00:10:29.600 me, struggle sometimes with all those 10 to the 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:31.700 minus 9s converting them, we're talking about 00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:34.620 1 ,500 versus 100 versus 5 watts or even less. 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.039 So it's designed to really level the playing 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:42.279 field like golf handicap does. It's a contest 00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:44.179 that really encourages activity. Can you get 00:10:44.179 --> 00:10:48.419 on? Can you make contacts? allows those who run 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:51.960 low power or portable operations to really be 00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:54.740 competitive to potentially win their section 00:10:54.740 --> 00:10:58.639 or win the event. It certainly takes nothing 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:02.879 away from super stations like K3LR and K9CT and 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:07.840 W3LP .L or others, but it also allows individuals 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:11.080 like K4SWL, Thomas Witherspoon, who operates 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.259 portable exclusively and does an amazing job. 00:11:14.980 --> 00:11:18.679 to compete and potentially win. And so it's really 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:21.100 designed to give individuals a chance to get 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:23.440 out and operate and to have some fun over the 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:25.700 later day weekend. And that's what it's all about. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:29.120 We're really promoting it and we hope that we 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:31.399 can see several hundred people join this year 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:33.200 and take part in it. It's something that maybe 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.679 will stick and grow and we can ultimately get 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:39.500 some contesters from. you know, major metropolitan 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:41.679 areas like Los Angeles and New York and Houston 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:44.080 and Dallas, etc. who really are stranded. They 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:45.799 get out in the parks and operate and just have 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.399 fun for four hours, eight hours, or 12 hours. 00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:53.940 Okay, well we've got a little audio clip we're 00:11:53.940 --> 00:11:58.000 going to play, which is an advertisement kind 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:02.519 of thing, a promotion for the event, so let's 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:07.899 take a listen. Whatcha doing? Feeding the chickens. 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:11.299 Well, are you going to take the challenge? Yep, 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:15.240 I plan to. You? I'm thinking about it. What about 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:17.799 the big guns? Think they'll win? They didn't 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:20.759 last year. But then, they didn't show up either. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:22.759 Is that why you're feeding the chickens now? 00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:29.419 Yep. Champions are never afraid of competition. 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:34.000 Will you take the challenge? See FoxMyCotel .com 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:42.559 stroke challenge. So, kind of a lighthearted 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:49.019 look at it, but it comes across as a fun thing, 00:12:49.059 --> 00:12:53.419 but definitely conveys the idea. Yeah, it does. 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:57.919 It's designed to get operators like me and others 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.659 who have stations who can score a million or 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:02.940 two million points in the CQ Worldwide Contest 00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:06.419 to get on and make some contacts with those who 00:13:06.419 --> 00:13:09.870 are really antenna. Challenged or low -power 00:13:09.870 --> 00:13:13.190 challenged and the website that Frank is on the 00:13:13.190 --> 00:13:17.649 ad is not quite what I What is correct? Let me 00:13:17.649 --> 00:13:19.789 give you the correct website. It's Fox Mike hotel 00:13:19.789 --> 00:13:22.970 comm forward slash challenge forward slash. That's 00:13:22.970 --> 00:13:26.809 Fox Mike hotel And that's F O X M I K E H O T 00:13:26.809 --> 00:13:30.370 E L not abbreviated Fox Mike hotel comm forward 00:13:30.370 --> 00:13:32.929 slash challenge forward slash that will get you 00:13:32.929 --> 00:13:35.590 right there or just go to Fox Mike hotel comm 00:13:35.590 --> 00:13:37.860 and then You can link to it in one click, which 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:40.419 is what I do each time. Yeah, we're hoping we 00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:42.919 can get some contesters out. In fact, Neil, I've 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.879 sponsored a plaque for the Society of Midwest 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:48.320 Contesters and a plaque for Minnesota Wireless 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:51.860 for the member in each group who scores the highest 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:55.919 provided 25 or more join the contest. And so 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:58.179 we're hoping that we can get some hands on from 00:13:58.179 --> 00:14:02.460 the Midwest for sure and create some activity 00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:07.149 and just have some fun. Sounds like a great plan. 00:14:07.809 --> 00:14:11.649 So tell everybody how they can participate. So 00:14:11.649 --> 00:14:14.590 let's talk a little bit about bands and modes 00:14:14.590 --> 00:14:18.490 and the exchange and time and date, all that 00:14:18.490 --> 00:14:23.850 important stuff. Right. Well, the contest is 00:14:23.850 --> 00:14:25.830 going to be Labor Day weekend, September 4th 00:14:25.830 --> 00:14:29.389 and 5th. You can find all of this at contestcalendar 00:14:29.389 --> 00:14:33.429 .com and look on September 4th and 5th. The exchange 00:14:33.429 --> 00:14:37.230 is simply your grid square. So I live in EN34RA, 00:14:37.370 --> 00:14:40.129 that's Echo November 34 Radio Alpha, and I'll 00:14:40.129 --> 00:14:44.230 be sending EN34, I think it's your four -digit 00:14:44.230 --> 00:14:49.690 maidenhead grid square. The logging, major logging 00:14:49.690 --> 00:14:52.610 programs are ready for it. N1MM was kind enough 00:14:52.610 --> 00:14:56.450 to... created a special edition for the contest. 00:14:57.590 --> 00:15:03.230 You can use phone, CW, or digital. And most points 00:15:03.230 --> 00:15:05.269 come from a phone contact, obviously. Second 00:15:05.269 --> 00:15:08.450 most points, CW, and third most points, digital. 00:15:10.250 --> 00:15:12.830 You could have one transmitter or two, but your 00:15:12.830 --> 00:15:15.190 points are divided by the number of transmitters 00:15:15.190 --> 00:15:19.590 that you run. So if you're running two transmitters, 00:15:19.830 --> 00:15:22.649 your point score will be divided in half. to 00:15:22.649 --> 00:15:25.570 sort of level the playing field there. And it 00:15:25.570 --> 00:15:29.169 will be on the contest bands, 160 through 10, 00:15:29.309 --> 00:15:32.629 which realistically for this contest will likely 00:15:32.629 --> 00:15:36.789 be 80 through 15 given the status of sunspot 00:15:36.789 --> 00:15:39.490 cycle and where we are with solar flux. And if 00:15:39.490 --> 00:15:43.629 we have any residual sequelae from the solar 00:15:43.629 --> 00:15:45.490 flares that are hitting in the next day or two. 00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:48.840 the bands may be really hot, and 10 meters may 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:52.419 open, and then all bets are off. And if the big 00:15:52.419 --> 00:15:55.820 guns show up, they may find themselves in a David 00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:58.519 versus Goliath battle with the little pistols 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:01.799 actually winning. And so I plan, I've had an 00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:05.200 ICOM 705 for about a year, and I plan to put 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.779 my 705 out on our screened -in porch, put up 00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:10.440 my... buddy pole or put up a 20 meter out the 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:13.460 delta dipole that I had taken on vacation, string 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:16.159 it up in one of my trees, run the coax into the 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:18.980 back porch and just spend four hours enjoying 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:23.580 it. Let me give you the exact time, if I may, 00:16:24.179 --> 00:16:28.259 of the hours. Yeah, I was looking at the website 00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:32.710 here. uh... there are four or i'm sorry three 00:16:32.710 --> 00:16:36.870 four -hour periods as well so that it's only 00:16:36.870 --> 00:16:40.049 you know uh... four hours at a time so uh... 00:16:40.049 --> 00:16:43.289 be sure to explain that uh... as you go through 00:16:43.289 --> 00:16:45.710 those times. Sure, so on September 4th we uh... 00:16:45.710 --> 00:16:51.029 the contest runs 800 Zulu to 1159 Zulu so uh... 00:16:51.029 --> 00:16:56.070 remember 800 Zulu will be uh... uh... let's see 00:16:56.070 --> 00:16:58.379 that's uh... quite early in the morning for me. 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:01.440 So GMT zero zero for me is seven. So if I had 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:03.720 eight hours that that's three a .m. to twelve 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:07.440 hundred which would be seven a .m. and then it's 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.960 again at sixteen hundred Zulu to nineteen fifty 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:14.240 nine on the fourth and on the fifth it's zero 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.279 zero zero zero which is eight o 'clock eastern 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:20.460 seven central five pacific six mountain two oh 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:22.579 four hundred which would be approximate eleven 00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:26.240 p .m. central midnight eastern etc. It's designed 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:28.599 to have three, four -hour blocks. You do not 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:30.700 have to operate all three blocks. You can operate 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:32.740 one block, two blocks, or three blocks. Just 00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:35.140 get on and enjoy it. It's designed, though, at 00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:37.259 different times because it's a worldwide event. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.299 We have stations planning to be on from Europe, 00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:42.980 from the Middle East, not from Africa that we're 00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:45.380 aware of, but we hope, and certainly Australia, 00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:47.660 the Pacific Rim. And so we want to be able to 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:51.319 have the hours available to allow propagation 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:54.900 between North America and Australia for sure, 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:57.640 Neil. And that's the reason why it's at different 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:02.539 times of day. Now, people who are really contest 00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:05.119 aficionados will say, you're having this event 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:08.200 on the same days as the CW Open. That's true, 00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:11.160 but it's at different times. So those of you 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:13.759 who are in CW Ops, I issue you a challenge as 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.500 a lifetime CW Ops member. to spread the love 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:20.000 about CW by operating the Portable Operators 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.880 Challenge during your off times from the CW Open 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:26.059 and make some contacts and talk about your love 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:30.599 for CW. So again, September 4th and 5th, 0800 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:36.019 GMT to 1159, September 4th, 1600 GMT to 1959 00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:40.180 GMT, and then September 5th, 0000 Zulu to 359 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:47.430 AM Zulu on September 5th. All right, and you 00:18:47.430 --> 00:18:50.630 know and the four -hour blocks are a little more 00:18:50.630 --> 00:18:52.990 manageable, you know, it kind of gives you a 00:18:52.990 --> 00:18:56.769 chance to To take a break and do some other things. 00:18:56.769 --> 00:19:02.750 Like you said the CW open You know running, you 00:19:02.750 --> 00:19:08.950 know 48 hours or even 24 is a Challenge in itself. 00:19:08.950 --> 00:19:12.309 So this is a way to kind of shorten that a little 00:19:12.309 --> 00:19:15.700 bit That's right. And you know, it's Labor Day 00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:18.539 weekend. So for all of us in the United States, 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:21.400 we're going to have time off with family. I personally 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:23.339 plan to operate four hours. I don't think I'll 00:19:23.339 --> 00:19:25.619 do all three four -hour blocks because it's Labor 00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:27.480 Day weekend and I want to do some things with 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:31.480 my family. It's a nice contest design so it doesn't 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:33.460 rob your family of you for an entire holiday 00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:35.720 period like CQ Worldwide often does over the 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:39.640 Thanksgiving weekend. Or the ARRLDX sideband 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:42.359 contest frequently does for Valentine's Day weekend. 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:45.519 And so yeah, four hours is a nice time frame. 00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:47.359 If you like it, you can get back on a second 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:50.240 four hour shift. And what we have learned about 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:54.640 contesting is that contesters prefer shorter 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.460 contests. There are the diehards like me who 00:19:57.460 --> 00:20:01.380 do enjoy 40 an hour contests, but they are fewer 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:04.279 and fewer each year. And younger operators especially 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:06.420 love shorter contests. They can get on, they 00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:09.819 compete, and they can be done. And this contest 00:20:09.819 --> 00:20:12.619 is designed for that. And we hope to have a large 00:20:12.619 --> 00:20:14.539 youth contingent from Europe on this contest. 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:18.279 So hopefully your listeners like Kelo Call 5 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:21.099 Hotel Victor Oscar, and all of those who came 00:20:21.099 --> 00:20:25.119 to the Yoda camp, like my contest club's champion, 00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:29.220 Keese, and others will get on and be a part of 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:32.839 this. And, you know, maybe the youth will show 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:38.019 we adults up. Who knows? We'll see. I'll tell 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:41.710 you what they are. really on fire right now. 00:20:41.710 --> 00:20:45.009 They have been doing some stuff after the camp 00:20:45.009 --> 00:20:48.490 and just kind of been reading the messages fly 00:20:48.490 --> 00:20:51.769 by and it's just amazing what they're doing. 00:20:51.809 --> 00:20:56.130 So it wouldn't surprise me to hear several of 00:20:56.130 --> 00:21:01.829 them on during this contest and others. So let's 00:21:01.829 --> 00:21:06.910 look back at last year and give a little idea 00:21:06.910 --> 00:21:10.549 of how it went last year and what changes were 00:21:10.549 --> 00:21:15.730 made to improve things for this year. Last year 00:21:15.730 --> 00:21:18.529 we had pretty sparse attendance and participation 00:21:18.529 --> 00:21:21.210 because the contest was held on the same weekend 00:21:21.210 --> 00:21:24.210 as the California CUSO party and we realized 00:21:24.210 --> 00:21:27.430 that strategic issue a little too late to change 00:21:27.430 --> 00:21:31.970 the date. the California QSO team was very worried 00:21:31.970 --> 00:21:36.089 that operators would create interference and 00:21:36.089 --> 00:21:38.970 confusion for their contesters, but none of that 00:21:38.970 --> 00:21:44.410 happened. So this year we surveyed all of the 00:21:44.410 --> 00:21:47.250 posted contest dates and went with what we thought 00:21:47.250 --> 00:21:51.869 was a contest time that would allow outdoor weather 00:21:51.869 --> 00:21:56.269 that was appropriate or as close to ideal as 00:21:56.269 --> 00:21:59.130 possible for the northern and southern hemispheres. 00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:03.920 and was not on a weekend with a major contest, 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:06.940 like the California QSO party or the CQ Worldwide 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:12.140 RIDDI contest or CQ Worldwide sideband contest. 00:22:13.099 --> 00:22:15.660 And we had a working group who picked the date 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:17.200 and then another working group who worked on 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:22.299 the rules and revised the rules and the logging 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:25.119 programs so that we're ready. And we've really 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:28.000 promoted it a lot. Frank has bought ads, journals. 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:32.059 It's been promoted on a number of social media 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:35.079 podcasts, including the number one podcast, HamTalk 00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:39.259 Live, and of course, Time Nation as well, and 00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:43.099 others. And, you know, it's been on the ICQ podcast, 00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:45.319 I've heard it talked about there. And so we're 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:47.819 hoping Martin and his son and some of the other 00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:50.319 hosts of the ICQ podcast will get on and we can 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:53.700 have a Q so with them. So I think, you know, 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:57.730 for everyone who like me, Has a has a small rig 00:22:57.730 --> 00:23:00.369 a low -power rig or a portable rig like, you 00:23:00.369 --> 00:23:02.170 know You're missing field day if you need another 00:23:02.170 --> 00:23:04.769 field day experience We'll call a few friends 00:23:04.769 --> 00:23:07.490 over and provide a pizza or some barbecue on 00:23:07.490 --> 00:23:10.710 Saturday afternoon of Labor Day weekend and put 00:23:10.710 --> 00:23:13.069 an antenna up in the tree and get on for four 00:23:13.069 --> 00:23:16.730 hours and just Have fun or invite invite an operator 00:23:16.730 --> 00:23:18.710 over who's not active because they don't have 00:23:18.710 --> 00:23:21.809 a station and let them enter at one point with 00:23:21.809 --> 00:23:23.730 a station that you set up in your backyard or 00:23:23.730 --> 00:23:27.069 your driveway. And there's no penalty for using 00:23:27.069 --> 00:23:29.650 home power in this contest or no advantage to 00:23:29.650 --> 00:23:31.710 using a battery. It's all based on the amount 00:23:31.710 --> 00:23:34.349 of wattage you're putting out. But just have 00:23:34.349 --> 00:23:39.589 some fun and try something new. And the winners 00:23:39.589 --> 00:23:43.089 of this contest did not qualify for the WRTC. 00:23:43.230 --> 00:23:47.049 So there's no pressure here to win because the 00:23:47.049 --> 00:23:50.519 trip to Italy has been decided. And Neil, you 00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:53.359 and I are not going. Yes, we are not going. That 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:01.619 is true. We did not qualify. Yes, yes. It was 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:05.599 close. It was close. Yes, by that much. Yes. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:12.940 So, you know, there's always this, you know, 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:17.660 back and forth of, you know, Life's too short 00:24:17.660 --> 00:24:25.519 for qrp and and and you know qrp Makes most efficient 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:29.960 use of what you have and you know, so you're 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:34.180 gonna be heard better with with You know an amplifier 00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:39.180 You're not going to be heard quite as well on 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:47.200 You know 100 watts or on qrp So You can expect 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:51.980 that you may get more contacts with the higher 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:58.220 power, but this really makes you think about 00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:04.079 which one do I want to go for and where do I 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:10.349 want to set that power level. To make most use 00:25:10.349 --> 00:25:13.450 of the time so so what are your thoughts here 00:25:13.450 --> 00:25:20.529 amplifier or no and a QRP or 100 watts? I Think 00:25:20.529 --> 00:25:23.869 if you have a home station But you don't have 00:25:23.869 --> 00:25:27.130 a portable antenna array or you cannot build 00:25:27.130 --> 00:25:29.509 a dipole by the time of the contest use your 00:25:29.509 --> 00:25:32.869 home station and You know a hundred watts if 00:25:32.869 --> 00:25:37.130 you're gonna do CW or Really or FT8 you're gonna 00:25:37.130 --> 00:25:40.250 use sideband 100 watts usually is fine, but if 00:25:40.250 --> 00:25:45.009 you need the amplifier just kick it on I I have 00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:47.549 started enjoying QRP operating a lot more than 00:25:47.549 --> 00:25:51.089 I thought it's not like operating with 100 watts 00:25:51.089 --> 00:25:55.750 or with a You know 1 .5 kilowatts. It's different 00:25:55.750 --> 00:25:58.690 you wait for the pile up to thin out before you 00:25:58.690 --> 00:26:01.880 can work the station, but We were on family vacation 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:04.220 in July in western North Carolina and I took 00:26:04.220 --> 00:26:09.759 the 705 and a dipole and a tuner and I threw 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:11.839 it up in a tree about 30 feet off the ground 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:14.420 and let it slope down and inverted V fashion. 00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:18.319 SWR wasn't perfect so I tuned it out and I worked 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.859 one night on CW. I worked in Argentina. That's 00:26:21.859 --> 00:26:25.400 about, I don't know, 5 ,000 miles. It was amazing. 00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:27.900 with the five watts of power. So I think I said 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:31.759 I had almost 1 ,000 miles per watt. And that's 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:34.420 kind of cool. But I missed a lot of Europeans 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:36.779 who couldn't hear me because I wasn't strong 00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:38.779 enough. And I worked a lot of US stations. So 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:41.400 it depends on what you want to try out. If you've 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:43.619 never done QRP, do you have an interest? Well, 00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:46.700 try it for four hours. See what you can do. If 00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:49.740 you have a home station, try one period at 100 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:52.980 watts and one period at higher power. Have some 00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:57.220 fun. you know your score is going to count based 00:26:57.220 --> 00:27:00.420 on your highest power use so before you kick 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:02.220 on the extra power make sure you really want 00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:04.599 to do it but if you if you need to do it go ahead 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:07.240 i i think it just depends on what you're doing 00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:10.700 you know last year when the 705 was new to me 00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:15.160 i got on the worldwide rcq worldwide ready contest 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:19.460 running qrp and i worked a lot of europeans on 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:24.259 my yagi so You can do a lot with qrp with good 00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:27.400 antennas, and I have a friend w0gj who frequently 00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:32.480 wins number one us CQ or a double rl 160 running 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:36.200 qrp And this is a guy that has multiple full 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:39.039 power amplifiers in his shack, but he also enjoys 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:44.119 qrp So life isn't too short for qrp Life is and 00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:46.660 life is ready for ham radio get on and enjoy 00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:49.000 you know and if you're mark brown and you're 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:51.079 listening tonight and you've got that nice Kenwood 00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:54.960 TS 990 that will run 200 watts. I'd crank it 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:57.140 up to 200 watts if I were Mark. Just enjoy it 00:27:57.140 --> 00:28:00.720 and have some fun and sort of enjoy all the nice 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:02.720 positive comments you're going to get from being 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:07.119 at the Huntsville Hanfest and all they did. Well 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.380 said. Alright, well it's time to take a break 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:13.200 so we'll do that and we'll come back with Scott 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.539 and talk a little more and we'll start taking 00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:19.420 your phone calls right after this word from ICOM 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:23.380 America right here on HamTalk Live. 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Or, if you'd 00:30:54.250 --> 00:30:57.509 rather type than talk, tweet us at HamTalk Live. 00:30:57.890 --> 00:31:01.269 Now, here's Neil Rapp with more HamTalk Live. 00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:05.700 Here's the snap rap takes the rig he breaks through 00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:12.519 the pileup he's on 80 now 40 now 20 15 10 2 meters 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:38.960 touchdown hand talk live Welcome back to HamTalk 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:42.220 Live. Thanks to Icom America for sponsoring the 00:31:42.220 --> 00:31:45.720 show. And they also bring HamTalk Live your way 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:48.859 each and every week. Check them out at icomamerica 00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:52.359 .com slash amateur. and be sure to check out 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:55.480 HamTalk Live on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:58.000 And we're on the air every Thursday night at 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:02.240 9 p .m. Eastern time right here at HamTalkLive 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:05.839 .com. Well, before we get back to Scott and your 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:10.059 phone calls and tweets, it's time for the HamTalk 00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:14.910 Live Joke of the Week. Now it's time for the 00:32:14.910 --> 00:32:18.150 HamTalk Live Ham Radio Joke of the Week, the 00:32:18.150 --> 00:32:20.910 part of the show where Rick tells us a ham radio 00:32:20.910 --> 00:32:23.829 joke. The HamTalk Live Ham Radio Joke of the 00:32:23.829 --> 00:32:27.549 Week is brought to you by QRM Labs. Now, here's 00:32:27.549 --> 00:32:31.829 Rick Garrett in 9GSU with today's HamTalk Live 00:32:31.829 --> 00:32:39.490 Joke of the Week. I talk to a ham nearly every 00:32:39.490 --> 00:32:41.839 morning on the local repeater. He's at work when 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:44.619 he chats and he runs the iron machine at the 00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:47.480 local dry cleaners. I guess you could say he's 00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:52.339 a smooth operator. This has been the HamTalk 00:32:52.339 --> 00:32:55.519 Live Ham Radio Joke of the Week with Rick Garrett 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:59.279 in 9GSU. Tune in again next week for another 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:05.859 joke from Rick. All I can hear is that song, 00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:09.880 Smooth Operator. I was thinking the same thing. 00:33:10.009 --> 00:33:14.109 Rick is he comes up with the most clever and 00:33:14.109 --> 00:33:20.950 unique jokes. I think Yes, he does So tune in 00:33:20.950 --> 00:33:24.390 for another one next week and thanks for it for 00:33:24.390 --> 00:33:29.369 doing that and he's a smooth operator There we 00:33:29.369 --> 00:33:32.309 go. All right. Well, it's time for your call 00:33:32.309 --> 00:33:34.829 So if you have a question or a comment, give 00:33:34.829 --> 00:33:38.890 us a call right now Now is the time eight five 00:33:38.890 --> 00:33:46.500 nine 9827373 for those of you spelling at home, 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:55.359 that's UKY9827373 or you can tweet us at HamTalk 00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:58.900 Live and if you're listening to us on WTWW or 00:33:58.900 --> 00:34:01.700 on the podcast edition, you won't be able to 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:04.619 reach us live because we're doing this. on Thursday. 00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:09.179 So let's take a look here. We do have a tweet 00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:17.420 here from a familiar voice. RJWY7AA says that 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:25.400 he and the famous WY7AA Elco, yes the El Camino, 00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:28.599 the car that can't decide if it's a truck or 00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:33.750 a car, which RJ's taken this thing all across 00:34:33.750 --> 00:34:39.789 the country on all kinds of portable ops. A lot 00:34:39.789 --> 00:34:43.329 of them on satellite, but he says he and the 00:34:43.329 --> 00:34:49.570 Elko will be out in. on a county line mobile 00:34:49.570 --> 00:34:54.289 for the Colorado QSO party on September 4th. 00:34:54.289 --> 00:34:57.730 So he's wondering, uh, can he participate in 00:34:57.730 --> 00:35:00.550 the Colorado QSO party there on, on the county 00:35:00.550 --> 00:35:06.869 line? Um, or, uh, the Fox Mike, uh, hotel challenge 00:35:06.869 --> 00:35:11.849 simultaneously. Okay. So, um, he said, if not, 00:35:11.869 --> 00:35:13.710 I'll do one on Saturday and the other one on 00:35:13.710 --> 00:35:16.150 Sunday, but, uh, can he do both here, Scott? 00:35:17.570 --> 00:35:20.849 RJ, you certainly can do both. Please do and 00:35:20.849 --> 00:35:23.250 I encourage everyone to work RJ and give him 00:35:23.250 --> 00:35:26.150 lots of cues in the Colorado QSO party as well. 00:35:27.190 --> 00:35:30.409 Just submit your portable operator challenge 00:35:30.409 --> 00:35:33.650 log separately from the Colorado QSO party challenge. 00:35:34.130 --> 00:35:37.730 I bet the burgundy El Camino is quite a car. 00:35:38.030 --> 00:35:42.230 to quite a vehicle for operating portable. No 00:35:42.230 --> 00:35:45.929 onboard computers to knock out with any RF interference. 00:35:46.170 --> 00:35:48.769 It's reliable. Neil, I want to correct one thing 00:35:48.769 --> 00:35:53.150 I said. The frequencies are 80 through 10. So 00:35:53.150 --> 00:35:55.989 those of you who are really excited about operating 00:35:55.989 --> 00:35:59.090 mobile 160 for this contest or portable 160, 00:36:01.329 --> 00:36:04.090 just work the Colorado QSO party on that band, 00:36:04.170 --> 00:36:07.550 but work us on POC with 80 through 10. And if 00:36:07.550 --> 00:36:12.250 you work 160 mobile, I want to see that antenna. 00:36:12.329 --> 00:36:18.789 You need to send a picture. Yeah, the coil is 00:36:18.789 --> 00:36:20.570 approximately the diameter of the roof of the 00:36:20.570 --> 00:36:28.670 car. You may have to be do like a fire truck 00:36:28.670 --> 00:36:31.750 and have those those little feet that stick out, 00:36:31.750 --> 00:36:34.989 you know, to keep it from toppling over the whole 00:36:34.989 --> 00:36:39.440 car. I often thought, you know, uh, wouldn't 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:42.099 a fire truck be a great antenna support platform? 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:46.480 Oh, it would be. And a snorkel truck, even better. 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:49.039 Oh yeah. And a crane and a building site, even 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:54.679 better. Yeah. And it's not exact. Well, I guess 00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:58.199 it's kind of portable. Not what you typically 00:36:58.199 --> 00:37:00.840 think of as portable, but it's very portable 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:07.809 because it's stationary. So yeah, RJ You can 00:37:07.809 --> 00:37:10.409 do both and and he's out there on the county 00:37:10.409 --> 00:37:13.289 line so that way you can get two counties at 00:37:13.289 --> 00:37:17.750 once and I'm sure that people will be glad to 00:37:17.750 --> 00:37:20.469 hear you on there So so get out there in the 00:37:20.469 --> 00:37:24.989 Elko and go go go so Thanks for writing in and 00:37:24.989 --> 00:37:28.429 listening tonight If you have a question or a 00:37:28.429 --> 00:37:31.369 comment about the portable ops challenge give 00:37:31.369 --> 00:37:38.960 us a call at eight five nine 9 8 2 73 73 or tweet 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:42.900 this at ham talk live and again if you're on 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:46.139 Spreaker you can type in the comments and we'll 00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:50.840 get that as well So we've talked a little bit 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:56.420 about This I know you have been busy Doing some 00:37:56.420 --> 00:37:58.960 renovations in your shack and you told me you 00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:03.110 were out in the heat just a little bit ago making 00:38:03.110 --> 00:38:06.389 some more renovations. So what's the latest on 00:38:06.389 --> 00:38:12.349 the K0MD antenna farm? Well I've grown frustrated 00:38:12.349 --> 00:38:16.429 with my 80 meter four square because I seem to 00:38:16.429 --> 00:38:20.349 top out about 35 to 40 DXCC entities per big 00:38:20.349 --> 00:38:24.349 contest so I have replaced my force 12 vertical 00:38:24.349 --> 00:38:28.489 dipoles the Sigma 80s with the full size 80 meter 00:38:28.489 --> 00:38:31.250 verticals. I bought four from DX Engineering. 00:38:31.429 --> 00:38:34.349 They make really high quality things and two 00:38:34.349 --> 00:38:37.489 of my good friends in the hobby have used this 00:38:37.489 --> 00:38:41.809 vertical inner four square array and I am excited. 00:38:42.349 --> 00:38:45.010 We had a antenna raising party a few weekends 00:38:45.010 --> 00:38:48.210 ago and a group from the Minnesota Wireless Association 00:38:48.210 --> 00:38:50.590 Team South came over and about a dozen people 00:38:50.590 --> 00:38:52.949 helped me get all four assembled. But I've been 00:38:52.949 --> 00:38:56.320 laying radials Let's see, I have to rate my 240, 00:38:56.619 --> 00:39:02.539 Neil, and I'm about 75 done of the 240, and I 00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:05.960 presume I have about six weeks left of good weather 00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:07.739 to put them in the ground, so I've got to pick 00:39:07.739 --> 00:39:12.420 up the pace a little bit before the ground starts 00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:14.559 to get a little hard, and it gets too cold for 00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:16.719 me to be out working, and we don't have daylight. 00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:19.280 We've had wonderful long hours of daylight, but 00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:21.000 it's starting to, here in the northern part, 00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:22.699 northern latitudes in the U .S., it's starting 00:39:22.699 --> 00:39:25.559 now to shorten. Pretty take advantage of that 00:39:25.559 --> 00:39:27.639 after working on the weekends when I can I've 00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:30.840 also got to replace another antenna on my second 00:39:30.840 --> 00:39:33.820 tower My two element stepper broke about three 00:39:33.820 --> 00:39:36.940 weeks after using it Yeah, one of the elemental 00:39:36.940 --> 00:39:39.440 housing units broke and so I've got to take it 00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:41.639 down I'm just gonna replace it with a c3 from 00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:44.739 JK and then I'll sell the two element stepper 00:39:45.719 --> 00:39:47.900 because it'll be access to my needs at that point 00:39:47.900 --> 00:39:50.500 after I get it repaired. So those are the big 00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:54.280 projects at the K0MD contest station and hopefully 00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:56.360 I'll have a much better signal on 80 and can 00:39:56.360 --> 00:40:00.420 work more DX contacts. It's probably the wrong 00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:02.260 time of the sunspot cycle to upgrade your 80 00:40:02.260 --> 00:40:04.440 meter antenna, but it's been a project that I've 00:40:04.440 --> 00:40:06.260 had on the to -do list for two or three years. 00:40:07.219 --> 00:40:09.980 It's a ton of work. I have budgeted 120 hours 00:40:09.980 --> 00:40:11.840 of labor to do it. And I think it's been in the 00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:13.820 middle of over 200 hours by the time I get it 00:40:13.820 --> 00:40:16.500 all done. And so it's not a hard, it's not a 00:40:16.500 --> 00:40:18.139 project for the faint of heart or for someone 00:40:18.139 --> 00:40:20.099 who's time challenged. You've got to really commit. 00:40:20.119 --> 00:40:22.760 And I started in April doing it and here we are 00:40:22.760 --> 00:40:24.280 at the end of August and we're still pushing 00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:28.280 ahead, but slowly but surely. Yeah. Well, uh, 00:40:28.280 --> 00:40:31.860 wish you well on that. And, uh, I look forward 00:40:31.860 --> 00:40:34.659 to when I can start. putting those antennas up 00:40:34.659 --> 00:40:40.119 again. I'm really missing having a working antenna 00:40:40.119 --> 00:40:44.900 at home, let alone the tower. So, one of these 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:48.619 days we'll find some land and get that going. 00:40:49.420 --> 00:40:51.639 Well, one other thing I want to talk to you about 00:40:51.639 --> 00:40:55.320 before you go and we'll make a last call here 00:40:55.320 --> 00:41:02.989 for calls at 859 -982 -7373 or tweet us. is that, 00:41:03.110 --> 00:41:05.929 you know, we've talked a little bit about this 00:41:05.929 --> 00:41:09.670 portable ops challenge, trying to draw in some 00:41:09.670 --> 00:41:13.389 of the newer and younger contesters with some 00:41:13.389 --> 00:41:16.630 of the rules, the shorter periods, the, you know, 00:41:16.869 --> 00:41:24.550 equating the power and the antennas that people 00:41:24.550 --> 00:41:27.530 are using in the contest and some other things 00:41:27.530 --> 00:41:31.699 that are coming up. that's really big right now 00:41:31.699 --> 00:41:36.800 is we're getting youth categories in a lot of 00:41:36.800 --> 00:41:42.300 these major contests and now we've got the North 00:41:42.300 --> 00:41:46.780 American QSO party sponsoring a youth category. 00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:52.539 So give me your thoughts on that. I think it's 00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:56.860 good to have categories that encourage contesters 00:41:56.860 --> 00:42:03.739 who may not be with high skill levels or significant 00:42:03.739 --> 00:42:06.519 station investments. So I'm glad to see a youth 00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:09.880 category and I would love to see a first five 00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:13.800 year license category so that individuals could 00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:15.340 get on and feel like they can compete within 00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:17.519 a group that's a level playing field for them. 00:42:17.619 --> 00:42:20.039 I think anything that promotes more. contest 00:42:20.039 --> 00:42:22.320 activity and gives individuals a chance to win 00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:25.500 a certificate or a plaque is a good thing. Contesters 00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:28.860 seem to be unique and unified in that they like 00:42:28.860 --> 00:42:30.800 rewards. They like to be recognized for their 00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:34.280 work. So the more the merrier. And Neil, really, 00:42:34.780 --> 00:42:36.840 you are doing an amazing job promoting youth 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:39.820 activities between the K -9 SOU station and all 00:42:39.820 --> 00:42:42.559 the youth you mentored in your accomplished career 00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:45.980 as a public school teacher to now with the Yoda 00:42:45.980 --> 00:42:48.760 events. You're doing a great job. And I think 00:42:48.760 --> 00:42:51.699 I heard you say Jocelyn is on the line. Yeah. 00:42:51.719 --> 00:42:54.960 Well, we've got Jocelyn KD8 VRX on the phone 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:58.460 line on the hamcation hotline here. So we'll 00:42:58.460 --> 00:43:02.559 get to him here in just a second. But on this 00:43:02.559 --> 00:43:05.340 you thing, I want to mention that next week on 00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:09.860 the show, K1AR John Doar will be here to talk 00:43:09.860 --> 00:43:16.130 about the CQ Worldwide youth categories in the 00:43:16.130 --> 00:43:20.510 sideband and CW contests. So we've got North 00:43:20.510 --> 00:43:24.010 American QSo party now and then CQ Worldwide 00:43:24.010 --> 00:43:28.309 sideband and CW. So a little preview of next 00:43:28.309 --> 00:43:32.449 week. But yes, let's go to the hamcation hotline 00:43:32.449 --> 00:43:36.429 here and talk to Jocelyn KD8VRX. Good evening. 00:43:38.219 --> 00:43:40.980 Well, good evening Neil and good evening. Dr. 00:43:41.099 --> 00:43:43.599 Wright I just want to say yeah, we took part 00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:46.000 in the portable operation challenge the club 00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:51.179 and I got a group together and we got on and 00:43:51.179 --> 00:43:55.219 It was fun. We had we had a good time We we didn't 00:43:55.219 --> 00:43:58.099 realize we went to a park location and didn't 00:43:58.099 --> 00:43:59.760 realize we were in a valley till somebody had 00:43:59.760 --> 00:44:04.010 to use the restroom and came back and said, you 00:44:04.010 --> 00:44:05.889 know, we're right between two hills. We should 00:44:05.889 --> 00:44:07.989 probably move location. We weren't doing too 00:44:07.989 --> 00:44:10.550 well. And as I've told people, because they're 00:44:10.550 --> 00:44:13.530 like, oh, QRP, you know, as we've said, you know, 00:44:13.590 --> 00:44:17.110 life's too short. We've all heard it. You know, 00:44:17.230 --> 00:44:20.309 take that 100 watt rig. You don't have to run 00:44:20.309 --> 00:44:22.829 100 watts. You can dial the power down or if 00:44:22.829 --> 00:44:25.429 you need to turn it up, turn it up. It's just 00:44:25.429 --> 00:44:28.369 a matter, as Dr. Wright said earlier, is that 00:44:28.369 --> 00:44:31.239 QSO worth that? that bump because that's what 00:44:31.239 --> 00:44:34.159 you're going to be listed as. But no, we had 00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:36.900 a blast. We had a blast. And I like the sessions 00:44:36.900 --> 00:44:41.860 this year. I think as mentioned before, we are 00:44:41.860 --> 00:44:44.199 probably just going to do one four -hour session 00:44:44.199 --> 00:44:47.079 because of Labor Day and people want to spend 00:44:47.079 --> 00:44:49.519 time with family now that we can actually somewhat 00:44:49.519 --> 00:44:52.199 all get back together again. We certainly want 00:44:52.199 --> 00:44:54.800 to take advantage of that. But I appreciate you 00:44:54.800 --> 00:44:56.960 being on talking about the Portable Operation 00:44:56.960 --> 00:45:00.849 Challenge and really looking forward to it. Thanks 00:45:00.849 --> 00:45:03.309 Jocelyn and thanks for your strong endorsement 00:45:03.309 --> 00:45:06.250 look forward to working you and let us know what 00:45:06.250 --> 00:45:08.210 call sign you're using so I can look for you 00:45:08.210 --> 00:45:11.289 and look for me on 20 meters maybe 40 as well 00:45:11.289 --> 00:45:13.889 and Congratulations on all the things you're 00:45:13.889 --> 00:45:17.349 doing in ham radio you you lead a busy life And 00:45:17.349 --> 00:45:19.670 if you can find time for hand radio almost all 00:45:19.670 --> 00:45:25.349 of us can Yeah life life has been busy for sure, 00:45:25.449 --> 00:45:29.300 but yeah again, I think As you mentioned, I think 00:45:29.300 --> 00:45:32.460 having it on short bursts like the four hour 00:45:32.460 --> 00:45:36.380 is perfect. I've done a few contests or 48 hours 00:45:36.380 --> 00:45:39.400 and at the end I am done. I am spent. I need 00:45:39.400 --> 00:45:43.739 a vacation. But this is easy enough to fit in 00:45:43.739 --> 00:45:46.739 your schedule. And like I said, we usually go 00:45:46.739 --> 00:45:49.219 as a group and we'll be working with the club 00:45:49.219 --> 00:45:52.980 call, which will be WC8ZOA. That will be the 00:45:52.980 --> 00:45:55.599 club call that we'll be using for the event. 00:45:55.789 --> 00:45:58.210 So we're looking forward to it. Hopefully, you 00:45:58.210 --> 00:46:02.010 know, weather improves. It's been a little warm 00:46:02.010 --> 00:46:05.130 lately. But if we can find some shady spots, 00:46:05.190 --> 00:46:07.909 it will be fine. And like I said, really looking 00:46:07.909 --> 00:46:10.050 forward to it. But anyway, I just wanted to call 00:46:10.050 --> 00:46:12.449 on and say thank you again for promoting the 00:46:12.449 --> 00:46:19.469 event and really looking forward to it. Fantastic. 00:46:19.650 --> 00:46:24.300 Thanks again. All right, Jocelyn, thanks. All 00:46:24.300 --> 00:46:27.079 right, 73, thanks for calling. Appreciate it. 00:46:27.079 --> 00:46:33.019 Bye. Bye bye. All right. Well, we're out of time 00:46:33.019 --> 00:46:38.480 here, but glad to get RJ and Jocelyn in here. 00:46:39.179 --> 00:46:42.480 So thanks for doing that. So Scott, let's just 00:46:42.480 --> 00:46:46.719 kind of recap here how people can join in the 00:46:46.719 --> 00:46:51.139 fun. Well, you know, the Portable Operator Challenge 00:46:51.139 --> 00:46:55.280 will be on Saturday, September 4th and in the 00:46:55.280 --> 00:46:57.440 Saturday evening or Sunday, September 5th, the 00:46:57.440 --> 00:47:01.519 GMT three time periods each or four hours long. 00:47:01.639 --> 00:47:04.539 You can find all of this information at contestcalendar 00:47:04.539 --> 00:47:08.820 .com for those dates. Bands are 80 through 10. 00:47:08.960 --> 00:47:13.760 Any mode is fine. Phone, CW, digital, your favorite 00:47:13.760 --> 00:47:17.480 digital mode, whether it's RTTY or FT8 or FT4. 00:47:17.840 --> 00:47:19.760 All of those count. The exchange is just your 00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:22.840 grid square. So four -digit grid, four -character 00:47:22.840 --> 00:47:26.260 grid square. And then your log, you know, use 00:47:26.260 --> 00:47:29.519 N1MM or another logging program like N3FJP. They're 00:47:29.519 --> 00:47:32.679 all set up for this. And then submit your score. 00:47:33.579 --> 00:47:36.980 All of the details can be found at foxmichotel 00:47:36.980 --> 00:47:40.480 .com forward slash portable forward slash. Neil, 00:47:40.679 --> 00:47:43.650 thanks again for. having us on to talk about 00:47:43.650 --> 00:47:46.349 this for promoting it for all that you do to 00:47:46.349 --> 00:47:49.929 provide a wide audience of information about 00:47:49.929 --> 00:47:53.349 the hobby of ham radio and either way congratulations 00:47:53.349 --> 00:47:57.849 on your tremendous teaching career and now the 00:47:57.849 --> 00:48:00.309 promotion to university faculty at two schools 00:48:00.309 --> 00:48:03.170 in the greater northern kentucky area that's 00:48:03.170 --> 00:48:05.500 quite an accomplishment and quite a testament 00:48:05.500 --> 00:48:08.079 to your skills as a chemistry teacher. I am looking 00:48:08.079 --> 00:48:10.340 forward to seeing you get a radio station on 00:48:10.340 --> 00:48:12.840 the air and getting a tower up and helping you 00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:15.500 get some antennas to a meal. So best to you and 00:48:15.500 --> 00:48:20.199 Julie and turn it back. Okay. Well, thank you 00:48:20.199 --> 00:48:24.019 so much, Scott. Appreciate your kind words. And 00:48:24.019 --> 00:48:27.760 yeah, definitely looking forward to getting something 00:48:27.760 --> 00:48:31.460 up in the air here soon. And then and then hopefully 00:48:31.460 --> 00:48:38.099 get get the tower going at the new location yet 00:48:38.099 --> 00:48:42.519 to be determined. So really looking forward to 00:48:42.519 --> 00:48:45.619 that. All right. Well, thanks so much. And again, 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:49.800 it's the portable Ops Challenge, FoxMicHotel 00:48:49.800 --> 00:48:54.380 .com and check it out. And that is a wrap for 00:48:54.380 --> 00:48:56.880 this week's edition of HamTalk Live. Thanks to 00:48:56.880 --> 00:49:00.579 my guest, Dr. Scott Wright, KZeroMD, and everybody 00:49:00.579 --> 00:49:03.000 out there in cyberspace for listening and calling 00:49:03.000 --> 00:49:05.500 in. And as I said, invite you back next Thursday 00:49:05.500 --> 00:49:08.849 night at 9 p .m. Eastern Time when John Doar 00:49:08.849 --> 00:49:11.969 K1AR will be here to talk about the new youth 00:49:11.969 --> 00:49:15.449 overlay category for the CQ Worldwide Sideband 00:49:15.449 --> 00:49:19.030 and CW Contest. And for a list of all of our 00:49:19.030 --> 00:49:23.349 upcoming guests, go to HamTalkLive .com. And 00:49:23.349 --> 00:49:25.409 if you like the show, please leave us a review. 00:49:25.570 --> 00:49:28.789 That's all we ask. So for now, this is Neil Rapp, 00:49:28.929 --> 00:49:34.489 WB9VPG, saying 7 -3, 7 -5, and may the good DX 00:49:34.489 --> 00:49:47.050 be yours. Well, you came right back to my CQ 00:49:47.050 --> 00:49:52.429 call Your Readability 5 and Strength 9 You never 00:49:52.429 --> 00:49:56.710 once mentioned your weather at all And I didn't 00:49:56.710 --> 00:50:00.570 mention mine We talked and talked