WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.779 This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you 00:00:02.779 --> 00:00:06.339 by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables, 00:00:06.660 --> 00:00:09.939 and more, visit them at a hamfest near you or 00:00:09.939 --> 00:00:18.500 call 920 -435 -2973 or online at pl -259 .com. 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:53.579 Good evening, everyone. It's time for HamTalk 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:58.579 Live, episode 118. From the National Contest 00:00:58.579 --> 00:01:04.040 Journal, the WRTC 2018 Competitors, recorded 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:08.519 live on Thursday, June 7th, 2018. I'm your host, 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:13.099 Neil Rapp, WB9 VPG. Thanks for tuning in to this 00:01:13.099 --> 00:01:16.579 episode of HamTalk Live. Tonight, we're joined 00:01:16.579 --> 00:01:20.060 by the editor of the National Contest Journal, 00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:24.819 Dr. Scott Wright, KZeroMD, and the deputy editor, 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:30.019 Dr. Fred Reigenhauer, K4IU, and we'll take your 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:33.920 calls live in a little bit. Last week here on 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:37.459 the show, Adam Whitney, KZeroFFY, and Josh Ward, 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:42.230 W3ARD. We're here to talk about the Walmart parking 00:01:42.230 --> 00:01:46.069 lots on the air, and another one's coming up 00:01:46.069 --> 00:01:49.189 on July 2nd. If you missed that show, you can 00:01:49.189 --> 00:01:53.109 listen anytime at HamTalkLive .com, or you can 00:01:53.109 --> 00:01:56.269 listen to the podcast edition on your favorite 00:01:56.269 --> 00:02:00.069 podcast app, which could be Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 00:02:00.170 --> 00:02:03.430 iHeart Podcasts, Google Play, TuneIn, or SoundCloud, 00:02:03.469 --> 00:02:07.709 or you can catch us on YouTube. Get your questions 00:02:07.709 --> 00:02:11.810 ready to go and call in tonight. And we may even 00:02:11.810 --> 00:02:14.370 have something special for you. You never know. 00:02:14.689 --> 00:02:17.930 So after the interview, you can call us. I'll 00:02:17.930 --> 00:02:19.650 go ahead and give you the number, but it's not 00:02:19.650 --> 00:02:25.150 time to call yet. It's 812 -NET -HAM -1. 812 00:02:25.150 --> 00:02:33.069 -638 -4261. Or you can Skype us. We're ham talk 00:02:33.069 --> 00:02:37.310 live on Skype and you can send a question via 00:02:37.310 --> 00:02:40.889 Twitter our Twitter handle is at ham talk live 00:02:40.889 --> 00:02:44.090 So I'll be back with Scott and Fred right after 00:02:44.090 --> 00:02:47.330 this word from tower electronics right here on 00:02:47.330 --> 00:02:56.610 ham talk live No, I haven't come on kids, let's 00:02:56.610 --> 00:03:01.819 go There's just one place to go for all of your 00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:07.479 connector needs. Tower electronics. A giant warehouse 00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:10.259 of connectors and adapters for every occasion. 00:03:10.669 --> 00:03:13.090 Thousands to choose from in every shape, size, 00:03:13.229 --> 00:03:15.569 and color. And they have antennas, soldering 00:03:15.569 --> 00:03:18.930 supplies, cables, meters, and more. Where do 00:03:18.930 --> 00:03:21.129 you go if you want to buy a connector at a fraction 00:03:21.129 --> 00:03:24.710 of retail cost? Tower electronics. Tower electronics. 00:03:24.909 --> 00:03:27.810 Tower electronics. And this weekend only, take 00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:30.569 advantage of our special liquidation sale. Buy 00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:33.710 nine solder -type PL -259s. Get the tenth one 00:03:33.710 --> 00:03:38.590 for just one penny. They make great Christmas 00:03:38.590 --> 00:03:44.520 presents. And what better way to say I love you 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.590 than with the gift of a PL 259? TOWER ELECTRONICS! 00:03:48.590 --> 00:03:52.469 TOWER ELECTRONICS! TOWER ELECTRONICS! Hi, I'm 00:03:52.469 --> 00:03:56.569 Scott Cole, KB9 AMM, president of TOWER ELECTRONICS. 00:03:56.750 --> 00:03:59.030 I like the company so much that I bought it. 00:03:59.069 --> 00:04:01.449 TOWER ELECTRONICS, coming to a hand fest near 00:04:01.449 --> 00:04:06.430 you, or online at PL -259 .com. And we're in 00:04:06.430 --> 00:04:09.210 the yellow pages under amateur radio connectors. 00:04:09.569 --> 00:04:12.909 My, wherever did you get that lovely PL -259? 00:04:13.030 --> 00:04:18.079 TOWER ELECTRONICS, PL -259 .com. or call 920 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:23.560 -435 -2973. Do we sell PL259 connectors? Running 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:27.439 barefoot is for the beach. We're cranking 1 .5 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:30.860 trillion nanowatts right here on HamTalk Live. 00:04:48.949 --> 00:04:51.550 We'd like to thank Scott and Jill at Tower Electronics 00:04:51.550 --> 00:04:54.050 for sponsoring the show tonight to help bring 00:04:54.050 --> 00:04:57.589 you HamTalk Live. Coming up June 9th, they'll 00:04:57.589 --> 00:05:00.430 be in Newberry, Michigan. That's up in the upper 00:05:00.430 --> 00:05:04.110 peninsula of Michigan. June 17th, Monroe, Michigan, 00:05:04.430 --> 00:05:07.850 that's south of Detroit. And July 7th, Oak Creek, 00:05:07.850 --> 00:05:10.490 Wisconsin, which is the south side of Milwaukee. 00:05:11.089 --> 00:05:17.040 You can visit them online at PL -259 .com. Our 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:21.259 guest tonight, Dr. Scott Wright, K0MD, is the 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:23.720 editor of the National Contest Journal. He's 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:26.879 from Rochester, Minnesota, and Scott works for 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:29.899 the Mayo Clinic teaching cardiology. which often 00:05:29.899 --> 00:05:32.439 takes him abroad where ham radio can go with 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:35.199 him and scott is an excellent contestor and been 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:38.360 on several de -expeditions scott and i met when 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.240 we were kids at an fcc test session in louisville 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:44.920 kentucky and scott became the editor of the national 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:47.240 contest journal the beginning of the year and 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.459 has added some great content to the bimonthly 00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:53.500 publication from arrl and scott is a graduate 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:59.550 of the University of Kentucky. And Dr. Fred Rigenider, 00:05:59.790 --> 00:06:03.990 K4IU, is the deputy editor of the National Contest 00:06:03.990 --> 00:06:07.449 Journal and a retired orthodontist and consummate 00:06:07.449 --> 00:06:10.569 DXer and contester. He traveled the world as 00:06:10.569 --> 00:06:13.430 an officer in the U .S. Army as an orthodontist, 00:06:13.689 --> 00:06:16.870 being stationed in Germany, Seoul, South Korea, 00:06:16.970 --> 00:06:20.250 and the Canal Zone, as well as across the United 00:06:20.250 --> 00:06:24.019 States, including the commander of orthodontics 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:27.660 while stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. And his 00:06:27.660 --> 00:06:30.019 daughter Jill went to the University of Kentucky 00:06:30.019 --> 00:06:32.199 where she majored in marketing and was a member 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:35.980 of Big Blue Nation. And Fred taught at the other 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:38.839 big university in Kentucky that Scott and I try 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:42.000 not to talk about. That's the University of Louisville 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.759 in the dental school and was a member of the 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.740 Kentucky contest group. And Fred now competes 00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:52.879 with wires. in his backyard. He's a local contest 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:56.199 mentor to hams in the Rochester Minnesota area 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:58.879 and a board member of the Minnesota Wireless 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:02.920 Association. He's an active contester and is 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.160 weekly in the CWT and nearly every weekend in 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:10.079 a contest but I guess we should call him Colonel 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:15.079 Fred Reganider. U .S. Army retired. So I don't 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:17.860 know if it's Dr. Colonel or Colonel Doctor. I 00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:21.339 actually had to go look it up and it says now 00:07:21.339 --> 00:07:24.220 it's Colonel. It's not Dr. Colonel or Colonel 00:07:24.220 --> 00:07:27.560 Doctor or whatever. So Scott and Fred, welcome 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:31.480 to the show. Hey, thank you, Neil. I wonder if 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:33.399 Fred's still on the line. I fear we lost him. 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:38.259 Oh, did we lose? Did we lose Fred? Oh, we may 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:44.230 have lost him. I really think your software is 00:07:44.230 --> 00:07:46.589 likely set up just to drop anyone who's affiliated 00:07:46.589 --> 00:07:48.610 with the University of Louisville, I suspect. 00:07:49.790 --> 00:07:53.490 Yeah, that could be it. So let's see if we can 00:07:53.490 --> 00:07:57.629 get Fred back on the line. We had another call 00:07:57.629 --> 00:08:01.069 there going during the break, and that may have 00:08:01.069 --> 00:08:05.050 knocked Fred out. So Fred, are you back? Yeah, 00:08:05.089 --> 00:08:07.620 we're back. Thanks, Neil. Glad to be back. All 00:08:07.620 --> 00:08:10.480 right. Thanks for catching that, Scott. We just 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:14.319 read all the bio stuff here. So welcome to the 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:17.939 show, Fred. Thank you. Good to be back with you 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:25.199 and Scott. Now, in honor of Scott going to the 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.839 University of Kentucky, and I went to the University 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.600 of Kentucky for a while, and your daughter going 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:32.940 to the University of Kentucky, I thought maybe 00:08:32.940 --> 00:08:36.379 we need a moment of silence to play the The UK 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:40.419 fight song. Would that be, would that be acceptable, 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:49.860 Fred? Most appropriate. Most appropriate. So 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:52.019 we had to, we had to get the big blue nation 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:54.740 stuff in there, you know, whenever I can. So, 00:08:54.820 --> 00:09:01.019 all right. Well, we, we got that in, but, um, 00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:04.360 we're going to talk about WRTC tonight and, uh, 00:09:04.490 --> 00:09:06.950 We're proud to announce that HamTalk Live will 00:09:06.950 --> 00:09:10.289 be live from Wittenberg, Germany on the day the 00:09:10.289 --> 00:09:13.850 competitors arrive at the headquarters hotel, 00:09:14.090 --> 00:09:17.549 which is Thursday, July 12th. And Ed Durant, 00:09:17.669 --> 00:09:21.350 DD5LP, will be there via Skype to talk with some 00:09:21.350 --> 00:09:23.549 of the competitors passing through the lobby 00:09:23.549 --> 00:09:27.100 there before the opening ceremonies. So be sure 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:29.480 to tune in to HamTalk Live. It'll be a special 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:33.700 time on July 12th instead of 9 p .m. It'll be 00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:37.940 8 a .m. Eastern Time which is 2 p .m. in Germany 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:41.980 or 1200 Zulu. And of course we'll have it on 00:09:41.980 --> 00:09:44.120 demand so you can listen after that but we'll 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:49.120 be live at 8 a .m. Eastern Time on the July 12th 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:54.269 episode. Let's tear right into it here. We were 00:09:54.269 --> 00:09:57.110 fortunate to have Doug Grant, K1DG, on the show 00:09:57.110 --> 00:10:01.509 back in January to talk about what goes on at 00:10:01.509 --> 00:10:04.950 WRTC, but this week we want to take a look at 00:10:04.950 --> 00:10:08.070 the teams. that will be competing in the event. 00:10:08.529 --> 00:10:11.870 There's some great human interest stories here 00:10:11.870 --> 00:10:16.389 to tell and Scott and Fred teamed up to interview 00:10:16.389 --> 00:10:20.789 as many WRTC teams as they could for the May 00:10:20.789 --> 00:10:24.350 -June issue of the National Contest Journal which 00:10:24.350 --> 00:10:29.639 is on sale now. So let's talk about some of the, 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:31.840 the front runners for this event. And we were 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:33.940 kind of joking around, you know, if, if Vegas 00:10:33.940 --> 00:10:37.360 had odds on WRTC, you know, if you could, if 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.299 you could rate them, you know, like at Keeneland. 00:10:44.220 --> 00:10:46.879 Obviously did not have a good start and will 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.480 not go to the front at least not yet. Teppen 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:52.340 is out of the gate quicker. So, so we can, we 00:10:52.340 --> 00:10:55.360 can handicap the whole field and come up with 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:02.009 odds here. So. If we get some odds going, Scott, 00:11:02.789 --> 00:11:08.429 who are your frontrunners? You know, Neil, that 00:11:08.429 --> 00:11:11.850 is a great question. And I looked on Nate Silver's 00:11:11.850 --> 00:11:15.970 538 .com website, and I couldn't find any rankings. 00:11:16.990 --> 00:11:23.049 And of course, the WRTC 2018 .de website doesn't 00:11:23.049 --> 00:11:25.470 list. So I guess I'm going to go out on a limb 00:11:25.470 --> 00:11:28.600 here. So I'm gonna give the odds is five to eight 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.720 that the defending champions will win again. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:38.659 If one looks at Chris and, oh I'm blanking on 00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:43.139 the other ones, N6MJ, Dan, Dan Craig, if one 00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:45.419 looks at their performance and contest, they 00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:49.019 really are in the stratosphere. Dan Craig, N6MJ, 00:11:49.100 --> 00:11:51.740 often does SO3R when he's operating by himself. 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:54.799 So he's got one radio on the left here. and two 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:56.539 radios going into the right ear and he can do 00:11:56.539 --> 00:11:59.860 something on three bands. And I think he can 00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:02.000 do more contacts in an hour than most of us can 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.700 do in a half a day. And Chris is very good as 00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:07.639 well with SO2R. Now there are a number of other 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:12.700 competitors like Nate in for I guess YDU from 00:12:12.700 --> 00:12:15.700 North Carolina also can do that. So we have some 00:12:15.700 --> 00:12:18.919 really tremendously talented young operators. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:22.879 But I think if one looks at the margin of victory 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:27.820 in 2014, and the sheer performance in contests 00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:30.759 between then and now, I really think the defending 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:34.120 champions are most likely going to win again. 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:38.059 There's been nothing to suggest they have not 00:12:38.059 --> 00:12:41.580 remained at the top. So that's who I think is 00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:47.500 likely to win. Neil, I think if you look at OM3BH, 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:51.350 Rasty and his partner Joseph OM3GI. They came 00:12:51.350 --> 00:12:54.269 in number two the last time. If anyone gives 00:12:54.269 --> 00:12:57.889 a serious run to Dan and to Chris, it'll be those 00:12:57.889 --> 00:13:01.710 two. I think any of the German teams are especially, 00:13:02.289 --> 00:13:06.590 especially competitive. Manfred and Stefan, DJ5MW 00:13:06.590 --> 00:13:11.169 and DL1IAO are good. I personally think Frank 00:13:11.169 --> 00:13:15.850 and Winifred, DL2CC and DK9IP are very competitive. 00:13:15.990 --> 00:13:18.860 I mean, Frank loves CW. Fred and I are both CW 00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:22.419 Ops guys, so what more can we say? And then I 00:13:22.419 --> 00:13:25.019 think any of the Russian stations run a very 00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:28.879 good chance of winning. So, not trying to hedge 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.500 here, but I think probably the likely winners 00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:34.580 are going to come, one team from the U .S., and 00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:37.100 then the next two will likely be from Europe, 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:40.259 either from Slovakia or from Germany. I also 00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:44.299 think that you can never underestimate K1DG, 00:13:44.299 --> 00:13:47.139 who was on your show the last time, he wants 00:13:47.289 --> 00:13:49.769 He wants a bronze medal badly, and I could see 00:13:49.769 --> 00:13:53.509 Doug placing third in this contest. I also thank 00:13:53.509 --> 00:13:58.649 K9VB and VE3EJ. They came so close the last time, 00:13:58.929 --> 00:14:02.269 they could end up in the top three as well. So 00:14:02.269 --> 00:14:05.950 lots of opportunities. And I guess the other 00:14:05.950 --> 00:14:07.710 team that I really ought to mention who I think 00:14:07.710 --> 00:14:09.769 has a real shot at placing in the top three are 00:14:09.769 --> 00:14:14.269 Crassie, K1LZ, and Y09GZU, his partner. They 00:14:14.269 --> 00:14:17.980 did a tremendous job. in the last WRTC, and I 00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:20.320 think Krassi's hungry to win the whole contest, 00:14:20.899 --> 00:14:22.580 so don't be surprised to see him make a move 00:14:22.580 --> 00:14:25.259 on the inside to try to pull up as the contest 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:27.779 goes on. And finally, I just want to say I think 00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:32.519 based on his ARRL DXCW performance in Tango India 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:35.080 7 Whiskey, which will be featured in the upcoming 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:38.700 edition of National Contest Journal, Nate N4YDU 00:14:38.700 --> 00:14:43.580 and his partner Cam N3KS also. I think have the 00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:46.259 potential to place anywhere in the top four. 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:49.919 Can they overtake Dan and Chris? I don't know. 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.259 And I think it's hard to say. Fred, those are 00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:55.720 my predictions. What are yours? Well, we asked 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:59.200 this question of the respondents. And so each 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:02.080 one of them had a chance to kind of tell us who 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.159 they favored and why they thought they might 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:08.879 be. winners. They felt the top finishers in the 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:11.559 last WRTC would have the better odds, of course. 00:15:12.019 --> 00:15:14.539 And some gave the EU teams the edge, as you said, 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.519 with the German teams. But within the 63 teams, 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:20.740 you've got it all. You have age diversity. I 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:24.399 mean, I think the ages range from some of the 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:29.100 youth of 15 to age 77, Marva, N5AW. There's gender 00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:32.080 diversity. There's career and equipment diversity. 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:33.919 There's lots of variables that take into account. 00:15:34.549 --> 00:15:37.169 Every skill that you acquire, you know, kind 00:15:37.169 --> 00:15:39.330 of doubles your odds of success. I like dark 00:15:39.330 --> 00:15:41.070 horses. I think everybody likes dark horses. 00:15:41.190 --> 00:15:45.129 I don't think Okay, I'm gonna give you two dark 00:15:45.129 --> 00:15:48.129 horses then okay, these are both sponsored teams 00:15:48.129 --> 00:15:54.870 All right in six in six XI and AE 6y They they 00:15:54.870 --> 00:15:57.250 are a sponsored team, but they're premier contesters 00:15:57.250 --> 00:16:00.929 and I would never ever bet against K3 LR and 00:16:00.929 --> 00:16:04.820 DL 1 qq I think they will do very well as well. 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:07.460 Yeah, I think Sandy DL1QQ has got kind of the 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:09.360 insights group on some of the propagation variations 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:14.120 that they have in Germany as opposed to here 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:15.840 in the States. And Tim was actually over there 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:19.539 last year. And then what's not to like about 00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:22.460 the youth teams? And we know a couple of them, 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:26.919 so youth enthusiasm. Yeah, you're exactly right. 00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:29.980 I mean, if you look at the WPX contest a couple 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:33.340 of weeks ago, CETMVF, who by the way now is Charlie 00:16:33.340 --> 00:16:36.799 Echo 2 Lima Radio, and Bryant, Kilo Golf 5 Hotel 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:39.100 Victor Ocean, scored over 2 million points with 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:43.700 dipoles in the tree from Alabama and with low 00:16:43.700 --> 00:16:47.700 power. They are tremendous operators and contesters. 00:16:47.700 --> 00:16:50.659 Never underestimate Matias. That guy's a competitor. 00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:53.779 He nearly qualified himself with a small station 00:16:53.779 --> 00:16:56.860 in the central part of Chile, going up against 00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:59.220 some of the big stations in South America. And 00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:03.659 then, of course, HA8RT and Y08TTT both are high 00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:08.779 -speed telegraphy champions and contesters. HA8RT, 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:11.500 I think, has been mentored by his father, unless 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:15.420 I have him switched with Y08TTT. So, boy, the 00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:18.579 youth teams could make a run here, too. I think 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:22.839 contesting is a learned skill. So, I'm not predicting 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:25.569 any of the youth teams to win. Because I think 00:17:25.569 --> 00:17:28.109 in 10 years time, they will be like N6MJ and 00:17:28.109 --> 00:17:31.150 KL9A, Dan and Chris. They'll be at the top. But 00:17:31.150 --> 00:17:32.730 right now, I think they're still learning the 00:17:32.730 --> 00:17:35.289 techniques. You've probably seen that cartoon, 00:17:35.309 --> 00:17:37.029 and perhaps some of Neil's listeners have as 00:17:37.029 --> 00:17:39.730 well. This cartoon goes something like that. 00:17:39.829 --> 00:17:41.609 They say old age and treachery will always be 00:17:41.609 --> 00:17:44.309 youth and experience. There's something to be 00:17:44.309 --> 00:17:47.710 said for experience. But youth, no boundaries, 00:17:47.849 --> 00:17:52.869 no fears, and no expectations either. Now again, 00:17:53.369 --> 00:17:55.349 I want to I want to I also want to stress that 00:17:55.349 --> 00:17:59.029 I I would not rule out wild card team for K1 00:17:59.029 --> 00:18:02.690 DG and in to NT They are phenomenal. They are 00:18:02.690 --> 00:18:07.329 phenomenal Now let me ask this, you know, we 00:18:07.329 --> 00:18:10.210 were joking around and then you know saying well, 00:18:10.210 --> 00:18:13.130 you know the betting odds and we're handicapping 00:18:13.130 --> 00:18:17.750 everybody and figuring this out, but Is there 00:18:17.750 --> 00:18:20.289 a home team advantage? Do you think the Germans 00:18:20.289 --> 00:18:23.170 are going to have a significant advantage over 00:18:23.170 --> 00:18:27.470 everybody else? I think any of the European teams 00:18:27.470 --> 00:18:30.190 have a home team advantage. I don't think propagation 00:18:30.190 --> 00:18:32.730 in Germany is materially different than Slovenia 00:18:32.730 --> 00:18:36.990 or Slovakia or Hungary. I think it's like saying 00:18:36.990 --> 00:18:39.029 does someone from Indiana have an advantage over 00:18:39.029 --> 00:18:41.170 someone from Illinois, Kentucky or Ohio? The 00:18:41.170 --> 00:18:43.609 answer is the propagation is pretty similar. 00:18:44.230 --> 00:18:45.930 If you get in the northern latitudes like where 00:18:45.930 --> 00:18:48.519 we live, it's tougher, and that would be the 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:52.019 same for the OH guys. But remember, Rasty and 00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:54.220 Joseph came in number two despite coming from 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:56.900 Propagation Challenge OH. I'm sorry, they're 00:18:56.900 --> 00:19:00.380 from Slovakia, excuse me, OM, but the OH stations, 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:02.819 I don't know that they have an advantage based 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:04.039 on that. I think they're going to find different 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:07.779 propagation in Central Europe. Well, the antennas 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:11.059 and the locations are all standardized. They 00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:14.920 set power limits, so propagation is a variable. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:17.339 Weather is another other variable, but it affects 00:19:17.339 --> 00:19:20.119 all of the competitors equally. There's some 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.759 differences in equipment and then nobody can 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:32.339 rule out Murphy. Now, what do you think on these 00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:39.079 youth teams? They are preparing and running all 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:41.599 these contests and trying to do all this stuff, 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:46.160 but what do you think it means to have them in 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:50.000 the competition? Well, we've had the good fortune 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:55.640 to meet both Zina, ZL4, YL, and Bryant, KG5, 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:58.960 HVO. Actually, Bryant was at Contest U a couple 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.900 years ago, and most recently, we saw Zina at 00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:05.599 Vasalia. And they're pretty impressive young 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:08.460 people, and with lots of enthusiasm. And I've 00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:10.980 worked both of them on the air. They've got skills. 00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:15.099 Yeah, and I know Matthias from my time in Chile, 00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:18.779 CE2MVF, who by the way is now CE2 Lima Radio. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:23.779 He's been mentored by CE3CT and VE7 Sugar Victor. 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:26.700 By the way, VE7 Sugar Victor is a competitor 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:31.119 in the contest. But Matthias, or Chuki as his 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.500 friends call him, that guy's got incredible energy. 00:20:34.490 --> 00:20:36.849 I've never seen anyone who can work a pile up 00:20:36.849 --> 00:20:40.269 and correspond with me on WhatsApp about when 00:20:40.269 --> 00:20:42.750 I'm coming and how the bands are here versus 00:20:42.750 --> 00:20:45.990 there. So I say jokingly, he can do SO3R, two 00:20:45.990 --> 00:20:50.049 rigs at once, and his WhatsApp by iPhone. And 00:20:50.049 --> 00:20:53.329 remember, Brian was a young man who was first 00:20:53.329 --> 00:20:57.789 doing the CW, keying his mic. Yeah, and now with 00:20:57.789 --> 00:21:00.049 a Bagali key, I would say watch out. That guy's 00:21:00.049 --> 00:21:01.880 going to be on the roll. He's going to tear it 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:04.940 up on sideband and CW. I think he's probably 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:08.220 going to be doing CW while Chucky is doing sideband. 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:14.619 Well, now we've got an interesting situation 00:21:14.619 --> 00:21:18.119 that came up just in the last couple of days 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:21.740 here. And I was joking that, okay, I'm going 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:25.180 to take the long shot. We've got a team without 00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:30.539 a leader. Oh, I wouldn't. Look, there's going 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:32.180 to be a number of people who apply for that, 00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:35.359 all of whom are good contesters. We have a lot 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:38.259 of people who didn't make the competition, who 00:21:38.259 --> 00:21:40.960 came in second or third in their regions. And 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:43.680 my guess is you're going to see a top tier contestor 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:46.700 jump in and work with Delta Lima 1 Charlie Whiskey 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:51.859 to represent Africa. But they'll never underestimate 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:54.000 that, Neil. I wouldn't bet that is a long shot. 00:21:54.810 --> 00:21:58.049 Yeah, so one of the competitors had to to drop 00:21:58.049 --> 00:22:01.390 out and so they're They're looking for a replacement. 00:22:01.670 --> 00:22:05.609 So, oh, you never know. You just you don't know 00:22:05.609 --> 00:22:10.869 what could happen and So, you know, we'll keep 00:22:10.869 --> 00:22:16.589 the odds down I guess on Well, I also want to 00:22:16.589 --> 00:22:18.970 mention, you know Pat Barkey in nine Romeo Victor 00:22:18.970 --> 00:22:22.539 the editor of NCJ before me Pat's going over 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:25.940 there with a plan to win, he and N6TR. So don't 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:29.079 be surprised if Pat surfaces in the top three 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:32.680 as well as K3PA. Biomedical engineer in Kansas, 00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:35.380 he has done extraordinarily well in contests 00:22:35.380 --> 00:22:38.519 and won the zero competition. So those are two 00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:40.440 other names that you may not think about, but 00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:43.460 they have every opportunity to go for the gold 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:48.559 on this as well. Well, speaking of of spots to 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:52.819 fill Ed Durant DD5 LP who was going to be our 00:22:52.819 --> 00:22:57.740 correspondent during WRTC live here on the show 00:22:57.740 --> 00:23:00.160 He couldn't be with us tonight because in Germany, 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:03.940 it's 2 a .m. Right now But he wants to pass along 00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:06.819 his regards to both of you for all the work that 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:11.319 you put into in CJ but he is working with the 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:14.140 organizing committee and media and some other 00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:18.900 things and and wanted me to pass along the need 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:23.059 for a few more volunteers. If you're going to 00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:28.160 Germany during WRTC to visit or for another reason, 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:32.380 please consider volunteering. I'll read this 00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:35.880 here that he sent me. The WRTC organizing committee 00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:39.819 is looking for another dozen volunteers to support 00:23:39.819 --> 00:23:43.509 the 65 contest sites. They need help putting 00:23:43.509 --> 00:23:46.509 up antennas and tents, making sure the generators 00:23:46.509 --> 00:23:50.029 don't run out of fuel, active security so that 00:23:50.029 --> 00:23:54.230 we don't have any interruptions during the competition 00:23:54.230 --> 00:23:58.690 time. visiting to see what's happening. This 00:23:58.690 --> 00:24:01.470 is a great way to become a part of the event 00:24:01.470 --> 00:24:05.410 and take away some great memories. So new volunteers 00:24:05.410 --> 00:24:08.009 will be teamed up with trained experienced ones. 00:24:08.170 --> 00:24:11.430 So if you think that you can't help well, yeah, 00:24:11.430 --> 00:24:14.250 you can. And you don't have to speak Germany 00:24:14.250 --> 00:24:19.289 either. English is fine. So Ed says otherwise, 00:24:19.509 --> 00:24:22.950 everything is on schedule and the finances are 00:24:22.950 --> 00:24:25.490 good. Of course, you can always use more donations, 00:24:25.750 --> 00:24:28.789 but They're in pretty good shape, but they do 00:24:28.789 --> 00:24:31.769 need a few more volunteers to kind of lighten 00:24:31.769 --> 00:24:36.509 the load. So if that applies to you, they are 00:24:36.509 --> 00:24:42.109 looking for that and the website, wrtc2018 .de. 00:24:42.930 --> 00:24:46.470 So we're going to take a break right now and 00:24:46.470 --> 00:24:49.890 then we're going to come back and talk a little 00:24:49.890 --> 00:24:53.309 more and take your calls and we'll talk about 00:24:53.309 --> 00:24:56.349 some of the other teams. uh... that we haven't 00:24:56.349 --> 00:25:01.509 uh... dived into just yet uh... but uh... we're 00:25:01.509 --> 00:25:04.630 also uh... going to give away something here 00:25:04.630 --> 00:25:08.049 after uh... after a while so uh... call in you 00:25:08.049 --> 00:25:10.730 may get a chance to win here uh... but we'll 00:25:10.730 --> 00:25:12.910 be back after this word from the national voice 00:25:12.910 --> 00:25:16.029 of america museum of broadcasting right here 00:25:16.029 --> 00:25:19.089 on ham talk live The National Voice of America 00:25:19.089 --> 00:25:21.990 Museum of Broadcasting, located in Westchester, 00:25:22.170 --> 00:25:25.589 Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, is only two minutes 00:25:25.589 --> 00:25:29.710 off I -75. The museum is the former home of the 00:25:29.710 --> 00:25:33.170 Voice of America Bethany Relay Station. Tours 00:25:33.170 --> 00:25:35.750 are now available every Saturday and Sunday from 00:25:35.750 --> 00:25:39.190 1 to 4 p .m. Eastern Time. You can see the control 00:25:39.190 --> 00:25:43.470 room. a 200 ,000 watt transmitter, and the most 00:25:43.470 --> 00:25:46.390 comprehensive collection of inventions by the 00:25:46.390 --> 00:25:50.509 iconic Powell -Crosley Jr. Also on display is 00:25:50.509 --> 00:25:54.329 a huge antique radio exhibit and R .L. Drake's 00:25:54.329 --> 00:25:57.329 personal collection of most every Drake amateur 00:25:57.329 --> 00:26:01.190 rig ever made. This is a unique opportunity to 00:26:01.190 --> 00:26:04.369 see amateur radio in action and have a chance 00:26:04.369 --> 00:26:09.930 to get on the air from WC8VOA. Admission is only 00:26:09.930 --> 00:26:13.650 $5 a person. The museum is located close to historic 00:26:13.650 --> 00:26:18.349 WLWAM and tons of shopping and restaurants. Take 00:26:18.349 --> 00:26:22.289 a trip to the VOA museum or visit us online at 00:26:22.289 --> 00:26:27.009 voamuseum .org. You're listening to HamTalk Live 00:26:27.009 --> 00:26:30.730 with Neil Rapp. Yesterday, my XYL said she'd 00:26:30.730 --> 00:26:33.529 leave me if I didn't give up ham radio. Over. 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:44.500 HamTalk Live is on the air every Thursday night 00:26:44.500 --> 00:26:47.599 at 9 p .m. Eastern Time right here at HamTalkLive 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:50.740 .com and be sure to check us out on Facebook, 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:53.380 Twitter, and Instagram and right now it's time 00:26:53.380 --> 00:26:56.339 for your calls. So if you have a question for 00:26:56.339 --> 00:26:59.460 Scott or Fred, give us a call. Again, that number 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:08.000 is 812 -NET -HAM -1. That's 812 -638 -4261 or 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:11.579 you can Skype us. We're HamTalk Live on Skype, 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:15.119 and we're also on Twitter, at HamTalk Live. So 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:18.680 if you have a question or comment, be sure to 00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:21.859 send it our way, because that's what we're here 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:27.099 for, is to get your input during the show. So 00:27:27.099 --> 00:27:30.240 Scott, let's pick up here. We want to talk a 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:34.950 little bit about... about jet lag and some of 00:27:34.950 --> 00:27:38.390 the radios and how that's going to affect, you 00:27:38.390 --> 00:27:40.950 know, what equipment they're bringing over, how 00:27:40.950 --> 00:27:44.369 that's going to affect things. Yeah, thanks Neil. 00:27:45.170 --> 00:27:47.450 As you mentioned at the beginning of the show, 00:27:47.670 --> 00:27:50.430 I travel enough internationally to suffer from 00:27:50.430 --> 00:27:54.319 jet lag every other month or two. And I think 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:56.160 that's going to be a factor for everyone flying 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.700 into Europe, whether it's Asia or the United 00:27:58.700 --> 00:28:00.599 States. I've asked a number of the competitors 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:03.440 if they plan to go about a week early to acclimate, 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.299 and almost none of them have. And I think people 00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:08.380 are underestimating how tired they're going to 00:28:08.380 --> 00:28:12.599 be. You know, for your own biological system, 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:15.619 about 2 p .m. in the afternoon and 2 a .m., you 00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:18.819 hit a low, where your cortisol is low and you're 00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:21.259 just ready to take a nap or fall asleep. And 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:25.339 I think with the competition, a lot of our friends 00:28:25.339 --> 00:28:27.440 who are going over from the United States and 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:30.059 Canada are going to find themselves having that 00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:32.640 tough feeling during a contest even worse because 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:35.240 of jet lag. So if anything, I think that gives 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:37.299 a bit of an advantage to anyone who lives within 00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:39.519 an hour or two of Central European time, which 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:43.059 is German time. So we'll see if that's a factor. 00:28:43.309 --> 00:28:46.130 You know, in the May -June issue of NCJ, we featured 00:28:46.130 --> 00:28:48.130 Martin, who's going to be using a Hilberling. 00:28:48.210 --> 00:28:51.130 I think it's only appropriate that at least one 00:28:51.130 --> 00:28:53.630 German amateur use a Hilberling in the contest. 00:28:54.210 --> 00:28:56.289 Those are wonderful radios. I don't own one, 00:28:56.609 --> 00:28:59.170 but I've looked at them at Dayton, and they sort 00:28:59.170 --> 00:29:04.210 of represent the best of German engineering and 00:29:04.210 --> 00:29:06.710 transceivers. So, that's interesting. I know 00:29:06.710 --> 00:29:10.190 the defending champs are taking ICOM 7851s over. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:14.700 Tim Duffy and Sandy are going to use 7610 ICOMs. 00:29:16.099 --> 00:29:19.680 Probably 20 % of the participants are using ICOM 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:22.359 radios. About half are using Eli Craft K3 or 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:27.400 K3S radios. And that's not a surprise. It's a 00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:29.299 tremendous contest rig and it's very lightweight. 00:29:29.819 --> 00:29:31.759 And then there's a mixture, Yeh Su, and a couple 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:35.700 people are taking new Flex 6600Ms over. So we're 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:38.609 going to get to see a real... a real test of 00:29:38.609 --> 00:29:41.450 all the different radios, super heads and SDRs 00:29:41.450 --> 00:29:43.369 and it'll be really interesting to see how they 00:29:43.369 --> 00:29:46.349 hold up and perform in that very close in transmitter 00:29:46.349 --> 00:29:49.369 environment with very loud signals on the bands 00:29:49.369 --> 00:29:52.230 because I suspect a lot of the Europeans are 00:29:52.230 --> 00:29:53.849 going to be running more than 100 watts to work 00:29:53.849 --> 00:29:57.210 all of the stations. That was an aspect of the 00:29:57.210 --> 00:29:59.150 article interviews that kind of we had to kind 00:29:59.150 --> 00:30:01.450 of compress towards the very end of the of the 00:30:01.450 --> 00:30:03.170 article, the equipment, and the software, and 00:30:03.170 --> 00:30:05.710 the radios, because there's quite some detail 00:30:05.710 --> 00:30:07.990 that the teams listed. They didn't go into all 00:30:07.990 --> 00:30:11.009 of their secret strategies, but that was an area 00:30:11.009 --> 00:30:12.750 that we kind of overlooked. But think about those 00:30:12.750 --> 00:30:15.509 278 -51s being hauled around in the overhead 00:30:15.509 --> 00:30:21.829 luggage on a 10 -hour flight. Oh, yeah. And just 00:30:21.829 --> 00:30:23.549 think about how the shoulders and backs are going 00:30:23.549 --> 00:30:26.190 to hurt from lifting a 90 -pound Pelican case, 00:30:26.690 --> 00:30:30.359 even just to move it to the rental car. I don't 00:30:30.359 --> 00:30:33.839 envy that. I've taken some 70 -pound Pelican 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:38.220 cases with smaller ICOM radios and ACOM amplifiers 00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:40.519 when I've been overseas, and that's heavy enough. 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:43.119 Fred and I can laugh about the time we came back 00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:45.660 from VP5, and I stopped halfway to the car at 00:30:45.660 --> 00:30:47.079 the Minneapolis airport and said, I've got to 00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:48.619 find something to pull this thing. I'm tired. 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:50.339 He said, no, I'll carry it the rest of the way, 00:30:50.339 --> 00:30:53.240 and he picked it up and carried it. It's not 00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:56.839 inconsequential. You know, Neil, this is probably 00:30:56.839 --> 00:31:00.180 the first WRTC, at least to my knowledge, where 00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:02.140 there's a father -daughter team who qualified. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:07.660 We have Holger, ZL3IO or ZL2IO, and his daughter, 00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:14.160 Zenia, ZL4YYL. And Holger qualified from the 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:17.019 Pacific Rim, from New Zealand. Holger's originally 00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:20.059 from Germany, and his wife is also a ham, she's 00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:22.750 from Germany. but they live and work in New Zealand 00:31:22.750 --> 00:31:25.589 because they wanted to experience that climate 00:31:25.589 --> 00:31:27.509 and raise their daughters there, and their youngest 00:31:27.509 --> 00:31:29.950 daughter, Xenia, is a very active contestor. 00:31:30.190 --> 00:31:35.250 Fred and I both met her at Visalia, and Fred 00:31:35.250 --> 00:31:37.950 worked her in the WPX contest. She is a very 00:31:37.950 --> 00:31:40.990 competitive contester for a 15 -year -old. And 00:31:40.990 --> 00:31:42.609 I have to say, they had the luck of the Irish. 00:31:42.750 --> 00:31:44.609 They each won a brand -new transceiver while 00:31:44.609 --> 00:31:47.730 they were in Visalia. So, you know, their luck 00:31:47.730 --> 00:31:54.039 may be continuing on at WRTC. 812 -638 -4261 00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:56.619 is the phone number if you want to give us a 00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:59.559 call and chime in now's the time to do that 812 00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:04.819 -638 -4261 or you can tweet us at ham talk live 00:32:04.819 --> 00:32:07.920 So yeah, the father -daughter team, you know 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:11.589 had a chance to talk to them and uh... holder 00:32:11.589 --> 00:32:14.930 you know just decided well you know uh... it 00:32:14.930 --> 00:32:17.390 sure makes the the meetings a lot easier and 00:32:17.390 --> 00:32:20.509 she's doing well and cw and and it just made 00:32:20.509 --> 00:32:25.210 sense to go ahead and do it you know she's developed 00:32:25.210 --> 00:32:27.509 a strategy uh... i think zinni is going to stay 00:32:27.509 --> 00:32:30.170 on twenty meters the entire contest and run for 00:32:30.170 --> 00:32:32.390 twenty four hours that's my understanding it 00:32:32.390 --> 00:32:35.309 what she's derived is their strategy uh... they've 00:32:35.309 --> 00:32:38.289 analyzed the logs of the last four wrtc's and 00:32:38.289 --> 00:32:41.000 looked at the top top five finishing teams versus 00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:43.039 the others and they put a lot of thought into 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:45.460 this so uh... we'll see you know it's going to 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:47.279 be uh... it's going to be interesting and exciting 00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:49.940 to watch uh... Roberto Ramirez Charlie Echo 3 00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:52.440 Charlie Tango is one of our new contributing 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:54.859 editors in NCJ we'll be introducing him in the 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:57.160 next issue but he's going to give us a uh... 00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:59.880 article about WRTC right after the competition 00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:03.019 so i'm hopeful in the september october issue 00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:06.599 of NCJ we will have a an article about the competition 00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:10.690 the winners and how the contest went Now Fred, 00:33:10.809 --> 00:33:14.009 did you have any teams that just kind of there 00:33:14.009 --> 00:33:17.109 was a story there that that kind of stood out 00:33:17.109 --> 00:33:21.190 to you? Well, I think Xenia and Holger story 00:33:21.190 --> 00:33:24.589 was probably the most notable one I mean, I I 00:33:24.589 --> 00:33:27.349 like the fact that the seven sugar Victor is 00:33:27.349 --> 00:33:30.009 coming back for like his seventh time. So it's 00:33:30.009 --> 00:33:38.329 got this longevity Marv in five AW, you know, 00:33:38.329 --> 00:33:42.930 he's got this He's 77 years old and I hope that 00:33:42.930 --> 00:33:45.369 when I get to that age I can hang in there with 00:33:45.369 --> 00:33:47.710 the big guns too. I mean these are all giants, 00:33:47.970 --> 00:33:50.829 Neil. And there's 63 participants who are just 00:33:50.829 --> 00:33:55.210 the best of the best contesters and just to get 00:33:55.210 --> 00:33:59.829 there is an honor. So nothing really jumps out 00:33:59.829 --> 00:34:04.029 at me with the team selections or how one team 00:34:04.029 --> 00:34:07.769 member would choose another other than just... 00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:10.880 competitors and then been friends and hey, you 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.380 want to go to WRTC with me and let's do it. You 00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:17.280 know, two stuck out to me, you know, that Fred 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:19.500 hasn't mentioned yet that I think are worth mentioning. 00:34:19.800 --> 00:34:23.500 John Cravoly, W2GD, and Bud AA3 Bravo. They're 00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:26.619 both premier contesters, both over 50, shall 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:31.559 we say. John's been at WRTC before. He is a tremendous 00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:34.480 CW guy. Goes 40, 45 words a minute constantly. 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:39.860 And then Ranko, 403A and Echo 73 Alpha are a 00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:43.239 sponsored team. These guys are tremendous contesters. 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:47.659 And Renko, of course, develops world -class contesting 00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:49.860 technology. I have some of his stuff in my home, 00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:53.800 in my station. So the engineering behind this, 00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:57.699 I think it will be fascinating to watch the engineering, 00:34:57.860 --> 00:35:01.730 the K3LR. 403A and a couple of others will bring 00:35:01.730 --> 00:35:04.170 just to see what they do to really mitigate noise 00:35:04.170 --> 00:35:06.929 and mitigate interference and to give them advantage 00:35:06.929 --> 00:35:08.869 in hearing the weak station. You know these contests 00:35:08.869 --> 00:35:12.110 are won and lost not by working the loud stations 00:35:12.110 --> 00:35:14.449 or the medium -sized stations. It's how many 00:35:14.449 --> 00:35:16.730 can you work who are weak to keep your run rates 00:35:16.730 --> 00:35:20.329 as fast as possible. Yeah and then also reduce 00:35:20.329 --> 00:35:23.269 the error rates and pass multipliers and you 00:35:23.269 --> 00:35:25.699 know finding the right optimal mix of single 00:35:25.699 --> 00:35:28.360 sideband and CWQSOs because this is a dual mode 00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:31.039 contest and you know that takes a little strategizing 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:33.380 as well but passing those multipliers and keeping 00:35:33.380 --> 00:35:36.260 the error rates down as well as maintaining the 00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:42.840 rate is so critical to the ultimate winner. 8126384261 00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:47.699 if you have a question here or a comment and 00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:50.719 Scott you've got something to give away here 00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:55.960 too. Yeah, I do, Neil. I wanted to say also, 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:58.900 if you are a contester but not one who ever thinks 00:35:58.900 --> 00:36:03.099 you can win a contest, listen to some of these 00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:06.059 operators on the air after they come back. For 00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:09.039 example, K1DG and N2 November Tango operated 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:12.559 V47 Tango. And I've operated from the Caribbean 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:15.980 and Sideman and CW contests and I listened to 00:36:15.980 --> 00:36:19.360 them in the last CQ contest they did and I learned 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:22.360 something. They are just... they are just one 00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:24.940 constant -going machine. They can make a run 00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:28.599 like no one else can. So I think, you know, look 00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:30.840 these calls up when you're on the next contest 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:32.860 and just spend five minutes listening to how 00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:34.840 they work piled up. You'll learn a lot about 00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:39.940 very effective contesting tactics. Well, you've 00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:42.960 got something there to give away and we're getting 00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.699 toward the end of the show here. So I thought 00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:49.039 I might go ahead and bring that up. All of this 00:36:49.050 --> 00:36:52.030 you know, information that we're talking about 00:36:52.030 --> 00:36:58.469 tonight. The WRTC competitors and some of these 00:36:58.469 --> 00:37:02.690 teams are featured in the National Contest Journal 00:37:02.690 --> 00:37:06.809 and Scott has a chance for someone who's not 00:37:06.809 --> 00:37:10.130 a subscriber to the National Contest Journal 00:37:10.130 --> 00:37:12.750 to pick one up for free tonight. So tell us about 00:37:12.750 --> 00:37:16.929 that. Yeah, we do. The AWRL has provided a free 00:37:16.929 --> 00:37:19.050 subscription tonight available to any of your 00:37:19.050 --> 00:37:21.210 callers or people who tweet who don't subscribe 00:37:21.210 --> 00:37:23.769 with a question that you pick up and use during 00:37:23.769 --> 00:37:26.349 the interview so hopefully someone will take 00:37:26.349 --> 00:37:29.690 advantage of this short term but great opportunity 00:37:29.690 --> 00:37:32.570 as they say on television operators are standing 00:37:32.570 --> 00:37:42.789 by or sometimes they're standing yeah bye and 00:37:42.789 --> 00:37:46.460 they take off so Give us a call eight one two 00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:50.039 six three four two six one and if you're not 00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:55.199 a current Subscriber to NCJ we have a prize for 00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:59.880 you and let's let's talk a little bit about you 00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:04.860 know the the journal for a minute We've got all 00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:08.380 this stuff going on with WRTC, but there's there's 00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:12.119 a lot Of other things that are going on in there 00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:15.199 There are. You know, it's a great journal. It 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:18.820 is the Journal of Radio Sport. It's a wonderful 00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:21.500 journal. It was started back in the 70s by KZero 00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:24.360 Tango Ocean Todd Olson. Started it in his kitchen 00:38:24.360 --> 00:38:28.920 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Todd was the first, 00:38:28.940 --> 00:38:30.760 but not the last editor. It's gone through a 00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:34.179 number of editors. Since Fred and I took over, 00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:36.559 we've expanded it a bit in terms of its focus. 00:38:36.659 --> 00:38:40.019 We have a next -gen contributing editor, you, 00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:45.599 Neil, do a fabulous job. We have a DX editor 00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:49.059 coming on board. We have a new editor, Mark Aker, 00:38:49.340 --> 00:38:52.360 K6 UFO, who will be talking about remote contesting 00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:55.699 in every issue. Of course, we have really well 00:38:55.699 --> 00:38:58.079 -respected and well -recognized contributing 00:38:58.079 --> 00:39:00.139 editors. Mike Goldstein, who writes the Little 00:39:00.139 --> 00:39:04.679 Pistols page. Don Dazzo on Towers, K4ZA. Ed Muns 00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:08.440 on RIDI contesting, W0 Yankee Kilo. Gary Sutcliffe 00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:12.059 on... Contest Tips, Tricks, and Techniques, who's 00:39:12.059 --> 00:39:14.639 a well -known contester and writes great articles, 00:39:14.659 --> 00:39:18.139 as well as John Jones on VHF UHF Contesting. 00:39:18.539 --> 00:39:23.960 We also sponsor the NAQP QSO parties and sprints, 00:39:24.139 --> 00:39:27.360 and we hope to grow the journal. We've had some 00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:30.280 articles this year on propagation, on what makes 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:32.900 a good receiver, what are the characteristics 00:39:32.900 --> 00:39:36.409 of a good solid -state amplifier. And also some 00:39:36.409 --> 00:39:38.570 good ones on contesting retrograde. Coming up 00:39:38.570 --> 00:39:40.909 in the next issue, we have an interview with 00:39:40.909 --> 00:39:44.269 retired Admiral Scott Redd, who is a well -known 00:39:44.269 --> 00:39:47.969 contester. He won all six major contests at one 00:39:47.969 --> 00:39:50.590 point and also was honored by one of our presidents 00:39:50.590 --> 00:39:53.610 with the highest level of honor that any soldier 00:39:53.610 --> 00:39:56.670 can get. We have an article with a fairly new 00:39:56.670 --> 00:39:59.030 contester who is in his 60s, retired, and won 00:39:59.030 --> 00:40:03.090 the CQ Rookie Award. I think you're doing an 00:40:03.090 --> 00:40:06.400 article on Holger and Zina and her rise as a 00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:09.719 next -gen contestor And then we have part three 00:40:09.719 --> 00:40:12.119 of Peter Chadwick's article on what makes a great 00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:15.039 receiver This is the best of the third best part 00:40:15.039 --> 00:40:17.500 the third parts the best part So I'm really looking 00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:19.460 forward to it coming out. I saw the proofs today 00:40:19.460 --> 00:40:22.480 in it So we're very very close to mailing the 00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:24.780 journal off to the printer having it Hopefully 00:40:24.780 --> 00:40:28.639 and everyone's home by a WRTC also encourage 00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:31.980 go ahead Fred Yeah, no, and John Thompson K3 00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:36.019 MD does our surveys and book reviews and he's 00:40:36.019 --> 00:40:40.300 a great source. Oh, yeah, I'm very sorry. I should 00:40:40.300 --> 00:40:42.480 have mentioned John. John does tremendous book 00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:45.079 reviews and surveys. He's got both coming up 00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:47.360 in the next edition. Thank you, Fred. And of 00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:49.340 course, Fred is the deputy editor and does a 00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:51.840 superb job. And I appreciate his willingness 00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:54.800 to work with me and to travel with me. Also in 00:40:54.800 --> 00:40:56.800 the next issue, we have some new things that 00:40:56.800 --> 00:40:59.420 I saw at Visalien Dayton that will be helpful 00:40:59.420 --> 00:41:02.679 for contesters to make your shack a better place 00:41:02.679 --> 00:41:05.500 to operate. So stay tuned. Maybe a couple new 00:41:05.500 --> 00:41:07.940 radios that are being mentioned, a new SDR, two 00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:11.699 new SDRs, excuse me. I'm sorry, three new SDRs. 00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:14.079 There are more SDRs than superhats now, believe 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:18.619 it or not. And then of course, four new SDRs. 00:41:18.619 --> 00:41:20.179 I guess I should have added this all up in my 00:41:20.179 --> 00:41:23.039 head, Neil. You know, we have a Yesu SDR coming 00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:27.059 out. We have the MB1 from the electronics group 00:41:27.059 --> 00:41:29.119 out of Russia where a young ham designed it as 00:41:29.119 --> 00:41:30.800 a graduate school thesis and now he's turned 00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:33.519 it into a company. We have the 7610 by ICOM, 00:41:33.960 --> 00:41:37.039 an SDR that I own. We have the Flex 6600M and 00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:41.320 6400M featured, which will be SDRs at WRTC along 00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:45.199 with the 7610. And then we have a little story 00:41:45.199 --> 00:41:48.730 about the new Kenwood 890S. And, of course, a 00:41:48.730 --> 00:41:51.130 new antenna design for the person who's got the 00:41:51.130 --> 00:41:53.090 small real estate area, a good vertical for 80 00:41:53.090 --> 00:41:56.150 and 40 that will be powerful for DXing and contesting. 00:41:56.550 --> 00:41:58.469 And then a whole bunch of other things that I 00:41:58.469 --> 00:42:00.429 think people will find of interest. There's a 00:42:00.429 --> 00:42:02.130 lot of content, Neil, and we can't always get 00:42:02.130 --> 00:42:05.369 it between the front and back cover. And that's 00:42:05.369 --> 00:42:09.590 where another unsung hero, KirkK4RO, can put 00:42:09.590 --> 00:42:12.889 it on the NCJ webpage. So we have some of the 00:42:12.889 --> 00:42:16.739 articles that spill over into the webpage. Very 00:42:16.739 --> 00:42:20.360 good and remind everybody how they can sign up 00:42:20.360 --> 00:42:26.320 for the NCJ Go to the a double RL website a RRL 00:42:26.320 --> 00:42:30.500 dot o RG in the search tab at the top type in 00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:33.400 NCJ and then It will take you directly to the 00:42:33.400 --> 00:42:35.239 link and you can pay there by credit card or 00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:38.820 PayPal for a one year subscription six issues 00:42:38.820 --> 00:42:41.760 Delivered to your home QTH and anywhere in the 00:42:41.760 --> 00:42:47.199 world at a very good price All right, so that's 00:42:47.199 --> 00:42:53.400 the current issue of NCJ and what's coming up 00:42:53.400 --> 00:42:57.980 and You should check it out. It's got some some 00:42:57.980 --> 00:43:01.980 really good information in there for for contesters 00:43:01.980 --> 00:43:06.019 and DXers so Hopefully if there's a lucky caller 00:43:06.019 --> 00:43:07.960 tonight, we'll be able to give a new subscription 00:43:07.960 --> 00:43:11.289 away. Yeah, we need that phone to ring Yep 812 00:43:11.289 --> 00:43:15.130 -638 -4261 and we are just about out of time 00:43:15.130 --> 00:43:19.050 so if you're going to call this is the time to 00:43:19.050 --> 00:43:23.650 do it and also want to mention that the 100 watts 00:43:23.650 --> 00:43:25.909 of the wire tune up started just a few hours 00:43:25.909 --> 00:43:29.489 ago so that's a chance to get out and check out 00:43:29.489 --> 00:43:32.449 your field day equipment and get on the air so 00:43:32.449 --> 00:43:38.500 that'll be running this weekend and Also want 00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:41.760 to invite you to leave us a review on ham talk 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:44.780 live if you like what you're hearing Leave us 00:43:44.780 --> 00:43:47.360 a review on iTunes or wherever you listen that 00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:51.599 that helps us out. So Okay, the phone's not ringing 00:43:51.599 --> 00:43:54.079 and we know that most people listen to the to 00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:58.239 the replay. So so what if I propose this? Scott 00:43:58.239 --> 00:44:03.420 what if we we tweet out a question? from the 00:44:03.420 --> 00:44:08.079 episode and then we'll do a drawing from the 00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:11.139 responses from that. Does that sound like a good 00:44:11.139 --> 00:44:16.260 plan? Neil, that's a wrap. That's a wrap. He 00:44:16.260 --> 00:44:19.300 was just waiting to do that, you know that. I 00:44:19.300 --> 00:44:21.420 waited the entire show. All night, all night, 00:44:21.579 --> 00:44:25.320 he's been waiting to do that. All right, so. 00:44:25.530 --> 00:44:29.969 So we'll send out a question on social media 00:44:29.969 --> 00:44:34.610 and we'll take the responses and out of the correct 00:44:34.610 --> 00:44:39.500 responses we'll take a winner for that. free 00:44:39.500 --> 00:44:44.380 years subscription to NCJ if you are not a current 00:44:44.380 --> 00:44:49.000 subscriber. So we will do that and we want to 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:51.940 thank everybody that did listen in tonight live 00:44:51.940 --> 00:44:56.480 and we'll be listening on the podcast or on the 00:44:56.480 --> 00:45:00.480 on -demand version but guys let's go ahead and 00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:04.900 as Scott says let's wrap this up. Any last thoughts 00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:10.239 here before we... Get off the air Yeah, I mean 00:45:10.239 --> 00:45:11.940 one of the things they didn't get into the article 00:45:11.940 --> 00:45:14.639 was that there's been a tremendous effort by 00:45:14.639 --> 00:45:16.820 our German friends to coordinate this and it's 00:45:16.820 --> 00:45:20.179 and it's a It's a tireless job and the fundraising 00:45:20.179 --> 00:45:23.139 by you know ambassador is here and abroad and 00:45:23.139 --> 00:45:24.920 you know It's just been that's enough. That's 00:45:24.920 --> 00:45:29.800 a story that is It should be not forgotten You 00:45:29.800 --> 00:45:32.679 know, that's right. I have to say Neil that the 00:45:32.679 --> 00:45:35.829 Society Midwest contesters has three tents The 00:45:35.829 --> 00:45:38.409 Minnesota Wireless Association in collaboration 00:45:38.409 --> 00:45:40.730 with the Rochester DX and Contest Club has a 00:45:40.730 --> 00:45:43.510 tenth, and most other contest clubs in North 00:45:43.510 --> 00:45:47.110 America have one or two tenths. And you know, 00:45:47.329 --> 00:45:50.090 we just appreciate the generosity of everyone 00:45:50.090 --> 00:45:52.889 who's reached into their wallet. put in some 00:45:52.889 --> 00:45:55.469 money away from their spending on equipment and 00:45:55.469 --> 00:45:58.389 antennas to make this an event a possibility 00:45:58.389 --> 00:46:00.949 and my hats off to all the German organizers 00:46:00.949 --> 00:46:04.070 for The great job they've done and Neil. I just 00:46:04.070 --> 00:46:07.570 want to say congratulations on this show It's 00:46:07.570 --> 00:46:11.349 one of my favorite podcast. It is a great asset 00:46:11.349 --> 00:46:15.590 for ham radio thank you again for promoting contesting 00:46:15.590 --> 00:46:20.110 promoting the National Contest Journal and It's 00:46:20.110 --> 00:46:22.809 just great to also watch all the people that 00:46:22.809 --> 00:46:25.349 you mentor at the Bloomington South High School. 00:46:25.690 --> 00:46:29.469 You are one of the real movers and shakers in 00:46:29.469 --> 00:46:31.929 making Ham Radio reach into the next generation. 00:46:33.190 --> 00:46:35.670 I'm not surprised. The enthusiasm you had when 00:46:35.670 --> 00:46:38.349 I met you when you were five continues to permeate 00:46:38.349 --> 00:46:41.269 all you do with the hobby. Neil, my hat, and 00:46:41.269 --> 00:46:43.170 I know Fred would say the same as tip to you 00:46:43.170 --> 00:46:45.849 tonight for what you do. Thanks for all you do 00:46:45.849 --> 00:46:49.500 for the hobby and for ... really promoting contesting. 00:46:50.119 --> 00:46:52.840 Thanks, Neil. Well, thank you guys for coming 00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:57.539 on and thanks for the kind words and we look 00:46:57.539 --> 00:47:02.300 forward to more editions of the National Contest 00:47:02.300 --> 00:47:07.179 Journal and more editions of HamTalk Live. But 00:47:07.179 --> 00:47:11.530 that's a wrap for this week. And thanks to Dr. 00:47:11.670 --> 00:47:14.989 Scott Wright, KZeroMD, and Dr. Fred Reganiter, 00:47:15.170 --> 00:47:18.969 K4IU, and everybody out there in cyberspace for 00:47:18.969 --> 00:47:22.309 listening. And we'll invite you back next Thursday 00:47:22.309 --> 00:47:26.630 night, 9 p .m. Eastern Time. And for our upcoming 00:47:26.630 --> 00:47:29.710 guests, just go to HamTalkLive .com, click on 00:47:29.710 --> 00:47:33.409 the schedule link, and you can find out who's 00:47:33.409 --> 00:47:35.909 going to be on in the near future. So for now, 00:47:35.929 --> 00:47:41.230 this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, saying, 7 3 7 5 and 00:47:41.230 --> 00:48:08.909 may the good DX be yours Thank you.