WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you 00:00:03.140 --> 00:00:06.679 by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables, 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:14.800 and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or visit pl -259 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:48.920 .com. Good evening, everyone. Hope you've had 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:52.159 a chance to enjoy some of that NASA on the air 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.939 stuff we talked about last week. But this is 00:00:55.939 --> 00:00:59.320 HamTalk Live episode number 93. Some holiday 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:04.560 gift ideas and the Pearl Harbor USS Batfish Special 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:09.260 Event Station with Emmet Honesty III W0QH recorded 00:01:09.260 --> 00:01:14.859 live on Thursday, December 14th. 2017. I'm your 00:01:14.859 --> 00:01:18.640 host, Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. Thanks for tuning in 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.120 to this episode of HamTalk Live. Tonight we're 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.180 joined once again by Emmett Honesty III, W0QH, 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:28.920 the chief engineer at Radio Waves. And we'll 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:32.719 take your calls live in just a little bit. But 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:36.260 last week, if you missed the NASA on the Air 00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:42.060 thing. Dr. Rob Suggs, KB5EZ from Marshall Space 00:01:42.060 --> 00:01:46.599 Flight Center, and Kevin Zari, KK4YEL from Kennedy 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.939 Space Center, and Peter Federer, fresh home from 00:01:49.939 --> 00:01:55.799 Antarctic, KB3GTN from Goddard Space Flight Center. 00:01:56.060 --> 00:01:58.900 We're here to talk about that year -long NASA 00:01:58.900 --> 00:02:01.859 on -the -air event, and that got off to a start 00:02:01.859 --> 00:02:04.640 this week. So if you missed that, you can catch 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:08.139 that on HamTalkLive .com anytime. or you can 00:02:08.139 --> 00:02:12.180 catch one of the podcast episodes and you can 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:16.360 catch up on that. We upload to Apple Podcasts, 00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:19.039 Stitcher, iHeart Podcasts, Google Play, TuneIn, 00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:23.599 SoundCloud and also YouTube and some of the other 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:27.800 podcast apps pick up from those. So we're on 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:30.360 just about everything. You can find us on your 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:34.539 favorite podcasting app. So, we've got some questions 00:02:34.539 --> 00:02:36.479 for Emmet already, but if you have a question, 00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:40.159 you can tweet us at HamTalk Live, and later on 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:42.819 in the show we'll give you a chance to call in. 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:44.460 I'll go ahead and give you that phone number. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:53.680 It's 812 -638 -4261, 812 -NET -HAM -1, and you'll 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.729 be able to call in. Ask your questions. So I'll 00:02:58.729 --> 00:03:02.210 be back right after this word from Tower Electronics 00:03:02.210 --> 00:03:06.370 right here on HamTalk Live. This episode of HamTalk 00:03:06.370 --> 00:03:09.409 Live is brought to you in part by Tower Electronics. 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:12.060 Tower Electronics has been the Ham's Dime Store 00:03:12.060 --> 00:03:15.439 since 1978. When you need connectors, mobile 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:18.740 and handheld antennas, cables or adapters, visit 00:03:18.740 --> 00:03:22.300 Scott or Jill at a HamFest near you. Or you can 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:28.479 order online at PL -259 .com or call 920 -435 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:33.500 -2973. Stock up on those supplies like PL -259 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:36.780 and end connectors, SMA adapters, audio cables, 00:03:37.060 --> 00:03:40.240 soldering supplies, mobile antennas, and hamsticks. 00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:42.620 Their silver -plated end connectors are even 00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:45.300 used on the International Space Station. Tower 00:03:45.300 --> 00:03:49.120 Electronics carries MFJ, Comet, Daiwa, OPEC, 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:52.620 Workman, and HamPro products. And don't miss 00:03:52.620 --> 00:03:56.680 their 0 % off sale going on now. Tower Electronics 00:03:56.680 --> 00:04:00.939 online at PL -259 .com. Proud to sponsor this 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:05.240 episode of HamTalk Live. Two antennas met on 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:08.439 a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.139 wasn't much, but the reception was excellent. 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:14.460 You're listening to HamTalk Live with Neil Rapp. 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:28.589 Thanks to Scott and Jill at Tower Electronics 00:04:28.589 --> 00:04:30.910 for sponsoring the show tonight to help bring 00:04:30.910 --> 00:04:34.329 you Hamtong live. They'll be at the Plant City 00:04:34.329 --> 00:04:41.550 Florida Ham Fest on Friday and Saturday. Call 00:04:41.550 --> 00:04:49.329 920 -435 -2973 or visit their website at PL -259 00:04:49.329 --> 00:04:52.949 .com Tell them you heard it on HamTalk Live. 00:04:53.149 --> 00:04:55.709 You can get your order filled anytime. They're 00:04:55.709 --> 00:04:57.649 gonna be taking some time off for the holidays, 00:04:57.649 --> 00:05:03.170 but we'll be back on the HamFest tour soon. Remember, 00:05:03.850 --> 00:05:07.170 PL -259s, they make great stocking stuffers. 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:12.060 Well, tonight our guest is Emmet W0QH, the chief 00:05:12.060 --> 00:05:16.579 engineer at Radio Waves. And my apologies to 00:05:16.579 --> 00:05:19.220 you, we're having some trouble tracking down 00:05:19.220 --> 00:05:23.399 Emmet today. So we're going to come back. Alright, 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:28.339 welcome back to HamTalk Live and we have been 00:05:28.339 --> 00:05:32.399 able to track down Emmet. So luckily Dr. Scott 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:38.019 Wright, KZeroMD is willing to step in and I've 00:05:38.019 --> 00:05:40.600 been meaning to have him come on the show anyway 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:44.259 again and talk about some new things going on 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:48.519 with him. So Scott, thanks for joining us on 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:51.939 Short Notice tonight. Deal. It's a pleasure to 00:05:51.939 --> 00:05:55.459 join one of the best podcasts about ham radio 00:05:55.459 --> 00:05:58.759 on the internet. Thanks for asking me on. Well, 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:03.160 I always say that it's got the best music of 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:09.139 any call in ham radio talk show. I agree. And 00:06:09.139 --> 00:06:12.560 there's nothing like hearing the sound when someone 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:20.370 mentions about fun. Is there We'll put the bow 00:06:20.370 --> 00:06:24.129 thing in there. We'll get that in there. So we're 00:06:24.129 --> 00:06:26.470 also the only one that has music that's a call 00:06:26.470 --> 00:06:33.050 in talk show. But anyway, all right. So, so we're 00:06:33.050 --> 00:06:40.170 filling in here. And so you have taken over the 00:06:40.170 --> 00:06:43.350 editor duties of the national contest journal 00:06:43.350 --> 00:06:49.129 and you hit the ground running, making some improvements 00:06:49.129 --> 00:06:53.269 and some changes and keeping a lot of things 00:06:53.269 --> 00:06:57.009 that worked. So tell us about some of the changes 00:06:57.009 --> 00:06:59.689 that are coming up in the National Contest Journal 00:06:59.689 --> 00:07:05.170 and the January, February edition should be coming 00:07:05.170 --> 00:07:10.310 out pretty soon. Yeah, thanks very much. In fact, 00:07:11.050 --> 00:07:14.129 the January, February edition has been sent to 00:07:14.129 --> 00:07:16.939 the printer. and hopefully it will be mailed 00:07:16.939 --> 00:07:21.199 in January on or ahead of schedule, as usual, 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:25.839 and to all the subscribers worldwide. I am greatly 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:28.639 honored, really, to be named the new editor of 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.540 the National Contest Journal, or NCJ for short. 00:07:31.779 --> 00:07:35.500 Pat Barkey, N9RV, just stepped down as editor, 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:38.269 did a fabulous job. for three years and there's 00:07:38.269 --> 00:07:40.689 so many others who before him have done that. 00:07:40.850 --> 00:07:43.829 We've been guests on your show, Kirk Pickering 00:07:43.829 --> 00:07:47.009 and Ward Silver and I think Doug Grant and Randy 00:07:47.009 --> 00:07:50.610 Thompson and many other people. A couple of the 00:07:50.610 --> 00:07:54.149 changes that we're bringing to NCJ starting in 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:57.850 the January edition are to focus a bit more on 00:07:57.850 --> 00:08:02.329 getting more young contesters on the air and 00:08:02.329 --> 00:08:05.970 when by young we mean those under 40 or 50 years 00:08:05.970 --> 00:08:10.110 of age, not just high school students and contesters 00:08:10.110 --> 00:08:13.129 like the Rockstar Marty that you have on and 00:08:13.129 --> 00:08:16.370 all the students at K9 SOU in Bloomington, but 00:08:16.370 --> 00:08:19.790 also younger adults who are active in contesting. 00:08:20.589 --> 00:08:26.889 We think that contesting needs new ham activity 00:08:26.889 --> 00:08:30.170 and that there's a great opportunity to make 00:08:30.170 --> 00:08:32.409 the journal more relevant to younger people. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:35.279 I'd like to announce really if I can for the 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.980 first time Neil on your show that we are really 00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:42.899 delighted to have one of the premier educators 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:49.279 and ham radio mentors in America as the section 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.539 editor for what we call next -gen contesting 00:08:51.539 --> 00:08:56.480 and that's yourself Wait a minute. I thought 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:01.659 I was going to be the editor of that You are 00:09:01.659 --> 00:09:05.500 I just said that oh, okay, I don't know you you 00:09:05.500 --> 00:09:09.720 kept talking about some some great educator and 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:11.720 everything and so I thought maybe somebody else 00:09:11.720 --> 00:09:16.980 got it but Yeah, I know You're just not willing 00:09:16.980 --> 00:09:20.480 to promote yourself much. So anyway, so, you 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.899 know, we're gonna benefit from your experience 00:09:22.899 --> 00:09:26.200 and your connections and for the people who read 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:30.759 in CJ Neal's first write -up will be about the 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:34.120 quite successful program at K9SOU and getting 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:38.679 non -licensed students involved in contesting 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:41.879 at the Ham Club station there. So we're hoping 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:45.179 that others will read this and sort of catch 00:09:45.179 --> 00:09:47.559 some of your enthusiasm and your passion for 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:50.700 doing this and let it spread across the United 00:09:50.700 --> 00:09:53.700 States. And I would like to say in the upcoming 00:09:53.700 --> 00:09:57.100 edition of NCJA, we hope in the spring, You're 00:09:57.100 --> 00:09:59.659 going to be doing some interviews with the youth 00:09:59.659 --> 00:10:02.299 participants in the World Radio Team Championship, 00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:06.159 WRTC. And we're all looking forward to what you 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:08.960 tell us about those young contesters who have 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:12.379 qualified to be a participant in WRTC. I'm an 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:14.940 active contester, but I didn't come close to 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:17.299 qualifying. And some of the people who did, like 00:10:17.299 --> 00:10:20.840 Matthias, Charlie Echo Two, Mike, Victor Fox, 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:23.460 really are phenomenal contesters. So I'm looking 00:10:23.460 --> 00:10:25.860 forward to learning how to improve my own skills, 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.840 Neil. So that's one new feature. A second new 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.159 feature is we're going to have regular surveys 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.539 and book reviews by Kelo3, Mike Delta, K3MD, 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.879 John Thompson, another physician like me who 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.960 is an active contester. John is quite known for 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:46.039 working every radio contest every year. He's 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:48.340 on every week in a radio contest, sometimes two 00:10:48.340 --> 00:10:52.360 or three. and he is a wide reader and writer, 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:55.799 so John will be sharing sort of new books and 00:10:55.799 --> 00:10:59.080 new technology pieces with us and also stimulating 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.519 discussion on The Reflector, on the ARRL website 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:05.659 and on the hopefully NCJ website about sort of 00:11:05.659 --> 00:11:08.700 controversies and new trends in contesting. All 00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:11.139 the other section editors, assistant editors 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:14.259 that everyone has come to really appreciate and 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:16.879 love will still be with us. The past editor, 00:11:17.019 --> 00:11:20.370 Pat Barkey, will also be contributing some of 00:11:20.370 --> 00:11:23.529 his famous interviews as we go forward. And then 00:11:23.529 --> 00:11:26.629 I'm really delighted to announce that we, for 00:11:26.629 --> 00:11:29.029 the first time in the history of NCJ, have a 00:11:29.029 --> 00:11:31.169 deputy editor, someone who works closely with 00:11:31.169 --> 00:11:34.889 me to help me keep all the articles organized 00:11:34.889 --> 00:11:38.230 and to the managing editor, Rick Lindquist, W 00:11:38.230 --> 00:11:41.129 -W -1 -M -E, and to the league. And that is Fred 00:11:41.129 --> 00:11:44.169 Reganiter, K -4 Italy uniform. Fred recently 00:11:44.169 --> 00:11:47.519 retired from his job as an academic orthodontist 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:52.200 at the Mayo Clinic and is now with a bit more 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:55.019 free time, shall we say. He might disagree with 00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:57.440 that assessment, but he has time and efforts 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:01.399 to help with the NCJ. Fred's a very avid contester. 00:12:01.539 --> 00:12:03.519 He's been on your program. He's been on a number 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:06.200 of the Ham radio podcasts and a very long and 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:08.360 distinguished career, so to speak, in contesting 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:10.899 and DXing. Those are sort of the changes with 00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:14.090 NCJ that we're bringing. You know, the first 00:12:14.090 --> 00:12:16.269 edition coming out in January will have some 00:12:16.269 --> 00:12:18.370 very interesting articles. It will have the first 00:12:18.370 --> 00:12:21.669 of a three -part series on what type of receiver 00:12:21.669 --> 00:12:25.230 the contestor might need. You know, what qualifies 00:12:25.230 --> 00:12:27.629 as a competition -grade receiver and transceiver 00:12:27.629 --> 00:12:30.570 for contestors. We have a very special article 00:12:30.570 --> 00:12:35.490 by Craig Thompson, K9 Charlie Tango, on how multi 00:12:35.490 --> 00:12:38.289 -multi -contesting has helped him prepare the 00:12:38.289 --> 00:12:41.820 Bouvier d 'Expedition team for what will be probably 00:12:41.820 --> 00:12:44.539 the most remote and most expensive the expedition 00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:48.759 ever put on and Craig and many of the teammates 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:52.480 like Ralph Fedor Glenn Johnson Bob often Jerry 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:55.000 Rosalius and more than I can name at the moment 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:59.059 are all multi multi contesters So the contesting 00:12:59.059 --> 00:13:01.919 community has had a big impact on the bubi the 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:04.360 expedition. We have some other interesting articles 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:06.340 I won't give away all the secrets, but I also 00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:09.620 would like your listeners to look at NCJ web 00:13:10.810 --> 00:13:13.830 Just do a search with your favorite search engine, 00:13:14.070 --> 00:13:17.090 NCJWeb, and Kirk Pickering has a fabulous website. 00:13:17.250 --> 00:13:20.669 We're gonna be pushing articles and special information 00:13:20.669 --> 00:13:23.990 pieces to the website where you can find some 00:13:23.990 --> 00:13:26.870 of the great articles coming out. And the last 00:13:26.870 --> 00:13:29.470 one I'll leave as a bit of a tantalizing end 00:13:29.470 --> 00:13:34.830 is your good friend, K9LA, Carl Lutzl Schwab, 00:13:34.990 --> 00:13:39.120 up the... Highway from you in Fort Wayne has 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.360 a nice article on propagation. What can contesters 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:45.799 and others expect in 2018? If any of your listeners 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:47.940 like me got on the 10 meter contest you really 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:49.620 wondered if you were working largely a state 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:52.480 QSO party because most of my contacts were within 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.639 250 miles of my home and I only made a couple 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:58.899 of DX contacts. I wasn't on for that many hours, 00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:01.820 but the conditions were really tough and challenging 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:06.240 at least for those of us in the W0 area. So, 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:08.480 you know, I read Carl's articles and listen to 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:10.940 his webinars all the time on propagation and 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:14.899 really delighted that he took the time to put 00:14:14.899 --> 00:14:18.200 together a fabulous short article on what to 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:21.179 expect and how to take advantage of current propagation 00:14:21.179 --> 00:14:23.600 conditions. So, it's probably a bit of a long 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.080 answer, Neil, but you put in your nickel and 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:27.960 you got a dollar's worth of information. There 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:31.700 we go. We got it covered. Yeah, I heard some 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:35.980 people. get on the 10 meter contest but I heard 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:38.460 some people talking about the 10 meter contest 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:40.960 and saying that they were wondering if their 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:45.639 radios were not working properly because there 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:50.620 was no one there. They couldn't hear a thing. 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:56.879 Yes, it was a tough time for Dan. It is, it's 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.039 a tough time and since we're not even technically 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:01.830 at the bottom of the solar cycle I fear what 00:15:01.830 --> 00:15:03.929 the 10 meter contest will be like next year. 00:15:04.029 --> 00:15:05.669 You might actually have more distance on the 00:15:05.669 --> 00:15:08.649 two meter repeater. You never know. Wow. Now 00:15:08.649 --> 00:15:11.929 it's, it's a pretty amazing, we were on 20 this 00:15:11.929 --> 00:15:14.470 afternoon and trying to do some of the NASA on 00:15:14.470 --> 00:15:18.049 the air stuff from school. And I mean, 20 was 00:15:18.049 --> 00:15:22.649 just horrible. It just, we, we couldn't, uh, 00:15:22.649 --> 00:15:25.970 we finally did find, uh, the guys in Huntsville, 00:15:26.269 --> 00:15:28.730 but, uh, we couldn't, couldn't hear them at all. 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:32.580 And it just looked totally dead on the scope. 00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:36.320 So hopefully there will be better days ahead. 00:15:37.899 --> 00:15:40.200 Yes, but I've been reading on Twitter that the 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.720 K9 SOU club is working some new DX on 20 meters. 00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:46.940 So while the band propagation may be reduced 00:15:46.940 --> 00:15:49.519 compared to two years ago, your club seems to 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.899 be doing a fabulous job of picking up some new 00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:55.559 DX entities. Yeah, we picked up a couple and 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:59.679 we're lucky that Galapagos was coming in real 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.679 well last Thursday and so we were able to get 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:06.139 that and some others but we just keep working 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:09.019 at it and hopefully like I said there's better 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:12.379 days ahead. We were trying to work a couple of 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:17.679 new entities today and had zero luck. You just 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:19.679 never know and that's part of the fun of ham 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.580 radio is you never know what you're going to 00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:26.529 get. Absolutely. It's a true adventure because 00:16:26.529 --> 00:16:29.610 the outcome is so uncertain. That's why it's 00:16:29.610 --> 00:16:32.389 such an interesting hobby compared to just using 00:16:32.389 --> 00:16:34.409 Skype or the cell phone to call someone in another 00:16:34.409 --> 00:16:38.649 country. Well, we're talking with Dr. Scott Wright, 00:16:38.669 --> 00:16:42.789 KZeroMD, the new editor of the National Contest 00:16:42.789 --> 00:16:47.690 Journal. And so if people want to subscribe to 00:16:47.690 --> 00:16:50.309 the National Contest Journal and get a copy of 00:16:50.309 --> 00:16:54.269 that, how would they go about doing that? The 00:16:54.269 --> 00:16:58.110 easiest way is to go to the ARRL website. That's 00:16:58.110 --> 00:17:03.269 www .arrl .org. And in the search box at the 00:17:03.269 --> 00:17:08.869 top center, type in NCJ. And then a search will 00:17:08.869 --> 00:17:10.829 appear and you can click on the links at the 00:17:10.829 --> 00:17:13.690 bottom and then you can subscribe directly from 00:17:13.690 --> 00:17:18.589 the ARRL website. It's around $25 a year for 00:17:18.589 --> 00:17:22.309 US subscribers and a little more for those outside 00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:24.490 the US, but it also ensures that it's mailed 00:17:24.490 --> 00:17:28.849 to them. And we produce six issues a year, January, 00:17:28.950 --> 00:17:32.289 February, March, April, May, June, July, August, 00:17:32.630 --> 00:17:35.720 September, October, and November, December. And 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:39.420 then the web content is free or it goes along 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:43.440 with the subscription? The web content is free, 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.819 courtesy of the ARRL and K4RO. Okay, very good. 00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:52.710 So you can check out some of the... articles 00:17:52.710 --> 00:17:55.609 on the website and check it out and see if that's 00:17:55.609 --> 00:17:59.869 for you. We hope that you'll enjoy some of these 00:17:59.869 --> 00:18:03.430 new things coming to NCJ and a lot of the old 00:18:03.430 --> 00:18:09.829 standbys that are really good learning opportunities 00:18:09.829 --> 00:18:14.069 for contesting and ways that you can get better 00:18:14.069 --> 00:18:17.799 with that. Well, let's take a break and then 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:20.740 we'll come back and we'll talk more with Dr. 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:23.980 Scott Wright, KZeroMD, right after this, right 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:42.869 here on HamTalk Live. Tours are now available 00:18:42.869 --> 00:18:46.009 every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p .m. Eastern 00:18:46.009 --> 00:18:50.069 Time. You can see the control room, a 200 ,000 00:18:50.069 --> 00:18:53.009 watt transmitter, and the most comprehensive 00:18:53.009 --> 00:18:56.170 collection of inventions by the iconic Powell 00:18:56.170 --> 00:19:00.329 -Crosley Jr. Also on display is a huge antique 00:19:00.329 --> 00:19:04.049 radio exhibit and R .L. Drake's personal collection 00:19:04.049 --> 00:19:08.119 of most every Drake amateur rig ever made. This 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:11.380 is a unique opportunity to see amateur radio 00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:14.019 in action and have a chance to get on the air 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:20.460 from WC8VOA. Admission is only $5 a person. The 00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:24.420 museum is located close to historic WLWAM and 00:19:24.420 --> 00:19:27.539 tons of shopping and restaurants. Take a trip 00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:32.460 to the VOA museum or visit us online at voamuseum 00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:40.180 .org. All I want for Christmas is a TS -990 and 00:19:40.180 --> 00:19:44.940 to listen to another episode of HamTalk Live. 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:49.480 Join the conversation. Call us on voice with 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:53.259 Skype at HamTalk Live or give us a call at 812 00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:59.640 -NET -HAM -1. That's 812 -638 -4261. Now here's 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:16.440 more HamTalk Live. Welcome back to HamTalk Live 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:19.099 and hope you can check out the Voice of America 00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:22.859 Museum of Broadcasting at some time. Get a chance. 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:26.400 It's a really great place to go. Enjoy getting 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.900 over there whenever I can. Plan on spending some 00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:33.420 more time over there soon. So check them out 00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:38.420 at voamuseum .org. And HamTalk Live, we're on 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:40.779 the air every Thursday night at 9 p .m. Eastern 00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:44.450 Time right here at hamtalklive .com. Make sure 00:20:44.450 --> 00:20:47.549 you check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 00:20:48.650 --> 00:20:51.990 We post some stuff up there, so I hope you enjoy 00:20:51.990 --> 00:20:56.569 that as well. We'll take some calls here tonight 00:20:56.569 --> 00:20:59.130 if you want to call in about the National Contest 00:20:59.130 --> 00:21:02.089 Journal and talk with Dr. Scott Wright, KZeroMD, 00:21:02.130 --> 00:21:07.190 and myself. That phone number is 812 -638 -4261, 00:21:07.230 --> 00:21:12.539 812 -NET. ham one or you can Skype us we're ham 00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:16.420 talk live on Skype and you can also tweet us 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:19.140 at ham talk live so if you want to talk about 00:21:19.140 --> 00:21:24.099 some contesting tonight we'll switch to that 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:27.160 and we'll try to get Emmet rescheduled here to 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:31.559 talk about the gift ideas and the antennas as 00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:36.099 soon as possible so you know Scott I guess one 00:21:36.789 --> 00:21:40.309 good gift ideas, and Emmet's not here to talk 00:21:40.309 --> 00:21:44.990 about gift ideas for the ham. An ICOM 7610 would 00:21:44.990 --> 00:21:49.109 make a great Christmas gift, wouldn't it? Boy, 00:21:49.109 --> 00:21:51.849 it would, Neil. It would, and I know that you 00:21:51.849 --> 00:21:54.170 and I have both put those requests in to Santa. 00:21:54.710 --> 00:21:56.450 I don't know that he's going to deliver it to 00:21:56.450 --> 00:22:01.710 my house, but I hope he does to yours. Well, 00:22:01.990 --> 00:22:06.910 it's looking like a everything that we thought 00:22:06.910 --> 00:22:11.910 it would be and it'd be interesting to get a 00:22:11.910 --> 00:22:16.069 hold of one of those and give it a spin. I hope 00:22:16.069 --> 00:22:19.019 you can try it out. Yeah, I hope you can try 00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:21.339 it out at K9 SOU. I bet it will just blow the 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:23.279 students away with what it can do, especially 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.480 with the touchscreen on the big LCDs that you 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:29.279 can connect into the back. I'm really looking 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:31.980 forward to hearing how hams and contesters especially 00:22:31.980 --> 00:22:34.740 like that. I got to use the radio at Dayton briefly 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:38.539 at Contest University. with the remote VFO control 00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:41.839 and the VFO knob, and it truly is a two VFO radio. 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:45.000 I was very impressed. I really commend ICOM. 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:48.539 A number of us wrote them and urged them to make 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:52.039 a functionality available that would let operators 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:54.079 control both VFOs because if you're trying to 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:58.359 work a DX pile up or do SO2R contesting or SO2V 00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:00.319 contesting, you need to be able to control both 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:03.240 knobs. or both receivers, excuse me, and they 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:06.140 did that, and so some people criticize ICOM for 00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:08.339 not listening to their customers. I disagree. 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:10.759 They listened on this, and they've made a number 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:13.160 of functional improvements to their transceivers 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:15.539 over the last 10 years based on customer feedback, 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:18.319 and I think that's really amazing. It's nice 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:21.119 to see so many manufacturers in the ham community. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:24.430 Every major... original electronic manufacturer. 00:23:24.710 --> 00:23:28.450 US and Japanese and others really are responsive 00:23:28.450 --> 00:23:31.329 to ham's needs. So that's just wonderful. Neil, 00:23:31.369 --> 00:23:33.950 I would also suggest by the way a good stocking 00:23:33.950 --> 00:23:36.710 stuffer. If you have someone in your life that 00:23:36.710 --> 00:23:38.690 you want to ham or you want to get a stocking 00:23:38.690 --> 00:23:41.829 stuffer for, a subscription to NCJ is a pretty 00:23:41.829 --> 00:23:44.269 inexpensive stocking stuffer and it will give 00:23:44.269 --> 00:23:47.890 them satisfaction all year long. There you go, 00:23:47.890 --> 00:23:51.369 and you pair that up with some some adapters 00:23:51.369 --> 00:23:55.049 from tower electronics and and you've got it 00:23:55.049 --> 00:24:02.930 covered so You truly go Yeah well now you you 00:24:02.930 --> 00:24:06.690 you write in and call into the show a lot and 00:24:06.690 --> 00:24:09.509 and one of the questions that I see you asking 00:24:09.509 --> 00:24:13.549 a lot of the guests that come on the show is 00:24:13.549 --> 00:24:20.670 Super hat SDR. So now we've got the 7610 out 00:24:20.670 --> 00:24:25.130 there. It's real now. It's not just some, you 00:24:25.130 --> 00:24:30.650 know, dream somewhere. So where do you stand 00:24:30.650 --> 00:24:37.470 as far as a contest rig with that SuperHat or 00:24:37.470 --> 00:24:42.029 SDR? Yeah, thank you. I've asked a number of 00:24:42.029 --> 00:24:45.099 your guests if they have a preference. As you 00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:49.059 know, I'm a bit of a receiver aficionado. I have 00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:51.480 always tried to own really good receivers, even 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:53.740 if I have to buy them used, as I have almost 00:24:53.740 --> 00:24:59.099 all of my hand equipment. And I don't have an 00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:01.660 opinion that says one is superior to the other. 00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:06.619 I can tell you in my own station, I have two 00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:10.700 ICOM radios and an Ellicraft K3S. They all have 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:14.650 strengths. and they all have weaknesses. If there's 00:25:14.650 --> 00:25:16.710 a weakness to my icon it's that it weighs 70 00:25:16.710 --> 00:25:20.230 or 80 pounds and it's hard to move. But that's 00:25:20.230 --> 00:25:22.990 about the only one. I'm also very impressed with 00:25:22.990 --> 00:25:26.450 the SDR. Ray Novak came to Rochester and visited 00:25:26.450 --> 00:25:30.269 our ham club in the summer and loaned me a 7300 00:25:30.269 --> 00:25:32.609 one evening to test in my station and I was blown 00:25:32.609 --> 00:25:35.269 away like you and your school club have been. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:39.059 And I've also had a friend with a Flex who loaned 00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:41.819 me that for a week to test. And I've been very 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:43.779 impressed with those. If money were no option, 00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:47.000 I think I'd have one of the ICOM SDRs, one of 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:51.079 the Flex SDRs, and I would just test them all 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:53.180 with my antenna array on everything that I have. 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.559 I really like a quiet receiver, to be honest, 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:59.039 about what I prefer best. I like good filtering, 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.720 sharp filtering, and a quiet receiver. And the 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:04.720 ICOMs that I run are really quiet. And I know 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:09.500 the Flex SDRs are really quiet receivers. And 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:12.660 I think it's tough. I think you have so many 00:26:12.660 --> 00:26:14.380 good choices and it just gets down to what you 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:16.900 like to use and drive. Some people want to drive 00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:19.539 a Honda, some people want to drive a Toyota, 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:22.660 others a GMC, a Chevrolet or a Ford or a Jeep. 00:26:22.970 --> 00:26:24.829 You know, they're all wonderful cars, and I think 00:26:24.829 --> 00:26:27.490 the same is true for Ham radios. The top -end 00:26:27.490 --> 00:26:30.210 Op 20 on Rob Sherwood's list all will perform 00:26:30.210 --> 00:26:32.529 great in contests. I think it's really what do 00:26:32.529 --> 00:26:34.430 you like to use? That's why I really encourage 00:26:34.430 --> 00:26:37.589 Hams to go to a local radio dealer or come to 00:26:37.589 --> 00:26:40.970 Dayton and try out the radios and see what you 00:26:40.970 --> 00:26:43.369 like to operate. And you'll know once you start 00:26:43.369 --> 00:26:46.230 using what models fit your personal receiving 00:26:46.230 --> 00:26:47.990 preferences. And I don't think there's a single 00:26:47.990 --> 00:26:51.759 correct answer here. I think... Sometimes all 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:55.799 of the above might be the best answer possible 00:26:55.799 --> 00:27:04.200 Now it's been It's been kind of interesting with 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:09.119 the you know the icons the SDR in a box Coming 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:12.519 up and and then you know, then I see that Kenwood 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:16.740 with that retro 520 dial on the 990 and it's 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:23.279 just you know It's always been a dilemma, but 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:26.819 after using the 7300 and the touchscreen and 00:27:26.819 --> 00:27:29.960 and all the All the bells and whistles on that 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:33.779 thing boy that just makes you think that 7610 00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:38.339 is just That much better. So now I've seen some 00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:44.980 of icons numbers on that I wonder what our friend 00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:48.900 Mr. Rob Sherwood would say about comparing the 00:27:48.900 --> 00:27:52.180 receivers to that and I know that that's what 00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:54.359 been one of the most popular shows that we've 00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:58.279 ever had on this program was when Rob Sherwood 00:27:58.279 --> 00:28:01.940 came on and talked about the receiver performance. 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:05.539 So have you heard anything about where he's ranking 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:08.980 it so far? No, I have not. I looked at his website 00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:11.279 the other day and it was down or I couldn't get 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:13.119 logged on just to see if he had it there and 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:15.819 I haven't looked back. I have a friend in Japan 00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:18.059 and I won't give you his call sign but he travels 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:22.380 to Dayton every year and he owns usually serial 00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:25.579 number one of any ICOM radio. He has serial number 00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:29.740 one of the 7850, serial number one of the 7610, 00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:33.819 I imagine he had the 7300 too. And he told me 00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:41.170 that the 7610 in his opinion sounded almost identical 00:28:41.170 --> 00:28:44.990 to his 7850. And in some respects, it heard some 00:28:44.990 --> 00:28:47.369 signals better and some signals not as well. 00:28:47.630 --> 00:28:49.730 But on average, he thought it was very comparable. 00:28:50.869 --> 00:28:55.410 So if his experience is typical, then that radio 00:28:55.410 --> 00:28:57.049 is going to knock the top out of the Sherwood 00:28:57.049 --> 00:28:59.450 testing, and it's going to be a real winner. 00:28:59.529 --> 00:29:02.250 I think it's going to be a disruptive radio in 00:29:02.250 --> 00:29:05.910 the market, just as Flex's SDRs and Maestro combos 00:29:05.910 --> 00:29:10.529 have been disruptive. I think SDR is out. I don't 00:29:10.529 --> 00:29:14.509 see us going back to superhats. I don't see superhats 00:29:14.509 --> 00:29:18.049 staying the only models. Now I think everybody's 00:29:18.049 --> 00:29:21.349 going to innovate with SDRs. If the talk show 00:29:21.349 --> 00:29:24.369 listeners ever subscribe to QEX, the Experimental 00:29:24.369 --> 00:29:26.710 Communication Journal by the League, there was 00:29:26.710 --> 00:29:29.210 a great article by German Ham on SDRs and I've 00:29:29.210 --> 00:29:31.829 asked him to submit something to NCJ and he's 00:29:31.829 --> 00:29:35.210 agreed. sort of the basics of SDR for understanding 00:29:35.210 --> 00:29:38.170 receivers and how they work and they have so 00:29:38.170 --> 00:29:40.930 much opportunity. I've had the privilege of corresponding 00:29:40.930 --> 00:29:43.549 with Gerald Youngwood at Flex and really I think 00:29:43.549 --> 00:29:46.549 Gerald understands where the opportunities are 00:29:46.549 --> 00:29:50.269 in terms of user interfaces. how to put the package 00:29:50.269 --> 00:29:52.410 together. You can have your radio at the antenna 00:29:52.410 --> 00:29:54.970 connector or near the antenna and then have it 00:29:54.970 --> 00:29:58.390 all remoted by LAN or CAC -5 into your shack. 00:29:58.970 --> 00:30:01.309 It's really an opportunity to do things and to 00:30:01.309 --> 00:30:04.150 get noise so low, so quiet, that you can hear 00:30:04.150 --> 00:30:06.049 really weak signals. You know, the secret to 00:30:06.049 --> 00:30:08.309 success in contesting, Neil, is not to hear the 00:30:08.309 --> 00:30:10.569 loudest signals or the next loudest signals, 00:30:10.650 --> 00:30:12.490 but to hear the third and fourth and fifth layers 00:30:12.490 --> 00:30:14.950 of stations in Europe and Asia who are calling 00:30:14.950 --> 00:30:17.420 you when you're on the air. And unless you have 00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:19.220 a really quiet receiver with good filtering, 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:21.039 you can't. And that's why the LA Craft's been 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:23.779 so popular. And frankly, all of the top -end 00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:25.720 radios have been so popular. And I think SDR 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:27.619 is going to give us the opportunity to pull signals 00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:29.819 out of the noise that we couldn't before. It's 00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:32.880 going to make what we do now with FT8 look more 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:36.720 standard down the road with CW, I think. eight 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.180 one two six three eight four two six one eight 00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:41.500 one two net ham one is the phone number if you 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:44.559 want to call in and Talk to dr. Scott right K 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:48.339 zero MD talking some contesting tonight some 00:30:48.339 --> 00:30:51.940 contesting rigs and the National Contest Journal 00:30:51.940 --> 00:30:55.900 That Scott is now the editor of so give us a 00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:58.319 call eight one two six three eight four two six 00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:02.119 one or drop us a tweet, we're at HamTalk Live 00:31:02.119 --> 00:31:05.119 or we're also on Skype at HamTalk Live if you'd 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:11.920 like to call in and weigh in on this and I tend 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:17.259 to agree with you. I think the SDR is really 00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:19.799 the way things are going. I've noticed how much 00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:26.440 quieter it is and so I totally agree with that 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:29.460 and I look forward to seeing where the numbers 00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:33.619 come in. The numbers that I saw from ICOM are 00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:37.400 putting it right there with a $78 .51 and well 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:42.059 above the $7 ,300. The $7 ,300 came in very high 00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:47.480 on his list. It will be interesting to see where 00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:54.140 that ranking comes in. Trying to pick a rig right 00:31:54.140 --> 00:32:00.279 now is a tough job. truly is because you're always 00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:02.460 worried when you buy something that three or 00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:04.740 six months from now something new will come out 00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:06.819 and you'll regret that you didn't wait just three 00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:11.369 more months or six more months because innovation 00:32:11.369 --> 00:32:14.529 is happening. We all think of Flex and now ICOM 00:32:14.529 --> 00:32:17.509 as the innovators in SDR, but there are a number 00:32:17.509 --> 00:32:19.650 of manufacturers from Europe as well as from 00:32:19.650 --> 00:32:23.829 the US that if you just do a Google search for 00:32:23.829 --> 00:32:26.690 SDR radio, you'll be surprised at how many are 00:32:26.690 --> 00:32:29.170 competing in the hand market space and are doing 00:32:29.170 --> 00:32:32.559 it really at economical prices. It's really kind 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:35.559 of exciting, isn't it, to see PAM radio go from 00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:37.740 where it did when we were young PAMs with the 00:32:37.740 --> 00:32:41.119 520 being sort of the cat's meow of transceivers 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:46.920 to where we are now. And it's really exciting. 00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:50.579 I have to think though, Neil, that the user interfaces... 00:32:50.809 --> 00:32:53.470 with the digital displays, the waterfall displays, 00:32:53.829 --> 00:32:56.490 the touch screens, really attract the next generation 00:32:56.490 --> 00:32:59.069 contesters more. They really are graphically 00:32:59.069 --> 00:33:01.589 and visually oriented learners, I think. You're 00:33:01.589 --> 00:33:04.069 a teacher. Tell me if you agree or not. I do. 00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:07.859 I agree and you know that's one of the things 00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:11.039 Dave Anderson said when when he sent us the the 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:15.480 7300 was you know these kids need to have a touchscreen 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:18.880 they need to have that technology because that's 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.900 what they're used to that's what they're on 24 00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:25.740 -7 whether I want them to be or not with their 00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:31.079 phones and you know that's That's the way they 00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:35.099 interface with technology and so having that 00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:38.140 type of interface with ham radio is just a natural 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:44.779 progression. And I think as those of us who are 00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:47.180 youth wannabes because we've now outgrown our 00:33:47.180 --> 00:33:50.440 youth age and look back at the golden era now 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:53.230 that our youth current youth are having We really 00:33:53.230 --> 00:33:55.809 like what they have in terms of technology. My 00:33:55.809 --> 00:33:57.950 wife and I talked about how needed it is that 00:33:57.950 --> 00:33:59.750 our children, three of whom have finished high 00:33:59.750 --> 00:34:01.809 school or either have finished college and grad 00:34:01.809 --> 00:34:04.289 school or in the process of that, stay in touch 00:34:04.289 --> 00:34:07.470 with their classmates. We had Ham Radio, the 00:34:07.470 --> 00:34:11.389 first social media, as Timothy McGee said on 00:34:11.389 --> 00:34:14.949 NCIS a few weeks ago. But today's youth really 00:34:14.949 --> 00:34:17.650 are able to use this in far. more interesting 00:34:17.650 --> 00:34:20.670 ways. I look forward to the next 10 years of 00:34:20.670 --> 00:34:24.789 this hobby. I think those who have announced 00:34:24.789 --> 00:34:27.690 the death knells of ham radio are wrong. I think 00:34:27.690 --> 00:34:30.469 young people and people who are really excited 00:34:30.469 --> 00:34:32.769 about technology will take it in directions that 00:34:32.769 --> 00:34:36.429 we've not even begun to appreciate. I think remote 00:34:36.429 --> 00:34:40.159 operating is just one of those I do a lot of 00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:42.739 overseas operating. I do business trips a lot 00:34:42.739 --> 00:34:44.900 to South America for work and do conferences 00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:48.420 and take a radio along. I can see the time that 00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:52.099 I might even be able to leave an SDR where I 00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:54.599 operate in Chile and just remote in from home 00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:58.139 and do a contest that way or try to do a contest 00:34:58.139 --> 00:35:03.940 that way. It'd be kind of exciting to try. I'm 00:35:03.940 --> 00:35:07.760 very excited that we had the remote hams guys 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:12.360 on here a few weeks ago and talk about that method 00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:16.159 and there's all kinds of methods out there to 00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:19.079 do remote operating these days. I remember, you 00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:22.840 know, again back in the day, you know, we wanted 00:35:22.840 --> 00:35:25.119 to get a remote base going on the repeater because 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:26.699 that was about the only way you were going to 00:35:26.699 --> 00:35:30.639 get any remote operation done. And now all you 00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:37.079 do is load the software on and away you go. It 00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:40.619 is amazing. It is amazing. Well, Neil, what advice 00:35:40.619 --> 00:35:43.880 do you have for grandparents and parents who 00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:46.400 are listening to the show who have grandchildren 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:49.559 or children that they would like to encourage 00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:54.150 to be more active on HF and contesting? What 00:35:54.150 --> 00:35:56.349 are the mistakes that you see we make as adults 00:35:56.349 --> 00:35:58.929 with our children and grandchildren or our nephews 00:35:58.929 --> 00:36:01.690 and nieces that we shouldn't be making? Well, 00:36:01.849 --> 00:36:05.329 and I just had this conversation earlier with 00:36:05.329 --> 00:36:12.150 someone today. I think that... Pushing the license 00:36:12.150 --> 00:36:15.869 is probably one of the biggest mistakes, to push 00:36:15.869 --> 00:36:19.969 a license first. I think getting them on, get 00:36:19.969 --> 00:36:23.809 them contesting, get them on the air, DXing, 00:36:23.929 --> 00:36:27.769 get them doing what they're interested in. Sometimes 00:36:27.769 --> 00:36:29.949 it's digital, sometimes it's voice, sometimes 00:36:29.949 --> 00:36:33.909 it's DX, sometimes it's contesting. I'm seeing 00:36:33.909 --> 00:36:36.469 a little bit of a shift in my kids right now 00:36:36.469 --> 00:36:41.000 from contesting to DXing. And so we're kind of 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:43.840 shifting you know with them a little bit and 00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:47.139 and we're still definitely doing a lot of contesting 00:36:47.139 --> 00:36:51.320 but but we've kind of shifted a little more toward 00:36:51.320 --> 00:36:54.380 DX and and so get them on the air get them hooked 00:36:54.380 --> 00:37:00.239 and then they want to get a license instead of 00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:02.440 you know putting another test in front of them 00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:05.840 we would us teachers we push enough tests in 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:09.769 front of them so you know I haven't want to do 00:37:09.769 --> 00:37:14.170 that. Really glad to hear you say that. I noticed 00:37:14.170 --> 00:37:17.250 in the latest updates from the ARRL that the 00:37:17.250 --> 00:37:20.269 executive committee and the trustees or directors, 00:37:20.329 --> 00:37:22.610 whatever we call our governing body, are looking 00:37:22.610 --> 00:37:25.210 at a new license class. I hope they make it more 00:37:25.210 --> 00:37:27.530 student friendly. My daughters all were licensed 00:37:27.530 --> 00:37:29.750 when they were quite young, the youngest at eight 00:37:29.750 --> 00:37:35.489 and the oldest maybe at 11 or 12. I was blown 00:37:35.489 --> 00:37:37.789 away that they could learn. the material and 00:37:37.789 --> 00:37:40.389 pass the test. It was pretty hard. I sometimes 00:37:40.389 --> 00:37:42.650 worry that the technician license is a little 00:37:42.650 --> 00:37:46.010 challenging for students who have not had, you 00:37:46.010 --> 00:37:49.650 know, pre -algebra or high school physics. So 00:37:49.650 --> 00:37:53.690 I think we need to find a way to get more young 00:37:53.690 --> 00:37:56.469 students engaged in the hobby and then let them 00:37:56.469 --> 00:37:58.389 progress through the licensing as they get more 00:37:58.389 --> 00:38:03.760 knowledge. Yeah, I tend to agree. And I've always 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:06.280 said too, I don't know that it's the difficulty 00:38:06.280 --> 00:38:14.980 as much as the approach. Maybe it's not too difficult, 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:21.059 but the approach may not always be real student 00:38:21.059 --> 00:38:24.659 friendly. And so I think some combination of 00:38:24.659 --> 00:38:29.170 that could pay off. Well, before we go, Scott, 00:38:29.809 --> 00:38:33.809 we mentioned WRTC and we mentioned the article 00:38:33.809 --> 00:38:35.929 that I've been working on and finally got in 00:38:35.929 --> 00:38:38.550 contact with all the youth teams and we'll be 00:38:38.550 --> 00:38:42.369 putting that together. But, you know, WRTC is 00:38:42.369 --> 00:38:45.489 an every four year event and that's coming up 00:38:45.489 --> 00:38:49.050 in Germany next summer. So tell us a little bit 00:38:49.050 --> 00:38:56.710 about WRTC and how the people participating in 00:38:56.710 --> 00:39:02.010 that in Germany will be working and then how 00:39:02.010 --> 00:39:06.750 people can work them. Sure Neil, in every July 00:39:06.750 --> 00:39:10.829 there is an IARU contest on a Saturday and Sunday 00:39:10.829 --> 00:39:16.909 and the WRTC is a contest within the IARU HF 00:39:16.909 --> 00:39:20.789 contest where for 24 hours They take the top 00:39:20.789 --> 00:39:24.050 50 or so contesters from the world and they put 00:39:24.050 --> 00:39:28.030 them together and have them do a 24 -hour marathon 00:39:28.030 --> 00:39:31.429 radio sport contest to see who the top three 00:39:31.429 --> 00:39:35.230 teams are. So I forget the exact number of teams, 00:39:35.269 --> 00:39:38.630 but let's assume there are 20 or 25 teams. Each 00:39:38.630 --> 00:39:41.670 team has a team captain who qualified because 00:39:41.670 --> 00:39:45.389 they were the best contesters, had the highest 00:39:45.389 --> 00:39:49.019 number of wins or points. in the pre -published 00:39:49.019 --> 00:39:52.219 contests that were used to grade you as a criterion 00:39:52.219 --> 00:39:55.019 over the last couple of years. And so they were 00:39:55.019 --> 00:39:57.920 selected earlier this year and announced. And 00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:00.059 they can pick a teammate. And the two of them 00:40:00.059 --> 00:40:03.380 do basically a multi -two type operation with 00:40:03.380 --> 00:40:06.119 two transceivers, low power. They have a single 00:40:06.119 --> 00:40:09.320 tri -band Yagi and then dipoles for 40 and 80. 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:11.860 And the goal is to try to work as many stations 00:40:11.860 --> 00:40:15.780 on as many different bands. on sideband and CW 00:40:15.780 --> 00:40:20.219 as you can during the 24 hours and It requires 00:40:20.219 --> 00:40:23.159 a lot of skill It requires the understanding 00:40:23.159 --> 00:40:25.579 of propagation when to change frequencies going 00:40:25.579 --> 00:40:27.920 to 10 meters leaving 10 meters when to go to 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:31.039 the low bands when to go back to 20 when to look 00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:34.260 for the Skewed openings between Europe and North 00:40:34.260 --> 00:40:37.579 America There's a novel written by one of your 00:40:37.579 --> 00:40:42.139 guests Jim George called Contact Sport, and it's 00:40:42.139 --> 00:40:45.239 just a novel. It's a story, a first -hand description 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:48.340 of the WRTC a couple of years ago in Boston. 00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:50.820 And it's a very exciting read. Even if you're 00:40:50.820 --> 00:40:53.559 not interested in contesting, you can appreciate 00:40:53.559 --> 00:40:56.380 the tension, the stress, and the challenges the 00:40:56.380 --> 00:40:59.039 operators face. So it's really like watching 00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:01.699 all these teams compete. They're all given call 00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:03.829 signs. You don't know who they are. when they 00:41:03.829 --> 00:41:05.730 operate. They're given sort of special one by 00:41:05.730 --> 00:41:08.289 one or one by two call signs so that you're not 00:41:08.289 --> 00:41:10.030 sure that if you're working the American team 00:41:10.030 --> 00:41:12.309 from the central part of the U .S., the West 00:41:12.309 --> 00:41:14.489 Coast teams, the East Coast teams, the Canadian 00:41:14.489 --> 00:41:17.530 teams, the Slovenian teams, the Russian teams. 00:41:17.869 --> 00:41:19.489 You really don't know who they are until the 00:41:19.489 --> 00:41:22.969 contest is over. So they finish on Sunday morning 00:41:22.969 --> 00:41:26.889 around 8 a .m. and then it takes about 24 hours 00:41:26.889 --> 00:41:29.329 for the contest results to be processed by computers, 00:41:29.449 --> 00:41:33.250 the log checks to be done. And then they announced 00:41:33.250 --> 00:41:35.809 the winners at a banquet, I think on Monday evening. 00:41:36.570 --> 00:41:40.230 This coming year, this year, in 2018, the WRTC 00:41:40.230 --> 00:41:44.889 will be in Germany near the church, near the 00:41:44.889 --> 00:41:48.250 city where Martin Luther nailed his theses on 00:41:48.250 --> 00:41:50.230 the wall at the church. So it's going to be in 00:41:50.230 --> 00:41:52.369 that part of Germany, near Berlin, sort of south 00:41:52.369 --> 00:41:56.309 and a bit west of Berlin. And it will draw several 00:41:56.309 --> 00:41:58.429 hundred people from around the world to come 00:41:58.429 --> 00:42:01.570 and observe. They have referees, they have press 00:42:01.570 --> 00:42:04.210 who will be there, and it's a really big event. 00:42:04.590 --> 00:42:07.389 It takes a lot of money. The German contest groups 00:42:07.389 --> 00:42:09.710 are organizing to put it on. They've done a phenomenal 00:42:09.710 --> 00:42:12.630 job. In full disclosure, I've been one of their 00:42:12.630 --> 00:42:14.630 fundraisers in the U .S. I've helped raise a 00:42:14.630 --> 00:42:16.949 small amount of money from the zero land to help 00:42:16.949 --> 00:42:20.579 put this on. Our local contest club is joined 00:42:20.579 --> 00:42:22.800 with the Minnesota Wireless Association to sponsor 00:42:22.800 --> 00:42:25.980 a tent. Other groups are sponsoring tents to 00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:28.400 promote sort of the fellowship and friendship 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:30.840 of amateur radio. You know, we all have differences 00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:34.019 on so many angles, and in the current public 00:42:34.019 --> 00:42:36.260 dialogues between countries and within countries, 00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:38.360 you begin to think people never have any agreements 00:42:38.360 --> 00:42:40.579 on anything, but you know, ham radio sort of 00:42:40.579 --> 00:42:42.909 transcends that. You can... Doesn't matter what 00:42:42.909 --> 00:42:44.909 your political or religious philosophies are 00:42:44.909 --> 00:42:46.869 or anything else, you can sit down and enjoy 00:42:46.869 --> 00:42:48.989 the hobby together and be friends regardless 00:42:48.989 --> 00:42:50.989 of any other differences. And I think that's 00:42:50.989 --> 00:42:54.610 what this contest really epitomizes. Well, we'll 00:42:54.610 --> 00:42:58.909 look forward to hearing more about WRTC as that 00:42:58.909 --> 00:43:02.150 gets closer. And I've enjoyed talking to the 00:43:02.150 --> 00:43:05.360 youth teams. We'll be putting that together for 00:43:05.360 --> 00:43:08.739 an upcoming edition of the National Contest Journal. 00:43:09.460 --> 00:43:12.440 So Scott, thanks so much for coming on, especially 00:43:12.440 --> 00:43:15.380 on short notice and talking about the National 00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:18.039 Contest Journal and some of these contesting 00:43:18.039 --> 00:43:20.920 things. And we'll be talking to you soon, of 00:43:20.920 --> 00:43:23.760 course. Neil, thanks again. Thanks for letting 00:43:23.760 --> 00:43:27.929 me talk about NCJ and contesting. Some of your 00:43:27.929 --> 00:43:29.989 listeners will take a look at the journal and 00:43:29.989 --> 00:43:32.409 subscribe. And also, Neil, let me say thanks 00:43:32.409 --> 00:43:34.429 again for the time and effort you're putting 00:43:34.429 --> 00:43:37.909 in as the next -gen contestor section editor, 00:43:38.190 --> 00:43:42.090 because really, the next generation is where 00:43:42.090 --> 00:43:43.849 we all need to be investing time and effort. 00:43:44.010 --> 00:43:46.329 So you're probably leading the most important 00:43:46.329 --> 00:43:48.170 effort of all in the journal. Neil, thanks again, 00:43:48.489 --> 00:43:50.369 and best holiday wishes to you and all your listeners. 00:43:51.349 --> 00:43:53.989 And the same to you, and thank you for that. 00:43:54.940 --> 00:43:59.119 And we look forward to seeing some articles submitted 00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:01.880 for that. So I won't be writing all of them. 00:44:02.559 --> 00:44:05.480 So we need to get some people to send those in. 00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:09.559 So by all means, if you have something in mind, 00:44:10.239 --> 00:44:14.739 let's get it emailed to me and we'll take a look 00:44:14.739 --> 00:44:18.639 at it. Well, that's going to wrap things up for 00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:21.179 tonight. Thanks to my guest, Dr. Scott Wright, 00:44:21.300 --> 00:44:24.639 KZeroMD and everybody out there in cyberspace 00:44:24.639 --> 00:44:27.739 for listening and invite you back next Thursday 00:44:27.739 --> 00:44:31.599 night at 9 p .m. Eastern Time. And if you want 00:44:31.599 --> 00:44:34.980 to see who's coming up next, just go over to 00:44:34.980 --> 00:44:38.460 HamTalkLive .com and we update that as soon as 00:44:38.460 --> 00:44:41.440 we know. So you can check that out over there. 00:44:41.679 --> 00:44:45.030 So for now, this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. saying 00:44:45.030 --> 00:44:50.329 7375 and may the good DX be yours.