Metrocrest Amateur Radio Society
Archives
December 18, 2024
Good DX
At the November 14 MARS meeting, Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, revealed some of the mysteries about radio propagation. Carl literally “wrote the book” about this fascinating science. (All links on YouTube.)
CW is Not Dead!
At the October 10 meeting, Eric Silverthorn, NM5M, shared some of the secrets of successful CW contesting. He explained how you can learn CW or improve your code skills. Go now to see his presentation.
Hams Work TX QSO Party
MARS hams Andy Parcel, KE5KOF, Tom Yenny, K5LOL, Kevin Grantham, N5KRG, and Ron Reeves, NN5R, joined Kim Walter, KI5ZOT, and David Strickland, KR8X, to venture out to Ft Richardson State Park in Jacksboro to activate Jack County for the annual Texas QSO Party, September 21–22. They set up three stations with separate antennas to work 40, 20, and 15 meters at the same time.
The group made over 100 contacts doing some Parks On The Air (POTA) while working the Salmon Run QSO Party, the Iowa QSO Party, the New Jersey QSO Party, and of course the Texas QSO Party. They worked 5 special event stations across the country as well.
Not to be outdone, hams from the North Texas Amateur Radio Society (NTARS) set up three stations right across the road. Needless to say, there was no trouble hearing them. Rigs were de-sensed by the close-in competing transmitters, but the team was still able to make contacts, sometimes by operating at the other end of the band and sometimes by waiting until they were done with an adjacent contact to do our QSO.
Tom Yenny was the QSO King and chef with steak on the bar-B with baked potatoes, corn on the cob, salad, and pie. He offered pancakes and bacon for breakfast Saturday, cold cuts for lunch, and BBQ chicken with baked beans, salad, and “Death by Chocolate Cake” for Saturday night. Sunday morning found them at the Village Kitchen, the local hangout for a good breakfast.
Ron Reeves said they’re planning to go out to a park somewhere for next year’s Texas QSO Party but will coordinate with the NTARS group so they aren’t all at the same campground. Their next operating event this fall with be a pop-up event at Duck Duck Goose Pond some nice Saturday afternoon and the Festival at the Switchyard November 2nd.
On the Net
August 28, 2024—
MARS Board Member and master-of-all-things-licensing, Allan Batteiger, WB5QNG, appeared on HamNation and chatted with Gordon West, WB6NOA, with the latest news from W5YI Licensing Services.
W5YI Contact Volunteer Examiner (CVE) Stephen Hutchings, WM7X, was on the podcast as well with an update on remote license testing. You can watch the whole thing here: https://www.youtube.com/live/pnm5hxJR5q8
HamNation is featured every other Wednesday on the Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@HamRadioCrashCourse.
Members Have a Blast
David Shaefer, KF5TZF, is a commercial and private pilot as well as a flight instructor. He also enjoys radio controlled airplanes and model rocketry. At the August 8, 2024, meeting, he shared some of his exploits in the sky and how radio plays a part in his hobby. Please enjoy the video of his presentation. Links featured in the video:
Falcons of Lake Dallas RC Club • https://www.falconsrcclub.com/
Academy of Model Aeronautic • https://www.modelaircraft.org/
Tripoli North Texas • https://www.tripolinorthtexas.org/
Tripoli Rocketry Association • https://www.tripoli.org/