2010 NCJ Jan Feb Cover.Pmd
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$4 WWW.RADiOSCAMATORUL.Hi2.RO ■ Adapting the Ameritron RCS-4 for Remote-SiteWWW.GiURUMELE.Hi2.RO Antenna Switching ■ NCJ Reviews: Up the Tower by Steve Morris, K7LXC ■ Results: Summer 2009 NAQP (CW, SSB, RTTY) ■ Results: Fall 2009 NA Sprint (CW, SSB, RTTY) Top Photo: Rick, K6VVA, chronicles his lessons learned while building a remote contesting station at “Locust Peak.” Bottom Photo: NCJ remembers the four members of the C6APR team, who died tragically while en route to the Bahamas for the 2009 CQ WW SSB: (L-R) Ed, K3IXD; Randy, K4QO; Pete, W2GJ, and Dallas, W3PP. 225 Main Street • Newington, CT 06111-1494 CT Newington, • Street Main 225 American Radio Relay League Relay Radio American NCJ : The National Contest Journal Contest National The : Array Solutions Your Source for Outstanding Radio Products Count on us for sound, reliable, effi cient and effective equipment. It’s been our passion for over 18 years. Make sure to visit our website to see all that we have to offer. 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Service: (865) 428-0364, [email protected] M-F 8 AM -5 PM (Eastern Time). We accept Visa, MC, American Express and Discover. The National Contest Journal Table of Contents Volume 38 Number 1 January/February 2010 National Contest Journal (ISSN 0899-0131) is published bimonthly in January, March, May, July, September and November by the American 3 Editorial Al Dewey, KØAD Radio Relay League, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: National Contest Journal, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. WWW.RADiOSCAMATORUL.Hi2.RO FEATURES Publisher American Radio Relay League 4 True Remote Control with the Ameritron RCS-4 Antenna Switch 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111 tel: 860-594-0200 Al Yerger, WA2EHI fax: 860-594-0259 (24-hour direct line) Electronic Mail: [email protected] World Wide Web: www.arrl.org/ 8 How Not to Build a Remote SO2R Contest Station — Part 1 Editor Rick Hilding, K6VVA Al Dewey, KØAD [email protected] 11 C6APR Team Tragedy Shocks and Saddens Radio Amateurs Worldwide Managing Editor Rick Lindquist, WW3DE Rick Lindquist, WW3DE [email protected] NCJ WWW Page 18 NCJ Reviews: Up the Tower by Steve Morris, K7LXC Bruce Horn, WA7BNM, Webmaster www.ncjweb.com Doug Grant, K1DG ARRL Officers President: Joel M. Harrison, W5ZN Executive Vice President: David Sumner, K1ZZ Contributing Editors WWW.GiURUMELE.Hi2.RO Gary Sutcliffe, W9XT—Contest Tips, Tricks & Techniques COLUMNS Ralph Bellas, K9ZO—Contesting on a Budget Jon Jones, NØJK—VHF-UHF Contesting! 13 NCJ Profiles: Eric Scace, K3NA 21 VHF Contesting! Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA—Propagation Don Hill, AA5AU—RTTY Contesting Tom Menas, K3WT Jon Jones, NØJK Tom Menas, K3WT —NCJ Profiles Bill Feidt, NG3K—DX Contest Activity Announcements 16 Propagation Bruce Horn, WA7BNM—Contest Calendar 24 Contesting on a Budget Pete Smith, N4ZR—Software for Contesters Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA Ralph Bellas, K9ZO Don Daso, K4ZA—Workshop Chronicles Kirk Pickering, K4RO—Contesting 101 19 Workshop Chronicles ARRL CAC Representative 26 RTTY Contesting Ned Stearns, AA7A Don Daso, K4ZA Don Hill, AA5AU 7038 E Aster Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 [email protected] North American QSO Party, CW 20 Contesting 101 Bruce Horn, WA7BNM Kirk Pickering, K4RO 4225 Farmdale Ave, Studio City, CA 91604 [email protected] North American QSO Party, Phone Bruce Horn, WA7BNM 4225 Farmdale Ave, Studio City, CA 91604 [email protected] North American QSO Party, RTTY CONTESTS Shelby Summerville, K4WW 6500 Lantana Ct, Louisville, KY 40229-1544 28 Rules: North American Sprint (CW/SSB/RTTY) Bruce Horn, WA7BNM [email protected] North American Sprint, CW Boring Amateur Radio Club 29 Rules: North American QSO Party (NAQP) CW/SSB/RTTY Bruce Horn, WA7BNM 15125 Bartell Rd, Boring, OR 97009 [email protected] North American Sprint, Phone 31 Results: North American Sprint, CW — Fall 2009 Boring Amateur Radio Club Jim Stevens, K4MA 6609 Vardon Ct, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 [email protected] 35 Results:: North American Sprint, SSB — Fall 2009 Jim Stevens, K4MA North American Sprint, RTTY Ed Muns, WØYK PO Box 1877, Los Gatos, CA 95031-1877 [email protected] 37 Results: North American Sprint, RTTY — October 2009 Ed Muns, WØYK Advertising Information Contact: Janet Rocco, tel 860-594-0203; fax 860-594-0303; [email protected] 39 Results: North American QSO Party, SSB — August 2009 Bruce Horn, WA7BNM NCJ subscription orders, changes of address, and reports of missing or damaged copies should be addressed to ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 and be marked NCJ Circulation. ARRL members are asked to include their membership control number or their QST mailing label. ADVERTISING INDEX Letters, articles, club newsletters and other editorial material should be submitted to NCJ, 14800 38th Pl N, Plymouth, MN 55446. Alfa Radio Ltd.: 24 Radioware & Radio Bookstore: 30 The NA Sprint and NA QSO Parties are not sponsored by ARRL. Array Solutions: COVER II RF Parts: 15, 17 Yearly Subscription rates: In the US $20 SuperBertha: 25 US by First Class Mail $28 Bencher: 27 International and Canada by airmail $32 Clark Electronics: 15 Ten-Tec: 1 All original material not attributed to another source is copyright DX Engineering: 3 Texas Towers: COVER III © 2009 by The American Radio Relay League, Inc. Materials may be excerpted from the NCJ without prior permission provided Green Heron Engineering LLC: 15 Top Ten Devices: 12 that the original contributor is credited, and the NCJ is identified HamGadgets: 23 Unified Microsystems: 48 as the source. 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