Tag: operating

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Slow Down To Bust A Contest Pileup

Slow down to bust a contest pileup – Observations By DAN KB6NU

In the Minnesota QSO Party last weekend, there was a big pileup trying to work a station in some remote county. The operator was working about 23 – 25 wpm, so I replied at that speed. I even sped up a little thinking that I might be able to slip my call in before the others.

Well, after several unsuccessful calls, and hearing the MN station reply to several slower stations, I decided to slow down myself. Bingo! I got a reply to my first call at the slower speed. My guess is that the slower speed made my call easier to copy and to stand out from the others. I don’t know if this tactic would work in a bigger contest, but I’m going to use this tactic again in a future QSO party.

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The Finnish Amateur Radio League also offers the award SRAL100

The Finnish Amateur Radio League issues the SRAL 100 award in honour of the 100th anniversary year 2021. For the award, you must have contacts with at least 100 different OH amateurs. The contacts must be held between 1.1.2021 and 31.12.2021. All bands and modes allowed for radio amateurs may be used. Contacts via repeater stations are not accepted. Short wave listeners can also apply for the award. By working at least 100 OH stations during 2021 you can apply for the award. CLICK for more info.

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The New Zealand YL Scene During 2020

NEW  ZEALAND  LADY  AMATEURS 2020 – Ngaire ZL2UJT

2020 was a strange year for everyone in the world with COVID arriving .

Fortunately New Zealand has so far managed to avoid the worst of it and our lives here were not affected as badly as other countries. This was due to many factors, one being that we are a very isolated country in the Pacific ocean and the other is we closed our borders and went into complete lock down earlier than most. Thank goodness our country of 4 million complied and we were able to keep the disease at bay.

Lock down here for us personally was not a problem as we live close to a beach and part of our “Bubble” included a walk past the cliff overlooking the beach which was so relaxing. Also it gave us time to spend relaxing at home instead of going to meetings of the many clubs we belong to, and also the many lunches out with friends, which in turn saved us heaps of money.

This was a time that Amateur radio excelled and people came on the air and chatted. All our radio nets were busy and people used the airways as never before. Interesting events like the backyard Summit on the Air, the ZL2AL activity event with trying to maintain 4 contacts per day and the upper HF bands starting to open up made for interesting and fun Ham Radio days. On top of that we had fabulous weather.

Unfortunately during this time WARO our women’s amateur radio organisation went into recess, as many of our members were unable to go on the air any more due to their Om’s passing away, old age, or developing other hobbies with members being reluctant to form an active and dynamic committee.

In general we seem to have new young male recruits coming on board but hardly any females.

Our local club a few years ago had 15 active female Amateurs, now there are only two who come to the branch meetings while the male activity is growing and the enthusiasm from the new members has not diminished with time. On the bright side our female activity is high and recognized by the local branch members who proposed me for the Jumbo Godfrey award which I was honoured to receive.

We have our AGM due mid year so hoping that members will front up and join the committee and we can continue this great group. We have not capitulated and still hold a ladies net on Monday nights on our national system and also sometimes an HF 80 metre net on Thursday evenings. With propagation slowly improving on the bands above 80 metres with the upcoming sunspot cycle, we are hoping that we can do more Dxing.

There seems to be an upsurge of women doing their CW which is a new trend so hopefully this will encourage people to participate on the air more.

33 Ngaire ZL2UJT

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The Bath Based Distance Learning – Courses for March to June

 

 

The Bath Based Distance Learning team helped nearly 800 students to pass the Advanced exam under the old syllabus. After reworking their training material, the team are now planning their first course for the Full level exam syllabus.

The course will run from March to June this year. Students will receive weekly work packages via a virtual classroom and will have access to weekly online tutorials.

There will be no charge for the training, but applicants will need to work through a pre-course classroom and quiz to be eligible for a place. The deadline for course applications is Wednesday the 17th of February. To request full details and an application form, please e-mail Steve, G0FUW via g0fuw@tiscali.co.uk.

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Copy CW Signals More Easily With Two Tones

By –

In CQ – January 2018 – Pete, N8PR (SK) wrote that you should set up your receiver to produce two tones 65 to 80 Hz apart to make copying weak CW signals more easily. The theory behind this is that the dissonance between the two tones makes copying a CW signal more copyable than just a single tone. I like this  idea. I played around a little bit last night with this technique, and it did indeed seem to work better than using just a single tone.

Read original POST – HERE .

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WOTRA  2020 (Women On The Radio Award) Report

WOTRA  2020 (Women On The Radio Award) – Ángeles M.T (EC1YL)

A large number of radio amateurs from around the world, participated in the 2020 annual event.. More Awards for YL’s stations were delivered this year, thereby fulfilling the group mission of encouraging more YL participation.

In 2019 when the Award was launched, the event was more of a practice session, but one year on (2020) it can be considered a success thanks to the increased interest and participation of YLs.

This year, WOTRA has focused more on the work of the Special-Event-Stations  and their regular attendance on the bands, rather than on the individual making a certain number of QSO’s.

Becoming involved required commitment and the responsibility of regular participation.

Much effort and determination was needed  in an event at this level.  Not always an easy task and for this reason, several of the participants who started at the beginning of November, found themselves unable to continue through to the end.

Special thanks to the Operators that participated throughout, they displayed  great team-work and coordination amongst  everyone. In alphabetical order they are:

Ana – EI / EA7KMA
Angels – EC1YL
Carmen – DM4EAX
Cath – MW7CVT
Laila – OE3LZA
Pink- LU7IRS
Ydorca (Mariela) – YV5EVA
Zulema – CO8MGY

In particular I  would like to recognise  Zulema Gonzalez Ochoa CO8MGY  from Cuba. To reward and recognize her work, as the operator that made the most QSO’s, especially as it was her first year in this great event,  She participated with enthusiasm and dedication.

Laila OE3LZA, also had the privilege of being able to get her beautiful Award for her contact with my special station on November 25 (EH1YL), on the occasion of the ‘International Day against Gender Violence’.

Special thanks of course to all the Operators of the Wotra Award 2020  and for their effort to contact their WOTRA colleagues and in obtaining their beautiful Awards.  (2 Dec, 2020)

Women on The Radio  is a Radio Group, created by Ángeles M.T ( EC1YL), for licensed Radio Amateur YL’s Worldwide  https://web.facebook.com/groups/1913222872262810/about

[EDIT – COX: And from a UK perspective BYLARA (British Young Ladies Amateur Radio Association – also available via QUICKLINK)]

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Calling Mrs Boye On Vanikoro

By: Petar Djokovic (Royal Australian Navy – RAN)

“Calling Mrs Boye on Vanikoro.” So began a message from Japanese forces to Ruby Boye in 1942. What followed was a terse and direct threat for Ruby to discontinue her operations. Over the course of World War II, Ruby Boye operated the radio at VANIKORO in the Solomon Islands as Australia’s only female coastwatcher. Her service warranted a personal visit to Vanikoro by Fleet Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey Jr, USN, and earned her a British Empire Medal (BEM).
Ruby was born Ruby Olive Jones on 29 July 1891 in Sydney, the fifth of eight children. She was working as a saleswoman when she married a laundry proprietor, Sydney Skov Boye who had previously lived in Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, in Sydney on 25 October 1919.
Skov returned to Tulagi, with Ruby and their son, Ken, in 1928 to take up his old position with Lever Brothers. Their second son, Don, was born shortly afterwards and the two boys would spend most of their school years in Sydney. In 1936 Skov accepted the position of Island Manager for the Kauri Timber Company’s logging operations on Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz group. Vanikoro is a mountainous island surrounded by a treacherous coral reef. There were no roads. The timber logged in the mountains was hauled to the harbour by rail tractors where they were rafted together to await shipping to Australia. Ships would arrive from Melbourne four times a year to collect the logs and at the same time delivered mail and supplies for the loggers. Around 20 Kauri employees, including a radio operator and a doctor, came to Vanikoro from Australia and New Zealand on two year contracts in addition to about 80 islander labourers.
The family lived in the island’s main village, Paeu, on the south-west coast of the island on the southern bank of the Lawrence River where crocodiles were common. A suspension bridge over the river led to the main part of the village as well as the company store, office, machine shop and living quarters for the company’s workforce.

An Island Paradise?

Upon the declaration of World War II, Lieutenant Commander (later Commander, OBE) Eric Feldt assumed responsibility for the naval coast-watching network in the South Pacific. Vanikoro formed part of the network; however, the operator wanted to return to Australia to join the RAAF. He suggested that Ruby could take over the operation of the radio until a replacement arrived. Ruby agreed and so learned how to operate the radio and compile weather reports using a panel of instruments and her own observations. She sent weather reports by voice four times a day, providing vital meteorological information for both ships and aircraft. No replacement was ever sent; there was no need as long as Ruby kept sending her reports. Ken and Don, meanwhile, returned to Australia to stay with relatives.
Timber production at Vanikoro ceased when the Japanese entered the war, and staff and their families left by ship. Skov decided to stay to look after the company’s interests while Ruby considered it her duty to continue operating the radio. With the departure of the doctor, Ruby also took on the responsibility of the health and welfare of the local islanders, many of whom travelled between the islands by canoe and brought Ruby information about Japanese movements and dispositions.
It was a courageous decision. Ruby was 50 and Skov was older, and they were the only non-Solomon Islanders left on the island. If the Japanese did invade the island, and Vanikoro was in a precarious position, they were defenceless. They received supplies infrequently and were often short of rations. No mail, newspapers or magazines were delivered, and the radio was strictly for intelligence use only. Ruby only ever received three personal messages over the radio; to advise her of the deaths of her father, mother and a sister.
Ruby initially directed her reports to Tulagi but when it fell to the Japanese in May 1942 she was directed to send her reports to Vila in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu). It was at this time in early 1942 that Ruby received the first of several threatening messages. One of her fellow coast-watchers, listening on the same frequency, responded to the Japanese operator “in language which they wouldn’t repeat to a lady.” For her part, Ruby remained unperturbed; “I felt just a little bit queer when I heard that voice but somehow I felt he was bragging… The mere fact that I was annoying them sufficiently to have them warn me off was somewhat gratifying.” Shortly afterwards Ruby’s radio was changed to a different frequency and she was instructed to transmit only in Morse Code, which she had taught herself.

Ruby ‘Operating’ Her Vanakoro Station

As civilians, coast-watchers were advised to cease their operations and evacuate as the Japanese advanced into their territory. The vast majority of them, like Ruby, chose to continue their activities in the knowledge that capture could result in their execution. In March 1942, following the execution of an elderly planter, the coast-watchers were given ranks or ratings, mostly in the Volunteer Reserve, in the hope that this would provide them some protection in the event of capture. From 27 July 1943 Ruby was officially appointed an honourary third officer in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). Her uniform was later air-dropped to her. The US Army also offered Ruby’s little outpost official recognition as 3rd Army Outpost. Those appointments would, in reality, offer Ruby little protection if she ever were captured. She and Skov agreed that if the Japanese ever did land on Vanikoro they would head into the jungle and, if it came to it, take their own lives rather than be captured. Ruby also provided a vital intelligence link in the South Pacific and often relayed messages from other coast-watchers when they were unable to reach the US base at Vila. She is credited with passing on vital information during the Battle of the Coral Sea, as well as from Leyte and Guadalcanal.
Japanese reconnaissance planes were often heard overhead and on one occasion during the night, lights were seen and boat engines were heard around the reef lasting for around four hours. Ruby believed that the Japanese were trying to find the entrance to the harbour but abandoned their attempt to land when they were unable to do so. For safety reasons it was decided to move the radio equipment across the river away from the Boye’s home. After the suspension bridge across the Lawrence River collapsed, Ruby had to make the journey to the radio shack across the crocodile-infested river by punt and through ankle-deep mud four times a day.
In 1944 a Catalina flying boat refuelling station was established on the island. This meant an improvement in conditions for Ruby as supplies were delivered on a more regular basis; however, the station was also a target for Japanese air raids which occasionally damaged aircraft and tenders in the harbour.
Such was the appreciation for Ruby’s efforts that Admiral Halsey personally called on her at Vanikoro. He arrived in a flying boat and a small group of officers came ashore to be met by Skov. Halsey introduced himself; “Name’s Halsey. Not stopping for long, just thought I’d like to call in and meet that marvellous woman who runs the radio.” Halsey told Ruby that he was “playing hookey” by visiting.
It was around this time, in 1944, that Ruby developed shingles and Halsey arranged for a USN Catalina to fly her to Sydney for treatment. Four US servicemen were assigned to take over the operation of the radio during her convalescence; four men assigned to do the work that Ruby had been doing on her own. After three weeks in Australia, she re-joined Skov at Vanikoro and resumed her coast-watching duties.
As the Japanese were slowly pushed northwards, the Americans withdrew from Vanikoro in 1945 but Ruby diligently continued her work until until the news was received, via her tele-radio, that the war was over. The Kauri Timber Company resumed logging operations after the war and Ruby was officially employed as secretary to the manager while continuing to send weather reports to the Bureau of Meteorology. Ruby was presented with her BEM in 1946 in a ceremony in Suva.
In 1947 Skov fell ill and both he and Ruby returned to Sydney in August for diagnosis and treatment. Two weeks after being diagnosed with Leukemia, Skov passed away. Ruby briefly returned to Vanikoro to finalise affairs there before returning to Australia for good.
Ruby married Frank Jones in 1950 and took on the name Boye-Jones; but 11 years later, Frank too passed away. Ruby lived alone at her Penshurst home for the next thirty years before moving into a nursing home at the age of 96. She remained active and enjoyed the company of a vast network of friends and family. In her own words; “Age is a matter of mind and if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” The then Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Hudson, wrote to her on her 98th birthday saying; “Your name is synonymous with the finest traditions of service to the Navy and the nation. We have not, nor will not, forget your wonderful contribution.”Ruby passed away on 14 September 1990, aged 99. An accommodation block at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, is named in her honour, and the Ex-WRANS Association has dedicated a page to her in the Garden Island Chapel Remembrance Book.
Author: Petar Djokovic RAN Semaphore series.
https://www.navy.gov.au/…/public…/semaphore-calling-mrs-boye
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144Mhz TEP Openings

There have been some remarkable contacts made on 144 MHz recently via Trans-Equatorial Propagation (TEP) from the Caribbean to South America with many in the region of 4000 to 5000 kms. One of the most impressive was a contact between P41E on the island of Aruba and LU2EPO near Buenos Aires in Argentina, a distance of just over 5400 kms……………….CLICK for more.

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Snips – News For Scotland – 6th December

The news headlines:

  • Get on the Air to Care wins award
  • New IARU VHF handbook
  • RSGB mounts Christmas charity auction

GB2RS Script – HERE .

Tony MM0TMZ – Regional Manager for RSGB Region1 – Scotland South & Western Isles

A reminder to all radio amateurs that certain frequencies are reserved in the Band Plans for use by the GB2RS broadcast service on Sundays. These include:

70.425 (4M)  145.525 (2M)  433.525MHz  (70cms)

The schedules are published at:

https://rsgb.services/public/gb2rs/gb2rs_broadcast_schedule.pdf checkout WoSARS.com/QUICKLINK – GB2RS

All radio amateurs are asked to avoid these frequencies at the stated times.

The service areas of the different regions do overlap and the RSGB requests that the GB2RS frequencies are kept kept clear of all traffic during the broadcast period. Unlike normal amateur radio, the GB2RS bulletins are licensed as broadcasts and have to use fixed frequencies.

CLUB NEWS & NETS

Details of all known nets in Scotland are collated by RSGB Regional Rep Tony, MM0TMZ in association with Jack GM4COX and the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society. These details are then published at https://wosars.club/radio-nets – RADIO NETS .

In the absence of club meetings, the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society (WoSARS), has a daily FM net from 11am on 145.425MHz. Wednesday sees an FM net from 8pm on 433.425MHz and on Friday there’s an open net on 145.425MHz, also from 8pm. More details are at https://wosars.club

The Viking Amateur Radio Net runs on Sunday evenings from 6pm on 3.660 or 3.639MHz. Details can be found on their Facebook page.

Ayr Amateur Radio Group has a CW net on Sundays on 144.295MHz from 7pm and on 145.450MHz FM from 7.30pm. There are daily nets around 7.035MHz from 10.15am, moving to 7.065MHz and 145.450MHz at 10.30am. Friday sees a Zoom meeting, which may include a presentation. For details, email derek.secaarg@gmail.com.

Kilmarnock & Loudoun Amateur Radio Club has a net on Sundays from 2pm around 3.720MHz SSB, later moving to around 3.540MHz for a CW net. Tuesday sees a net on 145.475MHz FM from 7.30pm. For details, email klarcinfo@gmail.com.

Mid Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society has a net on Sundays from 9pm on 28.475MHz. Wednesday sees the DMR Scotland net on TG23550 from 8pm and on Friday there’s a private club Zello chat from 7pm, which later moves to 2m. Details are at https://mlars.co.uk.

Wigtownshire Amateur Radio Society has a net on Sundays from 7.30pm on GB3DG, which usually moves to Zoom at around 8pm. Thursday sees a net on GB3DG from 7pm. There is also an open RAYNET net daily on GB3DG from noon. See www.gm4riv.org for further details.

Dundee Amateur Radio Club has nets on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm on GB3AG and on GB3DD. There is a Skype meeting on Tuesday Contact Martin, 2M0KAU on 07763 708 933 for further information.

Stirling and District Amateur Radio Society has a net from noon on Sundays on GB3FE. Monday and Thursday also see nets on GB3FE and on 145.550MHz from 7pm. Email secretary@gm6nx.com for details.

The Loch Lomond Sunday net takes place on 144.9625MHz in the Vale of Leven and surrounding areas and also via Echolink on gateway MB7 IBH-L from 8pm, moving to DMR TG 23559 from 9pm. Contact Paul, MM3DDQ via email to mm3ddq@yahoo.co.uk for further details.

Edinburgh & District Amateur Radio Club has its net on Monday from 8pm on 433.525MHz FM. Contact Norman, GM1CNH, on 07740 946 192 for further information.

Glenrothes & District Radio Club has open nets from 10am on 3.790MHz every day except Sunday. There are also FM nets on Tuesday and Thursday from 7.30pm on 145.425MHz and morse training is available. Further details from Tam on 07753 526 498.

Paisley Amateur Radio Club has an FM net on Mondays from 8pm on 144.550MHz and on Zello. Tuesday sees a DMR net in room 4415 from 8pm. On Thursday there’s a net on 144.550MHz FM and on Zello from 7.30pm.

Livingston & District Amateur Radio Society has a net on Tuesdays from 7.30pm on 145.575MHz FM. Wednesday sees a net on DMR Scotland TG23550 from 8pm. Contact Cathie, 2M0DIB on 01506 433 846 for further information.

On Wednesday Lothians Radio Society has a net on 144.350MHz SSB from 8pm. Email secretary@lothiansradiosociety.com for further details.

Caithness Amateur Radio Society holds nets on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2pm on 3.740MHz LSB, ±QRM. Details are at www.QSL.net/ms0fnr.

Lomond Radio Club has a net on Thursdays from 7.30pm using 144.9625MHz to the MB7IBH Gateway and is also connected on EchoLink. Contact gm0kzx@googlemail.com for further information.

On Friday Strathclyde Park Amateur Radio Club has a net from 7.30pm on 145.400MHz, and also on the British Amateur Television channel from 8pm. Email Bill, MM0SFB at gm0syv@btinternet.com for further information.

Remember, if you wish to have your net listed on the WoSARS website or to report any changes to existing Scottish nets please contact Tony Miles MM0TMZ by email to rr1@rsgb.org.uk. Remember also to keep GB2RS updated via email to radcom@rsgb.org.uk the deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursday.

 

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60 Years ‘Young’ for GB3VHF

GB3VHF & GB3UHF – Click For More Info

This December (2020) is the 60th Anniversary  of a well ‘Kent’ beacon in Kent.

As an enthusiastic VHF dx-er in my early years in amateur radio, GB3VHF was one of the primary beacons to monitor in the UK. Living with my parents in Baillieston (E Glasgow or part of Lanarkshire in the early 70’s) my 5 el homebrew quad (replaced later with a pair of J-Beam 6 el Quads) was invariably pointing south – monitoring VHF or slightly to the west GB3CTC (Cornwall – long gone!).

Along with tropo enhancement (in the case of VHF & CTC) and other propagation mechanisms, auroral monitoring was carried out with the assistance of GB3LER (Lerwick, Shetlands – again long gone.)

Cheers

Jack(;>J

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