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Recap 🔁

• 02/01 Cowlitz County ACS Meeting

Solar Cycle 25

Bryan KJ7OX shares the following,

With the rise of solar cycle 25 it’s time for a little education. To know where we are in the current cycle see the attached image plucked from a solar weather website. We have several good years of band conditions coming so enjoy!

Along with these band conditions there will be an untold number of amateur radio operators filling all bands for the next several years day and night from around the world. Let’s set some good examples and be our best, we never know who’s listening.

Lets begin with 10 meters. Since 10 meters is likely to be the band most newer or less experienced hams will start out with on HF we need to set a few basic ground rules so bad habits don’t take on a life of their own.

1. Listen and learn.
2. Know your radio, get out the manual and keep it close by. Newer menu driven radios require ongoing attention and when band conditions get rough you’re going to want to change settings for transmit/receive to help make those contacts.
3. Be courteous and set good examples.
4. Everyone’s listing.
5. Identify every 10 mins or before!
6. If you need to tune your antenna, find a clear area to tune/test so as not to interfere with others. Do not hit the auto-tune button on your radio on top of anyone, especially where you plan to operate.
7. Ask if the frequency is in use! I hear so often that some newer hams will just begin calling CQ before asking if the frequency is in use. You wouldn’t like it if someone interfered with you. Remember, we often only hear one half of the conversation.

You get the idea here so I won’t add anything else as it’s universal common sense.

Please be aware of how you speak, how you have your transmit audio settings arranged and one of my pet peeves, “over blown modulation” and distorted audio. Remember, Less = more! Do not crank up microphone gain and processing/compression without going through your radios user manual. Have someone get on the air with you to help learn what the limits are. Don’t get angry if someone critiques you and tells you that you sound bad, you probably do and it’s your fault. Thank them and ask if they might help you with some suggestions to sound better, most hams will be happy to provide meaningful suggestions.

Lastly, see the article “It’s not your mic, it’s you!” by Steve Katz WB2WIK/6 [PDF]. It also speaks to what I mentioned above.

73, Brian KJ7OX

Upcoming Events 🗓

THIS WEEK February 8, 2023 - Presentation Night: Homebrew Quad Loop

Brian KJ7OX shares his experience with building and operating a vertically oriented, horizontally polarized, rectangular quad loop for 10 meters.

For more information on this antenna build, supplies, and dimensions please see the following links:

• A Gain Antenna for 28 MHz (QST)
• Practical Antennas: Dimensions for Vertical Full Wave Loops [local mirror]

THIS WEEKEND Saturday, February 11, 2023 10:00am - VE Testing Session

If you or a friend are interested in taking a test, please email Mike Bates de.n7dq@gmail.com.

Upcoming test dates for 2023 are 5/13, 8/12, and 11/18. All are on the second Saturday of the month except for 11/18 because of Veterans Day. For more information, check the LCARA Website.

If you are a VE or are intersted in helping to coordinate upcoming exam sessions, please let us know.

Next Week

• 02/15 Wed 1900 LCARA Business Meeting
• 02/18 Sat Salem Ham Fair (Rickreall) [flyer]
• 02/18 Sat ARRL DX Contest CW

Later This Month

• 02/22 Wed 1900 LCARA Technical Committee Meeting
• 02/25 Sat 0900 Cowlitz ACS Exercise
  • Details TBD. Open to all. Please RSVP if interested in participating.

Nets ✅

NEW GMRS Net

• 02/11 Sat 1900: NEW GMRS Net - Open to all licensed GMRS operators
  • WRNM663 462.650 MHz T114.8 +500 (Rainier)

Other Nets

• 02/06 Mon 2000: Cowlitz County ACS Net - Open to all Amateurs
  • W7DG 147.260 MHz T114 +060
  • Also, check in via APRS message to N7DEM-5: CHECKIN Name Location
• 02/07 Tue 0900: CEMNET Region IV Net - Winlink, V-Tac 12, 224.660 MHz (EOC)
  • Email kf7hvm@0x26.net to be added to the weekly Winlink test
• 02/12 Sun 2000: W7MSH Mercury Mt. St. Helens ERC Net - Open to all Amateurs
  • 2000 Woodland Checkin W7DG 147.300 MHz T114 +060
  • 2015 Roundtable W7DG 147.260 MHz T114 +060

Swap Shop

Harry WA7HH asked me to include these in the newsletter, in case anyone hadn’t seen them yet. They are up at the clubhouse, please contact Harry (harryhowell [at] msn [dot] com) and make an offer if you are interested.

If you have items for sale or trade that may be of interest to this group, please let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Kindly send any comments, corrections, events, pictures, stories, or content for this newsletter to kf7hvm@0x26.net.

Consider joining the LCARA W7DG Facebook Group.