KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

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You gotta be out of your gourd not to take a look at these #hamradio photos

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Here are some funny photos that I’ve come across lately.

This photo was posted to /reddit/amateurradio. Comments included:

  • Just your garden-variety QSL card.
  • Propagation was excellent and they had gourd copy on you.
  • Whoever sent that must be out of their gourd.

I think this guy has done a crackerjack job of prototyping this circuit.

We pulled up behind this truck on our way back from VA. The company owner must not be a CW operator. (QLF is the Q signal that jokingly means, “Your sending is so bad that you must be sending with your left foot!”). Sorry for the poor quality of this photo, but we were driving at 75 mph, and I didn’t want to get too close.

Am I #3 or #1?

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Earlier today, Steve, N8GNJ, sent me this email:
You’re number 3 in this list of Amateur Radio bloggers!
You’re the top rated solo blogger!
I replied:

Thanks for the link, Steve! :)

I often joke that I am the #1-rated ham radio blogger because when you Google “ham radio blog” or “amateur radio blog,” I usually come up #1. In this case, I could argue that neither the ARRL nor eHam are blogs like mine, so even in this ranking, I’m #1.

I have no idea how Feedly came up with this ranking, so I’ll leave  it up to you. Am I #3 or #1?

I’ll also note that friend Bob, K0NR, is #8 on this list.

ICQ Podcast Episode 353 – Parks on the Air and Xiegu G90 SDR Transceiver Review

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On this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG to discuss:

The features for this episode include coverage of Parks on the Air (POTA) by Bill Barnes WC3B, and review of the Xiegu G90 SDR Transceiver by Ed Durrant DD5LP.

Amateur radio videos: How to get free parts, The Secret Life of the Radio

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How to get almost any part for free or cheap

Jeremy Fielding is an amazing maker who has made all kinds of things from scavenged parts. In this video, he gives you eight tips on how to find free parts from non-working appliances, defunct exercise equipment, and non-functioning electronics equipment.

The secret life of the radio

Tim Hunkin has a great talent for explaining technology. Here, is his classic video on the history and basics of radio.

 

Amateur radio operators are still in high demand

This is a TV news report on amateur radio in the Wabash Valley of Illinois and Indiana.

Contest University and Hamvention 2021 forums now on YouTube

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If you missed the Contest University 2021 on May 20th and the Hamvention Forums on May 21st, they are now available online. The complete program is about 8 hours and 15 minutes long. The presentations include (approximate times shown):

  • 0:00 am Welcome to CTU 2020 from W8CI and K3LR
  • 0:05 am WW2DX – “Cloud Contesting – Live Demonstration” moderators NN1C and W9KKN
  • 1:00 am W3LPL – “Preparing Your Station for Competition” moderators NN1C and W9KKN
  • 2:00 am M0DXR – “Contest Categories – Make the Most of Your Entry” moderators W2NAF and KM3T
  • 3:00 K1AR – Memorial reading of the Silent Keys for 2021
  • 3:30 DK6SP – “Youth – the Future of Contesters” moderators W2NAF and KM3T
  • 4:30 UA9BA – “Contesting from Russia” moderators K5TR and N5KO
  • 5:30 CT1BOH – “There is Nothing Magic About Propagation” moderators K5TR and N5KO
  • 6:30 NC0B – “Transceiver Performance for the HF DX and Contest Operator” moderators K1AR and N3RA
  • 7:30 Wrap up N9JA and K3LR
  • 7:35 K1AR – 2021 CQ Contest Hall of Fame Presentation

ICQ Podcast Episode 351 – New RSGB President discusses IARU/RSGB Survey

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On this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and we discussed the following: 

This episode’s feature is a discussion of the RSGB Survey with the new RSGB President.

As always, we get off on some tangents. For example, in the discussion of the IRTS (the Irish equivalent of the ARRL) rejection of the new license level, we ended up discussing how smaller countries regulate amateur radio. In the discussion of amateur radio on the BBC Essex Breakfast Show, Martin mentioned that he knew the YL who called in to discuss ham radio, and how she was just a great operator.  I opined that some hams are just born operators, while others are not.

Anyway, I hope that you’ll find this episode interesting.

ARDC talks about their grant process with RATPAC

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Last week, Rosy Wolfe, KJ7RYV, Executive Director of Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), addressed the Radio Amateur Training Planning and Activities Committee (RATPAC). She talked about how to apply for ARDC grants and how the organization decides which proposals get funded and which don’t.

This was a really great presentation, and if your club has any projects that you’re working on, but don’t how you’re going to fund it, you really should watch this video. Actually, you should watch it even if you don’t currently have a project that you’re working on. It’s bound to give you ideas about things that you can do.

You can find a PDF file of the slides presented by going to the RATPAC Video Presentation List. In addition, you’ll also find links to the other RATPAC presentations and a schedule of upcoming events.

Registration open for Virtual Contest University

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The Dayton Hamvention has been cancelled again this year, but there will be a Virtual Contest University and virtual forums! I received this notice this morning:

Registration is now OPEN for Virtual Contest University 2021 on May 20, 2021 and for 2021 Hamvention Forums on May 21, 2021. Both events are being held live through Zoom Webinar and are free. You must register to be included in the webinars. You need to register for each event (2) separately. Four Icom radios will be given away at each (2) virtual events (8 radios total). The radio drawing times are random and you must be registered and on Zoom present at the time of the drawing to win. Both events (2) will be recorded and available on YouTube at the conclusion of the events (2).

To register for these events, go to:

The Contest University talks include:

  • 9:00 am EDT/13:00 UTC  Welcome to CTU 2020 from W8CI and K3LR
  • 9:05 am EDT/13:05 UTC   WW2DX – “Cloud Contesting – Live Demonstration” moderators NN1C and W9KKN
  • 10:00 am EDT/14:00 UTC   W3LPL – “Preparing Your Station for Competition” moderators NN1C and W9KKN
  • 11:00 am EDT/15:00 UTC   M0DXR – “Contest Categories – Make the Most of Your Entry” moderators W2NAF and KM3T
  • 12:00 pm EDT/16:00 UTC   K1AR – Memorial reading of the Silent Keys for 2021
  • 12:05 pm EDT/16:05 UTC   Lunch on your own
  • 12:30 pm EDT/16:30 UTC   DK6SP – “Youth – the Future of Contesters” moderators W2NAF and KM3T
  • 1:30 pm EDT/17:30 UTC   UA9BA – “Contesting from Russia” moderators K5TR and N5KO
  • 2:30 pm EDT/18:30 UTC   CT1BOH – “There is Nothing Magic About Propagation” moderators K5TR and N5KO
  • 3:30 pm EDT/19:30 UTC   NC0B – “Transceiver Performance for the HF Contest and DX Operator” moderators K1AR and N3RA
  • 4:30 pm EDT/20:30 UTC   Wrap up N9JA and K3LR
  • 4:35 PM EDT/20:35 UTC  K1AR – 2021 CQ Contest Hall of Fame Presentation

MicroHAMS Digital Conference 2021, Saturday, April 24, to be streamed to the web

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The MicroHAMS Digital conference 2021 taking place Saturday, April 24. This year’s MHDC will be presented again as a virtual and streamed only event. There will be NO REGISTRATION necessary ahead of the event, but they will welcome your donations to offset the cost of streaming.

The list of topics and speakers is being finalized. Please check the site for updates.

MicroHAMS Digital Conference 2021
https://www.microhams.com/mhdc/

MicroHAMS YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcuTgZcwgZDiGAMImUJKfJA/videos