Amateur Radio Station K6JEB

The Northern California Contest Club is having a party and you’re all invited! This year marks 40 years of excellence in amateur radio contesting for NCCC, and to share our excitement, we’re having a special on-air celebration.  It’s the NCCC 40th Anniversary Party — a two week event taking place from September 18 to October 1, 2010, and open to all amateurs worldwide.

During this time period, which includes the NCCC-sponsored Sprints (www.ncccsprint.com) and precedes the California QSO Party (www.cqp.org), NCCC members and club stations will be “on the air” — ready to have a 40th Year QSO with you.  To facilitate easier identification during this event, NCCC member stations have been encouraged to add “/40” to their callsigns, during non-contest periods.  In addition there will be a few 1×1 special event callsigns assigned, which will also count as NCCC members stations.  A complete list of all eligible NCCC stations and callsigns can be found at: www.nccc.cc/40thcalls.html

To further commemorate this event, NCCC is offering an attractive Certificate to anyone who works at least 40 NCCC member stations during this 40th Birthday Party event.

So please mark your calendars now, and help us celebrate 40 Years of memories in this great hobby.  CU On The Air!

73,
Your NCCC 40th Anniversary Committee

Event Details

Eligible Stations:
1. All amateur radio stations may participate.
2. You can work an NCCC station for credit only once regardless of band and mode (see list here)
3. NCCC members are encouraged to add /40 to their call signs for easier identification on-the-air and be as active as possible during this event.

Exact Dates and Time: 0000 UTC September 18 until 2359 UTC October 1, 2010

Bands: All Amateur Radio Bands

Modes: All Modes (CW, Phone, Digital)

Exchange: Recommended (not required):
1. NCCC member stations: RS(T) + California County. This will help you qualify for the NCCC sponsored WACC award.
2. Non-NCCC stations: RS(T) + State. DX stations outside the U.S. and its territories send RS(T) + “DX”.

Note:  Stations operating during contest periods send exchange in accordance with contest rules

40th Anniversary Commemorative Certificate:
1. This special certificate is available for making contacts with at least forty (40) NCCC member stations — any band, any mode — during the event period.
2. No RS(T) data other than worked eligible call signs will be required to apply for the award.
3. Apply for the award online at www.nccc.cc/40thaward.html
4. Please make sure your entry has been submitted by October 31, 2010.

You can work DX without a huge station using JT65 on HF

I have been enjoying making HF JT65 contacts as well as partaking in the JT65 Reverse Beacon network and reporting to PSKREPORTER.info the stations my rig picks-up.

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Bought my Pacificon 2010 tickets, including the Antenna Seminar and the breakfast and dinner banquet.  It will be nice to have it back in the Bay Area.

So a few years ago I bought what I thought was a Cushcraft A3S Tri-band Yagi, used, on Eham.net classifieds. When I received it, I recall trying to set it up but being mystified since the traps were marked quite differently and the boom diameter was thicker.

Well I finally got around to figuring-out what I have, and here’s my best guess:

The whole thing is definitely a Cushcraft, but it’s an A3S driven-element and director, and the traps for and A3S reflector but the tip sections are longer and seem to be from the A4S. The boom is, as I said, from an A4S. The separate 10m element from the A4S is not present.

In essence, an A3S which can do more spacing.

When I bought this originally I was planning to take it out as just a two-element antenna for portable operations. But now I’m tempted to use this for contest season 2010.

Next step is to put it up on the crank-up tower and test-out gain and front-to-back. First, it seems I should try and get the director and especially the reflector (since it is a bit longer than an A3S reflector) resonant on their particular frequencies.

SO I’m thinking of using the driven-element center piece for the reflector and driven element to test their resonant frequency. I have a vague memory of these being 5% below the driven element for the reflector and 5% above the driven element for the director.