Category Archives: Contacts

1×1 Special Event Call Signs

Contacts

There are multiple reasons why folks get a 1×1 call sign. It’s usually for a special event or for some contest. I know I like to know who I made a contact with regardless and finding info on QRZ.com for some special events leaves you out of luck. The below is often helpful to find approximately where someone was operating from and get a general idea of their grid square, which I like to have for every contact.

http://www.1x1callsigns.org is a web site that lists out 1×1 call signs so you can see at least who requested the  call sign. For example, I had a contact yesterday with K8O during the Ohio QSO Party. If I go to the site and click the Search 1×1 Calls link and then enter in K8O, it lists many references with the latest being K8O for the Ohio QSO Party. If I click the details link for that entry it shows that it was issued to K2KW. I can then lookup K2KW on QRZ.com and get a feeling for where he was likely located. It might not be exact but it is better then knowing nothing about the contact. This site, as you can see in the above example, also has historical information on the call sign.

Another place to look up 1×1 or special event info is on the ARRL site at http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html which is useful if it isn’t a 1×1 call sign listed on the above site.  CQ also has a web page at http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/AnnoAug09.html to list special event stations, though the URL is month/year specific. It would be nice if they created a URL which is always consistent and redirects to the current month.

Hope that helps a bit in identification of 1×1 calls and special event stations.

73,
K2DSL

/140 Special Event – ARRL VE’s, Life Members, Appointees – Sept 2-9th

Contacts

In the September 2009 issue of QST magazine on page 20 it talks about the HPM/140 Birthday Celebration Event. It is an event in celebration of 140 years since the birth of Hiram Percy Maxim, ARRL’s first president.

There’s a list of folks such as ARRL Directors, Section Managers, ARRL Life Members, ARRL VE’s and others which are allowed to use /140 after their call during the event from Sept 2 – 9th.

Ops that contact 25 or more stations that are signing /140 are eligible for a certificate. /140 stations give the exchange of RS(T), appointment (eg VE for a Volunteer Examiner such as myself) and name. Other stations provide RS(T) and name.

Sounds like some fun for ARRL VE’s such as myself, life members and others on the list if there are folks looking to make contact with the /140 stations. Maybe we could generate a mini pile up. It even indicates that repeater contacts are acceptable in case that is your mode of choice.

Thought it would be fun to send this out to anyone that gets the opportunity to get on the air during the event. Some more info on the ARRL web site.

73,
K2DSL

5N0HQ QSL received – new DXCC confirmed

Contacts

5N0HQ was a station on during the IARU CW contest. It is only my 2nd contact with a station in Nigeria but it is the 1st QSL from that entity. I noticed that it was uploaded to LoTW yesterday.

I need to figure out all the new DXCCs since I submitted my DXCC so I can keep track for updates. Maybe I’ll do that over the weekend.

73,
K2DSL

SARTG RTTY and NA QSO Party Phone contests – Summary

Contacts, Contests

I was on vacation this past week at my in-laws in North Carolina. I brought my laptop, my power supply, LDG KT-100 antenna tuner, my Kenwood TS-2000 and a G5RV Jr on loan from a friend and my 20m dipole. I strung the G5RV Jr up between 2 far enough apart to fit the antenna so it was flat, though the end of the ladder line was only up about 10-15 ft off the ground. But it worked.

I didn’t operate too much during the week though I made a few contacts including one to 4L4WW in the country of Georgia. I operated as K2DSL/4 when I was on from NC.

Friday night was the start of the SARTG RTTY contest. I only made 40 contacts. It seemed quiet during that first of three segments of the competition.  I didn’t operate that contest after those 40 contacts.  I had contacts with Hawaii, Alaska, Romania, Italy, Wales, Slovenia & Ukraine along with mainland US, Canada and Caribbean stations.

On Saturday, was the North America Phone (SSB) QSO Party and I operated for a bit there before having to take the antenna down and back for the ride home today (Sunday) with the alarm set for 4am (ET).  I made 105 contacts with US, Canadian, Virgin Island and Puerto Rico stations.  I operated as K2DSL/4 and it threw off a few of the folks that know me as K2DSL. I had a couple of short chats during the contest with the ops that wondered if I moved or was on vacation. Besides the /4, I was also reporting that I was in NC and not NJ. That also threw off some folks that previously worked me and I imagine their logging program popped up NJ as my state. I hope all the ops got the /4 and NC correct in the exchange as I repeated it multiple times if they didn’t say it back.

I enjoy the phone/SSB contests as it is fun to speak to folks that I often just hear the diddles for during a RTTY contest or the dits and dahs from a CW contest. And it is nice to say hello in addition to the quick contest exchange. The NA QSO Party contests are fun since everyone operates no more then 100 watts. Even with just 100w, some of the top contest stations still sound magnificent.I had one 15m contact which I went to after a strong 20m contact with a station that had another op on 15m. I don’t think I could put out a full 100w on 15m as there might have been too much RF coming back down the line and my SWR shot up during the contact. Even with reduced power he was able to get my report.

It was also the weekend for the NJ QSO Party which I missed since I was away. There was only 1 NJ op I heard yesterday when I was on, and he was giving out both NJ and NA QSO Party exchanges. I was hoping to hear a few of the local folks from my club or around where I live, but I didn’t hear them when I was on.

Here are the summaries from the 2 contests:

SARTG RTTY

        Band    QSOs     Pts  Cty   Sec
           7      19     220   10    6
          14      19     185    5   10
          21       2      15    2    2
       Total      40     420   17   18

            Score : 14,700

NA QSO Party – SSB

        Band    QSOs     Pts  Sec   NA
           7      51      51   25    0
          14      53      53   24    1
          21       1       1    1    0
       Total     105     105   50    1

            Score : 5,355

73,
K2DSL (K2DSL/4)

Gibraltar confirmed with ZB2FK

Contacts

On July 12th I had a CW contact with ZB2FK from Gibraltar. It was my first contact with that DXCC so I sent off a direct QSL card and $2 and yesterday I received back a nice QSL card to confirm a new one for me.

I need to go through and pull together what my DXCC count is since I applied for my initial DXCC award to make sure I’m accurately keeping track of all new entities via QSL cards and LoTW so none get forgotten along the way.

73,
K2DSL

A fantastic QSL from Alaska – KL7AF!

Contacts

Within the US I send for some, but not many, QSL cards. It’s actually more expensive to send/receive a US QSL card then a international card through the QSL bureau. But regardless, I send for the ones I want. This past February, during the ARRL DX CW contest, I had a contact with KL7AF in Alaska. KL7AF is the call of the 477th Fighter Group ARC and I sent off a QSL card with SASE.

At the end of July I received an envelope in the mail and inside was a QSL card and another slip of paper. The QSL card matches the picture on KL7AF’s qrz.com page. On the back is a hand written QSL card and a personal note from John, KH6SH.

The other enclosed full color printed note shows the logos from the QSL card, a top view of a fighter jet and the following:

This KL7AF QSL card was flown for David, K2DSL
In F-33S RAPTOR tail # 05-4090 on 11 JUL 09,
on an air dominance mission from Elmendorf AFB, Alaksa.

QSL endured 8.3 g forces during a dogfight

Piloted by KH6SH

Thank you John for the contact and most special QSL card!

73,
K2DSL

First Air Mobile contact!

Contacts

Just finished eating dinner and was twirling around 20m when I heard a strong signal that identified himself as W5WRH Air Mobile. I listened for him to make 2 contacts before I gave my call, waiting just long enough for everyone else to finish their call in the pileup. Dan came back to me on my first call to him.

W5WRH/AM was at 30,000 feet above Cuba on his way to central Florida. He was in a 767 and booming in with a 59+ signal. He gave me a 54 report which was the same as most other stations he gave a report to in the time I listened before and after I made contact with him.

Thanks Dan for being my first air mobile contact and I’ve got a QSL card and SASE all written out already.

73,
K2DSL

2008 IARU Award and DXCC Certificate arrives

Contacts, Contests

Had a bunch of ham postal mail yesterday.  My wife texted me on the way home to let me know. I figured it QSL cards or maybe a catalog or something.

First was an envelope from the ARRL and inside was a certificate for the 2008 IARU HF Championship for 1st Place Single Operator Phone Low Power in the Northern NJ Section.

The second larger envelope from the ARRL contained 2 large certificates for DXCC. One certificate is #42,829 and the other is for 20m.

Mail like this sure beats getting bills!!

73,
K2DSL

First contact with Gibraltar – ZB2FK

Contacts

Was just playing around yesterday and saw a spot for ZB2FK in Gibraltar on 20m CW. Tuned in and didn’t hear Ernest well but then he came in strong and I was able to make a contact. His QRZ page requested confirming the contact via email before sending direct for a QSL card and overnight I got an email back from ZB2FK that I indeed am in his log. I’ll send out a direct QSL card for this new one.

73,
K2DSL

First 10m DX contact

Contacts

After getting home from work tonight I put the radio on and since it was already on 10m I tuned around. I heard CO6XN in Cuba coming in loud and calling CQ so I put my call out and he came right back to me.  I only have a G5RV antenna which isn’t great on 10m but very tunable and I guess it works good enough for now.  So thanks for the nice 59 Abel!

It was nice to finally make a DX contact on 10m, not that I’ve ever really tried before. The old timers are always talking about the good ‘ol days with sunspots and propagation and you could just drive around in your car and talk to Japan and Australia on 10m like you were hitting the local repeater.

Some day, some day.

73,
K2DSL