Scout's Honor

Amateur radio has been a partner with the Boy Scouts of America for many years. Scouts have earned badges and worked beside hams to learn about the hobby. Many of today’s hams got their start as a Boy Scout. Thankfully this practice is still going on today.

This week, however, the Boy Scouts over in England are celebrating their 100 years as scouts, 1907 to 2007. Amateur station GB100J will be operating around the clock during the jamboree. We will be able to work them as DX and help them make additional contacts. They should be on most amateur bands. The dates are from July 27 to August 7, 2007.

They plan to contact the International Space Station, including an Echolink relay of the contact. Check www.QRZ.com on their home page for more information.

Let's Do a DX QSO!

I should explain. Amateur radio has many abbreviations and shortcuts in the way an operator communicates. These have developed over many years and are usually easy to understand. DX, at least as it refers in High Frequency bands, means distance. Generally it means a contact with a station in another country other than your own. QSO simply means “conversation with”, or chat, or ragchew (as used by hams). So a DX QSO is a conversation with a ham station in another country. I said all that with five letters, DX QSO.
One of the many appealing aspects of amateur radio is its wide range of applications to which an operator can choose. Here are some of them:
CW………………Morse code only
Phone…………… voice communication
RTTY……………Radio teletype
Packet radio……...Using computers
PSK31……………Using sound card and windows on computer
Slow and fast scan television…….Image communication
Amateur satellite communication…There are several amateur satellites
Moon bounce……Reflecting signals from the moons surface
Assisting emergency and disaster organizations with communications.

An operator can be male or female, very young or very old. There is something in the hobby for everyone. At this point in my new experience as a ham, I am leaning toward DXing. I have made over 40 CW contacts all over the world. I will probably seek some of the many awards offered by ARRL, CQ magazine and others. There is always a thrill in working for an award or in competing in the many contests. Here are some of the awards:
WAS……..Worked all 50 states
WAC…….Worked all six continents, (issued by the international amateur union)
DXCC…...DX century Club. Worked 100 or more countries
WAZ…….Worked all 40 zones in the world

It is hard to imagine that there is someone out in all those far distant and remote places of the world who wants to communicate with me in Morse code because he is probably shooting for an award of his own.
In a future post I will show a complete DX QSO between myself and an operator in Slovenia, entirely with Morse code.

Do you need an "Elmer"?

If you are thinking about becoming an amateur radio operator, or ham, and I really hope you do, then I would recommend that you find an Elmer. For some reason this name is used by hams to refer to a ham who is willing to devote his time and knowledge to a novice or beginner in the hobby. These “Elmers” are generally older hams, both in experience and probably in age, and have a wealth of useful skills and experiences they are more than happy to share. As you will discover, hams are a very friendly and receptive group of people and really do want you to join them and have fun.
My Elmer has been, and still is, invaluable to me every time I take another step in furthering my ham experience. He guides me in picking the proper equipment and even loans me some of his equipment for testing. He told me how to build a very inexpensive two meter antenna out of a short piece of copper pipe. I call him almost every day and he is always willing to help and listen.
Once again, I encourage you to find out about your nearest ham club and attend some of their meetings. The room will be full of Elmers and soon you may have more than one. Take full advantage of all they offer you. Then, when you finally get your license and get on the air, you will have someone to brag to, and he, also, will be proud.

What is the price tag?

As is the case with almost everything, there is no limit as to how much you can spend getting into the amateur radio hobby. When you are just starting out there is no need to go overboard. My suggestion is to locate a local amateur radio club and meet the members and attend a few meetings. A lot of hams will have spare equipment that they will sell for a very reasonable price, and they will want to help you so you will not be sold worthless junk. In my case, I was introduced to an older ham how was not able to continue in the hobby. I bought his transceiver, microphone, and headset for $200.00. Agreed, it was a 25 year old Kenwood TS 830S with tubes but it performs as well as some of the new rigs that cost from $1,000.00 to $2,500.00. My antenna is a G5RV that sells for $35.00 plus a lightening arrestor and ground rod. All told I have $300.00 invested and am able to operate on all of the HF amateur bands.

Reach For The Stars

Simsat balloon will launch July 24 and 25. A high altitude balloon carrying amateur radio equipment will offer hams and students on the East coast, including 20 states to participate. Find out about this scientific experiment and the ability to participate by clicking on the ARRL website http://www.arrl.org/ or by going to simulated satellite (simsat) and "Reach For The Stars" near space balloon experiment at Kilroy's web page www.patkilroy.com/somsat/ Where the photo came from-a great site. This could be fun. Frequencies are listed on both sites.

Low power success

Although the FCC allows amateur radio operators up to 1500 watts of output power on most high frequency bands, the majority of hams usually transmit at between 50 and 100 watts of power. This is plenty of power to reach around the world. There is a secondary part to this hobby and it is called QRP(means low power). An equal amount of success can be had by using only 5 watts of power, or even less. There are special radios designed for this. My radio happens to be the KX1 byElectraft. I use this little radio designed to fit into backpacks and for use on field days when I spend the winter months in Florida. I simply clamp the antennas to my balcony railing in the condo and have fun. I contacted 30 different states, Canada, Mexico, and Cuba on only 4 watts of power. It is more challenging than the big rig, but well worth it.

The pictures are of the tiny little radio and the antenna setup.