Blog – Page 143

“CQ CQ MC0SHL FROM EU-124 RAMSEY ISLAND”

16th July 2012

Hi all. This is our first blog from our trip to Ramsey Island 2012. A short extract from the main blog of the StrumbleHead Contest and DX Group written by Chris G1VDP.

2 days in to the trip and we are having fun on all bands. Just a pity that conditions are not too good, although we are working plenty of Europeans. Up to now we have made almost 1300 contacts. Logs have been sent to Tim (M0URX) for uploading to his OQRS and on line log search. These will be available from mid afternoon when he gets home from work.

What else have we been up to? Thursday was fun trying to get the antennas up in the air. It was blowing a gale and raining – the worst weather conditions we have encountered on any of our activations – causing us all to get soaked to the skin. But our spirits were kept high with constant warm drinks supplied by Jane and Laura (Ant’s wife who is also with us this year) when we were down in the dumps. Murphy also visited us 3 times, and once with one of our members on Friday who is not here with us, sorry Tim from all the guys here.

Please click this link for the full story

M0OXO – ”out of office”

8th July 2012

Just to let you know, Qsl cards requests etc will have a weeks delay on them from tomorrow as I will not be able to process them due to being in GW (see blog entry below).

All Direct requests received up to today (8th July) have been mailed and burea requests processed.

All new requests will be processed on Wednesday 18th July 2012.

Sri for any inconvenience.

MCØSHL Qrv for IOTA / WFF

8th July 2012

Ramsey Island, Wales 2012

The Strumble Head DX and Contest Group (SHDXCG) will once again be activating Ramsey Island (EU-124, WFF GWFF-072) between 12th and 16th July 2012. They will be on all bands from 40M through to 6M using 2 Hexbeams and a Windom. This year they are hoping to have a station dedicated to digital, mostly RTTY, using a TS480 at 200w and one of the Hexbeams. They have also analysed their logs and seen that there is a shortage of contacts with North and South America, and also the countries around the Caribbean. They have looked at the terrain and the location of the antennas with a view to getting one Hexbeam a little higher to clear a small ridge that blocks the Westerly direction allowing these contacts to be made. As usual QSL via the manager Tim, M0URX, using his OQRS system for a speedy turn around. Logs will be uploaded to LOTW and Clublog as soon as they get back to the mainland. All details and (hopefully) a daily blog will be available on their website www.mc0shl.com. The team have also advised that they will operate from their farm HQ if they are unable to make the crossing to the island due to bad weather, but will announce on air if this is the case. Tnx Tim M0URX

The Strumble Head DX and Contest Group (SHDXCG) will once again be activating Ramsey Island EU-124 between 12th and 16th July 2012. They will be on all bands from 40M through to 6M using 2 Hexbeams and a Windom. This year they are hoping to have a station dedicated to digital, mostly RTTY, using a TS480 at 200w and one of the Hexbeams. They have also analysed their logs and seen that there is a shortage of contacts with North and South America, and also the countries around the Caribbean. They have looked at the terrain and the location of the antennas with a view to getting one Hexbeam a little higher to clear a small ridge that blocks the Westerly direction allowing these contacts to be made. As usual QSL via the manager Tim, M0URX, using his OQRS system for a speedy turn around. Logs will be uploaded to LOTW and Clublog as soon as they get back to the mainland. All details and (hopefully) a daily blog will be available on their website www.mc0shl.com. The team have also advised that they will operate from their farm HQ if they are unable to make the crossing to the island due to bad weather, but will announce on air if this is the case. Chris Colclough, G1VDP

MØOXO ”out of office”

8th July 2012

Just to let you know, Qsl cards requests etc will have a weeks delay on them from tomorrow as I will not be able to process them due to being in GW (see below). All Direct requests received up to today (8th July) have been mailed and burea requests processed. All new requests will be processed on Wednesday 18th July 2012. Sri for any inconvenience.

”Opportunity’ shows us a Mars Winter

8th July 2012

This full-circle scene shot on Mars combines 817 images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. It shows the terrain that surrounded the rover while it was stationary for four months of work during its most recent Martian winter. North is at the center of the image. South is at both ends.

Bright wind-blown deposits on the left are banked up against the Greeley Haven outcrop. Opportunity’s tracks can be seen extending from the south, with a turn-in-place and other maneuvers evident from activities to position the rover at Greeley Haven. The tracks in some locations have exposed darker underlying soils by disturbing a thin, bright dust cover.

Other bright, dusty deposits can be seen to the north, northeast, and east of Greeley Haven. The deposit at the center of the image, due north from the rover’s winter location, is a dusty patch called “North Pole.” Opportunity drove to it and investigated it in May 2012 as an example of wind-blown Martian dust.

G3TXQ Hexbeam by MW0JZE – new Hub and Plate

7th July 2012

Currently in ‘test’ mode is the new Hub for the G3TXQ Hexbeam by Ant MW0JZE.

Have a look at his new updated website http://www.g3txq-hexbeam.com/ and check out the product. A few words from Ant;

”Always looking to improve the design and reduce the weight of the Hexbeam, especially for Dx-peditions. The new Plate shape has less surface area, this reduces the weight slightly. The new style versions are made from magnesium alloy, very light and very strong. A new aluminium centre-post is also in development.

More news to follow….”

GO2HQ ‘new callsign for RSGB HQ station

4th July 2012

The IARU HF Championship takes place between 1200UTC on Saturday 14th July 2012 until 1200UTC on Sunday 15th July 2012. The RSGB HQ flagship station will these year use GO2HQ which replaces their previous one of GR2HQ.

There are two parallel GO2HQ awards schemes for this event;

1. UK HQ Club Challenge Award
2. Award Certificates for working GO2HQ

You can find details about the Awards here at http://www.gr2hq.com/awards1.htm

You will find full information about the IARU HF Championship contest at http://www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship

Qsl is via MØOXO OQRS click here

Logbook of the World Support for CQ WPX Award Goes “Live”

4th July 2012

Participants in CQ magazine’sWPX award program may now use the American Radio Relay League’s Logbook of the World (LoTW) system to apply for the WPX award and its endorsements.

Amateurs will be able to use LoTW logs to generate lists of confirmed contacts to be submitted for WPX credit. Standard LoTW credit fees and CQ award fees will apply.

LoTW support for the WPX award went “live” on July 2.

MW0JZE – G3TXQ Hexbeam site re-launched!

2nd July 2012

Ant MW0JZE has just launched his new website for the G3TXQ Hexbeam that he builds and sells commercially. The website has much more information than before including the specs of the Hex, You Tube footage of how to build and also recordings when it is tested against another antenna, plus much much more. A small extract from his site here;

”The Hexbeam is an antenna design that has been around for quite a number of years, first produced commercially by Mike Traffie from www.hexbeam.com this is what many refer to as the “Classic Hexbeam” This has a turning radius of approx 9′ 6″ or 2.9m and covers 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m…………”

Have a look at the site NOW (Click image left) and learn more about this much talked about antenna!

Solar Winds buffet Earth’s Magnetic Field

2nd July 2012

Auroras are dancing around the poles in response to a high-speed solar wind stream buffeting Earth’s magnetic field. Stefan Christmann sends this picture from icy Atka Bay in Antarctica.

“On July 1st we enjoyed a beautiful display of aurora australis over the German Antarctic Research Station Neumayer III” says Stefan. “The air temperature was -30°C with 10 knots of wind. Even so, this was one of the most beautiful expierences so far.”

NOAA forecasters estimate a 35% chance of continued geomagnetic activity as the solar wind continues to blow.

Category - Blog