New License Plate

I'm kinda liking my new license plate!

Digital Voice Modes

So many options for digital voice mode operations these days.  Less than 10 years ago, D-Star hit the market and I was part of the group that got Tucson set with a D-Star repeater "stack".  Now, hams are still using D-Star but we've also got C4FM/Fusion, DMR, APCO25, and more.  Unfortunately they are not compatible so while the digital modes are fun technologies to play with, they do tend to split up the ham community a bit.

I've been playing around with different options, here is a test I ran using one computer to link handheld radios into two different modes.  A DV4mini dongle is running DMR, while a DV3K dongle is running D-Star.  The DV4mini is connected to a Connect Systems radio; the radio transmits to the dongle, which pushes it through the internet to come out anywhere in the world on the DMR systems.  The DV3K is also connected to the internet, and can operate standalone to access D-Star systems around the world; an Icom radio also can connect by accessing local repeaters that are linked into D-Star.

Mobile Ops

Wanted to work a specific DXpedition today, but had to drive to Casa Grande for work.  What to do?  Stop at Picacho Peak and set up a station to make the contact!

OVARC Hamfest 2015

Attended the OVARC Hamfest in Marana this morning.  My son Ryan KR7YAN joined me for a while.  I didn't set up a booth this time, instead just wandered around and had some fun.  I attended a couple of forums on D-Star and Stealth Antennas, and cruised the swapmeet.

Patrick was there for the AMSAT Booth, and as he usually does, he demonstrated working an amateur satellite using a handheld beam:

Go Box at Silverbell Lake

Enjoyed a little radio time lakeside today.  I set up my Go Box next to Silverbell Lake, with a Buddipole dipole.  I wasn't there long, as a storm was approaching, but it was fun to get out for a bit.

QSO's included some nice 10 meter DX including contacts with Ecuador and Brazil.

Southern Arizona DX Association

I served as President of the Southern Arizona DX Association for a few years ending in January, 2012.  We had a lot of fun and made good progress in building up the club, which has existed for many years but had gone through a slowdown.  During my tenure we formalized some incorporation issues, obtained a new club call sign, developed a nice club logo, set up an arrangement with a clothing vendor for club gear, had some fantastic meeting night presentations, set up an e-mail reflector and website, donated to several large DXpeditions, and much more.  It was a great time with a wonderful group of hams!  They awarded me this plaque after the new President, W1KSZ, took over.

DX Year 2009

Happy New Year!  2009 was a great year for DX, despite the lack of sunspots.  Here's my results, courtesy of Club Log.

Between 1/1/09 - 12/31/09, I worked 204 unique DXCC entities, and 648 band slots.

Total QSO's were 3,034, consisting of 45% CW, 41% SSB, and 14% data modes.

Here's hoping for an even better 2010!

ARRL Field Day 2009

My son Ryan, KR7YAN, and I spent the weekend of June 27-28 working ARRL Field Day with the Radio Society of Tucson, K7RST.  We used the Go-Box for 10 meters and 80 meters.

Texas Star Party Special Event Station

During the 2009 Texas Star Party, I spent some time operating the W5TSP special event station.  We made plenty of QSO's despite the fact that most of us stayed up all night playing with telescopes all week long!

Here's my imaging scope setup on the TSP Upper Field:

My Dayton Talk on The RAIN Report

The RAIN Report (Radio Amateur Information Network) apparently recorded my talk at last year's Dayton Hamvention!  They have condensed it slightly and released it as the January 30th, 2009 Edition of the RAIN Report.

You can listen to the full episode here:  http://kr7rk.com/R.A.I.N.%20Report%20%2001_30_2009.mp3

Triple Play Award #69

I received the new ARRL Triple Play Award in less than a month!  To earn this award, you need to work all 50 states on each of 3 different modes - Phone, CW, and Digital.  I didn't get started until a week or so in to the new year, but once I got interested in it, I worked hard to find stations and was thrilled to be the 69th amateur to earn this new award.

Ham of the Year!

I received a great honor from the Radio Society of Tucson during the annual Christmas banquet held on 12/13/08.  They awarded me the "2008 Ham of the Year"!

ARRL Southwest Division Convention 2008

Most years I attend the ARRL Southwest Division Convention, and 2008 was no different.  Attendance at these conventions has been declining and this year they only had about 530 registered, but it was fun anyway.  This year was Arizona's turn - we get it here every 3 to 4 years, and California gets it the rest.  It was held in Mesa, and I shared travel costs with my friend Larry, W7LB.  A highlight of my weekend was that my oldest brother Eric, N2IAF, happened to be in town and spent some time at the Convention with me.

I spent most of my time running the Ten-Ten International Net booth, along with 10-10 Director Bob N6OPR and his friend Gary KA6GPC, who came out from California.  I also gave a presentation at 3:00 on Saturday afternoon, a modification of my "Ten Meters is Alive & Well" talk.  I was very pleased with the attendance, which was in excess of 50 people - roughly 10% of the total registrants, and there were 3 other talks going at the same time!

See more photos at http://kr7rk.com/arrlsw2008.htm

ARRL New Mexico State Convention and Duke City Hamfest

On August 15 and 16, 2008, I attended the Duke City Hamfest and ARRL New Mexico State Convention.

With the help of Marcus, KM5EH, I ran an exhibit booth for 10-10 International Net, Inc.  I also gave my "10 Meters is Alive & Well" talk on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  We had a good number of visitors stop by the booth, and a good turnout at the forum.

See more photos at http://kr7rk.com/dukecity2008.htm

ARRL Arizona State Convention and ARCA Hamfest 2008

The 2008 ARCA Hamfest and ARRL Arizona State Convention was held in Williams, AZ on July 18-19.

My son Brad joined me, he passed his test just a few days earlier but unfortunately did not yet have his call sign.

We set up an exhibit booth for 10-10 International.  Many hams stopped by the booth and signed our log, and we handed out about 100 copies of the latest issue of the 10-10 News.  We also received some scholarship donations, and took renewals.  The highlight of the booth was that we set up a couple of 10 meter stations and helped two hams (KE7LHY and KE7IDC, the wife and son of our own AZ Section Manager) obtain the necessary 10 contacts to allow them to apply for a new 10-10 number!

I also gave a presentation on Saturday afternoon titled "Ten Meters is Alive & Well", which was a slightly modified and expanded version of my talk that I gave earlier this year at Dayton.

See more photos at http://kr7rk.com/williams2008.htm

10-10 Board Meeting in San Antonio

The 2008 Board of Directors meeting for 10-10 International Net, Inc. was held in San Antonio, Texas on May 31, 2008.

As Treasurer of 10-10, I presented the annual financial report.  We had a busy day with a lot to discuss as always.

The following day, June 1, 2008 was the 20th Annual Hill Country Picnic held at the home of Jack K5CC.  In addition to great food and wonderful company, we enjoyed a nice opening on 10 meters prior to the "parking lot net".  I also was able to watch Allen N5AFV work several stations on the AO-27 satellite, using the 10-10 Club call sign W6OI.

See more photos at http://kr7rk.com/1010board2008.htm

SteppIR Installation

On May 25, 2008, some friends came over (again - this has been a multiple step process) to help get my new 3-element SteppIR beam installed.  We started at the inhuman hour of 5:00 a.m. to avoid the heat of the day, which turned out to be a wise choice.

We had previously added an additional 10 feet to the tower, so the beam is a bit over 40 feet up.  I would have liked to go higher, but in my present city lot, a higher height is not feasible.  Two weeks earlier, we made a failed attempt to raise the antenna.  We were close but the gin pole positioning prevented the mast plate from mounting.  In the process of that attempt we also did some minor damage to the SteppIR's motor control cable.

The second time went very smoothly, and my first day's QSO's included some nice DX (Ukraine, Israel, Asiatic Russia, Uruguay), as well as some good 10 meter contacts.  We did not completely finish the job - the tower still needs some guy lines installed to secure it better.

These guys are the best - I'd never have been able to do it without them!  May there always be good propagation for the following hams:  Larry W7LB, Owen AK7AR, Eric KC0AYD, and Ed K6ESS, and my son Ryan, KR7YAN, who pitched in a little.

See more photos at http://kr7rk.com/steppir.htm

Dayton Hamvention 2008

I attended the 2008 Dayton Hamvention on Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18.

  I also attended Contest University the day prior to the Hamvention.

As usual I had a wonderful time.  I worked at the 10-10 booth, presented a talk at the 10-10 forum, and cruised the halls in search of unique radio goodies.

Click Here to see a PowerPoint presentation from my forum talk.

For more pictures see http://kr7rk.com/dayton2008.htm

Using the Huge Discone at Titan Missile Museum

Our local club, the Radio Society of Tucson, operated the 7th Area QSO Party from the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley on May 3, 2008.

The museum has a HUGE discone antenna, which basically allows operation on any HF band.  We had a lot of fun!

The antenna was built in the 1960's, during the cold war.  At one time it must have been totally off-limits and high-security, but now they allow hams to use it freely.

More photos are at http://kr7rk.com/7qptitan2008.htm

International DX Convention 2008

I attended the 2008 International DX Convention in Visalia, California from April 25 - 27, 2008.  My buddy Larry W7LB and I made the long drive, and were rewarded with plenty of excellent seminars on DX'ing, eyeball QSO's with famous DX'ers, a nice toy store, and lots of fun.

SteppIR was there in force and I was able to exchange a broken fiberglass pole with them after the convention.

More photos at http://kr7rk.com/dxcon2008.htm