SSB November Sweeps Contest

The SSB portion of the ARRL November Sweepstakes -- the premier domestic HF contest -- takes place this weekend, running 2100 UTC Saturday, November 21 to 0300 Monday, November 23 (or 4 PM Saturday to 10 PM Sunday EST).

According to ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, the event -- first called "The January Contest" -- started back in 1929 as a competition for handling formal traffic messages. "Sweepstakes is one of the oldest traditions in Amateur Radio," Kutzko said. "The contest exchange contains more elements than usual, an homage to the traffic-handling days of yore. If you have never participated in Sweepstakes, you are really missing out on some serious fun!"

ARRL November Sweepstakes (Phone)		Rules

2009 Japan Ham Fair

This looks like a fun Hamfest to attend.
One of these years I will make it to the Dayton Hamfest. All depends on my health.
Check it out; The 2009 Japan Ham Fair.

SKYWARN Recognition Day

SKYWARN Recognition Day Set for December 5
The 11th Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) Special Event will take place Saturday, December 5, 2009. SRD is co-sponsored by the ARRL and the National Weather Service (NWS) as a way to recognize the commitment made by Amateur Radio operators in helping to keep their communities safe. According to SRD Coordinator David Floyd, N5DBZ, Amateur Radio operators can visit their local participating NWS office, working as a team to contact other hams across the world throughout the 24 hour event.
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I did this a few years ago and it was really cool. I hope to do this again this year.

I'm back today

I know, I have not had time to post here. I have kept up on Facebook some.
Anyway, gonna play some radio today. I did play some over this last weekend.
I worked a couple of Special Event Stations in Georgia and Texas. Talked to Alaska, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Iowa.
Not to bad for the little station I have at the moment.

Updates on my parents will now be on Facebook. Gonna keep this for Radio Related stuff.

Working Satellite SO-67

Interesting write up on QRZ today. I have not worked this Satellite yet. Gonna give it a shot.
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Thanks for sharing this on QRZ. com N3TL,

My profound thanks to John. K8YSE, for posting the recordings he's made of passes over North America of the new South African amateur satellite, SO-67. His recording, which he began at 15:00:38 UTC on 15 November, provides proof that - even amid the chaos of a pass like that one - very low power levels can work our amateur satellites.
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My Week; (Recap)

Monday, my Mom was rushed into emergency surgery due to complications to a surgery she had a few weeks back. On Wednesday my Dad had a major stroke and now is in Hackley Hosp. He is in the re-hab unit and has a long road ahead of him. Mom got to go home this evening. My daughter was taken to the Emergency Room tonight with a 102º fever. She is now home and doing better. Reaction to new medications.
Yesterday at 12:04am
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Mom is home. Dad is gonna be in hospital 4 several wks. Shelby taken to er at 7pm. Very high fever.
Fri at 9:44pm via Mobile Web
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What an awful week, Just received word that my dad has had a stroke. Mom is still in hospital. Her surgery this morning went well. More to follow later.
November 4 at 5:51pm
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Mom's surgery is done. All went well. She is in recovery.
November 4 at 10:37am
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I feel like a new man this morning. My voice is back, I can drink a glass of Coke without my throat being on fire. The true test is the dozen stuffed jalapeño peppers my friend Mark Biggs dropped off to me. Mmmmm. Breakfast. Shelby is still sick, another missed day of school for her. Cameron is still healthy and Melissa is also doing much better.
November 4 at 6:29am
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My Mom is being rushed into emergency surgery at Hackley Hosp. I am not for sure what is going on. Melissa is on her way there now. I'm home sick with a vicious cold. Please pray for my Mom.
November 2 at 11:05am

Saturday- 11/7/09

Went over to see how Mom was doing today. Then my brother Scott and I went up to visit Dad.
Dad looked pretty good. He got a shave today and also had his hair combed. He was just getting back into bed when we got there.
Dad ate his lunch and visited with us. He still dose not have much movement in his right arm or leg. His speech is also still the same.
We bought up some pictures of his dog and photos from the August Family Reunion. That really made his day.
After a while my brother and I went to the store and I purchased Dad some P.J. bottoms and Mom and Dad a new can opener.

Melissa stayed with Mom and did her dishes and house keeping.
Mom is looking very good. Both her and Dad really miss each other.

After all that we came home and did some yard work.
The new Craftsman Yard Vacuum works great.
I going to bed soon. Hope to be in bed by 8pm. I'm going to miss the Red Wings game. Oh well, Chris Osgood is to in net. They'll probably loose.

Feeling Better

I feel like a new man this morning. My voice is back, I can drink a glass of Coke without my throat being on fire. The true test is the dozen stuffed jalapeño peppers my friend Mark Biggs dropped off to me. Mmmmm. Breakfast. Shelby is still sick, another missed day of school for her. Cameron is still healthy and Melissa is also doing much better.

LEONIDS 2009

On Nov. 17th at about 2100 UT, Earth will pass through a stream of debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, triggering an outburst of Leonid meteors. Forecasts of the peak range from 150 to 500 meteors per hour--somewhere between a "good show" and a "half storm." Observers in China, India, Japan and Indonesia are favored to see the brief but intense display. Complete details are available from NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.

Under the Weather

I'm sick and need better meds. 101º temp, sore throat, body hurts all over and keep getting muscle cramps. Off to see the doctor in the morning......

If I'm still alive.

I've been waiting for my AT-897 Plus auto tuner. I ordered it over a month ago. LDG made an upgerade so that is why some of the delay. Well, I got it on today. I now have it all hooked up. The plan is to get the MFJ-1796 six band vertical up this week. Looks like the rain will stop tonight. Now if I weren't so sick I might get it up tomorrow. It might happen. The wife and son volunteered to help.

My Week; Oct 18-24

It’s been a pretty fair week.
We have not done to much this week. We had our electrician over running new lines to the garage and a new line to my Ham Shack.
Melissa finally settled on what she wants for new kitchen counter tops. That project will start in a few weeks.
We bought a Craftsman Yard Vacuum this week.
My health will not allow me to rake so the wife and I talked about it and decided to make this purchase. Our neighbor has one of these machines and it dose very well for them. We try to help out our senior citizen neighbor so this will definitely come in handy.

I have done some work at the ham shack. I got my Yaesu FT-7800 and FT-8900R mounted under the shelf on my desk. My Yaesu FT-897-D sits on the desk underneath those rigs. My HTX-242 sits to the side of the 897-D.
I will take a picture and post it here and on my face book page.

This is our 16th wedding Anniversary this weekend. We are going to a movie, our favorite restaurant and then to visit some ole friends.

The wife and kids are doing fine. No sickness at this time. Thank God.

JOTA=Youth@HamRadio

I hope to be at the local club, if not I will be on the airwaves to support JOTA.

Youth@HamRadio.Fun: A Scouting Marathon -- School is back in session all around America, and scouting is ramping back up. September and October are great months to kick off the Scouting year and resume the tireless chase for victory in the world of Radiosport.
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Great Thing about Ham Radio

Feature: Pizza, Macaroni and a Cheeseburger -- One of the great things about Amateur Radio is that it is a key that can open many doors to opportunity. It can help you meet people, make friends and sometimes take you to another country for a contact. This is what happened to me thanks to the common link of Amateur Radio.
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AMSAT - 'We're Going Back To Space'

This is one reason I love Amateur Radio. Working the birds.
During the board meeting held Oct. 8 in conjunction with the Annual Space Symposium and 40th Anniversary Celebration, the AMSAT Board of Directors adopted the Engineering Task Force recommendation that low-cost launch options be pursued immediately. The AMSAT engineering team will develop a 1U CubeSat design effective immediately. Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, Vice-President of Engineering said, "We are r
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"Where's DX?" and "Antennas in High Places"

A very informative read.
Revisiting "Where's DX?" and "Antennas in High Places" (Oct 9, 2009) -- The follow-up e-mails that Surfin' generates often expand on the topics that Surfin' originally covered.
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