Welcome to Northern California DX Club February 19, 2009

Slide 2 NCDXC Feb 09 Tonight’s Agenda Club Business –Introduction of Officers –K5D status –Introductions of Members –New members –DX news –QSTs The status of the sunspot cycle (still) Feature – Logbook of The World NCDXC Raffle

Slide 3 NCDXC Feb 09 Introduction of Officers Introduction of Officers Officers –President Craig BradleyAE6RR –Vice PresRisto Kotalampi W6RK –SecretaryRuss BentsonK6KLY –TreasurerJose Picazo Jr.WT6X Directors –Steve JonesN6SJ –Jim AbrahamW6EB –John EisenbergK6YP

Slide 4 NCDXC Feb 09 K5D News KP5 Desecheo Island –Leaders: Dr. Glenn Johnson, W0GJ & Bob Allphin, K4UEE –Web Site: –Dates: February 12 to 26, 2009 –Stations: 8 HF + 6M –Online log: Yes –Heading: 96 deg –Distance: 3531 miles –Operators: 22 –Radios: 10 + Amps

Slide 5 NCDXC Feb 09 Propagation to KP5 Feb MHz 22:00 UTC 43 dB SNR 14 MHz 22:00 UTC 40 dB SNR

Slide 6 NCDXC Feb 09 K5D QSOs as of 18 Feb 00:01 UTC Statistics SSB CW RTTY Band 6M·19· 10M85·· 12M21418·232 15M M · M M· M · M · M22863·2865 Totals

Slide 7 NCDXC Feb 09 Who Has Worked K5D? How many are in the log? How many have more than 1 QSO? etc

Slide 8 NCDXC Feb 09 Introductions Let’s Go Around the room… –Introduce yourself & any guests –Tell us what new DX you have bagged H44MS? –K5D stories? –Any other news you wish to share? (please keep it brief)

Slide 9 NCDXC Feb 09 New members? Secretary - Russ, K6KLY –He has applications are available… –Voting

Slide 10 NCDXC Feb 09 DX News - DXpeditions MOZAMBIQUE, C91TX – –Texas DX Society Mar 25 – Apr 5 –6 Ops, 3 Stations –160 through 10m Western Sahara, S04R – –Apr 12 – 17 –3 Stations with amps –160 through 10m

Slide 11 NCDXC Feb 09 DX Contests ARRL Intl DX Contest CW –Feb ARRL Intl DX Contest SSB –March 7-8

QSTs

Slide 13 NCDXC Feb 09 Happy Birthday Walt Johnson, W6MZQ Walt turned 91 on Saturday the 14 th Walt has been a member for 30+ years Walt is active every day working DX Walt has been a great supported of NCDXC

Slide 14 NCDXC Feb 09 IDXC Visalia IDXC 2009 (the 60th year) will be held April 17- April19, 2009 at the Visalia Holiday Inn News from the committee? –John, K6YP –Steve, N6SJ

Slide 15 NCDXC Feb 09 NCDXC Net Net coordinator - Don, AA6W If you would like to be a net control, please see or contact Don Please Remember - NCDXC Net –Every Thursday 8pm –Except on monthly meeting nights (3 rd Thurs) –On W6TI repeater, MHz, PL 110.9

Slide 16 NCDXC Feb 09 DXer Material Editor - Phil, K6TT If you have suggestions for articles, etc. please see or contact Phil If you would like to contribute (photos, articles, etc.), Phil will be very happy to talk to you! This is your newsletter – help make it great!

Slide 17 NCDXC Feb 09 Tonight’s Raffle Mike W6WZ & Carolyn WB6ABC have some great prizes! –1 st Prize Choice of Registration to IDXC at Visalia –$95 value (does not include a hotel room OR Yaesu VX /83B 2M HT including –Ni-MH 7.2V 1400 MA Battery Charger –Yasue EDC-5B Filtered Cigarette Mobile Charger –2nd Prize: Diamond X-30 2m/440 Outdoor Antenna. –3rd Prize: Set of 4 High quality FAIR-RITE Beads –4th Prize: A Multi-Tool Pocket Set –5th Prize: A Roll RESCUE TAPE –Door Prize: Key Chain Flash Light Need Tickets – see Carolyn or Mike – 6 for $ for $ for $20 GOOD LUCK!

Slide 18 NCDXC Feb 09 Additional QSTs Does anyone have any other announcements they would like to make?

Our Sunspot Cycle Still going nowhere…

Slide 20 NCDXC Feb 09 Last Night Conditions

Slide 21 NCDXC Feb 09 The Last Couple of Months

Slide 22 NCDXC Feb 09 Cycle 23/24 Progress - thanks to Chuck, AA6G

Slide 23 NCDXC Feb 09 SOHO MDI Continuum Latest Image

ARRL Logbook of The World (LoTW) By Craig Bradley – AE6RR

Slide 25 NCDXC Feb 09 Background The ARRL created LoTW and it began operation in Sept 2003 I was relicensed as AE6RR in Sept 2004 After a couple of months of operation and one major contest, I decided the paper logs were not the way to go –See Computer Logging Programs (Mar 2006 NCDXC meeting) Once I had a computer log, I signed up for LoTW –Password card received Dec 2004

Slide 26 NCDXC Feb 09 How Many Here Use LoTW? How many have signed up? How many have submitted logs? Do you keep your LoTW log up to date? How many have applied for an award online with LoTW?

Slide 27 NCDXC Feb 09 AE6RR Experiences I currently have 3240 QSOs in the database with 935 QSLs (29%) –Many of these are from contests As they use computer logging programs, many contesters submit their logs after each contest I have worked new entities in a contest and have had them confirmed the next day on LoTW I have applied for DXCC and WAS awards on LoTW

Slide 28 NCDXC Feb 09 Who Needs LoTW? Contesters looking for DX awards –Do you have years of computer contest logs and wonder if you have a multiband DXCC? –The most active LoTW stations are contest stations HC8N has 112,000 QSOs in LoTW PJ2T has 105,000 QSOs in LoTW DXers working on new awards –GM3POI has achieved 9 Band DXCC using only LoTW –K4DY has confirmed 302 entities in LoTW

Slide 29 NCDXC Feb 09 Use LoTW to Keep Your DXCC Record Current The DXCC Yearbook is sent to all DXCC award holders that have made a submittal in the last year To maintain Honor Roll status you must submit yearly The DXCC desk gets swamped with paper application near the end of each year and delays can be well over a month LoTW can make this painless – some submittals are done the same day!

Slide 30 NCDXC Feb 09 LoTW Can Save You Big $$$ Sending QSLs card can get expensive –Postage going up to $0.98 (foreign) –Cost of cards –Cost of envelopes –Cost of return postage Sending a foreign QSL direct can cost over $3.00 each Buro cards take forever 5 Band DXCC requires 500 cards (>$1500) –If you get them all back, 50% would be over $3000 Challenge award requires at least 1000 cards

Slide 31 NCDXC Feb 09 LoTW Can Save Time Instant gratification –QSLs can appear within a few hours of your QSO –QSL cards can take years Quick processing of applications –Paper DXCC submittals can take many weeks –LoTW online submittals have been processed on the same day as the submittal

Slide 32 NCDXC Feb 09 Triple Play Award New WAS award –50 States on all 3 modes –Phone, CW, Digital LoTW QSLs only Only QSOs after January 1, awarded so far… Anyone here have it?

Slide 33 NCDXC Feb 09 What if I Don’t Have a Computer Log? DXCC credits after 1993 can be added to your account –If you have the cards, the ARRL will enter checked QSLs The LoTW TQSL program allows you to create records – you don’t need a logging program You only need to enter the QSOs that you need credit for – not the whole log

Slide 34 NCDXC Feb 09 What do I Need? A valid Amateur Radio License –FCC record up to date with current address You need a computer –Windows 95 through Vista –Mac –Linux You need to know how to use your computer An Internet connection An hour or so to get started A willingness to read the ARRL instructions

Slide 35 NCDXC Feb 09 ARRL Support Docs & Info Logbook of the World: 75 Million QSO's Can't Be Wrong! (Sept 05 QST) – Getting started guide – The web site will lead you through it –

Slide 36 NCDXC Feb 09 ARRL LoTW Slide Show The following slides are available on the ARRL web site ppthttp:// ppt –Go to –Look for Logbook of The World under the blue banner at the top –You are there!

ARRL LoTW Presentation ARRL Web Site

LoTW Questions? Until 9:15

Slide 39 NCDXC Feb 09 The NCDXC Raffle! Does anyone need tickets before we start? Prizes –Door Prize: Key Chain Flash Light –1 st Prize Choice of Registration to IDXC at Visalia –$95 value (does not include a hotel room OR Yaesu VX /83B 2M HT including –Ni-MH 7.2V 1400 MA Battery Charger –Yasue EDC-5B Filtered Cigarette Mobile Charger –2nd Prize: Diamond X-30 2m/440 Outdoor Antenna. –3rd Prize: Set of 4 High quality FAIR-RITE Beads –4th Prize: A Multi-Tool Pocket Set –5th Prize: A Roll of Self-Fusing, Permanent Seal RESCUE TAPE

Slide 40 NCDXC Feb 09 Thanks for Coming Tonight! Remember the net next Thursday night! Drive safe! Pray for sunspots! 73 & Good DX!