Weekly Review - 09OCT2011

I really haven't been all that fair with my posts on here so I have decided that instead of pushing myself for a daily post (and then getting frustrated with not getting first one, then a second, then on and on done, only to give up), I will post occasionally during the week, but push myself for a weekly update.

So, this week was all about anticipation.  Funny how when I earned my Tech license and then again with my General, I burned up the web checking out the FCC's ULS to see "my name in lights."  I figured that Extra would be different, but that was not to be.  I searched several times a day, every day, until I saw it posted there on Friday evening.  Like the school kid looking for that first day of class each year, I was anticipating and hoping that I would see my upgrade and elated when it came through on Friday.  Now you can only guess how many times a day I am checking the mailbox to see if the hard copy has arrived yet.

The only unfortunate part of seeing my upgrade appear on the ULS is that I did not get to work any stations as KDØMCV/AE.  I really wanted to, but time constraints with work and exhaustion didn't allow for that.  Minor detail, I guess.  What matters most is that I can use all of the frequencies now.

I did spend a bit of time listening around on the bands to see what all was out there this weekend.  I noticed that the bands were, for the most part, somewhat quiet and open.  Even 10m has been active which is a good sign.  I did work the DX-pedition station, T32C at East Kiribati on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island on 15m.  Here I am, sitting in the parking lot of the local Walmart and worked a station in the South Pacific.  Gotta love mobile ops.

I have been experimenting with different tools that are out there - tools on the internet and specifically, social media.  I have been tweeting a lot more and following some of the hams that are also on Twitter - namely @NW7US and @amatradio.  Reading on Amateurradio.com, I came across an article about having the confidence to use low power more than "defaulting" to 100W.  It fell right in with what I have been reading about QRP and so I figured I would give it a try.  That Q with T32C was made using 50W.  I was so excited when the op said my report was 5/9 that I am going to start trying to work my way down to 25W.  Mind you, I am mobile all of the time, so it is a bit harder to make those Q's as the ground plane is minimal, but I will work at it nonetheless.

Also, I cam across a station working 40m on Sunday morning that I thought was really odd sounding.  When he called out his CQ, I heard that he was AM.  Really?  I changed modes to AM (never done that before) and he was crystal clear.  I was fascinated and listened for over half an hour and I also pulled his call, WB9ECK up on QRZ.  This led to his website and all I can say is that you really have to read it for yourself.  I will tell you that he built his rig from scratch and even built his own crystals.  I am wanting to get up there and see that thing in person.  Maybe, someday soon.

When I was visiting with the Rock Island (IL) EC last Sunday, he gave me a starter kit for an NVIS antenna for working 80m and 40m.  I have started to get this project complete and am looking to get it tuned this week and  maybe use it this coming weekend to see how I did.  More on that later.

I also met a guy at the Radio Shack (buying a couple parts for another antenna I am putting together for a fellow ham up the street from me).  The kid told me that he was interested in being a ham, but that it cost too much as a hobby.  He attends a local community college here and we all know about the finances of a struggling student.  Chris' uncle is a ham and has a large station setup and naturally Chris thought that you would have to have all of that just to get into the hobby.  I really shocked him when I told him that all you need is a little time to study and the price of the test.  That got his curiosity and so (hopefully) he is studying for his Tech license.  I guess I will have to find something else to buy at Radio Shack later this week. HI HI.

Well, back to work so I can support my wonderful hobby.

73 de KDØMCV

Fall is Here and Where Am I?

Well, it is a beautiful fall day here in the Upper Midwest.  The morning was crisp and the afternoon is turning out to be warm and sunny.  So why am I sitting here in the middle of the afternoon, inside, at the computer?

Study for the Amateur Extra test is really turning my brains to mush.  According to Ham Test Online, I have completed 18:54 of the suggested 30 hours of study and I have been cramming more information in my skull than I ever thought humanly possible.  The good news is that I am actually getting some of it down.  Of the practice runs I have taken thus far, I have gotten 50% (using another study method), 64, 76, 82, 86, 85 and 74.  You have to have a minimum of 74% to pass and the 74 I got was when I directed the program to only give me hardest questions - the ones missed by most people that take the test.

The following is a full report card of where I stand currently with my study:

KDØMCV		QuQuestions	Percentage of test	Current score
Extra Class Exam (element 4) (valid 7/01/08 – 6/30/12)		50	100.0%	86.00%
Sub-element E1	Commission’s Rules	6	12.0%	92.00%
Sub-element E2	Operating Practices and Procedures	5	10.0%	91.00%
Sub-element E3	Radio Wave Propagation	3	6.0%	91.00%
Sub-element E4	Amateur Radio Technology and Measurements	5	10.0%	83.00%
Sub-element E5	Electrical Principles	4	8.0%	81.00%
Sub-element E6	Circuit Components	6	12.0%	87.00%
Sub-element E7	Practical Circuits	8	16.0%	86.00%
Sub-element E8	Signals and Emissions	4	8.0%	83.00%
Sub-element E9	Antennas and Transmission Lines	8	16.0%	84.00%
Sub-element E0	Safety	1	2.0%	89.00%

For those that think this test is easy, lets look at a couple questions from the actual pool.

E3A07 What frequency range would you normally tune to find EME stations in the 2 meter band?A. 144.000 - 144.001 MHzB. 144.000 - 144.100 MHzC. 144.100 - 144.300 MHzD. 145.000 - 145.100 MHz

E3C08 What is the name of the high-angle wave in HF propagation that travels for some distance within the F2 region?A. Oblique-angle rayB. Pedersen rayC. Ordinary rayD. Heaviside ray

E5C22 In rectangular coordinates, what is the impedance of a network comprised of a 10-microhenry inductor in series with a 40-ohm resistor at 500 MHz?A. 40 + j31,400B. 40 - j31,400C. 31,400 + j40D. 31,400 - j40

Now, I am not saying that these are impossible, but for an 'old dog" like me, I really found a lot of these to be difficult at best.  It has been way too many years since I had to do some of the complex math calculations and, quite frankly, my memory is not as sharp and keen as it was when I was a "young buck."

So, I am really being serious about this.  I set a goal that I would get my Extra Class before my anniversary and that is tomorrow.  That is when I will take the test for real - in West Liberty, Iowa at the Southeast Iowa Hamfest.

Question from the Hinterlands: "Hey, Where Have You Been"

It has been weeks since I posted last to this blog and I am sure there are some that are wondering - "Where the heck is he?" 

The answer is that I have been spending every free moment studying for my General Class License.  Sure, I went to a couple Hamfests along the way, but my primary focus has been on passing this test.  The mathematics is something that I am just not good at anymore and especially memorizing all the different formulas.

I mentioned that I went to a few hamfests along the way.  So far, I attended the Cedar Valley Hamfest in Cedar Rapids, the Peoria Superfest in Peoria, Illinois and the Southeast Iowa Hamfest in West Liberty.  All were fun and exciting to get to, but I was looking forward to getting to West Liberty to take the test.  Yes, 3OCT2010 was the day I was both looking forward to and dreading.

I rarely get to have a free Saturday that I am not working, but this Saturday (10/2) I was surprised that I didn't have to work.  I needed to have another good look at the test for real, so the wife and I loaded up early in the morning and made a trip to Madison, WI for my second attempt at the test.  As fate would have it, I failed the test miserably, but I did get a good look at it and got the chance to see where I really needed to focus my study for the next day.

I really didn't get to do a lot of studying as the wife and I did some shopping and sightseeing in Madison.  Because of that, we didn't get back home until late in the evening and I cracked open the book only to fall fast asleep.  When I awoke this morning, I was in a rush to get on the road and so didn't get to study at all.  I guess I will just have to pray really hard.  When I arrived at the fairgrounds in West Liberty, I paid admission, parked and thumbed through the answers that I had highlighted in the book, then it was off to find the restroom and test site.

There were quite a few people there to take the test, as was expected with this being the Iowa Convention Hamfest.  I went up to the table where the three VE's were sitting, paid my fee, filled out paper work and was handed my test.  Butterflies went into overtime in my guts and I thought I was going to explode - and I hadn't even found a seat yet.  Once I found my seat, I said a little prayer and cracked open the test.  I was shocked to see the first question was one I was totally familiar with and answered without even thinking.

The part of the test that I was most worried about made up 10 of the 35 questions.  I can only miss 9 so I have to hope that I get at least one of the tough ones right and ace the rest of the test.  As I finished the test, I looked it over one more time, closed the book and stood up to turn in my test.  Now the butterflies were really active and I needed to go to the bathroom again.

I am not a very patient person when it comes to tests.  I want to know now how I did and lets get the agony out of the way so I can go out to the truck, crack open the book and study for an hour before coming back to re-take the test.  There were five to grade before mine and each one was being graded painstakingly slowly.  Could I make it through this part.  All I could do was sit with my head low, eyes closed and pray that I could tolerate the battle of my guts while waiting.  As each test was finished being grading, the VE would call the name of the candidate.  I heard one name after another, then I heard, "David?"

There was no answer.  I was busy with my praying that I almost missed it.  "KDØMCV?  David?"  Hey, that is me.  Up I went to the VE, totally ready to hear the bad news - I failed by missing 12 questions yesterday and so I was ready to go out and study again.  If I hurry, I can get about 30 minutes in before I have to be back in here...

"Congratulations, you passed, you missed 7 and were allowed to miss 9."  I was flabbergasted.  I didn't know what to do.  I shook hands with the VE and went to fill out one final paper before I received my CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination).

I immediately sought out a ham I new from here in Dubuque (WØSAT is that fatherly figure of a ham that I am honored to know).  I found him and showed him my CSCE.  He and his wife were so happy to see me holding that paper with hands shaking.  I don't know what was bigger, the weight off of my shoulders for finally passing the test or the smile on my face that couldn't be broken.

Now, on to find some HF equipment so I can use the license.

Field Day - 2010

Each year, Hams get together on air for what is called "Field Day." This is a chance for all of us to get together on air and work stations from around the continent. Clubs, such as the one here in Dubuque, operate totally on alternative power as if we were actually operating from a command post during an emergency. Field Day is always held the fourth full weekend in June and runs both Saturday and Sunday.


We had a good time and logged over 300 contacts, many of whom were also operating on battery power.

A special treat for me, was when I opened up my mail on Saturday and discovered a prized possession within - my hard copy license from the FCC. I took the unopened envelope to our operation site and allowed all that were there to share with me in seeing it for the first time.