I finally made it happen.

Yesterday I was able to make my first satellite contact. I documented my experience here. If you want to check out my experience go check out my story.

Thanks for Steve, KS1G, for all the help over the years. It takes some of us longer than others to learn stuff like this! 🙂

It was good fun. I highly recommend the effort.

Enjoy!

John
W5ODJ

2m Net report for April 21, 2019

This is the post-net report for the most famous Sunday Night Net held by the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group on 2-Meters FM. Tonight the net was held on the WA4TXE/R 146.700 MHz (-) (no PL tone). W5ODJ (John) was NCS for the evening.

Those who checked in were:

  • WB2UNA, John
  • N4PDY, Mike
  • KG4UPR, Bryan
  • KM4NPK, Nelson
  • W5ODJ, John

it was a family weekend with excellent weather for outdoor activities. Some of us got the chance to dust off a radio and get back on the air. Working hard not to let work get in the way of our fun activities.

The repeater was having some kind of an issue on the input side of things. I had to use high power to get in full quieting. This is something new. The others were having trouble keeping the repeater when transmitting. The net was a bit weird and disjointed but not enough to switch to the standby since there were so few of us.

Digital net report for April 14, 2019.

A net was called at 19:30 local time. Those attending were KG4UPR and W5ODJ (NCS). The conversation was informal mostly about the severe weather in the area at the present time, moving and operating /M in the coming days/months. The net was secured at 19:55.

Melted Power Pole

This Power Pole connector was made with one of the black inserts upside down. The result is that during heavy usage one of the crimps pulled back causing arcing between it and its mate.

HF SSB Net Report April 11, 2019

Called the net at 8:00pm on 3676kHz to avoid traffic just below. Check-ins:
K8SYH Bill, K3WD Bill, and KE4S Dave. We discussed fishing, weekend weather coming up, grandkids in college, and 160 meter operations. Closed this session at 8:16 and called the second session on 28.405MHz, no check-ins. Secured at 8:18pm. Next week the scheduled net control is Dick W2YE.
73 de Dave KE4S

HF SSB Net Report April 4, 2019

80m – 3675 KHz on 05APR2019 Open 0000Z

Listening 3828 KHz for General class ops to check-in

  • K8SYH Bill
  • W5ODJ John
  • K3WD Bill
  • KJ4VTH Bill
  • KE4S Dave, net control

The new web site is active. We discussed briefly what is needed to add information to the new web site. We also talked about Bill (which one?) and his TS-450.

Closed 0022Z

10m – Open 0024Z on 28.405 MHz

  • W5ODJ John
  • Dave KE4S

We discussed how to publish these minutes on the web site. We shall see how well it works!

The net was closed at 0035Z

Sunday Night 2M Net Report

Net started at 20:30 and ended at 21:00. Check-ins are as followed.

  • KQ4CI Evan
  • K2BFY Henry
  • N4PDY Mike
  • W3HDB Dan
  • KG4TIH Paulson
  • W4PMP Chris
  • KK4TNO Chaz
  • KN4PIZ Patrick
  • KJ4B
  • W5ODJ John
  • N0JSD John (NCS)

Have a good night.

John, N0JSD

HF Net March 28, 2019

Hi everyone.

We gathered at 3.675 MHz tonight at 20:00 local time. There were 5 check-ins:

W2YE, Dick
KE4S, Dave
K3WD, Bill
W4PMP, Chris
W5ODJ, John (NCS)

Of notable mention, Dave let gave us an update on the XR0ZRC Update from Robinson Crusoe Islands. I guess it’s going to go on a few more days if you want to make contacts. I found a couple of links on the web for you here and here if you are interested in more information on that effort.

We also met on 10 meters at 28.405 MHz where W2YE, KE4S and W5ODJ checked their equipment there. It was a very brief meeting with very strong signals this week. Stronger than I’ve recorded in some time.

Y’all have a good weekend! See you soon.

John
W5ODJ