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Radio Support Volunteers Needed For Reston Century Bike Club’s Ride

Reston Bike Club’s Annual Century depends on volunteers to have a successful event.

This year’s century is planned rain or shine to occur on Sunday August 25th, 2019 from 6AM to 5PM. This is the last Sunday in August.

Signup Link
Event Page

Schedule as it’s shaping up today:

  • Reston Town Center Rest stop – 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Ashburn Rest stop – 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Leesburg Rest Stop – 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Purcellville Rest Stop – 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Old Mill Rest Stop – 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  • Lovettsville Rest Stop (Full Century Riders only) – 9:00 AM – 1:30 P
  • SAG Mechanics and Ride Marshalls – 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM

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HF Net report for April 25, 2019.

We gathered tonight at 3.676 MHz due to QRN below us on our normal frequency of 3.675. We also listened for general class license holders at 3.810-3.818 MHz but heard no one. Those that checked in tonight:

  • W2YE, Dick
  • KE4S, Dave
  • K3WD, Bill
  • N4PD, Paul
  • N0JSD, John
  • W5ODJ, John (NCS)

75 Meters was in great shape as was 10 meters (28.405 MHz). Signals were between +20 and +40 at my QTH. It was good to hear everyone tonight. Thank you for joining the net with us.

73 DE W5ODJ

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AMSAT Journal 50th Anniv. Edition Free Download

And on the heels of John W5ODJ’s 1st satellite QSO (congrats!), AMSAT-NA has made their special 50th Anniversary Edition of The AMSAT Journal available to all. Some wonderful satellite history in this issue – a keeper!  If you enjoy this issue, please consider joining AMSAT today!

The .pdf is here.

See you on “the birds”! 73 de KS1G

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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