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First digital contact: April 22, 2008.

As I do at the end of every year I go through all of the files on my computer and do a “digital cleanse” by deleting things I do not need. I ran across this QSO of my first digital contact way back 11 years ago in 2008.

It reminded me to send out the message that we all have to start somewhere/sometime and just how much of a rookie I was back then! Heres the text of the QSO (during a contest so I was likely very annoying to her).

WA4EEZ CQ CQ CQ Skirmish de WA4EEZ WA4EEZ CWA4EEZ

WA4EEZ DE WB50DJ WB5ODJ PSE k

WB50DJ LESLIE WA4 LESLIE WA4 WB50DJ

HI LESLIE HANDLE HERE IS JOHN MY FIRST PSK QSO OVER

WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…John, I am so happy to be ur first PSK QSO….You will enjoy this mode and meet lots of new friends…I am in a PSK contest, and the exchange is the name, and the prefix…so you can send me your prefix–like WB5–…
BTU John, de WA4EEZ kn

LESLIE … THANKS FOR TAKING MY TRANSMISSION. I AM A COMPUTER GUY BUT THIS IS ALL VERY NEW TO ME. I WILL LET YOU GET BACK TO YOUR CONTEST. WA5EEZ DE WB5ODJ OVER

WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…ok John, well I am most definitely not a computer gal, but sure enjoy these digital modes….BTW ur sig is 599 599 and clean…very nice.
73 es thanks for this contact, and may you have many, many more!! 73 and good hamming to you WB5ODJ de WA4EEZ..oh my name is Leslie.. bk

wa4eez de wb5odj … handle is John. QTH is Northern Virginia (lovettsville). Antenna is new SteppIR at 80 feet. driven by a ICOM 756pro3. beam pointed to FL at the moment. UR signal is also 599 599 599 over.

WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…My kinfolk are from Giles County up there in VA….Thanks again John, and will see you again, I am sure…73 de WA4EEZ sk

73 73 73 and good night. thanks a million for the qso. WB5ODJ clear kkkk

This was before I had my Extra license and changed my call sign to drop the B in my call. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago but apparently I had just constructed my first tower and installed my then new SteppIR. Soon storms would come and break the SteppIR, rotator and my new tower and I would have to reconstruct them. And then again when I built my second tower to move the SteppIR over there so I could maintain it better.

One thing is for certain in radio, nature wins and things are always changing.

Happy new year to you all!

73,

John
W5ODJ

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LARG Sunday Night 2-Meter Net Report

The most famous Sunday Night Net was held by the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group on 2-Meters FM on the WA4TXE/R on 146.700 MHz at 8:30 pm local time.

We had 13 people check in to the net tonight:

  • K9CQB, Damon
  • WB2UNA, John
  • W4PMP, Chris
  • N4PDY, Mike
  • KD4HAX, Joe
  • KD4NYX, Wendy
  • AB3KC, Collins
  • KK4TNO, Chas
  • KM4RSX, Archellious
  • W3OW, Bruce
  • N1NCY, Nancy
  • N4PD, Paul
  • W5ODJ, John (NCS)

A few things mentioned to highlight:

Apart from the weird problem we experience with the audio on the repeater the net was successful. Everyone who checked in had good signals into the repeater even if we couldn’t hear the audio at times. This is the reason we have these nets (to check to make sure things work properly).

This was the last 2-meter net of 2019. Thanks to everyone for checking in! I was happy to be the last minute net control station for the net. Have a happy new year celebration whatever that will be for you and be safe out there! We’ll see you all in 2020 somewhere.

73,

John
W5ODJ

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Building an off-center fed (OCF) Dipole.

Hey there.

After chatting with Rick N1RM over the holiday I decided to replace my old dipole with an off center fed dipole. I primarily wanted this because I wanted lower SWR with wider bandwidth so I can use more power on 80 meters. It turns out to be very beneficial for at least 4 bands that I normally use over a single wire!

Part of this project was to build my own balun because I didn’t want to buy one. Contrary to popular belief, I’m as cheap as every other ham I know. They cost about $100.

Normally with my projects I’d just put in the new antenna and move on but I decided to put proper design notes together and publish in a new section of our web site I called DIY in hopes it could also help others.

I pulled a bunch of information from various sources which I have published in this page on our web site.

Check my work. Build your own! If you want to publish your own DIY project let us know and we’ll get it out there.

73,

John
W5ODJ

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January Officer Elections

The annual election of officers of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group, Inc. is coming at our January meeting. All members present may vote, so please be prepared to pay your dues prior to the start of the meeting if you have not already done so, and you must be present in order to vote. Remember, too, that the dues for the 2020 calendar year are (generally) $25.00.

As our Constitution and Bylaws require, the Board of Directors of LARG met in November to identify and recommend a slate of Officer candidates for the election coming at our January meeting. Following our established practice, we will open nominations from the floor to permit write-in candidates in addition to the nominations offered by the Board. We will use written ballots, to be distributed at the meeting. As in the past, immediately upon completion of balloting and counting, we will announce the results.

It is my pleasure to announce the candidates nominated by the Directors.
President – Doug Coulter, K4AIU
Vice-President – Mike White, N4PDY
Treasurer – Steve Edwards, KN4HOZ*
Secretary = Jim Babcock, N4FAF*
* incumbent

We have accomplished many good things during the concluding year. I look forward to many more in 2020. To all of our members, families, and friends I bid you a joyous holiday season and prosperous New Year.

For the Board of Directors,
Dave Putman, KE4S
Chairman

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Thursday SSB Net Report Dec 12, 2019

80m – 3675 KHz on 13 DEC 2019 Open 0100Z
Listening 3810 KHz for General class ops to check-in

QNI:
KoZR Jeff
WoMPM John
K8SYH Bill
N4PD Paul
K3WD Bill
KE4S Dave, net control

Closed 0121Z

10m – on 28.405 MHz
No net tonight
KE4S Dave, ncs

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Tuesday Slow CW Net Report Dec 3 2019

Net convened on 3544.5 KHz at scheduled time. We were down from the normal frequency to avoid traffic on 3545. Only two of us tonight – Bill K3WD and Dave KE4S. Had a nice chat about our equipment before closing at 8:20PM. Please join us next Tuesday at 8:00PM. 73 de Dave KE4S

Sorry I was unable to join in tonight. I’m out of town again. Looking forward to seeing you as well as others at our upcoming party event this Saturday night. K0ZR

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Net Report: Tuesday Slow CW Net, Nov 12, 2019

Called the net schedule at 8:00PM with KT9N, W5ODJ, and KE4S in the conversation. Good signals from all, and I was happy to report I have put my SteppIR back in service after 6 months of making repairs and upgrades. Now I need to start work on my 160/80 meter inverted L – it still is giving problems, but at least I can get on the air on 80 with a G5RV. Chris reported some heavy QRM in northern Leesburg, but John and I had good copy on him. Thanks for checking in – others are welcome to join us each Tuesday evening, and we operate at the speed of the slowest participant. 73 de Dave KE4S

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Vienna Wireless Winterfest 2020

As per tradition, we reserved a LARG table at WinterFest!

Table D3, right at room entrance, and a very good spot!

Feel free to bring your stuff, er, treasures. And if you have any big items or large loads, please let me know early, JIC?

As usual, you will want to label and oversee your stuff, although you can often share with other LARGies.

Please advise, and Thanks!

—– Forwarded Message —–
Subject: Early Registration for Clubs at Winterfest 2020

The Vienna Wireless Society (VWS) hamfest, celebrating our 44th year, will once again be held in the Gym at the Annandale Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College on Sunday, March 29, 2020. We hope your Club will again participate in our hamfest.

Early registration is now open! You can register on line here.

If you wish to snag the same table(s) as last year, and if don’t remember your 2019 table location, you can view last year’s table layout here. Please be aware that we will open general vendor registration on December 1st, so I am hoping that you will lock down table(s) before general registration opens.

Table rental prices remain the same as last year. Early bird registration price is $20 per table plus $10 per vendor attendance pass. Early bird registration closes on January 31, 2020. Starting February 1st, 2020, the table rental fee is $25.00. The indoor venue opens at 8:00 a.m.; vendors can enter for last-minute setup at 6:30 am. Of course you will also set up on Saturday, March 28th in the afternoon.

We are expanding Winterfest this year. Besides our radio license testing program, VWS is sponsoring special educational programs on Emergency Communications during Winterfest 2020. This addition will bring a new focus to our hamfest, and hopefully attract a new group of participants. Attendance last year was 500 attendees. We have increased our advertisement effort, which began in June and combined with our special educational programs, we expect to increase over last year’s record-breaking attendance level.

More details can be found here.

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