Craig K9CT has posted a video of some of the tower erections being done with a large portable crane at his new contest station antenna farm.
Putting his wallet first, Craig has purchased a large plot of farm land to set up a world-class contest station here in the heart of “9-land!”
Enjoy!
YouTube – K9CT Contest Station Tower Erection:
73
Steve
K9ZW
End of Presentations Post from the W9DXCC Hotel QTH in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
W9DXCC Logo
Quite a nice group of presentations – very much enjoyed Alpha Amps, the NCDXF PJ7E Presentation and the IOTA T32 presentations as special standouts.
For the NCDXF PJ7 Expedition’s team leader Craig K9CT, with NCDXF’s President Bruce W6OSP did a great team presentation on the K4M Midway DXpedition and an update on the coming PJ7E DXpedition.
Very interesting was Bob W9KNI’s talk on “A Year of DX” and the CQ Magazine DX Marathon Contest. Will have to look more at this as a fun way to get involved.
On the more technical side Peter G3RZP had interesting Antenna Tuner presentation, Larry N8LP covered his TelePost products and Carl K9LA talked on Solar Cycle-24.
More when I return to home.
73
Steve
K9ZW
Just quick missive from the W9DXCC Hotel QTH in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
W9DXCC Logo
An excellent drive down, with only a few weather delays, was made much more enjoyable with the company of George W9EVT as the navigator.
SMC Logo
Arrived in time to join in an excellent time at a local pizzeria with the Society of Midwest Contesters, and very much enjoyed the evening’s conversation with the NCDXF PJ7 Expedition’s team leader Craig K9CT, NCDXF’s President Bruce W6OSP, team member Ralph K9ZO and about 18 other SMC members & friends.
NCDXF Logo
Hearing of the NCDXF upcoming PJ7 event, especially as we’d been to Sint Maartin two years ago, and several of the other new entities this last winter, really puts the DXpedition “bug” into a person! Maybe sometime soon…..
Some websites related to the evening:
The 58th (2010) W9DXCC DX Convention & Banquet
http://w9dxcc.com/
The Northern California DX Foundation
http://www.ncdxf.org/
The Society of Midwest Contesters
http://www.w9smc.com/
The PJ7 Sint Maarten DXpedition Website
http://www.stmaarten2010.com/
As my present days start early, I’m tired enough thatI’m not going to be a hardcore DX Club Hospitality room participant, and will write more later in the weekend!
73
Steve
K9ZW
During the Dayton activities I was able to spend some time talking with two of the TI9KK DXpedition Team Craig K9CT and Norbert DJ7JC
K9CT spoke to us during Contest University and DJ7JC we met in one of the Supersuites.
Organizational the DXpedition seemed fairly normal, a core group had established contact with the TI0RC Radio Club, the Costa Rica Licensing Authorities, arranged transport and all the 1000s of things that a DXpedition needs.
Unfortunately their on-air time was massively cut short, not by logistics, propagation, or technical difficulties, but by the direct action of one of the assisting groups to thwart the DXpedition.
TI0RC (Radio Club Costa Rica) – the Local Radio Club – sabotaged the TI9KK DXpedition by actively working to have the TI9KK operating license canceled.
Twice the TI9KK group had to travel to the capital to get their license reinstated after the TI0RC Group had done their dirty work. For those who read Spanish here is a link to one of the letters: http://www.ti9kk.dh8wr.com/Costa_Rica_Radio_Club.pdf
Posts on the TI9KK website suggest that there may be some reconciliation with the TI0RC group, but no details are posted or assurances that this club might not turn on and work against another group. The TI9KK group website suggests never contacting the TI0RC club.
All that aside TI9KK did make 17,000 QSOs during their five days.
Both K9CT and DJ7JC had solid suggestions on how to avoid some of the other problems the group had – operator supplied rigs that interfered with all the other operators, too flat of a hierarchy making problem resolution that much more difficult, the Licensing issues, and so on.
Both said they were eager to do their next DXpedition, hopefully without the problems of a local group working against them.
As always it is great to meet up with “those that do” at the Hamvention, putting faces, voices, personalities and names to the DXpedition operator we may have briefly QSOed with for but a fleeting moment!
73
Steve
K9ZW
With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings 