Amateur Radio Station N2AWA

Contents:

• Quick Reference Table
• Overview
• Rigs
• Antennas (HF)
• Microphone
• Antennas (FM)
• Batteries / Battery Packs
• Clubs / Vendors
• QSL Cards and Logging
• Tower Project
• Antenna References
• Literature (separate page)
• Events

Quick Reference Table:

Overview:

History of N2AWA:

I remember hearing about amateur radio when I was a kid back in the late 1960s. It certainly had an element of intrigue, and I have been casually acquainted with one or two "hams" over the years, but I never allocated the time to learn more about it and develop my own interests, until more recently.

My own personal exploration of amateur radio began in September 2005 when I visited the RARA (Rochester Amateur Radio Association) web site. I began studying the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) Element 2 (Technician Class) manual on Sunday September 4, and was prepared to take the exam September 17, which was the date of the next local VEC (Volunteer Examiner Coordinator) testing session. Unfortunately, I was out of town that day (at the Antique Radio Swap Meet in Kutztown, Pennsylvania). So I searched for other VEC sessions via the ARRL web site and conveniently made arrangements (thanks to AK3M) to take the exam with the LVARC (Lehigh Valley Amateur Radio Club) in Allentown, Pennsylvania at 7:30PM Friday night, September 16, 2005. I passed the exam, which was held at the Lehigh Valley Red Cross building, and the FCC issued me the call sign KC2OQG on September 20, 2005. It was great to finally be an amateur radio operator after procrastinating for so many years.

After I got the Technician Class license, a generous former co-worker and local ham (WB2PAY) loaned me his Kenwood TH-22AT (2 meter VHF - 144 MHz - 148 MHz) hand-held ("HT" or "Handie-Talkie") portable transceiver so that I might get a better sense of what was happening, and take part in the conversations on the 2 meter band (144-148 MHz) until I got my own rig. He also loaned me a 2 meter J-Pole antenna (custom made from aluminum tubing) and a nice large tripod, along with 20' of RG-58 coaxial cable. Armed with this modest arsenal, I was able to reach most of the local FM repeaters. When I returned the Kenwood TH-22AT hand-held radio (November 4, 2005), he then loaned me a 1982 Kenwood TS-530S HF transceiver (1.8 MHz - 29.7 MHz) (160 meters - 10 meters) so that I was able to listen to "live" CW (Morse Code) before I took the exam to get my General Class license. We also set up, and tuned a ½ wave 20 meter dipole antenna inside my shack. After I got my General Class ticket (see below), I made quite a few phone (voice) contacts to the southern United States (Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, West Virginia) using the 20 meter ½ wave dipole and running "barefoot" (no external amplifier) with the Kenwood TS-530S.

On September 19, 2005 I joined RARA (Rochester Amateur Radio Association) and enrolled in their 12-week course on General Class (ARRL Element 3) license theory. At the same time, I began studying Morse Code by listening to the ARRL "Your Introduction to Morse Code" cassette tapes. I listened to the tapes in my car every weekday for two months during my 70 minute round-trip commute! I also practiced the code at home with a borrowed copy (thanks to KC2KQT) of the CD-ROM version of the ARRL course, and by using a code synthesizer, which a local ham (W2SKY) loaned me for the duration. In addition to these methods, I also downloaded Morse Academy on my computer and practiced it that way. I wanted to be sure I was prepared for that 5 word per minute ARRL Element 1 exam!

I took both the General Class (ARRL Element 3) and the 5 word per minute Morse code exams (ARRL Element 1) on Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 10:30AM at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). So I got my General Class ticket the week of Thanksgiving. Incidentally, I was prepared to take both the ARRL Element 1 and Element 3 exams on Sunday, October 16, but missed the monthly RARA testing session by one day, so I had to wait for the November session to roll around. The extra month of studying worked to my advantage, because I got a perfect score on both exams. Note that fifteen months later, in a historic move, (February 23, 2007) the FCC eliminated Morse Code as a requirement for any/all amateur radio licenses.

I began studying the ARRL "Element 4" (Extra Class) theory on November 26, 2005 and took the exam on Saturday, February 18, 2006 at 10:30AM at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) during the monthly RARA VEC testing session. The FCC issued my Extra Class license on February 23, 2006 and I received the hard copy of the license in the mail on March 1, 2006. I never knew the exact score on that test, but it was a satisfying moment, to be sure.

As of this writing, I have made numerous 2 meter (VHF) and 70 cm (UHF) phone contacts as well as quite a few HF phone contacts on various bands. However, I have not made a lot of CW (Morse Code) contacts. CW requires a lot of focus, dedication and practice. I enjoy the VHF and UHF FM bands because there are usually a lot of hams to interact with in my region, but I recognize that the challenge of HF DX (working distant stations, in both phone and CW mode) is what keeps many amateurs hooked on the hobby for many years. Since I got the Extra Class ticket, I have spent time increasing my CW proficiency and experimenting with various antenna configurations.

In 2006, I began sharing Net Control duties with several other local hams on the weekly "Monroe County FM Net" (K2RRA / 146.88 MHz), which exists as a forum to buy, sell and trade ham radio equipment and distribute information which is pertinent to the local ham community.

Vanity Call - N2AWA:

On November 16, 2007, I applied to the FCC for the vanity call sign N2AWA and it was granted on December 4, 2007. This is a nice call for several reasons. First, the CW weight is much "lighter" than KC2OQG, which had a CW weight of 86 (a lot of tapping on the strait key). N2AWA has a CW weight of 54, so it is quicker to send via Morse Code. Secondly, "2" is my QTH state (New York) and third, the "AWA" suffix was meaningful because of my membership in the AWA (Antique Wireless Association).

A Bit More Radio Trivia (non-Amateur):

I became an active "SWL" (Short Wave Listener) in 1989 when I got a Grundig "Satellit International 400" radio. I used the WRTH (World Radio and Television Handbook) to help identify some of the AM/FM/SW stations picked up from around the country and the globe. I learned that some of the international broadcast stations will send QSL cards and/or printed copies of their broadcast schedules upon request.

I am also interested in European AM/FM/SW radios from the 1955-1970 era. My favorite brands are Grundig, Telefunken and Blaupunkt, but there are many other European "exotics" to choose from. I enjoy maintaining and restoring vacuum tube radios, and I have a workbench and reference library (both ever-evolving) dedicated to the hobby.

Incidentally, the F.C.C. issued my "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit" (for broadcast radio) on June 12, 1981 because I hosted a weekly, 2-hour classical music program at WRUR (88.5 FM / University of Rochester). It was a Saturday show (11:00AM – 1:00PM), which began on May 16 and ran for eleven weeks, through August 1, 1981. I also hosted a weekly, 3-hour jazz music program on Sunday nights from 1990 to 1995 at WITR (89.7 FM / Rochester Institute of Technology).

Rigs:

HF (160 meters - 10 meters):

Amateur Radio Station - N2AWA / January 20, 2008

On February 25, 2006 I became the third owner of the 1982 Kenwood HF transceiver shown in the photo. The Kenwood components are: TS-530S (100W HF transceiver), SP-180 (remote speaker), VFO-240 (remote VFO for split channel operation), and the hand-held microphone (not shown). I had the TS-530S "on loan" (without the VFO-240 and SP-180) in my shack from November 4, 2005 through February 25, 2006, at which time it became a permanent fixture in the shack. I paid $300 for the Kenwood station including the VFO-240 and SP-180 and the hand-held mic.

TS-530 Overview:
"The Kenwood TS-530S follows in the tradition of the successful TS-520S. It is designed for SSB and CW modes in the 160 through 10 meter ham bands, and additionally includes the 30, 17 and 12 meter WARC bands. Power output is 220W PEP SSB and 180W DC CW. The finals are a pair of 6146B tubes. This transceiver does not have general coverage receive. Requires 120 VAC 50/60 Hz 295 W. Dimensions and weight: 13.3 x 5.3 x 13.37 inches 28.2 lbs. (333 x 133 x 333 mm 12.8 kg)."

The microphone on the left is a c. 1948 Astatic (Conneaut, Ohio) with a non-amplified "grip to talk" UG8 stand, and a DN-500 "bullet" head.

The "WARC" bands:
The World Administrative Radio Conference met in Geneva, Switzerland in 1979. Among the many topics covered at this meeting was the creation of three new amateur radio bands: 30 meters, 17 meters and 12 meters. Today, these three bands are referred to collectively as the WARC bands by amateur radio operators.

Kenwood TS-530S Features:

• 160-10 meters
• WARC Bands (30, 17, 12 meters)
• VOX
• NB (noise blanker). The "Noise Blanker" circuit screens out certain types of impulse noise. Sometimes useful in automobile-mounted radios, most NBs do little against the bulk of SW interference.
• 25 kHz Marker
• RIT/XIT
• Speech Processor
• IF Shift
• RF Attenuator
• 120 VAC Operation
• Kenwood remote VFO (VFO 240) for split frequency operation.
• Kenwood remote speaker (SP-180)
• Manual: http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/kenwood/ts530s

On the right side of the photograph is a 1955-1962 E.F. Johnson Viking Valiant AM/CW transmitter and a 1946 Hallicrafters S-40 receiver (sitting on top of the Valiant). The Hallicrafters S-40 receiver came to the shack on September 29, 2007 ($125 at the Elmira Hamfest) and the Viking Valiant transmitter arrived on November 2, 2007 ($325 at the annual RARA auction). Both the S-40 and Valiant were restored by myself. They were put on the air together as a set for the first time on the eve of Thursday, January 10, 2008. Also note the Astatic (Conneaut, Ohio) D-104 microphone with a T-UG8 stand (amplified, but bypassed). The D-104 microphone came to the shack on January 4, 2008 ($20.00). It has a 2-conductor, shielded cable with an Amphenol Type 80-MC2M 2-pin connector for use with the Viking Valiant.

• View the Viking Valiant Restoration Page
• View the Hallicrafters S-40 Restoration Page

Also in the photo (sitting atop the Kenwood TS-530S) is an MFJ Deluxe Versa Tuner II (MFJ-949E) 300W antenna tuner. More detail on the MFJ tuner can be found elsewhere on this page.

Finally, there is a Yaesu FT-7800R dual band (2m / 70cm) FM "mobile" transceiver on top of the MFJ 949-E tuner, and an ICOM IC-W32A dual band hand-held "HT" FM transceiver to the right of that. Wedged vertically between the MFJ Versa Tuner and the Viking Valiant (behind the stalk of the Astatic DN-500 bullet head) is a Uniden PRO 520XL 40 channel CB radio (11 meter, "Children's Band"!) which I purchased new in 1988. The CB radio has not seen a tremendous amount of use lately, but it works fine, and incredibly, is still in production as of this writing (January 2008) twenty years after I purchased it.

December 2005 - October 2006:
For the HF rig I used a 100 foot (30 meter) random wire antenna. Used insulated, #22 AWG wire. Tuned up (with MFJ 949E Deluxe Versa Tuner II) on 80-75, 40, 30, and 20 meters. The wire snapped two times during the summer of 2006.  Spliced it, and it kept working fine.

Update / 04-oct-2006:
Planned to upgrade the existing #22 AWG random wire HF antenna to #14 AWG solid copper enameled wire. Need about 125 feet. Also need end insulators, stand-offs and 100 foot roll of 1/8" polyester antenna rope. Ordered most of the ingredients for the project on 06-oct-2006 from Universal Radio. They had the "dog bone" end insulators on back-order so to complete the order, I got them through AES on 25-oct-2006. They arrived Friday night 27-oct-2006 via UPS, so the project was able to move forward on the weekend of October 28-29, 2006. 

Update 29-oct-2006 (Sunday):
Erected a new "sky hook". Saturday was windy, and it rained heavily most of the day. Sunday was a bit drier, but very windy with clouds and and noticeably colder. Good weather to install a new antenna! Another ham (WB2PAY) and I installed the 113 feet (34 meters) of #14 AWG solid copper enameled wire up about 15 feet (5 meters). Used 1/8 inch polyester antenna rope tied to "dog bone" end insulators secured to two trees. Back in the shack, at the antenna tuner (MFJ-949E) on the "wire" connection jack, I used a spade lug crimped to the center conductor of RG8 coax. The coax was chosen (in theory) to reduce RF in the shack. The RG8 runs about 10 feet through a PVC pipe in the wall, and up to the gutter sill on the outside of the shack. At that point, the RG8 coax is fitted with a PL-259 connector. The PL-259 connector is screwed into an SO-239 connector (chassis mount - with no outer shell) on it. From there, the #14 AWG solid copper wire is soldered to the center pin of the SO-239. It is secured to a 3 inch stand-off with two tie wraps. Electrical tape and coax seal is wrapped around the connection to water proof. From there, the wire heads south about 50 feet (15 meters) out to a White Ash. There is a "dog bone" end insulator tied to the Ash with the antenna wire passing through the other hole of the insulator. From there, the antenna dog-legs in a southwest direction for the final 75 feet (23 meters) out to an old apple tree. The wire is suspended by a second "dog bone" end insulator tied to the apple tree. I got the antenna rope over the top of the apple tree by tying a 10 ounce sinker to the end, and swinging the sinker, windmill-style, to give it the momentum and distance it needed to clear the top of the tree. It took a few attempts to get the release angle correct so that the sinker sailed over the tree in the exact right location. The antenna can be lowered by untying the antenna rope at either the White Ash or the apple tree. On Monday October 30, 2006 I took off from work and was able to break the pile-up and work V47NS on Nevis Island in the Caribbean (DX-pedition). Once he heard me, he turned his beam away from Europe and towards New York state. My RST was 59! I also heard Italy and England contacting him, but I did not try to contact them. Later that evening, I was also able to work two stations in Rochester, NY (WB2PAY on 75 meters and WA2GAI on 40 meters). This would not have been possible with the old long wire antenna, because Rochester was in the skip zone.

Update 12-jan-2008:

Purchased 53 m (175') of used Tandy ® RG8U coaxial cable in 3 separate sections. Outer jacket was in very good condition. Included PL-259 connectors soldered on each end, and also included 2 PL-258 "barrel" adapters (SO-239 to SO-239). The PL-258 connectors enable joining all three sections of coax for a single run of coax. This will be used for testing various antenna configurations. The details with current retail prices are as follows:
Item	Retail value (per foot, or per unit)	Total
15 m (50') RG8U coax	$.79/ft	$39.50
15 m (50') RG8U coax	$.79/ft	$39.50
22 m (75') RG8U coax	$.79/ft	$59.25
PL-259 (6)	$2.19	$13.14
PL-258 (2)	$1.99	$3.98
Total retail value		$155.37
I paid $15.00 for everything (10% of retail value).

Update 22-jan-2008:
Started to think about designing or purchasing an 80 meter or multi-band dipole. Details here: antennas.txt 

Antenna feed line entry point to shack:

March 30, 2006: Ran a section of ½ inch PVC tubing through the wall of the shack to the outside. Used a 45° elbow at the outside to prevent moisture from coming in. Sealed it up with calk and duct sealant (a.k.a. monkey "goop"). The ½ inch PVC is capable of passing (3) RG-8 cables, (3) RG-58 cables, and (3) #12 AWG ground wires.  It has room to spare for a couple more cables or larger ground wires if needed.

MFJ Deluxe Versa Tuner II (MFJ-949E). 300W antenna tuner.
$40.00 / used / Horseheads, NY Winter Hamfest / February 25, 2006 / Sells new (as of fall/winter 2005) for $140-$150.
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-949E

The MFJ-949E antenna tuner's SWR/Wattmeter can be illuminated if 12 Vdc is supplied. Reference part number: MFJ-1312C. This is an AC "wall wart" transformer with a 2.5* mm coaxial plug with a positive center pin polarity (according to the MFJ .pdf file). It has been verified by K2RNY that the 2.5 mm plug does not fit.

* The MFJ web site lists a different part number and slightly smaller plug size. It lists p/n: MFJ-1312D, 12 Vdc, 500 mA AC adapter with 2.1 mm jack with positive center pin polarity. This size plug is correct. 

How Antenna Tuners Work:
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/Ant-tuner-op.html
http://www.hamuniverse.com/tuner.html

MFJ Deluxe Versa Tuner II (MFJ-949E) settings Kenwood TS-530S transceiver or Viking Valiant transmitter. 113 feet (34 meters) Random Long Wire Antenna (#14 AWG un-insulated solid copper enameled) Ground system: Two ground rods (4' galvanized and 8' copper) wired to each other directly outside the shack, approximately 70mm (2.5") apart. Bold Red Text: verify with new antenna and ground system. Bold Black Text: values are verified with new ground system. Normal Text: unverified.
"band" (on transceiver or transmitter)	"transmitter" switch (on MFJ-949E tuner)	"inductor" switch (on MFJ-949E tuner) A=least inductance, L=max. inductance	"antenna" switch (on MFJ-949E tuner)
160 m (1800 - 2000 kHz)
80 m (3500 - 3750 kHz) 75 m (3750-5000 kHz)	8	D	0
60 m
40 m (7000 - 7300 kHz)	6	G	0
30 m (1010 - 1015 kHz)	5	I	1
20 m (14,000 - 14, 350 kHz)	7	I	0
17 m (18068 - 18168 kHz)
15 m (21,000 - 21,450 kHz)	9	J	8
12 m (24890 - 24990 kHz)
10 m (28000 - 29700 kHz)

Telegraph Key:

Signal Electric Co. Model R-48 telegraph key. (Menominee, Michigan / c. 1919-1935). Brass construction, shorting lever ("dead man switch"), mounted on wood base with three rubberized feet. Directly under the key lever is a water-soluble decal (red field with black text) which reads, "Signal - Manufacturers of Electrical Products. Manufactured in L_____a by Signal Electric Mfg. Co. Menominee, Mich." This key appears to have the Navy style knob which may not be original to the Model R-48 key.

Comparing this telegraph key to one in an old Signal Electric Co. catalog, it closely resembles the Signal Electric Co. Standard Key - Model R-48. List price when new was $3.65. The catalog description reads, "Well designed and correctly balanced for the operator who wants a good standard key at a moderate price. Very clean design, with polished key lever and lacquered fittings. Equipped with platinor contacts."

$20.00 / Horseheads, NY Winter Hamfest / February 25, 2006.

The history of the Signal manufacturing plant in Menominee, Michigan is detailed on web page referenced below, but the overview is that the plant was founded in 1892 producing various electrical products keeping step with changing technology. It remained open until 2005 when production was moved to Mexico.

References:
The source of this material is the Menominee County Historical Society.
Jim Callow (K8IR)
Menominee, Michigan
http://k8ir.com

Microphone:

I use a 1948 style, Astatic (Conneaut, Ohio) microphone with a non-amplified "grip to talk" UG8 stand and a DN-500 "bullet" head. I found it at the Dayton Hamvention on Friday May 18, 2007 and it was in excellent condition. The original cable had been replaced, but at least, the wire colors matched the diagram on the inside of the base. It needed a 4-pin microphone connector so that it would plug into the Kenwood TS-530S transceiver. Price for the microphone was $50.00 and the 4-pin connector was $1.00.

Photo: below, left: Astatic microphone with a non-amplified "grip to talk" UG8 stand and a DN-500 "bullet" head.
Photo: below, right: Schematics and description of how I adapted the Astatic microphone to the Kenwood TS-530S transceiver.

The cable on the Astatic microphone was a 4-conductor with a shield. Black and white (clear) wires ran inside the shield. The red and blue wire were not shielded. There was a schematic pasted to inside of the base of the Astatic mic. The Kenwood Operator's Manual also included a schematic and verbiage on the microphone circuit with respect to operating with the VOX. 

The final 4-pin microphone connector pin-out was:
Pin 1 = white wire (goes to the microphone circuit). See Note 1, below.
Pin 2 = red wire (P.T.T. switch - normally open).
Pin 3 = blue wire (P.T.T. switch - normally closed).
Pin 4 = shield.

On Friday June 1, 2007 at the Rochester Hamfest, I bought a proper black microphone cable. It was brand new, and came with the 4-pin connector already soldered to the end. However, the wire colors were soldered to the "wrong" pins (if the diagram on the inside of the microphone base was to match the actual pin-out). The cable had one extra conductor (yellow). The other wire colors were the same as noted above, with the exception that the only shielded wire was the white conductor. This was fine, as the Astatic schematic showed the white wire in the shield (along with the black wire). Since the black wire was not used, it did not matter if it was shielded on the new cable or not. So, after replacing the cable, and re-soldering the pins of the connector, the wire colors on the schematic diagram still matched the actual cable colors. Cost of the microphone cable was $5.00.

Notes:

1. Per the Kenwood TS-530S Operator's Manual, the microphone needs to have the microphone circuit isolated from the P.T.T. circuit so the VOX feature will work. I determined that I had to disconnect (unsolder) the internal white wire at terminal #8 on the inside base of the microphone so as to isolate the microphone circuit from the P.T.T. circuit.
2. Black wire was not used.

HF AM / CW Transmitter (160 meters - 10 meters):

On Friday, November 2, 2007 I went to the annual RARA (Rochester Amateur Radio Association) auction and bid on this E.F. Johnson Viking Valiant AM transmitter. So now I will be able to add AM to the station. It will be used with a Hallicrafters S-40 receiver. I need to get a Dow Key Relay to toggle the antenna between the transmitter and receiver. I had been considering a Johnson "Viking Ranger", but after doing a little reading and asking other hams who are into old "boat anchors" (heavy old tube radios), the extra power of the "Valiant" should be quite useful. Local radio historian, AWA Museum curator and RARA auctioneer, Ed Gable (K2MP) had this to say about the history of the rig, "The set was purchased by the County of Monroe (NY) for RACES in the mid 1960s. The Radio Officer was Chuck Brelsford (K2WW). The Valiant was used as the NCS (Net Control Station) station on the NY Counties 75 meter CD (Civil Defense) Net. It was first used in the Radio room in the basement of the County Hospital at the corner of Westfall Road and East Henrietta Road." 

Specification Overview:

Modes: AM/CW
Bands: 160 - 10 Meters
Input Power: 200 watts AM / 275 watts CW

View the Viking Valiant Restoration Page

AM / CW Receiver (broadcast, and 160 - 10 meters):

1946 Hallicrafters S-40 Receiver

The Hallicrafters S-40 receiver is used with the Viking Valiant transmitter. The antenna is toggled between the transmitter and receiver by way of a "TR switch" (aka Dow Key relay). To complete the AM station, I use an Astatic D-104 microphone.

Tuning Range:

Band 1 (broadcast): 550 - 1700 kHz
Band 2 (short-wave): 1.68 - 5.4 MHz
Band 3 (short-wave): 5.3 - 15.8 MHz
Band 4 (short-wave): 15.3 - 44 MHz

View the Hallicrafters S-40 Restoration Page

Here is another idea for a QSL card, although this one was was never printed. It features my call sign with a photo of the AWA Museum as a backdrop. I took the shot on August 11, 2007 with my 1966 Mercedes-Benz Type 250S sedan in the driveway. This was the first day I volunteered as a guide at the AWA Museum.

Essential QSL card data:

You must have the following information for a valid QSL...

Your call / other's call / day / month / year / time (UTC) / frequency / R S T / mode (CW, FM, USB, LSB, RTTY, PSK31, ....).

Optional QSL card data:

Believe it or not, the following QSL information is optional...

Your name / address / county / grid square / telephone number / email address / rig / antenna / check-boxes for: QSL (PSE / TNK) / comments or remarks, etc.

QSL card design:

Leave space on the back for the postal address of the other station. If one side of the card is dedicated to a single image, then it will not be available for any contact data. Typically, QSL cards are 5.5" x 3.5", but can be any size, and on almost anything (even a rock) as long as the "essential data" (see above) is included, which confirms the contact.

QSL card References:

Modern Postcard (postcard sizes, USPS regulations, etc.)
http://www.modernpostcard.com

LZ1JZ QSL cards. Good quality reported by hams
http://www.lz1jz.com

QSL Man (full size QSL card images front and back)
http://www.w4mpy.com/cardthum.htm

Star Cards Inc.
Emporia, Kansas
http://www.star-cards.net
Phil Edwardson

17-apr-2006: Ordered 1,000 (yes, one thousand!) custom QSL cards from Star Cards Inc. Their standard price for full color cards (6" x 4.25") is $299 (plus $11.50 shipping). Since I prepared the artwork and layout (front and back) myself, I paid the "re-order" price of $269 (plus $11.50 shipping). The 6" x 4.25" dimensions are slightly larger than the standard (5.5" x 3.5") cards. Total: $280.50 ( $0.28 per card). I received a .pdf proof before printing. The cards were printed and sent on 04-may-2006. I received them by the middle of the following week (11-may-2006).

Some fun with numbers: For 1,000 units, the cost of each QSL card works out to be $0.28. The price of a US postcard stamp is currently $0.24. Thus, each QSL card will cost a total of $0.52 to send within the USA. So, until the price of a stamp changes, 1000 cards will end up costing a total of $520 (to print and send). If I send one card per week, this supply will last about 20 years (average cost of $26/year). If the number of cards I send increases to three per week, the supply will last about six years (average cost of $86/year). If the QSL card is sent to an international destination, I may need to include an IRC (International Reply Coupon) so that the cost of return postage is covered for the remote station. Most likely, I will use the Incoming and Outgoing Bureau services as a more economical means of QSL-ing to international destinations. For more detail on the Bureau services, see below.

27-dec-2007: Ordered 250 new QSL cards with N2AWA call sign. Went with Star Cards again. Price this time was $72.80 plus $8.60 freight, so the total charge was $81.40. The cards arrived January 7, 2008. Again, Phil Edwardson was very nice to work with, and I can recommend Star Cards Inc.

QSL Bureau Services:

Executive Summary of DX QSL Bureau Services

ARRL:
Outgoing Service (for all USA zones): http://www.arrl.org/qsl/qslout.html
Incoming Service (select QTH zone): http://www.arrl.org/qsl/qslin.html

Incoming Service / Zone 2:
NJDXA (North Jersey DX Association)
http://www.njdxa.org/buro/index.php

International Postage:

IRC (International Reply Coupons):
http://www.n6hb.org/s-a/irc.htm

UPU (Universal Postal Union)
http://www.upu.int/members/en/members.html

Tower Project:

March 16, 2006: 
A generous fellow ham (N2OPW) gave me a two section, 35 foot,  tubular crank-up tower that he was not using. It looked to be in good condition with the exception of the rust. The lower section is 20' and the center section cranks up another 15'. The tower weighs only 55 lbs. After getting it home, I set it on saw horses, where it stayed for another three months. 

March 16, 2006: top / bottom / center

June 17, 2006: preparation / rusted & sanded / sanded & painted / painted (top of tower)

view details of the tower restoration

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Antennas:

General Antenna Reference
http://www.packetradio.com/ant.htm

Antenna Projects and Technical Information (ARRL)
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/antproj.html

Arrow Antennas
http://arrowantennas.com

Arrow "OSJ 146/440" dual band J-pole page
http://arrowantennas.com/j-pole.html

Tada Communications Inc
202 Ridge Road East
Rochester, NY 14621
585-342-0716
Per Lynn (N2IZX) 22-oct-2006 - This outfit can mount antennas on cars. They do commercial work too (antennas on School busses, trucks, etc.)

Mosley Antennas
http://www.mosley-electronics.com
Note the TA-33-JR tri-bander

J-pole antennas
Purchased the following two J-pole antennas directly from (AB7ON). This was not directly via an eBay auction, because I wanted 20' of coax and the standard antenna in the eBay auction was 5'. Purchased the two antennas for $50.90 on 28-dec-2005. Male BNC connector (screw-on type BNC connector) to 20' of RG-58U coaxial feed line to a "dual band" (2 m and 70 cm) 300 ohm twin lead J-pole antenna. One is encased in a 3 foot section of PVC pipe, the other is flexible or "roll up". 27-jun-2006: Measured SWR to be 1.2:1 at 145.11 MHz.

Wireman / Antenna Wire, etc.
http://thewireman.com/index.shtml

Wire - http://thewireman.com/antennap.html
Dacron UV resistant rope - http://thewireman.com/antacc.html

Events:

See Non-Amateur Radio Events

• 09-aug-2008: (Saturday) KLARA Hamfest (Keuka Lake Amateur Radio Association). Located on the grounds of the "Howard Community Building" at 7481 Hopkins Road in Howard, NY. Talk-In frequency was 145.190 (no PL) but the station was silent when I called. I discovered the hamlet of Howard is nestled in the middle of a corn field between Hornell and Bath about 60 miles south of Rochester. Drove solo using Mapquest directions. Shot down Rte 64, to Rte 65, to County Road 37, down along the west side of Honeoye Lake (the high road, not the lake road) through Springwater (Route 15) and Italy Valley, and came out in the middle of the boondocks somewhere. Real nice scenery, and I only got lost once or twice. I made the 51 mile drive from my QTH in roughly 60 minutes. The weather was sunny and pleasant (about 73º). The Hamfest was small, but they provided a hearty breakfast. I had the eggs, sausage, coffee and orange juice. Pancakes were optional. All that food for the price of a donation. What was the purpose of the trip again? Oh yes, radios. Right off the bat I found a mint 1967 Hallicrafters® model "S-120A" receiver, which I got for $25. This was an unusual Hallicrafters model because it was made in Japan. So, this little treasure made the trip worth my while.
• 19-jul-2008: (Saturday) Batavia Hamfest / Located on Route 98 about ½ mile south of Alexander, NY. Alexander Firemen's Grounds. Sunny, very hot (about 90º) and humid. Breakfast started at 07:00 (did not attend), and the fabled chicken bar-b-que commenced at 11:00 (too hot to attend this either). The flea market was down considerably from 2006. Purchased a Fasco® squirrel-cage dual fan assembly ($7.00), a 12 volt wall-wart ($2.00) for use on the ICOM 260A, and a set of old style headphones with ¼" plug ($2.00). Also bought a small circuit board (1"x1") with a few components on it for $0.10. I offered him $0.05, but he held firm on the price. This item will make a nice Christmas Tree ornament. Traveled to the Hamfest with Lynn (W2BSN). Breakfast at Papa Jack's in Victor, lunch at the American Hotel in Lima.
• 30-31-may-2008: (Friday / Saturday) Rochester Hamfest / Rochester, NY. Friday was sunny and about 70º. Did not go back on Saturday, but since I was newly elected to the RARA board of directors, went to the dinner banquet on Friday night. Friday in the flea market, I got a vintage (circa 1950s) Olson® model "SW-134 Telegraph Key with Buzzer" (powered by 1 D-cell) for $8.00. Included was the original box, in very good condition. Also got a set of old Trimm Featherlight® (Libertyville, Illinois) headphones (for another $7.00). The headphones had the correct style connector pins to mate with the vintage buzzer assembly. Found a copy of the book, John Lennon - In His Own Write for $18.00. One never knows what they might find at a hamfest! The original copyright was 1964, by Simon & Schuster. Afterwards, I learned that the going price on eBay was about $8.00, and this particular book was printed by Lennon's estate so, basically, I paid too much. The vendor for said items was, Jerry (KB2QIU). Also got a copy of 200 Meters and Down - The Story of Amateur Radio for $11.00. New condition, soft cover (via a literature vendor inside the Dome Arena). Sold a Realistic DX-150 radio for $35.00 (paid $45 at the 2008 Elmira Winterfest back in February) and also sold a Hallicrafters model "S-38 C" for $20.00 (paid $19 at the AWA Spring Meet Auction on May 3, 2008). Sold the radios from Tim's (WB2PAY) flea market space. 
• 16-17-18-may-2008: Dayton Hamvention / Hara Arena - Trotwood, Ohio. Traveled to Dayton with Lynn (W2BSN) and his brother, Milton "Mick" (ex-KN2HWL). Weather was sunny, breezy and about 65 degrees both days (Friday / Saturday). Items purchased are listed here.
• 19-apr-2008: Newark Hamfest (Drumlins ARC) / 08:00 - until ? Very nice weather. Sunny, about 65 degrees. Lots of activity and familiar faces. Bearcat IV crystal scanner ($5.00), 110 Vac fan with line cord ($10.00), and two BNC-to-SO239 adapters ($1.00 each).
• 23-feb-2008: (Saturday) 27th Annual Horseheads Winterfest / Horseheads, NY. Details at: www.arast.org
• 26-jan-2008: Lockport Hamfest / 08:00 - 12:00 / $5.00 / Travel with Tim (WB2PAY) and Lynn (W2BSN).
• 02-nov-2007: RaRa Auction / Henrietta, NY. Small, very well attended. Auction started at 7:30PM on a Friday. Lots of items, bidding went slowly. Purchased a 1955-1962 E.F. Johnson "Viking Valiant" AM/CW transmitter.
• 29-sep-2007 (Saturday): Elmira Hamfest. Nice turnout and a lot of vendors. Sunny and warm (60s). Got a NOS EM80 vacuum tube ($3.00) to have on hand as a spare. The Telefunken "Opus 7" uses this "magic eye" tube. Also go an old vacuum tube booklet, "Radio Tube Hints" (Sylvania - 1943) ($1.00), and finally, a Hallicrafters S-40 short-wave receiver (excellent condition) ($125.00).
• 01-02-jun-2007: (Friday / Saturday) Rochester Hamfest / Rochester, NY. Friday, the weather was warm and sunny. Saturday, the weather turned quite warm (84 degrees) and sunny. 
• 18-19-20-may-2007: Dayton Hamvention / Hara Arena - Trotwood, Ohio. Rode to Dayton with WB2PAY on Thursday 17-may-2007 and return on Saturday 19-may-2007. Sunny and warm with temps around 65-70 degrees.
• 24-feb-2007: (Saturday) 26th Annual Horseheads Winterfest / Horseheads, NY. Sunny, but cold (15° F). The event was smaller than last year, but attendance was good. Parking was a problem. Specifically, the lack of spaces, due to inability to park on grass because of deep snow and snow banks along the entrance road. I did not purchase anything. Admission $6.00. Details at: www.arast.org
• 30-sep-2006: (Saturday) 31st Elmira International Hamfest / ARA of the Southern Tier / http://www.arast.org/hamfest.shtml / 08:00-14:00 / Talk-In: 147.360 (no CTCSS Tone) / Horseheads, NY / Chemung County Fairgrounds. Weather was overcast and cool. Nice turnout.
• 18-sep-2006: Visit and tour W1AW (ARRL Headquarters) / Newington, CT.
• 17-sep-2006: (Sunday) Candlewood Amateur Radio Association Hamfest. http://www.danbury.org/CARA/index.htm Edmund Town Hall. Route 6, Newtown, Connecticut. 08:30-12:30. Admission $5.00. Mild and overcast. A small hamfest in a parking lot with some vendors inside the town hall building as well. Refreshments and some lectures (technical radio topics) inside also.
• 29-jul-2006: Batavia Hamfest / Located on Route 98 about ½ mile south of Alexander, NY. Sunny, about 80 degrees, good crowd. The only purchase I made was a 1963 Telefunken "Jubilate de Luxe" (Type 5461 W) AM/FM/SW table-top radio. It was in fine condition.
• 02, 03, 04-jun-2006: Rochester Hamfest / Monroe County Fairgrounds (and Dome Arena) / Rochester, NY. Took Friday off from work (02-jun-2006) and returned on Saturday. Friday was sunny, warm (76 degrees) and dry, but Saturday was dark, cool (65 degrees) and raining. On Friday, I found a vintage (1960-1962) Allvox-Strahler (Telefunken) RS1, RS2, or RS3 hi-fi loudspeaker for $5.00. It features an oval shaped cabinet with teak veneer and a grille cloth that wraps around the entire cabinet. The top and bottom of the speaker cabinet are accented with brass colored trim. The Telefunken logo is at the bottom of the speaker grille. Has 3 brass "button" style feet. Original, European style speaker connector was missing. Drivers feature AlNiCo magnets. The speakers are about 5.5" x 6.5". Also bought a Westcom (designed by Astron / Irvine, California) linear power supply model RS-12A (9A continuous output) / $20.00 from Ed Gable (curator of the world famous AWA museum in Bloomfield, NY). Astron still sells this model, new, for $79. Replaced the power cord and adjusted the output voltage from 15.5 Vac down to 13.8 Vdc. Works like a charm and powers up the ICOM 2100H mobile rig that I am borrowing for the "Tour de Cure".
• 01-apr-2006: Drumlins Hamfest / Newark, NY. (Route 96 to Route 88 north to Newark). Small but very well attended. No snow, cloudy and about 40 degrees.
• 26-feb-2006: Horseheads Winterfest / Horseheads, NY. Medium sized and very well attended.  No snow, sunny, but cold, about 30 degrees.
• 28-jan-2006: Lockport Winterfest / Lockport, NY. No snow, sunny, but cold, about 30 degrees.  Small but very well attended.
• 04-nov-2005: RaRa Auction / Henrietta, NY. Small, very well attended. Auction started at 7:30PM on a Friday. Lots of items, bidding went slowly. Became too late to stay for the misc. items such as literature, etc.
• Summer 1989: Family friend, Bob Dengler (KC2QS / ex-WB2KDW) showed me how to work DX on his mobile rig. Worked Europe (France) from Livingston County, NY.

c o n t a c t / h o m e

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© Black Sparrow Photography / Jeff Miller
Amateur Radio Station - N2AWA / Established: September 19, 2005

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