After visiting several different locations for our monthly meetings, HODARS has decided on a permanent meeting place. We now meet at the Health Resource Center, across from East Alabama Medical Center on Pepperell Parkway in Opelika. The Health Resource Center has been very accommodating to us and the meeting room is very comfortable and has several hi-tech amenities, which enhance our program presentations.

Our normal meeting time is 7 PM CT, but we usually meet for supper at 6 PM before the meeting. Sometimes we meet at a local restaurant, but starting in September, we will be periodically having supper in the meeting room at the Health Resource Center. The  cost of the meal at  the HRC is $5.00 per person. Check our web site monthly for supper details.

A link providing the address and a map is shown below.

View A Map

Well, the 2010 Huntsville Hamfest is history and it was fun. The Alabama Contest Group had some good forums as well as the annual ACG meeting. Tim, KY5R has done a great job this year leading the ACG and we appreciate it.

Tim, KY5R at ACG forum in Huntsville

The ACG dinner was held at Beauregard’s in Huntsville. Very good turnout and admin had a chance to meet some new hams she had never had the pleasure of meeting.

Some of the ACG crowd at Beauregard's in Huntsville.

Paul Newberry, N4PN won the Southeastern Contester of the Year and was presented a plaque by Tim, KY5R

Tim, KY5R presents Southeastern Contester of the Year to Paul, N4PN

HODARS had a very good meeting and program in August. Dick, K4IQJ demonstrated a two port  Vector Network Analyzer from  Array Solutions (VNA-2180). It can be used as a single-connector device to measure antenna impedances in a manner similar to the MFJ-259 but with a lot more informaion, or as a two-port device to characterize amplifiers, filters where you need to apply a signal to the device input and measure its output. Dick is using it to measure phase and amplitude matching of the three paths in my three-element receiving array.

http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/vna2180.htm

Here is a .pdf detailing Dick’s receiving array.

http://www.w4hod.com/3ElBinomial EndFire Array.pdf

After the meeting birthday cake was enjoyed, celebrating the third anniversary of HODARS. It was great to see Bob, KD4PK and his wife Ruth, KI4QGM. Both Bob and Ruth joined our club and it is great to have them with us.

Great meeting tonight. After supper at Logan’s, we met at the BanccorpSouth buidling on Pepperell Parkway. We discussed the AQP operation and made plans for Field Day later this month. We have been offered a very good deal on a Moseley TA-33 beam, rotor, tower and a 2-meter beam. A local ham has decided to get out of the HF business and is selling us his equipment for what it cost to have it taken down, which is a lot less than retail value. We are very grateful to him for this opportunity to expand our contest operation. Our Field Day operation should be a lot more exciting with this addition. We haven’t figured out how to use our spud gun to put it up though.

AQP setup went very well on Friday. K9MUG, KI4TWB, KA4PKB, K4IQJ, KI4KUT, KI4EEY and AA4YL gathered at the site and worked in the sun and humidity putting up CW and SSB antennae. K9MUG and K4IQJ will use a 20/40 meter delta loop as the main antenna, but also have a vertical for 15 meters and possibly other bands.  SSB is using a G5RV up around 45 feet.  We had to re-shoot one of the trees for the G5RV, but it worked out great. KA4PKB and KI4TWB have really mastered the spud gun and get wonderful results.The antenna analyzer gave all of the antennae a glowing report and we will be ready to go at 11 AM local time. This will be a great tune up for Field Day, we will be in the same location for it.

Tweaking continues on the W4HOD version of the W4SSY spud gun. An air leak appeared at the base of the air chamber. After repairing it, the gun is successfully holding a 50 psi load. There appears to be a very minute leak around the pressure gauge, and we will decide if it warrants repairing.

Monday is the big day. W4HOD club members will meet at the Alabama QSO Party location and start shooting rope into the trees. We will meet for lunch in Auburn and then head out to the operating site. I hope the weather holds for us. Bob, KA4PKB and Cheryl, AA4YL bought extra fishing line and hooks at Academy Sports Saturday night, so we will have spares if needed.

While traveling to South Dakota, Iowa and other points in the midwest, Admin has long admired a radio tower on I-65 North near Nashville. It is diamond shape and quite impressive. It has always reminded me of a work of art. A friend said that it probably was the antenna for WSM-650. Well, the friend was correct. The link below tells some great data on the tower, with some great photos.

http://hawkins.pair.com/wsm.html

Monday evening was one of the more interesting evenings this Admin has spent in quite a while. I witnessed the construction of a spud gun, based on the QST article in the March 2009 issue. It was a team effort, mostly led by Bob, KA4PKB. Mike, KI4TWB and Cheryl, AA4YL chipped in parts and the construction was handled by Bob and Mike. Cheryl photographed the construction and tried to stay out of the way. The design is different from the QST article, but fits our club needs much better. Initial testing with 30 psi yielded about a 200 foot shot into the hayfield. Testing on trees is next for the final tweaking.

Thursday night happy hour was great fun. Darrell-K9MUG, Bob-KA4PKB, Gene-KI4EEY, Mike-KI4TWB and Cheryl-AA4YL gathered at Locos in Auburn for food and drink. Antennae for the Alabama QSO Party and Field Day, the newly crafted Spud Gun, the extensive beer list at Locos, and politics were a few of the topics covered, along with lots of gossip. I believe a great time was had by all. We will move the happy hour to Opelika next week.

The DRCG Long Distance Contest (DLDC) is June 12-13, 2010.  The rules are here.

The BARTG Sprint 75 will occur on June 12, 2010 during one of the DLDC off-times.  Rules here. This is a pilot contest to see if there is sufficient interest in 75 baud RTTY contesting.

The first weekend of June means it’s time for the Alabama QSO Party. This year it’s on June 5 and 6 UTC. Heart of Dixie ARS will be operating the AQP from Notasulga in Macon County, Alabama. We have access to a sturdy building with two adjoining lots with lots of trees for antennas. We will be operating both SSB and CW, so look for us on the bands.

Location for W4HOD station

One of two vacant lots next to the station location

Portion of 2nd vacant lot beside station location

Several members of HODARS went to the BirmingHAMfest on Saturday. Those seen by AA4YL were KI4KUT, K9MUG, and KA4PKB. Also seen were KE4KWE and wife Reta, KJ4TD and WB4BYQ, from EAARC and KC4HW, WA4WLI, K4ZGB, and others from the Alabama Contest Group.

KA4PKB and AA4YL helped man the ACG booth so Tom and Jim could spend some time looking around the fest. Afterwards several of us had lunch at The Fish Market on US Highway 280. Present at lunch were friends of K9MUG- Ed and his wife Joan from the Lake Martin area. I do not remember Ed’s callsign but will post it soon.

A beautiful Saturday for a hamfest and great fellowship.

http://www.landelldemoura.qsl.br/EnglishWavTrans.htm

The RTTY NAQP contest is next weekend, February 27-28. Empty your chad box and get ready for this 12 hour contest. Rules are posted here.

The HODARS Thursday Lunch Think Tank gathered at Firehouse Subs in Aubun this week. Great fun and laughter was enjoyed by all. Present was Michael Wegner, KI4TWB, Bob Schafer, KA4PKB, Gene Harlin, KI4EEY, Don Huey, KA4NDY, and Cheryl Whitlock, AA4YL. Darrell Penrod, K9MUG and Ken Sullivanne, W4KDS were not able to make it and their great humor was missed.