Basic DX Tools

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Basic DX Tools

• Presented By Glenn (K2FF)
• 11 July 2009 MDXA Breakfast Meeting

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List Of Things To Consider

• Major AssumptionTransceiver, Antenna, Strength
  ?
• A Few Goals Never Hurt Anyone
• DXCC Countries List Color Maps
• Quick Tracking Charts/Records
• Logging Software For Permanent Files
• DX Bulletins/Newsletters/Forums
• Propagation/Beacons
• DX Clusters/Nets/Friends
• Contests, Contests, Contests
• Memory Automation
• Grayline/Night Owls
• Upgrade CW
• E-mails/Skeds/WWW

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Assumption 1Transceiver
4
Age Is A Matter Of The Mind,If You Dont Mind,
It Doesnt Matter
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Assumption 2Antenna
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Or Something Elsehttp//www.k2kw.com/6y2astory/s
tory.html
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QRO BabyQRO! http//www.hfpower.com/new/a2000a.h
tm
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A Few Goals Never Hurt

• Go from a single band dipole to a multi-band
  dipole
• Stacked arrays not in the budgethomebrew
  2-element 20m yagi
• Install 50ft of that tower thats been out back
  for how many years
• Try the WARC bands12m, 17m, 30m are a pure
  delight
• Enter a contest and call CQ yourselflet the DX
  come to you
• Forget the contestSaturday morning call CQ DX on
  18.145
• 25 Countries by x-date50 by x-date75 by
  x-dateDXCC by..?
• FISH RULETeaching vs GivingIndependence vs
  Dependence

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DXCC List, Atlas, Maps
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Quick Tracking Charts
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Quick Tracking ChartsDXpedtion XYZ (1 10 July)
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Logging Software/Permanent Files

• N3FJPs Amateur Radio Software
  http//www.n3fjp.com/
• Ham Radio Deluxe http//www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/
  
• Easy Log http//www.easylog.com/eng/index.htm
• LOGic http//www.hosenose.com/radio/
• Win-EQF http//www.eqf-software.com/
• WriteLog http//www.writelog.com/
• DX4Win http//www.dx4win.com/
• DXbase http//www.dxbase.com/

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DX Bulletins/Newsletters/Forums

• The DailyDXpublished daily by W3UR, sent via
  e-mail, has sources worldwide, cost 49
  http//www.dailydx.com/
• QRZ DXpublished weekly by N4AA, sent via e-mail,
  has sources worldwide, cost 25
  http//www.dxpub.com/qrz_dx_nl.html
• OPDX Bulletinpublished weekly by KB8NW, sent via
  e-mail, has sources worldwide, cost FREE
  http//www.papays.com/opdx.html
• 425 DX Newspublished weekly by I1JQJ IK1ADH,
  sent via e-mail, has sources worldwide,
  cost FREE http//www.425dxn.org/
• W1AW DX Bulletinpublished weekly by ARRL, sent
  via e-mail, uses major sources, cost FREE
  http//www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/
• DX Forums conducted at various hamfests,
  conventions, etc

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Propagation DX Beacons

• The W6ELProp http//www.qsl.net/w6elprop/
• ACE-HF Pro http//home.att.net/acehf/
• ARRLs Radio Frequency Propagation Course
  (EC-011) http//www.arrl.org/cce/courses.htmlEC-0
  11
• 3-day Solar-Geophysical Forecast
  http//www.swpc.noaa.gov/forecast.html
• Dynamic collection of propagation information
  http//dx.qsl.net/propagation/
• NW7US propagation information website
  http//hfradio.org/lastminute_propagation.html
• NCDXF/IARU Beacon Transmission Schedule
  http//www.ncdxf.org/Beacon/BeaconSchedule.html

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W6ELProp Main Screen
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W6ELProp Band Screen
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ACE-HF Pro Display
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DX Clusterstelnet//dxc.mdxa.org/
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DX Clustershttp//www.bcdxc.org/ve7cc/default.htm
prog
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DX Nets Friends

• MDXA DX NetKA5VFUs repeater on 147.375, every
  Tuesday evening at 8pm local, sharing of DX news
  among membership
• Arkansas DX Association DX Net, on 3.815 MHz,
  every Saturday morning at 1500 UTC, sharing of DX
  news among membership
• Oklahoma DX Association DX Net, on 3.860 MHz,
  every Monday evening at 2330 UTC, sharing of DX
  news among membership
• Family Hour DX Net, on 14.244 MHz, weekdays at
  1430 1700 UTC, with DX stations checking in and
  allowing list contacts
• Southern Cross DX Net, on 14.238.5 MHz, weekdays
  at 1115 1400 UTC, with DX stations checking in
  and allowing list contacts

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Contests, Contests, Contests

• DONT pass up the opportunity to work a ton of DX
  during contests!
• ARRL sponsored contestscalendar list
  http//www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html
• ARRL DX Contests (CW SSB), Feb Mar each year
• ARRL 160m Contest, Dec each year
• ARRL 10m Contest, Dec each year
• CQ sponsored contestscalendar list
• http//www.cq-amateur-radio.com/Annual20Contest2
  0Cal20July202005.html
• CQWW WPX Contests (CW SSB), Feb May each year
• CQWW DX Contests (CW SSB), Oct Nov each year
• CQWW 160m Contests (CW SSB), Jan Mar each
  year

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Memory Automation

• Take advantage of optional memory keyers, PC/CW
  interfaces, and SSB voice recordersalways work
  smarter not harder!

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Grayline Night Owls

• The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost 1916
• Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the
  one less traveled by, and that has made all the
  difference.
• The "grey line" is a band around the Earth that
  separates daylight from darkness.  Propagation
  along the grey line is very efficient.  One major
  reason for this is that the D layer, which
  absorbs HF signals, disappears rapidly on the
  sunset side of the grey line, and it has not yet
  built upon the sunrise side. Ham radio operators
  and shortwave listeners can optimize long
  distance communications to various areas of the
  world by monitoring this band as it moves around
  the globe.

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Greyline Night Owls(Continued)
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Greyline Night Owls(Continued)

• Think about your normal waking hours
• Think about your normal sleeping hours
• Realize greyline is happening 24 hours a day
• Now consider what youre missing during sweet
  dreams ?
• The low bands (30m/40m/80m/160m) come alive at
  night
• MDXA members participate in Hoot Owl Nets which
  have run from 10pm local until 5am the next
  morning sometimestalk about fun!
• Operator skills/techniques should be uniqueyour
  callsign is!
• Remember what Robert Frost said about the road
  less traveled

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Upgrade Morse Code

• Recall that going from single dipole to
  multi-band version means more available frequency
  coverage and thus more DX possibilities
• Same is true with license classesupgrading
  brings additional HF frequencies upon which to
  operate and use those additional ants
• DXpeditions and DX stations in general like
  CWLOW in the band

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E-mails, Skeds, WWW, Etc

• YOU hold so much power in your hands and at YOUR
  fingertips
• Utilize QRZ.COM and look up an operators e-mail
  address
• Been hearing a certain DX station on x-freq but
  he/she is only working EU from start to
  finishask for a skedhams love to help
• Use search engines on the web (Yahoo, Google,
  etc)
• Use major ham radio/DX info sites
• AC6V http//www.ac6v.com/
• ARRL http//www.arrl.org
• CQ http//www.cq-amateur-radio.com/
• QRZ.COM http//www.qrz.com/
• DX Summit http//www.dxsummit.fi/
• NG3K http//www.ng3k.com/Misc/adxo.html
• DXer dot Com http//www.dxer.com/
• DX Central http//www.dx-central.com/

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R E C A P

• S e t S o m e P e r s o n a l G o a l s
• Maintain Current DXCC Countries List Display
  Color Maps
• Make Some Quick Tracking Charts/Band Mode Needs
  List
• Logging Software For Permanent QSO Records/Files
• Subscribe To DX Bulletins/Newsletters Attend DX
  Forums
• Study Propagation, Listen To HF Beacons, Spin
  The Knob
• Monitor DX Clusters/Nets Establish Cadre Of DX
  Friends
• Participate In DX ContestsFish Will Jump Into
  Your Boat
• Take Advantage Of Memory Keyers/Voice Recorders
• Experience The Road Less TraveledGrayline/Night
  Owl
• Challenge Yourself To Upgrade, Learn CW, Increase
  Speed
• Utilize E-mails, Skeds, Web Pages, Search
  Engines, Etc.

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QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?Glenn, K2FF(aka Freddy
Freddy)
DX SPIDER
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Upcoming MDXA Events

• AUGUST 8 Breakfast at Barnhills then Fox 25
  Tour courtesy of Ray, K5XXV
• SEPTEMBER 12 Breakfast at Barnhills then
  Lightning Protection presentation courtesy of
  Cecil, K5DL
• SEPTEMBER 26 ARRL Day In The Park at Camp
  Shelby, hosted by Hattiesburg ARC. Need MDXA
  volunteer to work with their POCs concerning our
  involvement/participation
• OCTOBER 10 Breakfast at Huckleberrys then DX
  Clusters presentation courtesy of George, K5JZ
• NOVEMBER 14 Breakfast at Barnhills then
  D-Star presentation courtesy of Ed, KA5VFU
• NOVEMBER 28/29 K5MDX activation in the CQWW DX
  Contest, hosted by Darryl, K5CQT at his QTH in
  Ocean Springs
• DECEMBER 12 Annual DX Dinner