You have probably heard something about recent efforts to develop a special “FT8 DXpedition Mode” in WSJT-X. This message aims to bring you up-to-date on our progress, and generally to make our plans more widely known.
It looks like some of the major DXpeditions are beginning to embrace FT8. This will certainly create a need to handle “pileups” in FT8 mode and to make it possible to make many contacts in the shortest period of time possible. It appears that Joe Taylor, K1JT is working on an update to WSJT-X to create a variation of FT8 tailored for DXpedition use. Also, we will also need to update our copies of WXJT-X to take advantage of the new FT8 DXpedition mode. The link above is an article by Joe which gives more information about his new FT8 DXpedition mode and the software which will support it.
We installed a 75m loop for SSB operation on our tower when we built it. The loop is full size and is diamond shaped so that our lower SteppIR DB36 yagi can rotate inside of it. The loop is fed at the bottom corner about 20 ft up from the ground. It works great for SSB operation on 75m but we have often wished we could use it across the entire 80m band. This goal led to a project to create a matching system for the antenna. The idea was to use a set of loading coils in series at the feed point create a good match in all segments of the 80m band…
We shared this project at our project night meeting in January. I recently published an article explaining the design and construction of an 80m Broadband Matching System. The ideas used can be applied to many other matching system arrangements for many different types of low-band antennas.
Saturday, January 6th was ARRL Kids Day On the Air. and we hosted a club event for kids at Fred, AB1OC and Anita, AB1QB’s QTH. We had many fun activities for the kids including getting on the air via HF and Satellite, learning CW and demos of some cool Raspberry Pi projects.
Nora making her First Satellite Contact
Satellite Operation
The portable satellite station was set up and it was a great day for satellites as there were many good passes. Fred helped many of the kids make their first Satellite contacts.
Keith, KC1IMK working the Satellites with Fred, AB1OC
We had a total of 9 kids who participated in the event, along with their parents.
Mary, who attended with her brother, KA1LAS, and her father KC1IMI, works the Satellites
Raspberry Pi, CW, Fox Hunting, and HAB Demos
We provided demos to the kids of several Raspberry Pi projects, Pi-Lexa – a home built Raspberry Pi Alexa built by Connor, KC1GGX, along with a CW decoder and the DX Alarm Clock. Jamey, KC1ENX provided some CW demos including his favorite YouTube video – The Rhythm of the Code. Fred, AB1OC did a show and tell of the High Altitude Balloon including pieces of the balloons that we in space and a Fox-Hunting demo.
HF Operation in the Shack
We also went down to the shack and the kids got on the air and made some HF contacts. Jamey, KC1ENX helped the kids to make contacts with other kids as well as adult Hams on the air. The kids really enjoyed the HF operation. We did some live streaming on the N1FD Facebook page during the event. Follow this link to see the live stream of some of our on-air activities during Kid’s Day.
AB1BY Gets On the Air
Abby, AB1BY shows off her log after running a huge pileup
After most of the kids left, Abby, AB1BY took the mic and ran a huge pileup. She was very popular on the air and did a great job of running the pileup. We also streamed her pileup operation to Facebook and it got a huge response.
Overall, Kids Day On the Air was a fun day for both the kids and the adults. We are looking forward to the next Kids Day in July!
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