1. main@nmvhf.groups.io
  2. Messages
   Date   
New Mexico TechFest presentation lineup, registration

Brian Mileshosky <n5zgt@...>
 

Greetings — 

We are pleased to announce that the 2018 New Mexico TechFest presentation, posterboard, and demo lineup has been released.  Visit the TechFest website to view this year’s abstracts and speaker bios.  

Additionally, online registration to attend TechFest is now open.

Visit http://www.rmham.org/wordpress/new-mexico-techfest for details and to register.

The 2018 New Mexico TechFest is open to all and will occur on Saturday, February 24, 2018 in Albuquerque.  This event is designed to provide a unique opportunity for all hams interested in the technical aspects of our hobby to advance and expand their technical knowledge and to facilitate technical discussion, collaboration, and ideas with one another.

The New Mexico TechFest is an ARRL-sanctioned operating specialty event organized by Rocky Mountain Ham Radio - New Mexico.    Hope to see you there!

73,
Brian N5ZGT
President, Rocky Mountain Ham Radio — New Mexico
Re: Happy Holidays from New Mexico VHF Society

James Duffey
 

Let me add to Bill’s note. I am particularly impressed by the response we have had to the NMVHF Society start. Thanks to all who have joined and contributed to the success of the society. A great deal of the motivation for forming the society was to assist people getting on VHF for the first time, or to assist those who want to improve their VHF capabilities or expand their VHF horizons. If you have a question or need assistance just give a shout and chances we have someone who can help. We have members who are active from 6M to 24GHz, and from QRP levels to legal limit. There are DX chasers, grid chasers, contesters, digital ops and more. Chances are if you have a question there is someone who can help answer it. Just ask.

As contest chairman, I am particularly pleased with the participation we had for the June VHF contest, where we placed 9th in the nation for medium clubs and in the 222MHz and up contest, where the results are not official, but it looks like we placed fourth in the club category, several members place high, and the Roverrunners team placed high nationally as well. Several of our members placed high in the region.  This is particularly good as in the not too recent past there was no activity in the old UHF contest. So, congratulations and thanks to all who contributed to the club score. We are getting noticed at a national level and giving established contest clubs a run for their money in the VHF contest club competitions. Good job all.

The January contest will be on us soon, happening the third weekend in January; January 20 to 22nd. The January contest is a crap shoot, often there is little propagation other than local, but there is usually an Es opening or two on 6M. These are usually no where near the magnitude of the June openings, but can be quite rewarding in what is an otherwise dead band. I plan to rove in the January contest and will go to Arizona for the rove. Weather is better and after setting up the rover in wet snow last year, I decided to go to warmer climes. I will stop at several sites where I can work back to NM easily, at least on 2M, including several that don’t have much activity. Others will be harder, but most will be doable. I will publish a full itinerary later.  Look for it. 

We are trying to migrate this large e-mail list to an e-mail reflector. The e-mail reflector is hosted on groups.io . If you already have an account on groups.io, please log into your account and add NMVHF to your groups. If you don’t belong to groups.io, it is easy to set up an account and then sign up for NMVHF. Many e- mail reflector groups are migrating to  groups.io as it offers a reliable and hassle free alternative to other host sites such as yahoo or google groups. If you can, please use it. 

Thanks and thanks for making the NMVHF society a success! - Duffey KK6MC

James Duffey KK6MC
Cedar Crest NM

On Dec 24, 2017, at 08:00, MIke Daly <arrowengineering1@...> wrote:

Very nice! Bill should we be considering ft 8 for one of the contests. It seems to be taking off

On Dec 23, 2017 21:16, "Bill Schwantes" <bill4070@...> wrote:

Greetings New Mexico VHF Society members!

I hope each of you is getting into the Christmas spirit.  It always seems sudden to me.  Before I know it Christmas is here.  This year as you settle in by the fire you’re invited to reflect on what a great year we had as a club.

Our membership just reached 49, with the recent addition of WD5COV David, and his very capable station in Deming. We’ve put a good deal of effort into expanding the Society with stations and operators outside the population centers. This year we’ve added two new operators in the Clovis area, one in Silver City, and now Deming. Membership growth is only part of our success story in 2017.

I’ve gotten many positive comments about the activity level in New Mexico and nearby states.  Some say it wasn’t this good even in the VHF heyday but I suspect that may be a stretch. Each of you should feel really good about your part in this “bloom” of activity. On any given morning we now have 175 mile ragchews on 144 MHz. Contest contacts of 250 miles are commonplace and the guys in El Paso typically make 265 mile checkins to the 222 net each week. Last summer, two of our members caught a nice 2 meter opening and worked SSB nearly 1000 miles to northeast Washington…… yes, 144 MHz.  Another made contacts with 22 Japanese stations and 2 stations in China on 6 meters. Many are improving their stations with better antennas, hotter receivers and more power. The 10 GHz band has 3 or more operators and there are at least 2 stations with 24 GHz capability. Life has improved for VHF’rs across New Mexico.

This past summer we were privileged to support the Central States VHF Society Conference, held in Albuquerque, and provided the VHF 102 learning opportunity for 34 participants.  What a great experience! Our support was rewarded by the presentation of the Presedent’s award for our efforts in expanding VHF participation.

In the ARRL June VHF contest we entered club competition for the first time ever. Those 18 participants finished 9th in the nation in club competition; besting many experienced clubs.  Some said it was beginners luck, but most recognize it as a well organized broadly coordinated performance by our club that payed off. Many members made extra effort to see that everyone got the help they needed to get their contest logs submitted before the deadline. It was a great team effort.

Final results of the August UHF contest are still not official but preliminary results indicate that we may have improved our national standing established in June.  This wasn’t just a fluke! There were a couple of visiting rovers, one with band coverage to 47 GHz and again we had great coordinated effort across the state.

At the CSVHF Conference we held our annual meeting and took away two actions: 1) To initiate a “Worked all New Mexico Grids” program to award those who turned their antennas our way and looked for the increased activity here. 2) To set up a program recognizing our members long distance contacts by band and mode.  I'm pleased to report that both programs are in place and described on the NMVHF.org website. The Society successfully held on-line elections and solidified your leadership team for 2 years.

Before I sign off, I want to solicit your ideas and comments in support of our objective: to increase participation on the VHF+ bands in and around New Mexico.

So, on behalf of our officers, website manager, and committee members, congratulations, thumbs up and well done!  This has been a pretty darned good first year. Thank you, one and all.

73, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Bill W7QQ

New Mexico VHF Society President

 

Arne N7KA  --  NMVHFS Secretary

Mike WB2FKO  --  NMVHFS  Webmaster

Duffey KK6MC  --  NMVHFS  Contest Committee Chair

And may others who have had a direct bearing on NMVHFS success in the year 2017
Re: June vhf contest

Keith Morehouse
 

Multi-op N0KE had a error rate of 1.9% in June 2017.  Fair but not very good.  We only had 1 NIL but we busted 4 exchanges.

FWIW, going back in history, my single-op error rates over the last few June contests were:

2012:  1.1%
2013:  0.5%
2014:  2.2% (!! - what happened here ?  Maybe lots of weak scatter ??)
2015:  1.2%
2016:  0.1% (missed a golden log by busting one exchange out of 865 Q's)

-W9RM


Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 10:05 AM, Bruce Draper <bruceaa5b@...> wrote:
I finally got around to looking at my log checking report from the contest. (If you haven't already done it, you should. They're here: www.arrl.org/contest-log-checking-reports). Out of almost 300 QSOs, I had 3 "not in log" errors. One was with W5ZF. I don't know why Stan didn't log our contact. Another was with K7ZS, who mistakenly logged our 6-meter contact on 2 meters (I don't have any gear on that band). The third was W2EG, probably my fault. Otherwise a clean log, and I'm pleased.

K5TA and I do the writeups for the ARRL Sweepstakes, and we usually discuss logging accuracy. In that contest, most of the serious entrants fall into the 1-5% range for error rate. I don't know what it's like on VHF, but I bet some of you can chime in and let us know.

Bruce, AA5B

Sent from my iPhone
June vhf contest

Bruce Draper
 

I finally got around to looking at my log checking report from the contest. (If you haven't already done it, you should. They're here: www.arrl.org/contest-log-checking-reports). Out of almost 300 QSOs, I had 3 "not in log" errors. One was with W5ZF. I don't know why Stan didn't log our contact. Another was with K7ZS, who mistakenly logged our 6-meter contact on 2 meters (I don't have any gear on that band). The third was W2EG, probably my fault. Otherwise a clean log, and I'm pleased.

K5TA and I do the writeups for the ARRL Sweepstakes, and we usually discuss logging accuracy. In that contest, most of the serious entrants fall into the 1-5% range for error rate. I don't know what it's like on VHF, but I bet some of you can chime in and let us know.

Bruce, AA5B

Sent from my iPhone

Re: NM VHF DX Standings

Mike WB2FKO
 

Sorry, that email was intended for Bill, not the group!


On 11/16/2017 07:13 PM, WB2FKO wrote:

Nice. I’ll be on the net at some point and get those DM61 guys. Was planning on it last night but appear to have a throat infection that has made talking painful. Being treated and will get checked again tomorrow. Mike

On Nov 16, 2017, at 4:35 PM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:

Mike,

I would like to submit the following DX record:

W7QQ and K5PHF
DM75ao to DM61ts
0241 UTC Nov. 17, 2017
222.150 USB
266 miles

David K5PHF and Don WA5FBM have been regular check ins on the Wednesday evening weak signal net which began in October 2017.  They have successfully checked in to every single net from El Paso, TX.  Both are members of the NMVHFS, member numbers 32 and 33 respectively. David and Don live close to one another but David's QTH is a couple miles further than Don's.  Last evening I worked both of them when they checked in to the net under good band conditions.  Both were 5x2 and we were able to copy every word.

Bill W7QQ

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:22 PM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:
Thanks Mike,

Nice to get our actions completed.

Bill

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:48 AM, WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:
The New Mexico VHF Society is launching a new database to record the DX achievements of its members.  Details can be found at the following link:

http://www.nmvhf.org/dxstandings.pdf

This document can also be found under the OPERATING tab at nmvhf.org.  Make submissions directly to me and I will generate a database file (not linked on the site yet).  I will update it as required.

Mike WB2FKO
Re: NM VHF DX Standings

Mike WB2FKO
 

Nice. I’ll be on the net at some point and get those DM61 guys. Was planning on it last night but appear to have a throat infection that has made talking painful. Being treated and will get checked again tomorrow. Mike

On Nov 16, 2017, at 4:35 PM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:

Mike,

I would like to submit the following DX record:

W7QQ and K5PHF
DM75ao to DM61ts
0241 UTC Nov. 17, 2017
222.150 USB
266 miles

David K5PHF and Don WA5FBM have been regular check ins on the Wednesday evening weak signal net which began in October 2017.  They have successfully checked in to every single net from El Paso, TX.  Both are members of the NMVHFS, member numbers 32 and 33 respectively. David and Don live close to one another but David's QTH is a couple miles further than Don's.  Last evening I worked both of them when they checked in to the net under good band conditions.  Both were 5x2 and we were able to copy every word.

Bill W7QQ

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:22 PM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:
Thanks Mike,

Nice to get our actions completed.

Bill

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:48 AM, WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:
The New Mexico VHF Society is launching a new database to record the DX achievements of its members.  Details can be found at the following link:

http://www.nmvhf.org/dxstandings.pdf

This document can also be found under the OPERATING tab at nmvhf.org.  Make submissions directly to me and I will generate a database file (not linked on the site yet).  I will update it as required.

Mike WB2FKO
Re: NM VHF DX Standings

Bill
 

Mike,

I would like to submit the following DX record:

W7QQ and K5PHF
DM75ao to DM61ts
0241 UTC Nov. 17, 2017
222.150 USB
266 miles

David K5PHF and Don WA5FBM have been regular check ins on the Wednesday evening weak signal net which began in October 2017.  They have successfully checked in to every single net from El Paso, TX.  Both are members of the NMVHFS, member numbers 32 and 33 respectively. David and Don live close to one another but David's QTH is a couple miles further than Don's.  Last evening I worked both of them when they checked in to the net under good band conditions.  Both were 5x2 and we were able to copy every word.

Bill W7QQ

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:22 PM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:
Thanks Mike,

Nice to get our actions completed.

Bill

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:48 AM, WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:
The New Mexico VHF Society is launching a new database to record the DX achievements of its members.  Details can be found at the following link:

http://www.nmvhf.org/dxstandings.pdf

This document can also be found under the OPERATING tab at nmvhf.org.  Make submissions directly to me and I will generate a database file (not linked on the site yet).  I will update it as required.

Mike WB2FKO
Re: NM VHF DX Standings

Bill
 

Thanks Mike,

Nice to get our actions completed.

Bill

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:48 AM, WB2FKO <mph@...> wrote:
The New Mexico VHF Society is launching a new database to record the DX achievements of its members.  Details can be found at the following link:

http://www.nmvhf.org/dxstandings.pdf

This document can also be found under the OPERATING tab at nmvhf.org.  Make submissions directly to me and I will generate a database file (not linked on the site yet).  I will update it as required.

Mike WB2FKO
NM VHF DX Standings

Mike WB2FKO
 

The New Mexico VHF Society is launching a new database to record the DX achievements of its members.  Details can be found at the following link:

http://www.nmvhf.org/dxstandings.pdf

This document can also be found under the OPERATING tab at nmvhf.org.  Make submissions directly to me and I will generate a database file (not linked on the site yet).  I will update it as required.

Mike WB2FKO

Re: great conditions on 6 meters!

Michael Daly
 

Bruce,

If you want better information, contact God.

 

 

From: nmvhf@groups.io [mailto:nmvhf@groups.io] On Behalf Of Bruce Draper
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2017 7:51 AM
To: nmvhf@groups.io
Subject: [nmvhf] great conditions on 6 meters!

 

I took down my 6-mtr yagi yesterday and replaced it with one for 10 meters, so I'm sure that means 6 meters will soon explode with great propagation.

You're welcome.


Virus-free. www.avast.com

great conditions on 6 meters!

Bruce Draper
 

I took down my 6-mtr yagi yesterday and replaced it with one for 10 meters, so I'm sure that means 6 meters will soon explode with great propagation.

You're welcome.

Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

nm5s@...
 

Would it make sense to require that contacts from the grid square be made with station(s) in separate grids?
Alan, NM5S

On 10/20/2017 5:23 PM, Steve Hutcherson via Groups.Io wrote:

Well first, Tnx to Bill W7QQ for the leg work on the award. Also, Duffey is right...it should be an award that is achievable, but not trivial. I think there should be a certain distance between /m's or rovers so the  Moriarity Confluence cannot be used between mobiles, etc.
As Duffey said: "let's not make it trivial"  My quarter's worth.:-)

73, Hutch
WB5CTS
DM65qd

Re: Price Reduction on Ukraniun 220 mhz transverters

Steve Hutcherson <Wb5cts@...>
 

Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Steve Hutcherson <Wb5cts@...>
 

Well first, Tnx to Bill W7QQ for the leg work on the award. Also, Duffey is right...it should be an award that is achievable, but not trivial. I think there should be a certain distance between /m's or rovers so the  Moriarity Confluence cannot be used between mobiles, etc.
As Duffey said: "let's not make it trivial"  My quarter's worth.:-)

73, Hutch
WB5CTS
DM65qd

Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Steve Hutcherson <Wb5cts@...>
 

Keith is correct. Separate Categories is a great idea !

73, Hutch
WB5CTS

Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Bill
 

Thanks Bruce,

Shudda passed this thru a review comittee. Will put a minimum distance limit  and station seperation in rules to preclude this.

Thanks Bill W7QQ


On Tue, Oct 17, 2017, 8:41 AM Bruce Draper <bruceaa5b@...> wrote:
>>Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state.

True, but it contributes nothing to what I'd have to imagine as the original intent of the award. It's similar to the often-maligned pair of grid-circling rovers that rack up contest points by working each other hundreds of times and making little or no effort to work others. Impressive scores, an interesting achievement, but a hollow victory.

AA5B/7


Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 17, 2017, at 8:07 AM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:

Keith,

Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state. There'll be a fight over who gets #1 and who gets #2.

This should be fun!

Bill W7QQ

On Tue, Oct 17, 2017 at 7:32 AM, Keith Morehouse <w9rm@...> wrote:
...which is how it should be.  Difficult and everyone starts at the same place.

This may already be baked into the award, but I think something like this should have a special award for #1 - maybe a nice plaque, with certificates after.  Obviously numbered for the top 5 or <?> ?

#1 is certainly going to be won by someone 6M Es single-hop distance away from central NM or possibly someone living in central NM.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 10:20 PM, James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:
OK Phil, we wanted an award that was achievable, but not trivial.  The October 1, 2017 start date was decided on so that everyone would start from scratch.
Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Bruce Draper
 

>>Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state.

True, but it contributes nothing to what I'd have to imagine as the original intent of the award. It's similar to the often-maligned pair of grid-circling rovers that rack up contest points by working each other hundreds of times and making little or no effort to work others. Impressive scores, an interesting achievement, but a hollow victory.

AA5B/7


Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 17, 2017, at 8:07 AM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:

Keith,

Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state. There'll be a fight over who gets #1 and who gets #2.

This should be fun!

Bill W7QQ

On Tue, Oct 17, 2017 at 7:32 AM, Keith Morehouse <w9rm@...> wrote:
...which is how it should be.  Difficult and everyone starts at the same place.

This may already be baked into the award, but I think something like this should have a special award for #1 - maybe a nice plaque, with certificates after.  Obviously numbered for the top 5 or <?> ?

#1 is certainly going to be won by someone 6M Es single-hop distance away from central NM or possibly someone living in central NM.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 10:20 PM, James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:
OK Phil, we wanted an award that was achievable, but not trivial.  The October 1, 2017 start date was decided on so that everyone would start from scratch.
Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Keith Morehouse
 

Hmmmm - maybe there should be separate categories for mobile & fixed stations, 'eh ?

-RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Tue, Oct 17, 2017 at 8:07 AM, Bill <bill4070@...> wrote:
Keith,

Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state. There'll be a fight over who gets #1 and who gets #2.

This should be fun!

Bill W7QQ

On Tue, Oct 17, 2017 at 7:32 AM, Keith Morehouse <w9rm@...> wrote:
...which is how it should be.  Difficult and everyone starts at the same place.

This may already be baked into the award, but I think something like this should have a special award for #1 - maybe a nice plaque, with certificates after.  Obviously numbered for the top 5 or <?> ?

#1 is certainly going to be won by someone 6M Es single-hop distance away from central NM or possibly someone living in central NM.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 10:20 PM, James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:
OK Phil, we wanted an award that was achievable, but not trivial.  The October 1, 2017 start date was decided on so that everyone would start from scratch.
Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Jonesy W3DHJ
 

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017, Bdale Garbee wrote:

I haven't roved in years... my reaction on reading this, though, was to
start pondering how much fun it could be to activate all the grids in
NM as a rover... ;-)
True.
T'would be a noble effort worthy of a _complement_ award --

Worked FROM All NM Grids

73
Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | W3DHJ | W3DHJ | https://W3DHJ.net/
Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | __
38.238N 104.547W | jonz.net | DM78rf | 73 SK

Re: [Rmvhf] Worked all New Mexico Grids award

Bill
 

Keith,

Maybe #1 will be taken by a pair of mobile stations with HTs.  Could be a great way to see the state. There'll be a fight over who gets #1 and who gets #2.

This should be fun!

Bill W7QQ

On Tue, Oct 17, 2017 at 7:32 AM, Keith Morehouse <w9rm@...> wrote:
...which is how it should be.  Difficult and everyone starts at the same place.

This may already be baked into the award, but I think something like this should have a special award for #1 - maybe a nice plaque, with certificates after.  Obviously numbered for the top 5 or <?> ?

#1 is certainly going to be won by someone 6M Es single-hop distance away from central NM or possibly someone living in central NM.

-W9RM

Keith J Morehouse
Managing Partner
Calmesa Partners G.P.
Olathe, CO

On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 10:20 PM, James Duffey <JamesDuffey@...> wrote:
OK Phil, we wanted an award that was achievable, but not trivial.  The October 1, 2017 start date was decided on so that everyone would start from scratch.
1181 - 1200 of 1264