The Carrier - MDARC Newsletter

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The Carrier - Official Newsletter of the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club

Selected Articles from the Carrier

President's QRM
Jason Legate, W6SN

It is with a heavy heart I must bid farewell to Jeremiah Blasi, our Carrier Editor. He is packing up and has decided to "Go East, Young Man". Oh, wait, that's not how the quote goes. Either way, I wish him the best in the future, and hope he stays in touch with us via HF and/ or Echolink/IRLP. Also, if anyone knows someone who may be able to help us put the Carrier together on a monthly basis, I encourage you to get in touch with me.

I write this, amazed at the level of response we received from Field Day, which, by all accounts must be considered a success. There will be a full report on Field Day next month, after we get all our pictures lined up and plenty of stories written down (and believe me, there are more than enough stories for the rest of the year, I think). I am very enthused about the possibility for next year, since the city has invited us back to do it all over again! Since we know so much more about the "dangers" of operating out there (see the earlier comment about stories), we'll have plenty of experience to be able to avoid all the pitfalls that befell us this year. I'm also looking at possibly forming a small committee to deal with organizing and planning of field day next year. It turned out to be a very large task, and I feel it would be better done if tasks are doled out a little more, as opposed to being handled by only a couple people. If you think you can help, let me know. Either come to the general meetings, or email or call me. My email is on the mdarc.org website, and my phone number is 925-348-4857.

Since field day is now behind us, I want to begin drumming up attention toward Pacificon. I encourage everyone, ham or not, to spread the word about the convention. This hobby is such an enjoyable thing, the more people we expose it to, the better. I've realized, mostly from our experience with field day, that people actually do have a small level of awareness of radio communications, we just need to help kindle it. If your neighbor has questions about what your antennas are for, tell them more that just "communication". You�'ll get much more interest, and maybe a staunch ally if there ever is a "problem" with your tower. With that, I'll QRT till next month. May the only QRM you experience be this article!

73 to all, W6SN

My First Experience with the Magic Band
By Marty Heyman, W6MDH and Matthew G. Vurek, N4DLA

I own a Yaesu FT-817ND HF/6m/2m/432 MHz portable transceiver which is considered QRP (low power) as it has an RF output of only 5 watts. With my minimal antenna facilities, being able to work any significant "DX" seemed impossible. After owning this small transceiver for over a year, I was considering upgrading to a rig with a higher RF output.

The 2008 ARRL June VHF QSO party was held on the weekend of June14 and 15. Fellow Orindan Matthew G. Vurek, N4DLA, was enjoying a significant band opening on 6 meter single sideband during this contest. N4DLA was able to work dozens of stations from British Columbia south to Mexico and east to Louisiana. Matthew's 6 meter station consisted of his vintage 2002 100 watt Ranger Communications RCI-5054DX100 all mode transceiver into a 3 element yagi beam antenna perched on the roof of his paternal grandmother's garage.

After working N4DLA on 2 meter FM simplex, Matthew suggested I try working some of the same 6 meter stations that he was working. After all, he said, 6 meters was considered "The Magic Band," where low power and a small antenna could produce big results when conditions were right. I placed my equipment skepticism aside as I fired up the FT-817ND and plugged it into my Diamond V2000A 6 meter/2 meter/440 MHz vertical antenna, which has a paltry 2 dB gain from 52-54 MHz - and probably less in SSB portion of 6 meters - since it was not built to work in that part of the band. However, I soon heard WA7NB furiously calling "CQ contest! CQ contest!" on 6 meter SSB. The FT-817ND's signal strength meter showed a long streak of tall black bars on its LCD display when WA7NB transmitted. I gave him a quick call and despite my 5 watts and a vertical antenna, I received an immediate answer, "W6MDH, please copy [grid square] DM42, delta mike forty two, QSL?" I quickly replied, "QSL delta mike forty two, please copy my charlie mike eighty seven and we're QRP!" WA7NB gave me a quick acknowledgement on our QSO and resumed calling CQ.

Was this "beginner's luck"? Such thoughts were quickly dispelled as I managed to make 8 more QSOs in California, Mexico, Colorado and New Mexico. I eventually racked up 7 different grid squares scattered amongst 4 states and Mexico. I only operated for a short time during last few hours of the contest and I wished I had started earlier. My goodness, I thought, N4DLA was right about 6 meters ... the "Magic Band" had cast its spell on me!

For further reading:

Summer E-skip and the Magic Band by Gene Zimmerman,W3ZZ. July 2008 QST, page 55

Six Meters: A Guide to the Magic Band (revised 2003) by Ken Neubeck, WB2AMU. Published by Worldradio Books, Sacramento,CA