Operating

From the ARRL Letter:

The SSB ARRL Rookie Roundup is Sunday, April 18, 1800 – 2359 UTC. 

The Rookie Roundup is aimed at hams licensed for 3 years or less. Rookies make as many contacts as possible during this 6-hour event. Rookies work everyone, and non-Rookies work only Rookies. Stations exchange each other’s call signs, first names, a two-digit year, and state (US or Mexican), Canadian province, or DX. Rookies can enter as a Single Operator or invite Rookie friends over and operate as Multioperator. Up to five Single Operator Rookies can also enter from their individual stations and submit their total score as a team. This is a great way for clubs to get newer members on the air, and the perfect opportunity to be a mentor to new licensees. Seasoned operators can join in the fun by calling “CQ Rookies.” This year, the Rookie Roundup takes place during World Amateur Radio Day. Use the opportunity to wish participants “Happy World Amateur Radio Day” on the air. Logs are due on April 21 (within 72 hours after the event). No late entries will be accepted. Complete rules, logging sheets, and links for submitting your score are on the Rookie Roundup web page.

In September, 2020, members of the K1USN Radio Club (who are also members of the CW Operators’ Club) started sponsoring a one-hour slow speed CW “contest” called SST aimed at “those who prefer a more leisurely CW pace or are new CW operators or contesters.” SST is held on Mondays at 00:00-01:00 UTC (8-9 PM EDT Sundays).

The event has enjoyed increased popularity, both nationally and internationally. It is supported by the N1MM software logging program.  A second weekly one-hour SST session was started on February 5, 2021, at a time more suited for European amateur radio operators: 20:00-21:00 UTC Fridays.

For more information about the Slow Speed Test, please visit <http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html>.

“On a gray Friday afternoon last spring, Steve Galchutt sat high atop Chief Mountain, an 11,700-foot peak along Colorado’s Front Range. An epic panorama of pristine alpine landscape stretched in almost every direction, with Pikes Peak standing off to the south and Mount Evan towering just to the west.  

“It was an arresting view, and the perfect backdrop for a summit selfie. But instead of reaching for his smartphone, Galchutt was absorbed by another device: a portable transceiver. Sitting on a small patch of rock and snow, his head bent down and cocked to one side, he listened as it sent out a steady stream of staticky beeps: dah-dah-di-dah dah di-di-di-dit. “This is Scotty in Philadelphia,” Galchutt said, translating the Morse code. Then, tapping at two silver paddles attached to the side of the radio, he sent his own message, first with some details about his location, then his call sign, WG0AT.” [Full article]

Marty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

I reached out a few weeks ago, got lots of excitement, but few signups, so I’m nagging again.

As many of you know, the hit Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing has an actual ham radio station on the set and ham radio is highlighted on the show periodically as one of Mike Baxter’s (Tim Allen’s) character, with the fictitious callsign KA0XTT. Before COVID-19, each week before the show taped operators would activate the station on the set and many people lined up to work KA6LMS, the club callsign of the on-set station.

After nine great seasons, the show is in the midst of its last season of production. In order to celebrate the end of the show and the exposure it has provided amateur radio, a week-long special event has been planed. From 3/24 – 3/30, the KA6LMS special event will be on the air. If the pileups from the studio were any indication (I had the chance to operate there!), it’ll be quite fun. Though this week surrounds CQ WPX SSB, there is still plenty of time to get on the air.

Similar to the W1AW/p operations in 2014, during the week KA6LMS/xx will be on from all ten callsign areas as well as a few W6x special event 1x1s. *I have been asked to form a team to operate as KA6LMS/1.* Thus, I am asking for you to join me, and sign up to operate as much, or as little as you’d like during the event using the KA6LMS/1 callsign.

We can have as many operators on different band/modes as we want at once, as long as there is only one station per band/mode. I am recruiting operators to operate as few or as many hours as you like, on any band, DC to daylight.

*To sign up, use the Google Sheets link here. <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Cnp2KVdHHIy1q13GuDhlvj8A5GWzHEOEgVDrLT1zRDU/edit?usp=sharing>
*