There’s lots of information spewing forth from the interwebznet. Here are a few items of interest.
The amateur radio community is buzzing with excitement from the excellent propagation on the HF bands during the CQ Worldwide DX Contest last weekend. For example, see the radio-sport.net post or my post.
One of our local Boy Scouts passed his Technician exam on the Saturday before the contest, showed up in the FCC database on Friday and was working DX on 10 Meters on Saturday. He managed to snag some good ones, including Australia.
The ARRL is reporting that Logbook of the World is having trouble keeping up with the influx of radio logs. Although it would be nice if they could put a little more compute horsepower on the system, I think it is great that LoTW is seeing this kind of volume.
The Interstate Highway Rest Area Society is making a pitch to encourage hams to monitor 146.52 MHz when mobile. I usually try to do this and every once in a while I will stumble onto a great QSO that way. This group is also promoting ham radio activation of highway rest areas. Yes, really, it is not a hoax.
73, Bob K0NR
Hi Bob,
Ever since the antenna accident (thankfully nobody got hurt) at the 1100 foot Reliance tower in SD happened to us, I’ve stayed away from clubs and repeaters. Leaving me with the simplex and weak signal activities.
We were installing a DB-224 with a hired pro tower team on a state tower when our antenna/bracket came crashing down from a broken pulley and destroyed a new microwave dish sitting next to the building. The state held us (Pierre Amateur Radio Club and Medicine Butte Repeater Assn) liable after finding out we didn’t have insurance. The pro tower crew’s insurance company renigged when they found out that they did this on a Saturaday, “after hours”. (but still paid)
What happens when an amateur repeater causes a fire and burns down a site or causes the tower to come down? Forensically, a defunct cell phone company caused the collapse of the WAPA tower near Murdo, SD when they improperly welded a bracket on the tower creating a weakened section. It was thought ice brought it down but the insurance company went after a scientific explanation, there was a team of structural specialists hired to a detailed analysis to find root cause. And they did.
The first question I ask when asked to join a club is if they have repeaters and do they that have liability insurance to replace the entire site (including tower) if an accident happens.
So, that’s why I hang out on 52/144.200 pretty much since the incident at Reliance.
WVΦΗ