Last night, the club members checking into the WNYDXA HF net tried a number of bands in search of the optimum spot in the HF bands. Low and behold (pun intended), 160M was the winner. Signals were FB all around and and the stations who participated were very pleased with the results. Checkins who QSYed to 160 included W2KKZ, W2TB, W2TAU and K2QO. Even the lowly 15W from K2QO was received by the other three stations at better than S9.

73, K2QO

Attention 160M addicts! The Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge has established itself as the “friendly” 160 meter contest. While it enjoys strong activity, the band is slightly less crowded than the major 160 meter contests. This provides more opportunities for the “non super stations” to make intercontinental QSOs.

If you’d like to see a full accounting of the 2007 contest, click here.

The next Stew Perry is coming on December 27th/28th 2008. Click here for full rules. With conditions on 160M like they’ve been so far this year, personal DXCC totals should get a nice boost!

73, K2QO/qrp

This weekend is the ARRL 10-Meter Contest. There is always abundant DX despite the poor solar conditions. In fact, 10 meters is open almost every day to somewhere good and these openings simply to unnoticed! There are even hour long openings to EU in the wee hours of the morning.

Ev Tupis, W2EV, is the founder of BeacoNet and PropNet and was instrumental in the VHF community in determining the conditions under which a 2M transatlantic QSO could be made (and that QSO has still not been made!). As part of this effort, Ev spent many years looking at 10M and 6M for clues as to the possible behavior of 2M.

Bottom Line: 10-meters is likely alive and OK. Check the beacons, tune the band and call CQ yourself. You might be surprised to find your DXCC count tick up this weekend.

73,
Mark K2QO

Date: Friday December 12, 2008
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Denny's Restaurant

Come join us at our monthly WNYDXA club meeting which is held on the 2nd Friday of the month. WNYDXA's meeting location is Denny's Restaurant, 4610 Genesee Street just east of the Buffalo Airport.

Members are invited to arrive early to enjoy dinner and conversation before the meeting which starts at 7:30 PM.

December Program: WNYDXA's traditional Chinese Gift Exchange! Member's and guests who wish to participate should bring a wrapped gift in the $15-$20 range. As always, it'll be fun!

Hello again, de K2QO. Just a reminder that the club HF net meets every Monday on 3660 kHz at 7 p.m. local time. Topics of discussion include everything DX. Please join in the fun.

73 and GL,
Mark K2QO
WNYDXA Web Guy

What better way to christen a new contest season and welcome a new year that to put together a new website. The Western NY DX Association has a multitude of ways to help hams interested in DX, whether it be DX contesting, chasing DX on 160 or 6, or even help with putting up that new Windom or tower. The dedicated hams of WNYDXA are only a phone call, repeater call or email away. News items, announcements and other items of DX interest will appear here on the blog page so come back often.

73 and GL,
Mark K2QO
WNYDXA Web Guy