SCCC Past Front Page News Stories

A Collection of Past SCCC News Stories (Newest to Oldest)

Club Meeting

May 2015

I really agree with those who have said today's SCCC meeting was a good one. I think it was one of the best club meetings I've ever attended and I attended a LOT of club meetings during four terms as an ARRL vice director.

Dick Norton led an excellent discussion of major issues in amateur radio and contesting. About 50 people were there, maybe more.

Among the highlights:

*Dick asked for a show of hands of those who had been licensed less than 20 years. No hands went up. (That has all sorts of implications for the future of contesting and amateur radio itself. I would guess that the majority of those in attendance have been licensed more than 50 years.)

*Dick asked how many live in places with deed restrictions limiting antennas. I believe seven hands went up.

*Also, Dick asked about the prevalence of TVI/RFI problems and problems of noise generated by neighbors' electronic devices. Interference TO neighbors seems to be a far less serious problem than it once was, but interference FROM neighbors is getting worse. Our host, N6HC, said that when one neighbor turns on a plasma TV, it basically puts him off the air.

*There was a fascinating discussion of the pros and cons of remote ham radio operation. Some cited horror stories about stations signing a call sign from a different continent than their transmitter site during a contest, with no indication of that fact. Others noted that remote operating can be a solution for those who cannot put up antennas at home.

*The prognosis for a legislative override of deed restrictions does not appear to be good. (The basic problem, IMHO, is that over the last 50 years there was been a growing consensus among developers, urban planners and lenders that amateur radio antennas are not compatible with the environment in planned communities. By now more than 60 million Americans live in communities that have CC&Rs restricting antennas. Many CC&Rs forbid not only antennas but also operating a "shortwave" radio station in the community.) Dick mentioned a new League publication citing public service by hams nationwide. The pamphlet is an outgrowth of W6XD's club talks about the way amateur radio has been marginalized in recent years while ARRL has not adequately publicized ham radio's contributions.

This isn't intended to be either a news story about the meeting or a set of minutes of the meeting. I just thought I'd share some of what I heard.

73, Wayne, N6NB close

CQ World Wide WPX CW Claimed Scores

May 2015

         VY2TT(K6LA)    SOABHP     13,991,520             W6QU(W8QZA)    SOABQRP      653,221
         N5ZO           SOABHP      5,077,104             NE6I           SOAABHP      519,256
         W6TK           SOAABHP     3,611,046             N6AA           SOABHP       369,834
         K6NR           SOABHP      2,457,312             AI6O           SOABHP       340,101
         AH7T(N6MI)     SOABHP      2,066,075             WA6URY         SOABHP       322,964
         WA6KHK         SOAABHP     1,453,830             NK6A           SOAABHP      309,075
         WN6K           SOABLP      1,178,165             NC6Q           SOAABHP       86,020
         N6MU           SOABLP        660,104             W6KC           SOAABHP       44,250

         WQ6X (N6KI N6CY W6JBR WQ6X K4VU N0DY W6RW WB6NBU K4RB W6QEG)    M2HP       9,236,016

Blast From The Past - NE6I

January 2015

While filing some QSLs this afternoon, I ran across one of my cards from the SCCC 1986 XE2SI CQWW CW operation. There were a couple of years in the mid-1980s when the club went down and operated field day style. I got a chance to go with the gang in 1983. It was a blast.

73 Dennis NE6I

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