If you are a user of Super Check Partial in your contest logging software, you should begin to see a large uptick in the number of call signs. This is due to a new API (Application Programming Interface) that allows for submission of logs directly to SCP rather than contesters having to email logs to the author. Users must opt in to this feature through the set up screen of their contest software. Logs are then signed and securely submitted to SCP. SCP API support has already been added to N1MM+, Writelog and a few others. Support will be added to the N3FJP contest loggers through the course of this year. The increase in the number of calls in the SCP database should make Super Check Partial more useful than ever.

The following came in via email to me. I of course have no pecuniary interest but pass this along for your review.

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To DX’ers, Contesters and Friends:

Some of you probably know that VY2ZM is scheduled for de-commission starting May 15th, 2022 unless another amateur or consortium of contesters takes it over to continue the legacy of this premier amateur radio station on Prince Edward Island.

Briefly, here are the most important facts about this opportunity:

The station sits on 38+/- acres and includes an executive 3500SF home with 4BR and 3.5 baths in immaculate condition
It is offered TURNKEY which means this includes all furnishings, linens, towels, tools etc – you just move in with a ready-made station that is also included.
The parcel has 333 feet of salt water ocean frontage with concrete steps to a private beach
The offering includes 10 existing and fully permitted towers with capability from 160m-10m.
The home has a 22KW GENERAC generator with a 200A automatic transfer switch
There are (3) independent thermostatically-controlled heating systems to heat and protect the home and a DISC alarm system that is monitored 24/7/365.
Access is via a well-maintained gravel driveway and will include a snowmobile/sled combination for the winter months
Over the course of 21 years this station has a history of top-ranked scores on the low bands to include at various times several world records, North American records and legendary performance on 160m. Something like 15 top W/VE scores have been achieved in ARRL DX and 3 top national scores in ARRL SS Phone. Starlink Internet has been installed to enable high speed internet access in the home which can be used to allow for REMOTE access should the new owner wish to consider installing it.
INCOME OPPORTUNITY: 3 bedroom homes like ours are allowed to offer Bed & Breakfast rentals under PEI regulations; estimated income at $200-250 per night or $3,000 per weekly rental, in season.
Additional useful information:

Under existing treaty, US amateurs can freely travel to CANADA for 6 months per annum on their US passport. Covid rules have already been largely lifted and this unfortunate situation will soon be a memory. US amateurs can operate immediately using their home callsigns/VY2 under treaty and, with a Canadian Advanced Amateur license, can legally operate remotely from the USA into Canada. (I happen to be a CANADIAN VEC and can provide testing for anyone interested.)
Reaching the station by car: Travel times from Cape Cod to the station are roughly 13 hours by car over good roads through New England, New Brunswick and over the Confederation Bridge into PEI.
Reaching the station by air: We have a nice airport in the capital city of Charlottetown, which is 50 mins west of the station. To get to PEI via air usually means that one flies initially to either Montreal, or Toronto or to Halifax from the US, and then connects to Charlottetown from one of those connecting cities. In the summer season, some US airlines do come into PEI directly but this is usually only a seasonal summer service that is offered. Your US dollar is worth more than the Canadian dollar allowing many things at a 20% discount – although Canada does have an HST akin to the VAT system in Europe.
The capital city of Charlottetown offers excellent restaurants, shopping akin to the USA in almost every way, eg: Walmart/Home Depot and is roughly 50 minutes away from VY2ZM as is the PEI airport.

Pricing:

VY2ZM is available as a complete, turnkey situation and is priced at $750,000 USD.
This is a very special, unique opportunity to own one of the most competitive DX and Contest stations in North America – where European signals on 160m sound like those on 20 meters all year long. During the Winter months, it is possible to work into Europe on 160m for upwards of 20 hours a day. I would dearly love to have the legacy of this place continue – it would be a shame to see it all come down.

Thanks for your consideration.

Jeff Briggs, K1ZM / VY2ZM

For more details and pictures, or to inquire about this properly, see the listing at:

www.hamradiohomes.com/listings/monticello-prince-edward-island/

Reminder! Jim, N6TJ and five others will be operating as NH7T at the QTH of KH6YY during the upcoming CQ WPX CW contest. They will be multi-multi. Jim will be one of the 15 meter operators.

Jim, K9YC has published a plethora of interesting amateur radio articles over the years, many of which are very pertinent to contesters. You will find them here. One that caught my interest initially, and prompted me to pass along his library of publishings, is this one entitled "Building Contest Scores by Killing Receive Noise. Very informative.

So Who Was the Most Trusted Ham in America?

In close to 20 years behind the CBS Evening News desk, Walter Cronkite was the steady voice Americans trusted to inform them on major events such as the assassination of JFK, the moon landing, and the Watergate Scandal. He was the most trusted Ham in America!

Cronkite’s radio engineer at CBS, Steve Mendelsohn W2ML, told ARRL that over the years he had several opportunities to discuss the hobby of amateur radio with Cronkite and that his interest gradually increased. Though Cronkite had a receiver and would listen on the bands now and then, he declined to take the licensing test due to the difficulty of the Morse Code portion.

One day in the studio before their nightly broadcast, Mendelsohn needed to test the tone of the audio recorders. Knowing that Dick Muller, the CBS Evening News Director, was a Ham as well), Mendelsohn grabbed a copy of the New York Times and sent Morse Code with the tone key for 10 minutes. After the broadcast that night, Cronkite walked into the control room and presented his script to Mendelsohn and Muller. On the back of the script was the entire text sent via Morse Code before the broadcast.

The two Hams looked at the copy of the code, looked at each other and informed Cronkite he just passed the Morse Code test. Cronkite laughed and asked when the formal test was, only for Mendelsohn to remind him that it only requires two general classes to validate the test and he had formally passed the code test.

Weeks later Cronkite took and passed the written test and the most trusted man in America was officially a licensed amateur radio operator with the callsign KB2GSD. "And that's the way it is."



Strange but true...
The television was invented only two years after the invention of sliced bread!

73 for now,
--Dennis NE6I

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Our April, 2022 poll was "Your top QSOs per hour rate over a full 60 minutes is:"

47% said 61-70. 18% said 41-50 and another 18% said 81-90. 17% said 41-50. 

Our March, 2022 poll was "In a single contest weekend, you have worked 100 DXCC entities."

36% said yes and 64% said no.

Our February, 2022 poll was "You are only allowed to contest on one band, the band of your choice. Which one 
would it be?"

42% said 40 meters, 27% said 20 meters, 15% said 15 meters, 8% said 10 and 4% said 160. 4% said 2 meters or above.

Our January, 2022 poll was"Continuing with last month's typing subject, for those of you that touch type, 
did you learn to do so in a class, on the internet (including a typing app or program), or are you self taught?"

50% said in a class. 19% said self taught and 31% said they use hunt and peck instead.

Our December, 2021 poll was"When using contest software, do you touch type or hunt and peck?"

61% said hunt and peck. 39% said touch type.

Our November, 2021 poll was "Have you ever owned a Heathkit Radio transmitter, receiver or transceiver?"

70% said yes, in the past. 18% said they own one or more now and 12% said no.

Our October, 2021 poll was "Have you ever owned a Collins Radio transmitter, receiver or transceiver?"

11% said yes, in the past. 17% said they own one or more now and 72% have never owned one. 

Our September, 2021 poll was "I plan on purchasing at least one new station accessory in the 
coming year."

80% said yes and 20% said no. Are you listening, vendors?

Our August, 2021 poll was "I plan on installing at least one new antenna in the coming year."

64% said yes and 36% said no.

Our July, 2021 poll was "The last time I visited a brick and mortar ham radio store was"

47% said in the past two to four years. 37% said in the past year. 16% said five or more years ago.

Our June, 2021 poll was "My career (or former career if retired) is/was in the electronics or 
telecommunications industry."

53% said yes and 47% said no. 

Our May, 2021 poll was "I have a family member who is also a licensed amateur radio operator."

44% said yes and 56% said no. 

Our April, 2021 poll was "My significant other_____in contests."

60% said tolerates me participating. 15% said encourages me to participate. 10% said doesn't care if I 
participate and another 10% said sometimes participates with me. 5% said they don't have a significant 
other.

Our March, 2021 poll was "Keeping with the theme of last month's poll, my favorite 
type of contest is:"

47% said DX. 33% said stateside. And 20% said both.

Our February, 2021 poll was "My favorite contests are (those in duration):"

28% said 48 hour contests, 11% said 30 hour contests, 5% said 24 hour contests, 17% said 
10 hour contests, 5% said 4 hour contests and 5% said 1 hour contests. 22% said all of
the above! One respondent said all of the above with the exception of Field Day and 
those with other complicated exchanges. 

Our January, 2021 poll was "Do you prefer hard copy QSLs or electronic ones?"

19% said they prefer hard copy (paper) QSLs, 50% said they prefer electronic QSLs (IE, LOTW, 
eQSL, QRZ, etc.), 25% said they had no preference, and 6% said they do not QSL at all. 

Our December, 2020 poll was "I sometimes have conflicts between contest events and
 family events on holiday weekends preventing me from as much participation in one or
 both of them as I'd like.

17% said often, 56% said occasionally, 22% said contesting always wins out, and 5% said
 family events always win out. 

Our November, 2020 poll asked "Is your antenna system mostly:"

42% answered less than 5 years old. 16% each answered 5-10 years old, 11-15 years old 
 or 16-20 years old. 10% answered more than 20 years old.

Our October, 2020 poll asked "Is your current primary transciever:"

43% answered 5-10 years old. 30% said less than 5 years old. 17% said 11-15 years old and
 10% said more than 20 years old.

Our September, 2020 poll was two parts. "Are you an ARRL member?"

87% said yes and 13% said no.

Are you a paid member of any other club other than ARRL?

73% said yes and 27% said no.

Our July, 2020 poll was "Where do you typically operate Field Day from?

23% said from home, 6% said portable by themselves, 59% said with a club and 12% said they
 don't typically operate Field Day.

Our June, 2020 poll was "Did you discover amateur radio on your own?

35% said yes, 35% said that they discovered it via a family member and 30% said that they
 discovered it via a friend.

Our May, 2020 poll was "Have you ever built and/or used Heathkit amateur radio equipment?"

65% said they have both built and used Heathkits. 20% said they have used but not built them
 and 15% have neither built nor used a Heathkit.

Our April, 2020 poll was "Did you participate in the National Traffic System (NTS)?"

25% said yes and 75% said no.

Our February, 2020 poll was "What is your thought on the new digital modes as it pertains
 to contesting?"

27% said great! And another 27% said "not for me." 21% said "they are poisoning amateur radio
 contesting." Wow, brutal. 14% said they haven't tried them. 8% said "not bad" and 3% said
 "unsure / too early to day."

Our January, 2020 poll was "Have you ever operated in a RTTY contest?"

86% said yes and 14% said no. 

Our December, 2019 poll was "Have you ever operated in a VHF contest?"

86% said yes and 14% said no. 

Our November, 2019 poll was "Do you operate in very many contests just to have some
 fun / hand out some contacts?"

86% said yes and 14% said a few.

Our October, 2019 poll was "LOTW has revolutionized QSLing. How do you respond to
 hard copy QSLs that you receive after a contest?

87% said they send a return QSL the same way the incoming card was received (direct or via
 the Bureau). 13% said they send electronic QSLs only (IE, LOTW, eQSL, QRZ and/or other).

Our September, 2019 poll was "If you could go or are going on a Contest Dxpedition
 next year, where would you go?"

75% said to the Caribbean! 25% said somewhere in the Pacific.

Our August, 2019 poll was a two parter. "Do you miss (or wish we had) SCCC pizza meetings?"

20% said Yes, I really miss them. Another 20% said Yes, I hear they were a good time.
 10% said I could take them or leave them. Another 10% said No, I'm not that interested in
 attending meetings at this time. 60% said I probably wouldn't be able to attend many of them
 due to distance or other reason.

The second question was "If we had SCCC meetings, I would..."

10% said Attend as many as possible. 20% said Attend them if they were less than an hour's
 drive. 40% said Attend now and then. 20% said Might attend some of them, and 10% said Probably
 wouldn't attend any of them.

Our July, 2019 poll was "When was your first contest?"

16% said 2010 or later. 5% said 2000-2009 and another 5% said 1990-1999. 32% said 1970-1979.
 26% said 160-1969 and 16% said 1950-1959.

Our June, 2019 poll was "Have you ever operated a Dxpedition in a contest?"

25% said yes, as part of a multi-op DXpedition. 25% said no. 20% said yes, as a single op.
 Another 20% said no, but I would like to! And 10% said yes, both as a multi-op and as a single-op.

Our May, 2019 poll was "Have you ever operated mobile or portable in a contest
 (not a DXpedition)?

35% said both, 35% said no, 20% said portable and 10% said mobile.

Our April, 2019 poll was "For manual CW sending, what do you use?"

65% of our respondents said a keyer. 35% said contest software. 12% said a straight key and
 5% said a bug. 8% said other.

Our March, 2019 poll was "What logging software do you use in contests?"

75% of our respondents said N1MM+. 10% said Writelog and another 10% said N3FJP. 5% each said
 TRLog/TR4W, Win-test or other.

Our February, 2019 poll was "Do you use high, low or QRP power in contests?"

56% of our respondents said high power. 21% said low power and 13% said QRP.

Our January, 2019 poll was "What brand of radio to you use primarily in contests?"

25% of our respondents said Yaesu. 18.75% said Kenwood. 12.5% said Icom. 6.25% said Flex, and
 43.75% said Other. We should have included Elecraft! 

Our December, 2018 poll was "Have you ever hosted a guest operator at your station?"

11% of our respondents said yes. 89% said no.

Our November, 2018 poll was "Have you ever operated multi-op in a contest (home or away)?"

80% of our respondents said yes. 20% said no.

Our October, 2018 poll was "What is your favorite contest mode?"

76% of our respondents favored CW. 12% favored SSB and 6% favored RTTY. 6% had no favorite mode.

Our September, 2018 poll was "What is your favorite contest?"

CQP took the top spot. CQWW DX, WPX, NA Sprint and Sweepstakes all tied for second.

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FOR SALE: Elecraft K3/100 Transceiver 100 watts, 2.7 kHz SSB filter KXV3 I/O transverter KIO3 RS232 Great entry level radio Power cord and manual $1295 Same as above with a built in tuner $1495. If you want custom options, please email. I have many options available that are not being made by Elecraft. Filters KSYN3A upgraded SYN board. DVR's Sub Receivers P3 Panadapter $795.00 Add VGA $1050 Contact Larry, K6RO Lashap at cox.net 310-710-2869 Posted 20 Oct 2021 FOR SALE: Corsair VX550W computer power supply from the estate of WA6STJ. New in the box. Asking $100. Click thumbnail and link for more information. Link: https://www.cnet.com/products/corsair-vx550w-power-supply-550-watt-cmpsu550vx/ Contact Don, N6IC dbostrom at pacbell dot net Posted 25 July 2021 WANTED: Johnson Invader 2000 Power Supply. I recently acquired an Invader 2000 but without the power supply and missing all the cabinet-mounting hardware, including the two long bolts from the back to the front panel common to most Johnson rigs. WANTED: Kaar KE-23A or KE-23AT communications receiver. Contact Steve, K0XP k0xp (at) k0xp dot com Posted 19 June 2020, renewed 6 July 2021 FOR SALE: I have a two year-old SteppIR DB36 with 80 M dipole option for sale. The stepper motors, controller, etc all work perfectly, and the boom and trombones/straight fiberglass poles are in good shape. You will likely need to replace some of the small parts (some bolts and Nylock nuts), but can have a working DB-36 for less than half of what it cost new. I'm selling the antenna because the trees near the antenna became so large that tilting it over was becoming impossible, and I purchased a DB-18E to replace it. I have some extra fiberglass poles that I will include, and I guarantee that the antenna will work (motors, etc.). Due to the weight and size, I'm thinking it's going to have to be a pickup in the San Diego area. I might be willing to remove the heat shrink couplings and try to box it if the buyer covers the shipping charges (FedEx ground). Asking $3500 for everything. Seller: Eric, NC6K egruff [at] cox[dot]net Posted 9 Oct 2018, renewed 6 July 2021

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