Confirmed LoTW | Are You On The List?

Confirmed LoTW.

• W6YX[California]80m[4th Q].
• N6RO[California]80m[4th Q].
• N6RO[California]80m[5th Q].
• W7RN[Nevada]80m[2nd Q].
  
• W7RN[Nevada]40m[3rd Q].
• W7RN[Nevada]80m[4th Q].
  
• W7RN[Nevada]20m[5th Q].
• K6GGO[California]40m[1st Q].
  
• K5TR[Texas]20m[3rd Q].
  
• K5TR[Texas]40m[4th Q].
  
• K5TR[Texas]20m[5thQ].
  
• W1RH[California]40m[1st Q].
• W1RH[California]20m[2nd Q].
  
• AL9A[Alaska]20m[1st Q].
  
• WX6V[California]20m[1st Q].
  
• AA6PW[California]40m[1st Q].
  
• KL7RA[Alaska]20m[1st Q].
• VE3EJ[Canada]20m[1st Q].
  
• K9NR[Illinois]40m[1st Q].
  
• WI9WI[Wisconsin]40m[1st Q].
  
• WI9WI[Wisconsin]20m[2nd Q].
  
• KJ9C[Indiana]40m[1st Q].
• NX5M[Texas]40m[3rd Q].
• NX5M[Texas]20m[4th Q].
• K0TO[Idaho]20m[1st Q].
  
• KU5B[Texas]40m[1st Q].
• KU5B[Texas]20m[2nd Q].
• NT6X[California]160m[1st Q].
• KP2M[U.S. Virgin Islands]40m[5th Q].
• NM5NM[New Mexico]40m[1st Q].
• K0WA[Kansas]20m[1st Q].
• W0YK[California]80m[5th Q].
• K0PK[Minnesota]20m[1st Q].
• K0WA[Kansas]20m[2nd Q].
• W7ZRC[Idaho]40m[2nd Q].
• 8P5A[Barbados]40m[1st Q].
• NN1N[Conn.]20m[1st Q].
• K6XT[Colorado]40m[1st Q].
• K6LL[Arizona]80m[3rd Q].
• K6LL[Arizona]40m[4th Q].
• K0TI[Minnesota]40m[1st Q].
• W1UE[Mass.]20m[1st Q].
• K4XU[Oregon]40m[4th Q].
• K5KA[Oklahoma]20m[5th Q].
• W6UB[Tenn.]20m[1st Q].
  
• K1GU[Tenn.]20m[4th Q].
• W0ZA[Colorado]20m[1st Q].
• N5UL[New Mexico]20m[1st Q].
• KL8DX[Alaska]20m[3rd Q].
• W6SX[California]80m[5th Q].
• KL5O[Alaska]40m[1st Q].
• K6SRZ[California]80m[2nd Q].
• WA0SXV[New Mexico]40m[2nd Q].
• N4TB[Florida]20m[2nd Q].
• N0NI[Iowa]20m[4th Q].
• K7BG[Montana]20m[2nd Q].
• AB0S[Kansas]20m[2nd Q].
• W7CT[Utah]40m[5th Q].
• K6XX[California]80m[3rd Q].
• K6XX[California]160m[4th Q].
• N6XI[California]15m[1st Q].
• W6TK[California]160m[2nd Q].
• ND2T[California]20m[1st Q].
• N2IC[New Mexico]80m[5th Q].

WAS [CW] = 38 confirmed.
DXCC [CW] = 27 confirmed.
Total confirmed = 448.

73 from the shackadelic.

NASA Announces Mission Madness Tournament

Mission Madness is the ultimate geek experience sponsored by our National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Remember, back in the day, when pocket protectors were sexy and slide rules were trendy? However NASA gets the 21st Century and I'm stoked.

Mission Madness Tournament Begins 9 March (link).

• Sixty four missions in the line-up.
• Learn about their goals.
  
• Predict mission trends.
  
• Bracket style, single elimination tournament.
  
• Voting for round one begins 19 March.
  

Mission Madness Analysts.

• Miles O'Brien former CNN reporter.
  
• Melvin Ferebee, NASA Langley Research Center.
  
• Keith Cowing, NASA Watch blogger.
  

Apollo 13? Apollo 11? Gemini? Mercury? Hubble? Press release (link).

My board is 'green' and 'go' for Mission Madness.

ZL7T Chatham Island DXpedition Audio

According to ZL7T's press room release an audio sample is now available (link).

Chase DX.

2008 Hiram Percy Maxim Award Nominations | The Maxim Moment

Hiram Percy Maxim is calling NexGen ham radio operators who are under the age of 21-years old.

This is your Maxim moment. An ordinary award? This is not junior varsity time this is professional time.

Criteria (reference link).

• Technical achievement (example: building a radio or putting up an antenna).
  
• Participation or leadership in organizational affairs at the local or national level (example: local radio club, ARES, Net control or participation in civic groups).
  
• Operating record (example: Net, disaster drills, contests or Sweepstakes).
  
• Recruitment and training of new amateurs (example: helping to teach a license class or Jamboree on the Air).
  
• Public relations activities (example: creating your own web page).

Award consideration takes into account one's accomplishments and contributions "of the most exemplary nature" to both Amateur Radio and local community during the previous calendar year. I would like to emphasize exemplary and turbo boost it with innovative, creative, inventive and forward thinking. Any NexGen engineers ready for their Maxim moment?

Nomination Process (reference link).

• Nomination form.
  
• Endorsement of ARRL-affiliated clubs and
  
• Elected or appointed League leadership officials
  
• Submit to ARRL Section Manager
  
• Formal nominations made by Section Manager after completing nomination form and appropriate endorsements.

The Maxim Moment.
Consider a $1500 dollar cash award and an engraved plaque presented at a mutually agreed upon ARRL convention or event however let's think about our Maxim moment and its benefit. First, such an award is 1.) University application material, 2.) Excellent for building one's resume and, 3.) A significant talking point during an interview. Secondly, an award like this follows for a lifetime and is a building block toward future awards while opening doors of opportunity in real time.

If one knows an exemplary NexGen ham radio operator who is under the age of 21 and is the best of the best to your knowledge then why not nominate him or her? The benefit is literally something that cannot be measured other than the joy of giving a hand up.

73 from the shackadelic.

The Ted Randall Show & The KA3DRR Conversation

The Ted Randall Show (link).

Podcast (link).

Many thanks goes out to Ted Randall for our exciting conversation yesterday afternoon. He rocked my shackaverse.

The grist of our conversation covered ham radio topics as the digital century gains forward momentum and moves our hobby in a new direction. Ted and I discussed transformative technologies like the use of Twitter, blogging, software defined radio, cognitive radio, and antennas for CC&R operators.

Additionally, we spoke to the monumental effort at 73s.org lead by Chris, N7ICE and the Google mashup developed by Peter, M3PHP at DXAnywhere.

In the mix, we chatted about Chris Sullivan, N0DOS's "What is ham radio" video at Roteno Labs as well. Please be sure to check The Ted Randall Show website (link) in the coming days for our conversation and downloadable podcasts (link).

73 from the shackadelic.

On Bencher YA-1 Low Pass Filter | David commented, "[Y]ou'll need to remove the filter..."

Comment (link).

Thanks for an important tip when placing a filter like this one in-line with one's antenna system. Its design specification covers 30MHz and below. I need to remember this when operating in the 50MHz space.

73 from the shackadelic.

NASA Constellation Program | Ares Rocket Drogue Parachute Test Succeeds

Every step in the process leading to our landing on the moon in the 21st Century is important. Engineers and technicians working together as a collaborative team is an essential ingredient that leads to goal achievement and success.

I hope that our engineers are talking with our technicians who are turning the wrenches on the ground?

According to the latest NASA press release, NASA Successfully Tests Parachute for Ares Rocket,

• "Researchers dropped the 68-foot-diameter drogue parachute and its 50,000-pound load, which simulates the rocket's spent first-stage motor, from a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet. The parachute and all test hardware functioned properly and landed safely."

Read (link).

The board is 'green' and 'go' for launch.

Bencher YA-1 Low Pass Filter Installed

Bencher YA-1 Low Pass Filter removed from shipping container and ready for installation.

Drilled starter holes for 5/8 inch counter sunk SPAX ACQ approved wood screws in four places.

Filter secured beneath shackadesk using Pro-Grade ratcheting screwdriver.

Filter in-line between Yaesu FT-100 & antenna tuner using 52 ohm coaxial line.

My last step at mitigating radio frequency interference. The specifications for the Bench YA-1 low pass filter suggest one does not exceed 1.5 kilowatt continuous power and 5 kilowatt peak power. I do not anticipate 5 kw peak power in the near future. The construction of the filter housing is appreciated both in parts and material.

An excellent starting point for expanding one's knowledge base is the ARRL's RadioFrequency Interference/ElectroMagnetic Interference overview (reference link).

73 from the shackadelic.