Carl, KB9DKR is organizing a 10 meter net. The primary purpose is to encourage WCARES members to practice on-air operating tactics and learn how to be efficient and assertive with passing traffic in a high volume communications environment like Field Day. More details to come today and Monday, so watch this post and be listening Monday night.
- Monday nights, after the regular net for several weeks ahead of Field Day
- Practice on-air operating tactics
- Technician portion of the 10m band: 28.300 – 28.500 MHz so that everyone can take part.
- Exchange will be name and zip code
- Mobile stations can be worked in multiple zip codes
- Coaches include some seasoned WCARES operators:
- Tim Kreth, AD4CJ
- Jack Cox, KA4OTB
- Jeff Standifer, WB5WAJ
The plan is to have folks spread out and alternate between running a frequency and search & pounce. There is a google doc courtesy of Cliff, N4CCB, that you can use to report the list of contacts you made:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XcSueCESRf0X5t_cPyk-NcU4pZKlYBQfmZChxhYYn2I/edit?usp=sharing
The exchange format will depend a lot on the conditions and the operator; how easily can you hear the call-signs etc.?
Here’s a simple example – I (KK4CQD) hear Carl, KB9DKR calling CQ:
Running station: CQ WCARES KB9DKR
Search & pounce station: KK4CQD
Running station: KK4CQD COPY CARL 37064
Search & pounce station: QSL COPY DAVID 37067
Running station: THANK YOU QRZ KB9DKR
Any existing antennas (dipoles, beams) will be fine and there is certainly no requirement to build a special antenna.
If you are interested in making an antenna, here are a couple of simple ideas for a 10m antennas from Carl:
The 10 meter antenna that Carl made for his attic installation was constructed in about 15 minutes. This is a classic “vertical ground plane” design with only two tuned radials. The key is to elevate the radials.
1) Cut 3 wires to 8 feet, 4 inches (for SWR centered on 28.400 Mhz).
2) Strip about 1/2 inch of the insulation from the ends.
3) Solder one wire to the center coax conductor and solder the other two wires to the shield.
4) Assemble it like an inverted T or Y, if necessary bend to fit and then staple in place.
5) For tuning (mine required none), it is okay to simply bend the wire back onto itself.
Here is an externally mounted version of this antenna using 102 CB whip:
Click to access 10M-Vertical-1995-07-QST.pdf
For local use in WCARES be sure to get the antenna as high up as possible. A 10 meter vertical signal will tend to carry over the ground and bend over the hills a little better than 2 meters, but for our expectations assume line-of-sight pathways.
ZIP codes:
Williamson County:
http://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/664/Zipcode24x36
Davidson County:
http://maps.nashville.gov/webimages/MapGallery/PDFMaps/Zip%20Codes.pdf
Others?