The CX Newsletter is intended for the enjoyment of CX participants
and others interested in the restoration, operation and enjoyment of
Classic Ham Gear. This Newsletter was prepared from materials submitted by
CX participants and from on-the-air observations and QSOs. Editorial comments
on Individual Reports are shown in [Italics].
Any errors, omissions, or insensitive comments
are unintentional. Please let me know if you
have suggestions on improving the Newsletter or the CX website.
Thanks and 73,
Mac,
Mac, WQ8U
SEPTEMBER 2003 CX HIGHLIGHTS
SEPTEMBER 2003 CX - FEAST OR FAMINE?
The prospects for the September 2003 CX started out looking really good. We agreed with
Dale, KW1I, the AMI honcho, to hold the CX concurrent with AMI’s Discovery Weekend and
to extend the CX to cover the entire weekend instead of the usual Sunday only format.
It was hoped that these additional days and hours along with the concurrent AMI activity
would allow more folks to get their classic gear on the air and have fun operating them.
We also had unusual pre-CX publicity on the GB and other reflectors which seemed to
bode well. Miguel, EA8IT said there would be a number of
classic rig operators
from EA land looking for CX contacts. Conrad, WS4S;
Don, N3RHT;
John, K4KWM; Greg, KG4MMY;
Lee, WA3FIY; Scott, WA9WFA; and a number of
others posted e-mails of their plans for which classic gear they would have on the air.
Mike, KW4HF,
posted the CX announcement on the Boatanchor Bulletin Board. Also, CX got double
publicity in the September issue of QST with an article about CX
with photos of a number of CXers and their rigs and in the August issue of ELECTRIC RADIO
with a summary of the February 2002 CX and details of the this CX. Thanks to John, K2TQN
"OLD RADIO" columnist in QST
and to Ray, N0DMS, the Editor of ER.
There was lots of good pre-CX publicity,
enthusiasm and interest.
Unfortunately, the best laid plans do not always work for everyone. The CX was a
mixed event depending on whom you ask. Rocco, N6KN, had 185 QSOs,
including 33 on AM, on his way to an all time CX record high score and
Brian, WA5UEK,
worked 40 AM QSOs.
On the other hand, Nick, KD4CPL, Marty, AA4RM,
and others had difficulty
finding AM CX QSOs.
To complicate things, there was severe competition for
specturm from the Texas QSO party and the CQ WW RTTY contest as well as the
quirks of Mother Nature’s propagation.
Jim, W8KGI, and others observed that
the longer operating periods seemed to spread folks out making it harder
to find CXers. As Mark, K3ZX, said, he
was “scratching for QSOs” and Al, W8UT,
was “underwhelmed.”
On the other hand, Bill, K0ZL, “loved the contest”;
Jim, K4AXF, reported: "Man,
was CX ever a blast!" and Rocco, N6KN, experienced this:
"I went to 14275 with
the B&W 6100/R4A (the SX 115 died unexpectedly). It was like a
DX pileup; I think the QST article helped; lots of folks were hunting for CXer's.
It seemed like the entire country dragged out their craziest old radios to work the
B&W 6100."
The bottom line seems to be a modestly successful CX since many folks got
their classic gear operating, put it on the air, and experienced operation as
it was at times when that gear was in its prime. And, a greater number
of hams were made aware or reminded that Classic Radios are still fun.
Good job fellow CXers!
The next CX will be Sunday February 8, 2004 (Week after Super Bowl). The hours
will be longer than last February’s CX to give every band and both coasts
reasonable windows. Hopefully this CX will be more fun for more CXers; if not,
we will try tweaking it some more.
Mac
WQ8U
HIGH SCORERS - HOW IT’S DONE
Rocco, N6KN, who came in second last September decided he would not
let that happen again and turned in an unbelievable CX record score of 32,896,903.
Rocco took advantage of the AMI Discovery event and logged 33 CX AMI QSOs along with
127 SSB and 25 CW QSOs. Reading his report gives you the real
feeling of fun CX can have. AWESOME!!! Click here
to see Rocco's feeling about his CX experiences.Howie, WB2AWQ, was second in September with 2,687,850 points which just edged into
second place by 1.5%! Howie did this with an array of classic rigs including a TBW "Pumper-
Thumper" and a 90Watt push-pull 211 Hartley!
Brian, WA5UEK, came in a close third with 2,647,535 points. Brian put on an impressive
array of rigs including a real classic Gonset G-76 and big gun Collins KW-1 and Johnson 500.
AWARDS, INTERESTING RIGS, QSOs and ENTRIES
SIGNAL OF NOTE
Jim, W8ZR, is a long time ham with a very impressive array of classic gear as well as
some expensive rice boxes. He does amazingly well in keeping his day job at
Miami University from interefering with his ham life. He recently had an
article in QST on a very sophisticated antenna tuner he designed and built.
Is all
that what makes Jim noteworth to the CX crowd? NO WAY! Howie, WB2AWQ, Brian, K9VKY
and others noted that Jim's FPM-200 had a "most distinctive" note - maybe T 7C. Others
observed that they missed hearing him. CXers have their perspectives well tuned.
RIGS OF NOTE Glen, K9STH, who had a quadruple cardiac by-pass earlier this year, used
a 1929 Brent Daniels lighthouse transmitter for this CX. The story of
the rig is in Glen's comments .
Ray, N0DMS the Editor of ER Magazine was noted by several folks for
his 20 tube homebrew receiver.
MOST UNUSUAL DRIVER?
Mike, W7DRA, has always been on the fringe
with his rigs and QTH during CX. He
has operated prior CXes portable during WA salmon runs and been operating
from a tent given to him by his XYL. However this CX he had a
different situation: "The main rig with be the 87 Honda, as I have to pick
up my sister from Tacoma."
BEST EXCUSE
Al, N5AIT, a co-founder of CX and long time CX Newsletter editor,
shared the following:
"The end of an era... For the first time since the very first "NX," precursor of "CX,"
I was not on at all for the event. I have had a few where I got in only toward the end,
but always enough to qualify something. Guess this time I go for the "Best Excuse" award:
we had the house fire, all my equipment is boxed up somewhere while they finish repairing
the house (hoping to be moved back before the end of this month (Dec) - but I have
said THAT before!), and we are living in a furnished apartment about a 40 meter
dipole's distance from high tension lines which run across the back of the
place - with no trees within a block. The antenna at the school radio station
came down just before CX and I still have not had the time or opportunity to
get it back up. Guess that about covers it. I hope you had lots of activity and
heard some new old stuff - or maybe put some of your own on the air. Guess I could
use the old "Wait 'til next year" statement... but as one of the Cubs fans just
observed after they beat out Atlanta, "This year IS Next Year!" So will be aiming
for the next CX - as always! "
73,
Al
N5AIT
MAKING CX BETTER
Carl, K8NU, a long time Columbus OH ham and master of banjo, guitar, base and software
developed a very
nice CX logging program which is available for download FREE at
http://www.carl-yaffey.com/classic.html
While there is no rigid log format requirement for CX, unlike some other events, this
program will really make things easier for recordkeeping and scoring. Try it --
you'll like it!
WHAT ABOUT CHANGES?
As mentioned earlier, the September CX was run concurrently with the AMI Discovery Weekend
to increase opportunity for classic contacts. From the comments it is not clear that
this really added significantly and may have had an adverse impact due to the other
events the same weekend and dilution. In the Feburary 2004 CX we will move back to a
Sunday/Monday
event with slightly extended hours to allow operation in all bands and on both coasts.
However, things can always be improved. Please let me know what you think and any other
ideas you have for making CX more fun. Mac, WQ8U
CX Newsletter Editor
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I have attached a composite photo of 3 views of the 1929 Brent
Daniel Lighthouse Service transmitter that I used for a few
contacts during the September 2003 Classic Exchange.
Click here to see Glen's transmitter
The coins in the photo are to give some idea as to the size of
the unit.
It uses plug-in coils of the type of base that I "just" happened
to have a complete set that cover from about 100 KHz up to about
30 MHz. The transmitter did not have any tubes or coils when I
got it. However, it is in basically like brand new condition.
The transmitter was built on 12 September 1929 and is serial
number 74. Obviously, there were a "fair" number built
(at least for the time and considering the use).
It is designed for crystal control although I used a
Heath VF-1 VFO since I didn't have any crystals that would work.
It puts out between 4 and 5 watts if I "push" it!
Considering the simplicity of the circuitry it probably
would make it up to 20 meters if I really tried.
However, I felt like I was "pushing it" to make it to 40!
The Brent Daniel 1929 Lighthouse Service
transmitter
uses plug-in coils and is in like-new condition. It runs about
5 watts output. The Lighthouse Service became part of the United
States Coast Guard not too long after this transmitter was manufactured.
Due to its condition I doubt if it ever was in service. It was built
on 12 September 1929 and is serial number 74 (according the the nameplate).
Anyway, my rheumatoid arthritis has been pretty painful the past several
weeks so I didn't operate as much as I probably could have. Also, activity
was down. Don't know if it had to do with several other contests going on
at the same time including the AMI contest and the Texas QSO party.
Again, if you need the log in something different than Excell, let me know.
Glen, K9STH
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