The ROTA Group ( Rednecks On The Air ) !!!

Holiday Hams 

We had a great lunch & ragchew today at Smokey Joe's BBQ in Lexington NC.

Front Row ... N4LA/Todd , W4TJE/Jack , WX4F/Gray , W4HG/Wayne

Back Row ... NW4N/Tommy , WJ4DX/Wes , K4MK/Kent                     

Thanks Guys

W4TJE 30/40 yagi is on the tower !!

73 to NX8L .... Gary is now a SK

Gary (NX8L)

You will be missed  !!

Here is one of Pastor Gary's favorite sayings ....

" Go out believing the world is good, and where you find it is not, make it so ! " 

W4TJE ... SOTA Activation

W4TJE ... Activates Big House Mountain in Virginia

W4V / LX-016

Want the latest Space Weather Forecast and info ??

Space Weather links via Twitter & YouTube

https://twitter.com/TamithaSkov

Click below 

for

Current forecast issued 08-04-2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHL5JgOcE7c&feature=youtu.be

HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES VENUE FOR 2017

So where is the new Dayton Hamvention located ?

Click on the links below for more info

http://hamvention.org/hamvention-announces-venue-for-2017/

http://www.greenecountyfairgrounds.com/

https://twit.tv/shows/ham-nation/episodes/259?autostart=false

What Web DX-Cluter do I use ?

DXHeat

https://dxheat.com/

What do I use to check propagation ?

Faros 1.4 

Automatic NCDXF beacon monitor for Radio Amateurs, 
SWL'ers and HF communication engineers 

http://www.dxatlas.com/faros/

Features:

• continuously monitors 18 NCDXF beacons on five bands;
• automatically detects the presence of the beacon signals, even in QRM and noise;
• measures the signal-to-noise ratio, the QSB index, and the propagation delay of the signal;
• automatically identifies long path openings based on the signal delay;
• has a real-time display of band conditions;
• maintains a long-term history of beacon observations;
• generates signal charts at regular intervals in a form suitable for Web publishing;
• generates observation logs optimized for automatic analysis.

W4TJE

Antenna Update

Here is NW4N / Tommy counting 40 meter elements...

He has confirmed 4 elements on 40 !!

Tommy is now trying to figure out how to run coax

from Jacks new yagi in Fancy Gap, to his station in Galax !!

Whats next ??

Jack says ... let's add some 30 meter elements !!!

How many on 30 ?

Stay tuned 

To be continued ....

( Click on Pic to zoom )

W4TJE 

Antenna Update ...

You can't rush monster antennas

 BIG GUN

COMING SOON !!!

30/40 Meter Yagi

JK Antennas

https://jkantennas.com/

PackTenna 

Attn: SOTA / Portable ops

A great light weight antenna system

Especially if you homebrew !!!

http://www.packtenna.com/

Listen to Podcast at ...

http://amateurradio15.com/23/

W4TJE .... New tower coming soon !!

N4LA and W4TJE de R2DFO wonderful qso on 15m

N4LA 2016 Field Day set up ( 1E NC )

Rig ... Yaesu FT 857D
Battery power ... Buddipole A123 Lithium
LDG Z-11 Pro II Tuner
Heil Headset
Antennas ... 3 OCF Sloping Dipoles
TX PWR ... 50 watts
Software ... N1MM logger
QTH ... Home

A-1 Operator Club

Latest Rig at N4LA

Yes I sold my K3 !!

But 

No Regrets

This is a awesome radio !!

Scouting for SOTA Spots !!

New

 SOTA Activations 

COMING SOON

Looking up to the top of Comers Rock W4V/WV013  (10pts)

Accompanied by W4TJE & NW4N

A view from the top !!

Saturday Hike

Saturday after lunch, my 14 yr old decided she wanted to go hiking. And I decided to take some of my portable radio gear along on the hike. My portable set up included a Yaesu 857d @ 50 watts, a Buddipole A123 lithium battery pack.... and 20 meter end fed antenna from LnR Precision.I logged all contacts with my smartphone and piglet interface from Pignology Inc. I made 6 contacts with the following stations ...
N8DNX ... W3JA ... KD0ETC ... NV2K ...
W4CBS ... KA7BSA
Thanks guys for giving me a call.
73 de N4LA

HamQSLer ?

HamQSLer is the premier free, open source program for designing and printing your QSL cards. HamQSLer allows you to design professional looking QSL cards, and then either print them with QSO information added on your own printer, or save them to JPEG files for forwarding to a QSL print shop.
Below are 3 more examples of simple QSL cards you can create in minutes, after you get familiar with the software.

I was almost out of QSL cards ... so I started looking for something more than a basic design. Which I have used for years. I wanted one of those nice picture cards ...  until I checked the price ! Then I stumbled across a program called HamQSLer.

The software is not complicated at all, but I do recommend reading the PDF help files before you attempt to create your own QSL card.

One of the neat features I liked was creating a picture within a picture.You can also control the size of both pictures !

You can even download your adif log file into the program and it will print your qso's on your QSL card for you. 

You can add,  logo's .... designs ...... make 2 sided cards .... create photo cards .... etc.

Sure you have to buy printer ink and good card stock or photo paper .... but it's a lot of fun designing any card you want.You can have a different card for each ham event. The possibilities are endless !!

It has plenty of features that I haven't mentioned. So go to the website and check it out !

Click on the link below

HamQSLer

Remember

73 de N4LA

"Get RADIO-ACTIVE"

Another 2014 Ice Storm !

Well spring starts this week. Or at least that's what they say. Here's a picture of my multiband yagi covered with ice ! I sure hope the wind doesn't get up. Or I'm in trouble !