Year-end Virtual Party Monday Dec 13 at 7 PM

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You are invited to join Newport County Radio Club online via Zoom (invitation sent via email) for a virtual year-end party on Monday December 13th at 7 PM.

While we can’t offer you hors d’oeuvre and libations, you are more than welcome to partake on your own.

We will have a brief review of what went on during the 2021 year, along with an announcement of an in-person event on Saturday December 18th (11 AM to 1 PM).  Our scavenger hunt will be returning again, complete with prizes for the winners (an end-fed half-wave antenna, club membership, wearable items, and other tchotchkes).  I hear that Paul’s elves have worked on a new score for the club’s song.

Hoping to see everyone Monday at 7 PM!

A successful VE session was held on December 11th

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Hats off to Mike AA1XQ and all the VEs that helped at All Saints STEAM Academy on Saturday December 11th.  Five new Technicians successfully passed their tests.

Congratulations to the following new hams (call signs pending, of course):

  • Robert Matose (Middletown)
  • Peter Cole (Coventry)
  • James Garman (Newport)
  • Christopher Dorsey (Coventry)
  • Maurice Levesque (West Warwick)

 

Virtual Year-End Party Monday December 13th at 7 PM

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Rather than have a year-end party, after two surveys of the membership, it was determined that a virtual party will be held again via Zoom on Monday December 13th at 7 PM.

There will be a brief review of the club activities during 2021 by outgoing President Peter KQ1X.  Nancy KC1NEK will announce an in-person get together for December 18th from 11 AM until 1 PM – A “MOTA” mines-on the air event.  Paul K1YBE and helper elves will have another scavenger hunt with a bunch of nice prizes.  And, the club song with new and improved soundtrack will be revealed.

Club members will receive an invitation on Sunday via email as usual.

Hope you can join us!

CW Academy Classes Starting in January

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CWops, a group devoted to Morse Code, offers classes three times a year.  If you have an interest in learning Morse Code, or improving your skills, you chance is coming up in January & February.

Called the CW Academy, there are four levels of classes you can participate in:

  • Beginner – For those with limited or no CW experience.
  • Basic – Familiar with characters but need increased proficiency
  • Intermediate – Comfortable about 10 WPM on-air, looking to improve
  • Advanced – Operating on air at 15 WPM and looking to contest at 30 WPM

Classes are open to all and are free.  The standard format is to meet via Zoom twice a week for an hour, then do practice on your own, or with your classmates for 30-60 min a day.  If you would like to participate, please use this link to find out more and sign up for classes: https://cwops.org/cw-academy/

CWops are very good at what they do.  In 2021, they had 1,452 students who completed their classes, taught by 79 volunteer instructors.  This year, six NCRC members were students, and one is even teaching classes starting in January.

What Logging Software Do People Use for Contesting?

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I saw a very interesting post today in the CWops group.  They referenced a blog that can be found at this link:  https://cqww.com/blog/logging-software-used-in-cq-ww-ssb-2019/

The bottom line is that N1MM is by far the #1 choice with 49% of all November Sweepstake logs created using that program.  N3FJP was #2 with 7%.  Ham Radio Deluxe, which used to “own” the logging software market is only 0.1% (4 logs) and DXKeeper (not really used for contest logging) had 11 logs for 0.1% as well.

Granted this is for contesting, which is specialized for sure.  I’m sure that N3FJP will rank near the top for general purpose logging, and am also sure that DXLabs/DXKeeper will also be quite popular.