1. Welcome to Northern California DX Club January 15, 2009

2. Slide 2 NCDXC Jan 09 Tonight’s Agenda Club Business –Introduction of Officers –Introductions of Members –New members –DX news –QSTs The status of the sunspot cycle Visalia Patch Contest Antenna Forum NCDXC Raffle

3. Slide 3 NCDXC Jan 09 Introduction of Officers Introduction of Officers Officers –President Craig BradleyAE6RR –Vice PresRisto Kotalampi W6RK –SecretaryRuss BentsonK6KLY –TreasurerJose Picazo Jr.WT6X Directors –Steve JonesN6SJ –Jim AbrahamW6EB –John EisenbergK6YP

4. Slide 4 NCDXC Jan 09 Introductions Let’s Go Around the room… –Introduce yourself & any guests –Tell us what new DX you have bagged Did anyone work E44M? TS7C? Contests? –Any other news you wish to share? (please keep it brief)

5. Slide 5 NCDXC Jan 09 New members? Secretary - Russ, K6KLY –He has applications are available… –Voting

6. Slide 6 NCDXC Jan 09 DX News – KP5 KP5 Desecheo Island –Leaders: Dr. Glenn Johnson, W0GJ & Bob Allphin, K4UEE –Web Site: http://kp5.us/http://kp5.us/ –Dates: February 12 to 26, 2009 –Stations: 8 HF + 6M –Online log: Yes –Heading: 96 deg –Distance: 3531 miles –Operators: 22 –Radios: 10 + Amps

7. Slide 7 NCDXC Jan 09 Propagation to KP5 Feb 09 18 MHz 22:00 UTC 43 dB SNR 14 MHz 22:00 UTC 40 dB SNR

8. Slide 8 NCDXC Jan 09 DX News - DXpeditions PALESTINE, E44M – Ended Sunday – 29K Qs TUNISIA, TS7C – QRV until Jan 19 MOZAMBIQUE – –Texas DX Society planning Mar 25 – Apr 5 –6 Ops –3 Stations

9. QSTs

10. Slide 10 NCDXC Jan 09 NCDXC Net Net coordinator - Don, AA6W If you would like to be a net control, please see or contact Don Please Remember - NCDXC Net –Every Thursday 8pm –Except on monthly meeting nights (3 rd Thurs) –On W6TI repeater, 147.360 MHz, PL 110.9

11. Slide 11 NCDXC Jan 09 DXer Material Editor - Phil, K6TT If you have suggestions for articles, etc. please see or contact Phil If you would like to contribute (photos, articles, etc.), Phil will be very happy to talk to you! This is your newsletter – help make it great!

12. Slide 12 NCDXC Jan 09 Tonight’s Raffle Mike W6WZ & Carolyn WB6ABC have some great prizes! –Door Prizes –1 st Prize: Yaesu VX 150/83B – 2M HT w/1400mA Bat. –2 nd Prize: MH-C 9000A Battery Charger –3 rd Prize: Elecraft 2T-Gen Test Oscillator –4 th Prize: Set of Fair-rite Beads –5 th Prize: TE113 8P8C Crimping Tool Need Tickets – see Carolyn or Mike – 6 for $5 –12 for $10 –24 for $20 GOOD LUCK!

13. Slide 13 NCDXC Jan 09 Additional QSTs Does anyone have any other announcements they would like to make?

14. Our Sunspot Cycle Still going nowhere…

15. Slide 15 NCDXC Jan 09 Last Night Conditions

16. Slide 16 NCDXC Jan 09 The Last Couple of Months

17. Slide 17 NCDXC Jan 09 Maunder “Butterfly” Diagram

18. Slide 18 NCDXC Jan 09 Sunspots Since 1994 with Prediction for Next 12 Mo <>

19. Slide 19 NCDXC Jan 09 A Previous Prediction

20. Slide 20 NCDXC Jan 09 SOHO MDI Continuum Latest Image

21. Slide 21 NCDXC Jan 09 IDXC Visalia IDXC 2009 (the 60th year) will be held April 17- April19, 2009 at the Visalia Holiday Inn Let’s make 2009 the best IDXC EVER!!!

22. IDXC 09 Visalia Patch Contest Steve Jones, N6SJ

23. Slide 23 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #1

24. Slide 24 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #2

25. Slide 25 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #3

26. Slide 26 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #4

27. Slide 27 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #5

28. Slide 28 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #6

29. Slide 29 NCDXC Jan 09 Patch #7

30. Slide 30 NCDXC Jan 09 Vote for One #1 #2 #3 #4 #5#6 #7

31. Slide 31 NCDXC Jan 09 Authors #1 K6TT #2 K6YP #4 W7DR #5 W6KM-1 #6 W6KM-2 #7 AE6RR #3 NW6P

32. Antenna Forum Panel Members

33. Slide 33 NCDXC Jan 09 Dean Straw, N6BV First licensed in 1959 as WH6DKD EE from Yale University First job was at National Radio Company designing HF and VHF radios Worked in the commercial radio industry all of his life Worked at the ARRL HQ for 15 years –specializing in antennas, transmission lines and propagation He was the editor of the ARRL Antenna Book and other books dealing with antennas

34. Slide 34 NCDXC Jan 09 Kirsten McIntyre, K6WX Interested in radio since she was about 5 years old First ticket in 1979 while at MIT Worked in many diverse areas –analog circuit design –image processing –starting and running an ISP –currently the CTO of a Japanese web services company –formerly worked as a principal investigator at Sun Microsystems Laboratories. ARRL Technical Coordinator and Technical Specialist for the East Bay Section, Past president of PAARA Has extensive experience operating from an apartment.

35. Slide 35 NCDXC Jan 09 Jim Brown, K9YC First licensed in 1955 as WN8FNI BSEE at the University of Cincinnati in 1964 System design consultant, specializing in systems for public places. Vice-chair of the EMC Working Group of the Standards Committee of the AES and Chair of the Technical Committee on EMC He has written numerous technical papers on sound system design Locally known for his papers and talks on the use of ferrites Avid contester Jim primarily uses wire antennas

36. Slide 36 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Format The moderator will present a question/topic to the panel Each panel member will have a chance to comment (panel members may yield time to each other) We will try to limit each question to 5 minutes Additional questions will be taken from the floor as time permits (~ 1 hr)

37. Slide 37 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 1.Vertical vs. horizontal antennas 2.How important is SWR (impedance matching, antenna tuners, etc.)? 3.Advantages of various types of feed lines 4.What is gain? 5.Frequency vs. pattern 6.What does an antenna analyzer actually tell you? 7.Grounding (especially when your not near the ground) 8.Downsides/compromises of compact antennas 9.The advantages of stacking antennas 10.The importance of terrain

38. Slide 38 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 1.Vertical vs. horizontal antennas

39. Slide 39 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 2. How important is SWR (impedance matching, antenna tuners, etc.)?

40. Slide 40 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 3. Advantages of various types of feed lines

41. Slide 41 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 4. What is gain?

42. Slide 42 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 5. Frequency vs. pattern

43. Slide 43 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 6. What does an antenna analyzer actually tell you?

44. Slide 44 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 7. Grounding (especially when your not near the ground) –Radials? –Can grounds or radials pickup noise?

45. Slide 45 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 8. Downsides/compromises of compact antennas

46. Slide 46 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 9. The advantages of stacking antennas

47. Slide 47 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics 10. The importance of terrain

48. Slide 48 NCDXC Jan 09 Forum Topics Questions from the floor?

49. Slide 49 NCDXC Jan 09 The NCDXC Raffle! Does anyone need tickets before we start? Prizes –Door Prizes –1 st Prize: Yaesu VX 150/83B – 2M HT w/1400mA Bat. –2 nd Prize: MH-C 9000A Battery Charger –3 rd Prize: Elecraft 2T-Gen Test Oscillator –4 th Prize: Set of Fair-rite Beads –5 th Prize: TE113 8P8C Crimping Tool

50. Slide 50 NCDXC Jan 09 Thanks for Coming Tonight! Remember the net next Thursday night! Drive safe! Pray for sunspots! 73 & Good DX!