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Amateur Radio News of interest to KARC members
Pacific Northwest DX Convention
Registration is now open for the 2021 PNW DX Convention sponsored by the Willamette Valley DX Club in Portland, OR. Registration is free and open to everyone since this is a virtual convention. Technical sessions and prizes are still under development by the convention committee. Please check the PNW DX Convention website for the latest info.
The in-person convention scheduled for August, 2021 has been cancelled. The WVDXC will be holding a one day virtual convention via Zoom instead. The date is Saturday Aug 7, 2021. All hams are welcome.
Convention History: The PNW DX Convention has been held every summer since 1955 with the sponsorship rotating between the major DX clubs of the Pacific Northwest. The 66th Annual Convention will be hosted by the Willamette Valley DX Club.
Together, these organizations have upheld the rich traditions of amateur radio and the pursuit of DX through five solar cycles. Over the decades, we have enjoyed wonderful friendships and the very special international cameraderie that ham radio fosters in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.
http://pacificnwdxconvention.com/
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PSAT2 (NO-104) Satellite VHF Transceiver is Alive with Innovative Mode
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, says the PSAT2 VHF transceiver awoke from an 8-month slumber on April 26. "We have no idea why. Its telemetry looks fine," Bruninga said.
Voltage is between 6.2 and 7.0 V and exterior temperatures are between -18° and 22° C. PSAT2 will not be in Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) mode, but in a brand-new experimental mode for dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) uplink (145.980 MHz) and voice downlink.
"You pre-load your grid and call sign into a 16-digit DTMF memory in your radio, and when the satellite hears this it will assign a QSO number and QSL the grid by voice and then generate an APRS packet," Bruninga explained.
There's even a way to send back a DTMF QSL, so you can make it a two-way DTMF contact. Successful DTMF grids and messages will appear on a special URL on the PSAT2 page.
To QSL, key in that station's 2-digit QSL number and then dump your pre-loaded QSL DTMF message. Bruninga adds, "Read the docs and be sure you know what you are doing." A PSAT2 Users Operations Manual is available on the PSAT2 web page.
