If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.

 

About 10 years ago I posted about backing up your PC. Since May 2016 when I posted I would image even more radio op's depend to some degree on their PC's. Even if you are a minimalist when it comes to mixing ham radio and computers I am sure most of you have a PC and depend on it for something. MANY times in the past I have said "I have learned my lesson" when one of my beloved PC's either just stopped working or the OS hiccuped or was doing back flips. When one or all of these things happen and I do say WHEN because whether you like it or not you beloved PC will let you down. If you have not backed up it is to late and the fun begins to see what and if you can salvage anything. 

3Y0K in the log

 

 Finally, it has started to warm up here and on Saturday temps hit a nice 7C, and we celebrated by burping the house. It ended up raining all day, but that helps melt the snow faster which is ok with me. I was in the radio room doing some this and that, I decided to check (again) the DX Heat cluster and see what if anything was going on with 3Y0K on Bouvet island. As way of background I have seen them many times on the cluster followed by a huge pile up but never could hear them. 

As I was looking over the spots on the cluster 3Y0K just popped up with a new spot on 20m. I flipped the switch on the 7610 and ventured down to there spotted frequency on 20m. For the first time I could hear them at about S3, even better there was next to no pileup.....YET!  The Icom 7610 was on CW,  I tapped Dual then split and joined the fray. 

In the right ear I could hear the pileup and was looking at the waterfall to see where the lonely signal was who answered 3Y0K's beck and call. Very fast I caught on to how they were working the pileup. One issue was 3Y0K would reach out to a caller BUT still many would continue to send their call sign. Once 3Y0K worked a station many like me have a waterfall display and could see were the action was. Then all of a sudden that small wedge of the frequency became very busy. What I noticed was 3Y0K moved down frequency a bit more than normal to get away from the clump of callers.  I decided to do the same. I noticed that 3Y0K now had moments of fading in and out, also the pileup was starting to grow fast. But after only 3 tries I was in the log. 

During my attempt there were those calling on 3Y0K's frequency, someone for about 30 seconds or more sending a carrier over top of 3Y0K and those who just sent their call continually no matter who 3Y0K was working. Oh well just part of the fun I guess. 

HamClock lives on

 

With Elwood (the creator of HamClock) now SK, HamClock is set to stop functioning in June 2026. Fortunately, several alternatives and workarounds exist for those looking to continue using similar features. Here’s a summary based on my experience and research:

1. Open HamClock

• Feature-rich: Offers extensive customization and configuration.
• Spotting Control: Ability to turn off spotting to de-clutter the map.
• Setup: Easy setup process; remembers your preferences if saved.
• Full Screen: Can be run in full-screen mode.
• Updates: Regular updates with clear notifications and instructions.
• VOACAP Display: Improved propagation prediction display.

ARRL DX CW contest

 

I spent a lot of time in the contest chair this weekend. While the Olympics were on and on Sunday, the much-anticipated U.S. vs. Canada hockey matchup sparked sports fever in our house, but it belongs to my wife, not me. For me, it was all about contesting, so I happily settled behind the radio.

I began early Saturday morning and continued until Sunday evening, wrapping up at 23:45. Conditions fluctuated significantly: on Sunday morning, I noticed a lot of what I call “wobbling” in station signals. Solar activity picked up on Sunday, and I found many stations calling me were just above the noise floor. I ran for about 90% of the contest and enjoyed every minute. I can always tell when I’m spotted suddenly as the floodgates open with callers!

 

By the end of each evening, fatigue started to set in, and I found myself mixing up S and H or 7 and 8. When that happens, I know it’s time to pull the plug and walk away before frustration takes over.

The station, PC, and antenna all operated flawlessly. I had contacts from South America, Hawaii, and even Africa. There were also quite a few QRP stations reporting just 5 watts I double-checked, thinking they meant 500, but nope, it was 5! One of my many pins now claims South Korea, though I know that’s not accurate. When I looked up the call, I realized my mistake, but by then, the station had already moved on.

All in all, it was a memorable weekend of contesting, full of challenges and highlights.