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The Bull Horn
February 27, 2015
Volume II, Issue II
“WELCOME TO THE PASTURE”
The Bull Horn newsletter is for the reading enjoyment of Bull Net
Members (BNM) and all interested amateur radio operators. For more
information on The Bull Net, please visit www.thebullnet.com.
In this month’s issue:
Happenings: Pages 1 and 2
Thoughts: Pages 3 - 6
17: Page 6
The Bull Sheet: Pages 7 - 11
Happenings:
The Augusta Winter-Fest.
On Saturday, February 7, 2015 many BNM were at the Augusta winter-fest.
I started to keep track of who was there but soon found out I had lost count so
I won’t try and come up with all the call signs, I think it is safe to say, if you were
there you know it. This is more of that brilliant writing mentioned last month.
W1JFF, Jeff won a door prize. AA1DX, Gene had a couple of tables full of stuff
to sell, he told me that he had sold a whole lot of stuff.
I rode up with Den, KA1KPA, both the up and home trips were a piece of cake. No
snow falling either way. Seems Den can control the WX. Thanks for the ride Den.
It was good to see old friends and make a few new ones.
The Maine State Convention and Andy Hamfest are just around the corner,
March 27-28, Lewiston, Maine. Throw on your best go to meeting garbs we take
pictures of the gang at this one. Remember last year’s picture we had a nonmember get in the picture, this year we will police the area for those people as
they don’t know how special we BNM are. Make no room for an impostor.
Happenings Two:
New BNM, 121 Strong
Please welcome our new BNM.
BNM# 127, N1CJL, Jim Faughnan of Norwich, VT. Nickname: Jim.
BNM# 128, AA1US, Mike Grenier of Oxford, Me. Nickname: Mikey.
BNM# 129, K1NMF, Dennis Lavertu of Chichester, NH. Nickname:
Chichester.
Happenings Three:
The February PC.
PC 021915: A real good showing for the February PC, 44 BNM and one nonmember, W1PFS, Paul, Clinton, Ma. We had four emails from BNM saying they
could not make it, thanks for thinking of us. Good to hear some lost BNM too.
We had some good news reported. N1NJB, Cliff reported he has been offered
and accepted a job with Pleasant Pine lumber, good news for sure. N1LAW, John
has also been out of work for a while and he is going to work at the Portsmouth
Naval shipyard. It not fun being unemployed, this is good news all around.
Ernie, N1GTY, told us he had talked with Adolf, W1ALS. Adolf has been released
from the hospital after a bout with pneumonia. Adolf is in good spirts and on the
road to recovery. Hope to hear you soon Adolf.
Eric, W1FUU told us he had been down with an intestinal bleeding problem, he
said the doctors gave him a couple of pints of blood he was feeling much better.
He sounded good and was full of energy, I’m thinking the Doctors might have given
him high test.
Joe, K1JEK was having a problem with the weather conditions of late, seems he
did not want to talk about snow. Problem was, every station that checked in was
talking about snow, shoveling it, cleaning off the roof and alike. This was really
beating Joe up, so we told him we would spell it S-N-O-W and not say snow. This
approach seemed to make him feel better and it was S-N-O-W and not snow for
the remainder of the PC. We BNM are so considerate.
The subject of the planet Mars came up, we will have more on this later, it’s the
subject of the next PC. Want to go to Mars? One way trip! Never see you later!
Many thanks to all who stopped by. I hope you enjoyed the PC.
Our next PC is March 19, 2015 starting on or about 16:00.
Thoughts:
K2FIB tells us how!
Complements of Bill, K9NCO.
NEW YORK CITY — some amateur radio operators are questioning claims by
NBC News anchor Brian Williams that he is a newly licensed ham radio
operator. Branching out from the “professional” broadcasting ranks into the
“amateur” radio hobby is something Williams said he has wanted to do “since
interviewing Hiram Percy Maxim in 2009.”
“I was thrilled to take and pass the Advanced license class exam earlier this
week,” said Williams. “I ordered my first Heathkit straight from the factory on
Tuesday.” The newsman said he passed the exam in his hometown of
Ridgewood, New Jersey.
“In addition, it was only a few minutes after receiving my vanity call sign
K2FIB that I earned my DXCC certificate,” said Williams.
Williams announced that he had his license in an amateur radio online
forum, when he posted in the “Wanted To Buy” section, looking for “one of
those cheap handheld Chinese radios.”
“I don’t recall you being in my test session,” said Renee Spangledorf in reply to
the forum post. He is the Volunteer Examiner in charge of testing for the
Ridgewood Radio Rangers.
Williams posted a reply saying he may have misremembered some of the facts.
“I might be a no-code Tech. I’m not sure,” he said.
Seems Mr. Brian Williams misremembers often and has made news doing it.
Now it’s Mr. Brian Williams turn in Stomper’s pasture.
Just in case you didn’t know: Hiram Percy Maxim (September 2, 1869 –
February 17, 1936). K2FIB earned his DXCC in a few minutes and he did it
with a Chinese handheld. As there is no call sign of K2FIB in FCC data base,
it’s open season on K2FIB!
So that’s how it’s done! We are going about this DXCC thing all wrong.
Work DXCC with your brand new Chinese handheld. You won’t hear: Split,
split”, learn to use your split button, must be a no coder, what is it you don’t
understand about split? Up, up, up! The LID dx station won’t tell you what he
is working for split, you are supposed to know. K2FIB you are a prime
example of a LID. Hey station K2FIB, they spell LID, using your call sign! This
is K2FIB, what’s a LID?
For those who already have a Chinese uhf/vhf handheld, what are you waiting
for? Get her done! I’m ordering mine today. “CQ, CQ, CQ, DX”! Man it is quiet
on the band, keep trying Cup Cake, “CQ, CQ, CQ, DX”!
I wonder if the Ridgewood Radio Rangers is as much fun as The Bull Net.
Thoughts Two:
Stomper says!
Complements of N1RPH. Mick told me he found this write up on a DX web site.
These DX stations have heard it all. Do you want that DX contact confirmed?
How to have more FUN DXing on the Bands:
1. If you come upon a pileup, find the exact DX frequency and slowly tune up
your KW right on his frequency. Take your time doing this as it has maximum
effect this way. The longer you take, the better. It lets others know that
YOU are going to call the DX.
2. If you cannot wait to find out the DX call sign, ask, "What is the DX call
sign?" On CW send DX?? Call?" Do NOT listen, this takes time. DO this
repeatedly until someone gives you the DX call. This will show all others on
frequency that you are serious about wanting to work this DX. This is called
sharing.
3. When you find out the DX call, repeat your call over and over again on the
DX frequency. Even if he is working split there is a chance he may be
listening on his transmit frequency.
4. When the DX says "ABC only"- Don't believe him. If he says "Europe
only" - Don't believe him. If he says, "2's only" - Don't believe him. Keep
giving your call "XYZ? !!.XYZ !! .XYZ !! How Copy MARIO?" Make sure you use
his name when you call him, he may think you are someone he knows. It must
work as we hear it on bands all the time so it has to be effective. Don't pay
attention to directional calls. When did any DX know what they wanted?
What matters most is what YOU want.
5. To get the DX to work other modes tell him you want to set up a schedule
later which is convenient to you. You should wait until the pileup has built up
to several hundred and just before the band is about to go out, then ask him
to meet you on CW, PSK31, RTTY or SSB at a set time and frequency.
Above all, make sure you tell him that YOU need him on these modes. This
will endear you in the hearts of all on frequency, it shows that you can work
more than one mode and are a well-rounded amateur.
6. If you have worked the DX previously make sure you call him and tell him
that he is stronger than the last 6 times you worked him this week. The DX
station will want to know this. Others on frequency will respect you more, you
will be recognized as a Big Gun DXer.
Thoughts Two Continued:
7. If and when you find a DX pileup, to bring your operating skills to a
higher level and impress all those on frequency - Zero beat the DX send
"QRL? Is this frequency in use?" This shows character and that you are truly
a caring person.
8. When finally making the DX contact, give the DX some background about
yourself, TX, RX, ANT, WX, how many children and grandchildren you have,
where they went to college, what size bedroom slipper you wear, or any other
items of interest to the DX. This shows that you are not just a 59 kind of
guy. This is most effective when the band is just about to fold.
9. After you have worked the DX you will need the QSL route. Although this
will be listed on the DX packet cluster, in ARRL & DX News Letters, and on
the Internet, there is no reason for you to go to all the bother of reading
these sources. You can just keep calling on the DX frequency. "What is the
QSL Information?" If you don't get a reply with the information after 8 or
10 calls, keep it up, your persistence will pay off. There are plenty of other
stations on frequency who are waiting to work the DX who have read these
publications and they will be willing and ready to help you.
Rules for THE FUN MODE (CW) or the hard
easy way for Mick’s benefit.
1. For a split operation, spend most of your day listening and transmitting on
the DX sending frequency. If someone calls on the DX transmitting
frequency, right away using your J-38 at 4 WPM, send VP,UG,NP (UP). until
you get it right. If the station continues to call on the DX frequency, then
send LSD, LIB, LED, (LID) until you get it right.
This has three benefits.
A. Others waiting to work the DX will be forever indebted to you for
informing the offending station that the DX is working split.
B. The offending station will be grateful.
C. You will get some needed code practice to get you over that 5 WPM hump.
2. For those with CW and voice memory keyer this will be easy. All you have
to do is program in "UP" and "LID". For the more advanced operators you can
add "Split, Split " "You Idiot, Working Split" .Using the memory keyer for
your day's activity will save your voice and keying hand. Plus, the QRM you’re
creating will be sent correctly even if it is at 4 wpm and impress all those on
frequency.
Thoughts Two Continued:
DX operators who don’t ID often and give good clear instructions, like listening up
2 to 6 or whatever they are doing, helps create much of the QRM. CW DX
operators who send instructions at 35 plus wpm one time don’t help much either.
On the whole, most hams are trying to do it right, but 35 plus wpm sent one time
with all the QRM is just too much, so they guess and if they guess wrong, we all
pay for the DX operator’s misunderstanding of controlling the pile up with QRM
and frustration. When you hear a DX station controlling the pile up with
understandable instructions. The fun comes back to radio and you have a chance
to make that contact with enjoymaent.
Today I worked a DX station who told all the callers if you transmit while I’m in
QSO with a another station and I get your call sign, I won’t work you. The
frequency became so quiet, you could hear the DX stations instructions each and
every time. When I worked him, I told him I liked what he was doing. His
response, “it’s not fun when you have no control, it’s supposed to be fun”. I
listened to him work stations for a few minutes, he was having fun.
17:
A tribute to Bad Joke, K1GAR, BNM# 14
Did you hear about the dyslexic devil worshipper? He sold his soul to Santa.
Why don’t you ever see a Hippopotamus hiding in trees? Because they’re
really, really good at it.
How does NASA organize their company parties? They planet.
What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
It takes a lot of balls to golf like me.
Pobodys Nerfect
73
THE BULL SHEET
February 27, 2015
Call
AA1BQ
AA1LO
AA1QT
AA1US
AA1XD
AB1MC
AB1RA
AI1O
K1ADM
K1APM
K1CGZ
K1DES
K1EMW
K1GAR
K1HZR
K1JEK
K1LLR
K1NMF
Name
Tom
Dave
Whit
Dave
QTH
Holly Hill, FL.
Wells, Me.
Harry
Harry
Mikey
Brownville, Me.
Oxford, Me.
81
128
Who?
Fayette, Me.
58
Scott
Joe
Scott
Harpswell Joe
Northport, Me.
Harpswell, Me.
69
119
Pete
Al
Bill
Paul
Dean E. Shorty
Don
John N. Mac Innes, III
Joe
Joe
Pete
Al
Willy
Peaks Island Paul
Dino
Don
Bad Joke
Winnipesaukee Joe
Joe
Bangor, Me.
Augusta, Me.
Standish, Me.
West Bath, Me.
Silent Key
Turner, Me.
Silent Key
Center Harbour, NH
Northwood, NH
105
28
2
64
84
10
14
87
35
Paul
Paul
Chichester
Exeter, NH
Chichester, NH
45
129
Roger
Stratham, NH
109
Mike
Gene
Nickname
BNM#
19
30
K1PV
Dennis
Roger
K1RVA
Bob
Flick
Rochester, NH
78
K1YOT
K2ANG
Al
Captain Twang
Sunapee, NH
101
Art
Jay
Angus
Jay
Averill Park, NY
Clifton Park, NY
41
126
Curt
John
Curt
John
Syracuse, NY
Harvard, Ma.
34
122
K2QNU
K2WOP
K4LSX
Bill
K9
Waterville, Me.
50
KA1BNE
Rick
Mark
Rick
Mark
Searsport, Me.
Farmington, Me.
106
117
KA1EPT
Nick
Nick
79
KA1FKC
KA1GJU
KA1JWM
KA1KLO
Russ
Kriss
Dave
John
Dennis
Walter
Kriss
Scotch Pie
John
Den
Cary Plantation,
Me.
New Sharon, Me.
Kensington, NH
Biddeford, Me.
Watertown, Ct.
Lyman, Me.
KB1IXI
Dick
George
Mike
Pete
Sidney
Brian
Dexter Dick
George
Cobby
Pete
Sidney
Izzy
Dexter, Me.
Camden, Me.
South Berwick, Me.
Gales Ferry, Ct.
South Paris, Me.
Cohasset, Ma.
74
91
51
67
42
57
KB1JXU
Matt
Matt
Chester, Vt.
82
KB1JZU
KB1LUO
Bob
Sugar Loaf Bob
Lunenburg, Ma.
36
Ed
Arnold
Ed
Dunkin
Clifton, Me.
New Sweden, Me.
93
70
Peter
Pete
Wells, Me.
114
Travis
Ralph
Bud
Larry
Mark
Steve
Travis
Ralph
Bud
Jackman Larry
Mark
Thorn
Saint Albans, Me.
Skowhegan, Me.
Searsport, Me.
Jackman, Me.
Dexter, Me.
Chesterville, Me.
80
47
73
61
76
95
Josh
Don
Jim
Josh
D.P.
Jim
Pembroke, Me.
Barrington, NH
Fort Plain, NY
112
121
94
K9NCO
KA1AIL
KA1KPA
KA1PFD
KA1QJK
KB1CJG
KB1CRB
KB1EJI
KB1MGY
KB1MVP
KB1NJB
KB1OCZ
KB1OF
KB1OWO
KB1PDZ
KB1TUR
KB1VDX
KB1ZHU
KB2RSK
11
124
18
16
86
KC2VWN
KD1KE
KD1PT
KE1LG
KJ1Z
KY1C
KY1E
N1BOK
N1CJL
Kayla
Tom
Mark
Kayla
Tom
Mark
Queensbury, NY
Freedom, Me.
Machiasport, Me
75
118
90
Steve
Mike
Paul
Steve
Mike
Paul
Pittsfield, Me.
North Anson, Me.
Wells, Me.
103
26
46
Thomas
Rusty
W. Farmington, Me.
100
Leo
Leo
Jim
N. Berwick, Me.
Norwich, VT
31
127
Steve
EQ
Ernie
Biddeford, Me.
Lunenburg, Ma.
Monson, Me.
27
39
102
N1GTY
Jim
Steve
Ed
Ernie
N1IEJ
Alan
Alan
Waldoboro, Me.
116
N1IRB
N1KRX
Scott
Mickey
Enfield, Ct.
53
Alan
John
Brutal
Uncle John
Topsham, Me.
Waterboro, Me.
8
4
N1MLF
Delmare
Jon
Del
Jon
Houlton, Me.
Whiting, Me.
77
96
N1NJB
Cliff
Capon
Orland, Me.
12
N1RPH
N1RXE
N1SDR
Mick
Legend
Farmington, Me.
3
N1SGL
Paul
Chad
Rick
Paul
Chad
Over
Biddeford, Me.
Oakland, Me.
Skowhegan, Me.
33
29
99
N1UB
Barton
Bart
Sidney, Me.
89
N1UED
N1UFU
N1ULV
N1ULY
N1VFU
Bob
Bob
New Haven, Ct.
49
Ed
Jim
Lloyd
Gary
Ed
Jim
Lloyd
The Poet
Brownville, Me.
Lisbon Falls, Me.
New Portland, Me.
Claremont, NH
48
32
92
21
N1DOW
N1EJH
N1LAW
N1MCL
N1VVM
N1XW
N1YDP
N1YFL
N1YMM
N1YPZ
N1YQU
N1ZUC
N2IFJ
N4KSQ
NG1P
VE1NIK
VE1TOT
W1ALS
W1BON
W1FRA
W1FUU
W1GRM
W1GWU
W1HYH
W1JFF
W1LGX
W1MEX
W1MWB
W1NOV
W1PNR
W1REN
W1RLB
W1RUO
W1XER
Ray
Fast Ray
Lewiston, Me.
23
Mike
Ken
Pat
Larry
Tim
Don
Darrell
Chris
Dave
Bill
Rick
Irene
Adolph
Bump
Mike
Ken
Pat
Larry
Jabba
Don
Dad
Chris
Dave
Bill
Rick
Tired old teacher
Friday
Bump
Rochester, NH
Mechanic Falls, Me.
Hampton, NH
Plymouth, Me.
N. Sutton, NH
Washburn, Me.
Starks, Me.
Boynton Beach, FL
Winter Haven, FL
Topsham, Me.
South Alton, NS
South Alton, NS
Milo, Me.
Norton, Ma.
123
55
37
52
25
104
60
108
38
88
63
72
9
83
Frank
Eric
Frank
Eric
N. Waterboro, Me.
Kensington, NH
97
107
George
Bob
Puffalump
Bob
Averill Park, NY
Alton, NH
22
111
Richard H. MacGown (Dick)
Jeff
Dale
Kevin
Mike
Tom
William D. Beal Jr.
Ren
Hold your Horses
Bangor Jeff
Liquid Gold Express
Kevin
Vox-2
Tom
Mack
Renster
Silent Key
Bangor, Me.
Baileyville, Me.
Wayland, Ma.
Wells, Me.
Plymouth, Me.
Silent Key
Northwood, NH
62
66
59
44
20
68
110
120
Bob
Dick
Scott
Berwick Bob
Dick
Scott
N. Berwick, Me.
Farmington, Me.
Barrington, NH
85
43
24
W2EO
Bill
Ken
Bull Nixon
Shiny
St. Cloud, FL
Patchogue, NY
65
98
Howard
Steve
Hans
Larry
Ed
Howard
Steve
Space Junk Radio
Larry
Cape Cod Ed
West Roxbury, Ma.
Kensington, NH
Conway, NH
Waterboro, Me.
East Falmouth, Ma.
54
125
7
6
115
Gil
Tom
Gil
Tommy Six Months
Littleton, NH
Kingston, Ma.
40
5
WS1D
Francis
Warren
Francis
Windy
Norfolk, NY
Springvale, Me.
56
17
WZ1Z
Dick
Figment
Windsor, Me.
71
W2KS
WA1CFX
WA1STH
WA1UFO
WB1CIM
WB1DSG
WB1DVD
WB1FLA
WF2H
Notes:
The following BNM numbers are not used: 1, 13, 15 and 113.
February Pasture Call check in.
New member.