2016 AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest (Epilog)

Well, company, schedule conflicts and QRN really cut into my LC

time/score this year. I couldn't get on much and I didn't hear many stations when I did. I ended up working only KA0AAM, W2TAC, AA9DH and KB0ROB.

Still, I did get two of my vintage stations out of mothballs and on the air. That certainly counts for a gold (ok, maybe, bronze) star in my log.

2016 AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest

The "LC" is now only a week away. Over the past few weeks I've been playing with various transmitters and receivers to decide which I'm going to use. Two that I've been working with are a Push-Pull 6L6 transmitter and my version of the 1941 Beginner's Receiver.

This evening I put this pair on 40 mtrs and had a nice QSO with K2UPI in Bridgeport, NY. The signal reports were 569 both ways. This receiver and transmitter worked well together. I'll certainly use them during the LC.

Next I'll make certain my HRO Sr and Utah Jr are working well so that I can use them also, probably on 80.

Addendum, 1/11/2016. This evening I worked Jerry, W1ZB, in Andover, MA on 80 using the HRO Sr and Utah Jr at 15 watts... I'm ready to LC.

AWA Linc Cundall OT CW Contest

The first half of the AWA Linc Cundall OT CW Contest ran Wednesday evening through Thursday late afternoon. This coming Saturday is the second half of the "contest".

My station this year is a 1938 vintage NC-101X and a homebrew crystal controlled push-pull 6L6 oscillator. Electrically this transmitter is based on the QSL Push-Pull in QST, June 1940. I added cathode current metering, a load control and regulated the screen voltage to 150V. I ran mine with only 300V on the plates for about 20 watts input and around 10 watts output on 80 and 40. Cosmetically this transmitter is based on what I had on the shelf to work with, an old amplifier build in an even older Meissner Signal Shifter cabinet.

Here in SE Minnesota using my low hung 105' inverted "L" antenna I heard no AWA stations on the air Wednesday night but did work W0NYQ(MN), KB0ROB(MN), VE3AWA(OT) and AA9DH(IL) late Thursday afternoon.