Robots Invade 6 Meters

The return of 6 meters sporadic E marks my return to digital modes. With rare exceptions, my operating on digital modes is greater than 95% on 6 meters and the rest on 160 meters. I do the former for its superiority at exploiting rare and fleeting DX openings, and the latter when there is little CW activity to be found.

FT8 in particular is wildly popular. Since I have little interest in digital modes, I use the technology where it fits my interests and otherwise stick to CW and SSB. It's a matter of personal preference. I don't look down on those who predominantly operate digital modes. That's an attitude many hams of my generation regrettably profess.

Many of those attracted to digital do it to compensate for poor antennas. In the past that would drive them to CW, which is not an easy option for recent licensees that may not know CW. Others do it because the technology is fascinating. I would not be surprised to learn that some use digital to avoid unwanted conversations. All are valid reasons, in my opinion, even if mine are different.

It is no surprise that fully automatic -- or robot -- operation is seen on FT8. The software-driven technology is eminently suited to it and there are ample hams with the expertise to do it. After several years of there are numerous forks of the open source WSJT-X software that include automatic features.  All you need to do is download one of them and you, too, can be an FT8 robot.

Should you? Is it wrong? Automatic operation is certainly discouraged by the original software authors and operating award sponsors. Nevertheless it is popular and becoming more so. It is fairly easy to identify robots but difficult to prove with an acceptably small probability of false positives.

It is not my intent to write another critique of digital robots. There are enough of those, and I've spoken of it before. The phenomenon is of interest to me since as more and more hams migrate to 6 meters -- a passion of mine -- and the overwhelming popularity of digital modes, it impacts me every day during sporadic E season. It is worth pondering their prevalence rather than reflexively attacking robot operators.

As a 6 meter DXer, I have several issues with the presence of robots:

• They occupy spectrum. Robots typically are configured to operate non-stop. The 3 kHz FT8 and FT4 windows can support a large number of signals, but there is a limit and we've reached it during many sporadic E openings. Not everyone will move to 50.323 MHz during hot DX openings.
  
• They will call you, regardless of whether you call "CQ DX" or other target area. They will follow you around the band, often calling on your transmit frequency, thus QRMing many callers. They may continue this behaviour indefinitely, even after you stop transmitting.
• Robots typically call anyone next in line according to algorithm and configuration, without respect to distance, grid or country. They fill their logs with what I consider fluff.
  

From my observations, it seems that those who run robots are not very good at configuring the software! A few simply may not care that they are an annoyance and causing QRM. However I don't believe that they're evil. I know a few of those who are almost certainly running robots on 6 meters and I would not consider them to be "bad" people. There are moral and ethical questions that have no clear answer. That I and many others dislike robots does not make them objectively "wrong".

Do you want to work them?

Apart from the issues addressed so far, is there anything objectionable about working a robot? For award and contest purposes, it is at least discouraged and will usually result in disqualification of the robot operator, if they're found out. Some are obvious but all are difficult to investigate. That can be a trial for award sponsors that prohibit robot QSOs. That is not my problem since I do nothing wrong by working robots.

I don't call stations that I know or strongly suspect is a robot. When they call me, I may work them despite my dislike. I sometimes do it just to be rid of them. Depending on my mood I may not log the QSO. In most cases I ignore them. There exist ports of the WSJT-X software that have black lists and related features for those that want to automatically ignore suspected robots.

If I'm in a mischievous mood I may toy with robot callers. I will change frequency, switch between odd and even periods, make one response (or one that is deliberately out of sequence) to see what they do. But only if I have a few minutes to waste. Probing their behaviour can help to better identify other robots. 

Let's try an extreme hypothetical situation. Imagine that the robot is in North Korea (P5). Is that enough to convince you to work it, whether it calls you or you answer its CQ? How about a robot dropped on the Moon by a future space mission or riding on the ISS or other satellite?

There is no right answer to these extreme cases. It is worth taking a few moments to consider what you would do. All could occur eventually.

Why do they do it?

No, I don't know why since I have spent little time trying to find out. In one case that I remember well, the ham shrugged his shoulders and said, "why not?" Maybe they don't know either. Does knowing why even matter? There could be as many reasons as there are robot operators.

As I said above, I don't think robot operators have evil intent. The technology makes it easy and it is admittedly interesting. I remember discussing the possibility of automatic CW operation with a friend of mine about 30 years ago. We decided it was possible but difficult, and eventually it would probably be done. Neither of us was interested in following through and it seems few others have bothered. 

With no QRM, QRN and QSB, and well formed characters, robotic CW operation can be done, though not without glitches. It isn't possible to anticipate every response to a transmission. Of course the CW robot could emulate a human operator who wants out of a conversation by forcing an end. A CW robot would have to be rude by design. Digital QSOs are far more structured and thus amenable to competent robotic operation.

One topic that I don't recall discussing with my friend was ethics; that is, the appropriateness of a CW robot. This is perhaps unsurprising. We were both software professionals with a love of CW, and beyond the technical challenge we ultimately thought the result would be quite boring. Why hand over operating to a robot? We want to be the operators! That's why we became hams.

With that limited insight, I doubt that most FT8 robot operators are overly concerned about its ethics. They stay quiet about their activities since they know others would question their ethics. 

Robot operation may be interesting, but a brief passion that is soon discarded. Operating is more fun to do than watch. But if for whatever reason you want to fill the log with contacts and your life keeps you out of the shack, or you want the contacts without the "tedium" of operating, a robot might be tempting.

Where next?

One curiosity about the robots I've identified is that they have clean signals. I can't say the same for not a few of the 6 meter stalwarts! That's likely because they don't use amplifiers and run their rigs conservatively. The duty cycle of FT8 is hard on transmitters and amplifiers that are run non-stop close to the equipment power capability. Robot operation may be annoying and unethical but robot operators aren't stupid.

That is good since robots aren't going anywhere. I expect their number to grow, though slowly and it will likely plateau. While many may at first be enticed by the technology and QSO potential, it is ultimately boring. Individual robot operators will gradually scale back or give it up entirely. Peer pressure from local hams can also be effective. Shaking your fist at the computer display is not effective.

I'll close by noting that I have not mentioned any robot FT8 applications. They're out there and easy to find. I have no reason to make the search easy.

New Capacitance Hats for the 40 Meter Yagi

The design of the capacitance hats for the 3-element 40 meter yagi has proven to be inadequate. I misjudged the various mechanical stresses and the effects of wind and ice. The antenna is very big, with a huge wind load, and it is greatly exposed to the weather at its height of 43 meters above ground.

Two capacitance hat arms broke off since it was raised. That's out of 24 arms: 3 elements × 2 hats per element × 4 arms per hat. Modelling shows that the performance impact is not all that bad, and on the air it continues to perform very well. But I can't afford further breakage. 

The time has come to deal with the flaw. I don't hide my mistakes on this blog. This is about learning, both for me and for you. There is no shame in admitting mistakes and letting others see how I deal with them. Hence this article where I describe the flaw and my revised design.

I was aware of the flaw when I designed and built the capacitance hats. I judged (but did not calculate) that the joint to the element would be sufficiently robust. When I raised the experimental dipole and left it on the tower for close to a year, one objective was to see whether the clamps would survive. They did so I kept the design. There are so many challenges with an antenna this size that every work item that I could eliminate left more time to deal with others.

Let's look at those stress points. The centre tube of the capacitance hat arms are ½" × 0.065". The u-bolt is ¼". The pair of bolt holes per u-bolt arm are half the tube diameter, or about ⅓ the circumference. That's a lot to ask from 6061-T6 alloy. 

I had intended that the thick mating clamp made from a ¾" × ⅛" tube mitigate the stress where it crosses the 1" element tube, while also preventing slippage. It seemed an elegant solution at the time.

After surviving for one year at 46 meters height in the experimental dipole I decided it would do. I was simply lucky in hindsight. There is stress from the nut which squeezes the tube. There is also stress from wind and ice load on the arms, which range in length from 42" to 48". The fatigue was worse than I anticipated.  Both broken arms failed at the outer edge of the bolt holes.

Originally I planned for the ¾" tube to remain whole and enclose the ½" tube. A 3" length would have been enough. I cut the tube longitudinally to save weight when I decided that was the greater concern.  The "dimple" where it crosses the element could have been kept with the whole tube.

I considered several alternatives to replace the capacitance hats. I kept the same arm tubes but with a different design at the centre where stress is highest. The same u-bolts secure a 3" length of ¾" × ⅛" 6061-T6 angle stock. The ½" tube passes inside a length of ⅝" × 0.058" tube. The tubes are secured to the angle stock with #8 stainless screws. The ⅝" tube is slit at both ends and compressed with a #8 stainless screw. The slit and screw are needed for a good electrical bond at the joint, and not so much for mechanical strength.

The length of the ⅝" tube is 8". These first arms of the new design are for the driven element. They may be shorter or longer for the director and reflector elements when I build them. Although the capacitance hat arms on the driven element are okay, they are easily accessed from the tower by rotating the element on the boom. I can thus test the new design without undue effort.

Installing the new hats wasn't very difficult, apart from the climbing. I turned the yagi so that the driven element could be rotated in both directions to near vertical without hitting a guy or other obstruction. It is high enough above the lower 10 meter yagi of the stack to not hit it, and the upper side of the element passes between the elements of the upper 10 meter yagi.

One of the 4 capacitance hat arms being removed from the driven element shows clear evidence of fatigue. Within days or weeks this arm would have broken off. The other three were fine, so far. Eventually they would likely fail.

The plated u-bolts are beginning to rust after 18 months. It isn't a surprise. Galvanized or stainless bolts are used everywhere else on the antenna but were not easily available in the 1" size when I was building the antenna. The rust does not affect antenna performance since there is aluminum to aluminum contact via the clamp. I'll look for better bolts before all the other capacitance hat arms are repaired.

To avoid accidents, I first replaced the inside arms. The outside arms, which are at the bottom when the element is rotated on the boom, prevent it sliding off. Despite my care I managed to drop one of the new capacitance hat arms. 

It is tricky to bundle them for climbing and safely extract them one at a time. Due to interference of the element with the boom truss and the capacitance hats with the tower, I had to reach outward about 2' to do the work while holding all the pieces of the assembly. The dropped arm survived the fall from 130' (20' below the top of the tower) despite bouncing off a guy. The arms are long but light so they (happily) have a slow terminal velocity!

The new arms look good on the driven element. It isn't critical to get the two arms snug to each other since on 40 meters an inch makes very little difference. They are wider than the original arms due to the angle stock alongside the tube and I had to keep them clear of the screws and nuts securing the 1" and ⅝" element sections.

Now I wait to see learn how they perform over the coming months. If they do well I'll proceed to replace the capacitance hats on the other elements. Apart from the ⅜" tubes, the rest of the original arms will be discarded.

So near and yet so far

Accessing the capacitance hats on the driven element is easy. The same is not true for those on the director and reflector.

This is one of those nasty challenges you will inevitably run into with big towers and antennas. Replacing the capacitance hats on the director and reflector will not be easy. I have done some planning with a friend on a method of doing the replacement that does not involve taking the antenna down or a large crane. It won't happen sooner than late summer so we have time to get it right.

It is better to build it right the first time so that you never run into this predicament. I do pretty well but I'm far from perfect. To err is human.

Hello, Goodbye - In Praise of 599 QSOs

I was not too different from many other boys (and a few girls) when I started in ham radio over 50 years ago. I was more comfortable with machines than with people. I was shy and nerdy, and I took to electronics, radio and computers like a fish to water. Amateur radio was a perfect outlet for my enthusiasms. 

The downside was that the practice of amateur radio, the fruit of learning the code and building a station, was talking to people. Certainly I was thrilled with the possibility of contacting people all over the world, especially in the 1970s before the public internet, affordable long distance telephone service and commercial wireless services, but shyness and feeling intimidated by adults caused anxiety. 

One of my fears was that my QSO partner would take the conversation beyond signal report, name, QTH, weather and station info. I never really knew what to say. As far as I was concerned, the shorter the QSO the better. I felt that anxiety every time I reached for the key or microphone to respond to a CQ.

The attitude of the adult hams in my life may have been part of the problem. They were less encouraging than you might think. Many were pleasant but quite a few seemed to find youth annoying -- we were inquisitive, ignorant and unruly. This was a time when the prevailing wisdom was that children were meant to be seen and not heard. They were good people but the generation gap was difficult to bridge. 

Instead of adult ham mentors, I learned from other young hams, magazines and from my on air experience. We were the middle wave of the baby boom and there was no shortage of other hams my age. We paid little attention to adult hams and many of them did the same. I was never comfortable talking to them on the air.

My friends and I soon discovered contesting. Young adults are always trying to "test ourselves" and make a mark in the world -- having our calls printed in a magazine. I could make oodles of contacts with anyone and everyone in a few hours with my small station and without the anxiety of having conversations. It was perfect for me. I formed close friendships with peers who were also drawn to contests. We spurred each other to improve our stations so that we could do better against the "big boys".

Conversations: is that the point?

Many hams who do not like contests or DXing cite as their reason the absence of conversation. The exchange of little more than a signal report in endless succession is pointless to them and a waste of time and spectrum. They are not wrong, for themselves and their interests. Obviously many of us feel differently. 

As teenagers we would mock adult hams for their lengthy and boring rag chews, nets that did nothing but take check-ins and, for the oldest, endless blather about their health woes. Few young people have the patience for any of that. When we did talk to each other on air we talked like the teenagers we were, and that irritated many of the adults who listened.

The objective of a contest QSO is to correctly exchange information with others as quickly as possible. There is little time to spare for anything more. When you run into a friend on CW you might just send "dit dit" to acknowledge them. Time is of the essence and all participants understand that and so both hams race to make the next contact. The same is true for DXpeditions that aim to hand out the maximum number of contacts as possible.

This does not mean that contesters don't talk to each other. I suspect that contesters talk to each other more than most non-contesters. But they do it outside of contests. Sometimes on air though more often in person, on the phone, in online fora and at hamfests. We share stories, talk about what did and didn't work, help each other to improve our stations and skills, and gather as multi-op teams and spend the weekend enjoying each other's company.

Hams who value conversation above other styles of operating may decry the spectrum occupied by contests and DXpeditions. This was a greater problem decades ago when the bands were packed on weekends by hams filled the bands with conventional QSOs and contesters were in the minority. 

These days the spectrum is emptier when there is no contest. Conversations are less popular and contests are more popular. This is likely to continue. Modern technology makes talking to other people, near and far, easier and cheaper than ever for hams and non-hams alike, so that is less of a draw to the hobby than it once was.

Contests and DX: speed and agility are everything

In radiosport, time is of the essence. I don't dawdle and I don't like it when others dawdle. I'll slow down when I must to complete the contact. When I'm running and several stations call, I am likely to choose the fastest.

Think of it as choosing a lineup for the cashiers in a store. Do you choose the one where the cashier or customer is chatty and striking up a conversation or the one where neither says a word and they stick to business. I choose the latter. Conversation is nice but even as a retired person I'd rather take the faster line up so that I can move more quickly. That isn't unfriendly or rude. I appreciate fast service.

Despite that, a conversational QSO is vital CW practice, and I make a point of doing it from time to time. I love Morse but I have no talent for it. It was a struggle to learn to copy and send when I started out long ago and that's still true. In a conversation you can't readily predict what the other ham will send and that makes me concentrate and not lose any vital characters or information. That skill makes a difference in contests even though the exchange is more predictable.

Digital

Digital QSOs aren't very fast, but they stick to the essentials: call sign and signal report. It isn't possible to have a conversation with digital modes like FT8. Well, it is possible but so difficult that few bother to compose messages on the fly.

I don't mind the simplicity of digital contacts, though many do. Those who decry the hello-goodbye QSOs typical of contests and DXing are, not unexpectedly, skeptical or hostile to digital modes. The absence of conversational possibilities can be an advantage since no one can keep me into a QSO longer than I'd like.

Are hams that preferentially operate digital modes loners and losers? No! Like contesters they do their talking when meeting with friends and local club members, on air and off air. They are happy, well adjusted human beings that happen to enjoy and appreciate the benefits of digital modes.

The future

I am no longer a shy teenager. I'm comfortable speaking in front of an audience of 1000 people and conversing on air. Yet I continue to prefer "599" QSOs. During our long and cold winters I will occasionally get on the air to talk. It doesn't happen often.

When I take the time to chat on SSB with my large station, not a few are surprised to have never spoken to me before. A big signal from an unrecognized station is a curiosity to those who regularly scan the bands looking for conversations.

Conversational QSOs are a secondary interest for me, but when a QSO partner wants more I am usually happy to oblige. More often I'd rather have a brief contact and move on. Perhaps I'll learn to enjoy the simple pleasure of having on air conversations when I'm older and I've put aside antenna and tower projects.

50313: Share What You Hear

It's May and sporadic E season has arrived. Single hop and DX openings on 6 meters are becoming more frequent. I have resumed daily monitoring 6 meters. It is my habit to monitor 50.313 MHz with the yagi pointing in a likely (or hopeful) direction when I am elsewhere or not using the station on HF. Computer cycles are free and, who knows, surprises happen.

Apart from my own benefit from this practice, I am also helping others. There are many 6 meter enthusiasts around the world that periodically CQ when conditions are promising, and even when not, to see what they can turn up. Most often nothing is heard. But there's more to it than that.

Revisiting discovery

One of the great benefits of digital modes like FT8 is the ease of discovery. There is no need to constantly spin the VFO knob to hunt for stations. Although I am a strong believer in knob turning, it is not so practical for elusive sporadic E openings. 

The band opens for 2 minutes, a DX station or two pops out of the noise...but you miss the chance of a QSO because your VFO is elsewhere. Or you've grown weary of spinning the knob and you're taking a break. There goes your chance for a new DXCC country. Automatic scanning helps somewhat but it is still far from reliable. Think about how easy it is to miss a CW station as you tune past. All it takes is swishing past during the space between characters and you hear nothing.

You can tune to one of the many beacons on 6 meters and just sit there waiting for a signal. They're still there despite the prevalent use of digital modes, they're just not as necessary as they once were. When you hear a signal in Europe, what should you do? You can't work the beacon so back you go to spinning the knob or calling endless CQs, often to no avail. Sporadic E is really sporadic! Hearing a beacon is not always indicative of a broader opening or the presence of stations to work.

By monitoring the community FT8 watering hole at 50.313 MHz you will decode all signals that propagation brings your way. You can quickly see the activity and respond. The probability of a successful QSO under marginal conditions is far greater than on CW or SSB. When conditions are hot, move to the intercontinental DX window at 50.323 MHz to escape the QRM.

Where I'm being heard

We can do better. Here is a map produced by PSK Reporter from a recent opening. It shows where and when I was heard on 50.313 MHz FT8. The data comes from stations that upload their decoded messages to PSK Reporter.

I am highlighting OA4DYQ since I had just worked him for a new digital DXCC entity on 6 meters. The QSO was barely possible as you can see by his reception report of -21 db. His signal was about the same relative strength here. Notice in how many countries my signal was decoded.

Scratch my back and...

...I'll scratch yours. Returning a favour is not only polite. Everyone active on 6 meters benefits. Click one box and you're done. Unlike DX spotting networks, the spots do not have to be done manually for others to learn what you are hearing.

Check the box labelled "Enable PSK Reporter Spotting" and you're done (JTDX also has this feature). As you monitor, call signs and signal reports are uploaded to PSK Reporter in near real time. Since OA4DYQ was doing that, I could browse to the PSK Reporter mapping page, enter my call and select the band and mode to see that he is receiving me. 

I am surprised that many stations are not yet connected to PSK Reporter. When I work them I notice that they are not on the map. Perhaps this is a carryover from HF where there are so many active stations that there is less incentive to enable the feature. For the fickle propagation found on 6 meters it is very helpful for more stations to use the PSK Reporter service so that we can see what other stations are hearing. Knowing that the band is open spurs me to keep sending CQ. Those map markers tell you who is monitoring and I want to light them up.

Of course there are many stations in remote areas without a reliable internet connection. The rest of us should not overlook this valuable feature, which is why I am motivated to talk about it again at the start of a new sporadic E season.

I mentioned in a article two years ago how these reports led me to a wholly unexpected opening to Japan. On seeing a flag in Japan, I turned the yagi and immediately worked JA8EPO. That's the power of PSK Reporter. Those flags may be the only indication that a DX path is open.

Many 6 meter stalwarts make a point of testing propagation with a string of CQs and see what shows up on PSK Reporter. I am often surprised where I'm being heard.

Single Decodes

Marginal signals that have only one isolated decoded message are not workable, so why care? I care because it shows the potential of a workable opening. When I see them, I know to keep watching the propagation path for further developments or call CQ. Often nothing further develops. Other times it is the harbinger of a superb DX opening.

The single decode may be due to a short-lived zone of intense ionization in just the right spot in the E layer. It could also be a random meteor trail that foretells nothing of great interest. However, a meteor in the right place at the right time can combine with sporadic E or F layer propagation to result in a short-lived propagation path. Other combinations also may form, such as the more common sporadic E and TEP to bring South American signals to this part of North America.

Each isolated decode is enticing since there is no certain way to tell if a workable path will open. Keep monitoring or try to light up those PSK Reporter flags with a CQ. 

When you upload to PSK Reporter you are encouraging the DX stations to keep trying. You want that, to let them know that you hear them, even though they may be unworkable or you are not in the shack. They'll know propagation is present to your part of the world.

The coming maximum

With the peak of the solar cycle rapidly approaching, the opportunities for propagation modes that connect sporadic E to F-layer modes will increase. F-layer propagation on its own is fantastic but we don't yet know how high the maximum will go this solar cycle. 

The better the maximum, the better the traditional CW and SSB modes will work. Not everyone likes digital. There will be something for everyone. If the solar maximum turns out to be a dud, expect digital to continue to account for at least 90% of 6 meter DX contacts. Use the mode that suits the propagation to maximize DX success. The ionosphere is not obligated to do what we like, so be flexible.

That's enough for this article. Looking through my posting history there are an awful lot of articles about 6 meters and 6 meter DXing. It's one of my passions. Since the web statistics show that those articles are quite popular, many of you must feel the same way.

Relay Phobia

I have a phobia about relays and I really don't understand why. In this age of solid state switching there is something messy or unwholesome about having electro-mechanical devices scattered throughout my station. 

Is my attitude entirely counter to the evidence or is there anything to support my fears? 

It is good that relays are as reliable as they are since they are everywhere in a modern ham station, more than you might realize. Yet they can and do fail. This is mostly due to two factors: quality and abuse. A little knowledge can help us to get the most from relays. Technology has not advanced so far that relays can be avoided.

As you might guess from my irrational phobia, I am not an expert on relays. I had to learn more about them to assuage my concerns and to choose and use relays in my many home brew projects. 

They are used in my station to switch:

• DC and AC power
• Antennas
• Antenna switches
  
• Antenna direction and stack controls
  
• Matching networks
• SO2R audio and keyer
  

Many of those are home brew projects. I even have relays that control other relays! Relays are common in commercial equipment to control power, route transmit/receive RF, inter-stage switching, ATU, BPF, antenna ports and more. One malfunctioning relay can ruin your day or contest. 

It's that critical role they play and the risk of failure that stokes my fears. I trust that relays are appropriately selected and employed in commercial equipment. This is not necessarily the case. One famous example is the Yaesu FT102. Every relay in that transceiver had a short lifetime and is responsible for far too many of these otherwise excellent rigs ending on the trash heap. 

Mine eventually landed on a flea market table. It sold for a low price that was, unfortunately, fair value. I could have salvaged the rig with replacement relays, which are available, but I deemed it not worth the trouble. It was a great rig in its day but no more.

Returning to my phobia, my lack of knowledge and therefore trust of relays leads to odd behaviour. For example, I have an irresistible urge to idle all the relays in my extensive antenna system when I step away from the shack for more than a few minutes. I don't yet have such a feature in my station automation software so I have move the rig to 6 meters to idle the 2×8 antenna switch and manually deselect directions and modes for the stacks and several other antennas.

Is this a feature I should build for my station automation system? Do relays deteriorate when they're energized? Is it better to leave them energized to avoid turning them off and then on again when I return to the shack? Relays do have lifetimes based on these metrics and many others as well. Let's see what the data can tell us.

Above is an extract from an Omron G2RL datasheet -- you may have to click on it to make it readable. It seems fairly typical of small, sealed relays. A fact that pops out quite clearly is that the mechanical life of the relay is far greater than the life of the electrical contacts. The mechanical lifetime is so long, even when switched continuously at a rate of over once per second, that it is effectively eternal in typical ham use.

The shorter electrical lifetime spec is misleading since it is for the rated contact voltage and current. When these are lower the lifetime increases. The chart at right is also from Omron. Clearly there is a benefit from choosing relays with higher ratings than what will be experienced. Better yet, by avoiding hot switching the lifetime can be greatly extended.

By avoiding hot switching and using high current contacts the lifetime is sufficiently extended that there should be little concern for the reliability and durability of the relays in my home brew projects and the commercial products I use. Relay lifetime can easily exceed my lifetime.

Hot switching can be avoided or mitigated in well designed equipment. Measures include:

• Software features to prevent hot switching of antennas. I have this feature partly implemented in my home brew station automation system.
  
• Sequencing of circuits so that relay closure occurs before current is applied, and the relay opens only after the current is cut. Sequencing of the input and output port relays is standard for the ports of high power amplifiers and in V/UHF systems with mast mount LNA (low noise amplifiers).
  
• Step-start relay coil with a higher than nominal voltage so that closure is rapid. Arcing and contact wear are thus reduced when hot switching high voltage or current is unavoidable. 
• Sequencing or ramping motors and other devices with a high initial current. In our shacks the most common application is high power motors in rotators such as prop pitch motors.
  

By avoiding hot switching entirely you can achieve relay lifetimes of well over 1,000,000 on-off cycles. The TE application note I linked to has a lot more on the topic worth reading, including contact materials, arc mitigation and other recommendation for selecting relays. 

An amusing story a friend told me related to the fourth bullet above was using relays to switch a prop pitch motor. Depending on cable resistance, the motor starting current can be 20 A. One day the contacts fused from excess arcing and he didn't immediately notice that the motor hadn't stopped. Luckily the damage limited to a shredded coax rotation loop. 

Now he sequences the power by first energizing the high current DC relay and then the low current AC mains of the 24 VDC power supply. I plan to do the same with my prop pitch motor; currently, I do the sequencing with manual switches.

If you must switch transmit level RF and proper sequencing cannot be guaranteed, or the RF voltage is high, there is the option of vacuum relays. They are expensive, new or used. They can be found on many amplifiers. They are also useful when switches are needed at high impedance (high voltage) points of an antenna. The contacts can still be damaged by excess arcing but they should not oxidize.

The photo at right shows the effect of arcing on relay contacts. This relay has failed, will fail soon or the contacts might even fuse with continued abuse.

The relay contact protection measures described above are fine for high power switching but not necessarily for small signal switching. You might think that small signal switching is not worth worrying about, but it is. This is as true for relays used in receive arrays and control systems as it is for RF relays that must work well for both transmit and receive.

Contacts oxidize or undergo chemical changes due to current flow and micro-arcs. Open relays will accumulate grime. Sealed relays, like most of those I use (see above), are largely immune to the latter. There are mitigation measures described in the linked TE application note. However, placing components across the contacts that are suitable for DC and 60 Hz AC, it is not appropriate for RF applications.

The easiest way to deal with contact problems in sealed relays is to periodically switch them under load. In this case arcs are our friends. They burn off unwanted oxidation and other unwanted chemicals and restore low resistance conductivity. There is micro-arcing even for the small DC currents switched by the relays in my automation system.

Antenna relays that are usually not hot switched can be periodically switched while transmitting to clean the contacts. Typical power levels commonly quoted to do this range from 20 to 50 watts. Cycling 10 under load may be sufficient. Don't try this with your big amplifier! Those arcs can rapidly damage the contacts. In any case, amplifiers with fault protection will quickly go offline when an arc occurs. 

I occasionally did this when I had I was manually switching antennas, modes and directions and I suspected a problem. It didn't hurt to do it even when the problem might be elsewhere. In my case it always turned out to be a relay in the transceiver or amplifier. I can't do this with the automation system since it doesn't allow hot switching. Instead I would have to add a "cleaning" feature or temporarily connect the control cables to the manual antenna controller, which I keep as a backup. But I have yet to bother since there have been no recent relay problems to resolve.

Returning to the matter of relays used solely for receiving systems where the RF level is always small, dynamic cleaning methods don't work well since there is no arcing. If the contacts corrode there may be little remedy except replacement. Contact design and coating are particularly important. For example, using multi-pole relays in parallel for contact redundancy. Gold plated contacts are another possibility. 

An increase of contact resistance can weaken reception, especially at the low impedance 50 Ω side of the receive antenna switching circuit. Contact resistance will likely get worse over time unless the contacts can be cleaned. Sealed relays protect against environmental effects but also make it impossible to access the contacts to burnish them. I have had relay contact problems in my rebuilt Beverage head ends. Cycling the relays has served to reserve intermittent problems until now. It wouldn't surprise me if I eventually have to replace the reed relays in the remote Beverage switch (see below).

A trickle DC current can serve to wet the contacts to keep relay contacts clean in lieu of arcing. Receive RF is far too weak on its own for contact wetting. Combined DC and RF is most commonly found in bias-T circuits where the coax carries both, with signals combined on one end and separated on the other. This is done to eliminate a separate control cable run to the relays at the antenna end of the coax.

The only place in my station that I use a bias-T this is to reverse direction of my three reversible Beverages. There is a separate control cable to the remote Beverage switch, with one line putting +12 VDC onto the coax to the active Beverage via a bias-T circuit. The DPDT reed relays in the remote antenna switch thus carry both DC and small signal RF to the bias-T in the Beverage head end.

Does the reversing current help keep the reed relay contacts clean? I don't know. I've never had a problem with the contacts except when lightning struck the Beverage system last year. Those contact arcs destroyed the relays.

Contact wetting is in conflict with a bit of ham lore. There is a common belief that a DC bias on relay contacts can worsen contact resistance over time. Certainly I've seen contacts develop problems over years of use but I doubt whether that is the reason since it runs counter to my understanding. I don't know the truth of the matter so I thought to mention it since may encounter it from time to time. There could be a galvanic effect but it may be nothing more than a lack of arcing to clean the contacts.

Wrap up

Solid state switching has its own challenges despite not have moving parts and physical contacts. When employed correctly, relays will last a lifetime. There are inexpensive relay boards for Arduino, Raspberry Pi and similar controller that save the trouble of designing and building solid state control circuits. For switching high power RF, relays remain the easiest and most cost effective solution. That could change in coming years

In summary, relays are great. It's a matter of choosing suitable devices and following best practices to keep them healthy. They're inexpensive enough that replacing them isn't a great burden. 

My relay phobia is unjustified.

You Don't Need an N Connector

N and UHF connectors have their pros and cons. The same is true of other connectors, be they BNC, SMA, F, DIN and the many other RF connector series. I use them all, by choice or by necessity when present on equipment I use. 

There is no one correct connector. Each is designed to meet different engineering requirements. Connectors themselves come in many varieties -- chassis mount, PCB mount, screw on, solder, crimp, clamp, mechanical -- to suit different environments and applications.

The majority of hams use UHF connectors for RF connections. They are ubiquitous on HF transceivers, except those with very small enclosures. They perform well, are inexpensive and easy to use. 

V/UHF operators tend to use N connectors to avoid the impedance "bump" of UHF connectors that can be problematic at higher frequencies. UHF connectors do not preserve the Z₀ of the coax throughout their lengths, whereas N connectors do. There are different N connectors for 50 Ω and 75 Ω systems. There is no such differentiation for UHF connectors.

The reason for the impedance discontinuity in UHF connectors is that there is a short air gap between the end of the coax and from the mechanical structure of the termination, in particular the insulator surrounding the centre pin. The dielectric constant and conductor separation vary over that span. We have effectively inserted a short transmission line with a different nominal impedance. Mechanical design takes priority over impedance performance in UHF connectors. The impedance bump can be worse for coaxes smaller and larger than RG213. 

A typically quoted value for the bump is 30 to 35 Ω, which is believable from inspection of the transmission line equation for coaxial cable. Let's use the lower value even though there are differences across manufacturers and adaptors for large and small coax diameters. I'll further assume that the length of the discontinuity is 1 cm (10 mm or 0.4"), with a VF (velocity factor) of 0.7. Choosing these values should simulate a worst case for PL259 (male) UHF connectors.

I used SimSmith to insert a 1 cm long section of 30 Ω coaxial transmission line between a 50 Ω generator and a 50 Ω load. You can see that the effect is negligible at 50 MHz. It is marginally significant at 144 MHz and notable at 450 MHz. Of course there will be more than just one connector in a transmission line, with one at the rig, one at the antenna, two at each coaxial joint (e.g. barrel connectors) and two at each intermediate device such as antenna switches. The one at the antenna is usually of no interest since the feed point matching system typically compensates for that connection. The same is true of the transmitter or tuner at the generator side of the line.

SWR does not sum arithmetically. You can't simply add up the fractional quantities to discover the net SWR (mismatch) due to multiple connectors. That is, two connectors that exhibit a 1.05 SWR in a 50 Ω system when properly terminated do not give an SWR of 1.1. In select cases, insertion of a short 30 Ω transmission line can improve the match.

In a real system there are many variables that a simple analysis like mine cannot possibly contain. In each system you'd have to measure the complex impedances and coax lengths for each band of interest, along with the major effects of the load mismatch (no antenna is perfect!), generator action and other factors. My SimSmith model is illustrative but not universally applicable.

My usual recommendation to those who ask is to avoid N connectors from 160 to 2 meters. The performance impact of using UHF connectors ranges from negligible to modest, and is usually dominated by the antenna impedance, which is usually nowhere near 50 + j0 Ω. Other factors such as variation in coax impedance by manufacturer, application and age have impacts greater than that of the bump due to UHF connectors

None of this is a criticism of N connectors in general. It is reasonable to ask: why not use N connectors? Why not sweep away the uncertainties by avoiding UHF connectors wherever feasible? There are good reasons to prefer UHF over N connectors other than that of the dreaded impedance bump.

Pieces

The typical N connector has several components. It is an unwise ham who breaks open the package without a plan. It is easy to lose one or more of them, especially the centre pin.

I opened one of my bags of used N connector parts so you can have a look. These are 50 Ω connectors that were salvaged from old coax. Most of the pieces are present, and I have other bags with different assortments. I have fewer pins than bodies, which is annoying. 

The main gasket is cut in two when first assembled, but they can be reused if you are very careful. Alternatively, do an especially good job weatherproofing the assembled connector. The gaskets in a pristine N connector provide good weather protection, but don't depend on it. Protect them as you would a UHF connector for reliable long life. Braided coax wicks moisture and will soon degrade.

Used N connectors can be frustrating unless you have a good eye for the slight size difference between 50 Ω and 75 Ω pins. I am not so worried about the impedance than I am about trying to mate mismatched pins. It doesn't work and you can't force it. Force fitting a male 50 Ω pin into a 75 Ω female pin will destroy it. UHF connectors don't have that risk.

Notice that I've shown soldered connectors. That is only for the centre pin since the braid is mechanically bonded when the external nut is tightened. However, you must be precise with the dimensions of the exposed braid, dielectric and centre conductor or the braid will be loose. It's a problem I've encountered many times with connectors I've assembled and with those that have followed me home.

A related concern is the position of the centre pin. Get the dimension wrong by just 2 mm and the male and female pins either won't make solid electrical contact or will bottom out and bend when the connectors are joined. Again, this can't happen with UHF connectors.

There is another challenge with pin alignment when using RG213 and similar polyethylene dielectric coaxes. The braid can slide over the dielectric due if too much of the coax weight is taken by the connector. The same will happen by weather induced thermal expansion. It takes little movement to have a connector suddenly fail in the middle of a winter contest due to lost electrical contact or arcing. It is more common than you might imagine.

I had to deal with improperly aligned N connectors on a fellow ham's tower last year. If you have trouble properly preparing the coax and assembling an N connector on the ground, well, it's far worse doing it up in the air. The cables with the poorly aligned connectors were cut down for repair on the ground and then lifted back onto the tower and tied down to ensure there was no weight (stress) on the connectors. One of them failed again a few days later. This time we decided to cut it off and friction fit a UHF connector to the coax. Half a year later it's still working despite not being soldered.

Contact Area and fragility

Compare the size and area of the contacts in UHF and N connectors. You can see examples in pictures above and below. The small centre pins are particularly fragile and misalignment when joining connectors can bend the pin and distort the gripping flanges of the female pin. Pins of 75 Ω connectors are smaller and more fragile. Pressing a male 50 Ω pin into a female 75 Ω pin can easily destroy the female pin. It will never grip well after being overspread.

Alignment is especially problematic with solder connectors on flexible cables with a stranded centre conductor (e.g. RG213). Getting the pin centred must be done manually. A small deviation off centre can easily damage the pins when joining connectors. The hole in the female pin is very small and easy to miss since once your view of the pins is hidden when the connectors are brought together. You must be careful and go by "feel" alone.

Just 1 mm of linear insertion error due to the pins projecting too little or too much results in inadequate contact or bending, depending on the direction of the error. In the former case, the connection is unreliable either due to high resistance or arcing with high power. In the latter case the constant impedance of the N connector is lost and there can be a short or arcing when the pins are bent. The outer spring flanges of the male connector are usually not a problem because they are stronger and their position fixed by being bonded to the connector body. 

Threading ensures proper positioning of the male flanges against the body of the female connector. Since the threads are so fine -- ⅝"-32 UNEF -- crossing threads is easy, which can damage the threads and the connector flanges. Damage is easier with hard line coax since it is more difficult to manipulate the cables to ensure they're properly aligned when the threads are engaged. On a UHF connector, the large centre pin engages first and guarantees proper alignment of the contacts and thread engagement.

Above is a splice between a male N connector on buried LDF4 cable to my 80 meter vertical wire yagi and a female N on the long LDF5 run to the station. This week I discovered that the flanges are making intermittent contact, and that is the reason for the antenna's failure this winter. My guess is that I bent something slightly when struggling to align the connectors for thread engagement. I have it working again but I may replace one or both connectors this summer just to be certain that it survives next winter.

The centre pin and female spring flanges on a UHF connector are large and robust in comparison to those of N connectors. They are not easy to damage, yet there are hams who manage to do it anyway! If the flanges are overspread they can often be fixed, at least in an emergency, using a small flat blade screwdriver to bend them inward. The large contact area of the centre pin and threaded shell assure good electrical contact even in cases of minor damage. 

There are no gaskets in a UHF connector so it is mandatory to use external weatherproofing. Moisture infiltration will cause corrosion, and that leads to high resistance and arcing despite the large contact area. Never leave a UHF connector unprotected outdoors, even temporarily. Weatherproofing it after rain, snow or morning dew (condensation) will trap the moisture inside.

Alternatives

All is not doom and gloom! There are N connector styles that largely eliminate the problems of exact dimensions and pin alignment. These are so good that there is no reason to succumb to the temptation to buy or reuse solder N connectors. But it can be expensive if you have a lot of connectors in your station, as I do.

I am pretty well forced to use N connectors for the thousands of feet of Heliax in my station. They can be found surplus in quantity and at very attractive prices. If you know someone in the commercial wireless business you can often get them for free by dumpster diving. The Andrew connectors are very robust and I've had better than a 90% success rate reusing scrounged connectors. 

UHF Heliax connectors are rare. Newer commercial installation often use 7/16 DIN connectors, and they are not yet showing up in quantity on the used market. The DIN connectors are larger and hardier constant impedance connectors. The ring of thick flanges on the female 7/16 DIN connector in the picture at right are for the centre pin, not the outer conductor!

I have several new and used DIN connectors in my stock. They are useful for splicing sections of Heliax but not at the ends of the feed line where you'll likely need an adaptor. I have just one N-to-DIN adapter in my stock and it wasn't cheap. I have never shopped for a 7/16 DIN connector for LMR400 to connect to Heliax DIN connectors. If they exist they are certain to be expensive.

These are my most recent flea market finds. A paid a modest price for these used LDF5 Heliax connectors for the convenience of just picking them up and walking away. Dumpster diving is free but there is effort involved. I've already started giving them away to friends. I have enough on hand and more will undoubtedly appear in the coming months and years. Surplus and "reel ends" Heliax is available at good prices if you are fortunate enough to have contacts with commercial tower service companies.

Adaptors for joining N and UHF connectors are common and inexpensive. The kind shown in the picture are often found surplus for a dollar. I also buy the less common female-to-female adaptors for when the Heliax connector is an N male.

I use many of these adaptors on the tower and on the ground to interconnect RG213 and LMR400 running to antennas and antenna switches. One good feature of adaptors is that the N side is always perfectly positioned. Alignment is never a concern.

An N connector I particularly like for LMR400 coax is one with a "captivated" centre pin. It is also advertised as a clamp connector. Like the adaptor, the pin is fixed and can never slide out of alignment. On the inside of the connector, the coax centre conductor is press fit into flanges that grip it from all sides. The outer conductor is held in the usual manner, be it by a nut or crimp. There is more latitude with dimension errors since there is room for axial motion within the flanges.

Fitting the coax can be frustrating if you don't closely follow the installation instructions. The centre conductor must be chamfered with a file so that it can fit inside to lift the flanges as it is pressed in. Without the chamfer the conductor won't fit and no amount of pressing will help. The coax must be very straight for this operation. Any deviation must be corrected since there is little wiggle room to align it with the flanges once it's inserted, and you must do it blind.

Captivated connectors are not cheap. I purchased several at a good price when I was first building this station. I thought it would be easier and cheaper than using UHF connectors plus an adapter to the Heliax N connectors. I was wrong on both counts so I stopped using them. However they are excellent connectors and they are in wide commercial use for their reliability. 

I couldn't find a good picture of an LMR400 captivated connector online so I took one of a single piece Heliax connector in my stock that uses a captivated centre conductor. The difference is that the Heliax centre conductor is hollow so the flanges grip the inside rather than outside of the conductor.

There are restrictions on the application of captivated connectors. They fit one and only one type of coax. You must buy the correct connector for the coax. Captivated connectors don't work on coax with a stranded centre conductor like RG213.

Two-piece Heliax N connectors are easier to install correctly than those for LMR400 or RG213. One reason I like using LDF5 in my station is because the cable and its connectors are widely available on the surplus market and the connectors are easier to install than on smaller Heliax (LDF4) and larger Heliax (LDF6 and LDF7). All it takes is a hacksaw, knife, file and wrenches to make a perfect termination.

More alternatives

Does all this information make your head spin? Do you really hate fooling around with coax connectors, but you still would like N connectors? There are many companies that will fit any length of coax with the connectors of your choice as a complete custom assembly. The prices I've seen are reasonable, though more expensive than doing it yourself. It is also no guarantee against future problems. The choice is yours.

With regard to UHF connectors, you can also use commercially prepared cables. Many fear damaging the coax through excess soldering heat and cold solder connections. If you do it yourself, I recommend a silver plated connector which takes solder with less fuss and therefore a lower risk of damage. Some like K3LR solder the braid to the outside of the connector body. But if you do it wrong the shell won't slide into place. The impedance bump is longer with this method so it is best to avoid it on VHF systems.

There are many inexpensive UHF connectors on the market that do not meet spec and are difficult or impossible to use. Buy from a supplier with a reputation for quality. If soldering is too much to handle, use crimp UHF connectors. Cost for the crimp tool is worth it when you have many connectors to prepare. You may be able to borrow a tool from a friend if you only have a few connectors. 

I stick with conventional silver plated connectors from reputable dealers, soldered through the holes, and I rarely go wrong.

Some hams convert Heliax N connectors to UHF. You can do this because the exterior threads are the same for both connector series: ⅝"-32 UNEF. See the proof in the above demonstration. I prefer the risk of future mechanical woes of Heliax N connectors over the work to do the conversion. Consider it food for thought.

Mythology

In addition to the myth than UHF connectors do horrid things to your SWR at VHF, and even HF, there are others. Two examples are that N connectors can't handle a kilowatt or a high SWR. Both are untrue, or at least not all that different from the performance of UHF connectors.

If you ask a ham about coax connectors you will almost always get an answer, and it will be delivered with supreme confidence. Sometimes the answer will be correct. Dig deeper by asking why and what their experience is with those connectors. You should be able to quickly spot the pretenders. Be especially wary of listening to those who tell you what you want to hear.

Uncertainty leads to extreme behaviour: aiming for perfection or taking an anything goes approach. The first can be a poor investment of time and money. The second is asking for trouble. Make decisions based on solid knowledge, not mythology.

Wrap up

My guiding philosophy can be summed up pretty simply: use UHF connectors when I can, and use N connectors when I must.

Unless you have a particularly good reason to use N connectors you are better off sticking with UHF connectors for HF and VHF. My reason for using N connectors is all the Heliax in my station. If not for that there would little need to deal with the many challenges of N connectors. 

Most hams don't need N connectors.

Spring is Coming

The title is an unapologetic riff on the "Game of Thrones" tag line: winter is coming. It's appropriate. With our cold and snowy winters, most tower and antenna work is halted for several months. Winter is a time to operate and work on indoor projects. As the snow thaws and the temperature rises in early spring, there is a looming sense of dread despite the more clement weather.

Sure, spring and summer are glorious times, which I love, but that's not all. The station develops problems during the harsh winter months when it's too cold to deal with them. The list of new projects also grows. Springtime signals a rapid transition from relaxation to frenetic activity. Insects wake up and hunt for victims. There are disease-carrying ticks, black flies (the kamikaze pilots of the insect world), and the slower moving but voracious mosquitos. They must be braved while working down the long to-do list.

My lawn is very large and there is much to be done in the spring before the grass (and weeds) begin their growth spurt. That alone will consume many days and it all has to be done in April. What I can't complete will have to be deferred to October when the growing season comes to an end.

In May the hay starts its serious growth and I am largely kept out of the fields and away from major tower projects. The growing hay is difficult to work in and there is a limit to how much of it I can mow to make room for that work. The hay is also where ticks lurk and wait for passing deer and careless hams. 

Hay season from late May to early August is prime sporadic E season. I spend some of that time to chase DX on 6 meters. On days when the band is closed I am often found in my workshop building antennas and other contraptions, or out cycling or other summer activities. Late summer and autumn is the second and longer period for tower and antenna work.

A fox almost blundered into me while I standing on the rock wall while working on the overhead cable run. I heard noise in the leaf litter, looked down and it looked up. I'm not sure which of us was more startled. The fox bolted. It looked back a few times as it went, wondering what I'd do. I simply shrugged and got back to work.

We had an ice storm a week ago. A large tree limb fell, luckily away from the overhead cables. This is another peril of spring: lots of precipitation when the temperature hovers near 0° C. Antenna damage was minor (one of the Beverages) and quickly repaired. Unlike in other storms, the vulnerable rural distribution system survived and we had no power outage at all. The storm damage and power failures were worse elsewhere.

By the time the fox arrived the fallen tree had been removed. I was on the wall finishing the work on the overhead cable supports. It was well supported when winter swept in so there was no urgency. This week I finally cleared away the old supports. The new post gingerly winched out of the ground. It had been pushed down 6" by cable tension. It must have slipped off the wood plank without my noticing.

With the winch and a second steel post, I lifted and set it on the steel pin and bolted it for lateral support. I couldn't do it in the winter so the old post occupied the support frame. The job took a day and a half, which is 3 times what I estimated. There were complications due to the need to support the cables during the work.

Winter took its toll on a couple of antennas. The 160 meter vertical developed an intermittent during high power transmissions. Operating on 160 meters without high power pretty well kept me off the band for a few weeks. All I could do in the cold was to quickly test the many mechanical connections, twice. This turned an intermittent problem into a permanent outage. Once the weather warmed up I did a more thorough investigation.

It turned out to be a wire that was squeezed out from between a pair of washers and was barely contacting the capacitors of the gamma match. As noted at the time, the voltage at the gamma capacitor is very high and prone to arcing. It was easy to fix once found.

The problem with the 80 meter yagi could not be found at all in the cold weather since several key connection points to the switching system and radials were encased in ice at the base of the driven element (tower). That has all thawed during this week's unusually warm weather. I will be out there in the coming days to work on it. I am hopeful that it is something simple.

During the cold of winter, tower jobs are limited to those that don't require fine work. Climbing in winter isn't the problem, it's having to take my gloves off to fiddle with hardware and wires. Once your fingers are chilled they don't warm up too quickly and it's cumbersome to continue work and then climb down with stiff and partially numb fingers.

In the coming days and weeks there are several jobs on my list that I will attend to. Others are less urgent.

• Inspect towers, antennas, wires and mechanical fixtures; this is a semi-annual chore
• Inspect and make temporary repairs to the mast coupling system to the upside down prop pitch motor rotator for the 15 and 20 meter stacks; I'll have to replace it eventually but hopefully not this year
• Complete modifications to the pulley system driving the direction pot for the same prop pitch motor; despite the high tension there is still occasional slippage that requires re-zeroing the indicator
• Build, install and test new capacitance hats on the driven element of the 3-element 40 meter yagi; if they do well I hope to undertake the far more difficult job of replacing the hats on the reflector and director elements (see early construction phase above)
  
• Ground all the Beverages in preparation for lightning season; this will not be an inconvenience since I must roll up the radials of the 160 meter vertical in preparation for the summer haying
• Find and install better straps that bind the mass of cables to the overhead cable run; the new rubber straps I installed in the fall rapidly deteriorated, while the far older ones are fine: quality matters (see below right)
  

With all of these jobs, yard work and other activities there has been little time for operating. As I write these words, I've made less than 10 contacts this month! I usually monitor 6 meters (50.313 MHz) when I'm busy elsewhere, but even that has been pretty quiet due to the low solar flux. We are in the doldrums between March equinox-enhanced north-south propagation and the start of sporadic E season a few weeks hence.

There are also a growing number of requests from friends to help out with their tower work. That doesn't happen as often as it did years ago with elderly hams holding fast with what they have and not undertaking new projects. I help out where I can. Others have also been making their lists in preparation for spring warmth and they reach out to me.

With all of the maintenance work to be done and the many new projects in my 2023 plan I expect to stay busy this year. If you enjoy QSO parties, please come out for the Ontario QSO Party on April 15 and 16. I will again be hosting one of the bonus stations so my presence in the contest is guaranteed.