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Zone Zero podcast

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HF Radio Contesting with VA7ST

HF Radio Contesting with VA7ST

Location:

Canada

Description:

HF Radio Contesting with VA7ST

Language:

English

Episodes

Episode 26: February packed with contests

2/1/2021
Let’s take a look at February and a jam-packed roster of radio contests. There’s something for everyone this month – whether you’re a CW or RTTY lover, prefer phone contests or the newer digital modes like FT4.

Duration:00:14:29

Episode 25: Top Band action in CQ 160M CW

1/25/2021
As long as sunspots remain rare, these years of quiet solar activity are the heydays for 160M (that’s 1.8 Mhz -- also fondly known as the Top Band). You’ll have a ton of fun enjoying good DX through the night. If you’re keen to see what you can work on Top Band, this episode is for you.

Duration:00:10:57

Episode 24: CQ WPX RTTY and ARRL DX CW

2/6/2019
With two of the biggest contests of the year coming up in February, will the HF bands hold up well enough to enjoy? We’ll take a look in Episode 24 of Zone Zero.

Duration:00:06:05

Episode 23: Looking ahead to CQ Worldwide CW 2018

11/18/2018
The 2018 CQ Worldwide CW contest is coming to a radio near you on the November 24 and 25 weekend.

Duration:00:17:58

Stress and the ham radio operator

10/14/2018
There are lots of ways being a contester can raise your blood pressure -- and so many ways it can relieve your stress, too. That, plus a look ahead at CQ Worldwide SSB and CW this time out.

Duration:00:13:37

Episode 21: Summer potpourri

8/17/2018
High summer is time to relax in the sun, read back-issues of your ham magazines, or comb through catalogs and websites to contemplate new gear for the shack, maybe a new antenna or coax. Let’s get going with Episode 21 – the summer potpourri edition of Zone Zero.

Duration:00:14:47

Episode 20: Who’s on first? Real-time score reporting

5/4/2018
Online, real-time contest score reporting tools are the focus in Episode 20 of Zone Zero.

Duration:00:17:07

Episode 19: Back at it with new eyes

3/31/2018
We’re back in the saddle and ready to look at 2018 through a whole new lens. Literally. I’m seeing like a kid and ready to hit the air again.

Duration:00:10:16

Episode 18 — 73 and QRT for now

12/31/2017
We close out 2017 with the final episode of the Zone Zero podcast.

Duration:00:06:32

Episode 17: Top Band in top form for ARRL 160M

12/5/2017
Let's take a look at the ARRL 160M contest weekend just behind us -- conditions were pretty good, but depending on where you are located the difference-maker was how much access you had to DX contacts.

Duration:00:09:26

Episode 16: Recapping CQWW CW 2017

11/28/2017
The CQWW CW contest ended on Sunday afternoon. This is a short episode recapping what may be the biggest contest of the year.

Duration:00:07:49

Episode 15: Bring on the world for CQWW CW

11/21/2017
For my money, the CQ Worldwide DX CW contest is the biggest, best and most fun contest of the year. If you operate Morse code and want to work a ton of DX in a single weekend, get on the air and join the fun.

Duration:00:12:19

Episode 14: Fall 2017 contest season

10/20/2017
We’re into contest season, with some major events coming up in late October and November. What can we learn from recent conditions to help earn better scores?

Duration:00:08:32

Episode 13: Chasing the action

9/26/2017
The fall contest season has begun and now we start a staccato rhythm of major contest weekends. How are you plotting your course for the upcoming months? I’ll walk through my plan for fall 2017 activity on the contest calendar. Here’s a hint: It’s a very busy season.

Duration:00:10:33

Episode 12: Why we do it

9/3/2017
Something every contest operator has thought about at one point or another is, "Why?" Why do we put in the long hours for no tangible reward? Why do we build our stations with unstinting dedication? Nobody really knows, and we all know. That’s the focus for Episode 12 of Zone Zero.

Duration:00:11:47

Episode 11: Gearing up for fall

7/30/2017
When fall contest season rolls around, you’ll be thankful for every little improvement you made over the summer months. It’s no fun climbing a tower or working on antennas when it’s snowing and minus 20 degrees outside. So get it done now and be ready for the fall contest season.

Duration:00:12:09

Episode 10: IARU recap and 6M meteor scatter

7/9/2017
Our long, hot summer rolls along with plenty to do. This week we report on the IARU HF World Championships held over the past weekend, and look ahead at the next fun ham radio contests on the summer calendar.

Duration:00:07:24

Episode 9: High summer on the air

6/25/2017
An early summer look back at All Asia CW, adventures with solar power in ARRL Field Day, my fishing trip, and a look ahead at RAC Canada Day and the DL-DX RTTY.

Duration:00:10:34

Episode 8: Puttering about in the summer doldrums

6/11/2017
The prime contest seasons are behind us and ahead of us, so we’re in what I like to consider the summer doldrums. Coming up are the All Asian CW and Ukrainian RTTY worldwide contests. That plus talk about amplifiers this week.

Duration:00:13:16

Episode 7: Glass half-empty in CQ WPX CW

5/29/2017
Thousands of ham radio operators are in recovery mode after a hectic weekend of frantic action on the air. CQ WPX CW is over, and it was good when it started Friday but really bad by the finish on Sunday.

Duration:00:08:55

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