MDXC MEETING DATE: 11-12-2024
LOCATION: Zoom
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 50
MDXC President Kevin Shea N9JKP called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.
Treasurer Jim Hugo KE9ET reported our balance is at $824.85 and noted that the club has had a number of outgoing donations to various DXpeditions.
Kevin reminded listeners that all club minutes are published to the Club website, and that meetings are
now being recorded and can also be found on the Club website.
The club-funded expedition to Nauru, C21MM, did fairly well, completing 94,000 QSOs, 25% of them with North America. W9DEY again led the Club with contacts from 10 through 60 meters. C21MM did have a lot of noise problems on 80 and 160 meters resulting in few contacts on those bands.
W9XT reported good activity with fair conditions in the phone portion of the CQWW DX Contest this past weekend.
W9EWZ made 40 contacts on 2 meters to the east coast during the strong aurora opening of October 11th. QSOs were also completed on 432 to ME, NY and CT, up to 1,000 miles
4U1UN now has an 80 and 160 antenna and several of the club members did work them on 80 meters.
F2 on 6 meters is where it’s been happening. Many new DX entities have been worked by club members. Ed N9MW reported working into the Indian Ocean. W9EWZ reported the Solar Influx Index has been in the 200 to 300 range 20 of the 31 days in October. Gary W9XT also worked into the Indian Ocean, picking up several new entities there. There were many Italian stations on 6 during the latest European opening and also 4O, S5, 9H and IS0.
CQ WW CW DX Contest will be on November 23 and 24. Meteor scatter is coming up with the Geminids meteor showers which will peak December 12th and 13th.
W7GJ Lance checked into the Zoom meeting and has promised to give us a talk on his expedition to ZD9GJ.
New projects include antenna repair by Gary, W9XT due to deer having the munchies! Ed Toal
N9MW will be installing a roof top antenna for 6 meters at his Arizona residence. Ray Ehrlich KF0LKJ
added a ground plane 6-meter antenna and has a folded dipole for 160 thru 10. Ray reports the
HF antenna heard 6 better than the designed 6-meter antenna! Gary W9X offered slides and info on 6 -meter ground plane reception.
Kevin reminded listeners that the club publishes all our presentations on YouTube. The Club
website includes membership, upcoming presentations, YouTube access to past presentations, etc.
Everyone is invited to our annual MDXC Holiday Party on Zoom, December 10th. This will be an informal gathering to gab! The time for the meeting to begin was decided for 6:00 Eastern time. Kevin will get a sure time and info posted to the website.
Kevin concluded the business meeting at 6:57 PM.
Our guest speaker Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA presented “Review of Propagation in the First Half of Cycle 25 and Forecast for the Second Half of Solar Cycle 25”.