25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROUTE 66 HAM RADIO SPECIAL EVENT

[Rastus]

Starting Sept. 7th and ending Sept. 15th the 25th Anniversary of the Route 66 Special Ham Radio event occurs.  If you have a shortwave radio you can listen in. 

https://w6jbt.org/

For those of you who do faceybookey https://www.facebook.com/w6jbt

I've participated in this Mother Road ham radio event in the past.  Since I missed Museum Ships Weekend AGAIN (this year due to a family wedding) I'm going to have to rescue my ham radio year with the Route 66 event. 

This event stretches from the start of the old Route 66 in Illinois to the end at the Pacific Ocean and points in between.  There are generally about 18 fixed locations along the route along with a couple of rovers in vehicles to contact. 

Here is a link to last year's operating frequency guidance (shortwave guidance).  https://w6jbt.org/?page_id=25

[alfsauve]

Bump this post on 9/1 to remind us, please.

[Rastus]

Alf a good thing about this one is that from your location that a directional antenna should catch everything from about Oklahoma City to the Pacific Ocean dead on.  You should be able to catch that entire portion differentially as the muf moves from east to west which is something I never considered before...provided someone is operating at those times. 

I'm looking to put up a bobtail curtain antenna to look "down the road" on the Route 66 route.   That route also puts the backside of the curtain (bi-directional) looking a little north of Atlanta.  I have a 20 meter 5 element bobtail somewhere if I can find it...but will probably end up building a new one of 3 or 4 elements because...I probably won't be able to find the 5 element.

[MikeBjerum]

I keep following you two and saying, "my next hobby to look at," but next hasn't arrived.

Would be fun, since we live just off the Mother Road. I drive a stretch to and from work every day and to church.

[Rastus]

Mike do you have a shortwave radio?  I recommend the Tecsun PL-880 ($170) or the XHdata D808 ($110).  Both have sideband modes which is what you'll need to catch most ham communications and won't disappoint on performance.  My first choice would be the Tecsun but the $60 difference won't make a lot of difference to the casual user.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

All I have is the CB (Cobra 29 LTD) I ran in my truck, and it is in a drawer in my office desk.

This week is a little quieter, at this point.  Will do a little look into this.

Thanks

[Rastus]

I'm getting ready to put a CB in my truck.  I haven't had one in a vehicle for...well, a lot of years.  Decades.  After this foot heals up I plan on installing one in the truck. 

Along with my 857d ham radio...if I can find it. 

[Rastus]

Alf, I'm also looking into a half square antenna (directional wire antenna) if I can't find the old Bobtail.  I have all I need for one.  You get good gain close to the ground.  More gain if you put a reflector behind it and you get some insane rejection that way...also close to the ground. 

The half square is just 1 wavelength of wire.  https://w6af.com/makerspace/build-your-own-ham-antennas/half-square-antenna-easy-wire-dx-antenna/

A neat online design program....
https://www.sota-antennas.com/halfsqr.php

Then...there always is the Moxon.  Lots of gain there for not a lot of expense or effort.  But the primary takeoff angle is around 30 degrees with a Moxon...15 degrees with the half square.

[Big Frank]

All I have is the CB (Cobra 29 LTD) I ran in my truck, and it is in a drawer in my office desk.

This week is a little quieter, at this point.  Will do a little look into this.

Thanks

The Truck Driver's #1 Choice! I remember the CB craze back in the '70s when there were only 23 channels instead of 40, and Cobra was really popular way back then.

I might like to listen to shortwave radio some time, just to hear it, the same way I sometimes listen to worldwide radio online. Just something different.

I wonder if running an antenna up my 40' TV mast would be any good for that kind of radio?

[alfsauve]

I think I've milked all I can out of my Hustler vertical on 20m, 15m and 10m.  Especially 20m where I haven't heard a single Alaskan station.  And on 10m the antenna seems to deaf to AR, TN, NC & SC.   I've assemble a rigid dipole for 10m which I haven't put up yet.  If it works and I get the last 4 states, then I'll extend it for 20m to work AK.   

80m and 40m are just a matter working them at the right times.  Most of hamming is done 11am to 2pm when I'm in my office.  Not good for those two bands.

If anyone is just getting an HF receiver and you want to move beyond voice (SSB) or CW (code) then you can hook the audio to your computer and download some of the free digital programs like WSJTX.   The most popular mode seems to be FT8.  Trouble is all the contacts consists of is callsign, location and signal strength which can get boring.  There evidently is still a body of RTTY (teletype) users and they still have social conversations if you want to monitor them.