April 2026
Volume 31 Number 4
Next meeting: 11:30AM May 16th at tbd. Find out more.
June meeting is a joint meeting with NCCC on June 13th in Isleton. Find out more.
Thirty Years Ago, a bunch of local hams gathered for pizza at Mountain Mike’s Round Table in Martel, and the Mother Lode DX/Contest Club was born!
In this issue: Missives! – news – Monthly features! – bunches of state QSO parties – a look back 10 & 20 years – classifieds – DX – focus contests? – more funny stuff! – Club Log updates – and more!
Sorry this issue is late, stuff got busy in your editor’s life, but it’s all good.
From the Prez
Hello MLDXCC,
Did you participate in the recent CQ WPX Contest? Several of us got together at Rich’s home and operated the full 48 hours using WC6H callsign….thank you Rich. How did we do overall? Stand by…logs are still being checked. At completion, we ended the contest with 5355 contacts!
For those of you who may have not heard, MLDXCC won the medium size club category for the ARRL Sweep Stakes contest! This make our 11th year in a row, great job MLDXCC members!
How’s DX? Currently 4W6DA Timor-Leste, 3B9N Rodrigues Island and D6ØDX Comoros are all actively on the air.
Good news for those looking for the rare entities. 3YØL Peter I Island is scheduled to be activated in February 2027 and is currently listed as #7 on Club Log’s most wanted list.
Sue K6SZQ MLDXCC treasurer reports most of you guys are doing a good job with your dues payments. If you’ve not yet paid for 2026, please consider doing so. Cost yearly is $30 individual, $45 for a family. MLDXCC is a premier DX/Contest Club and our continued success can’t be done without you. Thank you for your membership and participation.
And as always, here are a couple of good websites to review upcoming contest and DX announcements –
Contest dates are listed at –
https://www.contestcalendar.com
DX operation announcements can be found at –
https://www.ng3k.com/misc/adxo.html
73 & good DX, Steve / NC6R MLDXCC Pres
From the Veep
No missive this month.
Treasurer’s Quarterly Report
Dues are due (we run our finances January – December), and at the November 2025 meeting those in attendance voted to increase dues to $30 per individual and $45 for a family. That’s a steal – only $2.50/month (or $3.75/mo for a family) – just 58 cents a week! Show your club some support and pay your dues today – you can pay them by:
- Sending a check payable to MLDXCC to our treasurer, Sue K6SZQ at 17610 Red Mule Road Fiddletown, CA 95642
- Paying through Paypal – motherlodeclub@gmail.com Make sure that you spell Motherlode correctly, and choose the “friends and family option” to avoid us having to pay fees.
- Best way: Bringing a check or cash with you to the meeting! Hope to see you there.
1/1/2026 Opening Balance = $3,077.07
- Income = $350.00
- 2025 Dues – Paypal = $130.00
- 2025 Dues – Checking = $220.00
- Expenses = $143.00
- NCCC – 2025 CQP plaque sponsorship = $65.00
- P.O. Box Rental = $78.00
3/31/2026 Ending Balance = $3,284.07
Secretary’s Report
Breaking News!
(Imagine the sound of a chattering teletype…)
If you haven’t yet checked out SWR Magazine, do it now. They’re celebrating one year of (online) publishing and it’s a pretty good looking rag. Check out the anniversary issue!
Got news? Send it to me for inclusion in the next issues of The Nugget! – ed.
Recently Posted Articles
QSL of the Month for April 2026 – Bob W1RH
Norm N6JV is taking this month off from Tube of the Month, so here is a classic of early miniaturization from the April 2011 Nugget.
WE 215A
There are those who believe that the miniaturization of vacuum tubes was one of the results of WWII. They missed a war. Radio equipment was used in WWI aircraft and in the trenches of the Western Front. The need for tubes that operated on very small values of battery power was the reason that Western Electric began research on miniature tubes during that War.
The VT-5 or 215A was ready for production in 1919 so was never actually used in the War. The “Peanut” tube operated with 1 volt on the filament at .25 amp and 100 volts at 2 ma on the plate. The tube is 2.50 in long and .50 inches in diameter and required is own special bayonet socket.
Up until 1930, the 215A was used in a variety of equipment including small TRF and super heterodyne receivers, crystal oscillators in transmitters and audiometers. Western Electric made very good equipment and just because its old isn’t always a reason to use something else. Western Electric finally refused to provide the Navy with the tubes in 1983 after 64 years of production. (Wow! – ed.)
Visit the museum at N6JV.com
QSL of the Month – March 2026 – Bob W1RH
Videos!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
DX…
DXpedition Timeline (updated regularly) – Via DX-world.net
Upcoming Contests
Focus contests for 2026-2027 should be on the agenda in the next couple of meetings – think about which contests you’d like, and contribute to the decision!
Other contests of note coming up in the next month or so, via contestcalendar.com:
- May 30-31: CQ WPX Contest (CW)
State QSO Parties (via statesqoparty.com) – It’s that time of year when the major contest season winds down, but fortunately we have a bumper crop of State QPs for May:
- May 2: 7th Call Area QSO Party (CW, Phone, Digital (non-FT8))
- May 2: Indiana QSO Party (CW, Phone)
- May 2: New England QSO Party (CW, Phone, Digital (non-FT8))
- May 2: Delaware QSO Party (CW, Phone, Digital (non-FT8), FT4/8)
- May 9: Canadian Prairies QSO Party (CW, Phone)
- May 16: Arkansas QSO Party (CW, Phone, Digital (non-FT8))
- Whew!
Classifieds
C’mon folks, buy this stuff! Make offers!
Rick NK7I (Rick.NK7I@gmail.com) notes that “The NCDXC repeater is looking at having DMR access soon so if you’re a member you may want a DMR radio to access it (or via your local DMR repeater or hotspot IF you’re out of the coverage area). Two DMR capable HT for sale here.
- 1 TYT MD-380 UHF HT; DMR and FM/NFM (25/12.5/6.25 KHz width) capable; with charger, spare (NEW 50% more capacity) battery and programming cable; ham, GMRS, FRS and commercial capable. * $100
- 1 TYT MD-380 VHF HT; DMR and FM/NFM (25/12.5/6.25 KHz width) capable; with charger, spare (NEW 50% more capacity) battery and programming cable; ham and commercial capable * $100
* These are nice radios. One really useful feature is being able to load multiple zones into the radio at programming time; so as your needs change, simply change zones (home, cabin, GMRS, vacation location). Programming software is free, available online. Buy both TYT radios, I’ll cover the shipping and add one extra battery (total 5). Useful on DMR or analog repeaters, or a DMR hotspot to talk around the planet. Both HT’s are in excellent condition, rarely used outside and never mobile. Sales to non-ham licensed folks will have the ham programming removed before transfer.
For Sale and Wanted: Skip N6NFB is selling a US Tower TX-455 (used, very good) with tilt fixture, Yaesu 800 rotor, and 15 foot mast tube $1100. And also selling a US Tower MA-40 tubular tower. New old stock, still on shipping pallets. $250.
Skip is also looking for “a fairly recent HF radio. FTDX 3000 or similar. My trusty old 756proIII developed a problem during the recent contest and took me out of it. Skip – N6NFBskip@gmail.com
Wanted: Rohn-25 tower sections, bottom plate, wall stand off, & top section. If you have any of thiese pieces, let me know along with the price.
Dave, w6de – 530-409-7877 – v8dave@gmail.com
For Sale: Bob W1RH has a WaveNode WN2 Digital Watt Meter, with four HF sensors. This unit sells new for $385, with a single sensor. I have been using is in an SO2R configuration with a sensor on the input and output of each amplifier.
That way, I can always see my input and output power. Rick, W6SR, who uses my station remotely more than I do, has depended on the software display to know how much power he’s running.
There are several options for the look of the computer display. And there are several other features such as rotator control and antenna switching but I have just used the wattmeter function.
I’m selling this because I have purchased the Flex PGXL amplifier, which has built in and remotable watt meters. It can be yours for $200.
Bob also has for sale an Array Solutions 6-PAK 6 port SO2R antenna switch – $250
Contact Bob W1RH w1rh@yahoo.com.
For Sale: New, never used, EHU for BigIR / $250 or best offer – Thank you, Steve / NC6R nc6r4dx@gmail.com
High Power Antenna Tuners: Have you always wanted a Big Johnson? Now’s your chance! I bought this EF Johnson Kilowatt Matchbox years ago at a hamfest and never used it – darn those resonant antennas – so I have no idea of its actual condition. Is said to be able plenty more than 1000 watts, and can tune a balanced antenna as well as something at the other end of a coax. Includes the directional coupler. $150 or best offer. Jeff WK6I wk6i.jeff@gmail.com.
I also have a big Dentron MT3000A. Same story, never used it. This unit includes an antenna switch, dummy load, and can also handle a balanced antenna. $200 or best offer. Jeff WK6I wk6i.jeff@gmail.com.
Humor!
A few more things that popped up around the web this month:
Send more funny stuff for the next issue! – Ed.
ClubLog DXCC Standings
Standings for 2026 as of 18 April. Big Note. The MLDXCC Board passed a motion to limit Club Log standings to the ARRL club circle to more accurately represent our regional activity. That’s why the standings are a bit shaken up. You can see complete MLDXCC standings on ClubLog here.
Overall
| 1 | W1SRD | 177 |
| 2 | K6YK | 165 |
| 3 | W6DR | 149 |
| 4 | K6RIM | 139 |
| 5 | NJ6G | 136 |
CW
| 1 | K6YK | 136 |
| 2 | K6RIM | 113 |
| 3 | W6DR | 96 |
| 4 | K6OK | 80 |
| 5 | WU7W | 34 |
Phone
| 1 | WC6H | 119 |
| 2 | K6YK | 99 |
| 3 | K6TQ | 63 |
| 4 | NC6R | 51 |
| 5 | W6RKC | 49 |
Data
| 1 | W1SRD | 177 |
| 2 | NJ6G | 128 |
| 3 | W6DR | 127 |
| 4 | W6KAP | 119 |
| 5 | WU7W | 112 |
20 and 10 Years Ago in The Nugget
The April 2006 meeting was held at Round Table Pizza in Martel. Gary KI6T lent the use of his DVD on the preparations for the 3Y0X DXpedition.
President Rich NU6T shared that “I did become a ham in part due to my great interest, and complete lack of ability, in Morse code. Since I first learned translation, and then had to learn to unlearn it, I tend to practice in my own way and mostly off-air. One of the off-air tools I use is Morse Runner. I find MorseRunner a fun, if challenging, pastime and enjoy the scoring as a way to gage my improvement. The single call and pileup modes are good practice for me. Who knows, someday I may enter a real contest ;-).” Maybe you will! – ed.
Jim WX6V: “It may only be April, but this is a great time to start talking about this year’s MLDXCC Field Day Operating Event… Hey – we did great last year! We operated in Class 2A again, making 2,616 contacts and finishing with a score of 8,902, which put us in 13th place in class nationwide. That was an improvement over 2004, when we scored 7,850 points, finishing in 25th place in class 2A. The Peddler Hill location was great (as usual), the club’s newly acquired 4-element 20-meter beam and 40-meter wire beam performed well, and the operators had a fun weekend. Fun – that’s really what Field Day weekend is all about, plus the fellowship that takes place among club members when we work together as a team to accomplish a goal.” That 40-meter wire beam was a great antenna! – ed.
Then editor Rick W6SR noted “By the way, if anyone needs any radio work done I can recommend John Klewer, N6AX (I have known him for the last 20+ years, when he worked for HRO). So while I was in LA, I dropped-off my ol’ FT-1000D at John’s place for all the latest mods., including new H/P hot carrier diodes, rerouting the noise blanker signal path and replacement of the front panel. I am impatiently waiting for the little beast to come back to try her out on the bands.” N6AX recently stopped by my QTH in Murphys, was great to see an old friend. And yes he still works on radios! – ed.
There was no Nugget in April 2016.
Did these snippets from years ago trigger any good memories? If so, please send them for inclusion in the next issue of The Nugget!
Resources
Check out the Resources menu up there at the top of every web page for useful DX and contest info.
Prepared for the MLDXCC by Editor and Webwookie Jeff WK6I. Please do send me any corrections, omissions, or material for future issues of The Nugget. It is much appreciated!
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