
July 2025
Volume 30 Number 7
Next meeting: July 26th in Martel (Jackson). Find out more.
In this issue: tubes, verticals, and… tuning forks? – new videos! – classifieds – DX – contests – State QSO parties! – funny stuff! – and more!
From the Prez
Hello DX’ers and Contesters,
If you missed our last meeting, you missed a good one. Craig, K9CT, gave us a presentation on his contest super-station in Illinois. The good news is that Jeff WK6I will have the video of the presentation up on the website by the time you read this. Look for the Resources tab on the website, click on it and go to Videos (also linked below – J.)
I do have some videos available from our past meetings, but very few were actually recorded. Little by little, I am editing these down and sending them off to Jeff, as YouTube videos, so he can add the links to the website.
The California QSO Party will be here before you know it, so now is the time to start planning whether or not you’re going to operate from home or as a county expedition.
Last year, SCCC’s CQP score was 4,593,487. MLDXCC was well under SCCC, with 3,817,733 points. SCCC also won the Club Competition, in our category, in 2023. MLDXCC beat SCCC in 2022. Let’s go for the WIN in 2025!
I have reserved our August meeting for a California QSO Party (CQP) strategy meeting. The Lincoln Swap is in September, so there will be no meeting that month.(As always, see the Meetings page for the latest!)
County expeditions can be a lot of fun and can be a way to really rack up the points for the Club. A group of us were in Alpine County last year and part of that group has also operated in Tehama County for several years. We had a blast! The more county expeditions MLDXCC members can do, the better, especially if they are in rare counties.
Dean, N6DE, has done an exceptional job with CQP, and that includes compiling an annual list of rare counties. I don’t see any 2025 updates on the website yet, but you can bet that they will be there soon. You’re going to want to look at that rare county list and then claim it. (See below for the latest!)
How many of you have wished you had the ultimate operating location during an HF contest, a VHF contest, or even when trying to work that all-time new one? This could be on the top of a mountain, the side of a mountain, or on an ocean beach. Chris, KI1P, lives in Northfield, Vermont, and with a location like that one would think that he has a pretty darn good QTH. Not the case. An HF beam, pointed at Europe, looks into a granite mountain that is nearly in his back yard. To solve this problem, Chris bought a retired television live truck and turned it into a superb contest station, with top notch equipment. It is essentially an HF and VHF rover. There is a lot more to this story and you can hear all about it at our next meeting, which will be on July 26th, at Round Table Pizza, in Jackson (Martel). I saw Chris’s presentation at the Contest Forum this year in Dayton. Chris has a great sense of humor. You will find it very entertaining and you may just want to find a retired television live truck and build one of these rover contest stations yourself. Hope to see many of you there!
From the Veep
Hello MLDXCC!
Well, Field Day (2025) is now completed, how did you guys do? With a part time effort (due to challenges), there were 392 Q’s in the log. It always gives me pleasure to work the new (younger) operators. Their excitement is refreshing. Make sure you get your score and field day stories to Jeff WK6I so he can put them in the news letter.
Worked any good DX lately? As observed, HF conditions have been a little up and down. Stations in Europe on 20 are now workable in the evening providing some new Marathon contact.
Six meters (50.313 FT8) however has been very active at times. The last several evenings the north (BC, WA & OR) and south (AZ & NM) path has been active. Regarding my WAS search on 6 meters, I’m still waiting for a good east coast opening to Delaware & Rhode Island.
How’s your DX Marathon numbers looking? Remember even though you’ve worked a DXCC country before, they count as “brand new” again every year for the Marathon. WARC band & FT4/FT8 contacts all count for the Marathon as well.
Also listen for the K6C Special Event Station starting July 11th. This is a special call for the California State Fair (Cal Expo). I will be on 20 SSB various evenings, so give me a shout.
Well that’s all for now, time to go work outside before it gets to hot! Remember to stay hydrated!
73 and Good DX, Steve / NC6R
Treasurer’s Quarterly Report
4/1/2025 Opening Balance = $2,787.07
- Income = $140.00
- 2025 Dues – Paypal = $20.00
- 2025 Dues – Checking = $120.00
- Expenses = $0.00
- None
6/30/2025 Ending Balance = $2,927.07
Secretary’s Report
Minutes of the June 21st Meeting (The Breakroom, Shingle Springs)
Breaking News!
(Imagine the sound of a chattering teletype…)

The California QSO Party (CQP) is October 4th and that day will arrive faster than you think. The CQP web site has just been updated for 2025. You can now go there and register your planned activity, and you can track what others have planned.
The Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) has announced a new special on-air event — the NCCC 55th Anniversary Fiesta, taking place Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 1900Z Saturday-0300Z Sunday (noon to 8pm Pacific Time). This is an “operating event” with no log checking, on CW, SSB, and RTTY. Find out more!
The Southern California DX Club (SCDXC) notes in their July newsletter that due to waning interest, the August 2025 newsletter may be the last one. Readers are encouraged to respond if they desire to see more newsletters after that.
One of your editor’s local clubs – Tuolumne County
Amateur Radio & Electronics Society (TCARES) – puts out a great quarterly newsletter, here’s the latest issue. (Tell us about your local club!)
Articles
Tube of the Month – July 2025 by Norm N6JV
Multi-Band Verticals by Gary NA6O
Study of a Telegraph Tuning Fork by Gary NA6O
Newly Posted Videos!
Subscribe to the MLDXCC YouTube channel! And Please “like” the videos, it will help people find them!
- K9CT Contest Station (June 2025)
- 6 Meter DXing from NorCal, Chuck NA6XX (May 2025)
- Antipodal Focusing, John K4ERO (March 2025)
- Carl K9LA Solar cycle 25 Predictions and Progress (October 2023)
- Rob Sherwood NC0B – Lab tests of HF Transceivers (March 2021)
Classifieds
For Sale: New, never used, EHU for BigIR / $250 or best offer – Thank you, Steve / NC6R k6sca@volcano.net

For Sale: $995 takes all, HF Amp / Tuner / Swr-Power Meter / Dummy Load – see below. Located in Northwest Reno, NV and can deliver to NCCC Truckee BBQ Sun July 27th if desired. Barry K6ST k6st@arrl.net
HF Amplifier 160m – 10m Ameritron AL-811H. The Al-811 gives you 600 watts PEP output. 13.75 x 8.65 x 16 inches. Weight: 31 pounds. The Ameritron AL-811H is similar to the AL-811, but with four fully neutralized 811A transmitting tubes for 800 watts of power.

LDG AT-600ProII is a general-purpose automatic tuner intended for use with midsize amplifiers with up to 600 watts output SSB, 500 watts CW, 300W Digital from 1.8 – 54 MHz. Easy to Read Bar Graph – Dual Antenna Switch – Switched-L tuning network.

High Power SWR watt meter. HF, peak reading, 3kW

MFJ-250X VersaLoad KW Wet Dummy Load with oil. Lets you tune up fast!

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. Contact Bob W1RH w1rh@yahoo.com.
Bob W1RH also has the following items available:
Alpha 91B amplifier. $1200

Brand new, in the box, Svetlana 4CX800A amplifier tube – $250

Array Solutions 6-PAK 6 port SO2R antenna switch – $250

Contact Bob W1RH w1rh@yahoo.com
For sale: Eimac 8877 and 3CX800A7 tubes, all tested to factory spec (June 2025) by retired Eimac engineer, includes individual data sheet for each tube. Price $700 each, $1200/pair.
Also for sale Jan 7203/4CX250B NOS in sealed can $100 each and Jan 7609/4CX150D NOS in sealed can $30 each.
Contact Mike, K6LQ wn6yqs@aol.com
DX…
Upcoming Contests
Via contestcalendar.com:
- July 26: RSGB IOTA Contest
- August 2: North American QSO Party (NAQP), CW
- August 9: Worked All Europe DX Contest, CW
- August 9: NCCC 55th Anniversary Fiesta
- August 16: North American QSO Party (NAQP), SSB
- August 17: ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY
New! State QSO Parties (via statesqoparty.com):
- July 26: Alabama
- August 9: Maryland-DC
- August 23: Hawaii, Ohio
Humor!
Steve NC6R found this on KL7J’s website, “How Cold Is It?“
Send more funny stuff for the next issue! – Ed.
ClubLog DXCC Standings
As of 17 July 2025. You can see complete MLDXCC standings on ClubLog here.
Overall
1 | NK7I | 229 |
2 | W1SRD | 227 |
3 | W6DE | 205 |
4 | K6OK | 187 |
5 | K6YK | 183 |
CW
1 | K6YK | 163 |
2 | NO5Z | 122 |
3 | K6OK | 120 |
4 | NA6O | 106 |
5 | N6WM | 104 |
Phone
1 | W1SRD | 116 |
2 | K6YK | 115 |
3 | NO5Z | 115 |
4 | N6WM | 111 |
5 | K6TQ | 101 |
Data
1 | NK7I | 220 |
2 | W1SRD | 200 |
3 | W6DE | 180 |
4 | K7QDX | 173 |
5 | K6OK | 157 |
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!