August 2026
Volume 31 Number 8
Next meeting is scheduled for August 22nd at 11:30am at a TBD location. Program is TBD. 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! – Club Biz – QSLs! – Points Generator! – state QSO parties – a look back 10 & 20 years – classifieds – DX – focus contests? – funny stuff! – Club Log updates – and more!
From the Prez
Greetings MLDXCC –
Has anyone worked the Franz Joseph Land (RI1FJL) DX expedition? I’m still waiting and hoping as it will be an “all time new one” for me. As of this writing they had not yet made land. Reports have indicated it’s been a rough, stormy trip.
Band conditions lately, while not stellar, do not seem to be as bad as the “doom and gloom” folks would have you believe. Lately seventeen meters in the morning have been hot into Europe from West Coast. It’s always to good to get those contacts in the log as they count toward the 2026 CQ Marathon.
The NAQP contest was held over the weekend. How did you do? Anybody get WAS or work all the multipliers? I was honored to have Bob, KA9MDP operate my station during NAQP, he put in a very nice effort. Great to see another DX/contest individual in the club.
Upcoming the MLDXCC board is currently discussing the focus contest for the year. At present it looks like we’ll approve a slate very close to last year. If you’ve got a suggestion, please reach out and let us know.
Attention – CQP (Cal QSO Party) is just around the corner! Are you making plans and getting geared up? The date to mark down is the Oct 3rd, the first weekend in October. Go to CQP.org to sign up your station & location. Many of our club members will be active, so be sure to keep an ear out and work ‘em!
If you’ve not yet paid your dues for 2026, please consider doing so. Cost yearly is $30 individual, $45 for a family. Thank you for your membership and participation.
MLDXCC is a premier DX/Contest Club, our continued success can’t be done without you. Thank you for your membership and participation.
For your info, here are good contest & DX web links –
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
Next quarterly Treasurer’s report will be published in the October Nugget.
Dues are still 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.
Secretary’s Report
Breaking News!
(Click here for the sound of a chattering teletype! Thanks to Bob W1RH.)
Network Analyzers for Antenna System Measurements by Gary NA6O
From the most recent ARRL Contest Update, by Max, N4ML:
“My final thoughts for this issue stem from the most recent YCCC meeting. We were discussing the club competition, and ways to improve it. It got me thinking as to the future of serious single-op stations. It is a big commitment to go from wires in trees to even one tower. It’s the most expensive thing you can do to your house that adds no value other than a pool. Thankfully, used tower sections have remained at a steady price, as have antennas. There are many young people getting seriously involved in contests, but will they build a station? Will they buy a house, even? At the same time, an increasing number of major single-op stations sit stagnant during major contest weekends. That does not help the club score. I don’t necessarily have a solution, but it does appear to be a growing issue around North America. My question to you, the reader, is how do you see the future of your contest club? What are you all doing to ensure your club remains active, vibrant, and engaged in our shared love of contesting?”
Got news? Send it to me for inclusion in the next issues of The Nugget! – ed.
Recently Posted Articles
Write something for The Nugget!
Points Generator!
New Feature! Each month we will try to feature a Points Generator member profile. (Here’s how to submit your own profile.) This month, Dennis WU6X.
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:
- August 29-30: WW Digi DX Contest (FT4/8)
- September 5-6: All Asian DX Contest, Phone
- September 12-13: Worked All Europe DX Contest, SSB
- September 12-14: ARRL September VHF Contest (all modes)
- September 13: North American Sprint, CW
- September 20: North American Sprint, RTTY
- September 26-28: CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY
- October 3-4: California QSO Party (CW, Phone)
State QSO Parties (via statesqoparty.com) – We have a bumper crop of State QPs for September:
- August 29-30: Kansas QSO Party (CW, SSB, Digital including RTTY and FT modes)
- September 6-7: Tennessee QSO Party (CW)
- September 12-13: New Jersey QSO Party (CW)
- September 12-13: Colorado QSO Party (CW)
- September 19-20: Texas QSO Party (CW)
- September 19-20: Iowa QSO Party (CW)
- September 19-20: New Hampshire QSO Party (CW)
- September 19-20: Washington State Salmon Run (CW)
- September 26-27: Maine QSO Party (CW)
- October 3-4: California QSO Party (CW, Phone)
Classifieds
C’mon folks, buy this stuff! Make offers!
For Sale: 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 – N6NFBskip@gmail.com
Humor!
Send more funny stuff for the next issue! – Ed.
ClubLog DXCC Standings
Standings for 2026 as of 19 August. You can see complete MLDXCC standings on ClubLog here.
Overall
| 1 | W1SRD | 211 |
| 2 | N6NFB | 195 |
| 3 | WU7W | 190 |
| 4 | W6DR | 185 |
| 4 | K6YK | 185 |
| 5 | W6RKC | 174 |
CW
| 1 | K6YK | 163 |
| 2 | K6RIM | 145 |
| 3 | W6DR | 110 |
| 4 | K6OK | 80 |
| 5 | NA6O | 62 |
Phone
| 1 | WC6H | 123 |
| 2 | K6YK | 106 |
| 3 | K6TQ | 72 |
| 4 | NC6R | 58 |
| 5 | WU7W | 51 |
Data
| 1 | W1SRD | 208 |
| 2 | N6NFB | 193 |
| 3 | WU7W | 177 |
| 4 | W6DR | 165 |
| 5 | W6RKC | 161 |
20 and 10 Years Ago in The Nugget
August 2006
The August 2006 meeting was at Round Table Pizza in Martell, as it often is. The August speaker was Tom Carney,
K6EU, who presented the basics of VHF contesting, VHF rovers, standard operating practices, how VHF contesting is different from HF contesting, and the future of VHF contesting.
VP Rick N6RK: “One of the things I do to get ideas for programs is to crash other radio club meetings and then approach the speaker if I think I am interested. I went to a club meeting last Friday and it reminded me of how special MLDXCC is. At this club, nearly all members had calls like KG6XXX and many were not even on HF. No Honor Roll members and probably not even DXCC holders. For the members of this club, Field Day is an emergency exercise that has a contest aspect to it. For MLDXCC, Field Day is a contest that has an emergency exercise aspect to it.”
August 2016
No Nugget for August 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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