Keeping a station notebook

Before you unpack a single box or put up one shelf in your station, you should start a station notebook to record how you put your station together and to help you keep your station operating. The notebook can be a simple spiral-bound notebook or a three-ring binder. Station notebooks are great places to keep those small instruction sheets that come with gadgets and accessories. Tape the instructions into your notebook and write down any configuration or setting information you might need later.

You might not want to have your notebook out “in the field” when you’re working on antennas or operating a portable station. Make a pocket notebook and pencil part of your tool kit so you can take notes whenever you need to.

Plastic report cover pockets made for three-ring binders are great places to keep small equipment manuals and warranties. You will accumulate a surprising number of these, so give them a home!

Sketch your designs before you begin building, make lists of equipment and accessories, and record the details as you go along. If you hook up two pieces of gear with multiconductor cable, write down the color of each wire and what it’s attached to. With all the cameras in phones and tablets, it’s easy to take a photo or two as you assemble or disassemble something. There are numerous voice-recorder apps, as well, so you can take verbal notes, too. All these methods save you tons of time and frustration by recording important details that are hard to remember.

After you have the station working, keep track of the gear you add and how you connect it. Record how your antennas work at different frequencies. Write down the wiring diagram for the little gadgets and adapters. Print and save any crucial software configuration information. Don’t rely on memory! Taking a few minutes to record information saves tenfold the time later.

Building in ergonomics

Spending hours in front of a radio or workbench is common, so you need to have the same concerns about ergonomics in your radio station that you do at work. You want to avoid awkward positions, too-low or too-high furniture, and harsh lighting, to name just a few. By thinking about these things in advance, you can prevent any number of personal irritations.

The computer

You may be building a radio station, but in many cases, you’ll use your computer more than the radio. Certainly, monitors are the largest pieces of equipment at your operating position. Follow the guidelines for comfortable computer use. Position the desktop at the right height for extended periods of typing, or a keyboard tray might work.

Buy a high-quality monitor, and place it at a height and distance for relaxed viewing. Used or recycled PC stores have many excellent monitors available at deep discounts. Most have adjustable tilt, but try to find one with adjustable height and with the ability to rotate for additional adjustment options. Figure 13-1 shows a few ways of integrating a monitor with radio gear.

Monitors mounted too far above the desk give you a sore neck. If you place the monitor too far away, your eyes hurt; if you place it too far left or right, your back hurts. Now is the time to apply computer ergonomics and be sure that you don’t build in aches and pains as the reward for the long hours you spend at the radio.

If you wear eyeglasses, get a special pair that focuses at the distance to the monitor. Experiment with your software to display different color combinations and font types or sizes until you are comfortable. Your eyes will thank you!

The desk and shelves

The top surface of your operating desk is the second-most-contacted piece of equipment. As is the case with chairs, many choices are available for desks suitable for a ham station. Consider height and depth when looking at desks.

Before choosing a desk, you need to decide whether the radio will sit on the desk or on a shelf above it. Figure 13-2 illustrates the basic concerns. Do you like having your keyboard on the desk? You need to be comfortable sitting at your desk with your forearms resting comfortably on it. If you tune a radio a lot, such as for most HF stations, avoid arrangements that cause your arm to rest on the elbow or on the desk’s edge for prolonged periods. Nothing is more painful! Make sure you have enough room for wrist support if using the keyboard is your main activity.

The most common height for desks is 28 to 30 inches from the floor. A depth of 30 inches is about the minimum if a typical transceiver that requires frequent tuning or adjustment is sitting directly on it. You need at least 12 inches between the front edge of the desk and the tuning knob. With your hand on the radio control you use most frequently, your entire forearm needs to be on the desktop. If the radio is sitting on a shelf above the desk, be sure that it’s close enough to you that tuning is comfortable and doesn’t require a long reach. Be sure you can see the controls clearly.

For small spaces, a desk-and-shelf computer workstation may be a good solution. You’ll probably have to add some shelves, but the main structure has all the right pieces and may be adjustable to boot. Some have wheels so they can be moved for access behind the station.

Plan for expansion, if at all possible! You may start with just a few pieces of gear, but rest assured that more gadgets and accessory items will appear. Adding shelves is nearly always a good way to make more space.

Viewing some examples

Because every station location and use is going to be different, the most helpful thing I can do is provide examples. Then you can decide what works for you. The goal of this section is to get you thinking about what works for you, not to suggest that you duplicate these stations exactly.

Ham stations

Paul Beringer (NG7Z) faced the challenge of setting up a station in a condominium for low-power HF contesting and DXing. His solution, shown in Figure 13-3, was to use a home-assembled computer workstation with a fold-down front desk.

Beringer’s workstation has these features:

• The radio and accessories are stacked where he can easily see and operate them.
• The fold-down surface provides enough desk surface for wrist support.
• A slide-away drawer holds the computer keyboard and mouse below the desk at a comfortable height.
• The monitor is close enough to be easy on the eyes and at a comfortable viewing angle even to the side of the radio.
• Lighting is from behind the operator to prevent glare.

Many hams like soft light in the station because it’s not distracting and makes reading the indicators and displays on the radios and accessories easy.

The club station at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, WØEEE, has a larger area and more equipment (see Figure 13-4). One club member can operate on HF, for example, whereas other members operate on VHF/UHF, use an SDR station, or chat on the local repeater. Left to right are Sterling Coffey (NØSSC), Brad Ziegler (KCØBSZ), and Tanner Fokkens (KEØKIZ) doing the operating.

This setup has the following features:

• The computer monitor is right in the middle at a height that minimizes head and eye movement between the radios and software.
• Shelving holds larger gear, displays, and accessories above the rigs that are at tabletop level for easy tuning.
• There’s lots of tabletop surface for the keyboard and mouse, making it easy and comfortable to operate without forearm or wrist strain.
• Everything that requires frequent adjustment is within easy reach. No side-to-side movement is required.

Put paper labels on the front-panel tuning controls of an amplifier and antenna tuners to make changing frequencies easy without extended tuneups. This method saves adjustment time, which minimizes stress on the amplifier and interference with other stations.

You needn’t have gear stacked to the ceiling to have an effective station, as you see in the clean, simple layout of Don Steele (NTØF). Steele’s specialty is operating in digital mode contests, usually on the RTTY (radioteletype) mode, which means a lot of monitor-watching. Figure 13-5 shows that the LCD computer monitor is the focus of the operating position and that the transceivers and all accessories are within easy reach.

Electrical safety

Electrical safety isn’t particularly complicated. It consists of following the few simple rules that prevent shock and fire hazards. Electricians and engineers have developed these rules over many decades. Take advantage of what they have learned to keep your station safe.

• Know and follow the fundamental wiring rules for AC power. The National Electrical Code (NEC) contains the rules and tables that help you do a safe wiring job. The NEC Handbook, as well as numerous how-to and training references, is available in your local library or at home-improvement centers. The Complete Guide to Wiring (published by Cold Spring Press, 6th edition) is an excellent source of instructions and guidelines for safe and correct wiring in your station that is “up to code” as of 2017. If you’re unsure of your skills, hire an electrician.
• Deal with DC power carefully, especially in a car, to prevent short circuits and poor connections. Treat vehicle batteries and connections to them with respect and caution. A short circuit results in high currents that can cause expensive fires. Poor connections result in your radio operating erratically. Be sure to install fuses and protect the wiring from abrasion or cuts. As with AC power, read the safety literature or hire a professional installer to do the job right.
• Think of your own personal and family safety when constructing your station. Don’t leave any kind of electrical circuit exposed where someone can touch or damage it accidentally. Use a safety lockout (a device that prevents a circuit breaker from being closed, energizing a circuit) on circuit breakers when you’re working on AC wiring or AC-powered equipment. Have fire extinguishers handy and in good working order. Show your family how to remove power from the ham station safely.

Lightning

The power and destructive potential of lightning are awesome. Take the necessary steps to protect your station and home. The ARRL web page on lightning protection (www.arrl.org/lightning-protection) includes several articles by Ron Block (NR2B) on how to create “zones of protection” in your home and station. Whether you decide to simply disconnect your feed lines outside the station or install a more complete protection plan, be sure to do the job thoroughly and completely.

RF exposure

The signals your transmitter generates can also be hazardous if you are too close to the antenna. The human body absorbs radio-wave frequency (RF) energy, turning it into heat. The biological effect of RF energy varies with frequency, being most hazardous in the VHF and UHF regions. A microwave oven operates at the high end of the UHF frequencies, for example.

The word radiation applies to both radio waves (RF) and the particles emitted by radioactive substances. Only particles have enough energy to cause genetic damage. Radio waves are many, many times weaker than particles — all they can cause is heat. You need to be careful with transmitted RF, but it is much less of a concern than radioactivity. Don’t let the word radiation frighten you!

Amateur signals are usually well below the threshold of any harmful effects but can be harmful when antennas focus the signal in such a way that you’re exposed for a long period of time. High-power VHF and UHF amplifiers can definitely be hazardous if you don’t handle them with caution.

A comprehensive set of RF safety guidelines is available in The ARRL Handbook and at www.arrl.org/rf-exposure. As you construct your own station, do a station evaluation to make sure you’re not causing any hazards due to your transmissions.

First aid

As in any other hobby that involves the potential for injury, having some elementary skills in first aid is important. Have a first-aid kit in your home or station, and be sure your family members know where it is and how to use it. Training in first aid and CPR is always a good idea for you and your family, regardless of your hobby.

AC and DC power

AC and DC power systems employ grounding and bonding to prevent shock and fire hazards. Shock hazards are created when there is a path for current to flow from an energized conductor through you. Fire hazards are created by high currents that heat wires enough to melt or ignite flammable materials. Grounding provides safety by connecting exposed conductors, such as equipment cases, directly to the Earth or to a zero-voltage point, such as a building’s metal structure. The ground conductor also provides a path to guide current away from you in the event of a short circuit between the power source and the exposed conductors.

AC power safety grounding uses a dedicated conductor — the so-called “third wire.” In the home, three-wire AC outlets connect the ground pin to the home’s ground connection at the master circuit-breaker box. The ground conductor must be heavy enough to handle any possible fault currents and cause the circuit breaker to trip. The ground connection also keeps unwanted currents from flowing through you to get to the ground.

All equipment in your station that have exposed metal cases or connections, whether powered directly by AC or not, should be bonded together with wire or strap. This keeps everything at the same voltage and prevents your getting a shock when touching two different pieces of equipment at the same time. Bonding all the equipment together also provides current a safe path to ground if any short-circuits occur.

Because DC systems generally use low voltages (less than 30 volts), grounding is less concerned with preventing shock than with preventing excessive current and poor connections. Both can result in a lot of heat and significant fire hazards. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the size of wire to use for power connections. Keep connections tight and clean to prevent erratic operation by your equipment.

RF management

The techniques that work for AC and DC power safety often don’t work well for the high frequency signals that hams use. For RF, a wire doesn’t have to be very long before it starts acting like an antenna or transmission line. At 28 MHz, for example, an 8-foot piece of wire is about ¼ wavelength long. It can have high voltage on one end and very little voltage on the other.

The way to control RF voltages and current in your station is to bond all the equipment together. Bonding keeps the equipment at the same RF voltage, not necessarily zero volts. This helps prevent RF interference, or RFI, which can disrupt radio or computer operation. The term RF ground is discouraged to keep from getting the wrong idea about the purpose of bonding.

You can bond equipment together at RF by connecting each piece of gear to a copper strap or pipe with a short piece of strap or wire, as shown in Figure 13-6. Ham gear usually has a ground terminal just for this purpose. Then connect the bonding strap or pipe to your station’s AC safety ground with a heavy wire.

Copper strap is sold at hardware and roofing stores as flashing. 20 gauge is a good thickness to use and easy to work with. Roofing contractors and metal scrap dealers may also have extra flashing you can buy.

This simple guidelines get you started, but you need to learn more about grounding and bonding practices. To answer your questions and help you perform grounding and bonding correctly, I wrote the book Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur. (See Figure 13-7.) It’s available from the ARRL, online, and from ham radio distributors. The book goes into detail about AC safety, lightning protection, and RF management, including examples to guide you as your station grows.

Logging by computer

If you’re an active ham, I highly recommend keeping your log on a computer. The logging software makes it easy to look up previous contacts with a station or operator. You can also use your logging program like a web blog as a day-to-day radio diary to keep track of local weather, solar and ionospheric conditions, equipment performance, and behavior. (In fact, the word blog is a shortened version of web log, meaning “a log on the web.”) If you ever decide to participate in “radiosport” operating achievement award programs or radio contests (see Chapter 11), you’ll be very glad to have kept a log! Just do an Internet search for ham radio logging software, and you’ll be surprised at the variety available.

Figure 13-9 shows the window for logging contacts from the software DXLab Suite (www.dxlabsuite.com). Note that not only can you enter all the information but also the program automatically interfaces to your radio’s computer control port and fills in the frequency and mode for you. Programs like Ham Radio Deluxe (www.ham-radio-deluxe.com) and DX4WIN (www.dx4win.com) are also available.

Contest operation is a little more demanding so the software is focused on what you need to participate efficiently. There are several contest “loggers” available, but I often recommend N3FJP’s software (n3fjp.com) as easy-to-learn and very inexpensive. Figure 13-9 shows the popular N3JFP program you might encounter at Field Day. Other excellent choices include N1MM Logger+ (n1mm.hamdocs.com) and WriteLog (writelog.com).

Logging programs can also export data in standard file formats such as ADIF (Amateur Data Interchange Format) and submit your contact information to electronic confirmation services like eQSL.net and the ARRL’s Logbook of the World. For contest logs, your software will generate a log in Cabrillo format (www.arrl.org/cabrillo-format-tutorial).

For mobile or portable operation, portable logging apps such as HamLog (pignology.net/hamlog.html) or CQ/X (www.no5w.com) will run on a smartphone or tablet. Specially designed for mobile operation in VHF+ contests (called roving), the program RoverLog (roverlog.2ub.org) helps you maximize your score.

Submitting a contest log

Perhaps you heard hams exchanging rapid-fire contacts in a contest (see Chapter 11), made a few QSOs, and discovered it was a lot of fun! It won’t take you long to have quite a few contacts in your log — why not send your log to the contest sponsors? This helps them cross-check the contacts; you might even get a certificate!

It’s pretty easy — here’s how to send in your log. Start by generating a Cabrillo-formatted log file. Your logging software does this automatically. Check the software’s Help services to find out how. Name the file “yourcallsign.log.” Use a plain text editor like Notepad to view the file and make sure the information is correct. Don’t change the file to a word processor format; keep it in plain-text format.

Next, visit the sponsor’s web page to find out whether you should email the log or use a web-based upload page. (Most sponsors accept but don’t really want paper printouts of your log.) If email is preferred, attach the log to the email with your call sign in the Subject line. Otherwise, use the log upload web page and follow its instructions.

After you have submitted a log, you may receive a confirmation message from the sponsor. Save that message in case there are any problems in processing your log. The sponsor may have a claimed-score or logs-received web page as well. If your call is listed there, the log has been received and will be checked and scored. All you have to do is wait for the results!

It is a good idea to create a folder on your computer just for contest logs. Save the Cabrillo log in the folder and rename it something like “Yourcall – Date – Contest,” such as “NØAX–Feb 2017–CW Sprint.” If you get a confirmation message, save it in the same folder for future reference until the contest results have been published.

QSLing electronically

Many hams are confirming their contacts on two sites: eQSL and ARRL’s Logbook of the World (LoTW). Your logging software may even be able to upload your contacts to these systems automatically as you make them. With these systems, there is no need to exchange paper cards although many hams send a card for a first contact with a station for their collections.

eQSL (www.eqsl.net) was the first electronic QSL system and is extremely easy to use. Its site has a tutorial slideshow that explains just how eQSL works and how to use it. eQSL offers its own operating awards, as well, verified by contacts uploaded to the eQSL system.

The ARRL’s LoTW (www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world) is more complicated to use. You’re required to authenticate your identity and license, and all submitted contacts are digitally signed for complete trustworthiness. LOTW provides electronic verification of QSOs for award purposes. It currently supports the ARRL awards and CQ’s WPX and WAZ award programs.

DXpeditions often use an online QSLing system such as Club Log’s OQRS system (secure.clublog.org). You can support the expeditioners with a donation and request your QSL at the same time. It’s speedy, secure, and highly recommended.

Direct QSLing

If you want to send a paper card, the quickest (and most expensive) option is direct, meaning directly to other hams at their published addresses. You can find many ham addresses on the web portal QRZ.com. This method ensures that your card gets to recipients as fast as possible and usually results in the shortest turnaround time. Include the return postage and maybe even a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Direct QSLing costs more than electronic QSLing but makes it as easy as possible for you to get a return card on its way from the other ham — many times, with a colorful stamp.

Postal theft can be a problem in poorer countries. An active station can make hundreds of contacts per week, attracting unwelcome attention when many envelopes start showing up with those funny number–letter call signs on them. Don’t put any station call signs on the envelope if you have any question about the reliability of the postal service. Make your envelope as ordinary and as thin as possible. If the station gives QSL instructions online or during the contact, be sure to follow them!

Using QSL managers

To avoid poor postal systems and cut postage expenses, many DX stations and DXpeditions use a QSL manager. The manager is located in a country with reliable, secure postal service. This method results in a nearly 100 percent return rate. QSLing via a manager is just like direct QSLing. If you don’t include return postage and an envelope to a manager for a DX station, you’ll likely get your card back via the QSL bureau (see the next section), which takes a few months at minimum. You can locate managers on websites such at QRZ.com’s QSL Corner, which is free to members (www.qrz.com/page/qsl-corner.html). If the station has a website or has posted information on the QRZ.com page, a manager will usually be listed there. The DX newsletters listed in Appendix B are also good sources of information.

If you send your QSL overseas, be sure to do the following:

• Use the correct global airmail letter rate from the U.S. Postal Service website (postcalc.usps.com).
• Ensure airmail service by using an Air Mail sticker (free at the post office), an airmail envelope, or an Air Mail/Par Avion stamp on the envelope.
• Include return postage from the DX operator's home country to the U.S. from sources such as William Plum DX Supplies (email [email protected]) or the K3FN Air Mail Postage Service (www.airmailpostage.com).

You may be asked to “send one (or two) greenstamps” for return postage. A greenstamp is a $1 bill. Be sure that currency isn’t visible through the envelope.

Bureaus and QSL services

All that postage can mount up pretty quickly. A much cheaper (and much slower) option exists: the QSL bureau system. You should use this method when the DX station says “QSL via the bureau” or on CW and digital modes, “QSL VIA BURO.” The QSL bureau system operates as a sort of ham radio post office, allowing hams to exchange QSLs at a fraction of the cost of direct mail.

If you are an ARRL member, you can bundle up all your DX QSLs (you still have to send domestic cards directly) and send them to the outgoing QSL bureau, where the QSLs are sorted and sent in bulk to incoming QSL bureaus around the world. The cards are then sorted and distributed to individual stations. The recipients send their reply cards back in the other direction. Go to www.arrl.org/qsl-service for more details. To get your cards, you must keep postage and envelopes in stock at your incoming QSL bureau. (Anyone can use the incoming QSL bureaus.) Then, when you least expect it, a fat package of cards arrives in the mail. What fun!

An intermediate route is the K3FN QSL Service (www.airmailpostage.com), which forwards QSLs to foreign and U.S. managers for a fee, currently 1 to 5 dollars per card depending on how fast you want the QSL in return. You send outbound cards directly to K3FN, and your return cards are sent to you by the service level you paid for.

Applying for awards

Each award program has its own method for submitting QSL cards to qualify for an award. All of them have a few things in common, though. There is a form to fill out listing each contact individually. For more than a few contacts, you’ll need to enter the information in alphabetical order by prefix. For example, a contact from KA9ABC will be listed before N1EUZ before WBØGQP. (For DX prefix order, use the ARRL’s most-current DXCC List at www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2017_Current_Deleted2.txt.) Print clearly so the award manager does not misread your information. Pay the award fee, if any, with a check or money order or electronically if that option is available. (Don’t send cash unless it is necessary.)

Next, sort the cards into the same order as on the form. Orient them with the contact information facing up, even if it is on the back of the card. Bundle the cards together so that the top card is the first on the application form. You then mail or ship the cards to the award manager as directed by the award’s sponsor. If you are sending a lot of cards or if the cards are particularly rare, send the cards by certified mail or with a signature-required service.

Don’t forget to include return postage or shipping costs in your award fee. It is also a good idea to include a self-addressed postcard with the application that the sponsor can return so you know the package was received. Assuming all your information checks out, you’ll receive your certificate and QSL cards!

Cards for the ARRL DXCC Award can be checked by a local or regional “field checker” (www.arrl.org/dxcc-field-checking). You can make arrangements to attend a club meeting and submit your cards to him or her directly. Card checkers often have a booth or table at the larger hamfests.