2012-04-01 Visalia 2012
A DX University session was held at the IDXC Convention in Visalia, California, April 20, 2012. A sold-out crowd of 140 attendees were treated to a full day of informative and entertaining presentations by top notch DXers and DXpeditioners.
Attendees enjoyed a nice luncheon as well as breaks in the morning and afternoon. And, they seemed to prize the baseball caps and messenger bags they were given that contained the session materials.
From all accounts, this session appeared to be a great success. We thank all who attended, and we look forward to seeing you in Visalia again in 2013.
Attendee Comments on DX University - Visalia 2012
"It is difficult to comprehend what could have possibly been done better...Everyone agreed that the best part of the program was that your sound system allowed everyone to hear very well and the PowerPoint presentations were large and colorful. Every one of the speakers brought to light a different aspect of DXing so the program was nicely set up. Thanks again for a great time at Visalia."
– Morten KA6D
"Well worth getting up at 4 o'clock in the morning for! I normally only do that for 160 meter DX. (I drove from the bay area Friday morning)."
– Rick N6RK
"You all have a great thing going there - keep up the good work!"
-– Frank K6FHP
"I thoroughly enjoyed the DX University. I have 45 years as a licensed ham, have operated overseas...I realized that my DX experience could be vastly improved by some formal training...This experience was everything I hoped it would be. I am going to write a congratulatory paragraph about DXU for my May Newsletter."
– Ron W6KJ Sacramento Valley Section Manager
"I attended DX University last Friday in Visalia and enjoyed the day very much. It was good to peel back the onion and learn a little more about How to DX, DXing and DXpeditions. I found each session interesting and
left with a few takeaways (actions) I must do to improve my station and operating. I would absolutely recommend the DX University to my fellow operators."
– Jim N6TQ
"I thought the sessions that I attended were great. I'm only sorry that I couldn't see all of them!"
– Dave W6AQ
Presentations Given at this session:
Station and Antenna Considerations
In order to work DX effectively a DXer must have appropriate equipment. This section describes transmitting and receiving equipment, usually a transceiver, with first, the features that are absolutely necessary for the purpose, and second, additional features that make the job easier and more efficient. It also includes effective antennas, probably the most important element in a DXers arsenal. Deciding which antennas are best for the DXers living situation, and getting the most out of the available resources is among the considerations discussed in this section.
Finding DX, Listening and Preparing to Call - N7NG
After you have built a station, you need to find DX to work. This section deals with the skills required to locate a DX station. Before you can start to work DX, you must exercise a combination of skills including gathering information, listening and planning your next move.
Getting in the Log: Proper Calling and QSO Mechanics - N7NG
Once a DX station is located, a good DXer will plan his strategy. How is the DX operator operating? How is he tuning? Who will he work next, and where? What calling style is he using? How should you call to match his style? Once called, how should you complete the QSO to be sure that you are in the log and what should you do if you don't sure?
Ethics: The Internet: QSLing, Remote Operation and Chat Rooms
The Internet has had numerous impacts on Ham Radio DXing. Some of these impacts are profound. In some respects the "twenties and thirties style of operating recognition has been made obsolete by technology." Learn what the issues are, what they might mean to DXing and some ideas on how we might deal with them.
Special Antennas for DXing
There's more to Advanced DXing than putting up a small dipole and using a tuner. Bigger antennas are generally more effective, but optimization can help. From six meters to Topband, your DXing can be enhanced through the use of specialized antennas. On Topband, special receiving antennas can be very effective. If you have the space and a big budget, a full-size Yagi can be effective. If you are more restricted, a receiving 4-Square might be in order. Rotating towers and stacked Yagis are excellent, as are arrays of wires. Learn of some of the possibilities, large and small.
Internet Resources
With the advent of the Internet, many additional information resources are available to the DXer. Innovative DXers have used outside sources of information for decades. With the proliferation of the land-line telephone DXers used "one-ringers." Then simplex VHF spotting nets were employed. VHF FM repeaters were next, followed by email and Internet Spotting networks.
Propagation for Working DX
DX QSOs on HF can only be made when propagation permits: from Topband to six meters, propagation varies throughout the year and around the world. In order to make the best and most effective use of your time, learning when, and on which bands to be active will pay off with more and rarer DX without the need to sit endlessly by the radio.
DX Awards
In addition to a basic interest in communicating at a long distance, with people we may never meet, one of the primary interests in Ham Radio is award collecting. To some extent humans are addicted to "box ticking." That is collecting artifacts and recording the results coins, stamps etc. DXing is about collecting contacts with interesting locations an in fact, any entity that can be counted or categorized. DXCC, for example, is a well-developed system of groups into which we organize geographic entities. Bands, modes, countries, islands counties, continents, lighthouses and other entities are all of interest. These are collections that measure our operating prowess.
Presentations:
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