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We're almost a month into the new year, and I thought I would make an updated LoTW stats. Below you can see the current numbers. The last year has brought lots of confirmations, and a nearly 32% hit in 2009 is quite good. I have also concentrated more on working LoTW users the past year, something I must say has paid off. The total hit has also increased to 14% up from 11,5%.

Yearly statistics:

Here are my band, mode and DXCC statistics:

As always, keep the confirmations coming!

A few days ago I read about the latest Acom amplifier. They launched a new 4CX250B-based amplifier which covers 160-10M. It's called Acom1011, and it's a budget small and lightweight linear amplifier. If this has the build quality of the previous amplifiers, it should be a winner in it's class.

FEATURES:

Easy operation.

The plate-load True Resistance Indicator (TRI) is an ACOM innovation that provides quick and precise tuning, typically in less than 10 seconds. The auto-operate function will return the amplifier to the OPERATE mode automatically after each protection trip, saving time and avoiding manual switching.

No tuner needed.

No external antenna tuner is required as long as the antenna VSWR is 3:1 or lower. The amplifier will perform the functions of an antenna tuner, enabling you to change antennas faster and use them over wide frequency ranges.

A durable amplifier.

This amplifier is both user-friendly and self-monitoring. It is designed to safely withstand up to 240 W of reflected power, up to 100 milliseconds of drive spikes (RF “tails” after a PTT or KEY release), and even operator tuning errors. It is also capable of operating at more than half its designed output power at only 75% of nominal line (mains) voltage. Because it can tolerate deep voltage drops (down to zero for 10 milliseconds) and 15% line voltage spikes, it is particularly suited for use in portable environments, such as field days and DXpeditions.

LED bar-graph display.

The upper LED bar-graph always reads peak forward power while the lower LED bar-graph is for the reflected power. LED warning indicators are provided for abnormal conditions of grid 1, grid 2, and plate parameters.

Antenna selection.

Two antenna outputs are selectable on the front panel of the amplifier.

Efficient tuning.

Antenna matching can be achieved in less than 10 seconds and at a quarter of nominal output power, which produces lower risk of interference to other stations and greater safety to the amplifier components.

Transceiver-independent.

The amplifier operates without special signaling from the transceiver; it needs only “ground on TX” and 60 W RF drive power to operate at full output power.

Input matching.

Broadband input matching circuitry offers excellent loading characteristics for the driving transceiver, from 1.8MHz to 30MHz.

Reliable tubes.

Two 4CX250B(7203) ceramic-metal tetrodes with a total plate dissipation of 500W (forced air cooling, grid-driven) are used for maximum efficiency.

Short warm-up period.

Only 30 seconds warmup period is required.

Permanent monitoring and protection of the plate and grids currents.

The Bias Optimizer minimizes heat dissipated by the tubes, assuring tubes longevity.

High voltage protection.

Design of the high-voltage power supply eliminates the danger of turn-on transients affecting sensitive devices connected to the same line (mains) circuit. Moreover, the amplifier can be configured to accommodate any of 8 nominal line voltages between 100 and 240 V, 50 or 60 Hz.

Band inclusion.

The amplifier can be shipped with 10 and 12-meter capability disabled as required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for United States users. Contact your dealer about enabling those bands.

Go to the Acom page here.

What a pleasant surprise when I logged on to LoTW today. VK9XX had uploaded the log and gave me another country on LoTW (#244). I'm closing in on 250 now. The postage rates increased in Norway from January 1st 2010, as if the rates weren't high enough. That makes me even happier that more and more people are becoming LoTW users.

It has been pretty quiet on the DX front lately. I worked PJ7/K2GSJ on 30M CW January 2nd. I worked him last year on 6M. Nice to get him on a second band. VP9BO Ken answered my CQ DX call a few minutes later. VP9 is not worked too often, so always a nice catch. I worked DU9/DL5SDF for a new one on 30M (#267) later that day.

I wish all my readers a Happy New Year with lots of DX in the log! See YOU in the log in 2010.

Exciting stuff is happening with this program. I haven't used it in a while, but just a few days ago I checked up on what was going with the program development. For those of you who haven't heard about this program, it's a free Windows program for plotting great circle maps from your location, locator maps, grayline and realtime propagation maps. Read the changelog below:

New version 3.1.0 – 26 December 2009

• Bugfixes
• Real time for propagation now works
• Time got its own tab now. Sets time for both grayline and voacap.

New version 3.0.9 – 5 December 2009

• Vocap now works in the western and southern hemisphere.
• Icearea and Voaarea implemented
• You can set transmitter power and gain in the receive and transmit antennas
• You can plot color or b/w for the propagation layer
• In the toolbar you can change band for the propagation layer.
• The picture you see – is the picture that is saved. (changed from previous version)
• The "real" time display for the propagation is not redrawing itself. You have to manually click on create map or change band!
• Since the propagation is made on an hourly basis – 9:30 plotted as 09:00 hours and 09:31 plotted as 10:00…
• The propagation forecast can only be made every hour (limitation of voacap)
• If you have used version 3.0.8, please change directory for voacap to "c:\itshfbc" NOT "c:\itshfbc\areadata"

Changes from 3.0.7 to 3.0.8 – 15 November 2009

• Some bugfixes from 3.0.7
• Interacts with Voacap (get Voacap here: http://www.voacap.com/ ) This part is buggy and not fully functional, but you are welcome to try it out!
• More precise sun position (formulas from here: http://stjarnhimlen.se/comp/ppcomp.html#5 )

Changes from 3.0.6 to 3.0.7…

• A greyline function is implemented. Choose between realtime map that updates every minute and a one shot map.
• Prefix format has changed. Look at the PrefixNew.dat (Thanks to SM5FQQ, Jan who supplied the updated file!)

• The line thickness for the compass can be changed!

Changes from 3.0.5 to 3.0.6…

• Now you can plot two different locator files with different colour, hatching and transparency (one for worked and one for confirmed squares..)

• Plotting now accepts 4 character locators (JP83 or JP83PE are plotted the same way)

Other features..

• Borders, coastlines, rivers, lakes can be added
• Text and lines can be partly transparent and in the colour of your choice.
• Freeware

Download the program here.