February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award
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Thanks, Howard. It's an honor to be selected. Jack, W8TEE
On Friday, April 18, 2025 at 09:11:14 PM EDT, Howard Smith via groups.io <jhsmith1024@...> wrote:
Hi Jack,
Congratulations on receiving the February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award for your QST article entitled "Solutions for Winding Toroids,? Four methods to make working with toroids easier".
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You have presented several solutions on this reflector, and the Ham Radio community who reads QST liked the 4 methods presented in your article so much that they voted your article the most popular article in the February 2025 issue.? Great writing!
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Thanks for all of your contributions to the T41-EP SDT project, and also for many areas in the HAM Radio community.
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73..
Howard Smith, WA9AXQ
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-- Jack, W8TEE |
¿ªÔÆÌåÓý´¡²µ°ù±ð±ð»å¡ ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Tim via groups.io
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2025 9:26 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award ? Well done and quite deserving OM Jack. Tim W4YN |
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Thanks, Doug...it's appreciated. I think there are a lot of us who used to be excited to get our issues of QST because it frequently had projects that we could build to make our stations better. I remember a 15M beam I built from 10' sections of electrical conduit (McCoy or DeMaw??) for about $20 and used it to run phone patch traffic between Guam and the Marshall Islands and SAC headquarters in Omaha back in the early 1970's. The only thing that kept me from building something new with almost every issue was money! I think people are still interested in building things. My first Cover Plaque Award was for an article that added a VFO to the cheap 49-er transceiver (March, 2016). The next CPA was an homebrew antenna analyzer (Nov., 2017). The third was for a homebrew dummy load/watt meter (Nov., 2018). This last one was to make it easier to wind toroids for various projects. The common theme: All were (related to) construction projects. I used to love 73 Magazine because it would have multiple projects in each issue. I think CQ's demise was hastened because it rarely had anything of interest to hams who enjoy building stuff. QST has lost sight of the fact that many hams enjoy building stuff. Indeed, when I started out in 1953, my ham radio budget was from mowing lawns. I wonder if our failure to attract young hams is because we expect them to buy their radio rather than build it. That's a mistake. I think some element of QRP's popularity is because it's a low-cost entry point for many hams. To me, QST needs to realize that hams enjoy reading about things other than equipment reviews. I'd like to see a series on how to get the most out of test equipment. How do you use various test devices, from DVMs to oscilloscopes, to troubleshoot a circuit. Many high school STEM programs have test equipment I can only dream of. How many beginners buy a kit and, when done, it doesn't work, and they don't have a clue what to do next so they give up and take up pickle ball. Instead of doing something useful, QST takes up 10 pages reprinting articles that members can access for free anyway. They need a whack in the side of the head with a 2x4 to get them back on course. Don't misunderstand: I am grateful that QST makes the Cover Plaque Award a venue for readers to express their preferences. I just hope the editors see that many QST readers still enjoy things related to building radio equipment. (Stepping down from soapbox...) Jack, W8TEE
On Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 10:58:37 AM EDT, Doug W via groups.io <dougwilner@...> wrote:
Congratulations Jack.? Thank you for pushing the league to keep publishing what I want to read.? If that last statement sounded selfish it was.? I hope I am not the only one.? When an article about what we want to see wins the plaque it reminds the ARRL that there are still lots of us that build and want to read about it.? Another benefit that is not as obvious is it shows people like us the league is still relevant.? I put off joining for years because I thought there was nothing for me other than a shiny magazine full of ads for Japanese radios.? After seeing several articles by Jack and others that I wanted to read I joined as a life member and wish I had done it sooner.? Sometimes I wonder if the league understands this enough but that is a very different topic.? That was a very long winded way to say again congratulations Jack on a well deserved award.
-- Jack, W8TEE |
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I agree. Al and I submitted a mag loop and controller article to QST several years ago, and the editors rejected it saying people don't like building antennas and they had too many antenna articles already. We submitted it to Rad Com, who did publish it, and it was selected for the RSGB Bennett Prize that year. One of my favorite magazines is Sprat. It's QRP oriented and has lots of projects and interesting articles. I think QST has lost some of its focus and relatively few articles that interest me. I question the idea of reprinting old articles. It also seems to have gone on a diet lately. Jack, W8TEE
On Sunday, April 20, 2025 at 06:53:15 PM EDT, Tim via groups.io <w4yn@...> wrote:
QST has fallen behind members needs, I to used to look forward to building projects from QST as well as Popular Electronics.
RSGB's Radcom is a much better magazine. Plus the organization is much more attuned into promoting interest especially with youth.
Tim W4YN
-- Jack, W8TEE |
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Yes, "Sprat on a Stick" is a great bargain and I have that as well. I never got to meet Rev. Dobbs, as I came to QRP radio late in the scheme of things (2009). I bought an ARRL Life Membership in 1972 so I get QST print edition "free", and the digital editions of everything else. It cost me $125 at the time. Still, add up the subscription fees for 53 years and it's one of the best investments I've ever made. True, QST is not what it used to be, but my marginal cost is zero, so I'm happy. Jack, W8TEE
On Monday, April 21, 2025 at 11:25:11 AM EDT, Tim via groups.io <w4yn@...> wrote:
I have printed and CD's of Sprat publications. Really miss Reverend Dobbs! Met him a FDIM.
QST articles are lame and have mistakes or incorrect data, supposed to be reviewed but stuff gets thru.
QEX got so bad I dropped getting it.
Tim W4YN
-- Jack, W8TEE |
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When it came to contest scores, I think CQ was the worst offender.? I found it hard to believe more than a handful of people would care about all of the scores in all of the contests. Jack, W8TEE
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 06:38:24 PM EDT, jerry-KF6VB <jerry@...> wrote:
I was never much impressed by QST.? It always seemed to be mostly a gossip magazine.? Lots of contest scores. ? I saved all my 73's and Ham Radio magazines from the 70's, but the QSTs got recycled. ? ? Really sad what happened to Ham Radio Magazine. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - Jerry, KF6VB -- Jack, W8TEE |
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýCertainly no more than the thousands of people that participate in them and submit their scores¡ ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 8:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award ? When it came to contest scores, I think CQ was the worst offender.? I found it hard to believe more than a handful of people would care about all of the scores in all of the contests. ? Jack, W8TEE ? ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 06:38:24 PM EDT, jerry-KF6VB <jerry@...> wrote: ? ? I was never much impressed by QST.? It always seemed to be mostly a
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I've submitted scores to contests, too, and I can understand interest in where you placed. However, I think listing the top, say, 25, in each category would be enough. The complete listing could have been kept on line or, before the internet, perhaps you could send in a postcard and have it mailed back with your score/position. I know you are a huge contest person and with the station setup you have and the people who work with you, you're used to being near the top of the heap, and that would be published. But CQ would sometimes devote 30 pages to nothing but calls and scores. I just think it was overkill and there may have been a better way to service those who are interested in the scores and the remaining readers who would rather read something else. I talked many times with numerous other hams who feel the same way. I'm a little miffed by CQ and Rich Moseson because I wrote 6 issues with a column plus some articles for him and, despite promises and me trying to help him, he never paid me for any of them. Rich was aware of the contest results printing and was advised by me and others to find a way to placate both sides, but he wouldn't budge. He was told by many that he needed to get back to what CQ was at its outset, but it didn't happen and it finally collapsed. Alas, the ARRL and QST seems to be moving away from those things that made it great towards a magazine that seems to be interested in selling ads. I would love to see more new building projects and less reprints of past articles that I can look up in the archives. I think contest results could have the Top X List printed and the rest available for review online. I think that would better-serve everyone. Jack, W8TEE
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 09:52:34 PM EDT, K9HZ <bill@...> wrote:
Certainly no more than the thousands of people that participate in them and submit their scores¡ ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 8:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award ? When it came to contest scores, I think CQ was the worst offender.? I found it hard to believe more than a handful of people would care about all of the scores in all of the contests. ? Jack, W8TEE ? ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 06:38:24 PM EDT, jerry-KF6VB <jerry@...> wrote: ? ? I was never much impressed by QST.? It always seemed to be mostly a
-- Jack, W8TEE |
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýI started out contesting when I was 15¡ like all my friends and most of the contesters today.? The first contest I ever entered was a novice round-up. and I only made about 25 contacts because the power went out.? I still submitted my score and QST published it.? I was pretty proud of that measly score and it gave me a big boost to see it in a big time publication like QST.? As time went one, I got better at contesting¡ I started spending more and more of my money from odd jobs buying equipment to do better, get better scores.? A few years later I won an ARRL 10 meter contest.? That was a fantastic feat¡ I was still in high school when it happened¡ and I still have the score that was published in QST in a frame.? Over the years I got better and better and started getting invited to contest with some real legends¡.at some really serious monster stations. ? What I learned, though, is that these contesters are the guys that those adds with the $10K+ amplifiers, radios, antennas, towers, etc. in QST are written for¡ and they are the guys that sink some serious money into their stations (K1LZ has over one million dollars invested in that contest station).? They also support the contests by volunteering to organize them, score them and rule check, and get the scores publish in periodicals like CQ and QST... through sales of periodicals, advertisements, and donations of time and money.? Their contributions make sure that the person with lowest score in a contest gets published for his/her contribution to the hobby no matter what it is. ?And at one time, that was me.? ? I¡¯ve written articles for QST, QEX, NCJ, and lots of hobby electronic rags over the years too.? There¡¯s lots of room for that too in the form of technical/ operating/ experience articles.? The last one was for the cover story of NCJ Jan/Feb 2021.? Never once took a dime for writing an article though, but that¡¯s just me. ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 10:49 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award ? I've submitted scores to contests, too, and I can understand interest in where you placed. However, I think listing the top, say, 25, in each category would be enough. The complete listing could have been kept on line or, before the internet, perhaps you could send in a postcard and have it mailed back with your score/position. ? I know you are a huge contest person and with the station setup you have and the people who work with you, you're used to being near the top of the heap, and that would be published. But CQ would sometimes devote 30 pages to nothing but calls and scores. I just think it was overkill and there may have been a better way to service those who are interested in the scores and the remaining readers who would rather read something else. ? I talked many times with numerous other hams who feel the same way. I'm a little miffed by CQ and Rich Moseson because I wrote 6 issues with a column plus some articles for him and, despite promises and me trying to help him, he never paid me for any of them. Rich was aware of the contest results printing and was advised by me and others to find a way to placate both sides, but he wouldn't budge. He was told by many that he needed to get back to what CQ was at its outset, but it didn't happen and it finally collapsed. ? Alas, the ARRL and QST seems to be moving away from those things that made it great towards a magazine that seems to be interested in selling ads. I would love to see more new building projects and less reprints of past articles that I can look up in the archives. I think contest results could have the Top X List printed and the rest available for review online. I think that would better-serve everyone. ? Jack, W8TEE ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 09:52:34 PM EDT, K9HZ <bill@...> wrote: ? ? Certainly no more than the thousands of people that participate in them and submit their scores¡ ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io ? When it came to contest scores, I think CQ was the worst offender.? I found it hard to believe more than a handful of people would care about all of the scores in all of the contests. ? Jack, W8TEE ? ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 06:38:24 PM EDT, jerry-KF6VB <jerry@...> wrote: ? ? I was never much impressed by QST.? It always seemed to be mostly a
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Like I said, you are a big contester and, while much more modest equipment, I enjoy contesting, too. I'm just not very good at it. I've participated in Field Day, the Sweepstakes, and several QRP contests every year for as long as I can remember. Indeed, the T41 Project evolved from a Field Day where I used a G90 and an EFHW at 15' just to see if 20W could compete. While I had no delusions about winning anything, I did learn that 20W is enough to enjoy a "high density" contest, even on SSB. My first contest was also when I was a Novice in 1954. As I recall, I finished 8th in the state of Ohio in the CW category. I, too, was proud of my accomplishment. ??????????????? "Never once took a dime for writing an article though, but that¡¯s just me." Not sure what the purpose of this dig was, but I assume it's because of my issue with Rich. I was surprised to learn that you were not paid for the QST and QEX articles, as the ARRL has always had a policy of paying for articles. I have been paid for some published articles, but that is standard for QST, Rad Com, and CQ. Al and I have also done presentations in person at various radio clubs around the state (OHKYIN Radio Club, Voice of America Club, DARA, Milford, and Franklin Radio Club) plus over a dozen live ZOOM presentations to audiences in the UK, India, and all over the US without charge. I've also written dozens articles for QRPp, Information Week, Bacon Bits Quarterly, K9YA Telegraph, C Programmer's Journal, InformIT, Dr. Dobbs Journal, plus seven articles for QRP Quarterly where I was paid nothing for the articles. I knew that the articles were free going in, but wrote the articles to support their efforts. The difference with CQ was that I had a contract to provide columns at a specified amount per column plus the two articles that were to be paid on a per-page basis. Despite Rich's promises, he chose to not pay me. The money isn't enough to make much difference one way or the other. It's the principle of honoring your word and not following through that upsets me. I do some things to augment my retirement, but I also do a lot of things gratis. I had hoped that the T41 book would generate some income for Al and I and it has...just not as much as we had hoped. I figure we have made less than minimum wage for the hours we've put into the book, yet we still think it was a worthwhile effort. I know that we both have put in at least 60 hours/week since we started the Project back in 2018. Financially, it's been a bust, but when we look where we started and where the T41 is today, we're happy. Many other people, including yourself, have contributed freely to make the T41 Project what it is today. We have turned the Project over to you, Oliver, and the rest of the group with the hope that the T41 continues to improve in the future. Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 02:23:22 AM EDT, K9HZ <bill@...> wrote:
I started out contesting when I was 15¡ like all my friends and most of the contesters today.? The first contest I ever entered was a novice round-up. and I only made about 25 contacts because the power went out.? I still submitted my score and QST published it.? I was pretty proud of that measly score and it gave me a big boost to see it in a big time publication like QST.? As time went one, I got better at contesting¡ I started spending more and more of my money from odd jobs buying equipment to do better, get better scores.? A few years later I won an ARRL 10 meter contest.? That was a fantastic feat¡ I was still in high school when it happened¡ and I still have the score that was published in QST in a frame.? Over the years I got better and better and started getting invited to contest with some real legends¡.at some really serious monster stations. ? What I learned, though, is that these contesters are the guys that those adds with the $10K+ amplifiers, radios, antennas, towers, etc. in QST are written for¡ and they are the guys that sink some serious money into their stations (K1LZ has over one million dollars invested in that contest station).? They also support the contests by volunteering to organize them, score them and rule check, and get the scores publish in periodicals like CQ and QST... through sales of periodicals, advertisements, and donations of time and money.? Their contributions make sure that the person with lowest score in a contest gets published for his/her contribution to the hobby no matter what it is. ?And at one time, that was me.? ? I¡¯ve written articles for QST, QEX, NCJ, and lots of hobby electronic rags over the years too.? There¡¯s lots of room for that too in the form of technical/ operating/ experience articles.? The last one was for the cover story of NCJ Jan/Feb 2021.? Never once took a dime for writing an article though, but that¡¯s just me. ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 10:49 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] February 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award ? I've submitted scores to contests, too, and I can understand interest in where you placed. However, I think listing the top, say, 25, in each category would be enough. The complete listing could have been kept on line or, before the internet, perhaps you could send in a postcard and have it mailed back with your score/position. ? I know you are a huge contest person and with the station setup you have and the people who work with you, you're used to being near the top of the heap, and that would be published. But CQ would sometimes devote 30 pages to nothing but calls and scores. I just think it was overkill and there may have been a better way to service those who are interested in the scores and the remaining readers who would rather read something else. ? I talked many times with numerous other hams who feel the same way. I'm a little miffed by CQ and Rich Moseson because I wrote 6 issues with a column plus some articles for him and, despite promises and me trying to help him, he never paid me for any of them. Rich was aware of the contest results printing and was advised by me and others to find a way to placate both sides, but he wouldn't budge. He was told by many that he needed to get back to what CQ was at its outset, but it didn't happen and it finally collapsed. ? Alas, the ARRL and QST seems to be moving away from those things that made it great towards a magazine that seems to be interested in selling ads. I would love to see more new building projects and less reprints of past articles that I can look up in the archives. I think contest results could have the Top X List printed and the rest available for review online. I think that would better-serve everyone. ? Jack, W8TEE ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 09:52:34 PM EDT, K9HZ <bill@...> wrote: ? ? Certainly no more than the thousands of people that participate in them and submit their scores¡ ? ? Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J62K(J68HZ) 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ ? Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC Staunton, Illinois ? Owner ¨C Operator Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I. Rent it: ? Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO. Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO. ? email:? bill@... ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of jjpurdum via groups.io ? When it came to contest scores, I think CQ was the worst offender.? I found it hard to believe more than a handful of people would care about all of the scores in all of the contests. ? Jack, W8TEE ? ? On Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 06:38:24 PM EDT, jerry-KF6VB <jerry@...> wrote: ? ? I was never much impressed by QST.? It always seemed to be mostly a
-- Jack, W8TEE |
jjpurdum
K9HZ