The AM Forum

Saw this online on the ER magazine webpage. Its coming up this coming weekend!!!

2014 KDØHG Heavy Metal Rally

Don't forget the upcoming Heavy Metal Rally on December 27! It starts at 5:00PM Eastern Time, running mostly at night, and most activity is on 75 meter phone!

I've enjoyed this event for many years.

Al VE3AJM

Is there a web site for it or is it just as this is?

Thanks for the reminder!!!

You can search on this site for past yearly discussions for the Heavy Metal Rally.

Well, fer me, another year goes by, and I still don't have the PP 813 rig on the air.... Lets see, 7 1/2 years ago I put the meter panel in the rack.

And there She sits.

Let it rain, let it rain. I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes. Oh, let it rain.
Oh, yeah, yeah listen. I'm a man and I got my pride.
Give me rain or I'm gonna stay inside. Let it rain.
                            (Let it rain)

I'll get on the air, PW, but I'll be on the air anyway. And you? Do it. Do it 'cause its the right thing to do.

klc

  We had our West Coast Military Radio Collectors net at 7:30, band was long, I could hear the guy down in LA OK, close in stations, 100 miles or less no copy.

   Got off at 8:30 and listened around on 3885, heard two guys across the bay who are up in the hills, they we solid copy, line of sight. Then two more guys up by Seattle called in, both were very strong. Propagation to the West did not seem to good, may get up late to see what I might work.

   Running a T-368 and a Sp-600

Wow, The  Heavy metal rally was a blast. the Group on 3880KHZ  was outstanding, Early on Larry NE1S took the NCS seat and was great at knowing when to jump in and when to let it ride and let the show go on uninterrupted.  Later Harry W0LS took the NCS spot and was equally on the mark.  Here is the list of Call Signs that I copies in Buffalo New York.

NE1S      LARRY
WA1GFZ    FRANK
W1FRN   GUY
W1VD      JAY
K1REX   STEVE
WX3K      STEPHANIE
W2ZZA   (ME) DAVE
N1WDS   DOUG
W2NBC   JEFF
W2XR      BRUCE
KC2FXE   JOHN
AB3HT   ED
WA1HLR   TIM (THE TIMTRON)
W1ZB      GERRY
KC8ZUL   JERRY
KB8WIG   KEVIN
W1TAV   STEVE
KB8WTK   BILL
KB1VWC   STEVE
K8RRH   GEORGE
W3LW   LARRY
W0LS      HARRY
WA3JYN   BURT
K9EID      BOB HEIL
W1UJR   BRUCE
N9OTN   BRUCE
W8LXJ   BOB
KB0X      JIM
KB5IR      TOM
W6AQU   BOB
KC4SSB   STEVE
There where others before I signed on and after I signed clear but there is no doubt in my mind that the signals I heard where from some of the best hams on the air today. A great night for ham radio.. we should do this each month.

took me 10 years to build GORT. Started the first 25% of it then put it in storage and moved. It sat for several years in the basement. kept looking at the pile of stuff.  Time was very limited and got very close to hauling it all to the dump but devoted a whole winter to it and completed it.  I know the feeling.  And I can kick myself in the head. I completely missed HMR again.

Well, the HMR isn't actually a net, so in fairness to Larry and Harry, Channel master, Master Control, Contact coordinator or any other number of descriptors would be better choices. Larry did do an excellent job. I sent him email to let him know he was 10-20 over S9 down here in NC. Definitely the channel master.

I listened in early on while working on my old Zenith Transoceanic. Had the transmitter warming up but waited until after dinner to tune up. Was greeted with a bright blue zorch from one of the PA tubes that dumped the overload reset. Tried several times to clear it thinking it was a grid short, no success. So I never got on.

Was surprised at the lack of activity overall on the band. Seems like 3.875, .880, and .885 were the only areas of activity on 75. Apparently there was some action down in the 80m portion earlier on but it was long gone before I listened around at 7 or so. I guess if some of the usual suspects don't show up and activate a different frequency, the cluster fly effect takes over. Was a time a few years ago there would be 6, 7, 8 or more frequencies loaded and folks would travel from one group to another making new contacts. 40 and 160, too.

Did hear Buddly at one point around 3.870 trying to draw some folks to another frequency to spread things out. No idea if he succeeded.


Go for it. Do it every weekend. Find a clear frequency, call CQ. No need to wait for someone else to start the action, schedule an event, or say it's okay. Cover the bands with AM. What could be better? :D