Just received this from Ray, at Electric Radio. It also appears in the January 2017 edition of Electric Radio Magazine.
This information provides the reasons for the Heavy Metal Rally and the basic rules and methods of operation during the rally period.
Ray would really appreciate feedback in regards to the rally and comments and pictures from all the rally participants. While emphasis is on "Heavy Metal" rigs, participation by all AM'ers is encouraged. And, please, no "net-type" activity where someone holds a frequency for hours and continually takes/runs a list. It's easy to QSY to a clear frequency and call an old fashion CQ to make a contact. It really doesn't take much effort (please spare us the "I only have one crystal" or "my antenna is only tuned for one frequency").
Over the last 25 years, I've seen dozens and dozens of floor to ceiling transmitter pictures in ER and all over the Internet that were restored and supposedly "on-the-air" worthy. Let's fire up this stuff for this rally and make KDØHG proud as to why we all spent the time and effort to get this heavy metal equipment up and running.
Heavy Metal Rally February 4th, 2017
Due to Christmas falling on Sunday, there was no weekend between Christmas and New Year’s Day and that’s where we usually have the annual KDØHG Heavy Metal Rally. I’ve scheduled it for February 4th, 2017, a Saturday.
What is the Heavy Metal Rally?
The KDØHG Heavy Metal Rally has been an AM tradition since November 2000 when Bill Kleronomos (SK) announced the first one in ER #138. 2017 marks the 17th year we’ve sponsored it. It was an informal contest for years, but now it’s an AMers’ get-together and a chance for all of us to hear and to work some big, classic transmitters. For SWLs, it’s a chance to hear some really unique equipment coming in on your own classic receivers! The rally starts usually at local sunset or about 6:30 PM Eastern Standard time, or 2330 UTC. That’s 5:30 Central, 4:30 Mountain, and 3:30 PM Pacific time. Most of the activity is on 75 meter phone, so just listen around, the Rally is easy to find!
The idea behind the Heavy Metal Rally is to encourage the use of big tube-type plate-modulated AM transmitters running the full legal AM power limit. These rigs usually weigh 250 pounds or run 1500 watts PEP. This includes big homebrew, military, and vintage commercial ham gear, and Class-E, solid-state rigs. For example, some vintage Navy rigs weighed in at over 300 pounds, but only produced 100 watts of carrier—that’s still Heavy Metal! I’m looking forward to it and hope to hear a lot of your fine AM signals on February 4th. It’s mostly a 75 meter event, but it’s not a contest. Tune in after dark and listen, it’s easy to find on traditional AM frequencies in-and-around the so-called “AM window” and say hello to someone. One thing that I do not want to hear is someone with a 50-kc wide 2-kW solid-state “D” rig monopolizing some frequency and taking a list. This is supposed to be a fun night for working classic plate-modulated transmitters running the legal power limit and not a “DX” net.
73, Keep Those Filaments Lit! NØDMS"
