Virden Contest Club

Welcome to the Virden Contest Club NI5T

The club is nothing more than a gathering of amateur radio operators interested in contesting. Our primary activity to date has consisted of operating in the 160 meter contests.

The NI5T station is located near Virden New Mexico at the home of Larry N5BG. We are located just one mile into New Mexico from the Arizona state line. Our elevation here is 3700 amsl.

The club was formed in the mid 1990's and our first club call was NA5NM. This callsign caused some confusion when operating SSB contests when giving our state in the report. We then applied for our current callsign. The new call has worked well on CW as well.

The station has two components: The main operating point, and the remote beverage receiving point located approximately 1800 ft away. We have 1/2 inch 75 ohm cable TV transmission lines between the two locations. We have previously controlled the remote beverage select antenna relays via touch tone encoders/decoders on the transmission lines. We now have upgraded to controlling the remote beverage select relays via a 2.4 ghz green heron radio link.

Joe K7JEM has designed a circuit board with 8 relays with F connectors to take BCD data off the green heron system. We have three of these boards in series, giving us 24 antenna selections. This times four seperate operating positions at the operating point. Each operating position can independently select any one of 24 remote receiving antennas.

Below you will find photos of our set up, with a description under each photo. Enjoy the site. And please contact us in the contests.

Some guest opearators helping: Dave N7AM, Joe K7JEM, Milt N5IA, Larry N5BG, Steve N2IC, Warren NI5L, Foster N3KCJ, Sam K5JFO, Dan K7IA, Rodney WA2ZMN, Rick W5CF, Patrick NM5C, Russ WA5Y

NOTE: this is a work in progress. There will be BLANK spots with no photos, until they are uploaded.

160 Vertical with top hat C4XL. Milt works on 2.4 ghz link .
Dan K7IA left and Foster N3KCJ discuss strategy over a burger.

Foster N3KCJ, Steve N2IC, and Milt N5IA hard at work in 2011 CQ160 CW contest
Photo of the NI5T main run position. We use the Micro Keyer interface units for both CW & SSB. This position capable of SO2R.

160 Vertical with C4XL beam. There is 80 ft of Rohn 25 above the insulated section, which is at 40 ft. Milt N5IA working on 2.4 Ghz link to beverage antenna site
View of N5BG/NI5T home, with 160 mtr vertical and C4XL atop, Milt working on 2.4 Ghz link to Beverage site

Close up view of the main run station, with 2nd K3 on left for SO2R use. Note compass rose on Monitor. We use a Green Heron 2.4 Ghz link radio to select directions on RX beverages
Milt N5IA operates one of the search & pounce positions. He is our main technical advisor, and the driving force for this entire project.

View of beverage control point. 2.4 Ghz link antennas back to operating point
Example of antenna and support structure. Note cross arm supporting two beverages. Each wire is 180 deg apart in direction. This photo actually shows FOUR different beverages at the cross point.

View of beverage control point with 2.4 ghz antennas and control cabinets.
View from beverage hill, looking down to home of N5BG/NI5T, about 1800 ft distance. Hill approx 150 ft. above valley.

Remote beverage control cabinet. Each circuit board can select 8 relays/beverages. Each operating position can control 24 possible beverage antennas. Photo shows the remote side of the control system. Note blank spot on panel awaiting the 4th control position, with 3 circuit boards.
Milt N5IA with cabinet open, showing the splitters. Currently 3 way splitters. Each operating position can independently select any beverage.

What contest station is not complete without a mascot. Larry's pooch Molly. Anything dropped on the floor was quickly scooped up.
Crash bed, for those that can't quite make it through the entire night. Lounge chairs in TV room serve as rest point for others.

..
..

160 Vertical with top hat C4XL. Milt works on 2.4 ghz link .	Dan K7IA left and Foster N3KCJ discuss strategy over a burger.
Foster N3KCJ, Steve N2IC, and Milt N5IA hard at work in 2011 CQ160 CW contest	Photo of the NI5T main run position. We use the Micro Keyer interface units for both CW & SSB. This position capable of SO2R.
160 Vertical with C4XL beam. There is 80 ft of Rohn 25 above the insulated section, which is at 40 ft. Milt N5IA working on 2.4 Ghz link to beverage antenna site	View of N5BG/NI5T home, with 160 mtr vertical and C4XL atop, Milt working on 2.4 Ghz link to Beverage site
Close up view of the main run station, with 2nd K3 on left for SO2R use. Note compass rose on Monitor. We use a Green Heron 2.4 Ghz link radio to select directions on RX beverages	Milt N5IA operates one of the search & pounce positions. He is our main technical advisor, and the driving force for this entire project.
View of beverage control point. 2.4 Ghz link antennas back to operating point	Example of antenna and support structure. Note cross arm supporting two beverages. Each wire is 180 deg apart in direction. This photo actually shows FOUR different beverages at the cross point.
View of beverage control point with 2.4 ghz antennas and control cabinets.	View from beverage hill, looking down to home of N5BG/NI5T, about 1800 ft distance. Hill approx 150 ft. above valley.
Remote beverage control cabinet. Each circuit board can select 8 relays/beverages. Each operating position can control 24 possible beverage antennas. Photo shows the remote side of the control system. Note blank spot on panel awaiting the 4th control position, with 3 circuit boards.	Milt N5IA with cabinet open, showing the splitters. Currently 3 way splitters. Each operating position can independently select any beverage.
What contest station is not complete without a mascot. Larry's pooch Molly. Anything dropped on the floor was quickly scooped up.	Crash bed, for those that can't quite make it through the entire night. Lounge chairs in TV room serve as rest point for others.
..	..