The Frequency Measuring Test (FMT) continues its successful “round-table” format when it takes to the airwaves on the evening of April 19 (April 20 UTC). The test moves to Thursday from the November FMT’s usual Wednesday evening, giving everyone an opportunity to participate. Recognizing the higher solar flux, the FMT will lead off with a 20 meter segment -- one transmission beaming east, and the other west from Connie Marshall, K5CM, in Oklahoma -- with both transmissions on the same frequency. The sponsors are particularly interested in your comments on frequency differences observed between the directions due to propagation-related effects.

The test will begin on 20 meters near 14.055 MHz at 10 PM EDT on April 19 (0200 Friday, April 20 UTC). There will be four stations in the 40 meter roundtable near 7.055 MHz beginning at 10:30 PM: K5CM in Oklahoma, the Midwest VHF/UHF Society, W8KSE, in Ohio and Charles Collins, W6OQI, and Mike Fahmie, WA6ZTY, in California. The test will then move to 80 meters near 3.569 MHz beginning at 11 PM EDT (0300 Friday, April 20 UTC). The 80 meter stations will be K5CM, W8KSE and W6OQI.

Your job is to measure and report the frequencies of all the stations. The stations will be close to the same frequency, but not exactly on the same frequency. For the 40 and 80 meter transmissions, do not assume that all stations will be within the pass band of a CW filter. Be prepared to tune if necessary!

20 Meter Time Line (near 14.055 MHz) -- Beaming East

20 Meter Time Line (near 14.055 MHz) -- Beaming West

40 Meter Time Line (near 7.055 MHz)

80 Meter Time Line (near 3.575 MHz)

If you have not participated in an FMT before, it doesn’t take a room full of test equipment to have fun and make surprisingly accurate measurements. You can read all of the QST articles about the exercises on the ARRL’s FMT web page. More information on frequency measuring techniques and exercises can be found on K5CM’s website. Results of the Spring FMT will be reported using the data entry website, provided by Bruce Horn, WA7BNM.