Got some stuff done today

The bands seemed pretty dead to me today, unless you were operating in the CW Open, which is being sponsored by the CW Ops. Since I'm not big on long contests I didn't participate, but I did pretty much finish up the shack cleaning / reorganization project I started a few weekends ago. I didn't take any "before" photos, as it would have been just too embarrassing; but here's an overall "after" photo.

It may look like it's still cluttered to you, but believe me, this is day and night different from what I let it get to.  Here's a close up of the operating desk.

You can see the KX3 with the KXPA100 amp to the right. Above it is the HW8 and power supply that were gifted to me by Dave Hackett KD2FSI. The Begali paddle goes with the KX3, my Elecraft Bencher paddle goes to the HW8. To the left of the HW8 is an OHR WM1. My laptop and the auxiliary monitor have the Skeeter Hunt logo as their desktop background. I also took the world map that was on the wall above the operating position and moved it to the side. I used the space to display my meager collection of operating awards.

You can see the Flying Piggie that hangs from the ceiling. The DXCC certificates and my cherished QRP-ARCI awards are below them as well as my WPX certificate. Here's a closeup of the QRP gear.

Shortly after I took these I worked EA2SS on 30 Meters. My only DX for the day. In addition, on some of the other shack walls, in addition to the obligatory QSL card displays, I have:

A set of my old N2ELW license plates hang above the shack doorway. These were the ones I had on my Nissan Sentra back in the late 90s. That's why they have the "-2" on them, as they were a second set.  The original set were on my 95 Jeep Wrangler, which got totalled in a hit and run accident. I wasn't able to get them off before the Jeep got junked.

In addition to Amateur Radio stuff on the walls, it's very easy to figure out that I am very much a child of the 1960s Space Race. I cut my eyeteeth while watching all the manned spaceflights on television.  I have these commemorative plates hanging on one side of a shelf:

There are three more that I have that finish out the set, but I have to get those roundy frames. I also have my complete set of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo mission patches framed and hanging on the other side of that same shelf:

This is my version of my "Fortress of Solitude". So if you're ever unfortunate enough to actually meet me on the air, and it's not lunchtime when I'm at work, or during an outdoor QRP event - this is probably where I'm sitting.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!