Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year to all my Amateur Radio friends, QRPers, CW Enthusiasts, POTA operators, Skeeters and the like! I hope 2024 gifts you with joy, peace of mind, happiness and good health!

I've been off the internet and the air and life in general for the past two days. I had hoped to make 200 blog posts for 2023 when I re-started writing again last June. I fell just short and that's OK. I was extremely tired from that last danged shot and did not do too, too much on Saturday and Sunday. I think the best explanation that I can give as to what these shots do to me - just think of what Kryptonite does to Superman and you pretty much know how I've been feeling.

On Saturday I did transfer Marianne's content from her old tablet to the new one I bought her for Christmas, as that didn't require much physical effort. Even with Samsung's wireless utility, it took a lot longer than expected. It's up and running, has everything in it that she had before, so she's happy. And when she's happy, I'm happy.

Today, I'm feeling the most human of the three days of the weekend. So this afternoon, I broke out the KX3 on the dining room table and attached the AX-1 that Marianne gifted to me. I have to tell you, the antenna is very well made, but to an Old Curmudgeonly Ham like me, I looked at it and a still thought "No Way!".

I am proud to say that Old Curmudgeonly Ham me was dead wrong. I stuck to 20 Meters only and worked five POTA stations in IL, MO, VA, and MI in the space of about 30 minutes. I was amazed, ecstatic and generally pleased as punch. This is going to be so good when we go up to Lake George in the summer. I can see myself at one of their picnic tables, wracking up the POTA contacts and not worrying about little kids and adult onlookers running into antenna wires.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!