The week is not starting off on the greatest note. I got into work, flipped the light switch on here in the storage room that they call my "office" aaaannnnnddd . nothing! All the wall outlets work, just not the overhead lights. I have the door propped open, so there's enough light from the hallway spilling in to work by, but the situation is not ideal. The building engineers are working on it.
The situation was much better last night at home in the shack. I joined in on the Flying Pigs monthly "Run For The Bacon" for the first time in years. I started out on 20 Meters, where I heard K4KBL loud and clear, calling CQ. After I worked him, I moved down a few kHz and started calling "CQ FP" myself. It ended up being a big waste of time.
40 Meters was much better as I was able to find some Piggies amongst the myriad of VA QSO Party stations. I worked a few, called "CQ FP" again and worked a few more. Then, as the second hour was about to begin, I left to go participate in St. Max Net on 75 Meter SSB. When that was over, I went back to 40 Meters only to hear the band crowded with SST stations. So I jumped on down to 80 Meters and worked Tom KA2KGP and after working him, I called it a night as I didn't hear anyone else on 80 Meters.
So I finished the night with 9 QSOs - 5 fellow Flying Pigs and 4 other QRP stations. Obviously not the greatest outcome on my part, but it was good to reconnect with some old friends, like Brian KB9BVN, Will NQ2W and the aforementioned Tom KA2KGP. I am going to make it a point to participate each month going forward.
The weather yesterday turned out to be quite different from what had been prognosticated going into the weekend. It turned out to be a sunny day with a high of 60F (15C) in the afternoon. I had even contemplated making a run into the neighboring town of Edison to put the Thomas Edison Memorial Park K-1615 on the air. But as I sat in the living room mulling it over, I was hearing the wind HOWL. My weather station was reporting sustained winds at about 6 MPH with gusts to 18 MPH.
I am not as hardy an activator as most. I decided discretion was the better part of valor and stayed put. I know I'll probably regret it later, but I'm hoping there will be ample enough opportunities when the weather becomes warmer. The wind chill yesterday would have been bothersome, and when you're still not up to feeling 100% - I'll pass for now. I'm satisfied with the little activation that I did on Saturday.
Hey! The lights just came back on. One of the building engineers came by to tell me there's a dead relay in the electrical room and they bypassed it until a replacement comes in. Maybe it won't be such a bad day after all.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!.
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