What's in store - hopefully plenty of these:
CONTESTS:
Russian DX Contest - https://www.rdxc.org/rules_eng
Run for the Bacon QRP Contest - http://qrpcontest.com/pigrun/
Virginia QSO Party - https://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2024_VQP/2024_VQP_Main.html
Africa All Mode International DX Contest - http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/contestrules.asp
SPECIAL EVENTS:
03/15/2024 | K4KDJ (Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association) 100 Year Anniversary
Mar 15-Mar 16, 2100Z-2100Z, K4KDJ, Blacksburg, VA. K4KDJ Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association. 14.256 7.220 14.340 7.150. QSL. Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association, 290 College Ave, Blacksburg, VA 24060.
03/16/2024 | 16th Anniversary Solivita Car Show
Mar 16, 1400Z-2000Z, N4SRC, Kissimmee, FL. Solivita Radio Club. 14.255 28.435. QSL. Solivita Radio Club, 307 Bell Tower Crossing West, Kissimmee, FL 34759. This is a non-commercial event held by our community for car enthusiasts and open to the public free of charge. https://solivitaradioclub.weebly.com
03/16/2024 | Cherry Blossom Special Event Station
Mar 16, 1400Z-2000Z, W4BKM, Macon, GA. Macon Amateur Radio Club. 14.240 7.225. Certificate. Macon Amateur Radio Club, P.O. Box 4862, Macon, GA 31208-4862. www.maconamateurradioclub.wordpress.com
03/17/2024 | GERATOL NET ANNIVERSARY
Mar 17-Mar 23, 0100Z-2359Z, W1G, Wheelwright, MA. Geratol WAS Net. 3.668 SSB 40 Meter SSB. QSL. Kevin Lynch, POB 124, Wheelwright, MA 01094. The GERATOL (Greetings Extra Radio Amateurs Tired of Operating Lately) WAS Net, will operate special event call sign W1G to commemorate 50 years as a Worked All States Net N1KL@ARRL.NET
Today is cloudy with a chance of showers, but tomorrow is supposed to be dry, and partly cloudy with a high near or maybe even a few degrees above 60F (15C). If I can get get the grocery shopping done early enough, perhaps I can take a ride up to Washington Rock State Park and activate K-1635. There's plenty of picnic tables and maybe I can give the AX-1 a good workout, and get an activation in.
Last night's 80 Meter Fox Hunt was strange indeed! Propagation was non-existent, it seems. Signals were weak and noise was strong.. I latched onto the lower Fox's Hounds right away, but I had a tough time hearing him. I had to use all the KX3's bells and whistles to be able to hear well enough to find out that this was John AJ1DM in Rhode Island. When I finally was able to hear him decently, a net started up on frequency. I don't know whose net it was, but usually these go pretty fast. Not last night. NCS had traffic for the 9th Call Area and if he didn't send "QTC 9RN" about a dozen times, he didn't send it once! RI and NJ are close enough that I figured if I was hearing this QRM, then John might be as well. I guessed correctly and it turned out that he had, and had moved up a few kHz to get out into the clear. In fact, he was no longer working split as he was calling CQ without the "UP". I finally nabbed him at 01:38 UTC.
I never heard Dale WC7S in Wyoming, nor his Hounds. And here's the reason why. After I turned off the KX3 for the night, but before leaving the shack, I went to RBN and downloaded the maps for each of the Foxes. This is how bad things were last night - these maps even caused me to raise an eyebrow!
In closing, and in honor of St. Patrick's Day - my hopes and wishes for you (I'm kinda part Irish by marriage) :
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
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