tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12559579.post2437351476239932811..comments2024-03-28T05:17:55.293-04:00Comments on W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!: THAT would have been nice!QRP - When you care to send the very least!http://www.blogger.com/profile/08707602309223956112noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12559579.post-54264978386823602882015-09-30T02:35:43.547-04:002015-09-30T02:35:43.547-04:00Hi Larry,
I've been in Madagascar for a year ...Hi Larry,<br /><br />I've been in Madagascar for a year and for the first four months or so, all I had was my FT817 and the LNR trail-friendly end-fedz 10/20/40 (and at some point fashioned a 15/17 fan dipole). During that period, I had a handful of voice contacts, but almost a thousand QRP CW contacts including some to the US. I know some of those US QSOs were QRP/QRP, but when I've looked up those ops on qrz, I see that most of them had multi-element antennas. My K3 and additional equipment arrived later in the year, and I've now got a K3 feeding a hexbeam on a rotor. I'd be game to try a scheduled contact any time you or other QRP operators think conditions are rip -- I'm here at least another three years, so plenty of time to try. My limiting factor is local noise due to dirty power lines and lots of RF-emitting devices in my relatively high density neighborhood in the country's capital, Antananarivo. <br /><br />Two other prospects for contacts here are Mike, 5R8UI, who you mentioned above, and Alain 5R8AL. Mike is located on Nosy Be, an island connected by Ferry to Madagascar and something of a resort location. He has better antennas and can run more power; I'd like to get up there sometime to see what the background noise is like. As for Alain, he's located in the area of the capital city, but further out than I am. Alain was away for a few months, but is now back in country. He is primarily a CW op, and I heard him a lot on 12m earlier in the year...back when there was 12m :-). If any of us pop up on RBN or clusters, give a call.<br /><br />At some point, I'm hoping to get out and about to more remote locations on the island - my limiting factors are business trips that take me out of Madagascar and the weather here. From November to about March we have a rainy season, which turns roads to mud; we also have the occasional cyclone, so fingers are crossed for the long term health my hexbeam. If I do manage to take some field trips and get antennas up, I'll spot myself on qrpspots.<br /><br />73,<br /><br />Jack<br />5R8SV / AI4SVdhakajackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08455150783915324915noreply@blogger.com