W2LJ's Blog - QRP - Do More With Less.

Not quite what I suspected

2012-01-27T22:17:00.001-05:00

You know what they say about conventional wisdom - that more often than not, it's wrong.

I got my QSO in tonight on 80 Meters, which was again practically deserted. Scanning the entire CW portion and only hearing a handful of QSO/signals is depressing. We have all that beautiful spectrum and it's like no one is using it!

Anyway, after a QSO with Burt K1OIK who lives on Cape Cod, I decided to do a little experiment. I wanted to find out, using the Reverse Beacon Network, what the difference in performance is (roughly) between the 88' EDZ and the Butternut HF9V on 80 Meters.

Since activity seemed to be light at best, I figured I could call CQ for a good amount of time without any takers. Unfortunately, my assumption turned out to be correct - even though that turned out to be good for the experiment. I wouldn't have minded being interrupted in order to have a good rag chew.

I called CQ for ten minutes using the wire and then ten minutes using the HF9V. I figured that would give ample opportunity to be heard by a variety of skimmers. My hypothesis was that the wire would be a better performer on 80 Meters.

My hypothesis seems to have been proved wrong.

There were some slight differences, but at most (at most!) the differences were only 1 dB. And that could have been due to normal QSB as the 1 dB difference was not always the same. By that, I mean the vertical wasn't always 1 dB lower compared to the wire - sometimes it was 1 dB higher. Of course, I was comparing reports from the same skimming stations. Many times the reports were dead even between the two.

My modus operandi up until now was to pretty much use the HF9V for 20 Meters and higher, while using the wire antenna for 30 Meters and lower. I think that will change. The Butternut has always been a solid performer and now I think I will be using it on the lower frequencies a lot more than I have been.

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

Stupidity and inspiration

2012-01-26T23:05:00.003-05:00

Argh! Sometimes I feel like such a dolt!

80 Meters was quite vacant again tonight. Spinning the dial, up and down, looking for someone to talk with. I hear a loud station down near 3.511 MHz calling CQ. Notice that I said I heard a loud station calling CQ. But as it turns out, I didn't listen!

The operator was Car N3AS and when I called him, he politely chatted with me for a few minutes. We exchanged the usual pleasantries and the QSO was very brief. After we bade our good-byes, Car starts to call CQ again. But this time, I was truly listening, and I heard him calling "CQ DX".!! He must have been wondering what kind of moron from W2 land would call a W3 station calling "CQ DX"? And he would have every right to think of me as an idiot - I had made the classic mistake of hearing, but not listening.

I felt about an inch tall. A QSL card with an apology will be going out this weekend.

Then I got a totally unrelated inspiration for a topic of discussion. I get many private e-mails with regard to the contents of this blog. And of all the questions that I get asked, the one I receive most often is (generic), "Larry, how do I get started in QRP and how can I do it in the least expensive way?"

And that's when it hit me that I never really covered this.

The answers are many - it's almost like asking 100 different people what their favorite ice cream flavor is - you're going to get 100 different answers. But there are some basics that we can cover.

First and foremost, the easiest and most inexpensive way to get started in QRP is to use the radio you already have! Yes, most (if not all) modern rigs will let you turn down your output power to 5 Watts. And as we all know, 5 Watts for CW and 10 Watts for SSB is considered to be QRP. If your rig will not go that low, then you can hook up an attenuator between the output connector and the antenna. This will effectively get you down to QRP levels. In fact, I just recently posted about the new attenuator that is being offered by Hendricks QRP Kits. Of course, if you have a decently stocked junk box you can easily roll your own with parts you may already have. Googling RF Attenuators is a good place to start. I believe that John K3WWP covers this quite nicely at his Website. Going this route, you can have a full featured radio that you're already comfortable with for QRP.

For those of you who truly desire a dedicated QRP radio, there are several ways to go. Pre-owned (as the car commercials call it) or new. By keeping your eye on eBay, QRP-L, QRZ classifieds and eHam classifieds, you can probably find an HW-8, or a Ten Tec Argonaut or any of a myriad of used QRP rigs for sale. One tip that is not generally known ..... if you can find yourself a used Icom IC-730 at a decent price, you might want to consider it. There's a pot under the top cover that will allow you to set the minimum output of this radio to as low as 100 mW without affecting the 100W top setting. I had one until I foolishly sold it a few years ago.

Another thing to keep in mind. As the Elecraft KX3 becomes available, there just might be more and more K1s, K2s and KX1s coming on the re-sale market. Those of us without deep pockets have to find some way of financing a new purchase!

If money is a real problem, but you still want to be involved in QRP without taking out a second mortgage, there are alternatives. Building a kit is one of them. Dave Benson, owner of Small Wonder Labs offers several kits that will yield you a high quality radio when you are done building, without breaking the bank. Another source to consider is Rex Harper's QRPMe kits Rex offer Tuna Tin 2s, companion receivers and accessories at amazingly low prices. Yes, these aren't deluxe-do-everything radios, but if your budget is tight, sometimes you have to go with what you can.

If you can spend a little more, then there is always the aforementioned Hendricks QRP Kits, Elecraft and Oak Hills Research for more expensive, but more feature packed radio kits. And I am sure there are others that I have not mentioned here - again, you can always Google "QRP kits" and do some exploring yourself.

The bottom line is that QRP can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be. But the great thing about this facet of Amateur Radio is that a huge, horse choking bank roll is not needed to get started or to keep enjoying it.

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

This is a good thing

2012-01-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

Looks like the 40 Meter QRN is going to knock me out of the QRP-L Foxhunt for tonight - again! It's a good thing I am 80 Meter capable. In a bit, I'll go down and get a few QSOs in the log before turning in for the night.

The good thing, that I mention in the post title is that I am noticing that as I spend more time on the air, I spend less time on the Web. And the time I do spend on the Web, is Amateur Radio related. I might check Facebook for a minute or two just to see what Ham friends are up to, but not much more than that. And the news sites are filled with politics and sensationalism, which gets my blood boiling, so I am better off staying away from those, too. There hasn't been true news coverage in this country for decades anyway, as today everything is either infotainment or an editorial disguised as news.

Blogging about Ham Radio, e-mail and Ham Radio Web pages - what more could you want, anyway? Well, if you're not a Ham, a lot more I suppose; but ..........

By the way, before I forget to mention this . For those of you out there who enjoyed operating the K6JSS/X stations in 2011 - please take note that you only have until February 29th to send in your logs for a certificate denoting your accomplishments. The details can be found here. Don't feel that just because you didn't work all 50 that you'll be left out in the cold. Nothing could be further from the truth, my friends! If you worked as few as 20 states, you are still entitled to a piece of wallpaper for your humble shack.

I finally did a formal count of the K6JSS/X stations that I worked in 2011. I ended up working 47 states. The three that I missed were South Dakota, New Mexico and Oregon (how the heck did I miss Oregon?).

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

Coming soon to an outdoor venue near you!

2012-01-26T18:00:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Rem K6BBQ - Amateur Radio video maker of note:

BTW, the rules for the contest that K6BBQ is speaking of can be found here. That's right folks, save the date - February 4th - one week from this Saturday!

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

Another 80 Meter night

2012-01-25T22:16:00.003-05:00

40 Meters and 20 Meters were quite loud with neighborhood QRN - so 80 Meters was my refuge once again. Even so, it took me quite a while to get a QSO in. Activity seemed to be on the light side. Maybe the ionosphere is still a little bit hootsy from the CME the other day?

I ended up having a nice chat with Phil W8OZM from Willowick, Ohio. Willowick is between Erie. PA and Cleveland, Ohio - right close to the shores of Lake Erie. In about 20 minutes however, the band began to change and increased QRN and QRM on Phil's end cut our QSO short.

Speaking of QRN, Mike VE3WDM posted a YouTube video that he made on his blog. It shows the MFJ1026 noise cancelling unit in action. Watching and listening, it seems like Mike's situation is akin to what I am facing here. I will probably end up purchasing one of these units. Of course, the ideal solution is to find the offending device in the neighborhood and see if anything can be done, If it ends up being a plasma TV, like I think it is, I am wondering what the reaction would be on behalf of the owner. Up until a few years ago, if you knocked on a neighbor's door and politely explained the situation, you might get some help. These days, it seems that confrontation and anger are all the rage. Pardon the pun.

The reason I think it's a TV is that this noise on 40 Meters (and to a lesser degree on 20 Meters) seems to occur during "prime time" on a lot, but not all, weeknights; and usually when there's football on, on Sunday afternoons during football season. Saturday afternoons and weekday afternoons, right up until prime time, the bands are very usable here.

KX3 update - It was mentioned on the KX3 reflector that for the first few weeks, the pre-assembled units are going to get priority as far as shipping goes. So now I am thinking probably late March or early April before I see anything. I guess in the end, getting my order in within the first hour after orders were being accepted didn't mean as much as I thought it would. Oh well, it is what it is. Patience is a virtue - I keep reminding myself that! :)

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

80 Meters and the CME

2012-01-24T21:56:00.004-05:00

Coronal Mass Ejection or not; I was successful in bagging both Foxes in the 80 Meter Fox Hunt tonight. Paul AA4XX and Drew K9CW have magnificent ears. I cannot know what band conditions are like at their QTHs, but I am finding 80 Meters to be significantly more noisy than normal. I guess the ionosphere is still in a tizzy after Ol' Sol's bout of solar indigestion yesterday.

Before the Fox Hunt, I took a few minutes to check with Ham Radio Deluxe to see exactly what I need for CQ's WAZ Award. I need six more zones. As luck would have it, they're all on the opposite side of the globe (of course). Would be nice to have a beam like WA8REI's. BTW, if you want to see it, it is a thing of beauty, He has posted a picture on his blog.

Hopefully, conditions will just keep getting better and the vertical and wire will be able to cut it. Ah, to have band conditions like they had back in the late 50's. The stories that I have been told!

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

Log of the World can be used for CQ awards

2012-01-24T20:24:00.001-05:00

This is the skinny straight from the ARRL:

"The ARRL and CQ Communications, Inc have signed an agreement to begin providing support for CQ-sponsored operating awards by the ARRL’s Logbook of the World (LoTW) electronic confirmation system. The agreement was announced jointly today by ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, and CQ Communications President Richard Ross, K2MGA.

CQ’s awards will be the first non-ARRL awards supported by LoTW and will be phased in beginning with the CQ WPX award, with additional CQ awards to follow. The ARRL’s LoTW system -- an interactive database recording contacts between radio amateurs -- was created in 2003 and has been adopted by 47,500 radio amateurs worldwide. It already has records of 400 million contacts and is growing weekly. The target date for beginning LoTW support for WPX is April 1, 2012. Amateurs will be able to use LoTW logs to generate lists of confirmed contacts to be submitted for WPX credit. Standard LoTW credit fees and CQ award fees will apply.

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, observed that this step gives radio amateurs throughout the world an inexpensive and convenient means of gaining credits toward CQ’s popular operating awards: “LoTW has significantly increased interest and participation in the ARRL’s DXCC, Worked All States and VUCC awards programs. We anticipate a similarly positive response to the addition of the CQ WPX award. Amateurs will be able to spend more time operating and less time chasing QSL cards.”

CQ President Richard Ross, K2MGA, said he is very pleased to be able to move forward with LoTW support for CQ awards. “We have had excellent results with electronic confirmations for several years,” he explained. “I am glad that we are now able to begin expanding that convenience to those participants in our award programs who use Logbook of The World. We look forward to a smooth launch for WPX and to the expansion of LoTW support to include the rest of our award programs, as well.”

Personally, I never kept track of any progress with any of the CQ awards. I would guess the one that I would be closest to accomplishing would be Worked All Zones; but I'm probably not even close to that, either. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Out of 7,209 QSO records that I have posted to LotW, I only have 1,417 QSL records. Not exactly a great rate of return. Maybe the ARRL is hoping that this will bring in more users.

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

Whoa!

2012-01-23T21:11:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting on 3.560 MHz listening for 80 Meter QRPers and all of a sudden an ear splitting tone comes on frequency. Then I hear some SSB, weakly in the background. I quickly changed the K2 over to LSB and I hear KB2H calling "CQ 75 Meters". Wow - that can't be right! According to QRZ, Lou lives on the North shore of Long Island, so he's not that far away from me. Must be something wrong with his rig somewhere? Maybe he doesn't realize the split button is on? (I've done that !!!!) I looked him up on QRZ looking for an e-mail, so I could let him know that he's coming in quite clearly in the CW portion of the band; but none was listed. This would have been a good time to have a rig that could do SSB. If anyone reading this knows him - I think it would be a good idea to let him know that he's generating some signal all the way down in the CW portion of the band.

I stopped on the way home from work at the electronics store and picked up the two components that I needed. I soldered them in and was able to do the "Stage 1" smoke test on my NE QRP Nescaf filter. Upon hooking up my 12V SLA, nothing blew up, so that was a good sign. All the voltages at all the listed check points were spot on, so I guess I can proceed to the next stage, building the Audio Amplifier stage.

Two nice QSOs tonight. One with Ken WA8REI on 40 Meters. His signal was blasting into New Jersey again courtesy of his Yagi antenna. I think Ken is going to be spoiled by the beam and might not want to go back to plain ol' vanilla wires after too much longer. It's a good thing our QSO ended when it did, though, because not more than 5 minutes later, the over S9 local QRN reared its ugly head.

I switched down to 80 Meters and had a nice 2X QRP QSO with Craig N4PLK at the 80 Meter watering hole. After the QSO with Craig, I've just been monitoring, and that's when I began to hear KB2H call CQ. And from what I can make out, Lou is in QSO with a W4 station, so I think the spur, or whatever it is being generated way down here may be quite unknown to him. Wish there was a way I could let him know.

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

My eyes

2012-01-22T20:34:00.004-05:00

are not what they used to be, that is for sure. I re-started building my NE QRP Nescaf filter kit this afternoon. Last time I started, all I managed to get installed were the three IC sockets, before I got called away to work on something else.

This afternoon, I began to solder components in. And of course, I misplaced a resistor and a capacitor since I unpacked it so many months ago. Looks like a trip to the local electronics store on the way home from work tomorrow.

But back to the title of this post. My eyes are not what they used to be. I used to use a binocular magnifier just to read the printed info on capacitors, ICs and transistors. Now I seem to need them for reading the component designations of the PC board itself. And they are a must now for soldering and checking for solder bridges. My bifocals don't seem to be doing the job by themselves, anymore. It's probably time for another trip to the eye doctor, anyway.

In between soldering components in, I got two QSOs in the log to count for January 23rd, as they were after 7:00 PM local time. One was with P48ADI in Aruba on 40 Meters. He was very loud into New Jersey - 599 Plus. I was calling and calling and calling with no luck. That seemed strange to me as Aruba is a very easy go from New Jersey (most of the time). On a hunch, I decided to switch from the EDZ to the Butternut - cha ching! First shot - go figure. On 40 Meters, the wire is usually a better player than the vertical; but maybe I am going to have to re-examine that theory with a little more experimentation.

I switched over to 80 Meters and to my delight, my CQ was answered by Jim W1PID, who was my first QSO for 2012 back on SKN. We had a nice chat for just over a half an hour. It's always super nice to run into Jim; and the QSOs are never boring or routine. In fact, they're the kind of QSOs you wish would go on for a while.

So for the week ahead, I have to get over to Greenbrook Electronics to pick up a few 4.7 Ohm resistors and some 33uF capacitors (I only need one of each; but can you imagine heading up to the cash register with just one of each?). And I also have to make an appointment with the eye doctor.

Getting old is a pain.

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

Snowy day

2012-01-21T23:30:00.000-05:00

But not bad - only about three inches of the fluffy white stuff. Enough to make for a nice day at home where I was able to spend some time behind the K2, instead of running around all day like a chicken with my head cut off.

When I got on for a small morning session, 15 Meters was nicely open. I worked Pavel OK1MU from the Czech Republic who was very loud into NJ - 599 Plus. A funny thing happened though. When I sent out my call in answer to his CQ, upon answering me, he immediately knew my name and asked me if I was running QRP. I'm used to people knowing my name, as it's so easy with logging programs tied to call book sites. But the QRP question threw me. I guess he was a quick read of my QRZ bio.

17 Meters was open too; and I was able to work Andy LX1DA in Luxembourg. Later in the day I went back to 15 Meters and worked YN7SU in Nicaragua. HK0NA was loud as anything on 17 Meters; but I was not able to break the pileup, which spanned a whole 10 kHz. I'm still hoping to get into their log before they leave in early February.

In two weeks, it will be time for FYBO, the first big QRP event of 2012. The rules can be found here. There's a new mobile category and that's how I'm thinking of operating this year. Buddistick on the magmount on top of the Jeep, hooked up to the PFR3A. The way this Winter is going, it will be interesting to see what the temperature will be that day. It wouldn't surprise me if it was 58F ...... or 22F.

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

A new challenge

2012-01-20T23:05:00.006-05:00

After reading Ron AE5NO's post "CQ Panama" on AmateurRadio.com, and the Stan Horzepa WA1LOU's latest post, "Doing Something New" on the ARRL Website, I decided to give a closer look see into this ARRL Diamond DXCC Challenge. This challenge is to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the DXCC program.

Psssssst...... so here's the low down. The Diamond DXCC Challenge is very much like the Millennium DXCC Challenge that was held back in the year 2000. The difference here is that you have all of 2012 to work 100 DXCC entities that existed back in 1937, the inaugural year of the DXCC program. For the entities that no longer exist, you get to work their present day equivalents - for instance, since Abyssinia no longer exists today (but did in 1937), working present day Ethiopia counts for the same thing, and so on and so on and so on. There's a complete list of entities and equivalents available at the ARRL Website.

Sounds cool, right? It will definitely be a challenge to see if I can do this QRP. There are several caveats. There are no endorsements, per se, only for the amount of countries worked. So I can't get an endorsement for doing this using QRP and all CW; but I'd be able to get stickers for working 125, 150, 175 countries and so on (like THAT's going to happen!). Also, this is totally on the "Honor System" - no QSLs required.

I know to a lot of you out there, that cheapens or invalidates the award, There was a big discussion about this on QRP-L a couple of days ago with regards to QRP DXCC, which doesn't require QSL proof either. But I have "regular" DXCC and QRP DXCC and DXCC Millennium; and I'm just as proud of the last two as I am the first. I know I worked 'em all, QSLs or no - I wouldn't have applied otherwise. Geez, if you can't be honest with yourself about something like this - then I don't know what to say. How desperate can you be for a piece of wallpaper?

So this should definitely be fun, and should definitely fit right in with the program of getting on the air more this year. Not only making more QSOs on a regular basis; but applying myself much more diligently during the major DX contests seems to be in order this year. It's always nice to have a goal to work towards.

In a different vein, tonight I had the most delightful rag chew with Jim K4AXF down in Grottoes, VA. Jim and I are both participants in the QRP Foxhunts. It was good to finally be able to sit and chew the fat in a relaxed manner as opposed to just sending "599 NJ LARRY 5W". Like that conveys a lot of information. But for our QSO on 80 Meters tonight, the band was in superb Winter time condition and Jim was 599 Plus all the way.

Speaking of Winter time conditions - snow tonight into tomorrow. Ugh! The weather prognosticators are saying anywhere between three to eight inches before turning over to that ever lovin' "wintry mix" of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. I hope they're wrong and that they have to send reporters all over creation just to find one flake.

But if they are right, then maybe I can hunker down and stay inside all day and play radio. Gotta look for that silver lining!

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

Not a bad life, if you can get away with it!

2012-01-19T21:52:00.001-05:00

Thanks to fellow RVRC and ETS of NJ member, Don K2DSV for sharing.

My evening was spent on good ol' 80 Meters tonight as 40 Meters had that unfortunate 20dB over S9 QRN on it tonight (so no 40 Meter Foxhunt for W2LJ). But ...... wow! The pickin's were very sparse! Not many signals at all on 80. I did have one QSO with a fellow who cut it very short after I told him he had a 579C signal. He asked what the "C" was for, and I honestly told him he had some pretty bad chirp on his signal. I went from being "FB COPY" to pretty hard to hear in a matter of seconds. I guess he didn't appreciate being told that he had a less than optimal signal. But what are you supposed to do .... lie?

So I went looking for another QSO, but as we used to say, (at the risk of offending PETA folks or other animal lovers) that you could swing a dead cat without running into anyone. My CQ was finally answered by Randy KX1NH and we had a bit of a chat. That call, which is so distinctive, had clearly stuck in my mind. And the reason his call stuck in my gray matter is that we just worked each other Sunday evening in the Run for The Bacon. And it turns out that this is the same Randy who used to be K2VT, with whom I have QSOed MANY times before.

When Randy moved to New Hampshire, he acquired his neat call. I mean really ..... how cool is KX1NH? It's not the kind of call that you are going to easily forget once you've worked him. IMHO, that was a stroke of genius on Randy's part to obtain a call like that. Rarish prefix, nice rhythm on CW, and distinctive with regard to his QTH. A tip of my hat to Randy! Oh, and Randy's daughter's call? K2KID !!!

And by the way, that QSO with Randy was number 95 for 2012. I know, I know ..... a lot of you out there can do 95 QSOs while taking a catnap on a Saturday afternoon, while standing on one leg and with one arm tied behind your back. But the last couple of years, my QSO count was pretty well below average compared to what I'm usually used to. So while this is nothing to write home about (but that's kind of what I'm doing, aren't I?), it's very good compared to where I was at this point in 2010 and 2011.

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

January NAQCC Sprint

2012-01-18T23:07:00.000-05:00

I had a meeting to attend tonight that lasted way longer than I had anticipated. It didn't let out until close to 10:00 PM. By the time I got home, there was only 15 minutes left of NAQCC Sprint time left. With that, I made 5 QSOs. I can only imagine what a nice total I could have had if I had the full two hours! Oh well, maybe next month.

One of my goals for this year was to increase my activity. A good way to do that is to participate in these monthly QRP Sprints - the Run For the Bacon, NAQCC, ARS Spartan Sprint. I am also going to do my darndest this year to participate in the "other" Sprints - FYBO, FOBB, QRP-ARCI events, MI QRP events and the like. Not to win, as I don't have the aluminum in the air to be a serious contender; but as a "Giver of Points", I should be in good shape. And then there are the social events like the Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Events - I am hoping all these will help for a healthy year, Amateur Radio-wise.

I am sure you have noticed a lot of Web sites that have been talking about SOPA and PIPA. I think these laws were proposed with good and noble intentions in mind; but as written, are too likely to fall prey to "The Law of Unintended Consequences". For a good explanation of all this, I would direct you here. I am not good at explaining stuff like this, but this file is a good comprehensive read. If you don't want to see a lot of good material that is available on the Web, up and disappear, it really is time to let your legislators know how you feel. This would affect ALL of us.

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

Kudos to 4RN

2012-01-17T22:29:00.004-05:00

Sitting here trying to work Dale WC7S, the "second Fox" in the 80 Meter QRP Foxhunt. I already grabbed a pelt from Jim N0UR. All of a sudden, without warning 4RN tries to call up the net on frequency, right on top of Dale. A cacophony of "QRL"s and "PSE QSY"s erupted from many of the Hounds. And lo and behold, they did!

I wish the WVN (West Virginia Net) was as compliant. When the NCS came on frequency, calling up the net without a "QRL?" and I in turn did send a "QRL", I was answered with a "YES". I guess he couldn't grasp the fact that I wasn't asking; but was telling. The lack of a "?" on my part should have been an indicator. Sigh.

And ....the 2012 streak is still going, 17 days into January. Over half the month is over and I've made at least one QSO each day so far. Many days, I've made more. Woo Hoo - big deal, right?

The other day, I successfully worked the PJ4C DXpedition. I caught a look at their Web page today, and to be honest with you, I was kind of amazed. I was blown away by the scope of their operation. Really - for Bonaire? I didn't think it was that rare or needed. But to be honest with you, if I had a shot to go to a Caribbean Island right now, I'd jump at the chance!

Never worked Dale WC7S, by the way.

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

Day off today

2012-01-16T09:04:00.003-05:00

I am lucky enough to find myself with a day off from work - as the firm is closed to honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. It will not be an idle day however, as there is always much to do around the house. But as I sit here with a morning cup of coffee, I am glad to be inside as it's only 13F (-10C) here. Now I know a lot of you out there experience much colder temps on a routine basis throughout the Winter; and that you chuckle to yourselves when I mention how cold this seems to us around here.

But keep in mind, only about 25 miles due East of here is that Big Puddle that most folks call the Atlantic Ocean. It's relatively warm waters tend to keep us pretty warm during the Winter. For us, going down into or near the single digits is the same as when you get hit with deep minus F temperatures. In fact, in my 55 years on this big blue marble that we call home, I can only remember a handful of times (if that many) that it actually went below 0F (-17C)

As I mentioned there is plenty do around here; but I still hope to get on for a little this afternoon. The shack is probably a little to chilly to sit in right now anyway. When I left the shack at the end of RFTB last night, it was 58F (14C) down there. Nothing a T-shirt and sweatshirt can't handle; but after a night of frigid temps, it might even be a bit lower. That will moderate as the day continues and the house warms up - I do have to get a fire going in the fireplace soon - next chore.

I noticed this morning that last night, Doug Hendricks announced a new kit at QRPKits.com - a 41dB Step RF Attenuator.

This looks like a really nice unit. A lot more elegant than the mish-mosh attenuators that I used to jury rig back in the day. All the details can be found here.

If any of you get QST, you may have noticed in the February 2012 edition that one of our own has an article in it. Par excellant QRPer, Mert Nellis WØUFO (fellow Flying Piggie) has a very FB article entitled "Characterizing Solar Panels for Amateur Radio Applications". Mert appears on many lines in my log book, as I have worked him in many QRP Sprints. I always get a kick when someone in the QRP community gets good mention in any of the Amateur Radio publications. It's kind of like "knowing the celebrity" if you know what I mean - how cool is that?

You might be thinking to yourself, "Hey Larry, that's old news, I've had my QST for weeks now". That's another thing I wanted to mention. I always seems to be the last person, out of the folks that I know, that gets their copy of QST. I wonder if that's strictly a zip code issue, or as a Life Member, the League feels that I'm not going anywhere - so we get ours last? ...... Strange things that go through my mind while the coffee kicks in.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

The January RFTB was fun

2012-01-15T22:59:00.001-05:00

The January edition of the Flying Pigs Run For The Bacon QRP Sprint was fun. Activity seemed to be on the light side; but that might be from a lot of folks being exhausted after a full day of playoff football. Conditions were strange too. Deep QSB made it seem like a station that was in the clear and loud one second, was gone the next.

As I write this, there are 10 minutes to go in the Sprint. The K2 is merrily pounding out "CQ FP DE W2LJ" on 80 Meters. But to be honest, I don't expect another QSO between now and 0400 UTC. So I ended up with 14 QSOs (6 on 40 Meters, 8 on 80 Meters) in the log, with 11 different states/provinces worked.

Below appears a map of my effort for the night. The only thing incorrect is that Don K3RLL was operating from Florida, not his normal QTH of Pennsylvania. The biggest disappointment of the night was not working KX9X. He was very loud into New Jersey; but for whatever reason, I just could not make myself heard with either the EDZ or the HF9V.

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

I'm a card carrying member of the GOP

2012-01-14T20:57:00.002-05:00

and when I say this, I'm not talking about political parties - I mean the "Giver of Points" Party.

I spent some time this evening handing out points to stations running in the North American QSO Party. Just hunting and pouncing, handing out points here and there. Doing this, I re-affirmed three things.

1) In contest situations like this, it's relatively easy to get used to sending and receiving faster than your normal "comfort zone". This is a great activity for those of us trying to increase our code speed. By my fifth or sixth contact I was exchanging with stations at a rate significantly higher than my normal rag chew speed.

2) I was glad to see a goodly number of my contacts popping up in my log as NAQCC, SKCC, QRP-ARCI and Flying Pig members. Obviously, I had worked these stations before in the various QRP Sprints. These folks obviously have the contesting bug and it's good to see them in a non-QRP contest, too.

3) That even though I did not join the contest for any significant effort, it is still a lot of fun to make a lot of contacts in a relatively short period of time. Not only do I build up my log, but I also get to see how the bands are, how propagation is and where the loudest signals are coming from. I also get to switch between antennas and see how they stack up against each other, giving me have a feel for what works better in what situations. Not a bad teaching tool.

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

Baby, it's cold outside!

2012-01-13T20:41:00.000-05:00

I have been spoiled by our relatively dry and warmish Winter. Tonight, however, the winds are howling and the temperatures have been dropping all day like a stone. Right now it's 25F (-3C) and if you step outside without the proper protection (ie. jacket, gloves, hat, earmuffs) it feels even more bitterly cold. The weekend temperatures are supposed to be lower than normal; and certainly lower than they have been up to this point.

I recently finished a QSO with N3YWQ who has it not only windy, but snowy too - so things can always be worse, I guess. Conditions are good tonight; but I'm not having much luck. I tried working a couple of European stations at the bottom of 40 Meters, but am not being heard. I'm so tired from a hard day of work; maybe my heart's not in it tonight.

BUT..........Sunday night is Run For The Bacon night - so keep that in mind. If you're new to the QRP game and am wondering what the heck I am jabbering about - RFTB is the monthly Sprint held by the Flying Pigs Amateur Radio Club International. It's held the third Sunday evening (Monday morning UTC) of every month. No pressure - just a lot of fun. The rules are here; and you don't need to be a Flying Pig to partake. Membership in the Flying Pigs is free and it's a great bunch of folks, slightly irreverent at times; but NEVER rude. Pigs just wanna have fun!

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

ARRL Quiz

2012-01-12T19:58:00.000-05:00

If any of you have been over to the ARRL Website lately, you may have noticed that Ward Silver N0AX posted a quiz about Ham Radio on TV.

Question # 10 is:

10) Which show featured a ham radio phone patch between a soldier and his girlfriend back home?
a. M*A*S*H
b. McHale’s Navy
c. Combat!
d. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Now I didn't get the intended answer on this one, which was a) M*A*S*H, because one of my very early TV memories was this episode of McHale's Navy, which originally aired back on May 19, 1964. I had recently turned seven years old and obviously, was at a very impressionable age !!!

Two things I know now that I didn't know back then - the callsigns used are all whacked out. Secondly, since McHale's Navy was set in a WWII background, it would have been impossible for a US Radio Amateur to have been on the air.

But it was a great episode and it's my earliest Amateur Radio memory.

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

Good question

2012-01-11T18:50:00.002-05:00

I saw this posted on eHam yesterday as a "stray":

Where is every contester the rest of the week? Week days you have to CQ for 15 minutes to get a good QSO at 15 to 25 wpm.

KF6GC

And you know, it is a very good question. Some weekends you can't find a place on some of the bands even if you grease yourself up and use a shoehorn. Then, the end of the contest comes and ........ there's silence. Like most questions of this type, there are no easy answers. And there seldom is one answer. Why are the bands so dead on any given weeknight, especially when our numbers are supposedly at all time highs?

One reason could be that a lot of contesters are just that - contesters. That's "their thing" and that's what they want to do. Sitting down for a rag chew on 40 Meters and gabbing about their latest home improvement project just might not be their cup of tea.

But what about the rest of our community? Why the lack of signals on HF?

Times change, things change. Personally, I think when the FCC did away with the Novice License, the emphasis for new Hams really turned away from getting on HF and turned to VHF/UHF operating instead. For years, it seemed the rage was repeaters, repeaters, repeaters, repeaters. If you asked one of these new ops about setting up an HF station - well, maybe they just weren't so geared up for that.

Society changed. Your all familiar with the term "disposable income". I think we need a new term - "disposable leisure time". It's not like the old days anymore, where Dad would come home from work, eat dinner and then go bowling or devote time to some other hobby (such as Amateur Radio!). Dad's roles have switched from being solely the provider to doing more things, like transporting the kids around, helping around the house, home improvement projects and the like.

And getting back to transporting the kids (and this includes grandkids) around ....... it's not like it was when I was a kid. You'd come home from school, get your homework done and run out the door to play until your Mom yelled that it was dinner time. Most parents I know are too worried about the psychos out there to just let their kids run around unsupervised. The lack of freedom is a shame; but it's become a fact of life. So,ergo, once again the kids are toted around to supervised events and activities. That eats heavily into the bank of "disposable leisure time".

There are probably even more factors (like sunspots) that I haven't hit upon yet, that may pop right into your heads. But the ones I listed above all contribute, I think, to the lack of HF activity (compared to how it used to be).

So what to do about it? I think you have to just make a conscience effort to get on the air more, anytime you can, as much as you can. Other than that, there's no magic bullet or cure. Heck, I should know - I'm guilty myself!

See you on the bands!

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

So cool!

2012-01-10T18:31:00.004-05:00

While reading Dave K2DSL's blog today, I came across a tool that I was not previously aware of. Dave has made available a utility where you can generate a map from an ADIF file.

So, I figured, "What the heck?"

I made an ADIF file of part of the QSOs that I had during 2011 and generated a map.

But wait, there's more! Dave's utility allows you to download a KML file with which you can open using Google Earth, and do some playing around there. It seems that my antennas seem to favor an axis that runs NorthEast to SouthWest relative to my QTH.

This is so neat! Thanks, Dave!

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

As seen on eBay

2012-01-09T18:19:00.005-05:00

Pins for sale by Joe KK5NA:

I should buy one - they're only $3.59 plus shipping. But:

A) My Ham friends might think I was being snobby.
B) My gun friends would think I was buying a flash suppressor, which would be strange, as I don't own a gun. But in their world a KX3 is the model of a flash supressor.
C) My "regular" friends wouldn't know what the heck I was advertising.

The neighborhood QRN is gone from 40 Meters tonight. Unfortunately, I am tuning around and not hearing all that much activity. I hear Bob N4BP down in the low end calling "CQ DX" and he's blowing my ears off. But not much going on around 7.030 or 7.040 MHz, the two QRP watering holes. Fortunately, I did manage two brief contacts on 80 Meters with a K3Y station and W8ST, so the streak lives another day.

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

Streaks

2012-01-08T21:19:00.002-05:00

I got on 80 Meters tonight, determined to keep my streak going. I've been on the air each day since the New Year began, as part of my resolution to get on the air more. I did the MOCAD (Make One Contact A Day) thing successfully back in 2005. That was tough enough, dealing with work, two young kids, solar storms, etc, etc, etc. And I am bound and determined to try and do it again this year. Human nature being what it is, it's way too easy to get lazy and find excuses to not get on the air.

So here I am, proud of myself for getting on every day for a stinking, measly week, when I run into John K3WWP. The same K3WWP who is the Streak Master, having made at least one CW QRP QSO each day for over 17 years. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that - at least one CW QRP QSO for over 6.300 days!

After a very nice chat with John, I ran into Gary N2ESE with whom I had the pleasure to QSO with last week. During this rag chew, I find out that Gary is running his own streak - at least two CW QSOs a day since November 2006. That's over five years now!

So here I am, feeling pleased with my own lil' week of operating only to be returned to earth after working two fine amateurs who make my efforts look pretty putrid by comparison. But, working these fine folks is quite an inspiration to keep this going. Not that I am going to do it for years - but at least A year, once again.

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

A few QSOs

2012-01-07T22:48:00.002-05:00

But not nearly enough time spent on the radio today, there were just too many things to do.

I had hoped to participate in the Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Event by putting together a portable station using my Buddistick in conjunction with my magmount, using the Jeep as a groundplane. W3BBO has been doing this, using his Buddistick on a mount on his car instead of a normal Hamstick radiator, and has been getting great results, including working Fiji the other day!

The weather would have been great for this, too. A high of 60F (15C) and sunshine. It felt more like April than January. If Winter keeps up like this, I will not be sad; but sooner or later, you just know we'll have to "pay the piper" for this.

So I ended up just operating from the shack in between chores. Fortunately, I dd make two Polar Bear contacts - Scotty N0AZN on 15 Meters and Ken WA8REI on 20 Meters who had an absolutley MONSTER signal due to his new Mosely Yagi that went up yesterday. 599 +++++++ into New Jersey, Ken!

In between the two of them, I also managed to work WT5RZ who was running a SOTA (Summits on the Air) station. The signal was weak here - 339 at best.

I would like to take advantage of 40 Meters for a rag chew tonight as the neighborhood QRN is not bad tonight. The folks with the plasma TV must be at the movies. Hi! But the RTTY Roundup has digital signals all the way down to 7.030 MHz.

Switching on down to 80 Meters yielded a QSO with Bob W1IS from Stow, MA, near Boston, who was pumping 100 mW into the aether with a homebrew rig. Good enough for a 559C signal into NJ.

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

Friday night - best time of the week!

2012-01-06T20:47:00.002-05:00

Work is officially done for the week; and the possibilities for a great weekend lie ahead. That's why Friday night is the best part of the week!

After dinner, I came down to the shack to get in my QSO for January 7th. Still going strong the first week of January, having made more than one QSO each day of 2012 so far.

80 Meters is barren and 40 Meters has digital signals coming down to about 7.035 MHz. If I remember correctly, the first weekend of January is the ARRL RTTY Roundup, so 40 Meters might be useless this weekend. But on the other hand, 30 Meters is wide open! I heard SV2GNC, Mike in Kilkis calling CQ with not many takers. Fortunately, my 5 Watts out of my 88' EDZ was heard immediately. Mike and I worked back in April of 2011, so I am already in his log, which explains the immediate "GE LARRY".

A little up the band, I can hear HK1N working stations. He's doing a bit more than "Wham Bam TNX 599" QSOs, so why do other folks insist on sending their call out before he's done? Is that what we've come to - such short QSOs without the possibility of any real talking? Stepping on each other mindlessly, just to get another QSO in the log? Even though the pile up became a bit insane, I managed to get through at 01:53 UTC and got Jim in the log. It's so nice when a QSO with a DX station is even just a wee bit more than a signal report.

This weekend is the Polar Bear's Moonlight Madness Event - the PBMME. I hope to get out for a few minutes tomorrow afternoon and try something different, inspired by my good friend W3BBO. If it's successful, I will post about it tomorrow night.

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

Thank God for 80 Meters!

2012-01-05T21:44:00.001-05:00

Because the QRP Foxhunt on 40 Meters was a bust. 20 over S9 noise. Unless you were three houses down from me, beaming a kilowatt towards me, I wasn't about to hear you.

But on 80 Meters, for the previous almost an hour, I had engaged in a really FB QSO with Gary N2ESE. Gary is also a New Jersey resident, all of about 26 miles from me. We've worked each other in many a Sprint; but this was a nice change of pace. Gary's TenTec Omni was putting a 599 +++ signal into the aether and for another evening, the copy was armchair quality.

Earlier in the evening, I was perusing the latest QST, CQ and Sprat. Gosh, I wish I had the ability to come up with designs and circuits like the guys who write articles for those publications. Not everyone can be a KD1JV, I guess. The rest of us have to be content building the designs of the trailblazers.

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

Making time for air time.

2012-01-04T22:24:00.002-05:00

So far, this new year of 2012 (only five days old), I have been on the air, each day. I don't know how long I can keep this up due to family or work commitments, but we'll see.

Tonight I had the most delightful rag chew with Eric WA3QWT who lives in Butler, PA. Butler is the home of a pretty good hamfest, according to my friends W3BBO and K3WWP; so we had something to talk about. Eric was in the mood for a rag chew too, so we went from there and were on the air for a total of about 40 minutes or so. I remember hours long rag chews when I was a Novice; but in today's QSOs of "599 TNX QRZ?" - this seemed like one of those long ago gabfests.

Eric has been licensed for over 40 years, but came back to the hobby recently after a hiatus. He was using his new Kenwood TS-590 to a doublet fed with 450 Ohm window line. His signal never waivered from 599. And I got a 559 report in return - copy was armchair quality all the way on both sides.

I love QSOs like this - to me, this is what this hobby is all about. It doesn't get any better than this - well, yes it does - but that's another story.

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

Winter is here!

2012-01-03T19:29:00.003-05:00

I must say, that throughout November and December, we have enjoyed quite warm (comparatively) weather for this time of year. January has brought Winter, with a vengeance. The temperatures started dropping on Sunday, along with a mighty wind, which made it feel colder than it actually was. Right now, as I type this, it is 21F (-6C) and it is supposed to go as low as perhaps 14F tonight (-10C).

In a way, this is a shame, as tonight (tomorrow morning) is supposed to be the peak of the Quadrantid Meteor shower. NASA has reported that the possibility exists for us in the Northern Hemisphere to see about 100 shooting stars an hour around the 2:30 AM peak. I indeed, think that this would be neat to view; but I highly doubt that I am going to brave the frigid cold temps to do it. Many years ago, in my pre-high school days, I dreamed of being an astronomer one day. Then I met higher Math. He didn't like me - and to tell the truth, I didn't care for him too much, either.

So I will probably content myself with trying to work one of the two 80 Meter Foxes tonight, either Rick NK9G or Jim WA4ILO - or even perhaps both if I am lucky enough.

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

Addendum - Got both Foxes within one hour of the start of the hunt. Band conditions were good tonight - not much QRN at all. BUT, it's 59F (15C) down here in the shack. I'm going and getting under the nice, warm covers! Brrrrrr !!!

SKN was definitely fun!

2012-01-01T20:53:00.004-05:00

2012 started out on a good note, with Straight Key Night being a total blast!

Right off the bat, you know the year will be a good one as far as QRP matters go, when your first QSO for the New Year is with Jim W1PID. When you start off the year working one of QRP's best, how can things go bad?

I had a great QSO with Grant AA9LC who was using a homebrewed TAK-40 that he built after seeing the article in an issue of QST. Grant was running 40 Watts to an Inverted Vee and his rig sounded so sweet! The fact that he was using a WWII vintage British Mark III Straight Key was like icing on the cake.

On New Year's Eve, I also had the pleasure of working K3Y/8, Dave in West Virginia. K3Y is the Special Event station held every January to commemorate the founding of the SKCC, Straight Key Century Club. You will find them active in each USA call district; so if you hear them, give them a shout.

Today, during New Year's day, I had several more nice QSOs including one with FM/F6AUS who is currently in Martinique. This QSO was on 12 Meters, so the higher bands were open during the afternoon. A little later in the day, I had a delightful rag chew with Ron W3GIS who lives in Maryland. Ron is retired from the Federal Government; but still lives in the DC suburbs. Our chat was on 40 Meters and was really nice. As I've said so many times, there's nothing like a great rag chew.

Later this evening, I was calling CQ on 40 Meters and was answered by Ken WA8REI. Ken was loud into NJ tonight. But just to show how volatile the bands can be, Ken went from a loud 589 to a mere ESP 229 in the span of less than 10 minutes. That's almost the blink of an eye, and Ken was using 50 Watts to my 5 Watts. So in turn, I went from 559 to NIL in the same amount of time. I sure hope Ken was able to copy my final "73 ES HNY".

But all in all, it was a relaxing day behind the radio; and in honor of SKN, all my QSOs were made using my Vibroplex Original bug that I restored a few years ago. Even though I haven't practiced with it all that much lately, I fell into a good rhythm with it and it was a nice change of pace from the keyer and paddles. I will try to use it a lot this year.

Rich WB9LPU's, BugNapper makes it a joy to use, even at such "slow speeds" (for a bug) like 20 WPM.

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

Happy New Year !!!!!

2012-01-01T00:32:00.002-05:00

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

As the years turn - resolutions - again!

2011-12-31T17:15:00.002-05:00

Things from 2011 that I wanted to get to; but didn't.

As I stated last night, this includes adding radials onto the base of the Butternut HF9V vertical. The antenna plays extremely well and with about 25 radials presently, it could use some more. I know a few (2 or 3) have gotten torn up by the lawn mower or the dog over the years - so adding some more will only help matters. Didn't get to it in 2011; but hope to in late Winter 2012 before the grass wakes up for the Spring.

160 Meter vertical antenna - in particular, the one described in the August 2010 issue of QST. It's an easy enough project, I just need to find the time. I think I get a few additional vacation days in 2012, and hopefully I won't need to use any for surgery this year - so maybe I will finally find the time I need.

Resolutions? In addition to the ones that carry over from last year, basically only a few.....

1) Get on the air more. That was also one of my resolutions for 2011. And I did get on the air more in 2011 - mathematically, about 15% more than 2010 if you go by QSO count. But I want to be on the air even more in 2012. I am hoping to do the MOQAD (make one QSO a day) thing again in 2012, like I did in 2006. I'm not sure if I will be able to make all 366 (yes, 366 as this is a Leap Year) with family and other obligations; but I am going to give it the old college try. They say if you want something to become a habit, it takes 30 days. So I will definitely try to be on the air every day in January. Maybe by February, it will just seem natural again.

2) Get on the air more outdoors. The other goal this year is to get out and activate New Jersey's parks. There sure are enough of them; and as a member of the Parks On The Air group, it is my duty to at least make an effort. With a new KX3 sometime in 2012, that will be an even bigger incentive.

3) Get my code speed up to 40 WPM. Why? Simply because it's a personal challenge and I want to. I am going to make some high speed code practice discs using Julian G4ILO's software. The ride to work is roughly a half hour to 45 minutes each way, depending on traffic. This time can best be used listening to code practice. I am comfortable at 25 WPM now and can stretch myself to 30 WPM for short periods of time. I don't desire to be a QRQ operator, per se; but I'd sure like to be able to follow a conversation if I stumble into one.

And of course, there are also a few personal, non-Ham ones that I won't bore you with here.

Now, I would like to take this moment to thank all of you, my readers for your support in the past. Please know that you all have my best and most sincere wishes for a most QRP and CW fun-filled, healthy, prosperous, worry free, peaceful and most happy New Year!

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

Looking back on 2011

2011-12-30T22:39:00.006-05:00

The year, Amateur Radio-wise, was a pretty good one. Some goals that I had previously set, I was able to keep - others I fudged on (read - didn't get done!). For example, I didn't get new radials down for the HF9V that I had wanted to. But, on the other hand, my vertical was a solid performer for me all year long so I am not complaining.

Highlights:

I got the PFR3A up and running after some problem solving that I have chronicled here. It's a great little rig and I'm glad that I held onto it. I almost sold it at one point after finishing it. One of my best QSOs of the year was accomplished with the PFR3A, when I QSO'ed with John ON4UN while we were vacationing up at Lake George this summer.

I was also successful in replacing the G5RV last Spring. On a warm weekend in March I took down the G5RV (which had been up for 13 years!) and replaced it with an 88' EDZ (Extended Double Zepp) antenna. The good side is that the EDZ performs much better on 30 Meters than the G5RV ever did. I have had quite a few nice QSOs on 30 Meters as a result, with a goodly deal of DX thrown in, to boot. The not so good side, is that, with care I was able to get the G5RV to load 0n 160 Meters. The EDZ won't go anywhere near there.

Flight of the Bumblebees. I took over as Contest Manager this year from Chris Kantarjiev, who had done an outstanding job running it the last several years. I had a blast running this event, which I also LOVE participating in! It is definitely one of my most favorite events of the year. It was great fun handing out Bee numbers and compiling the results. No one from the Adventure Radio Society complained about my efforts, so hopefully they will allow me to head up the FOBB again in 2012.

In connection with FOBB - End Fed antennas !!!!! I have played around with a lot of antenna schemes for portable operations. This year my portable ops were dominated by the use of End Fed wires. They are superbly easy and fast to deploy and the results speak for themselves. I am very happy with them and the Buddistick in cases where trees are not available.

K6JSS/X - I also had a lot of fun participating in the QRP-ARCI Golden Anniversary event. I came within 4 or 5 states of a clean sweep, and strangely enough - Alaska and Hawaii were NOT two of the missing states! And I was able to head up the New Jersey K6JSS/2 effort along with Chris KQ2RP. Chris was a life saver; and I don't know what would have become of New Jersey without him! I hope between the two of us, that you were easily able to get your NJ K6JSS/2 QSO in your log.

KX3 - what can I say? Even though I don't have the radio yet, I pined for it the minute I saw it on the Web, live from Dayton. I immediately knew I just HAD to have one. Thankfully, I was successful in selling some items and as I told you all before - I placed my order this week. This is an adventure that will span two years, as 2012 will entail building and operating. What my wife loves most about this is that no "house money" was used in the acquisition - I raised all the funds by myself.

Ham Radio Deluxe - I am fussy when it comes to my log book. You should see some of my early paper ones! I'll have to scan some pages and post them for you - talk about a meticulous "Type A" personality! After using Log-EQF for so many years, I wanted to find something more up to date with more "bells and whistles" and panache. I used AC Log for a bit; but finally settled on Ham Radio Deluxe. It is a superb program; and it took me a little bit to get used to it, but I am very happy with the result. Now, I have my fingers crossed, hoping that things don't change too much now that Simon HB9DRV sold the rights and is no longer in direct control of the software.

Emcomms - Thank the Lord that South Plainfield didn't have a lot of disasters to deal with this year. But in late August, we did have to deal with Hurricane Irene. Our effort wasn't to the point of manning shelters but we did help with evacuations. Our CERT team and our little band of RACES/ARES operators gave a good effort and showed the town that we were willing, able, and most importantly - ready to help at a moment's notice. I am extremely proud to be associated with my fellow South Plainfield Hams, they are a superb bunch - every single one of them. And yes, while we are technically "Amateurs", IMHO, we handled ourselves as professionally as the "paid guys".

This blog. This blog has become a huge part of my Amateur Radio life. Sometimes it's a little tough to come up with ideas on stuff to write about, but the negatives are far outweighed by the positives. It's a lot of fun and I have gotten to meet and correspond with so many good people because of it. I hope that the "idea well" and inspiration will not run dry and that I can be as prolific a writer, if not more so in 2012.

Tomorrow, I will discuss the "low lights" for the year as well as my "Radio Resolutions" for 2012.

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

I am almost at a loss for words

2011-12-29T19:56:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I post things that are controversial. Sometimes I post things that are boring (and do I ever hear about that!) Sometimes, I am fortunate enough to post words that touch people's lives in a certain way.

Two folks sent me e-mails about a couple of those today - and for that I am truly, truly grateful. Your kind words are appreciated in ways you can't imagine. Thanks so very much!

In other Amateur Radio news, the KX3 list is hopping like crazy, as you can imagine. Wayne N6KR alluded to the fact that the User Manual will probably be released in January, while the Assembly Manual won't be ready until February.

Always being somewhat curious, I would love to know what the first hour and first day order figures for the KX3 were. After all, this radio was introduced at Dayton and so many videos featuring the radio were released in the meantime. I'm sure there was a "dam bursting at the seams" phenomena, and it would be very interesting (to me anyway) to see how order figures stacked up against those for the K3 and perhaps the KX1.

I continued to get some more QSLing done today. I am so embarrassed that I have let my QSLing slip. If you've sent me a card in the past few months and I haven't responded ...... well, keep an eye on your mailbox within the next few weeks.

Oh, and by the way, in my post the other day, I didn't mean to denigrate or sound harsh about DX stations who insist on QSLing direct with a couple of green stamps included. For guys who are in rare locations, I can understand totally. If they didn't QSL that way, they would probably quickly go broke.

I also mentioned using the ARRL Outgoing QSL Service. If you're an ARRL member and you're not aware of this service - please, by all means, check it out! This is by far the most economical way I can think of to send out QSL cards to DX stations who will accept cards via their Bureau. They will even accept cards for DX stations that go to US QSL managers! The ARRL Outgoing QSL Service, IMHO, is one of the best side benefits of being an ARRL member.

My good friend, and fellow Polar Bear, Rem K6BBQ has posted another outstanding video - this one concerning the December Polar Bear outing which coincided with the ARRL 10 Meter contest. Rem is right up there with Steve WG0AT as far as quality video goes. I am posting here for your viewing pleasure:

Keep up the good work, Rem. Your craft is enjoyed and most appreciated! The laughs are appreciated, also - it's great when we don't take ourselves too seriously and actually have fun.

Driving to work today, I saw a few Christmas trees already on some folk's curbs, ready for pick up. For me, that's one of the saddest sights of the season. But also - getting rid of your tree before New Year? After all, Christmas is SUPPOSED to last for twelve days -right? I'm not a die hard adherent to leaving the tree up for all twelve days - but at W2LJ, we do wait until New Years Day or later to do the dirty deed of getting rid of the tree.

I had hoped to be more prolific in terms of blogging compared to 2010. Looks like I am going to come up short of my goal. Within the next two days, I'll post some about some reflections from this year and some hopes for 2012.

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

PS: 40 Meter Fox Hunt tonight. John K4BAI and Tom KV2X are the Foxes. Two superb ops! Hope to hear YOUR call being answered tonight.

Almost lost in the sauce

2011-12-28T21:31:00.003-05:00

with all the excitement about the official launch of the KX3, this hasn't been getting much talk up on the QRP e-mail reflectors. Doug Hendricks has announced the return of the TwoFer Plus CW Transmitter Kit.

"I have returned the TwoFer Transmitter Kit to my line up of kits at Hendricks QRP Kits. It is in stock and ready to ship for your choice of 40, 30, or 20 meters now, and when the crystals arrive in about 2 weeks, it will be available on 10 meters as well. The cost of the kit is $35 plus shipping and handling, and now includes an open chassis case, knob, and all connectors. This kit is ideal for use as a small beacon with the addition of a keyer, and is a great first time build for the beginner. The kit was retired several years ago, but I decided to bring it back after many requests for it. Ken Locasale, WA4MNT, designed a case for it, and we changed the final to a 2N3053. Check out the pictures and manual on my web page at www.qrpkits.com. Just click on the picture and scroll down to the manual and ordering information. 72, Doug, KI6DS"

Always good to have reasonably priced kits that you can recommend to first time kit builders! Thanks, Doug!

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

Holy Shamoly!

2011-12-28T18:52:00.003-05:00

Things have been severely slow at work; as we are in an "End of Year" freeze. No new equipment can be installed until after the New Year. So there has been not much to do at all. To alleviate the boredom, I brought my Acer netbook (which has my log on it) into work with me and have been catching up on some DX QSLing.

What a chore!

Some guys are OK with the bureau, some want only direct QSLs, some LoTW only, some eQSL only. Some won't accept an eQSL. Some won't accept a paper card and so on and so on and so on. It's enough to make your head swim.

Figuring out how to get a QSL can be tough enough; but the "Direct QSL Only" guys are definitely getting a second look from me. Most of these guys are requesting a couple of "green stamps" for each card. That could add up fast! The only way I am going this route is if the QSO represents a country I have never worked before. Other than that, as much as I love getting QSLs, I'm not paying two bucks each plus postage!

I don't know how these die hard DXers survive this. In addition to spending heaps of money like they do for top of the line stations and antennas - the cost of QSLing must make them reach way deep down into their pockets.

As it is, to save money, I employ the use of the ARRL Outgoing QSL Bureau. I can't imagine what it would cost to send each QSL individually overseas (even just to the bureaus) with the price of airmail stamps what it is.

In this case, I'm glad I'm not that big of a DXer. I'd never have been able to afford a KX3 at this rate.

While I am on the topic of QSLs ..... I want to let it be known (officially) that I AM NOT the QSL manager for T31A. That is W2IJ (Whiskey Two India Juliet). Please do NOT send cards to me - I have no way of answering those!

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

I am a very happy camper

2011-12-27T23:02:00.002-05:00

even though I never was able to work Rene in the Foxhunt tonight.

I came up to our bedroom with the laptop to give one final look at e-mail for the night and there it was, the announcement that Elecraft was accepting orders for the KX3.

Quicker than Santa sliding on down the chimbley, I clicked on the provided hyperlink and got my order in. Within seconds, I received the e-mail confirming that my order has been accepted. A KX3, autotuner and roofing filters will be on their way to New Jersey somewhere during the first quarter of 2012, hopefully!

Looking back on it, it took over three months for me to get my PFR3A after I had placed that order. The KX3 should be here around February or so - a walk in the park by comparison!

There is a certain contentment knowing that a KX3 will be on its way sooner, rather than later (by that I mean a year or two down the road). Thanks Eric and Wayne and all at Elecraft for your hard work!

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

80 Meter Fox Hunt tonight

2011-12-27T21:43:00.001-05:00

and the ol' NJ - WI pipeline is back !!!

Jerry N9AW, one of the Foxes is SUPER loud here into NJ. 599+ and he sounds like he could be right in the neighborhood. Jerry is handling stations with expertise and I got my pelt at 0205 UTC - five minutes into the hunt.

The other Fox, Rene K5JX is not even being heard at this point. BUT, I did hear Todd N9NE work him; so I know where to listen. Todd, also in WI is back to his ol' "knock the cans off of Larry's head" mode. I think Todd is a skosh louder than Jerry tonight.

Too bad that both Foxes aren't from Wisconsin tonight. I'd have a double pelt without breaking a sweat!

On a side note, it's quite warm here in NJ tonight. 55F the last time I checked about a half hour ago. The bad side is that the rain is teeming down. Alerts have been posted for local and coastal flooding. I got soaked running to and from the car coming home from work tonight.

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

Addendum: I found Rene - he's working around right where I heard Todd. He's getting louder and if he gets even louder, it might be worth a shot sending my call. However, some Maryland Net being called up by N3DE just came up on frequency without notice and they are totally covering up Rene. My ears are bleeding as I had the volume set pretty high!

New ARRL Video

2011-12-27T20:32:00.001-05:00

Was released today, titled "The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio in HD".

It's nice to see so many familiar faces and so many of the things we QRPers really like, too!

Nice job by Bill Pasternack, Dave Bell and crew!

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

Deleting a post

2011-12-27T18:35:00.001-05:00

I probably shouldn't even bring attention to this; but I decided to delete my blog post from a couple days ago regarding the 73 Magazines. After reading comments from Matt W1MST and Jeff KE9V, I came to realize there may be issues with permissions and stuff like that from the original authors of said articles.

One of my personal Prime Directives (channeling Star Trek) for this blog is to "Do No Harm". So since the permission issue in a gray area, and not wanting to do anyone any badness; I decided to delete the post as well as the issues that I had downloaded from my own hard drive. If this matter gets cleared up for the good, I can always go back and re-download.

On a lighter note, I saw in the British Newspaper, "The Independent" that a British company has sold out two cruise ships that will be making a "Memorial Cruise" to mark the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic this April. Supposedly, they will be following the exact same route and will hold a memorial service at 2:00 AM over the spot that Titanic went down, on the actual anniversary day.

One wry commenter stated that to make the cruise more "eventful", that the ship(s) should be forced to make the cruise without the help of radar. Oh well ........

On the other hand, on the KX3 reflector, Eric WA6HHQ has intimated that ordering of the KX3 will be taking place any moment now - remarking that it's going to be a busy week at Elecraft. I for one, have all my funds neatly set aside and am only waiting the "Go" order. Again, I know I won't be seeing anything until February or March, but at least I will have the peace of mind of being in queue.

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

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T09:58:00.000-05:00

I hope you woke up this morning to find that Santa had been very good to you, by leaving that new kit, rig or perhaps even a Vibroplex or Begali or custom made key that you had been dreaming about?

Enjoy the day with family and friends, good food, warm fellowship and all the glad tidings of the Day.

So, once again:

Merry Christmas

Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina

Feliz Natal

Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok

Sretan Bozic

Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi

Hyvaa joulua

Joyeux Noel

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Linksmu Kaledu

God Jul

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok

Feliz Navidad

Srozhdestvom Kristovym

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

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-24T12:31:00.007-05:00

To all my dear friends who read this blog - on this Christmas Eve 2011, my most sincere wish is that you will all experience and know in your hearts the Joy and Peace that was given to us so many years ago.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

Merry Christmas !!!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

A Christmas Eve (Eve) present

2011-12-23T06:11:00.000-05:00

This one is becoming somewhat of a tradition for many a Ham to view this time o' year:

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

40 Meters is quite long tonight

2011-12-22T21:46:00.001-05:00

I can't hear either Fox tonight. One is in New York and the other is in Wisconsin. However, the Russian "D" beacon is quite loud, as are some stations that I am hearing from Cuba and Brazil.

Maybe the strange propagation is tied to the weather (not!) ? It was close to 60F here today in New Jersey. It feels a lot more like Easter than Christmas. Hard to believe that Christmas is only two days away! I have all my shopping done. Now comes the gift wrapping and baking. I hope to get a majority of both done tomorrow night.

I will listen around for a bit more; but it's a strange night when I don't hear any chasing Hounds in addition to not hearing Foxes. This is a shame as the neighborhood QRN has taken the night off and my ambient band noise level is only a bar or two on the K2's display.

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

Secret Morse Code Message

2011-12-20T07:08:00.001-05:00

Milan Illinois National Guard building holds secret message

In the Illinois National Guard building. Not so secret to us Hams; and definitely nothing that needed to be kept secret - but cool, nonetheless!

Thanks to my friend Drew W2OU for bringing this to my attention.

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

Snowmen

2011-12-19T19:16:00.002-05:00

in a way that only Calvin from "Calvin and Hobbes" could build them!

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

Tha magic that is CW and how I got there ......

2011-12-18T17:15:00.001-05:00

It is funny how unintended events have a way of shaping our paths. I was pondering this yesterday, as I was discussing with my good friend, Bob W3BBO, concerning our mutual fondness for sending and receiving Morse Code.

For me, at least, it wasn't always that way.

Like many of you out there, my quest to become a Radio Amateur began when I was in high school. I happened to take a course in electronics under the tutelage of Bob Benson, K2IB where I was exposed to Ham Radio in depth. I had heard about Amateur Radio before and was always interested in it; but Bob was not only an electronics teacher at East Brunswick High School, he also "ran" the station that was at the school. He introduced us to Morse Code and the all the fascinating things about the hobby. Bob was my first big exposure to Ham Radio and fortunately for me, he planted a seed. The seed didn't sprout immediately, but it didn't die, either.

I was 16 when I first tried to learn Morse Code and my brain wasn't having any of it! I went to the local Lafayette Electronics store and bought myself on of those AMECO code practice 33 1/3 LPs. I listened and listened and listened. I don't know if it was I was too preoccupied by my other subjects, or what - but my brain would just not cooperate. After many months of trying, I just grew weary and gave up.

After college, with a new job and a lots of "disposable time" (but not necessarily disposable income) I read in the local newspaper one day, where the Continuing Adult Education Department of North Brunswick was offering an evening course where you would end up with a Novice license. It was open to all county residents, so I immediately signed up. The seed that Bob had planted, while dormant for a while, itched to come to life again. I decided this time that I would "win" and I would conquer the code and earn that license that I had wanted for so long.

And just about this time of year, back in 1978, I did end up learning the code and did, in fact, earn my Novice Ticket. I was restricted to CW only and while I didn't HATE it, it wasn't my first choice, either. My Novice time was spent learning, getting experience and starting the process of upgrading to General. The General ticket was my dream. I would shed the shackles of Morse Code that I had erroneously thought were binding me. Once I had voice privileges, I was going to be a "Real Ham", kicking back at the operating table, with my feet up on the desk and microphone in hand, working all the "rare ones" - just like something out of a Gil cartoon!

I upgraded in June of 1979. It just so happened that the FCC had come to the hamfest put on by the Morristown club that year. My sister drove me to the hamfest, as I was sick with a fever and was feeling miserable; but I was bound and determined to earn those voice privileges. And I did - fever or no, I passed the 13 WPM code test first and then the theory test.

In the meanwhile, I had procured for myself a pair of Kenwood Twins - the R599D and T599D. I was going to be one of the "Big Boys" now - a member of the fraternity that I has so longed to belong to. I ran up to my shack, which was on the second floor, tuned up the transmitter for the phone section of the 20 Meter band (ah, Nirvana!) and proceeded to transmit. I don't know if my signal was heard anywhere 'round the earth; but I sure was being heard through my parent's TV set, loud and clear - TOO loud and clear. And no matter what I tried to do to fix the problem, it wouldn't go away entirely. I know now that the problem involved the lack of a true and proper RF ground. But then, I was licensed for less than a year, and while I was a General, I was still quite green behind the ears.

I also knew better than to mess around with my Dad's TV viewing habits. So I faced a decision - as I saw it at the time, I had two options. I could still pursue SSB operations and instill upon myself "quiet hours", where I would not operate until AFTER my Dad had gone to bed for the evening, or I could go back to using mainly CW. Whenever I used Morse Code, I did not interfere with the family TV.

I had my own job to go to now, so quite frankly, not operating until after 11:00 PM or so, wasn't much of an option. I chose the Morse Code option and quite frankly, have never looked back! If you take all my logbooks from 1978 to the present day, you would see that my QSOs break down pretty much this way - SSB 1 or 2 percent - Digital modes maybe 3 percent, CW is 95 percent or better.

The unintended consequences of the RFI interference and not having enough knowledge to overcome them made me the CW op that I am today. And quite frankly, I have no desire to use either SSB or the digital modes. DO NOT GET ME WRONG - there is NOTHING wrong or bad with those methods of making QSOs - they're just not for me.

So that's my story - and I'm sticking to it!

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

Another Christmas Memory

2011-12-17T21:37:00.005-05:00

This one from 1968, when I was as old as my son Joey is now. I remember watching this on TV on Christmas Eve - Channel 2 from New York City. All the manned spaceflight coverage was done by none other than Walter Cronkite himself, who would later become KB2GSD.

Apollo 8 was an important milestone. During the previous year, on February 21, 1967, three astronauts - Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee had perished on the launchpad when a fire erupted inside the Command Module of Apollo 1 during a countdown dress rehearsal. More than a year and a half later, Apollo 7 had successfully tested the redesigned spacecraft in earth orbit during its flight in November of 1968. Apollo 8, with Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders flew to the moon, orbited around it and returned safely to the earth. This marked the first time men had ever flown to another celestial body and the first time that human eyes had ever seen the far side of the moon.

What follows is something I found on YouTube which is not what we saw on TV that evening; but is a nice little three minute show in and of itself

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

Hey, whaddya know?

2011-12-17T09:38:00.004-05:00

W2LJ T32C 2011-10-21 00:56:02 17M CW 18.070000 EASTERN KIRIBATI
W2LJ T32C 2011-10-09 20:18:13 12M CW 24.910000 EASTERN KIRIBATI
W2LJ T32C 2011-10-08 20:22:30 10M CW 28.011830 EASTERN KIRIBATI
W2LJ T32C 2011-10-06 00:37:44 17M CW 18.070000 EASTERN KIRIBATI
W2LJ T32C 2011-10-04 23:09:36 17M CW 18.073000 EASTERN KIRIBATI

I have noticed that folks have been mentioning that their QSOs with T32C have been showing up in Logbook of the World, so I went to go see if mine were in there. Sure enough, these were!

I did submit a real QSL too, so I am looking forward to getting a real one back, also.

This was an amazing DXpedition with superb ops. I am glad that they were able to dig my QRP signals out of the maelstrom of callsigns that were being tossed at them.

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

Ordering a KX3

2011-12-17T03:38:00.001-05:00

Mike, KB3ELW (love that suffix) posed an interesting question on the KX3 Yahoo group:

"As we near the release date, is there any specifics as to how initial orders will be taken? Will emails go out to those who have added themselves to the list at Elecraft? Will it be sequential? Will it be rolling orders? Maybe a brief synopsis from those in the know?"

I am nowhere close to being in the know; and since I didn't order a K3, I don't have the knowledge of how it was handled back then. But I would assume that those of us who signed up for the KX3 announcement page would simply receive an e-mail stating something like: "Orders are now being taken, please proceed to the Elecraft ordering page."

Really, how else could it be handled? The initial surge will probably be for hundreds if not a thousand or so units. I can't imagine it being in the tens of thousands; but then you never know. Whatever the initial order surge is, I am pretty confident that Elecraft's ISP can handle it.

Working in the hardware side of the IT field, I've seen servers in the financial industry literally fry and die from overload activity; but that was only during the mortgage bubble collapse back in 2008, when Lehman Brothers went down. I can't imagine us QRPers and other Elecraft fans generating THAT kind of activity.

I too am anxious to get my KX3 ordered, just so that I know the order is in and taken care of. I know the actual order processing will take a while; but there is something to be said for the peace of mind, knowing that I am in the queue.

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

Another night QRN'ed to pieces.

2011-12-15T21:47:00.001-05:00

The 40 Meter Foxhunt was a dud tonight, even though I think I am hearing one of the Foxes. I have the 10 over 9 QRN again. If it is AA4XX that I am hearing, then he'd be an easy 579 / 589 if the band was quiet.

And to make matters worse, I made a sked with Joe KK0SD on 20 Meters in order to get K6JSS/0 for South Dakota. This band noise is taking out 20 Meters for me tonight, too.

It's enough to make a person utter, "Bah, humbug!"

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

Getting that Ol' Christmas Spirit

2011-12-15T19:08:00.000-05:00

I shared this last year; but it's good enough to share again - a Christmas memory from my youth (1966) - a TV commercial from WCBS TV.

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

By the way, it's time

2011-12-14T20:28:00.001-05:00

to read (or re-read) that KE9V "Classic":

http://ke9v.net/stories/qrpchristmas.html

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

Just in the nick o' time!

2011-12-14T20:04:00.000-05:00

This week is the last week of regular operations for K6JSS/X, with TN being in the batter's box. It's hard to believe that all 50 states have been on the air. Time has flown so fast, where has it gone?

I was watching QRPSPOTS and I saw several stations including my good bud, W3BBO making posts about K6JSS/4 being on the air on 40 Meters. So I ran downstairs (literally) with my fingers crossed, hoping that the band would be quiet and that I could hear my quarry.

Happy dance time! I not only heard Larry (familiar name) on 7.031 MHz, but he was 579 and was finishing up a QSO. I tailended by sending out my call and got an answer and a 579 report back. Yay, Tennessee is in the log! And wouldn't you know it? Just as Larry was signing with me, sending "W2LJ DE K6JSS/4", just as he finished sending the "4", my S-Meter went from two bars to this:

Almost full scale as the neighborhood QRN kicked in, rendering 40 Meters useless for the rest of the night (well, at least the next couple of hours, probably).

The next week or so will be spent making contact with the states I have missed. Hopefully, SD, NM, and a few others will be gotten and I will have all 50 in the log to celebrate QRP-ARCI's Golden Anniversary.

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

Getting ready for Christmas

2011-12-11T20:23:00.002-05:00

Spent the day procuring the Christmas tree. This year, we have continued a tradition begun last year; and we went to a Christmas Tree "farm" where you pick out the tree you like and they cut it for you, right there. The name of the place is Griffin Farms in South Brunswick, NJ. It was a beautiful day for the task - sunny and about 40F (4C).

Cara, Joey and Marianne and I took our time looking at specimens. Here is a Frasier Fir that we kind of liked. Of course, it had to be measured to make sure it wouldn't be too tall for the living room.

We finally found this one all the way on the other side of the farm. It measured at 7 feet (2.1M) and was considered to be just about perfect for our needs. I think it's a Balsam Fir - not claiming to be a botanist by any means, but nonetheless, a very "traditional" looking kind of Christmas Tree. The next thing to do was to get one of the workers to cut it down for us.

This guy was extremely nice to us. He must have been having a bad day with a lot of nit-picky requests. When we pointed out the tree we wanted and asked him to cut it for us with no other special requests, he was so happy that he gave us this 7' tree for the price of a 5.5' foot tree - a savings of about $15. Then the tree was baled up and put atop the Jeep.

Once we got it home, I unbundled it, got it in the stand with some nice, fresh water. Then I got the lights and garland on it and let Marianne and the kids take over from there. Here's the finished product:

Now all this puppy needs is a gift wrapped KX3 underneath it to make it complete. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen; but I can dream - can't I ?

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

One is better than none

2011-12-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

with regards to tonight's 40 Meter QRP Foxhunt. I managed to work Dave AB9CA down in Alabama. Then as I was listening for Greg AB7R in Washington, there was a "snap" and the noise level went from S1 to S9 +20 in the blink of an eye. Danged plasma TV or other appliance!

It's really amazing how this occurs. Literally, like the flip of a switch, 40 Meters is turned from a nice quiet band to instant garbage.

For those of you who have been in the hobby for a long time, you probably remember the days when someone would come knocking on your door saying, "Your Ham Radio is screwing up my TV." Did you ever think the day would come when a Ham would be able to say, "Your TV is screwing up my Ham Radio"?

I just wish I could pinpoint the offending appliance.

Well, that finishes my Foxhunting for the night. Maybe I'll go down to 80 Meters to see if I can scare up a ragchew. Or even better, maybe I'll turn in early for some extra sleep.

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

Can't sleep

2011-12-08T01:05:00.002-05:00

so I will peck away at the keys for a few moments, hoping that tiredness will come.

As the song goes, "Christmas is a comin' and the goose is getting fat" ..... my lovely bride asked me what I want for Christmas. Other than the KX3, for which I have funds set aside, I really can't think of anything all that much. A weather station perhaps? I've always wanted one of those; and John AE5X pointed me towards a rather inexpensive one. I have enough keys and unbuilt kits. What I really would like is a trip out to Dayton for FDIM in 2012. THAT would be ideal!

What are you folks hoping that Santa will leave under the tree for you? Maybe I can garner some ideas. :)

The weather is turning nasty. It was quite warm the past couple of days, feeling more like April than December. But that is changing with a vengeance. It has been pouring buckets all day and the temperature is steadily sinking. It started out at about 56F (13C) this morning. Right now, it's 40F (4C) and the rain is getting closer and closer to turning over to snow. The weather folks say that by tomorrow morning we should have a coating to about 1/2 an inch on the ground.

The weather for the weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the low 40s (4C) each day - good weather for Christmas Tree buying this Sunday! I think that this Christmas we will be staying home. I believe that both my sister and my wife's brother have their respective in-laws to visit this year, so it may end up just being the four of us at home with a small turkey for Christmas dinner. That would be nice for a change, instead of hurrying to and fro to someone else's house for the day. If we are fortunate enough to get a white Christmas this year, that would seal the deal.

In all my 54 years, I can really only remember about 2 or 3 white Christmases here in NJ. They do not come often at all, and are quite rare. Cold Christmases, on the other hand are fairly common, but by no means the rule. I have experienced Christmases where the weather felt like Easter and Easters where the temperatures felt like Christmas. But we have also had our share of bone chilling, teeth chattering, knee knocking cold Christmases.

Last year, we didn't get a white Christmas Day - but the day after was a whole other story!

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

It was that kind of day at work ....

2011-12-06T21:49:00.000-05:00

The kind that makes you shake your head and wonder why you ever do anyone a favor. Sometimes it only seems to come back to bite you in the butt and cause you so much grief.

But the day ended on a high note with a "twofer" in the 80 Meter Foxhunt. I managed to snare both Dave N1IX and John K4BAI within the first 30 minutes. Sometimes it's the smaller things in life that bring the most pleasure. Anyone outside of the Ham and QRP communities just wouldn't understand - but to me, it turned a cruddy day into a "not so bad" one.

And as if that wasn't good enough - I managed to hear and work Dallas N1DW as K6JSS/5 in Louisiana on 40 Meters. A virtual "threefer". Maybe tomorrow WILL be a better day!

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

There's a silver lining

2011-12-03T18:59:00.001-05:00

to every cloud. Today was a very busy day; so there was not much time to get on. But with the little I did get on, I had fun. I managed a half hour window today between the basketball game where my daughter was cheering and an afternoon full of chores, including grocery shopping.

The half hour started by working Mike NF0N as K6JSS/0 from Nebraska on 20 Meters. I saw him post his frequency on QRPSPOTS, and sure enough, I was able to get him in the log. There are only two more states to go before "makeup" QSOS begin in earnest, with states who were previously missed.

After that QSO, I headed up to 10 Meters to see who might be hanging around the QRP watering hole of 28.060 MHz. My CQs snared two 2X QRP QSOs. The first was with Bojan S51CN from Slovenia. Bojan was running 3 Watts and had a 549 signal here in New Jersey.

Courtesy of QRZ

The next QSO was with Bill GM4UBJ in Scotland. This QSO was a little tougher as the QRN on the band seemed to be bothersome for both of us. But I gave Bill a 439 and he in turn gave me a 529. It was neat to see ME posted on QRPSPOTS as if I were rare "DX"!

Courtesy of QRZ

Three measly QSOs isn't a lot by any means, especially to you contesting folk out there who can wrap up hundreds in the course of a weekend. But when the opportunity for air time does not present itself so readily, any successful QSOs that you can have are worth their weight in gold and each is to be treasured like a fine pearl.

A little more evening air time netted a couple more DX contacts. The first was with the Honduras via HR5/NQ5W on 30 Meters. The other was with PJ5/DL7VOG, also on 30 Meters, which winds us being a new DXCC entity for me - Saba & St. Eustatius Islands. This became a new DXCC entity in October of 2010, and this was the first for me since then - although I have worked this location before, back when it was considered part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Getting on the air is so much fun - definitely not something to be taken for granted.

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

What's the buzz?

2011-12-02T20:31:00.001-05:00

Here's the buzz - as posted on QRP-L :

"I am pleased to announce that Hendricks QRP Kits has purchased Red Hot Radio Company, owned by David Fifield, AD6A. With this purchase, I now have the exclusive rights to produce and sell all of the Red Hot Radio Kits, including the Red Hot 40, the Red Hot 20, and the SMK-1. Red Hot Radio produced some of the highest quality kits for several years, but was closed due to Dave not having the time to run the company because of his day job. Now, those kits will again be available. The first kit that I will bring back online is the Red Hot 40, and it is available for shipping now. There are 35 kits in the first run, all on 40 meters. The next kit will be the SMK-1 which will be available in about a month. I encourage you to go to the website, www.qrpkits.com and check out the manual for the Red Hot 40. The kit will sell for $250 plus shipping and handling. And the kit is in stock and available for immediate shipping. Ordering
information and a full description of the radio including the manual is available on my website: www.qrpkits.com

Scroll down and click on the picture of the Red Hot 40 to see all of the information. Thanks, Doug"

A lot of folks seem to be excited by the return of this. We all know what I'm saving up for. Oh, and by the way, Wayne NK6R announced on the KX3 list that they will be publishing an early draft of the owner's manual within the next week or two. I am looking forward to that!

Lastly, Jim W1PID posted of a late fall hike up in New Hampshire - complete with beautiful scenery and pictures. I had the pleasure of visiting the Franconia Notch in the White Mountains; but that was way back in 1979 - on a photographic vacation with a high school buddy of mine. That really is "God's Country" up there!

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

Noise problem still here

2011-12-01T21:49:00.001-05:00

The 40 Meter Foxhunt is tonight and from the first moments, I had Pat KZ5J in my sights. It was only a matter of time until I worked him as he was an honest 549/559 here. Then the local neighborhood QRN turned up. I was able to watch the K2s S meter go from 3 bars to full scale in a matter of a few seconds, totally blanking out Pat's signal.

If there's any money left over from the KX3 purchase, I think I am going to invest in an MFJ 1026 noise canceler. Mike VE3WDM uses one, I believe, to get rid of heavy hydroelectric power line noise near his QTH. Hopefully, it can do the same kind of job here. I am getting tired of missing out on the 40 Meter Foxhunts and other evening 40 Meter operations because of a lousy faulty appliance somewhere in the neighborhood. This seems to happen mostly in the evenings, and at random times, so I am suspecting a plasma TV or other RFI generating appliance.

45 minutes to go in the hunt. I sure hope this "thing" gets turned off and the noise goes away; but I am not holding my breath. Thank God for the Tuesday night 80 Meter hunts! The noise is all but non-existent on that band.

Ken Newman N2CQ, announced today on the QRP reflectors that December will be the last month for the N2CQ QRP contest calendar. Ken has been doing a superb job for many years. He will be missed. As the saying goes, "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone".

Thanks for the many years of effort, Ken.

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

Looks like I am there.

2011-11-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

One K1 and two out of three bugs sold on eBay tonight. So ........ tentatively I am where I need to be and I can place an order for a KX3 and possibly the autotuner as soon as Elecraft starts taking orders.

This has been and will continue to be an interesting journey to say the least.

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

RST - meaningful or obsolete?

2011-11-28T21:37:00.003-05:00

There is an interesting discussion going on QRP-L with regards to the RST system. Bruce Prior N7RR, who I respect tremendously, has come up with what he considers to be a new and better system - CSQ. This would relate to Copyability, Signal Strength, and Quality of Signal.

As a summary, this is his scale:

CSQ Summary

C or Copyability
N = no recoverable signal*
0 = discernible but not copyable*
1-9 ≈ 10% to 90% copy
G = Good 100% copy, but short of perfect
P = Perfect armchair 100% copy or full-quieting on FM

S-Meter or Signal Strength
0 = no S-meter reading
1-9 = S-1 to S-9
A = 1 dB to 10 dB over S-9
B = 11 dB to 20 dB over S-9
C = 21 dB to 30 dB over S-9
D = 31 dB to 40 dB over S-9
E = 41 dB to 50 dB over S-9
F = 51 dB or more over S-9

Quality
X = characteristic steadiness of crystal (Xtal) control or eXcellent quality
R = AC Ripple or buzz in transmission
C = Chirp or tail on make and/or break
K = key clicKs or other Keying transients
O = Overmodulation or Overdeviation in phone or digital modes

* For Copyability reports of N or 0, no Signal Strength or Quality reports are needed.

Examples:
P6O = for a PSK-31 signal: perfect 100% copy at S-6, but overdeviated
93X = for a CW signal: 90% copy at S-3 with excellent quality
G7O = for an SSB signal: Good but less than perfect 100% copy at S-7, but overmodulated
PAX = for an RTTY signal: perfect 100% copy about 10 dB over S-9 with excellent quality
P6X = for an FM signal: full-quieting 100% copy at S-6 with excellent quality

I think Bruce is on to something as RST is abused more often than not. While I try my best to give accurate RST reports, how many times have YOU gotten a 599, only to be asked for repeats? One of the few reasons that I can think of asking for a repeat of a 599 signal is if the XYL asks you to pick up something from the grocery store while you're trying to copy! For those of us who can't walk and chew gum at the same time, that can be a difficult task. Other than that, if you have to repeat, you're NOT 599.

Bruce's system is more comprehensive; but also a lot more complicated. I think the average Ham prefers the KISS quality of RST. It's simple, easy and to the point. But the problem, as mentioned before, is that in a hot and heavy contest situation, RST is almost always abused. 599 in a regular contest or 559 in a QRP sprint is almost a given.

So what can be used instead of either? A serial number, ambient temperature of the operator's location, birth year of the operators? Or does it need to be changed at all, with the proviso that it be truthful? Have contesters (myself included at times) gotten so lazy that RST has lost its meaning? Or perhaps maybe the RST part should just be eliminated for all except rag chews?

It's very commendable that Bruce is trying to come up with something new, better and more meaningful. The bottom line, though, is that whatever system is devised, it has to be simple and easy enough to be used by a wide majority of Amateur Radio ops. If it doesn't have that appeal and acceptance, then we're just spinning our wheels.

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

On my way

2011-11-27T14:57:00.002-05:00

Perhaps that KX3 won't be so far off as I thought it was going to be.

Yesterday morning, I took two old gold rings to three different gold buyers to see how much I could get for them. Let's say I ended up coming home with enough to get me about half way there. As you all know from previous posts, I sold an antique camera for even more funds. If the K1 and the three bugs that I have listed on eBay go for what I am hoping for, I should have enough for the KX3 and the auto tuner.

Yes, I know I won't have it until February or later; but it would be funded and ordered. I doubt that there are too many people who regretted the wait for their K3 when that first came out.

The KX3 would not only replace the K1, but it would contain more bands, including 6 Meters, which I have always wanted to try. It would also have SSB capability. While that's not a mode that I would normally use, it is of great value when demonstrating Ham Radio to folks who are not familiar with it. Letting someone pick up a microphone and speak to someone across the country or in a foreign land on their first exposure is probably more enticing than just listening to dits and dahs. Although I do admit, Morse Code does always seem to attract its own group of fans.

I should really be careful to not count my chickens before they hatch; but seeing savings progress is getting me more excited about the possibilities.

Shamefully, I have not partaken in any serious CQ WW DX operating this year. I listened around a bit on 10 Meters yesterday morning and worked a couple European stations - nothing exotic at all. I haven't been on the radio at all today. A combination of other chores to do and just being a bit tuckered out after all the Thanksgiving house prep and then the cooking. The turkey came out great and all who came over, liked it - which is a good thing. Leftovers tonight for dinner. Yum!

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

Pleasant surprise

2011-11-25T23:15:00.001-05:00

Unlike a lot of folks who are not in the retail business, I did not have the day off today. So it was nice to come home to two pleasant surprises in the mail box. The first was the Ramsey catalog. I'm not a big buyer of their kits, but it's nice to have a catalog to peruse through.

Second was a large 9X12 envelope. I had no idea what it was. It turned out to be a very beautiful certificate and handsome QSL card from working the N4V special event station that commemorated Vibroplex in Norcross, Georgia. Because of the Morse Code and bug connections (things near and dear to my heart) this one will definitively get framed and placed in a prominent place on the shack wall.

Of all the special event stations I have worked, and all the certificates I have received, this will be the third to get framed and put up on the wall. The other two were beautiful certificates celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and a certificate commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to America.

Hands off to the organizers of the event! It was a first class operation and first class mementos to remember it by.

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

I've gone and done it.

2011-11-25T22:06:00.001-05:00

So how many radios do you need, anyway? Realizing that I can only use one at a time, and wanting a KX3 as badly as I do - I've went and put the K1 and several bugs from my collection on eBay. In addition to the funds I raised by selling my antique Graflex camera, I am hoping that these items will bring me within striking distance.

I also found an antique (circa 1915) Junghans pocket watch that was sitting in a box in my filing cabinet. It had belonged to a great uncle on my father's side. I figure it's better to put it into the hands of a collector than just sitting in a drawer somewhere.

I have a couple of old rings that I want to take to a gold buyer and if I need to, I have some silver (pre-1965) coins that I should take to a coin dealer - if nothing more than to get an idea of their worth.

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

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-23T21:10:00.004-05:00

You can't escape it. Every newspaper you read, every news story that you watch on TV, any news media site that you visit on the Web seems to indicate that the United States, nay, the world - is going to hell in a hand basket. There's social unrest, social injustice, class warfare, and all other kinds of maladies plaguing our society. All this is true enough. But ….. history didn't start yesterday. And as bad as it seems, it has been worse, it has been darker, it has seemed bleeker.

Think of 9/11
Think of Pearl Harbor
Think of Gettysburg
Think of Valley Forge.

Bad times …. Times when we thought that we were on the brink have visited us before - and WILL visit us again. Hard times will always be with us. This is what life is all about.

But today is a day that we have set aside in the United States to thank God for the good things in our lives. And when it comes down to brass tacks, we have a lot to be thankful for that is good and beautiful. All that we have in our lives is directly due to our Creator. He has made the things that we take for granted and has given them to us as gifts for our use. Our family, friends and our homes - the things that matter the most are what we should be most grateful for. It is fitting that this day should precede the consumer frenzy that will be pursued over the next month. It is a time to take a deep breath, to center ourselves, to give thanks to Almighty God for His bounty, and also to pray that we never forget what matters the most, the things money can't buy. And also, to humbly ask for His blessing, guidance and protection in the trying times to come.

As we sit down to dinner, please remember in your prayers the men and women in the Armed Forces, our police officers, fire fighters and other first responders who put their lives on the line on a daily basis. They enable us to keep enjoying God's good gifts.

And lest it be said that we are a nation who has not been thankful in the past and that we are a nation who has gone "beyond" the need of recognizing the goodness of God - some wonderful words from two of our greatest leaders, who relied heavily on Divine Providence. These words are appropriate now even as they were the day they were written:

George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

G. Washington

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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

Got one

2011-11-22T22:45:00.000-05:00

Oh well, got one Fox in the 80 Meter QRP Foxhunt tonight. I found Tom KV2X right off the bat and thought I was going to get a quick pelt. Then the blasted cell phone rang! It was work and I had to go in and get (12) HP BLc NC542m 10GBe Dual Port Adapters out of storage to hand off to be installed.

I left the Foxhunt 10 minutes in and got back with 10 minutes to go. Tom had QSYed a bit and had switched over to simplex operating; but I manged to get into the log. I found Dave AB9CA in AL quite quickly; but he was weak and even though I called a few times, I didn't stand out enough from the other Hounds to snare a pelt. Maybe, just maybe if I had had the entire 90 minutes?

Earlier, I had attended a NJQRP meeting via TeamSpeak, which is a net conferencing client. It was really neat! The audio was fantastic and it was like the other NJQRP members were in the room with me. This idea was the brainchild of George N2APB and Joe N2CX. Seems that attendance at the NJQRP meetings has been sparse lately. They will still hold physical meetings; nut not quite as often. The Net Conferences will be interspersed to allow for more flexibility and to see how they will draw attendance.

It is a great idea, because frankly, Saturday morning is a bad time for me to make a radio club meeting. The kids always have something going on that I have to drive them to. Maybe someday, when they're older and can drive themselves around, it will be possible for me to make a Saturday morning NJQRP meeting; but not right now. So these get togethers will be quite welcome on my part.

I am becoming way more open to the idea of selling the K1. I may put it up on eBay this weekend. If you're interested and want to make an offer, I am willing to listen to reasonable offers. Drop me an e-mail.

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

Another missed state

2011-11-21T19:37:00.001-05:00

Oh well, Mississippi's week has come and gone and I missed out. For the first part of the week, operations were confined to 60 Meters - a band and mode that I do not have access to.

Jim W4QO rounded up some help on Sunday, but I spent the day at my Mom's. By the time I got home, the station that had volunteered for the day was long gone. Maybe during "Makeup Week" at the end of the year - who knows? Right now, if memory serves me correctly, that makes this my 3rd state missed this year out of all that have been on so far.

On the bright side, I did raise some money towards a KX3 this weekend. Back in the days when I was full blown, hog heavy into photography, both as a pastime and a profession, I had purchased an antique Graflex camera at a flea market. Paid all of $25.00 for it.

I got $150.00 for it on eBay over the weekend - so I am officially on my way! At this rate, I will not be in the first series of orders, but I have made some headway. I have two bugs that I would like to sell - an Old Vibroplex Lightning and a E.F Johnson Speed-X bug. I may be putting those on eBay also.

I received an interesting private e-mail with regards to my K1. "How much do you want for your K1 if you sell it?" To be honest, I really didn't have any intention of selling it. But if I were to, the asking price would be $575.00 plus shipping.

My K1 is a four band model - 40, 30, 20 and 15 Meters. It has the autotuner and the noise blanker built in. It also comes with the wide range tilt stand. If you bought all that fresh from Elecraft, it would run you $610.00. I know that's not that much of a price cut; but this is built and ready to go. In both electrical and cosmetic shape, it's been babied. In fact, it's the star of my QSL card:

Hey, if you're interested - drop me a line, I can possibly be convinced!

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

Zombie Shuffle 2011 Redeux

2011-11-18T20:23:00.001-05:00

Rem K6BBQ posted a great video creation of his about the recently completed 2011 Zombie Shuffle:

Warning: There are a few stills in this that are on the gory side - hey, we're dealing with Zombies here, after all! So if you have youngsters in the house that get nightmares, you might want to watch this while they're not within eyeshot.

This video is a testimony to Rem's sense of humor and creativity - and not for nothing, you just gotta LOVE that CW sending glove !!!!

KX3 news - it looks like orders will be taken in December, with first shipments to be made at the end of January or the beginning of February. Like I've said before this looks like a home run on the part of Elecraft. It sure is no wonder why I'm seeing on the QRP e-mail reflectors a proliferation of sales notices for KX1s, K2s, K1s, PFR3s, etc. People are definitely raising funds to purchase one of these beauties.

Reminder - this is the third weekend of the month. The November "Run For The Bacon" is this Sunday night. Get your fill of pork in before you stuff yourself with turkey later this week.

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

40 Meters is behaving itself.

2011-11-17T21:49:00.002-05:00

So far, 40 minutes into the Thursday night QRP Foxhunt, 40 Meters is behaving itself. Or rather, I would probably be more accurate in saying that whichever neighbor has the appliance that gives me the horrible QRN is more than likely not home this evening. My noise level on 40 Meters tonight is only 1 or 2 bars on the K2's S Meter, which is probably normal for just about anywhere else on the planet.

I was able to work Lee AA4GA with relative ease. Jim K9JWV in Utah is going to be another matter altogether. Right now, he's about 339 and most of the Hounds working him are much louder than he is. Jim is working simplex at this point, so it's real easy to hear both sides of the exchanges. I don't know if his signal is going to come up much. If it doesn't, I'll be real surprised to nab him tonight.

Oh well, if I have no luck, maybe I'll go onto Hulu.com to watch a few episodes of "The Rifleman".

Addendum: With 10 minutes to go in the hunt, Jim K9JWV's signal really started to come up. I tried a couple more times with the EDZ with no luck. I switched over to the HF9V and got picked up on the second try. Almost forgot to try switching antennas!

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

Soliciting

2011-11-16T21:27:00.004-05:00

I seem to have been getting a lot of private e-mails, lately, with people asking me to post about this or that product on this blog in exchange for "compensation". "Post about this and I'll give you a free copy of the software" and stuff like that.

I will never post about any products on this blog that are not relevant to Amateur Radio in some way, shape, form or other. You, my loyal readers, get enough spam in your day to day lives without me foisting more upon you. Rest assured, those e-mails immediately get the "Delete Key treatment".

Every now and then, someone will send me an e-mail about a new kit for a radio or accessory that they are about to, or have recently introduced. As long as it is related to our hobby, I will gladly post those. Anything I can do to spread the news about new items is a good thing in my book. Unfortunately, in those cases, no one ever offers to provide a sample, free of charge for me! (Just kidding - I'd never accept it, anyway!)

I've been checking QRPSPOTS all night, hoping that K6JSS/5 from Mississippi would post about an appearance on the bands. So far, the only appearance this week has been on 60 Meters. That's not a good sign for me as I don't have that band in my K2 and I also don't have the SSB board installed - and heck, the only microphone I own goes with my VHF/UHF mobile rig. It's only Wednesday, though. Maybe activity will pick up towards the weekend.

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

It's always fun

2011-11-15T21:47:00.001-05:00

when you can get a deuce (two pelts) on QRP Foxhunt night. There are so many things against it - propagation, band conditions and as W3BBO always tells me - location, location, location!

Tonight everything was in alignment. I worked Paul AA4XX right off the bat at 0200 UTC. I think I was the first hound in his log. Drew K9CW (gotta love that call!) was a bit tougher. He was making liberal use of the RIT knob and I had to listen for a bit and figure out that after each QSO, he was listening just a bit higher. Once I got that down, it wasn't long till I was in his logbook, either.

Plus the fact that both gentlemen have fists that are par excellent! It was a joy to just sit there and listen to them pick off hounds one right after another.

I think I might have picked up a new country the other morning. I was listening to YI9EO operating from Iraq. He was on 10 Meters and was a good 449, even though the QSB was fast and furious. I sent my call out several times; and I was pretty darn sure he came back to me. I sent RST, name and NJ a couple of times. I definitely heard "TNX NJ"; so I am pretty sure it was me. But when it comes to DX, I tend to remain a pessimist, so a QSL card will be in order and hopefully, I will not get it back with a "Not In Log" stamp on it.

I will keep on listening for him in the mornings on 10 Meters to see if I can get an "insurance QSO".

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

Rookie mistake

2011-11-13T16:53:00.001-05:00

I had a little bit of spare time today; so I decided to head out to Washington Rock State Park, which is all of about 15 minutes from home, in order to activate it for Parks On The Air. All the equipment was in the car, so I took off and was there in short order. When I got there, I decided to take a few snaps, first.

It was from this point on the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains, that General Washington kept tabs on General Howe's troops and troop movements back in 1777. If you enlarge the picture directly above, by clicking on it, and look carefully through the haze, you will see the New York City skyline.

After taking the photos, I headed back to the car and set the 20 Meter Hamstick on top of the Jeep. I had the PFR3A hooked up in very short order. The problem was, that when I went to transmit, the radio thumped and kicked out. I immediately knew what it was; and felt like the absolute greenest of greenhorns.

I have had the radio and all the accoutrement's in the back of the car in a knapsack for a couple of weeks now. I have had good intentions of getting some lunchtime operating in, even though that hasn't been possible. We've had some cold weather come through (including that snow storm two weeks ago) and I hadn't taken into account the cold sapping all the juice out of the very small sealed lead acid battery. Sure enough, when I got home and put the battery on a volt meter, it had fallen to below 10 Volts.

It wasn't the strongest of batteries to begin with and the cold just did it in. From here on out, I will keep bringing the knapsack into the warm house each evening; and I will also keep a heartier battery in that knapsack. It is said that experience is the best teacher; and I will agree with that, as you can be certain I will make sure to check the battery before heading out next time.

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

When thou

2011-11-12T18:08:00.001-05:00

snoozeth, thou looseth.

I got home from work yesterday; and on the spur of the moment became bound and determined to send Steve KD1JV some funds for an ATS-4. They went on sale yesterday morning at 11:11 AM. By the time I got home, the run was sold out! Actually, the spur of the moment thing came earlier in the morning; only to find that PayPal is blocked from our company's server. I couldn't access it until I got home and by that time it was too late. The bright side is that Steve said there may be another run issued the first week of December. If so, I will bring my laptop and will make a run to the local McD's if I have to in order to get in on one. My masochistic tendencies are obviously rearing their ugly heads again. SMT construction!

Today was yet another busy Saturday! I rounded up 10 bags worth of leaves from the backyard this morning with the leaf blower. Mother Nature did my front yard for me as we had a cold front come through yesterday with some gusty winds. No leaves!

My son Joey had his last rec-league soccer game today at Noon and his team won 4-0, finishing the season at 7-1. There was an obligatory pizza fest at 2:00 PM at one of the local pizza places.

That left the grocery shopping left as the last chore for the day. But before I went, I got on 20 Meters for a little bit and heard Ken WA8REI/P finishing up a QSO with VE1AB. I tail ended the QSO and got on with Ken as I wanted him to know that he was booming into NJ at 589. In all the times we have worked each other, I think that may be the loudest I have ever heard him. Ken was cozied up in his motor home operating from a friend's cottage on a lake up there in Michigan. It was great to work a fellow Polar Bear on the bands. I only wish I had time to hunt for a few more.

Oh and yes, the grocery shopping got done; but the real buy there was an 18.5 pound turkey for nine bucks! Thanksgiving dinner, here we come. I saw for the first time and was seriously tempted to buy - a tur-duc-hen. For those of you who don't watch the food channels, this is a chicken stuffed inside a duck, which is in turn stuffed inside a turkey. This poultry fest originated down in Louisiana, if I remember correctly and I would like to try it - just once!

The rest of the evening will be spent resting, once I finish putting away the last of the groceries. Maybe I'll get back on to check the QRP watering holes for a bit.

I am hoping to get an hour or so tomorrow to run up to Washington Rock State Park tomorrow to activate it. If I do, I will post to QRPSPOTS and will get some photos. Nothing fancy, just the PFR3A and the Hamsticks this time.

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

Veterans Day 2011

2011-11-10T18:45:00.001-05:00

Thank you so very much

from the bottom of the heart of

a very grateful nation!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Tag lines

2011-11-09T21:25:00.005-05:00

A couple of years ago, Jim W4QO asked me in an e-mail if I would mind him using my QRP tag line - "QRP - when you care to send the very least!" Of course, I said "Sure, go ahead". It's not like I copyrighted it or anything. I didn't think anything about it until W3BBO brought the following to my attention.

This appeared in this week's ARRL's Contest Update by Ward Silver N0AX:

WORD TO THE WISE

Here are some various bits of homespun ham wisdom -

"QRP - when you care enough to send the very least (W4QO)"
"Aren't you glad you use QSK? Don't you wish everybody did?" (K8MP)
And not wanting to pass up the opportunity to chime in, "Not zero-beating stations means beating zero stations," by your editor.

I guess Jim saw it too (or someone had mentioned it to him), as he sent me another e-mail today saying, "I hope you don't mind that I use that". I replied mentioning a quote of Ronald Reagan's - "There's no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit".

I'm just glad my little tag line (a take off on the old FTD slogan actually) is getting noticed.

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

Feeling strange

2011-11-09T19:20:00.002-05:00

Physically, I'm fine. My allergies are acting up; but that's nothing to write home about.

Regarding Ham Radio, however, I currently seem to be in a bit of a malaise, if you will.

"How can that be?", you might ask. I think that one of the major contributing factors is that I am severely lacking in one precious commodity - spare time. Or maybe it's the time change back to Standard Time that occurred last weekend. By the time I get home from work, it's already dark outside, making it feel later than it is. After dinner, time is used up by reviewing homework and then maybe a small house chore or two (last night I had to install a new doorbell). By the time I have time for radio, my body is more ready for the bed than my hand is ready for the key.

Weekends are spent with soccer games, grocery shopping, raking leaves, not to mention trying to get the house ready for Thanksgiving guests. Sheesh, Turkey Day is only two weeks away!

One help was reading a post from Dan KB6NU's blog entitled, "Carving Out Time for Ham Radio". I realized that I just have to make some time for myself, too - even if it's just a half hour or so. It's not like I am lacking for projects to complete, or DX to chase or Code to pound out.

Experience is a great teacher; and I know these things run in cycles. My funk this week will be replaced by excitement about something or other, real soon. At least I have the Winter QRP Foxhunts to keep me motivated. Tuesday and Thursday nights will be beacons of activity for at least until March 2012.

And as if knowing that I needed it, my good friend Jim W1PID has posted of another outdoor New Hampshire adventure - this always gets my Ham Radio "juices" flowing! http://www.w1pid.com/shute_field/shute_field.html

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

Got one at least !

2011-11-08T22:05:00.000-05:00

Last night, I lucked out and worked John K4AVX as K6JSS/4 from Kentucky.

Tonight, I bagged my first Fox pelt of the 2011/2012 Winter Hunt season on 80 Meters. I successfully worked Jim N0UR in Minnesota who was on duty tonight. He was strong into NJ, and I guess I was decent into MN as I garnered a 599 from him.

The other Fox is Dale WC7S in Wyoming. New Jersey to Wyoming on 80 Meters is going to be a tough road to hoe. I'll keep listening as I think I can make out some of the Hounds baying at Dale; and I can even hear him but just barely.. I'm pretty sure the band won't change in my favor; but I still have my fingers crossed.

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

No SS for W2LJ

2011-11-06T16:35:00.001-05:00

Not too much doing on the radio for me this weekend. I know that this has been a huge weekend for many, as it is ARRL Sweepstakes Weekend (CW). But in all my years of Ham-dom, I've just not been a real Sweepstakes kind of guy. I've jumped in and have participated in the past for needed states and pins. Don't know if the ARRL still offers; but it used to be that if you made 100 Qs, they'd send you a pin for participating. I haven't even done that in quite some time.

Before the Sweepstakes began yesterday afternoon, I did manage to work K6JSS/5 in Oklahoma to keep that alive. Today I was cruising the WARC bands, and I worked Ray HR9/WQ7R on 12 Meters and Jonas TF2JB on 17 Meters. If you get a chance, check out Jonas' background on QRZ.com. Very impressive.

This time change between Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time seems to affect me more and more each year as I grow older. It never used to phase me as a kid; but now I find my sleep schedule getting thrown off just enough to be noticeable to me the next day. Another side benefit of becoming even more mature, I suppose.

W2LJ Public Service Announcement - If you have smoke detectors and CO detectors in your house, using the time change as a reminder to change your batteries is a great idea. I went around and changed the batteries in mine yesterday. Carbon Monoxide and smoke detectors save lives and the lives you might save could very well be your own!

Something to look forward to and something you might want to try, if you never have before. This week begins the 2011/2012 Winter QRP Foxhunt Season. Every Tuesday night will be an 80 Meter hunt and every Thursday night will be a 40 Meter hunt. Yours truly has not volunteered for Fox duty this year, as I firmly believe that it is in the very best interest of the activity to cultivate new blood. Back when I was a member of the Foxhunt Committee, I tried to instill that, with varying success. I was and still am of the opinion that if you constantly use the same guys from year to year to year that you are A) running the risk of burning people out and B) not promoting the growth of the activity. I have been pleased over the past year or two ot see new Foxes join the ranks.

According to Dale WC7S, they are still looking for volunteers. So if you've participated as a Hound and it has crossed your mind to become quarry - go for it! I guarantee that you'll have a blast and I guarantee that you will raise your skill level as a result.

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

Don't that beat all ?!?

2011-10-31T20:54:00.003-04:00

The Zombie Shuffle for 2011 is history. Tonight, 20 Meters has a noise level of 1 bar on the K2 and the noise level on 40 Meters is about 2 bars. The complete and total opposite of last night.

Of course! (Darn mask must have scared away the noise!)

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

CQ Boo disappointment

2011-10-30T20:32:00.007-04:00

I sit here typing this, the K2 is spitting out a string of "CQ Boos" for the Zombie Shuffle. It appears that I am going to be confined to 80 Meters tonight as the "local neighborhood QRN" has kicked in and I'm getting 10 over S9 noise on both 40 and 20 Meters. So far, since local sunset, I have had a sum total of 7 QSOs. Not exactly how I thought it was going to go.

But the highlight was working two exceptional friends among the six that I had the privilege to work. First, fellow Polar Bear and good friend WA8REI who was operating portable in Michigan. It's always nice to hook up with Ken, who has a superb fist. And I was happy that I was able to wish him a "Happy Bearthday" which occurred yesterday for him. Then I was able to work Jim W1PID who always has a superb signal into NJ. It's hard to imagine that 5 Watts can sound so loud! I will have to record Jim's signal one of these days so I can have some ammo for the guys who INSIST that QRP signals are necessarily weak

There was a new wrinkle added to the Shuffle this year, you had to send, as part of the exchange, how many years you've been licensed. This year makes 33 for W2LJ. It's been interesting to hear just exactly how long some of my friends have been licensed. Even with 33 years under my belt, I feel like a Newbie compared to some of them!

At the very end of my session, I did manage a single, solitary QSO on 40 Meters with Jim W4QO. It was only due the fact that he was 599 +++ into NJ. Here's some video/audio that I recorded after our QSO. This will give you and idea of the noise levels that I sometimes get here on 40 Meters.

.Oh, by the way, here's a self portrait if the Zombie behind the key!

Ain't he handsome?

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

Halloween Fright

2011-10-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

So far, power has only been out twice and for a few seconds at a time. Antennas are still OK, except the the one End Fed Zepp (which I hardly ever use) is drooping a lot.

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

AA7EE = good job

2011-10-28T18:56:00.002-04:00

Dave AA7EE, fellow QRPer and blogger writes about how a member of the T32C DXpedition team read his blog and commented on their 80 Meter QSO. Good job on both ends, IMHO, and his blog entry is definitely worth the read.

A fantastic job was done by the T32C team - and as far as I am concerned they have lifted the bar for DXpedition operations. I am afraid that in my own mind at least, that it was their effort that I will use as a comparison for other DXpeditions that I encounter in the future.

And a really fantastic job by Dave, too. He is currently in possession of three monoband rigs, a NorCal 2N2/40, a Ft. Tuthill 80, and an NT7S CC-20. He made contacts with T32C with each rig, each time using less than the "QRP Full Gallon" of 5 Watts.

A decent antenna and a good QRP operator on one end and a utterly superb DXpedition team with fantastic ears on the other end made for a "once in a lifetime" memory. These are the things that you fondly and warmly remember, even after many, many years behind the dial.

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

K6JSS/3

2011-10-27T19:55:00.001-04:00

I am happy to say that Maryland is in the log after a very nice QSO tonight with Mike W3MC who was behind the key as K6JSS/3. Mike was kindly enough to meet me on 80 Meters, where he was very loud. Mike was running his K3 at only 5 Watts (of course) but his open wire fed dipole resides at a lofty 90 feet up! That is truly amazing. I have a tough time imagining having trees that tall in my backyard.

I was looking at the AccuWeather forecast for the upcoming weekend, and I see where my part of New Jersey stands to get 1 - 3 inches of snow on Saturday into Saturday night. I haven't finished the leaves or put the glass in the storm doors yet! What's going on?

The only good thing about this time of year is that 80 Meters comes back into play. 80 Meters is one of my favorite bands and it's nice to be able to hang out there. I always seem to have a relatively low noise floor on 80 Meters during the months when darkness comes early. Even when 40 Meters succumbs to that weird and unpredictable neighborhood QRN, 80 Meters remains relatively free and provides refuge.

And it IS very noticeable that it is getting dark early. By the time I finish my commute home from work, the sun has already set. In another week, that will be happening even quicker with the change back to Standard time - I will probably be leaving work in the darkness.

I hate to rush time; but the sooner Winter comes and goes, the sooner Spring will get here.

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

Zombie confusion

2011-10-26T19:45:00.003-04:00

I see several guys on the various QRP e-mail reflectors asking if anyone plans to participate in the Zombie Shuffle this Friday night.

Guys ..... it has been moved this year!

As per Paul NA5N:

Gang,

No, I have not forgotten about the Zombie Shuffle. It has been distressing trying to figure out how to work it around all the contests at the end of October and first of November. After some email suggestions, and asking a few regular participants, and the fact that Halloween is on Monday night this year, we have decided that this year's Zombie Shuffle will be held on: SUNDAY NITE, OCTOBER 30.

Traditionally, the Zombie Shuffle started out as a "Friday Night Special," and held on the Friday night before Halloween, but never Halloween. The past few years, we've been slammed by the CQ World Wide DX Contest, which begins Friday evening. At least for this year, we will try Sunday night to avoid CQWW and not interfere with family plans for Halloween Monday night.

Hopefully, most of you will find this convenient and fun with more open bands and far less QRM. I apologize to those of you who will find Sunday evening inconvenient.

I hope to get the rules published and posted this weekend.

72, Paul NA5N

So there you have it from The Source - the Zombie Shuffle is this coming Sunday night - not Friday!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Halloween fun

2011-10-24T20:04:00.000-04:00

I saw this linked on the "As The World Turns" Website and had to share. I'm not a big fan of Halloween; but this is cool!

Don't forget - this coming Sunday is the Zombie Shuffle - not this Friday. W2LJ is Zombie # 858, so keep a ghoulish ear open for me.

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

Stark difference

2011-10-22T19:08:00.002-04:00

I didn't get much time on the air today; but I did hear both T32C and TX7M on the bands.

Wow! What a difference in operating philosophy. T32C was still pounding away at what - maybe 23 WPM, and sending their call after each and every contact. You definitely knew who it was that you were chasing. The other thing I noticed during my various QSOs with T32C was that they also rang true when they sent "T32C UP 1" or "T32C UP 2". I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet that helped to keep down the massive sprawl that occurs in and around these DXpedition frequencies.

TX7M, on the other hand, was sending probably at a speed of about 25 - 26 WPM (very copyable) and was sending their call only every now and then. I was hearing something more like, "OM3XYZ TU 73 UP".

Different strokes for different folks, I guess; but the impression I received was that the T32C experience was less frenetic, and more "in control". Perhaps a bit more polished and definitely less pandemonium. YMMV.

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

Holy Flea Power, Batman!

2011-10-20T21:20:00.000-04:00

I turned on 17 Meters tonight, hoping to hear K6JSS/KL7 from Alaska on. In all honesty, the band is quiet but once again, T32C is there loud as a bell. In fact, the op was working simplex - not split, and he wasn't getting many takers at all. 15 - 20 CQs between callers? You can tell this DXpedition is coming near an end. I'm sure the team has to be ecstatic with the job they have done.

So, I decided to try something. I cranked the power on down to 900 milliWatts and put out my call. They came back to me first shot!

Just who is on this DXpedition anyway ..... Steve Austin with his bionic ears? I figured I was going to give it a max of about three tries; AND if he came back with only a W2?? or a W2L??, I would not strain their ears any further with my somewhat selfish experiment. But there it was, first try and full call. That's over 6,000 miles per Watt. And yes, all the credit goes to the wonderfully amazing ops at T32C.

BTW, equipment here was the K2 to the Butternut HF9V.

This QRP and radio stuff continues to delight me!

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

Internal Debate

2011-10-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

Last night, I saw K6JSS/KL7 on QRPSPOTS at 24.906 MHZ. I ran down the basement and heard Jim AL7FS in conversation with a Japanese station. Jim was a realistic 329, maybe 429 at peaks and the JA station had a lot of polar flutter on his signal. It was great to hear not only Jim, but also the JA stations he was working. It makes me think that there maybe hope that I will be able to get K6JSS/KL7 in the log this week.

I see that Wayne NK6R mentioned that orders for the KX3 MIGHT be taken in November or December; however no delivery time was mentioned and I doubt it will be immediately. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be in that initial round of folks putting in orders. It's going to take me quite a while to save and sell off items (i.e "fund raise") in order to have enough money to make this purchase. I really, really want one; but "common sense" keeps kicking in. You know, the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. I have a K1 and a K2 and a PFR3A. Just how many radios do I need, anyway? Realistically, the K1 and PFR3A are my portables and I can only use one at a time as it is. And yes, I know I can sell them and put the cash towards the KX3; but I still have MAJOR regrets on having sold my HW8 so many years ago. I have a real hard time parting with gear that I built myself.

Having a full time job (Thank the Lord!) and a wife and two young kids plus a house, my portable operations time is severely limited as it is. To purchase a KX3 so that I could use it a handful of times a year out on the trail - does that even make sense? Does it need to make sense? Also, as much as I would like a K3, my life is fine without one. There are Hams out there with a lot less, who would kill for what I already have. Maybe I just need to grow up, be happy with what I have and not even think about it..

It doesn't help to keep looking at that picture up top!

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

Kudos to CQ Magazine

2011-10-16T12:03:00.004-04:00

What?!? Wasn't he complainin' about having to pay for WorldRadio just week or two ago?!?

Yes, I was - but when credit is due, credit is due. I received the newest issue of CQ on Wednesday and didn't have time to go through it until yesterday, while I was sitting and waiting while having the Jeep's oil changed and tires rotated (for free!). This issue is devoted to Emergency Communications, and while I know a lot of you could probably not care less about that, it was a wonderful read, anyway. This issue is a good weapon to have in your back pocket the next time you get hit with that "Amateur Radio is obsolete and has outlived its usefulness" lie.

And, as if THAT wasn't enough, there were two fantastic columns - one on building by Joe KØNEB and the other on QRP by Cam N6GA. These guys write so well, that I wish they had columns every month! But that's a terrible burden to place on them as I know how difficult it is to come up with original material for a monthly column. (Correction: Joe DOES write a column each and every month - sorry for my error, Joe!)

The new issue of QST, received the same day, did not capture my attention like CQ did. Although the article on homebrewing a DSP speaker is appealing. But Rich Moseson W2VU does come up with a superior publication month after month - and I will probably let the moths out of my wallet and will sign up for the "new" WorldRadio". BTW, just so we're clear on this - I don't work for CQ or any of its affiliate publications. I'm just a satisfied (most of the time) customer.

Unfortunately, I have not been on the air at all this weekend. With the arrival of Autumn, and the leaves on the ground and the wet weather we have been having this past week, my leaf mold allergy has kicked in big time. I don't feel ghastly (yet) but I don't feel like myself, either and sitting behind the radio just isn't as appealing as it normally is. That, and like John K3WWP, I think I have a kidney stone on the move, too. Maybe later today, I can hand out some points in the QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party.

I have been looking at more cases for the PFR3A and am also considering this one.

http://www.seahorse300cases.com/?caseclub=on

I like the fact that I can get it in yellow and that would match the PFR3A.

For those of you who like to participate in the Zombie Shuffle, Paul Harden NA5N has indicated that it will be held this year on Sunday night, right before Halloween. This should avoid conflict with the CQ WW DX Contest which begins that Friday night.

Lastly, for those of you who like to operate QRO, take a look at this. THIS is a QRO station !!!!

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

New housing for my PFR-3A

2011-10-13T20:12:00.006-04:00

When I built my PFR-3A and applied the decals, I sprayed the housing with a clear coat of Polyurethane in order to protects said decals. Unfortunately, in my haste to use the radio, I didn't let that clear coat dry for as long as I should have. I thought a few days was enough; but apparently it wasn't.

As a result, when I stowed the radio away in my rucksack, something else came in contact with the housing and left a rather unsightly mark. This mark isn't just on the surface, it is into the urethane. It didn't disturb the yellow paint, it just left an unsightly scuff in the overcoat. When I run my finger over the scuff, it feels like a gouge. I am enough of a perfectionist and enough of a "Type A" personality where that really, really bugs me. I take great care (or thought I did) to make sure my equipment doesn't get beat up. My K1 on the other hand looks mint, and I built that back in 2003.

So I contacted Doug at Hendricks QRPKits and sprung (sprang?) for a new housing, which arrived today. I will apply the decals; but I think instead of applying clear coat, I will buy one of those Pelican type cases with the form fitting foam and will make that the PFR-3A's new home. I believe it has been mentioned on QRP-L that inexpensive knock offs of those Pelican style cases are available at Wal-Mart.

And then, there's this:

http://www.utility-cases.com/b8.5x6.0x3.0.htm?caseclub=on

This would work and the price isn't bad at all. Any suggestions out there?

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

Simple pleasures

2011-10-11T19:30:00.002-04:00

One of the best things in Amateur Radio (outside of working a "new one") is just having a nice, simple, unhurried and relaxed QSO. I was fortunate enough to hook up with Milt WA4FNG on 20 Meters tonight and to have one of those (kind of).

Courtesy of WA4FNG and QRZ

I called CQ on 14.062 MHz, and Milt answered my call with a very nice 589 signal (Imagine that - a 589 QRP signal!). Milt was using his TenTec Corsair 2 - pumping a full QRP kilowatt of 5 Watts into a dipole at 60'. Wow! I wish I had some trees in my backyard that were 60' tall.

Milt's call was instantly familiar and a quick check into the log revealed that I had worked him in a couple of QRP-ARCI Sprints as well as handing him New Jersey for K6JSS/2 back in August. But we never had a ragchew. And we were on the verge of that this evening, but the band had other ideas. So while we were still copy-able to each other, we decided to call it quits. Discretion being the better part of valor, I guess. That was a shame, as I would have really enjoyed a longer QSO with Milt; but that's something that I can still look forward to at some other time.

Speaking of QRP ARCI Sprints ........ keep in mind the QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party is this coming weekend. Not a Sprint by any means, but a very fun event that can be as serious or as relaxed as you want it to be. I look forward to these - a lot!

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

Like a moth to a flame

2011-10-10T18:52:00.003-04:00

I admit, sometimes I see things on e-Ham and I get drawn into the fray. Not often, but if I see something that I feel strongly about, I will say something. I really shouldn't, and should stay out of the argument, but like the title says ..........

My grandfather (my Mom's father) once told me when I was young, "If you get into an argument and you're not sure of yourself, it's better to keep your mouth shut. But by the same token, if you're right AND you know you're right - don't be afraid to speak your mind". That advice raged through my mind as I read the following, entitled "Dust Off the Old Amplifier' by Mike Higgins K6AER:

"I know the conventional wisdom is if you can’t hear them you can’t work them but there is a corollary to that saying and it is; ”If they can’t hear you they won’t call you.” This is a call for those of you who own an amplifier to use them when you call CQ. For those of you that have never tried to call CQ, CQ is what you do when you don’t hang around a net all day to make a contact. It is more honest than asking for a radio check.

At this point I expect the replays descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replays who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts for even a blind squirrel will find an acorn if they look long enough."

Skipping the rest.

Now, before I begin my rant, I want to state, for the fact, now and forever, that I do not have anything against people who choose to operate QRO. For me, QRP is a fun choice, and I have no need or desire to force it upon anyone else. For that matter, Amateur Radio is a big enough hobby for everyone, whatever mode, style of operating that they choose. My motto is, "As long as it's legal and within the rules, and it's not interfering with your fellow Hams - knock yourself out"

But I have to admit that I was really irked by the "At this point I expect the replays descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replays who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts for even a blind squirrel will find an acorn if they look long enough."

In my humble opinion, that statement showed a true lack of practical knowledge on the part of the author. Wouldn't it have been better to have written (perhaps) "At this point I expect the replies to descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replies from those who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts, for this article's intended audience is folks who have amplifiers and don't mind using them".

Unfortunately, the original paragraph resulted in exactly what the author desired to avoid. Personally, however, considering the words he chose to use, I'm not so sure that he intended to avoid a "class warfare battle". And of course the arguments devolved into the classic "Everybody knows that it's always the receiving station that does the heavy lifting in a QSO with a QRPer".

I hate that! I have had my eardrums blown out repeatedly by W1PID, N4BP, N9NE (at 1 Watt!) and countless others to know that this argument is utter BS. Yes, there are times when QRP signals are so weak that even I wonder how they can be copied at all. But this is NOT the rule. It might not be the exception, either; but it's not a hard and fast rule. Received signal strength is due to a multiple of variables. While output power may be an important one, it's not the ONLY one! Antennas, propagation, band conditions all play into the equation.

The best response I saw, was from a person who identified himself a STRAIGHTKEY:

"And likewise, even an unskilled squirrel can crack any nut by purchasing and operating a steamroller.

Congratulations on condemning class warfare and then turning around and engaging in it yourself."

A bit snarky perhaps? Yes, but it was straight and to point, and I wish I had thought of it. I might not have posted it that way, but it is what I was thinking.

Anyway, a very sincere 73 to ALL Amateur Radio ops, everywhere!

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

Another good day here.

2011-10-09T21:05:00.000-04:00

Indian Summer is here! For those of you readers who are not familiar with the term, Indian Summer is a warm spell that occurs in mid to late October, after the first frost of the season. We had our first frost earlier this week, when the temps dropped into the 30s overnight. Not a hard frost; but there was evidence of some hoarfrost on the grass one morning earlier last week. This was followed by yesterday, where the high was in the upper 70s (25C) and today where the high was about 83F (28C). Tomorrow is supposed to be just as warm and then I believe it is to cool down for the rest of the week.

The family and I spent a good part of the day today, picking apples and pumpkins at a farm in East Brunswick, the town where I grew up. While most of the town is developed and suburban, there are big parts that are still rural. This hearkens back to my very young days when East Brunswick was about 75% rural and farms. Now that is probably closer to about 10 or 15%. Anyway, in all we picked about 20 pounds (10 kilos) worth of apples and maybe about 40 pounds (20 kilos) in three large pumpkins.

When I got home, I managed to get some "on the air" time before dinner. I worked T32C on 12 Meters for a third band. The more I listen to that team operate the more and more impressed I am with them. I can only relate about the CW side of things, but they identify after EVERY transmission which is great! No guessing who's on the air here. They work at a good clip; but they are not overwhelming with the code speed. It's about 23 WPM which is very comfortable for me. And they just seem to be super organized. They are doing superb considering that. according to their press briefings, their main shipment container of gear never made it to the island.

After working T32C, I hopped on down to 20 Meters and worked Dick K2UFT who was on the air as N4V, a special event commemorating the Vibroplex keys that were made in Norcross, GA for a time. Dick was really slick on the bug, it was a joy to work him. And I was totally unaware of this special event, so it was good to run into him, as he explained for me what was going on. I feel a bit embarrassed by that, as I try to stay on top of these kind of things so that I can pass them on to you all. But Dick was a very gracious tutor and I always love working special events. There are so many that never make an effort to put a CW station on the air - I was so glad to find this one.

Lastly, I was able to end the day by working N4BP on 20 Meters as K6JSS/4 from Florida. I had horrid local QRN on 20 Meters this evening; but Bob's signal was so strong that it rose above the noise like it wasn't even there. It's nice to get a K6JSS station in the log so early on in the week.

Here's hoping that these good band conditions last for a while!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Good day despite antenna woes

2011-10-08T21:28:00.001-04:00

After finishing with the lawn; I decided to try test the Butternut to see which bands are affected by that snapped wire. The good news is that 10 Meters seems to be the only band that is wonky. SWR is good on all the rest of the bands; but the best match I can get on 10 Meters is about 2:1. The internal tuner of the K2 has a fit getting there. So next weekend, I will make like an antenna surgeon and will get that fixed.

I managed to work T32C on 10 Meters this afternoon using the 88 ft EDZ - so worse comes to worse, I have something for 10 Meters that works well. Hey, any wire that will get 5 Watts from New Jersey to the middle of the Pacific Ocean is nothing to sneeze at.

I worked OX3XR on 12 Meters with the Butternut this afternoon and got an honest 579. I absolutely love it when I get a "real" RST report from a DX station and not just the rubber stamped "599". At least it gives me a decent idea as to how I'm really being heard.

In the evening, tuning around the bands, I saw that 30 Meters was decent for the second night in a row regarding background QRN. No buzz saw, so I decided to call CQ. I was answered by Terry W9UX and we had a bit of a chat.

Courtesy of QRZ

I had worked Terry back in August as K6JSS/2 - it was nice to chat for a bit instead of just a basic exchange. And anytime you can work a real nice fist like Terry has, that's even more of a special treat. He'll be operating in the NAQCC Anniversary Special Event later on this week; so keep an ear out for him as N9A. In fact, all 10 call districts will be activated as "N#A", so keep an ear open for all of them. They will be active from October 10th to the 15th and your best be will probably be around the standard QRP frequencies.

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

Oh Snap!

2011-10-08T14:48:00.000-04:00

That's what my kids say instead of "Oh, Darn" or "Oh, Heck" or worse.

That's what I said while working on the Butternut HF9V this afternoon. Currently, I am taking a breather between mowing the front and back yards. Before starting the front yard, I got the limb pruner out to take care of a branch in the back yard that is overgrowth from my neighbor. It had pushed my Butternut out from vertical and was causing it to lean a bit to the right.

I removed the offending branch; but now that the leaves are out of the way, I noticed that the wire radiator had snapped. Probably during some wind, the branch just plucked it until it broke and I never noticed it until the foliage was cleared away.

I still have to mow the back yard (among other things) so there is no time to fix it today, and tomorrow is booked as family time. This will have to wait until next weekend (God willing me good weather). The plan as it stands, is to remove the top half of the antenna (one screw and nut), bring it down, repair or replace the wire and then return things to normal.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Yeah ...... right !!!!!!

I have to get this done before bad (and cold) weather sets in as the Butternut, more often than not, is my radiator of choice.

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

US7UX

2011-10-07T23:31:00.005-04:00

I tooled around the bands this evening, listening for T32C on some frequency other than one in the 17 Meter band; but had not much luck. As I was switching bands, I noticed that for some reason, 30 Meters seemed less noisy than normal for me. And by that, I don't mean a lack of signals, I mean less background noise. For whatever reason, it seems that most nights, 30 Meters has an S5 to S7 noise floor around here. Tonight that was not the case.

I heard a station calling "CQ DX" that was so loud (599 +++, lit up all the LEDs on my K2) that I was certain that it had to be a Stateside station looking for DX. I was wrong. It was Oleg US7UX who is near Kiev, in the Ukraine. Not one to pass up working a DX station, I threw out my call and got an immediate answer. I wanted Oleg to know how loud he was and got a "TNX FOR 599 PLUS" for my efforts. And in turn, I received a 599 report back. Now normally, I would have said to myself, "Yeah, right!", but from listening to Oleg handle other stations, he was giving out actual RSTs. I heard some stations get 559 and 579 and even a 449 report - so the 599 made me feel pretty good. Just goes to show that when band conditions are right, even a 5 Watt station can be heard well.

I certainly hope that Oleg is as loud later this month when he is on DXpedition to the Marquesas Islands as TX7M. And now it makes perfect sense as to why he was working everyone in such rapid fire succession - he's getting in some practice before his trip.

Marquesas, Christmas Island ..... dreaming of DXpeditions. Reminds me of the adventures I used to dream about in my Novice days.

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

K2ORS

2011-10-06T19:46:00.000-04:00

now belongs to an op in Massachusetts. But in the greater Northeastern part of the US, K2ORS will always be Jean Shepherd. (Sorry Warren, no offense intended).

Anyone who has watched the movie "A Christmas Story" ("You'll shoot your eye out, Kid") knows Jean Shepherd, as he was the creator of that story. But to a lot of us "baby-boomers" we know Jean Shepherd from his nightly radio show on WOR in New York City. Many of us would sneak a portable transistor radio under our pillows, so that we could listen to his hilarious stories about school, life in the military and his famous stories about fireworks and the 4th of July as he was growing up.

Every now and then, he would talk about being a Ham and his experiences as being a "kid" Ham growing up in Hammond, Indiana. Here's one of them:

There was a Website that someone referred me to once, where I was able to listen to his story about the time lightning struck his antenna and all the havoc that caused (including moving out of a rental house in the middle fof the night!). Hilarious.

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

Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel

2011-10-05T20:53:00.004-04:00

For those of you around my age and older, that phrase that I used for my title should be familiar to you. For you young-uns, I will explain.

Back in the late 60s, WABC aired a weekly Batman television show. Actually, it was on two nights a week - Tuesday and Wednesday nights if I remember correctly. Anyway, it was done as a serial, like the old movies. The adventure that was started on Tuesday was continued and finished the next night. The announcer would always exhort watchers at the end of the first show, "Tune in tomorrow. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel".

And so it went for me with T32C. Second night, same band and approximately the same time. But this time my signal was QRP and this time the Butternut HF9V did get the job done! (BTW, that works out to approximately 1,155 miles per Watt)

Kudos to the superb ops out there. I have seen that many QRPers are getting them; and I even heard tonight's op come back to a W1 station that signed /QRP. That seemed to get his attention; but on the whole I don't recommend signing /QRP when working DX. The faster you make your call heard, the better the chance of being worked. I guess there are always exceptions to the rule, though. YMMV.

Good luck to all of you out there - you have three weeks to get your signal to them.

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

Some Stateside success

2011-10-04T22:31:00.000-04:00

All right!

I got to keep the K6JSS effort going by successfully working K6JSS/1 out of Rhode Island tonight. For those who actively work towards their WAS awards, working Rhode Island is almost as good a prize as East Kiribati! It's not often you hear "Lil' Rhody" on the air; so it was a treat to work the steady fist of Randy K8FZJ to get RI in the log.

Randy posted on QRPSPOTS that he was on 40 Meters and I was listening for him. I heard Dan KB6NU working him. Dan just about blew my eardrums out with this 599+ signal, but nothing was heard of Randy.

When Randy later posted on QRPSPOTS that he was going to be on 80 Meters for a bit, I bounded down to the basement faster than Santa's reindeer. And it was Christmas in October as I worked Randy on the first shot - and yes, I did remember to turn the power back down to 5 Watts - thank you very much.

T32C and Rhode Island in one night - two rare ones (one close, one not) in one evening. I love this Ham Radio stuff!

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