Updates

 Well, the news from the echo cardiogram wasn't the greatest. Going in for a cardiac catheterization on Tuesday, February 4th. I'm on 4 different meds for the time being and suddenly feel really, really old.

Boy, this is a far cry from the days on my 20's when I would cycle around 100 miles a week and had a resting pulse of about 60 BPM. 

So I haven't been much in the mood for radio. And I should add, not only because of this heart thing, but also because of the cold and the basement being an uncomfortable space. This weekend we're supposed to go above the freezing mark for the first time in a long time, so maybe I'll get the chance to get on the air.

This weekend is Winter Field Day, but more importantly, NEXT weekend is FYBO - Freeze Your Buns Off - the classic kickoff to the outdoor QRP Season for 2025.

The rules haven't changed much over the years. 

https://azscqrpions.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/FYBO_General-Near-Forever-Rules.pdf

This year FYBO takes place on February 1st. 

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least

So what's up this weekend?

 Freeze Your Butt Off - https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestdetails.php?ref=356

Vermont QSO Party - https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestdetails.php?ref=236

Minnesota QSO Party - https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestdetails.php?ref=238

British Columbia QSO Party - https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestdetails.php?ref=269

AGCW 80 Meter Straight Key QSO Party - https://www.agcw.de/contest/htp/htp-en/

North American CW Sprint (Sunday UTC) - https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestdetails.php?ref=253

The high temp in South Plainfield is expected to be 27F with a bit of a breeze, so it may feel colder. I may set up the magloop and KX3 on the front stoop and participate for a bit. I'll be home alone as the kids and XYL are all out tomorrow doing their own things. A rarity for W2LJ. I wish I had a pair of those fingerless gloves. Maybe I can find a cheap pair at the grocery store tomorrow and take a pair of scissors to the right glove.

Then later in the afternoon, I'll hop downstairs to the shack to see if I can't make a few QSO party QSOs, just to fatten the log up. It's been way too long.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

This Saturday - FYBO!

 The 2021 QRP Outdoor Contest Season kicks off with FYBO, sponsored by the Arizona ScQRPions - whom I am willing to bet will not be freezing, at all.

For all the rules, please check out http://azscqrpions.org/FYBO

The forecast for my QTH for Saturday is mostly sunny with a high temp of 39F.  Maybe some of the snow that we got (19 & 1/2 inches) Sunday through Tuesday will have melted by then. It would be nice to get a few minutes operating in - I think I might have to confine myself to operating from the Jeep in the driveway using the Buddistick on the rooftop magmount. I don't think any of the parks around here are going to be much fun to operate from. And I certainly wouldn't have the grandiose view to enjoy as pictured above!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP _ When you care to send the very least!

FYBO Hopes Growing Dim

Sometimes I think that if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

I was driving home last night from the ETS of NJ radio club meeting, and in my mind, I was finalizing plans for what I was going to bring to the park for FYBO. I had intended to travel light and bring only the bare essentials. Anyway, about 1/2 way home I hear a "Bing!" and I look down at the instrument package:

Yes, the dreaded "Check engine light" came on. And that could mean just about anything, from a problem with the gas cap, to a bad sensor to "only God knows what".

So what to do about this at around 9:30 PM on a Friday night? I went online to the Pep Boys Website. I don't know if they are a nation wide chain, but here on the East Coast, they provide auto parts, tires and service. They replaced my front brakes in December when they started grinding. They did an excellent job in what I thought was a pretty short time. I figured I make an appointment as soon as possible and maybe burn a vacation day from work towards the middle of the week.

To my slack-jawed astonishment, they had openings for today - Saturday! I grabbed an open slot at 10:30 AM and I will be leaving from home in about 45 minutes to go see what exactly is wrong and how much it's going to cost. I'll most likely sit and wait while the service is being done. If it's going to take more than a couple of hours, I'll have my son, Joseph, come and bring me home.

Either way, it looks like this is going to kill my chances to participate in FYBO. On the bright side, I still have this evening and tomorrow to try and make those State QSO Party QSOs.

What was the line from that John Lennon song? I think it was something like, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." Boy, did he nail that one!

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

If you don't like the weather in NJ

just wait five minutes, as the "borrowed" old saying goes! I guess that holds for long range forecasts, too.

I've been keeping an eye on the long range weather forecast via WeatherUnderground for this coming Saturday - FYBO day.

A couple of days ago, they were calling for a wet weekend. This morning, they were calling for an ice storm in the morning with some showers in the afternoon after a warm up.

NOW it's supposed to be "just" a cloudy day with just a chance of showers. Meanwhile, last night on the news, the local weather prognosticator was calling for a possible Nor'Easter this weekend. It's enough to make your head spin!

I was hoping to go up to Washington Rock State Park for a couple of hours. That's my favorite place to operate portable from - plenty pf picnic benches and a plethora of tall trees. But with this ambiguous and ever changing forecast, I got the bright idea to go to Putnam Park in town, instead. That's where SPARC has done JOTA the past few years, and there's a covered pavilion there. Should it begin to precipitate, at least I'll be dry. The trees are not as tall; but they're tall enough for me to launch the PAR ENDFEDZ into.

At 62, I'm no young buck and no spring chicken. I don't need a case of pneumonia or bronchitis. No QRP contest is worth that! But I can dress for the cold, as long as I can stay dry.

Stay tuned!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Winter sucks

We do have things to bring a little light to the cold, gray, bucket of suck, however. One of those is coming up next weekend.

That's right! Next Saturday is already the first Saturday in February and that means it's FYBO time! Freeze Your Buns Off is favored by the outdoor QRP operating community and it kicks off the official 2020 season.

The contest, or perhaps better described as an "operating event" is sponsored by the AZsQRPions. The rules haven't changed any for the 2020 event and can be found here : http://azscqrpions.org/FYBO

I am hoping the long range forecast for Central NJ is wrong and that it will be dry and rain-free. I just might be tempted to go to Washington Rock State Park and put in an hour or two of operating time.

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

FYBO this Saturday

The AZsQRPions are sponsoring the annual FYBO contest this Saturday. Do I really need to explain what FYBO stands for? I guess for any new readers from outside the USA, it means (charitably) "Freeze Your Bottom Off."

Here in the USA, we usually use other more descriptive words in place of "Bottom", but this is a family friendly blog, so I'll keep it clean.

Funny that this contest should be dreamed up by a bunch from Arizona. We northern QRPers are so gullible!

The rules in their entirety can be found here - http://azscqrpions.org/FYBO

But here are the bullet points:

1) The contest runs from 1400 to 2400 UTC

2) It's a QRP contest, but both CW and SSB are allowed.

3) Exchange RST, State/Province/DXCC Country (SPCs), first name, power out, and Temperature (Fahrenheit) at OPERATOR'S POSITION. Indoor stations must report INDOOR temperature.
Example: 579 AZ Frosty 2W 40F

And always, FYBO comes with this admonition - (my paraphrasing) "This is not an episode of  SurvivorMan. Have fun, but don't be stupid!"

The high temperature around here on Saturday is supposed to be around 36F  (2C). I'm not a fan of cold weather at all; but maybe I'll venture forth for an hour or so. After all, it is Groundhog Day. If the furry little rodent is brave enough to come out and test the cold weather, maybe I will, too.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least1

So what will it be?

This Winter has been very, very odd in New Jersey.  We've had the warmest December on record, courtesy of the Super El Nino that's occupying the Pacific Ocean.  Christmas felt more like Easter around here. Now, the El Nino and the Polar Vortices are doing battle with one another, each treating the Jet Stream like some kind of atmospheric Ping-Pong ball.  One day it feels like Spring, and then 24 hours later we plunge into the single digits.  Then we start a cycle of warming up until the next blast of Arctic and Siberian air takes hold of us.

So what will it be for FYBO 2016?  The contest announcement was made yesterday, and the rules for the 2016 edition can be found here - http://www.azscqrpions.org/FYBO2016_Rules.htm

I wonder what the weather will be like on February 6th? Will I get a X1 or X2 multiplier or will I get a X5 or X6 multiplier? It will be interesting to find out! This could very well be a day where the high temperature for the day occurs early in the morning, only to get colder, and colder as the day progresses. I think it will be super important to keep a thermometer at the operating position this year.

UPDATE:

I had a great lunchtime QRP session today. It's cloudy and cold with the threat of snow showers, but I didn't let that deter me. As and added incentive, last night I re-lubricated my Buddistick whip with WD40, as it had been getting rough sliding when deploying and storing. Last time I did that, I had a great session the next day. WD40 must be the much maligned "antenna grease", because today I got the same result.

I had a nice little QSO on 20 Meters with Woody WZ4L in Smyrna, TN. Last time we QSO'ed, we were both barely audible to each other. Today Wood was 589 into NJ using 3 Watts to a loop! I got a 559 in return.  After hanging it up with Woody, I worked Ted HI3TEJ on 17 Meters.  Then, for the coup de gras, I worked Mauro HC2IMP in Guayaquil, Ecuador on 15 Meters.  5 Watts from NJ to Ecuador!  Yes, I know he's in the Andes and yes, I know he probably has a monster antenna which made this QSO possible - but 5 Watts from here to there - wow, just wow!

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

So how did I do?

As mentioned in my last post, last night I gave my "QRP - You and the Great Outdoors" presentation to the Tri-County Amateur Radio Club at their meeting in Union, NJ. This is a very active club that not only owns and operates the W2LI repeater, but it also very active in Amateur Radio on an all-around basis. I saw and spoke with different members about their interests and they seemed wide and varied. Emergency traffic handling, NTS traffic handling, building, VHF/UHF, HF, QRP, the digital modes, antennas and DX were just some of the topics I heard being bandied about the room.

In all, TCARC seems to be a vibrant club, which is a very good thing. We need more clubs like this.

After the formal meeting opening and introductions, the regular meeting was suspended and I was asked to give my talk.  I think it went very well.  The members of Tri-County were warm, friendly and receptive, so I was very much at ease. Of course it helps that I know a few of them from serving with them at VE sessions. But even the members I didn't know proved to be a most gracious audience.

The presentation itself lasted somewhat over an hour, I think. I wasn't really keeping close track of the time, but that's an estimation on my part. Throughout that time, I tried to keep everything light and fun, and I hope I was successful in imparting upon them the fun I have with QRP, particularly portable ops outdoors. I didn't see anyone stifling a yawn, or any "deer in the headlight" looks and my few lame attempts at humor elicited a couple chuckles, so I think I did an OK job. And there were several instances, particularly during the slide that contains Sean KX9X's YouTube video about the US Islands on the Air program, that got a few "Wow"s uttered. I think there was some genuine surprise at what QRP can accomplish.

I have added the Powerpoint to my Public Dropbox folder, so you can download it and view it, if you wish. It's a 23 MB file, so it's kind of on the big side. If anyone desires to use it as a club presentation (even though it's kind of tailored towards the NJ outdoor experience), feel free to edit it as you wish - just make sure to give good ol' W2LJ some credit for authoring it (or co-authoring if you REALLY modify it).

The URL is: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20875533/QRP%20Outdoors.ppt

Lunchtime was successful today as well, it was like icing on the cake.  I worked three stations - EG8TRV (again), A0150E in Spain and Serge RU1AF who had a splendid signal into NJ - like he was down the street!

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

Speaking of FYBO,

here's a video of Steve WG0AT and Frank K0JQZ's operation in balmy Colorado last weekend. Frank mentions this is Steve's back yard - VERY NICE back yard!

   

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

MIstake in my FYBO log

Some of you might notice the change in my FYBO score in the immediate proceeding post.  This is a hazard that occurs when you log on paper and then transpose to computer. I missed transposing a QSO!  I am going to send an e-mail to the AZscQRPions, but if they don't accept my log change - that's fine with me. I was in it for the fun, not to win, and I'll probably place somewhere in the middle of the pack when all is said and done, anyway.

The only way I spotted my log error was due to an e-mail that I received today from Steve WG0AT, with a link to an audio file of my FYBO QSO with Frank K0JQZ. I remembered the QSO immediately, but also remembered that I didn't count Colorado as one of my worked S/P/Cs.  That's when I realized, the QSO is in my little notebook, but I had skipped over it when transposing to my Master Log in Log4OM, down here in the shack. The QSO took place at 0201 UTC.

I really need to stop using paper and pencil and just rely on HamLog in my tablet.  Old habits die hard for us pluggers, though!

Here's a link to the audio file of how I sounded it Colorado. Not bad for a Buddistick plopped onto the roof of a Jeep in Central New Jersey, eh?

https://soundcloud.com/goathiker/fybo2015?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=email

Thanks, Frank for the QSO and thanks, Steve for the audio file!

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

All in all - a good day!

There were a lot of things to get done before playing in FYBO, and (channelling Yoda) get them done I did. Believe it or not, my FYBO operation was from the street in front of our house. I live on a relatively quiet side street, so there was no danger of being hit by a car or something like that. I opened up the hatch of the Jeep, just like I do at work, and set up my nylon camping chair and used the "trunk" of my Jeep as an operating table. My antenna was the Buddistick/magmount combo on the roof . I'm sure the neighbors were staring - wondering, "What the heck is he doing now? And what is that tall stick poking up from his car roof?" "And why is our dishwasher going crazy - I'll bet it's him!"

As I set up it was flurrying slightly and the temp was 35F (1C). And then it happened. I tried tuning up the KX3 and couldn't get a decent match. Of course these things always happen at the worst time! Calmly, I took the Buddistick off the roof and inspected it - no problems there. Then the magmount - AHA!  Where the coax meets magmount, the dielectric foam surrounding the center conductor wire cracked open (from the cold, I guess, because I keep it in the trunk when not in use). The shield was ever so slightly touching the center conductor and was making for a bad situation. A quick trip to the basement shack was in order. I cut the coax back, soldered on two new ring terminals and put everything back together. The KX3 was a happy camper with a 1:1 match.

In about two hours of operating, here's my summary:

W2LJ
Team Polar Bear
Field - Yes
Category - Single Op
Alternative Power - No (Batteries- Mains charged)
Lowest Temperature - 35
QRPp - No
Final Score - 7780 points

BAND  QSOs  SPCs  NQ7RP Stns
------------------------------------
    20      15       12          0
    14      10         8         1
------------------------------------
TOTAL:  24       20        1

Score - (24X20) (X4 Temp multiplier) (X4 Field Multiplier) +100 =7780

15 Meters was pleasantly active, affording me 10 of my 24 QSOs. 20 Meters was also busy but noisier, with some TN QSO Party stations and some SOTA stations thrown into the mix. I also was contacted by an SKCC station - I guess they have something going on this weekend, as well as one DX station - G4OBC. I tuned around 40 Meters at the end of my operating time, but heard no FYBOers.

There was no wind to speak of, so it actually didn't feel that bad outside.  I think the temperature reached a max of 38F (3C) while I was out. I was comfortable, except that my hands were cold, as I really couldn't send Morse while wearing heavy Winter gloves. And another discovery - the older you get, the more bathroom breaks you need when it's cold!  Too much information? Sorry!

Now, if that wasn't enough - my FYBO day was made even better by finally working K1N with 5 Watts. YES!!! I came down to the shack this evening to enter my FYBO log into my Master Log. While doing that, I heard K1N on 20 Meters (haven't worked them there yet) and they were truly 599 loud.  I double checked my power setting to make sure I was at 5 Watts and I jumped into the pileup. In about somewhere between 5 to 10 calls, I finally heard my call come back to me. Sweet! My personal goal is now complete. I got K1N in the log for an ATNO, and I also got them in the log using QRP power.

It was a good QRP day. A VERY good QRP day!

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

FYBO weather for FN20to

From WeatherUnderground:

Not bad! An overcast day, very light winds, temperatures in the mid to upper 30s for most of the afternoon. Only about a 10% chance for any precipitation. All in all, very bearable conditions for FYBO.

I have signed on with the QRP Polar Bears to be on their PBMME/FYBO team. For the uninitiated, PBMME stands for the Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Event.  Every Saturday closest to the full moon, the QRP Polar Bears go and operate outdoors - year around. Kind of like a QRP To The Field every month. I don't get to participate in PBMMEs as often as I would like, so I am looking forward to tomorrow. This year FYBO and the PBMME occur on the same day - neat!

72 de Larry W2LJ (Skeeter Bear #283 - Grrrrrrr)
QRP - When you care to send the very least!