Cool QRP Image

 I wish I had the wherewithal to construct something like this:

As seen on FB, of course. Say what you want about Facebook and social media, but if you stay away from political stuff and nonsense stuff, you can find some gems, meaning some really cool Amateur Radio information, astronomy stuff. I've even found some good Polish recipes there. Just this past Sunday I made kotlet schabowy, which are Polish style breaded pork chops, like my Mom used to make. I came across the recipe on FB, and they were a hit with the family. Even my semi-vegetarian daughter liked them.

Last night, I did not get on the air, but I did go online to fill out the request form with the Middlesex County Department of Parks and Recreation to reserve space in Spring Lake Park for Field Day. Usually Dave KD2FSI does this for us, but I feel bad that he always does. I'm sure he doesn't mind, but I don't want him to feel like he's stuck with it, either. As it is, he brings so much to our Field Days that we'd be SERIOUSLY hurting with out him. As they say, many hands lighten the load and I don't want him to feel like he's the only one doing all the prep work.

And that reminds me........ I have to go over to the ARRL Field Day Locator and put our info in.

Done!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QRP Image of the Day

The photographer inside of me is captivated by images, And if the old adage is true that "A picture is worth 1,000 words:, then these two images are examples of what come to my mind when I think about QRP.

This image from the SOTA Facebook page, in fact it's now their cover page image. Didn't Steven pick a wonderful image? Who doesn't dream of someday taking a minimalistic set up to the top of a mountain and communicating with the world? I know I do, but I'm also wise enough to know my limitations and that I'm no Steve Galchutt WG0AT and the closest I'm ever going to get to this is operating portable from a picnic table somewhere. Still, the thrill is there, even if the panoramic vistas aren't!

The second image:

Isn't Alexey's station just grand? A One Watt homebrewed QRP transmitter. He posted a video of it on Facebook and it sounded oh, so sweet! Again, the closest I'm ever going to get to this is by building a kit of someone else's design. I'm not an Alexey UY1IF or a Bob W3BBO who can seem to cobble up working equipment just about every other day. I'm no engineer or designer - God didn't grace me with that kind of talent. But still, I can build some things (although with SMD, that's becoming harder and harder every day for my poor skill set) and when they actually work, the satisfaction is there that I didn't totally screw things up.

QRP is not for everyone. Sometimes it's actually rather easy, sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's frustrating, but it's also always immensely rewarding. Whether you're working from a mountain top or from your basement, whether you're operating something you designed and built all by yourself; or maybe just from a kit you bought and built ........ the Ham Radio experience you can get from QRP is like no other.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Interesting

I saw this on the QRP 14.060 MHz page on Facebook. It's a POTA/SOTA setup by Vasil LZ1WF. I like the enclosure he fabricated for his QMX. I am assuming he built the kit. and designed his own enclosure which is really nice. He has a very nice little portable station!

These qualify as the QRP Image(s) of the Day!

Now for something completely different.

I recently purchased an OTC hearing aid from Nebroo, from an ad they ran online. These are supposedly different from other OTC hearing aids as they are not just sound amplifiers. They tout that these have a chip in them which will allow you to filter out background noise in various settings to allow you to hear voces better. They were delivered on Sunday and so far, they are much better than another pair that I had purchased. These are a stop gap measure as I am saving towards prescription hearing aids, which are mucho expensivo.

Anyway, I wore the one in my left ear (my right ear is so bad that no OTC hearing aid is going to help) during the St. Max Net on Sunday evening and used over the ear headphones instead of my usual earbuds. What a difference! I was able to hear everyone so clearly, I almost forgot what effortless hearing was like! They're very comfortable, too. These are the "in ear" type instead of the "over the ear" kind.

After the net, I went down to the CW portion of the 40 Meter band. I was able to turn the KX3's AF level down towards the lower end of its range instead of the upper end. That was nice, really nice. An additional nice thing is that don't give me any feedback whine like my other ones did.

I'm not running a commercial here, just a happy customer. My Mom always said to me, "Larry, don't get old!",  and I always used to answer, "Ma, there's not much I can do about it!". I wish I had had hearing protection back when I used to photograph concerts for Six Flags when I was a PR photographer in the late 70's. It wasn't a "thing" back then. I'm paying for it now.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Another one

I've decided to make the 4States QRP Group 4S-Tuner the official tuner of the W2LJ QMX Portable Ops bag. So I ordered another one for the shack for when I use the HW-8.  This way, I don't have to keep transferring the one I have back and forth between car and shack.

I really, really like the function of the two LEDs.  Great design feature by David Wayne Cripe NM0S!

When the red one is bright and the green one is out, the SWR is too high. When the two LEDs are of equal brightness, you have a 2:1 SWR. When the green LED is at max brightness, and the red LED is at minimum brightness or out altogether, your SWR is around 1:1.

This is a T-Match Tuner and I find it a bit easier to use, having the inductor in the circuit. Nothing against the ZM-2 as it is a wonderful little unit and will stay in the KX3 bag, should the autotuner fail for whatever reason. But sometimes, I just have a bit of trouble getting that single red LED to dim. I guess it's range is just a little narrower than the 4S-Tuner.

I already know it works well with my KM4CFT EFRW antenna. This weekend, time and weather permitting, I'd like to see how it handles the AX1 from our patio tabletop - a simulated POTA activation. Have to practice, just like the astronauts did! HI HI !

Onto another subject, with all the CMEs and solar flares that have been occurring the past few weeks, I saw this photo on Facebook, taken just yesterday, from the 1,000 Islands region in Upstate NY.

Marianne and I are heading up there soon for some away time for our Anniversary - I know I've mentioned that before. Will this finally be a good chance for me to see the Northern Lights? I hope so! If I'm lucky enough, I'll try to get some photos.

While I'm on the subject of photos - here's a neat one I came across the other day, for the QRP Image of the Day. This was posted on Facebook by  Chris Farnham W1YTQ.  He was camping with his son's scout troop in Boston Harbor Island up in Massachusetts and one of the licensed Scouts actually accomplished his first POTA activation. Later, after the hustle and bustle of the day was over, Chris decided to stroll on down to the beach to activate - Boston Islands Park - US-2421, himself.

Isn't that a beauty of a shot? The moon and it's reflection on the water, the KH1 with the antenna sticking up, and that cube-ish  lantern. What a great mood shot! And once again, it shows that you don't have to tote around a whole mess of equipment to have a good time!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Modest?

 On Facebook, ON7RF provided a picture of his "modest" station.

Modest? Maybe in terms of $$$$$, but there's plenty enough there to work the world! Rene definitely has the right idea here - "Do more with less." You don't need an uber station or a kilowatt to work the world, and this is much more fun, IMHO.

Only thing I would change here is to use a paddle.  My wrist gets tired from using a straight key after a while.  Undoubtedly, it's probably just poor technique on my part, but I blame arthritis! LOL!

I saw this on a POTA FB page and saved the image for a closer look. Then I went to the webpage.

Portableflagpoles.com - they sell their drive on mast holder with two diameters. The larger one will accept masts up to 2.25" (about 6 cm) wide. The bottom cap of the Jackite is just a smidge over 2", so it will fit in there nicely. The mast holder is only $39 - the question is ...... do I really need it? I have to decide whether or not my homebrew mockup is worth keeping. It does the job all right, but it's nowhere as elegant a solution as this one. The other thing is that this one is metal, while mine is wooden. In the long run, I have to believe that this one would undoubtedly hold up better to being driven upon. And whatever I decide, I have to do it sooner, rather than later. Marianne and I are heading back up to Alexandria Bay soon and there are two parks up there that I'd like to activate.

When I worked at Sinar Bron, my boss who was a Swiss engineer, would always want the "most elegant" solution to a problem. Not necessarily the most elegant in appearance, but the best solution in terms of functionality, ability, dependability and sleek design (if possible, but not as necessary). I guess that's where that got ingrained in me.

He had a knack for bringing me down to Earth. When I would solve a problem that seemed to elude everyone else (even the factories who manufactured the equipment that we sold) he would say (in his thick Swiss accent), "Doo, Larry, even the blind pig finds an acorn every once in a while." Real confidence booster, right? Even so, I sorely miss those days. Working at Sinar Bron was probably the best 22 years I've ever spent at a job.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Weekend doings

First ....... an old image for QRP Image of the Day ....... of me!

I found this in the SPARC Facebook page from way back in April of 2015 (almost 10 years ago!). I went up to Washington Rock State Park for QRP to the Field ....... before POTA was even an idea in anyone's mind!  The photo was taken by Drew W2OU (SK) when he and Marv K2VHW came for a visit.

Coming up this (long Labor Day holiday) weekend:

Contests

Colorado QSO Party -  http://ppraa.org/coqp

Tennessee QSO Party - https://tnqp.org/rules/

MI QRP Labor Day CW Sprint -  https://www.miqrp.net/contest-challenge

ARS Spartan Sprint -  http://ars-qrp.com/Spartan_Sprint/Spartan_Sprint.html

Special Event Stations

08/01/2024 | San Max Celebration

Aug 1-Aug 31, 0000Z-2359Z, 4A2MAX, Neosho, MEXICO. San Max Operators . 14175 21320 28420 7170. QSL. San Max Special Callsign 4A2MAX, MAXIMILIANO THOUS 16-24, Valencia E-46009, SPAIN. Special event where we celebrate the patron saint of radio amateurs, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe SP3RN SK, we invite you to contact us and be part of the celebration. https://www.qrz.com/db/4A2MAX

08/24/2024 | 2024 Buhl Day

Aug 24-Sep 2, 0000Z-0000Z, W3B, Sharon, PA. Mercer County Amateur Radio Club. 7.074 14.074 7.240 14.245. QSL. Mercer County Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 673 , 32 Shenango Ave, Sharon, PA 16146. We will be on the air during Buhl Day in Hermitage, PA. This year is the 109th anniversary of Buhl Farm Park, which covers 300 acres and was given to the community by Frank Buhl (local industrialist) for use and recreation purposes of the community. Labor Day and occasionally the week before. www.w3lif.org

08/31/2024 | 33rd Annual Fly-In/Cruise-In Festival

Aug 31, 1200Z-1800Z, W9EBN, Marion, IN. Grant County Amateur Radio Club. 7.260 14.250 21.350 DMR TG 3100 / DMR TG 31656 . Certificate & QSL. L B Nickerson - K9NQW, P O Box 1786, Marion, IN 46952. Also DStar Ref #24B. Send QSL card in a large SASE www.Grantarc.net

08/31/2024 | Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival Special Event Station

Aug 31-Sep 7, 1323Z-1323Z, K9A, Auburn, IN. Northeastern Indiana Amateur Radio Association. 40 Meters : 7.180MHz 20 Meters : 14.250MHz 10 Meters: 28.350 MHz. Certificate & QSL. Northeastern Indiana Amateur Radio Association, P.O. Box 145, Auburn, IN 46706-0145. www.w9ou.org

08/31/2024 | Ellensburg Rodeo and Kittitas County Fair 2024

Aug 31-Sep 2, 1600Z-2200Z, K7R, Ellensburg, WA. Kittitas County Amateur Radio Club. 14.275 MHz 21.335 MHz 14.055 MHz 21.055 MHZ. Certificate. KCARC, 110 West Sixth Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926. https://www.qsl.net/kcarcs/rodeo.html

08/31/2024 | Return to Paradise - 46TH ANNIVERSARY

Aug 31-Sep 2, 1700Z-1700Z, K7RDG, Sierra Vista, AZ. Cochise Amateur Radio Association. 7.225 14.074 14.285 21.225. Certificate. Cochise ARA, PO Box 1855, Sierra Vista, AZ 85650-9340. WWW.K7RDG.ORG

09/01/2024 | 100th Anniversary of the Ontario Provincial Air Service

Sep 1-Sep 30, 0000Z-2359Z, CG3CBHC, Sault Ste Marie, ON. Algoma Amateur Radio Club. 14.074 7.074. Certificate. Dave Rowlinson, 315 Old Garden River Rd., Sault Ste Marie, ON P6B 5A7, CANADA. Event will run the month of September, but the most activity will be September 21 and 22 during Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (bushplane.com) - Bushplane Days Commemorative Certificates will be sent to all contacts during the event. www.aarclub.ca

Last night was the finale of the 20 Meter Summer Fox Hunt season for 2024. I have not participated all Summer, but last night was special. To honor our recently departed friend, Jerry N9AW, the Hounds who wanted to, were given permission to give their name as either Jerry or "AW" for their part of the exchange. I heard Jim N0UR in Minnesota (good ol' Minnesota-Wisconsin pipeline) at a good 599 and worked him at 0108 UTC.  I went looking for Earl N8SS in Michigan, and I found some of his Hounds, but no Earl.  So I went back to listen to Jim for a bit and he was still very loud. Jim was calling CQ with no takers, so I gave into temptation and worked him again, but this time with the power turned down to 1 Watt. Both times I gave my name as "AW". A small gesture, but one to honor the memory of a friend I never got to meet in person. Requiescat in pace, Jerry.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP _ When you care to send the very least!

Haven't done this in a while

 QRP Image of the Day, by Hans Terlouw PA1ALV: - as found on the POTA page in Facebook:

This is a very personal opinion, and I know a lot of people would disagree, but to me this is the heart and soul of POTA. Going out to a park with equipment that you can carry in a small case or backpack, setting up and operating and having fun. In no way am I knocking those who go out with very elaborate setups and with 100 Watt rigs (or higher) - if that's your thing, then by all means, keep on doing what you're doing. Whatever gives you joy.

In that vein, I started populating my LowePro backpack last night. So far, I have the QMX, two battery packs (very much akin to what Hans has in the photo), the charger, my Emtech ZM-2 tuner, and a couple of 3 foot coax jumpers packed away.

I still have to decide which paddle I am going to include, and I'll probably pick up a new set of earbuds. I plan to store those in a small plastic Hefty food storage container with a a few other miscellaneous necessities - a few BNC to PL-259 adapters, some wire ties and a multi-purpose tool.  From eBay, I ordered another small digital travel alarm ($4), so I don't have to keep raiding the KX3 backpack. I wish Radio Shack was still around so I could buy another like the one I have in the KX3 backpack, but if wishes were nickels, I'd be a rich man!

This is pretty much life-size. It's very small.

In another inside pocket, which is meant for carrying a laptop or tablet, I put a 25' length of RG-8X and I attached the 41' radiator and the 17' counterpoise to the KM4CFT 9:1 UNUN kit that I assembled. I want to try out that antenna some time this coming weekend, just to make sure I assembled the UNUN correctly. The last thing to go in there will be a notepad and a pen for logging.

This is what I plan to take when Marianne and I head back up to Alexandria Bay later this year. There are two state parks that I would like to try and activate while we are there.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

When will it end?

 QRP Image of the Day

A couple of iterations of the Four State QRP Group Bayou Jumper - photo by Gary Chambers, Jr.

So the question for the day is, will my newly found QRP Fox Hunt streak come to an end tonight? Will my luck finally run out?

Tonight's Foxes for the 80 Meter Hunt are Jim N0UR in Minnesota and Wayne N4FP in Florida. Just wondering if either or both of those two states are too long of a haul for a QSO from New Jersey on 80 Meters. Jim has always had a decent signal to New Jersey, but I have my reservations. I don't have my AC Log on this computer. I'd like to open it up and look up the previous contacts I've had with both of these Foxes to see if any have ever been on 80 Meters. Tonight will tell, I'll just have to be patient (not one of my strong suits). And if I do work either Fox tonight, which will be the hero - the W3EDP or the Butternut?

No radio last night except for a brief check-in to K2VHW's Middlesex County Chat Group Net on 70cm on the way home from the Middlesex County Fire Academy last night. We had our monthly CERT training and last night was a review of basic firefighting using fire extinguishers for small trashcan type fires. Each one of us got the chance to extinguish a small controlled burn set by the Chief of Firefighting Education at the Academy.

The keyword in those situations is PASS

P - Pull the pin

A - Approach (staying as low as possible) the fire and aim the nozzle at the base of the fire

S - Squeeze the handle of the extinguisher.

S - Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Two other important points:

NEVER turn your back on a fire - while approaching or leaving, even if you think you've extinguished the fire. Always back away. Secondly, always have a "buddy" go with you if at all possible. This second person is there to guide you as you back away as well as to help you should something unexpected happen.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Sunday

 QRP Image of the Day

My shack, as I haven't posted a photo in a while. I like this ratio so much that I have made it the blog's banner. Here's a more conventional one, more like your standard 4" X 6" print, back in the Dark Ages when we used film cameras.

I got on 10 Meters in the morning and saw that 5A8RD was spotted. I got excited because he was loud and I've never worked Libya before. I stuck with it and broke through the pileup only to learn it was Laci HA5RD, who I've worked several times.  He must have been having a little trouble with his dit paddle, because it wasn't just me,  he even popped up on the Cluster that way.  Oh well, I guess Libya will wait for another day. 

It was soup kitchen Sunday,  so no HF in the afternoon. We've gone from handing out bagged "to go" meals to setting up tables for inside dining, like pre-pandemic days. It's a bit more work and takes more time, but with the cold weather coming, it's worth it.

I did check into the St..Max Net on 75 Meter sideband after dinner.  Propagation was sooooo much better than last Sunday, when we had that flare or CME or whatever it was. I was able to hear everyone who checked in, very well.  That ended at 7:30 EST, and I wanted to participate in the 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint which begins at 8:00 EST, but you know how the story goes ...... you sit down for a few minutes and the next thing you know you wake up three hours later!

Last night was the coldest of the season, so far. It made it down to the mid 20s (-3C). This morning I'm so glad I bought that new Winter coat last weekend!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Morse Code

 First the QRP Image of the Day:

Posted to Facebook by Peter OO7Z - who had a QSO with Reiner DL5YJN, who was using his homebrewed transceiver.

Every now and then I like to post about what it takes to learn Morse Code. After 45 years of being an Amateur Radio Op, I've learned that the journey is different for each one of us. What works for one may not work for another. What works for most may not work for someone else at all.

That all being said, I think the biggest "thing" about learning Morse Code is one's attitude. I know this from personal experience. I wanted to become a Ham while I was in High School. I was 16, bought myself an AMECO Morse Code LP and listened to it and failed, miserably. Not only did I fail miserably, but I convinced myself that I couldn't do it. It would never happen. I gave up. I didn't even bother taking the exam.

Fast forward a few years and a Novice license class became available at a neighboring town's High School as an Adult Education Program. This time, a little bit older and a little bit wiser (perhaps) I decided to grit my teeth, bare down and finally overcome this obstacle that had barred my entry a few years earlier. I wanted it bad enough, and that made all the difference.

I did it! But I did it the wrong way, in retrospect. I was given a set of ARRL Novice Morse Code cassette tapes (remember those?) and learned the code. But I learned it at the 5 WPM speed that was required at the time, but also at a slow, dragged out sending speed.

Why was this bad? It was bad because I counted on counting the dits and dahs, and then translating that into the letters. That may have been fine and dandy for the 5 WPM Novice Exam, but when I wanted to upgrade to General, I hit a plateau at 10 WPM, on my way to 13 WPM. And needless to say, that was a hard plateau to get over! It was then that I learned of the term "Farnsworth". This method of Morse Code learning is to hear the individual letters at a speed of about 18 WPM, but put enough spacing between the letters to bring down the effective receiving rate at say, 13 WPM for the General test.

It was tough! I had to effectively "unlearn" Morse Code and learn it all over again. But I hung with it and between those kind of code tapes and a lot of on the air QSOs, I was able to pass my General in the summer of 1979, less than a year after I was originally licensed.

Cassettes tapes and Morse Code LPs have gone the way of the Dodo. How is one to learn Morse Code today? Fortunately, there are a lot of Morse Code learning apps. Google and the Play Store or the iTunes store are your friends and I suggest trying out a bunch until you find the one you like the best. The one that I like the most and still use to this day is the "Morse Trainer" app by Wolphi on my Android phone. It costs about 4 bucks for the app, but I think is worth several times that. Not only will it teach you Morse Code, but even when you think you've become proficient, it will help you improve your speed.

In an on-the-air QSO, depending on the day, I can be comfortable with speeds between 18 and 30 WPM. When my head is clear and my mind is fresh, I can keep up with someone sending at 30 WPM. When I'm tired and my brain is nothing more than a bowl of tapioca pudding, I'll probably go with anywhere from 18 to 23 WPM. The great thing about Morse Trainer is that you can set is as high as 60 WPM. Currently, I have it set for 40 WPM and I try to play it in the background while I'm doing other things.

Yes, you read that right. I like to play Morse Code in the background while I'm doing other things. At this point, I'm just listening to rhythm and spacing. I'm not even consciously trying to decode, I'm just listening. No pressure, no tension, just listening and you'll be surprised how many words will just pop into your brain. I try and get at least ten or so minutes of this a day. It keeps me sharp and helps me increase my speed. I've noticed that during Field Day, I can even decode the speed demons that are sending at 40+ WPM rates. I'm not comfortable there, but I can keep up, even if it means having to listen a couple of times.

If you're attempting to learn Morse Code for the very first time, I would highly recommend limiting your sessions to no longer than 15 minutes at a time and at the very most, two sessions a day. You don't want to burn out and you don't want to let frustration set in. Frustration and worry are your two biggest enemies in learning Morse Code.

Listen and practice when you're not overly tired and most of all relax! Relax, relax and relax some more. I repeat, worrying about your speed, worrying that "you're not getting it" is the worst thing you can do. It will come, I promise! If I can do it, anyone can. And remember, I was convinced I couldn't learn Morse Code until I convinced myself that I could. I've gone from someone who absolutely hated it to being a Ham who only communicates via Morse Code, using phone only very unfrequently.

And knowing Morse Code can help you do other fun things. I received these images from Tim K0ETH, who included me on his team to decode the Morse Code sent by the Maritime Radio Historical Society last Summer, in a competition to decode an Enigma message. According to the letter, we were the first to successfully do it. Cool beans!

Good luck and may the Morse be with you!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

A good HF Sunday

 First, the QRP Image of the Day:

Taken from Facebook - love the photo! It's so this time of the year!

I managed to get on the air in the late morning. It was a productive session and yet disappointing at the same time. I worked seven different POTA stations on 20, 15 and 10 Meters. After I worked my last one, I saw TO8FH, Mayotte Island was spotted on, I forget right now, but it was either 15 or 10 Meters. I tuned to the frequency and they were decently loud. Not great, but not bad either. I figured that if I pumped up the KXPA100 a bit, I could probably work them.

The pileup behavior was absolutely atrocious! Between people not knowing how to go about working split, and the "Frequency Cops" sending "UP, UP", the DXpedition itself became inaudible. If I had gotten through and they had come back to me, I would not have heard them. So I did the best operating practice that I could think of - I turned the dial without even bothering to send my call even once..

Later in the evening, I checked into the St Max Net on 75 Meters. It was a good session with 18 stations checking in. Lloyd K3QNT, who is NCS, has a fantastic signal! He runs a tight, but welcoming and enjoyable ship, and it's good to listen to all who check in.

When the net closed, I noticed that the DX Cluster at the bottom of AC Log showed that the DXpedition to Swains Island W8S was spotted on 15 Meters.

I had a few minutes before K2VHW's Middlesex County Chat Net, so I decided to at least give a listen. To my astonishment, W8S was calling "CQ de W8S UP" with few if any takers! I took a stab that "UP" in this case would be about 2 kHz and gave them a call .......and got an immediate answer! An ATNO, a POTA station and an IOTA station in the log all in one shot!

A good day on HF ....... very good, indeed!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Busy morning!

 QRP Image(s) of the Day:

These images were posted to the "14.060 MHz" Facebook page by Fabio Binotto. This is a homebrew QRP SSB transceiver by Alexey Martyncov, U1YF. What craftsmanship! If I had one one hundredth's percent of Alexey's talent, I'd be a happy man!  These images are a sight to behold!

Anyway, its a busy morning as Marianne and I will be leaving for Alexandria Bay later this afternoon. I've a few chores (grocery shopping, get the oil changed, etc.) to accomplish before we go - so this will be short.

I AM taking the KX3 with me and I hope to activate that park later this week. Hopes are just that ... hopes - we'll see what actually happens! However, this time, I've already placed the Buddistick whips in the car along with the rest of the Buddistick components, so this won't be a repeat of Lake George, when I left them at home. So if I don't get a chance to get on the air, it won't be because I left something behind.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least1

What's doing this weekend

 First, the QRP Image of the Day:

Courtesy of Alberto Diaz from the SOTA Facebook page - taken atop EA2/NV-009 - simply beautiful!

If you're so inclined to get on the air this weekend - here are some special events:

Elmer Special Event -  W1E will be on the air in honor of all the Elmers who have assisted and guided us through the years - https://www.qrz.com/db/W1E/ELMER

Peak to Peak Byway 105th Anniversary - N0P/K0P/W0P will be on the air to celebrate the anniversary of Colorado's Peak to Peak Byway - https://w0eno.org/105th-anniversary-peak-to-peak-byway/

1st United Methodist Church Bi-Centennial Event - KC9DJU will be on the air courtesy of the Madison County Amateur Radio Club of Anderson, IN - http://www.w9vcf.org/

I don't know why, but since my Novice days, there's always been a special niche in my heart for Special Event Stations. I've got an album full of certificates and QSLs in the shack - some are notable with really cool certificates and QSL cards and are actually framed and hanging on the shack wall, such as the 50th Anniversary of the Landing of Apollo 11, or the 500th Anniversary of Columbus's trip to the New World which was conducted by Hams who are also Knights of Columbus, or the QSLs and certificate to commemorate the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Others are small, and maybe even silly to some - Toad Suck Days (whatever that is), Hallowe'en Special Events like B0O and the like. But whatever the special event, I like to work them if I have the time and they have a CW op participating. (I'm still not much for SSB). I've been fortunate enough to participate as an operator for several Special Event Stations and as an op, I appreciate those who will get on the air to make contact and support a Special Event, so I like to return the favor whenever I can.

As far as contests go:

Full Day of Hell Sprint - A contest for those of you who like the Feld Hell mode - https://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/Home/contests/sprints/full-day-of-hell-sprint

Worked All Provinces of China Contest - a country I've never even had a QSO with! -  http://www.mulandxc.com/index/match_info?id=8

UK/EI DX Contest - SSB - https://www.ukeicc.com/dx-contest-rules.php

Russian WW Multimode Contest - http://www.rdrclub.ru/news-radio/russian-ww-mm-contest/159-rus-ww-multimode-contest

Antique Wireless Association AM QSO Party - https://www.antiquewireless.org/homepage/am-qso-party-details/

And if you're up REALLY early (or perhaps never went to sleep!) :

THE 1 WATT GAME 2023 - PART 2.

I. OBJECTIVE: A short QRPP CW game on the 20 Meter band. All radio amateurs and SWL's are cordially invited.

II. DATE: Saturday 14 October 2023 from 0900 to 1200 UTC. (That's 5:00AM to 8:00 AM EDT!)

III. BAND: 20 Meter band only. 14.060 MHz +- 10 kHz.

IV. POWER: maximum 1 watt.

V. OPERATION: Only CW (A1A).

1. CALL: CQ 1W

2. EXCHANGE: RST / POWER / LOCATOR

ie. 559/1w/ JO21LA. Additional info like power, RTX, antenna,... is welcome.

VI. SCORING:

First calculate the distance of each QSO.

QSO points = distance divided by the power of the other station (in watts).

Power less than 1 watt is equal to 1 watt in the points calculation.

Eg. your counter station is 2000 km away and uses 5 watt. Then the point count for this QSO is: 2000/5 = 400 points.

Eg. your counter station is 3000 km away and uses 1 watt. Then the point count for this QSO is: 3000/1 = 3000 points.

Eg. your counter station is 3000 km away and uses 300 milliwatt. Then the point count for this QSO is: 3000/1 = 3000 points.

TOTAL SCORE: Sum of all QSO points.

VII. LOG SUBMISSION:

Email your score to on6kz@skynet.be

Add the text: Me, (your call) , I declare that I managed a total of XXX QSOs, my total result is XXX points.

Please add your best DX (call and locator)station-info: locator, power, RTX, antenna. Pictures of your set-up are appreciated.

VIII. GAME REFEREE: Peter Kempenaers (ON6KZ/OO7Z). The Game Referee has the right to request full log in case of any doubt.

IX. LOG DEADLINE: 30 October 2023.

X: Nominees: award for the winner, the best DX, funniest location (if outdoor), original home brew, lowest power.

And there you have it - the goings on for the weekend!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

An investment?

 First, the QRP Image of the Day

Brought to you by Anton Petkov Lz1XM (from Facebook) who certainly has the right idea! A cold 807 and QRP - perfect together, and can't get much better than this!

Bob W3BBO recently brought to my attention two items that he saw on eBay. The first was an unbuilt, in-the-box Heathkit HW-9. The auction ended on Monday and the winning bidder was given the opportunity to shell out $723 for a kit that originally sold for $249.

There is now a listing for a unbuilt HW-8 kit. It has a starting bid of $590 with a "Buy It Now" price of $995. Here's the description as it appears on eBay:

"Unbuilt, never unpacked, complete Heathkit HW-8 QRP Transceiver.  Ships in an outer carton for added protection of contents.  This HW-8 is unbuilt.  It must be built by following instructions in the included Heathkit assembly/instruction manual.  Tools are required for assembly, including a soldering station.  Assembly tools are not included."

This got me to thinking. If I had the money, which I definitely do not - would it be worth it to buy an Elecraft K2 kit and sock it away as an investment? Probably too late for me to see anything out of it, but maybe 20 or 30 years from now, one of my kids could probably walk away with a cool profit. 

It will be interesting to see how that HW-8 auction ends. It wouldn't surprise me to see it end up in the neighborhood of where the HW-9 auction ended. Not bad for a kit that only cost about $250 back in the day.     

Anyway, it's something to think about.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

POTA possibility?

 First, the QRP Image of the Day:

I found this image on Facebook, on the SOTA page. This is Rene Lutz HB9NBG sitting on top of an Alp (I guess) in Switzerland. You'll notice he's handholding a KX2 like it's an HT and he's making contacts on 40 Meters! Wow! THIS is SOTA!

I've been to Switzerland twice for business and actually was not too far from where Rene lives, which, according to QRZ, is near Basel. Basel is where Bron Elektronik is based, the makers of the studio strobes I used to repair, and factory training was my purpose for being there. I also had to visit the FOBA AG headquarters in Zurich (makers of studio stands and studio equipment) , and the SINAR AG headquarters in Allschwill (makers of large format cameras and medium format digital backs). Both times I was there, I never made it to the Alps. On my first visit which lasted two weeks, I spent the weekend in between at Luzerne and from there you could see them off in the distance. That's as close as I got. I think I have a photo sitting somewhere. I'll have to search for it, and if I do, I'll scan it and post it here one day.

My days of being able to climb peaks like that are over (indeed, if I ever HAD days like that where I could climb a mountain!) and the mountains we have in New Jersey are just glorified hills compared to the Alps, or even the Rockies, so my outdoor adventures will rely on POTA. Speaking of which ...........

Next week, Marianne and I are headed up to Alexandria Bay in upstate NY - WAY upstate NY - like Canada is right there! It's our 25th wedding anniversary and Alexandria Bay is where her family vacationed when she was younger. Her Dad and Grandfather were fishing fanatics, so her Dad would gather the family, their boat and they'd rent a cabin and spend three weeks up there every August. She wanted to see it again - so that's where we're going.

And guess what's there?

Keewaydin State Park, also known as K-2088. Will I get a chance to do an activation while I'm there? You're guess is as good as mine. First and foremost this is time to be spent with my lovely bride celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss. She will always come first. But on the chance she might want to sleep in one morning while we're there,?  I'll be packing the KX3 and the Buddistick and magmount ............just in case!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QRP Image of the Day (A new thing!)

 Posted to Facebook by OO7Z

Nice photo!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP  - When you care to send the very least!