Sacrilege?

From recent posts, you all know that I recently built my 4 States NM0S paddle kit. I had purchased it specifically for Field Day use. Personally, I love it! I love its small size, its action and feel. It occurred to me, however, that it might not be the best choice for Field Day for one reason.

I will not be the only CW op there. I will be one of two, or three at the most; and somehow I have a feeling that the paddle's small size will become an issue to the other ops. I'm definitely not bringing my Mercury or Begali paddles. They are too near and dear to my heart, so I decided that I will bring my trusty Vibroplex Vibrokeyer.

It works perfectly, has a good weight to it and is large enough where it will be comfortable in even hands older than mine.

I have one problem with the key, though. That (as far as I'm concerned) ugly tan base. Why in the world Vibroplex chose that color is beyond me. Sorry for the graphic image, but it reminds me of the colors I used to find in our kid's diapers when they were infants.  YUCK!

If memory serves me correctly, I picked this up at a Hamfest years ago. I don't use it all that much and it's usually tucked away on a shelf in the shack. And that's a pity as it's really a fine key. I just can't stand that tan base, it just irks me.

After Field Day is over, I think I am going to disassemble it and re-paint the base with the same Rustoleum Black Hammer Finish paint that I used when I restored my Vibroplex Original Bug. That may devalue it, but I don't really care. I'm not planning on selling it and maybe the new look will merit a place for it on the operating table instead of on the shelf.

I hope I haven't driven any Vibroplex purists to begin pulling out their hair. "You're going to do WHAT?!??"

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Well, you learn something new every day!

I got involved in a discussion on the KX3 Facebook page. A Ham who just recently received his KX3 was telling about how he was not overly enamored with the Elecraft KXPD3 paddles that attach to the transceiver. I had a pair, and I was not thrilled with the action and feel either, and said as much.

I have and much prefer the QRPGuys Single Lever Paddle which I bought a while ago. In fact, I like this little paddle so much that I purchased a second, just to have in case the kit was ever retired. And sure, enough, it has been.

When I purchased mine a few years back, the kit was around $25, give or take a few bucks. It's not the most stylish or elegant looking solution, but I really like the action and feel of this little guy.

I told the poster on Facebook about these (they came single lever or iambic) and suggested that maybe he might find someone willing to sell theirs.

My comment was commented on by Michael Harnage W1MT that they ARE still available from QRPBuilder.com. I didn't even know this company and website existed!  It's run by Ken – WA4MNT, and Karen – KF4EEL. I strongly advise you to check them out as they have neat things for sale as well as a lot of useful information. In particular, my eye landed upon an adapter kit that will allow you to use low Z earbuds with a crystal radio that normally allows only the use of a high Z earphone,

So, indeed, you learn something new everyday and today was a good one. Thank you, Michael!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Not sure if this is even available, anymore.

 This was the paddle I used yesterday for FOBB:

It's made from a Bulldog style paper clip.  I don't remember from where I got it; or even how long ago I acquired it - has to be 10 or more years ago. I always keep it in the portable ops bag in a hard plastic container along with my American Morse "Dirt Cheap" paddle.

This little guy has an amazingly good feel and action to it. You would think that it might get all fouled up once you hit a higher sending speed of say, 25 WPM or so, but no - it remains quite comfortable to use, and it doesn't get stuck and start sending extraneous dits or dahs.. The reason I like to use it when I'm operating from the patio table is that the rim of the table is metal. The base of the paddle is a magnet and when I place it on the table rim - it stays put!

I did a quick search on Google and eBay and couldn't find anyone who seems to be selling these. I'll have to take extra special care of it so that it doesn't get lost or damaged. Who would think that something so simple would work so well?

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

For the Key collectors and users out there.

 This was brought to my attention by David Ring N1EA on the CW e-mail reflector. It's a Kindle book for $2.99 by Ken Krause. It is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FH2MN3W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the description as it appears on Amazon:

"This book describes the best way to clean Vibroplex and other telegraph keys. It includes buying tips, how to clean and repair telegraph keys, and much more. This short book will teach you the best ways to clean and repair your Vibroplex key without ruining it.

Many keys get ruined by improper cleaning techniques. Don't let this happen to your key. If you plan on cleaning your Vibroplex key this book is a must read before you begin.

You will learn how to make your own cleaning solution, how to blue steel, how to make minor repairs, how to clean bases and nameplates - everything you need to know to get the job done right the first time."

It looks worthwhile to have and the fact that Dave Ring endorsed it is good enough for me ... and the price is right!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Looking forward to the weekend.

I know it's only Monday, but something to keep in mind THIS WEEK.  Nest weekend is the ARRL CW DX Contest. There may be may ops heading to far and distant locations during this week to get their stations set up and running. You may hear some good pre-contest DX all this week. You may want to keep your ears open and your eyes focused on the DX Clusters.  This is a prime opportunity for QRPers to get their share of DX. This week, and then again next Sunday as the contest winds down and the DX stations really sharpen their hearing, listening for weaker signals to fatten the QSO counts and point totals.

My eBay auctions ended successfully yesterday. I earned more than enough to fund a purchase of something I've been wanting for a while. If the winners are readers, by any chance, thank you so much! Your keys are going out via USPS Priority Mail today and you should both have them before the weekend.

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

Weekend stuff

I didn't participate in FYBO yesterday. By the time I got back from Pep Boys, I was a little bummed out. I was told that the check engine light indicated that the catalytic converter wasn't functioning properly. Let's just say the repair would cost the equivalent of a couple Begali keys, or would easily cover the cost of a KX2 or KX3.

Instead, I hunted for some of those State QSO Party stations - the beginning of my personal challenge. I was surprised how easy it was to work two British Columbia stations. The VE7s were plentiful and loud on 20 Meters. I had two QSOs in the log within minutes. The Minnesota QSO Party was almost as easy, stations were loud and plentiful, too.

Vermont was another story. 40 Meters was the band for hunting in the afternoon as Vermont is way too close for 20 Meter QSOs. I worked KE1VT early and easily. But where were all the rest of the Vermonters? It seemed they were as scarce as hen's teeth. I worked Kevin again later at night on 80 Meters, but I really wanted to get a different Vermont call in the log. I hunted and twiddled and listened for a long time. As it turned out that second QSO had to way until today. I worked K1VMT this afternoon on 40 Meters again.

I got another nice surprise in the mail. My QSL cards and certificate arrived from the DVRA for the W2P and W2T Special Event.

These are going to be framed and hung on the shack wall. Thank you Delaware Valley Radio Association!

Another pleasant surprise came this afternoon, as I got into the car to make a short drive to run an errand. The "check engine" light went out on its own!  A friend had mentioned to me that there was always the possibility that the problem could have just been a "false positive" read by a sensor. He told me to keep an eye on the instrument package, because if that was the case the light would go out after driving for somewhere between 10 - 20 miles. It turned out he was right! You can't imagine how happy that made me.

In a totally unrelated matter, I am selling a couple keys from my collection to raise some dollars to make a different Amateur Radio purchase. I put two keys by  LLAVES TELEGRAFICAS ARTESANAS up for auction on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274246288990

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274246282764

Thanks for looking!

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

Yuck!

As seen on eBay:

I had a set of Palm paddles.  They did not look like that - AND they came from Germany, not China.

I know that Palm has since gone out of business, but seriously - using their name like this smacks of the unethical in my book. If you want to say, "Based on the Palm Design" - I suppose that's acceptable, but don't advertise this so that someone who doesn't know any better might be fooled into thinking they're buying the genuine article.

From what I hear from Bruna Begali on Facebook, there are a Chinese manufacturer or two who have "borrowed" the Begali design for their keys. If you're going to shell out bucks, make sure you're getting the real deal and not a counterfeit. Yes ....... a counterfeit.

Ugh.

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

Thoughts of SKN

The weather forecast for New Year's Eve this coming Monday is a rainy one. We rarely go out on New Year's Eve anyway. Marianne and I are not partying people. Our idea of a big New Year's Eve is to go out to a quiet restaurant for dinner and then come home to watch the ball drop in NYC via the television.

Sign of the times - I saw a commercial the other day for WABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" and I was able to recognize only two of the performing artists. I am getting old.

I will undoubtedly jump on the air for a QSO or two for SKN. Hopefully they will be nice rag chews. I am debating what to use this year - my Llaves Cootie Key 

or my Vibroplex Original.

I have had more practice with the Vibroplex and while I'm a bit rusty, I don't sound too terrible. After using a keyer and paddles for so long, it is harder for me to transition to the sideswiper. When you get so used to one side of a key making "dits" and the other side making "dahs", it becomes harder for me to send somewhat decipherable Morse Code with the Cootie.

Maybe I'll practice for a bit this weekend with the VOX on the KX3 turned off so that it becomes one of the most expensive code practice oscillators in the world.

72 de Larry W2LLJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

My sister knows me

My sister is four years older than me; and she knows her brother very, very well. She's on vacation, heading towards New England and yesterday she and her husband stopped at Hyde Park to visit the Roosevelt residence.

Last night we were texting back and forth as I was wondering how far north they had gotten and if the leaves are changing. She sent me this:

"Here's a pic from the "Art of War" exhibit. I thought of you."

No, no, no.  Of course, I'm not a WAVE nor have I ever been in the Navy.  But from hanging around her little brother, my big sister DOES know what a bug is; and she can pick out a Morse Code apparatus when she sees one.

I've often thought that if I could somehow travel back in time, there are two periods of American history that I'd like to eyewitness. The first would be our Colonial and Revolutionary War period. I'm a bit of a Revolutionary War buff and am fascinated with that era and our founding.

The second period of time I'd love to visit would be the World War II era.  To me, it would be a gas to see what the places I know so well today looked like 60-70 years ago. To see my parents and grandparents as their younger selves would be a blast, too. My grandparents on my Dad's side of the family passed away before I was born. It would be nice to be able to meet them, even if my identity had to remain anonymous. (The sci-fi fan in me knows all about changing timelines. LOL!)

The big thing for me would be radio, of course. Television as we know it was in its infancy and was not common. Broadcast radio was the rage. Although Amateur Radio was shut down for the war - plenty of ops were performing communication duties for the military. My Dad, who had no interest in Amateur Radio whatsoever was attached to the Signal Corps and was part of the group sent to Britain to work on the RADAR development project. Maybe that's where my radio gene came from! If I was living back then, I am pretty sure that I would either be doing something like that; or if I was classified as "4F' for whatever reason, I'd probably be doing radio repair.

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

Thinking about SKN already

Even though Christmas hasn't come yet, I'm already thinking about what to do for Straight Key Night.  I've decided to put the KX3 into mothballs for the evening and will give the HW-8 the place of honor on the shack desk.

I will use either my W2WK straight key; or maybe I'll break out the ol' Vibroplex Original and will make some ears bleed.

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

FOBB 2017 in the books!

The Flight of the Bumblebees for 2017 is in the books!  Many thanks to Rich Fisher KI6SN and the Adventure Radio Society for sponsoring this "classic" Summer time QRP event.  I use the term "classic" because this was the 20th Anniversary of FOBB. It has provided so much fun for so many people throughout its two decade history that it deserves the status of "Classic".

The weather in Central New Jersey was about as perfect as it could be. When I left the house at Noon, it was sunny, with crystal blue skies, without a cloud in them. The temperature was a very comfortable 77F (25C) with low humidity - near picture perfect.

When I got to Washington Rock State Park, about 20 minutes later, I was greeted with a park that was nearly empty. Just a few people and all the picnic tables were vacant.  I went to my customary table and went about setting up the station.

First thing was the antenna of course. I'm not trying to be boastful; but I am getting darn good with that Joplin ARC antenna launcher.  As long as there's no stiff cross breeze to mess me up, I can place the line in one shot.  Today was no exception.  I got the "bullet" over a limb in the  40 to 50 foot high neighborhood and hoisted the PAR ENDFEDZ 40/20/10.

It's always hard to get a good photo of a wire antenna in the trees.  The white arrows point out the path of the antenna and the yellow arrow points to where the coax ends and the PAR begins. The end of the antenna actually ended up going a bit over a limb that is way higher up and is out of the photo. I had the station set up with plenty of time to go.  It afforded me the opportunity to make a few postings on social media, both Twitter and Facebook.

I decided to use my newly built QRP Guys KX single lever paddle for the entire event.  I wanted to see how it would hold up under Sprint conditions; and whether or not I would fatigue from using it; or other wide become uncomfortable.

The station power supply was my older Radio Shack 5 aH SLA and I think that today was its last performance.  It exhausted itself rather early on, even though I had recently charged it.  I got it used and it has served me well for the last seven years or so.  No regrets there; and I certainly got my money's worth out of it (it was free).  Luckily, my lithium battery is always in the backpack and it had more than enough capacity to carry me through until the end of the contest.  The reason I didn't use it from the start was that I had my suspicions about the health of the SLA and I wanted to see if they were correct.  They were.

Band conditions were not the greatest, to say the least.  20 Meters was the money band today; and I was disappointed with 40 Meters.  Usually 40 Meters yields me as many QSOs as does 20 Meters. Not today.  40 Meters was noisy and QSB was bad. Signals were either 599 or 449, and often they went back and forth between those two extremes whole I was trying to copy an exchange.

I ended up making 29 QSOs altogether. Not great, as I've certainly done better in past FOBBs. But given the fact that we're traveling down the downside of the sunspot cycle about as fast as the QSB was today, it could have been a lot worse. 19 were made on 20 Meters and the balance on 40 Meters, a 2/3rds to 1/3 ratio, where normally for me it's about even or closer to even. Some calls that stood out - Greg, N4KGL had the loudest signal that I encountered all afternoon. I also ran into AB9CA, NK9G, K4BAI, WA5BDU, WD8RFI and VE3LFN among many others.

I also received a post on Facebook from Mike KC2EGL who was with John K3WWP working N3AQC in PA that they heard me calling CQ on 40 Meters. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hear them calling me and wasn't able to get a QSO in the log. Perhaps if I had done something a little bit different - more on that below. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Lessons learned this time out:

1) The QRP Guys KX single lever paddle is a neat!  I used it the entire time and had no problems. No inordinate amount of sending mistakes and no fatigue. The paddle has a good feel to it and allowed me to send crisp code at varying speeds between 16 - 23 WPM.

2) I need new ear buds. The current ones have served me well the past 4 - 5 years. The right ear bud has developed a scratchiness which is not debilitating; but is definitely annoying.

3) Engage the noise blanker on the KX3 earlier. As I mentioned before, 40 Meters was pretty noisy up there at the park for whatever reason.  Towards the end of my stay there, it dawned upon me to turn on the KX3's noise blanker. It helped, a lot!  I probably wouldn't have made as many QSOs on 40 Meters as I did, without it. Sometimes I get so used to putting the "filter between the ears" through its paces, that I forget the mechanical and electronic aids that are available to me.

4) Trust your gut. The 5 aH SLA died rather quickly at Field Day and then it charged up rather quickly after. That told me right then and there that something wasn't quite right.  So even though I knew it was probably on its last legs; I was still hoping against hope that I was wrong and it was okay. My gut was right, my hopes were ill-founded.

5) This one I already knew, but I will reiterate - always carry back ups!

So even though a battery died on me, and I didn't make as many QSOs as I would have liked and band conditions were in the dumper, it was still a good day. As I wrote to W3BBO in an e-mail - a lousy day at QRP is way better than a good day at work!

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

Oh, so bad!

What's so bad?  My fist on my Llaves Cootie key.

After a discussion on Facebook with another Ham about the differences between a single lever paddle and a Cootie, or sideswiper key, I decided to take mine off the shelf. I blew the dust off - just to give you an idea of how long it's been, and hooked it up to the KX3 with the VOX off.  This allows me to use the KX3 as a code practice oscillator on steroids. I hear the side tone, but no RF goes out.

And that was a good thing!  I did not need to record my fist to realize how terrible it was.  After so many years of using paddles, where one side is dits and the other is dahs, my muscle memory wanted to do the same thing with the Cootie.  But you can't.  You have to keep swinging left, right, left right, left, right and just vary the timing for the dits and dahs.

I kept at it for about 15 minutes or so, starting with only making dits and dahs at first (multiples and then alternating) and then sending real characters after. I found "L" the hardest for me to get used to, for some reason. I estimate that after about a week's worth of practice, I should be proficient enough to be able to go on the air for real without embarrassing myself too badly. "So why bother with a sideswiper at all, if it's so hard?", you might be asking yourself? For one, I enjoy the challenge and secondly, I like being able to use a manual key (like a straight key) without the discomfort a straight key causes me.

I really admire those who can switch between paddles, bugs and sideswipers without missing a beat. Those folks are amazing!

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

From the mail bag

I received a couple of e-mails asking me to post some information - perhaps opinion, would be a better term. In the first, I was asked if I would list, in one spot, the materials that I used to build my magloop - here goes:

Capacitor -  20-240 pf - RF Parts - Part # 73-145-25 - $49
Capacitor Enclosure - PolyCase - Part # WP-33F - $18
6:1 Reduction Drive - Oren Elliot - Part # BD-602 - $18
Coax for main loop - DX Engineering LMR400 - $10
Tripod base - Husky Work Light tripod - $19

The feeder loop was made from spare #14 wire and the feedline was taken from spare RG-8X coax that I had that was just sitting around. The PVC support pieces were purchased from Home Depot - 1/2" schedule 40 PVC. In addition to the tubing (18" sections), I used one 4-way cross piece and three PVC Tees. The total cost for all materials came to less than $125, including the stand.

Nothing against the commercial magloops that are out there that are available for Amateur Radio use. They're all top notch pieces of equipment; and you wouldn't go wrong purchasing any of them. However, there's just something ultimately satisfying about rolling your own and ending up with a specimen that works, really well.

The second e-mail asked for a recommendation for keys for those who are just beginning to use Morse Code.

For the neophyte, I would recommend a straight key to start off.  This will allow you to send Morse at a speed which is most comfortable for a beginner - slow. My favorite straight key, up until recently, have been the Nye Viking Speed-X keys.

They are fully and easily adjustable and the large Navy style knob makes finger placement easy and comfortable.  Using a straight key from the beginning will allow you to concentrate on proper spacing and rhythm of Morse characters. It's harder to let the Code "run away" from you when you're using a straight key as compared to sending with a keyer and paddles, which can be set for a higher speed than a newbie should be using.

Some new Hams dive right into electronic keying, thinking that the almost perfect machine keying will mask their "newness". Actually, I've heard some pretty horrendous CW out there from people using keyers and paddles incorrectly. Yes, the dits and dahs are perfect, but the spacing between characters and words can go all over creation, making copy difficult, if not impossible. IMHO, starting out on a straight key goes a long ways towards teaching proper spacing and weight of the Code.  Once you've mastered that, you can move on to paddles and keyers with confidence in your abilities.

If you want to advance past a straight key; but the thought of electronic Morse Code somehow turns your stomach, there are always bugs and Cootie keys that you can advance to.  A bug, of course, is a semi-automatic key, which allows for the automatic generation of dits and the manual generation of dahs.

Using a bug can be difficult, as they are really meant for code speeds of about 25 WPM or higher. They can be slowed down using various methods, but even so, using a bug is not for the faint of heart. Getting the rhythm and spacing to sound good take practice - a LOT of practice!

Sideswipers or Cootie keys are kind of like a sideways straight key.  These also take a lot of practice to get used to; but not as much as a bug.  The problem with a Cootie or sideswiper is that once you get used to using paddles and a keyer, it's hard to transition back to totally manufactured dits and dahs.  It takes time to get used to the fact that you just don't hold the lever to one side or the other to have a string of dits and dahs come out!

No matter what method you use to send Morse Code, be aware that it will take time and practice to become really proficient.  There are many out there who can switch from a straight key, to a bug, to a Cootie and then to a paddle and keyer and sound fantastic on all of them. If you come across someone like that, you've come across a true Master of the art of Morse Code.  It takes a very log time to get that good!
Finally, whatever way you choose to generate code, buy the best key that you can reasonably afford. Your straight key, bug, paddle or sideswiper will become your vehicle towards sending good Morse Code.  Using a quality tool will go a long way towards adding to your enjoyment of CW.  As a comparison, yes ..... you can drive from New Jersey to California in a beat up ol' jalopy; but the journey is much more pleasurable when you're travelling in a fine luxury automobile.
72 de Larry W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QRP Guys single lever paddle for the KX series

This lil' guy caught my eye a few months ago, a single lever paddle for the KX3.

I went over to the QRP Guys website, only to see that it was priced at $25. I figured, A) I love single lever paddles and B) "How can you go wrong for 25 bucks?", it's not like it's going to break the bank, and I ordered one.  It came quickly, but today was the first time since it was delivered that I got a chance to sit down and build it. The instruction manual, which you download and print out, gives this kit a difficulty rating of "4" on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is "Simple" and 5 is "SMT". To be honest with you, I didn't find it difficult at all, except for one small glitch.

The paddle body itself is made from PC Board material. There are five main pieces - the paddle base, the paddle leaf holder, the left and right contact holders and a support.  All fit together nicely and are tack soldered together to form the paddle body. once you have everything aligned, you re-solder the tacks to make them permanent.

The only problem that I had (with the exception of losing a screw, which went into orbit. It's a good thing I had a serviceable replacement in the junkbox!) was that the paddle support would not fit flush with the paddle base. There's a slot cut for it, but it wouldn't fit.  I had to take out my jeweler's files to make the notch just a tad wider.

The entire process from start to finish took less than two hours and that's with my "check-everything-three-times-before-soldering" paranoia. Again, I did notice that things went easier for me when I took off my glasses and got up close and personal to the work that had to be done. The ol' peepers really aren't what they used to be.

Adjusting the contact spacing was a piece of cake and it was easy to get things just where I like them - almost at touch paddle setting. The manual says that spacing as close as a couple thousandths of an inch is possible and I believe it. I barely have to move the lever in either direction to produce clean, crisp code.

The only thing that I might consider is taking up the manual's suggestion to get a cheap set of feeler gauges to use as stock for a new lever. The one supplied is a little "whippy" in my estimation. A thicker piece of metal would feel more robust. The lever supplied is certainly usable as is; but a stiffer one would just be improving the feel a tiny bit closer to my subjective preferences.  You know how fussy and particular we CW ops get about our keys!

The final step that I took (stupidly, AFTER taking the photos!) was to take a permanent black magic marker, and go over the edges of the circuit board material and to cover over the solder fillets. That made the who assembly look a bit more "finished". A nice touch is that if you own a set of the SideKX side panels and Lexan cover, there are no issues with placing the Lexan cover on your KX3 while the paddle remains attached. It does not get in the way of the cover, whatsoever. Additional bonus - you can still use your favorite paddle(s) while this remains plugged in.  You do not have to remove it in order to use your favorite external paddle.

If you want to have an attachable paddle for your KX3 or KX2, but feel squeamish about parting with the dinero for a set of Elecraft KX3PD or KX2PD attachable iambic paddles, then you might want to look into buying one of these. I think I'm going to enjoy using mine - I do so far!

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

Back from the Lake

As I type this, massive depression is setting in as the last few hours of my vacation week are coming to a close. Tomorrow, it's back to the Old Grind.

Last week was spent at our customary place at Lake George, NY.  The weather was iffy, with rain and thunderstorms at the beginning and end of the week. Sandwiched in the middle was some good weather.  I didn't head out for my customary QRP session at the top of Mount Prospect until Monday, this time. Usually, I head out there on Sunday and take part in the QRP-ARCI Homebrew Sprint, but this year I was content to spend Sunday doing my best imitation of a couch potato.

When I went up there on Monday, I brought the magloop along and set that up.  Immediately, I knew something was wrong.  I was having a very hard time getting a loud background noise "sweet spot", which indicates a good match.  Removing the top of the capacitor enclosure, it became obvious that if I turned the tuning knob in one direction, all was well. When I tried to tune in the opposite direction, the capacitor shaft would not turn at all.  Argh!  One of the two set screws on the reduction drive had come loose!

And of course, of all the tools that I carry in the Jeep, a complete set of hex wrenches is not included. I put the magloop away in its carrying sack and broke out the Jackite pole, my drive on mast support and the PAR 10/20/40.  I had that up and on the air in a few minutes, but the bands seemed dead. I had no luck calling CQ and I wasn't heard on 17 Meters by J68GD, who was loud, but called CQ in my face when I tried to answer him.  Obviously, this was another instance when propagation wasn't reciprocal.  I went back to 20 Meters and was hunting around when all of a sudden it got very windy. My ARRL mini log books were flying all over the place and the Jackite was doing its best impression of a Hawaiian Hula dancer. I decided to call it quits for the day, and head back to the cabin.  On the way back, I stopped by a small hardware store in Lake George Village and picked up a good hex wrench set.  When I got back to the cabin, once again I removed the top of the capacitor enclosure. The one set screw was tight and was right as rain, but the other needed about a 1/4 turn to get it snug. I gave it an extra bit of torque to make sure it was tight, but not to the point of rounding off the set screw.  Right away, I was able to turn the tuning knob in both directions and see that the capacitor shaft was moving, also. Lesson learned - always have the proper tools close by!

Although I didn't make any contacts, later that night I logged onto the Reverse Beacon Network website and plugged in my call sign to see if I was being heard.  I was!  Good signal to noise reports all up and down the East coast, into the Mid-west and even out as far as Saskatchewan, Canada. I was getting out, I just wasn't getting any takers.

The end of the week turned rainy, damp and chilly.  Thursday afternoon was spent largely in the cabin. Once again I decided to set the loop up in the cabin.  I wasn't hearing all that much, except on 20 Meters, where I was hearing some DX. US1GCU was calling CQ, so I gave Leo a call and got an answer.  To the 599 that I gave him, I got a 579 in return.  A few minutes later, I heard a loud UR4EZ calling CQ.  Sent my call again and was answered immediately. Victor gave me a 579 and I gave him a 599.  Both Ukrainians were very loud.  I was very pleased to receive the 579 reports as I never mentioned to either Leo or Vic that I was running QRP power and that I was using a magloop antenna indoors. And since the unsolicited 579s were received instead of "compulsory" DX 599s, I will take it that I was given RSTs that were honest and somewhat accurate.

Again, this magloop continues to amaze me.  It boggles my mind from time to time that it gets out so well and that I receive the signal reports that I get. Again, this is not an every day antenna; but it sure makes a nice antenna for vacation and portable ops when there are no trees around; or you don't want to mess around with trees on someone else's property.

This morning was the Sussex County Amateur Radio Club's annual Hamfest at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ.  I think that without a doubt, this is the largest Hamfest in New Jersey. Luckily, I was able to attend as some years it occurs on the Sunday that we are in Lake George.  I made the trip up to Augusta with Marv K2VHW.  I didn't have plans to buy much of anything. I did come home with some CR2023 button batteries for Harold's LED collar that we use when we take him for walks after it gets dark.  I also came home with a little Radio Shack travel alarm clock that I picked up for $2.  I set it to UTC and put it in my backpack.  It will serve well as my official portable ops logging clock. It is only about 2 X 3 inches and maybe 3/4 of an inch deep, so while it is very small, the display takes up a large part of the front and is easy to read.  There's even a button that you can push to light up the display for reading it in darker conditions.

There were lots of things on tables that I was absolutely salivating over, especially this Brown Brothers straight key / paddle combo.

The gentleman selling it was firm on the price and was more than I was willing to spend. And when it comes right down to it, while I always wanted one of these, I have so many wonderful paddles and straight keys already - how many can you have? And what good would it do to have it just to collect dust on a shelf.  I can't imagine using this primarily instead of my Begali or N2DAN Mercury paddles.  Collecting is nice if you have money to burn, but that's never been the case for me.

Besides, I will be adding one more key to my collection at the end of the month - a W2WK Marconi Straight Key.  I'd rather have one of Bill's straight keys than the Brown Brothers combo, any day.

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

The weekend

Saturday was a normal, busy Saturday and it was cool with on and off rain. As such, that forced me to operate indoors for QRPTTF - and in a way that was a blessing. As it turned out, the bands were so dismal, that had I went out and traveled to a river and gone through the whole outdoor setup procedure, I would have been bitterly disappointed.  Somehow, making only four contacts isn't as disappointing when you don't have to brave the elements and the added work of setting up a portable station in the rain.

I could not believe the conditions on 20 Meters!  I heard stations, but only to the degree that I knew they that someone was there. Signals were so weak and into the ESP realm, that I was not able to copy any call signs.  I knew Morse Code was being sent; but that was about it.

40 Meters yielded my four QSOs.  I worked North Carolina, Ontario and Maine. There was one station (call sign withheld as I can't remember it! LOL!) that was frustratingly loud that I called and called and called ....... only to get "CQ TTF" as an answer for my effort. I finally gave up, figuring that he was either in a high ambient noise location, or that once again, propagation was not reciprocal.

The bad thing (or maybe it's a good thing?) about being a home station is that when the bands are dismal you can trot off and do other things, like chores and stuff. If I were a field station, I would have stuck it out longer because of the effort of putting a portable station on the air. I think the frustration level would have been markedly higher, though, as you look for a return on your expended effort.

In other things, I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of Jerry Haigwood W5JH on April 21st.  I read of Jerry's passing via an e-mail to 4 States QRP Group (of which I am a member) by Terry WA0ITP.  While I did not know Jerry very well on a personal basis, I have worked him numerous times on the air.  In addition, Jerry was the driving force behind the AZ ScQRpions Black Widow and Mini Black Widow paddles.  I still have my Black Widow paddles and at one time I did own a set of the Mini Black Widow paddles attached to my PFR3A.  Both were/are excellent paddles and are a testament to Jerry's machining skills.

RIP, Jerry - you will be missed.

Lastly, I finally had the opportunity to sit down and play with something that was sent to me by Richard, G3CWI, owner of SOTABEAMS.  A few months ago, Rich graciously sent me a WSPRLITE, to play with and evaluate. The WSPRLITE is a small WSPR transmitter beacon, if you will, that you can use to test your antennas.

I hadn't the time, up until now, to give it the attention it deserves. Mind you, it's very easy to use - as easy as falling off a log - but as John Lennon wrote in a song, "Life is what happens while your busy making other plans."  I don't want to give the impression that I put off getting this little beauty on the air due to it being a difficult process. Nothing could be farther from the truth!  It's just that things (obligations, chores, colds) always seemed to get in the way each time I had planned to get it up and running.

Well, last night I got it up and running within a few minutes and got results almost immediately!  This lil' guy is way cool and I want to play with it for a few more evenings this week and then I want to let it run for a few hours in the daytime before I let you know what my impressions are.  But so far, it's a very neat tool to have, especially if you have more than one HF antenna and you want to see how they stack up against each other.

I hate to keep you hanging; but that's all I'm going to say about it for now.  The WSPRLITE will deserve it's own post to properly give it the evaluation it deserves - and you can look for that either next Saturday night or Sunday.

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

Tough going

As planned, I did participate in the SKCC 150th Sprint last evening, for about 90 minutes of the two hours. I must say that from the beginning, my fist was rather lousy. It's one thing when your fist is lousy and you're blissfully unaware. It's altogether another thing when your fist is lousy and you're wincing as you make mistakes! It's strange to be looking at your hand while you're sending CW, making a mistake and thinking, "Why did you just do that?", as if your arm and hand belonged to someone else.

Thanks to all who hung with me for that barbaric assault on your ears - I deeply apologize.  That was the end result of using only a keyer and paddles or a bug for the last however. I do have to admit that as the evening went on, and I got more comfortable, my fist improved ........ marginally. I found out that I got better if I pounded the brass with my eyes closed, and relied solely on concentrating on the sound.

I must have been doing something right, though, because after 90 minutes of NAQCC Sprint, my wrist, hand and elbow suffered no discomfort at all. And people DID copy me ........ I did not get many "?'s", so again, I must have been doing something right. And the Reverse Beacon Network was able to copy my 14/15 WPM CQs, so I guess I wasn't as bad as I thought.  I AM my own worst critic!

I don't have my log in front of me; but I think I walked away with 18 QSOs - scattered across 20, 40 and 80 Meters.  40 Meters seemed once again to be the money band, yielding the most contacts. My meager effort was a lot of fun and brought back fond memories of when I participated in these sprints on a regular basis.  I'm now kind of interested in doing that again.  Not only will it help to fatten up my log book, but it will also keep me in regular practice on the straight key.

Last night, I used my LTA SKCC Straight Key, which is a nice enough key.

I keep on telling my buddy, Bill Koeth W2WK that I want to buy one of his straight keys.  Bill is a machinist with amazing talent and he produces straight keys that feel great and work marvelously and they're beautiful to look at, too!  I've test flown a few prototypes for him and want to add one of his production models to my bench. I think using one of his straight keys would be a further enticement for entering these NAQCC Sprints on a regular basis.

The other thing I noticed, quite happily, is that there seemed to be no increase in the ambient RF noise level at my QTH.  A neighbor two doors down just installed solar panels on his roof.  I've been told that with some installations, when the inverters kick in, there can be plenty of RF hash.  That was not the case last night; but I'll have to check this weekend during the daylight hours to make sure there's not a problem. Can you imagine going to your neighbor and saying, "Hey, I hate to tell you; but your brand new solar panels are wiping out radio reception at my house." THAT would go over like the proverbial lead balloon!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Product reviews

I have two product reviews to do, from two kind Amateur Radio vendors who sent me some "cool stuff" to try out. Many. many thanks to hamshop.cz and SOTABEAMS for thinking highly enough of me to do some product testing.

I am going to do one review tonight and another after next weekend.  I have played with both products and both are superb; and I want to give each its due, so tonight, I will talk about hamshop.cz's Mini Iambic Mini Paddles, which I received first

I received these paddles a couple of months ago - soon after their availability was announced. They looked interesting to me and I had even mentioned on this blog that I would have liked to purchase a set.  Not long after that, a sample arrived in the mailbox. Thank you, hamshop.cz !!!

These are constructed from parts printed out from a 3D printer if I am not mistaken.  They are light in weight and are ideal for QRP portable ops, whether that be SOTA, POTA, or just a trip to your backyard, if that's what you have in mind.

One might think that something that came out of a 3D printer would be cheap or shoddy and I have to tell you honestly, that nothing could be farther from the truth.  I have played with these paddles for a while now and I have to tell you that they compare VERY favorably with my Palm Pico paddles. They are roughly the same size, but the hamshop.cz's iteration are a bit lighter and also a tiny bit larger. They use a magnetic return for a very smooth feel and a very positive return.The tension can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the big screw at the top and lever spacing can be adjusted by two tiny set screws by each paddle at the front of the housing.

These first run paddles came without a cable and I had to wire them up myself, but that was not a big issue.  I see on the hamshop.cz website that the paddles now come with a cable for the circuit board pin configuration that they use as a connector.

So, how do they work?  Very well actually! I have been using them on the KX3 and they have been a joy to use. As I mentioned, they are smooth and have a good feel to them. The positive return makes sure the paddles always return to "home" position reliably, so there is no issue with getting stuck sending unintentional strings of dits or dahs. I have sent at speeds from about 13 WPM to 25 WPM with no fumbling or mistakes due to the equipment. Any mistakes originated from the "gray matter between the ears".

They are ideal for portable ops as they are a breeze to carry in a backpack and are so light that you can hold them in your hand all day and send Morse for hours without getting tired.  I see hamshop.cz now supplies them with magnets on the base so that you can stick these to something if you'd rather not hand hold them for any length of time.

The price is a selling point, too. Currently, a set of these paddles go for 25 Euros, which is about $27 US Dollars. Compare that to the Palm Pico Paddles, which go for about $116.  I know, I know - this is kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

Would I give up my Pico Paddles?  No, not at all. When you compare the two, the craftsmanship and the materials used in the Palm paddles justify their cost.  But for $27, I think the hamshop.cz paddles are a bargain!  The operability, size and weight compare favorably to the more sophisticated Pico paddles, but the price is a clear winner.  If you're on a tight budget, you can have a set of really good miniature paddles for a very reasonable price. And, if you should have an accident and damage them; or even be unlucky enough to lose them, there's no heart attack factor involved - you just order another set!

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

In the news

Speaking of Morse Code, I picked up my Bencher N2DAN Mercury paddle this past Friday evening at our monthly club meeting.  It is beautiful, feels beautiful and looks beautiful on the shack bench.  The only thing is that I have to look into getting new finger pieces. The current ones are a "glittery" blue.  I don't mind the blue at all, but could do without the glitter. Does anybody know of anyone who makes nice wooden ones?

The Silent Key who owned this had a weird Molex connector coming off of it, and the cable itself was only about a foot long.  I unsoldered that, put on about a 2 foot section of three conductor cable and the standard (now standard) 3.5mm stereo plug.

I immediately worked a few NPOTA stations and it feels just as good as my Begali.  It's like using a touch key. The movement is so slight as to be indiscernible. I now have two sports cars sitting on my bench.  I don't have a lot of other keys - a few straight keys and a few bugs and few other miscellaneous paddles.  I fear that none of those guys will be seeing much action anytime soon!

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

Score!

Picking it up tonight !  Feeling stoked!

A pre-owned Bencher Mercury paddle. Literally a deal I could not pass up.

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