When I got home from work last night, the temperature outside was 10F (-12C). My basement shack was a relatively balmy 57F (14C). Just before it was time to go downstairs for the 80 Meter QRP Fox hunt, I changed from the "regular" sweatshirt that I was wearing to a "hoodie" type sweatshirt.
I plugged the earbuds into my ear holes, and pulled the hood up. I was able to remain comfortable, not quite toasty warm, but comfortable in the shack for my duration of the hunt. I do have to admit that once I nabbed the second Fox of the night, Randy NC4RT at about 0244 UTC, I shut everything down and hightailed it upstairs. But as the tip was given freely to me last winter, I pass it on to those who may also need it. If your shack is semi-unheated, as is mine, covering your head makes all the difference between shivering and operating comfortably.
It looks like the coldest weather of this round has left us. It actually warmed up overnight and was 20F (-7C) when I woke up this morning, but snowing. Until the next Vortex comes to visit (and I'm sure there will be more!) the basement should warm up to the low to mid 60F range (15-17C) and playing radio down there won't be so bad, at all.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Showing posts with label sharing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sharing. Show all posts
Friday, January 09, 2015
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Coming this May!
I was surprised, honored and humbled when I was recently approached by Nelson De Sousa KD2CYU, President of the Tri-County Radio Association and was invited to come and give a talk about QRP at one of their club meetings this coming year. The invitation came out of the blue, and to say that I was flabbergasted is an understatement, to say the least.
The TCRA, which was founded in 1934, is home to the W2LI repeater. So we're one letter apart from each other, call sign-wise. How cool is that? Tri-County refers to the fact that the club is located in the area where the NJ Counties of Middlesex, Somerset and Union come together. This is a VERY active club and they pride themselves that they are a radio club - not a repeater club, even though their W2LI repeater has great coverage throughout the area. They have not one, but two meetings a month, conduct VE sessions, do Fox hunts (the radio-directional finding type), and engage in many other activities. Whew! They do a lot!
First contacted via e-mail and then by telephone, Nelson and I had a nice chat the other evening. QRP seems to run deep in the roots of TCRA, with a lot of past members having been or current members being avid QRPers. We spoke with each other for about a half an hour, and agreed that I will come and speak at their meeting on Monday, May 4th.
Between then and now, I hope to put together an interesting Powerpoint presentation concentrating mainly on portable QRP operations. They say you should talk about what you know, so I should be on terra firma here.
I'd like to cover Parkpeditions, SOTA outings, and of course, operating from your car during lunch breaks! Really, I'd like to talk about any excuse for packing up your gear, getting out into the sunshine and operating from the great outdoors. I hope to put in an especially good word for the classic outdoor QRP exercises - Freeze Your Buns Off, QRP To The Field, the Flight of the Bumblebees, QRP Afield, the Sizzle Your Buns Off Sprint and of course, the Skeeter Hunt. Can't get away without pushing the Skeeter Hunt, can I?
I've done a bit of public speaking in the past, and of course, I've been involved in teaching Amateur Radio license classes. But this is different. This is spending some time with your peers (who I have the greatest respect for), many of whom have way more experience than I do, talking about my favorite aspect of the hobby. Pray that I don't screw up!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The TCRA, which was founded in 1934, is home to the W2LI repeater. So we're one letter apart from each other, call sign-wise. How cool is that? Tri-County refers to the fact that the club is located in the area where the NJ Counties of Middlesex, Somerset and Union come together. This is a VERY active club and they pride themselves that they are a radio club - not a repeater club, even though their W2LI repeater has great coverage throughout the area. They have not one, but two meetings a month, conduct VE sessions, do Fox hunts (the radio-directional finding type), and engage in many other activities. Whew! They do a lot!
First contacted via e-mail and then by telephone, Nelson and I had a nice chat the other evening. QRP seems to run deep in the roots of TCRA, with a lot of past members having been or current members being avid QRPers. We spoke with each other for about a half an hour, and agreed that I will come and speak at their meeting on Monday, May 4th.
Between then and now, I hope to put together an interesting Powerpoint presentation concentrating mainly on portable QRP operations. They say you should talk about what you know, so I should be on terra firma here.
I'd like to cover Parkpeditions, SOTA outings, and of course, operating from your car during lunch breaks! Really, I'd like to talk about any excuse for packing up your gear, getting out into the sunshine and operating from the great outdoors. I hope to put in an especially good word for the classic outdoor QRP exercises - Freeze Your Buns Off, QRP To The Field, the Flight of the Bumblebees, QRP Afield, the Sizzle Your Buns Off Sprint and of course, the Skeeter Hunt. Can't get away without pushing the Skeeter Hunt, can I?
I've done a bit of public speaking in the past, and of course, I've been involved in teaching Amateur Radio license classes. But this is different. This is spending some time with your peers (who I have the greatest respect for), many of whom have way more experience than I do, talking about my favorite aspect of the hobby. Pray that I don't screw up!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, November 14, 2014
Another great eHam article
Again, normally I don't link to eHam. It's a great site, but it's a double edged sword. There's a ton of good stuff there, but it also has its share of trolls, cranks, curmudgeons, smart-alecks, etc. And sometimes you have to search through the entire meadow to find the four leaf clover.
This article though, by Bob Watson K7RBW (tell me that's NOT a vanity call!), is worth taking a look at: http://www.eham.net/articles/33101
It's the ultimate in portable ops, eh? ;-)
A lot of us take our hobby for granted, and almost never give a second thought as to how lucky we are to have it available to us. For some people in distant parts of the world, Amateur Radio can help to bring a whole lot of difference (for the better) to their lives.
My hat is off to the doctors, nurses and support staff and volunteers who so selflessly give of their time, talent and treasure to help those in need. And that happens not only in the Honduras, but here too, and all over the world.
Whatsoever you do for the least of My brothers ..............
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
This article though, by Bob Watson K7RBW (tell me that's NOT a vanity call!), is worth taking a look at: http://www.eham.net/articles/33101
It's the ultimate in portable ops, eh? ;-)
A lot of us take our hobby for granted, and almost never give a second thought as to how lucky we are to have it available to us. For some people in distant parts of the world, Amateur Radio can help to bring a whole lot of difference (for the better) to their lives.
My hat is off to the doctors, nurses and support staff and volunteers who so selflessly give of their time, talent and treasure to help those in need. And that happens not only in the Honduras, but here too, and all over the world.
Whatsoever you do for the least of My brothers ..............
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Taking stock
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ……”
Mr. Dickens could not have written more appropriate words to describe my 2012. I have never been a big reveler of the New Year holiday; but this year, I am quite eager and pleased to see the ushering in of a new year and with it, new beginnings and new possibilities.
2012 was not all depression, sadness and tears, however. It did have highlights, particularly with regard to Amateur Radio. The KX3, which I had so diligently saved up for, and ordered on the first night of availability in December of 2011, arrived at the end of May. For me, it has lived up to and has exceeded my expectations. I am quite happy with it and am so glad that it is an available part of the W2LJ “radio stable”. Quite unexpectedly, a K3/10 joined the ranks as well. I hadn’t dreamed of or intended purchasing one – but consider this to be my dear Mom’s last gift to me. It is an amazing radio; and I am so lucky and fortunate to have use of both of these fine pieces of gear.
The inaugural 2012 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt was an integral part of my year. Once again, so many thanks to George N2APB and Joe N2CX and the entire NJQRP Club for agreeing to sponsor this new operating event. Also thanks to Bob W3BBO who helped me ruminate and come up with some of the details for this new outdoor QRP sprint. I had such an enjoyable time assigning Skeeter numbers, actually operating in the event and then collecting and tabulating and posting the results. I am so happy that my fellow QRPers seemed to have as good a time as I did, and I eagerly look forward to the 2013 edition of the Skeeter Hunt.
I got two new antennas up in the air this year. My venerable G5RV finally made way, after a dozen or so years, for the 88’ EDZ antenna. Later in the year, post-Sandy, the W3EDP went up to join it in the W2LJ antenna garden. Too small to be a “farm”, the antenna garden consists of the Butternut HF9V and the two aforementioned wires. I pray these wires will last as long as the G5RV did. There were plenty of hurricanes and nasty winters and wind storms that the G5RV made it through – may these two new wires be as resilient.
I have to include as one of this year’s highlights, my decision to purchase the PAR END-FEDZ 10/20/40 antenna. This simple wire is a delight for portable QRP ops. It’s super easy to deploy as a sloper or inverted “L”. It tunes up with nary a problem and is neatly and easily storable in my “Go Bag”. I can’t think of any downsides to this antenna. It’s well worth the price and comes along with instructions on wire lengths to cut so that you can use it for other bands, if you so desire. This antenna, as well as my Buddistick have become my aerials of choice for portable QRP ops.
Due to all the unfortunate events which took place this year, and their aftermath, I was not able to actually get on the air nearly as much as I had intended. I actually had “a QSO a Day” going until the middle of February, when events started taking unexpected turns. From that point forward, “unexpected” became the norm for 2012, and as a result, severely curtailed my on-the-air time My major 2012 New Year’s Resolution, to complete the ARRL’s Diamond DXCC Challenge, didn’t even come close to happening. So as 2013 arrives, I am going to tempt fate once more, and will try for a QSO a Day in 2013. I am not so foolhardy as to think I will be able to pull it off, but I will do my best – hence my ever present New Year’s Resolution “To get on the air more”!
In addition to day-to-day operating, managing the Skeeter Hunt and sending out notices for The Run For The Bacon each month, this blog (which will be entering its 9th year in 2013) has become a huge part of my Amateur Radio experience. It is a most enjoyable part of Ham Radio for me, and I want to extend my deepest and most sincere thanks to all of you out there who take time out of your busy day to read this and share the Amateur Radio world with me. You are the best friends a Ham could ask for. You all have helped me to deal with what would have otherwise been a most sorrowful year. A very Happy, Blessed, Joyous and Prosperous New Year to all of you!
Lastly, I hope you all enjoy Straight Key Night tonight and tomorrow. W2LJ will be hanging out near and at the various QRP “Watering Holes” (I will spot myself on QRPSPOTS, so be sure to look out for me). I will be using my Vibroplex Original as my aging wrists just can’t stand up to a classic straight key any longer. If we have the good fortune to work each other, please excuse my less than stellar “Bug fist”. I haven’t had much practice lately!
W2LJ 2012 QSO Map
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Confession time
It is said that confession is good for the soul. I have a confession to make - I have severe QRP outdoor envy:
I'd be willing to bet that after watching Steve WGØAT's latest video, that I am not alone in my transgressions.
And Guy N7UN, thanks for that great idea for supporting the Buddistick counterpoise - I am going to be heading out to the hardware store this weekend!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I'd be willing to bet that after watching Steve WGØAT's latest video, that I am not alone in my transgressions.
And Guy N7UN, thanks for that great idea for supporting the Buddistick counterpoise - I am going to be heading out to the hardware store this weekend!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Oh My!
I saw this displayed on the instrument cluster of my Jeep in Bridgewater, NJ (the town where I work) during my drive home this afternoon.
I was at a red light; so I quickly broke out my cell phone and grabbed a quick snapshot. According to the weather forecasters, this is just the beginning. Friday and Saturday are going to be noticeably hotter along with higher humidity, of course!
I've added a new blog to the blogroll - "Misadventures in Ham Radio" by Sam KCØKSV. Sam is sharing his return to the hobby after a layoff. First off, I'm glad he's back but I'm even more glad he's sharing! Sam may prove to be the impetus to get other "inactive" guys going again.
You folks may look at the blogroll and may think there's way too many out there. I don't think there's enough! You never know when an idea that you have will help someone else out. Sharing is the key - the Internet is providing a way for long distance Elmering and that, my friends, is a very, very good thing. Nothing that I come up with here is really all that original. I use the ideas and bits of information that you all provide, and with a twist, I try to make it useful to me and then share my experiences.
I wish we had this 33 years ago when I first got licensed. Back then, as a Novice, we learned by "hands on" and mostly by our mistakes. The tales of the neighborhood Ham who took you under his wing weren't really what I encountered. Don't get me wrong .... I got PLENTY of help and learnin' from Old Timers; but never really in that kind of "one on one" situation that you read so fondly about. If the Internet and blogs and e-mail lists were available back then - boy, I can only imagine where I'd be now! (Heathkit might still be alive!) I definitely "poo poo" the idea that the Internet is killing Amateur Radio - it's making it better!
So, if you want to share - anything .... the technical, social, personal experience of Ham Radio- you don't have to be a Pulitzer Prize caliber author. Heck, I sure ain't! But seriously, consider Blogspot or Wordpress (psst ....... they're free!) and share with us, too!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Seven years blogging about QRP and Morse Code and still have the desire to do it for a lot more!
I was at a red light; so I quickly broke out my cell phone and grabbed a quick snapshot. According to the weather forecasters, this is just the beginning. Friday and Saturday are going to be noticeably hotter along with higher humidity, of course!
I've added a new blog to the blogroll - "Misadventures in Ham Radio" by Sam KCØKSV. Sam is sharing his return to the hobby after a layoff. First off, I'm glad he's back but I'm even more glad he's sharing! Sam may prove to be the impetus to get other "inactive" guys going again.
You folks may look at the blogroll and may think there's way too many out there. I don't think there's enough! You never know when an idea that you have will help someone else out. Sharing is the key - the Internet is providing a way for long distance Elmering and that, my friends, is a very, very good thing. Nothing that I come up with here is really all that original. I use the ideas and bits of information that you all provide, and with a twist, I try to make it useful to me and then share my experiences.
I wish we had this 33 years ago when I first got licensed. Back then, as a Novice, we learned by "hands on" and mostly by our mistakes. The tales of the neighborhood Ham who took you under his wing weren't really what I encountered. Don't get me wrong .... I got PLENTY of help and learnin' from Old Timers; but never really in that kind of "one on one" situation that you read so fondly about. If the Internet and blogs and e-mail lists were available back then - boy, I can only imagine where I'd be now! (Heathkit might still be alive!) I definitely "poo poo" the idea that the Internet is killing Amateur Radio - it's making it better!
So, if you want to share - anything .... the technical, social, personal experience of Ham Radio- you don't have to be a Pulitzer Prize caliber author. Heck, I sure ain't! But seriously, consider Blogspot or Wordpress (psst ....... they're free!) and share with us, too!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Seven years blogging about QRP and Morse Code and still have the desire to do it for a lot more!
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