In yesterday's video we saw Alan W2AEW activate Washington Rock State Park with the CFT1 QRP Transceiver. Dummy me! I didn't realize that this is the newest offering from KM4CFT, who also sells the 9:1 UNUN kit that I recently built and put through a test run on Sunday.
Alan also has a YouTube video on the actual build of the kit. I am posting it here as a companion video - a prequel, if you will. It's a little long - close to 40 minutes, but is very interesting.
By the way, if you haven't subscribed to Alan's YouTube channel, you're missing out on a lot of great stuff.
Good friend, Alan W2AEW does a POTA activation with a new QRP rig.
Boy howdy! These new QRP rigs are popping up so fast, it's hard to keep up with them - what's new, what's what ....... WOW! Going to sound like an oldster, but I can remember when you could count available QRP rigs with the fingers on both hands. Pickin's were slim ...... no more!
Alan was at my favorite spot - Washington Rock State Park, in Greenbrook, NJ.
I have to admit, unless I'm really interested in a video on YouTube, my short attention span usually zones me out after a few minutes of watching. For some reason, I found this one fascinating. I love to see how QRP is approached on other countries.
Enjoy the video!
This video reminds me of my time during Piscataway Amateur Radio Club Field Days .......sometimes we spent more time focused on food than operating! But I found this video very enjoyable. I hope you do, as well.
I received an e-mail with a question from a reader. "Why don't you do videos like so many others seem to be doing?"
I have delved into making a few videos in the past. Unlike the really good videos you find on YouTube, mine have been done with my phone. To make a video properly, and one that is worth watching and is actually enjoyable to watch, you need more equipment than I can muster. One or more cameras of decent quality are required, a decent tripod, and good editing software and a decent computer to run it all on. The most important ingredient, though, is time.
Between work, home responsibilities and some other commitments that I have, I barely find enough time to get on the air and play radio! Making videos at this point would just eat up precious time that I do not have right now. I am hoping, hoping, hoping to retire next May on the occasion of my 68th birthday. If I can do that, maybe I can begin to think about creating a video or two.
However, maybe this weekend during FOBB, I will take some footage with my phone and cobble something together with the free editing software that I have on my laptop to see if I can make something worth watching. It will be rudimentary at best. And believe me, if I think it turns out like a piece of .........., I will not irritate your eyes and ears with something terrible.
In the meantime, W2LJ will just keep on plain ol' vanilla blogging.
The extended weather out look for South Plainfield. Looks like Sunday may be the beginning of yet another heatwave. I hope that personal neck fan arrives in time!
05/04/2024 | NJ Knights of Columbus 128th State Convention
May 4-May 18, 0000Z-2359Z, K0C, Brick, NJ. NJKCARC (N2AJO). 7.225 14.240 21.350 28.340. Certificate & QSL. Art Olson, 339 18th Ave, Brick, NJ 08724. For domestic contacts: QSL card, send SASE; for QSL card and certificate, send two dollars. For DX contacts: QSL card, send two dollars; for QSL card and certificate, send five dollars. For more information, visit K0C on QRZ.com or Email: olson339@comcast.net www.qrz.com/db/K0C
05/12/2024 | National Police Week - To Honor Our Fallen Heros
May 12-May 18, 0001Z-2359Z, K3FBI/0-9, Fredericksburg, VA. FBI Amateur Radio Association. 14.275 7.060. Certificate. Jay Chamberlain - NS4J, 27 Fox Run Ln, Fredericksburg, VA 22405-3303. To honor all Law Enforcement members who have died in the line of duty. All bands and all modes. Multiple stations from around the U.S. Downloadable PDF certificate by the end of June at QRZ, https://www.qrz.com/db/K3FBI k3fbi@arrl.net
05/12/2024 | Police Services Week
May 12-May 18, 0000Z-0000Z, N4P, Gainesville, FL. W. Travis Loften High School Amateur Radio Club - K4WTL. 14.335. Certificate. Robert Lightner, 3435 NW 34th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605. www.qrz.com/db/k4wtl
05/18/2024 | National Maritime Day
May 18, 1300Z-2100Z, K3S, Baltimore, MD. Nuclear Ship Savannah ARC. 7.1 14.1 21.1 28.1. QSL. K3LU, 980 PATUXENT ROAD, Odenton, MD 21113. Single transmitter SSB and CW aboard N/S Savannah. Please check spotting networks for frequencies. Info on QRZ.com www.qrz.com/db/k3s
05/18/2024 | South Orange Amateur Radio Assoc., 50th Anniversary
May 18-May 19, 1700Z-0100Z, K6SOA, Mission Viejo, CA. South Orange Amateur Radio Assoc.-SOARA. 28.375 21.350 14.250 7.200. QSL. SOARA Special Event, P.O. Box 2545, Mission Viejo, CA 92690. To receive the QSL, send a SASE, or accept eQSL. soara.org
05/18/2024 | W6SFM Bug Roundup
May 18-May 20, 0000Z-0000Z, W6SFM, Fair Oaks, CA. Samuel F. Morse Amateur Radio Club. 3.533 7.033 14.033 28.033. QSL. Samuel F. Morse Amateur Radio Club, 4901 Minnesota Avenue, Fair Oaks, CA 95628. https://w6sfm.org/bug-roundup
05/19/2024 | National EMS Week
May 19-May 25, 0000Z-0000Z, N4E, Gainesville, FL. W.T. Loften High School Amateur Radio Club. 14.335. QSL. W.T. Loften High School ARC, 3000 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641. www.qrz.com/db/k4wtl
On a humorous note - I came across this video during one of my meanderings across the vast prairies of YouTube:
For a humorous parody type of video - I think it was produced quite well. And make sure to watch it to the very end! And while this video is meant to be taken as humorous satire, I personally know of two instances where this happened in real life. These persons got interested in Amateur Radio, got licensed and got into DX hunting quite heavily. They had the means to be able to afford deluxe stations and very credible antenna farms. Once they earned DXCC Honor Roll, they both basically said "What's left?" and sold all their equipment and allowed their licenses to lapse. What a shame!
Today marks the last "in house production day" at MFJ - interesting that they chose the first day of Hamvention for that. And speaking of Hamvention, I along with the rest of you, wonder what new goodies will be introduced this year - not that I'll be able to afford any of them!
World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) is celebrated each year on April 18.
The theme for 2024 is, "A Century of Connections: Celebrating 100 Years of Amateur Radio Innovation, Community, and Advocacy." The global event covers all of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) regions and spans 2 days: Thursday, April 18, 2024, 0000 UTC to Friday, April 19, 2024, 0000 UTC.
On April 18, 1925, the IARU was formed in Paris and will celebrate its centenary in 2025. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was the organization's first president.
All radio amateurs are invited to take to the airwaves to enjoy the global friendship with other amateurs and to show their skills and capabilities to the public. WARD is not a contest but rather an opportunity to talk about the value of amateur radio to the public and fellow amateur colleagues. It is also a great opportunity to talk about local radio clubs and amateur radio in local media as a lead-up to ARRL Field Day, which is held each year during the fourth full weekend in June. You can also promote your personal WARD activities on social media platforms like X and Facebook by using the hashtag #WorldAmateurRadioDay.
And just one week later is International Marconi Day, as discussed in a previous post. A lot of radio and Amateur Radio history occurred in April!
In an unrelated topic, I saw this on YouTube: - something I've never heard of before.
This is really wild! I kind of wish this kind of thing had been available when I was studying for my Novice license back in 1978. I like to think it would have made that first ever QSO a little less nerve wracking. I distinctly remember finishing that QSO and being wiped out - but yet hungry for the next one.
Admittedly, there's nothing like making real life QSOs on the air to improve your CW skills, but if you want to learn good sending technique BEFORE you have your ticket, this is a neat way to legally do it! Purchasing that adapter and hooking up either paddles or a key to the laptop seems to be the way to go. Using the [ and ] keys is clunky at best and takes a bit getting used to It's fun to play around with using the two keyboard keys, but even in simulated QSOs, nothing would beat a real straight key, cootie or paddles.
I can think of a couple of instances where this bot would really come in handy. One would be for practising sending Morse with a bug. I don't use my Vibroplex often enough to be proficient with it and I hate to put anyone through the torture of listening to me shake the rust off. This would be the perfect tool for that! I can't tell you how many times I hear really poor CW on the bands because someone is using a bug - badly. I don't want to be one of those guys!
The other instance would be as a Morse Code demonstration device. SPARC is doing "Amateur Radio at the Library" on Saturday, April 20th at a library in the neighboring town of Piscataway. I think folks might get a kick out of sending code to the bot. I did order one of those USB interfaces and will bring my laptop in addition to setting up an actual CW station. If the bands are cruddy or dead, all will not be lost.
I saw a link to this YouTube video posted on Facebook. There'a a lot of good content in this video, and while most of it is geared towards QRP Newbies - us old grizzled veterans can use a review every now and then, too. Some of it I have been preaching for years here on "W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!" I'm glad someone else is, too!
Point # 11 - I've repeatedly asserted that you'd do well to consider yourself just another fish in the Amateur Radio pond. Maybe a smaller one, but just another fish. Don't get it into your head that just because you're running QRP that you automatically have a weak signal. As propagation is the key factor here, your signal will be loud somewhere! Need proof of that? Call "CQ" for a while and then look yourself up on the Reverse Beacon Network. Some skimmers will barely hear you, but you'll also be booming into others!
Also, I make it a rule of thumb to NEVER identify myself as QRP, or for that matter to tell people in a QSO that I'm running 5 Watts (except where required in QRP Sprints). Sometimes people can be like my Beagle, Harold, when it comes to "selective hearing". He can sleep through fireworks or a thunderstorm, but if he hears a cheese wrapper being opened, he's on me like white on rice. Likewise, I can tell you there have been many times that I have been in a QSO where everything was humming along fine until I mentioned I was using an Elecraft K2 or K1 or my KX3. All of a sudden "QSB" sets in and I get a hasty "73". Now all I say is that I'm using an Elecraft rig and they can assume it a K3 100 or a K4 for all I care. If pressed, I'll say a KX3 and KXPA100 combo, but I still won't mention only 5 Watts.
Point # 6 - I've worked the world with 5 Watts and have the QSL cards to prove it. And believe me, I am nothing special in the Amateur Radio world. There are sooooooo many Hams more talented and capable with way better stations and antennas than what I have. However, if I can earn DXCC with QRP, you can too. It's all about attitude, patience and persistence.
Point #3 - Sometimes QRP can be frustrating, and that's a fact. Saying it isn't so is just untrue - but the same can be said for QRO. But as Kenny Rogers sang as "The Gambler" ......"You've got to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em!" Don't get frustrated if someone you want to work doesn't hear you. Maybe you need to try working that DXpedition at another time of day; or on another band. I remember that there was a DXpedition I badly wanted to work back before I had my KXPA100 and 5 Watts was all that I had. I ended up getting up at about 5:00 AM to get them in the log via gray line. Otherwise, if you feel yourself getting frustrated, you have to pull the Big Switch and do something else for a while.
Point #1 - Yeah - Some people just have to boost their egos by making other people feel small, while inadvertently admitting they don't know all that much about Ham Radio at all. In my younger and more foolish days, I probably would have responded with a mighty dose of snark. Hopefully, I'm a bit wiser now, so I'll take the high road and won't respond. if taunted And before anyone asserts that "QRP - When you care to send the very least!" is some form of virtue signaling - it's really just a twist on that old Hallmark greeting card commercial tagline from years ago, "Hallmark ... when you care to send the very best!" I know, not very original of me; but I like it.
Last evening's 40 Meter Fox Hunt? I was sawing wood before it even began.
Bas PE4BAS ignited an idea in my brain about getting the audio that Bob sent me of his Progressive Receiver incorporated into the blog. I decided to let my video maker software generate a quick, down and dirty video. I apologize for the roughness of this effort, as the images are appearing multiple times in order to fit in most of the sound file that Bob sent me. This video is definitely not one of my better efforts, but it does serve as a vehicle to allow me to include the sound his new build produces. Sorry, Bob - you deserve better than this, but I wanted everyone to hear how good your receiver sounds!
And for those of you who have trouble with the Morse Code, here's a few world famous fellows doing some translating:
Those "eh eh ehhhh eh eh" sounds were PBX YSM TDM NVE ZYL. Gibberish, but at least it was actual letters and not just random dits and dahs!
This is a relatively new one, brought to my attention by Stig Eustice LA5OTA, who - believe it or not, is a member of SPARC. Stig has relatives who live in South Plainfield and he came over to New Jersey a few years ago for a family reunion. He was made a member of SPARC and maintains contact with us via Facebook. Thanks, Stig for posting!
and brought you the Amateur Radio goodie that your heart desired.
I got something that I wanted the day after Christmas, but Santa didn't bring it. I worked W2T the special event station commemorating the Battle of Trenton on 40 Meter CW! I happened to be down in the shack, tuning around on 20 Meters when W2T appeared on the Cluster portion of my Log4OM screen. I quickly tuned over there and was able to hear them, weakly via groundwave. After a few tries, I was able to complete the exchange. Just a little bit later, I got an e-mail from the Delaware Valley Radio Association, confirming the contact. Huzzah! Now I have to begin listening for W2P for the Battle of Princeton - they begin transmitting next Tuesday.
Last night was a QRP Fox Hunt 160 Meter Foxtravaganza. The normal hunts were suspended for this week due to the fact that the 40 Meter version would have been held on Christmas Eve. So last night, there was a free-for-all on 160 Meters for an hour. Any fox or hound could work any other fox or hound. I worked a total of seven stations, the best DX being Illinois and Virginia. It was a lot of fun and I could have done better if there wasn't so much QRN on the W3EDP. I used the HF9V for receive and the W3EDP for transmit. It wasn't an ideal situation; but it got the job done.
Lastly, I close this post with something light-hearted. Many of you may have heard this before, but maybe some haven't. I guess this should go under the "oldie but goodie" department.
If you like what you see, please give the videos a "thumbs up" and please consider subscribing to FLARC's YouTube channel - there's a lot of good stuff to be seen there!
I thank you for your time, and I've embedded both videos on my "Mixed Media" page, for archival purposes.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thanks to John K3WWP for posting a link to this video on his diary page and to Don VA3BOW, who told him about it.
This is a game changer for me! I had never thought about doing this, this way. I always used the PVC attached to a piece of angle iron, which I then pounded into the ground. It worked fairly well, but was always a bit "iffy" if there was a gusty wind, or if the ground was particularly soft after a hard rain. And then there's always the issue of pounding the angle iron "Straight" into the ground. I usually am a little off true vertical. This appears to be a much more accurate and secure method of doing this. Of course, I could always combine the two methods, but for most instances, this seems adequate enough.
Off to Harbor Freight to buy some ratcheting straps! This will make deploying the PAR and the MFJ a snap when there are no trees available.
As I was getting ready to head out the door for FOBB, my wife asked THE question, "Are you doing anything today?" Without going into any longwinded explanation or making any excuses, let's just suffice it to say I didn't participate in FOBB yesterday. And to keep things straight, the decision was totally mine. I decided that I'd rather spend the day with my beautiful bride than behind the radio.
Priorities.
Bob W3BBO pointed me towards a neat video that I am re-posting here. It was done by Stan WB2LQF:
;
That's the same chair that I bought to use for portable ops. I like the idea of the tape measure counterpoise, but I don't think I want to permanently bolt the PVC tube mast holder to the chair. I'm thinking that perhaps bungee cording the mast to the chair (temporarily) will work better for me.
Hopefully, this coming Sunday may present some free time where I can experiment and see what works best for my circumstance.
My teaching partner, Mark K2VHW and I are currently midway through another 8 week class, in the process of getting another group of candidates to pass the test for a Technician class license. The challenge is that these are for the most part (but not all) CERT people. They want their licenses so that can engage in Public Service communications for their town.
But that's not all there is to Amateur Radio, is there?
And of course, the answer to that is, "No, it isn't." And while obtaining a license for the purpose of Public Service communications is certainly admirable; it isn't the end all and be all of Amateur Radio. We would be derelict in our duty as Amateur Radio instructors if we didn't point out the "fun" aspects of the hobby. Not to mention that these new Technicians will be more likely to maintain their licences (and actually use them) if they become more involved in Amateur Radio for other than just the utilitarian uses of it.
So inevitably, our first session of an eight week class tends to involve the mundane tasks of signing in, collecting contact information, handing out textbooks, study aids and all that kind of thing. But we like to end the session by exposing the students to the fun. After all, the fun part is what will hopefully keep them engaged and interested in Amateur Radio for a long period of time.
As you can see, this is a highly polished, professional quality video and it certainly goes over all the aspects of Amateur Radio, but yet, it still has a kind of .........detached. clinical feel to it.
And while this one also is a very high quality video; it has an appeal that the other does not. This is what I'd hope to end up with if I got a bunch of Ham friends together (who are very "into" the hobby) in order to put together a show like this. A high quality product, but yet something that says, "Hey, this is what we do and how we have fun. Would you like to come out this weekend and join us? We hope you would!"
Our goal, then, is to always end up with a bunch of Amateur Radio operators who also engage in Public Service communications; and not ONLY a bunch of Public Service Communicators who only occasionally get involved in other Amateur Radio pursuits. Because we all know that "All work and no play make Jack (or Jill) a very dull Amateur Radio op." After all, it's all about balance.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
It seems surreal that just two Sundays ago, I was sitting in Washington Rock State Park making QSOs at a picnic bench. The temperatures were in the 60s (18C). Today, I woke up and the thermometer read 8F (-13C). The temperatures took a nose dive on Friday and this weekend was frigid. So instead of doing much operating, I spent Saturday and a bit of today cleaning the shack.
I'll admit it, I got sloppy and lazy the last few months. But on top of that, it seems the rest of the family used my little area of the basement as a dumping ground for cardboard, Christmas wrapping stuff and other effluvia. I spent the day cleaning, tossing and organizing, and ended up filling up five large garbage bags. I also cut up about a dozen cardboard boxes and consolidating them for our bi-weekly recycling pick up tomorrow. I can now sit in my shack again without being totally disgusted with myself!
Here's a video tour of the somewhat cleaned up W2LJ shack:
I apologize for the video quality as it's not the best; and I'm still getting used to this.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
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!
I didn't have as much success as Jim W1PID and Tim W3ATB had during their outing today, but I had a tiny bit of success. 17 Meters seemed to be open with not a bunch of activity. I did hear a few European and Russian stations. Instead of hunting and pecking, I decided to call CQ - you know, what all "the experts" say that QRPers should never do.
Perth, Scotland - near GMoLVI's QTH
For my daring, I was fortunate enough to be answered by Dave GM0LVI on 18.086 MHz (the 17 Meter QRP Watering Hole). It wasn't the longest of QSOs, but it was a bit more than "599 TU". Dave got a 559 from me, and I received a 539 in return - there was lots of QSB. The neat thing about this QSO is that it was 2X QRP. Not only that, but it was also 2X KX3. I was on my Buddisitck, and Dave was using his 2 Element Quad, which I'm sure is responsible for making this QSO happen.
I'll have to look into the history of Perth. It got me wondering if it's the namesake of Perth Amboy, a city very near me here in NJ. Back in very early Colonial times, the current city was actually two entities - the towns Perth and Amboy. I am wondering if that Perth was named after Dave's Perth? The two towns constantly feuded, until someone got the idea to combine the two smaller towns into a bigger city, renaming the themselves "Perth Amboy".
Autumn has arrived with a vengeance! When I woke up today, it was 32F (0C). The furnace is now turning itself on its own, with the help of the thermostat, of course. It's time for multiple layers in the W2LJ household - multiple shirts and a sweater.
Look for the 2016 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt to incorporate, in a big way, the ARRL's National Parks on the Air program. I haven't worked out the details, but there will probably be special points given for working Skeeters who have opted to work from one of the many National Park units around the country. There will also be bonus points for Skeeters choosing to go set up in a National Park unit.
A new video (quite well done) that you may want to keep on hand for showing to those who have or are expressing a deisre to become an Radio Amateur.
First, here's the link to the full version (which is a bit longer than what is embedded here): http://youtu.be/ivUMIADFSDw
Next, from Jim W4QO considering the current "Buddies in the Caribbean" DXpedition to St. Lucia:
In order to step up the pace here in St. Lucia, if you (running QRP @5 cw/dig or 10 PEP SSB) work 3 of the 7 ops on the Buddies in the Caribbean DXpediton this week, you can earn the coveted BIC QRP certificate. It's not the Buddies who have to be running QRP - it's YOU! Many of us are running QRP
but some are not.
The Buddies are the ones with a J6/ in front of their calls. There are still 3.5 more days to do this, so come on, work us!
Send a #10 envelope with SASE to W4QO at qrparci.org with a list of the 3 (or more) you worked. If you work 5 or more, well, just wait and see what you get!! :)
If you worked J6/W4QO, then include your QSL card and get one in return.
Lastly, I thought this announcement from the League regarding the Communications Act of 1934 was of interest:
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB033
ARLB033 Plans Announced to Update the Communications Act of 1934
ZCZC AG33
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 33 ARLB033
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT December 5, 2013
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB033
ARLB033 Plans Announced to Update the Communications Act of 1934
The US House Communications and Technology Subcommittee has announced plans for a multi-year effort to examine and update the Communications Act of 1934, the overarching law under which the FCC functions. The subcommittee, part of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee, is chaired by Oregon Republican Greg Walden, W7EQI. Walden and Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton of Michigan made the announcement December 3.
"Today we are launching a multi-year effort to examine our nation's communications laws and update them for the Internet era," Upton said in a news release. "The United States has been the global leader in innovation and growth of the Internet, but unfortunately, our communications laws have failed to keep pace."
ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, noted that the most recent significant update of the Communications Act was in 1996. "Under the leadership of Greg Walden, the subcommittee and its staff are well equipped to take up the challenge," Sumner said. "The ARRL will be monitoring the work closely as it goes forward next year and beyond."
The plan was made public via Google Hangout, where the committee leaders were joined by former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, who said he was "delighted" to learn of the update plans. Upton explained that the process, to start in 2014, will involve a series of white papers and hearings focusing on what might be done "to improve the laws surrounding the communications marketplace as well as a robust conversation utilizing all platforms of digital media." He suggested a bill would be ready by 2015.
Walden said, "A lot has happened since the last update" and that the Communications Act is "now painfully out of date." He pointed out that the Act, drafted during the Great Depression, was last updated "when 56 kilobits per second via dial-up modem was state of the art."
Upton said, "We must ensure that our laws make sense for today but are also ready for the innovations of tomorrow."
Walden said he wants to open the discussion to input from everyone. Interested parties may follow the plan's progress via Twitter. "It's important for people to have an opportunity to weigh in," he said. "This is really a public process to get better public policy."
Call me a pessimist, but I hope we're not opening Pandora's Box here.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
