A slight change in venue .....

Lunchtime QRP operations from the new work QTH have been, to say the least, discouraging. Since my first successful attempt back on June 5th; I've been getting skunked pretty continuously. I made excuses ...... low sunspots, low activity; but too many days went by where I didn't hear ANYTHING! So I decided to do some cogitating and try and reason the situation through.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! I looked up into the sky at the eastern edge of the parking lot, to notice high tension lines. Funny, but I never really noticed them before. In an industrial park setting, they seem like just part and parcel of the landscape. I guess they were masking all the signals that I thought weren't there.

So what to do? I wasn't about to give up so easily without a fight.

This morning, before heading off to work; I fired up the computer here at home and went to the Google page. I typed in my work address on Google Maps and zoomed out a bit. Hot dog - I found just what I was looking for! Not more than five minutes away by car is a very big, wide and open municipal park. I skedaddled there over there at lunch time; and got down to business.

There were several nice groves of trees complete with BBQ pits. Unfortunately, no picnic tables but for today I was able to deal with it. I brought out my backpack containing the K1 and all the amenities and also, the PAC-12. Operating from a park this beautiful meant going in amongst the trees and not sitting near the car to depend on the Hamsticks. The groves are open enough where there's plenty of space; but yet no worries about being too secluded that it makes you feel uncomfortable.

Setting up the station and turning on the radio revealed almost no hash or white noise! And I was greeted by a 579 CQ by Jim WD4NVH in Alabama. Wow! We had a brief QSO until QSB did us in; but things sure were better operating from the park. I hope to get there everyday this summer that the weather is decent.

On a side note, Serendipity must have been with me. As I left the park, I noticed that I had been in the Joseph Medwick Memorial Park. For those of you who don't know, Joseph Medwick was better known as "Ducky" Medwick who played with the St. Louis Cardinals "Gas House Gang" of the 1930s. Ducky was born in Carteret (the town I work in); and so the park was named in his honor.

My two passions - baseball and Amateur Radio brought together. Hmmmmm, I sense a new commemorative QSL card design needs to be come up with!

73 de Larry W2LJ

RF pollution is maddening !!!!

RF pollution is maddening! It ruined my evening last night during Run For The Bacon; and it reared its ugly head again tonight.

Last night I was able to copy all of two signals. The local noise was 10 over 9. I gave up after a half hour of pure frustration. Tonight started out a lot better. I was having a QSO on 40 Meters and the band noise was normal. Fortunately, it was at the END of my QSO when someone flipped a switch and the 10 over 9 hash came back with a vengeance!

I don't know what it is that is causing such horrendous interference. It's not anything in my house as the kids were asleep and my wife was working. I had nothing inside the house turned "on" that could generate so much noise. This noise HAS to be coming from a neighbor's house. A plasma TV perhaps; or a device like it?

It's not going to be easy to identify. Even harder will be explaining to the neighbor how his appliance is screwing up my radio!

73 de Larry W2LJ

A Fun Morning

I did indeed have a fun morning attending the Raritan Valley Radio Club Hamfest today.

The day started early by meeting Bob W3BBO and John N3ZAS for breakfast as a local diner, called the Fountain Bleu here in South Plainfield. Over some French Toast, pancakes, waffles, ham and eggs (not all consumed by me!) we caught up on old times. We were expecting a few other Piscataway Amateur Radio Club members to join us; but unfortunately that never materialized.

I was greeted by a happy surprise as Bob handed me a CD on which he had copied every photo he has that he had of PARC related activities, taken while he lived here in Central NJ for a few years back in the mid 90s. I've gotten the chance to peruse the photos and the memories they have brought back are priceless! What a Father's Day gift!

We headed on over to the Hamfest proper; and proceeded to look around for various items needed. In the end I didn't buy anything; but Bob did pick up a new SLA for his K2 that we found a vendor selling for 5 bucks (How can you beat that?). He also picked up some terminal strips and various little odds and ends. John picked up a Clear Speech speaker with DSP that he found, basically brand new in a box. He was looking for a decent microphone; but ended up not finding one.

I was hunting for some good wire cutters and a small bag of PL-259s; but didn't find anything at a price I liked. What I did come away with was priceless, however. I saw a lot of the guys from PARC and had a good time renewing old friendships! I saw a neat example of a loop antenna for what appeared to be 20 meters suspended from a Black Widow fishing pole. I have one of those and it appeared to be an excellent rendition. I only wish that I had been smart enough to bring along my digital camera to have taken pictures of it. It looks like it would indeed have been an excellent Field Day type of antenna.

I ended up having to leave kind of early as I had a Knights of Columbus function that I was responsible for early in the afternoon. Bob stayed on at the Hamfest a little longer, only to get a drive back to his hotel from another friend and PARC member, Bill W2BT later on. I drove John N3ZAS back to the hotel parking lot, where he jumped into his car and drove home. I got home only to be greeted by a message on the answering machine, imploring me to come and straighten out a mess at the K of C Council Hall (sigh!).

It was fun seeing Bob W3BBO, John N3ZAS, Rich W2PQ, Bill W2WK, Bob W2UDT, Marty KB2JSG, Bill W2BT and Brian N2MPM. There are some others that I wish were there; that hadn't showed up in the small amount of time that I was able to spend. Maybe next year! And now that my term is up as an officer in the Knights of Columbus, I think I'll be able to make Piscataway Amateur Radio Club meetings on a more regular basis.

73 de Larry W2LJ

Hamfest time!

I don't get to make a lot of Hamfests. Usually, there's some activity that my kids are involved in; or there's some other kind of previous commitment that always seems to rear its ugly head when I want to attend one. But this coming Saturday is one of the few that I try to make every year.

In Central New Jersey, it's known as the "Dunellen Hamfest". It's held in Piscataway now; but it still goes by its old moniker. It is actually the Raritan Valley Repeater Club Hamfest. It's one of the better local ones and I'm looking forward to it.

My nest Ham radio friend Bob W3BBO is driving over from Erie, PA for the weekend for a visit; and we'll be meeting for breakfast and attending the fest together. It's been years since we've seen each other even though we keep in close contact with one another. This will be special.

I don't really need to buy anything special. I can always use PL-259s and wire cutters (I always seem to be hard on wire cutters!). I probably won't end up spending more than 20 bucks. But I am looking forward to the morning out in the fresh air. The weather is supposed to be beautiful!

73 de Larry W2LJ

NAQCC June Sprint

This coming Tuesday night is the June edition of the NAQCC Monthly Sprint. The top two highest scoring NAQCC members (in the Simple Wire Antenna category) will win book about keys by Dave Ingram K4TWJ, who is also an NAQCC member.

I've plastered these notices to just about every CW and QRP mailing list on the Internet that I can think of. I'm posting it here also; just in case you're a loyal reader who does not subscribe to any of the QRP or CW forums.

*******************************************************************************

This Tuesday evening, the North American QRP CW Club will be holding its monthly sprint.

Here are the particulars:

Date and time:
Wednesday, June 13th, 0030-0230 UTC
(Remember that's Tuesday evening here in the USA) That's 8:30 - 10:30 EDT, 7:30 - 9:30 CDT, 6:30 - 8:30 MDT and 5:30 - 7:30 PDT.

Bands - Frequencies:
80M - 3555-3565 kHz (Be courteous to FISTS operating on 3558 kHz)
40M - 7039-7050 kHz (Avoid W1AW on 7047.5 kHz).
20M - 14059-14065 kHz. General:
A particular station may be worked once on each band. Operate CW only.
All licensed amateurs are invited to participate, but only those operating QRP (5 watts or less) are eligible for awards.

Call: CQ NA

Exchange:
RST - SPC (State Province or Country) - NAQCC Nr.
(non-Members substitute power level for NAQCC Nr., e.g. 5W, 1W, etc. Be sure to add the W.)

QSO Points:
QSO with a Member, 2 points.
QSO with a Non-member, 1 point.

Multipliers:
Each USA state
Each VE province
Each country except W/VE
All multipliers count only once in the contest.

Bonus:
If you use only a straight key for the entire sprint, multiply your score by 2.
If you use only a bug for the entire sprint, multiply your score by 1.5.
If you key with anything other than a straight key or bug, there is no bonus multiplier.

Categories:
SWA - simple wire antennas - for those using a simple wire antenna per NAQCC definition.
GAIN - gain antennas - for those using other than a simple wire antenna.

Special Award:
This month the top two NAQCC highest scorers in the Simple Wire Antennas category will win prizes! First place wins Dave Ingram's wonderful book, "The World of Keys" while the second highest placing NAQCC member will earn a copy of Dave's book, "Keys II: The Emporium". Dave K4TWJ is a 'card carrying" member of the NAQCC and we thank him for his generous donation of one of the books. The other book was procured using funds donated to the NAQCC.

REMEMBER: You HAVE to be a NAQCC member to be eligible to win one of the books; and there's still plenty of time to join before Tuesday night's sprint. To join the NAQCC, please visit: http://www.arm-tek.net/~yoel//joinup.html

Entry Deadline:
All entries must be RECEIVED before 2400Z on June 19, 2007. So submit as soon as possible, especially regular mail entries.

For further information, please visit: http://www.arm-tek.net/~yoel//sprintrules.html


73 de Larry W2LJ
NAQCC #35

Dreaming of vacation !!!!

Tonight's QSO has me dreaming about being on vacation!

I called CQ on 40 Meters tonight, to be answered by Hal, who is on vacation at the Outer Banks in North Carolina near Kitty Hawk. He was running a KX1 at 3 Watts to a 120 foot hunk of wire and he had a great signal! 10 dB over 9 (at times) great!

It was a very pleasant QSO; but now I have visions in my head of operating the K1 from Lake George. Summer is almost here; and vacation time is around the corner.

Can't wait!

73 de Larry W2LJ

Ham and cheese for lunch ?

Well, now that I think about it ..... that IS what I had for lunch today - a ham and cheese sandwich. But the other kind of "Ham" that I'm more interested in could best be described as "dessert".

After scarfing down my sandwich, I went out to the car and fired up the K1. As the Spirit that controls the Aether would have it, as soon as I got the station ready to go, I was greeted by the dulcet tones of a station calling CQ on 20 Meters. It turned out to be Herb, WØHM out of Shakopee, MN. The conditions weren't terrible; and they weren't the greatest, either. QSB was rolling in and out fast almost giving signals a kind of fluttery feel. Not like Polar flutter, exactly; but on the same vein.

It turns out that H and M are Herbs two initials; but just look at the call ....... WØHM. How great is that for a Ham radio callsign! The very first principle that you learn when studying basic electronics is Ohm's Law. I wouldn't mind having that call even if H and M weren't my intitials !!!

The QSO lasted about 15 minutes. Not what you would call a long ragchew; but enough to supply my radio "fix" for the day. Herb was using an Icom IC-706 to an Inverted Vee and I was using the K1 to a Hamstick mounted on my truck. Herb is 57 years old and has been licensed for about 24 years now. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, we had to give it up as QSB was getting deeper with the faded periods lasting longer and longer. Also, I had to start getting back inside to work; so we bid each other 73 and called it a QSO.

Geez, I hope the weather is pleasant again tomorrow so I can give this another shot. Maybe tomorrow, I'll pop on the 40 Meter Hamstick to see where that takes me!

73 de Larry W2LJ

Summertime condx!

Today, June 1st is the official opening of this year's hurricane season. If you believe the groundhogs among us (you know the type - afraid of their own shadows!), then this year is going to be a busy one. Undoubtedly caused by Global Warming, of course.

Ahhhhhh ..... Global Warming, the cause d'celebre of the decade of the 00s. I'm no climatologist; but when did we become SOOOOOOO arrogant as to believe that we humans are the end-all-be-all cause for everything that happens on this planet? Now I don't doubt that Global Warming is real and exists ....... I just don't think that we humans are the cause of it.

I believe that global warming is a natural cycle in ecological scheme of things. As Hams we should be really in tune with the sun. We're so darned aware of the 11 year sunspot cycle; and we're all bemoaning the fact how crappy band conditions are at the bottom of it. We can't wait until we're out of the bottom of it. So why can't there be a normal cycle of temperatures? The sun can't heat up and cool off a few degrees in a cyclical fashion, just like sunspots ebb and flow? As a species, we've been measuring the temperature of the earth for what ...... 400 years or so? And from that pitiful sample, we're supposed to be experts on climate change? What a joke!

One last thought ....... if we're so responsible for climate change; then how did the last Ice Age come to an end BEFORE the invention of the SUV? Really folks ...... get real!

But I digress. The weather has been sultry and summer like in NJ the past two weeks. (Probably due to Global Warming. Doh!) The bands have gone into their summertime behavior pattern. (Pattern ...... suggests a cycle ...... I better be careful here!) 80 and 40 Meters are filled with static crashes; but unfortunately the low sunspot count is making sure that the ionosphere barely "excites" and 20 Meters is pretty useless once the sun goes down. So while 40 Meters seems to be the best band propagation wise during the night, the static is punishment on the ears and brain.

The sunspot low has been predicted to occur anywhere between last March and this coming September, depending on who you listen to. In either event, once we pass through the nadir, sunspots should start appearing again pretty rapidly.

From this blog to God's eye!

73 de Larry W2LJ

It's gonna snow!

It's the last day if May; and it reached 90 degrees here in New Jersey ...... and it's gonna snow !!!!

When I got home tonight and checked my e-mail; there was an e-mail from my Congressman. He directed me to a site where I could offer my assessment of the newly proposed immigration bill.

Oh my goodness !!!!!

What a novel concept ..... a Congressman actually taking the time to poll his constituency on a matter of national importance and security! Way to go, Congressman Ferguson. You made my day; now I just hope you pay attention to what an overwhelming majority of your constituents seem to be saying.

73 de Larry W2LJ

Getting back into the swing of things .....

Okay, the new job has settled down to the point that I'm in a semi-comfortable routine; and my head is no longer spinning in circles. Back to familiar things.

I joined the Barbershop Sprint tonight. There was some activity; but not terribly much. I worked just about everyone I was able to hear. That netted me 14 QSOs in about an hour and a half. I pulled the plug a half hour early as I just wasn't hearing any new stations and my CQs were going longer and longer in between answers. It was fun; but boy ...... being away from radio for about a month made a very familiar thing feel not so quite familiar any more! Next Monday night is the ARS Spartan Sprint; so I look ofrward into getting into the QRP Sprint routine again.

I went out at lunch time and set up the station in the car at the parking lot. 20 Meters was dead .... dead .... dead .... DEAD! I think scanning up and down the band around 1800 UTC, I only heard maybe two whole stations?!? I think we need some sun spots.

For those of you who have been visiting my Website; and have been noticing the "weirdities" on the pages ..... I think I finally have them straightened out. The gentleman who provides me with hosting space had to change servers. In the process of moving, I think things got corrupted; and there was gobbledy-gook at the bottom of each page. I finally figured out how the new system works and I think I cleaned up all the pages tonight.

It's good to be getting back in the radio groove again.

73 de Larry W2LJ

Turning the page

Two weeks ago, I hit a milestone on the "road we call life". I hit the big Five-Oh.

Yep, I'm 50 now. Officially middle aged. Only 5 years from being eligible to join the AARP and only some 15 or 20 years away from retirement.

No K3 to commemorate the event. Harumpff!

73 de Larry W2LJ

Aloha!

It came! It came! It came!

A milestone arrived in the mail today! That most coveted piece of cardboard, measuring only approximately 3.5 X % inches; but yet of inestimable value to me! My QSL card for my QRP contact with Hawaii from back in 2005, finally made it to my door!

Oh joy of joys! Only one more QSO to make; and have confirmed and then I will have made contact with all 50 United States via QRP CW. Alaska - the final wilderness - the final frontier - the final QRP CW QSO needed.

I imagine it will come sooner or later; probably later than sooner. I imagine ol' Sol is going to have top break out in a decent case of acne before I manage Alaska with 5 Watts from New Jersey. However, stranger things have happened; so you never know.

Godspeed and safe travel to all of you headed out to Dayton this weekend for Hamvention and FDIM. I envy you all; and wish I could be there with you. Hey, if Elecraft is handing out samples of the new K3; will someone be sure to pick one up for me? Pretty please? ;)

73 de Larry W2LJ

Did you feel the earth move?

Did you feel it? There were rumblings throughout the Amateur Radio and QRP worlds today! The epicenter was in Aptos, California and shock waves are still being felt throughout the Amateur Radio community; and probably this will continue right throughout the time of Dayton Hamvention.

Today, Elecraft announced the new pinnacle of its line of Amateur Radio transceivers as they rolled out the K3!

You know, I cannot do justice to the explanation of this radio; so I will just post what Wayne Burdick, one of the co-founders of Elecraft posted to the Elecraft and QRP e-mail reflectors:

Greetings!

This afternoon at the DX Convention in Visalia, CA, we unveiled a new top-of-the-line transceiver -- the Elecraft K3. This is the culmination of three years of design, test, and refinement, and we believe the K3 will set a new standard for performance and value in its class. It has features and performance comparable to present radios ranging from $4000 to $12000.

(We'd like to thank the many surprised convention attendees. What they all said boils down to something like "Yes!")

A full K3 web page will be set up by Monday, complete with order form and other details. Meanwhile, please take a look at the temporary page:

http://www.elecraft.com/K3

Among other things, you'll find a very high-resolution front panel photo (as well as other photos):

http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3_big_v2.jpg

And the K3 data sheet:

http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3_Data%20Sheet_rev06.pdf

There's also an order form that could be printed and mailed, but sometime on Monday the on-line order page will be up and running, which is the preferred method.

As explained on the order form, you can reserve a K3 now for initial shipments in July. A 50% deposit is requested if you'd like to secure one of the first 200 production units (serial numbers 20-220, probably).

Here's a quick summary of the K3's specs:

- K3/100 and K3/10 models (the K3/10 can be upgraded very easily, internally, to a K3/100)

- Basic K3 price ranges from $1399 to $1989 depending on whether you start with the
10-watt or 100-watt model, and whether you choose factory assembled or
modular, no-soldering, kit (this is the subject of the next email).

- Desktop/portable size: 4"H x 10"W x 10"D (10 x 25 x 25 cm) -- optimized for both
home and travel use

- All modes (SSB, CW, DATA, AM, FM, plus AM-sync receive, and built-in PSK31/TTY decoder)

- High-dynamic range, down-conversion architecture, plus 32-bit I.F. DSP
for software-defined capabilities (and lots of room for future expansion)

- Optional subreceiver with *identical* performance to the main receiver,
including a fully independent front end, its own set of roofing filters,
its own DSP, and low-noise synthesizer; binaural or combined receiver audio

- Up to five crystal roofing filters *per receiver*, with bandwidths as narrow as 200 Hz

- Narrow ham-band filtering, plus optional general-coverage receive filters
(can be added to either or both receivers)

- Internal 100-W ATU option with two antenna jacks

- 100 W PA module includes two large fans, circuit breaker, full parameter monitoring

- All signal sources phase-locked to common 49.380 MHz reference oscillator;
1 PPM TCXO option, firmware-correctable to better than 0.5 PPM

- Built-in PSK31, RTTY, and CW decoding and display allows use of
digital modes with or *without* a computer; use CW keyer paddle or
attached computer for casual, two-way data QSOs

- Advanced noise reduction; auto- and manual notch. Noise blanker included (both
I.F. hardware pulse blanker and DSP noise blanking)

- Easy-to-use DSP shift/width and locut/hicut controls with automatic crystal filter
selection based on selected passband width (in real-time -- no filter calculation delays)

- Dedicated CW/voice message buttons; optional digital voice recorder

- 100 general frequency memories with alphanumeric text labeling, plus 4 scratchpad memories per band

- Full-custom, optimized, segmented LCD with two VFO displays, alphanumeric text, and
dedicated filter passband graphic

- Rich I/O set: stereo speaker outputs, fully isolated soundcard interface, dedicated RS-232
I/O (and optional USB adapter), receive antenna in/out jacks (for patching in RX filters, etc.),
and both front- and rear-panel mic and headphone jacks

- One-click PC firmware download program checks for updates automatically and quickly
updates microcontroller and DSP firmware

If you have any questions on specifications, performance, etc., that are not answered by the data sheet, feel free to email wayne@elecraft.com.

Sales questions should go to Lisa:

sales@elecraft.com

We'd like to acknowledge the hard work of the following colleagues:

Lyle Johnson, KK7P (DSP, digital I/O, audio I/O, many of the PC boards, and countless critical tasks)
Bob Friess, N6CM (RF deck, ATU, high-performance 1st mixer, noise blanker, other receiver design)
John Grebenkemper, KI6WX (synthesizer, general receiver architecture)
Brian Broggie, W6FVI (manufacturing engineering -- say hi to him at Visalia tomorrow)
Paul Russell (purchasing)
Lisa Jones (who somehow held down the fort during the entire process)

Eric (WA6HHQ), as usual, applied pressure in all the right places to ensure that this would be the best radio we could make: he's Mr. Performance and Features. Wayne (N6KR -- yours truly) was the principle designer, and also got to do all the fun parts (packaging, firmware, and Owner's manual). And that's why he gets to answer your questions :)

We'd also like to express our thanks to our very patient 15-member focus group. Over a period of about a year, they endured a never-ending series of concept drawings, refinements, and feature discussions. They're a distinguished bunch! I'm sure you'll hear from some of them as the K3 is discussed at length.

Finally: thanks to all of you who have generously contributed ideas for a hypothetical K3 during our many on-line "fishing expeditions." You had wonderful input, and I hope we've created the radio you've always wanted.

73,
Wayne, N6KR
Eric, WA6HHQ

Thanks Wayne, Eric and all the folks at Elecraft! If this radio is even as good as the K2, you have a proven winner on your hands! Now all I have to do is start saving and maybe in about 5 years, I'll be able to afford one! (I guess there's always the lottery!)

73 de Larry W2LJ

Please excuse my absence

Please excuse me not blogging for the last week and a half or so .......

I just started a new job last week - my first new job after 23 years. And I have changed fields entirely. Ever since I left college to join the work force, I have been involved in the photographic field. I have worked as a studio assistant, I worked as a Public Relations photographer for Six Flags corporation, I have done the photo retail thing; and I also worked in a custom color lab. For the last 22 years, I worked for Sinar Bron, a distributor of high end Swiss made professional photographic equipment, as the Service Manager of the Service Dept.

Last week, I went to work for Pitney Bowes. I work in an IT environment, prepping routers, switches and servers for installers to install in their various facilities.

On Monday night I was overwhelmed.

On Tuesday night my head was spinning.

On Wednesday night I was asking myself what ever made me decide to change jobs?

On Thursday night I was feeling a little better.

Tonight I'm feeling like I might actually get the hang of this!

So once I'm feeling a bit more confident, I'll get back on the radio more. Right now, when I get home, I'm ready to hit the rack - and that's about it! The one good thing about this job? An hour lunch break! That will leave me with more time for lunchtime QRP sessions!

73 de Larry W2LJ

You would think I'd know better!

This is one for the "Frustrating QSO' column - the name and callsign of the Ham are withheld to protect his stupidity.

It began with me calling CQ on 7.055 MHz. I was answered by W$XXX, who was absolutely pinning the S meter on my K2. ALL the LEDS were lit up - he had to be 60 over 9! Of course, I gave him a report of "5NN plus". In turn, I got a 579 - pretty good. Perfectly readable, moderately strong signals - I love to get RSTs like that.

We go further into the QSO and I'm always getting "FB COPY" whenever he starts transmitting. Cool beans!

Then I make the dreaded mistake. On my next over, I mention that I am running a K2 to a G5RV. On his next transmission, I get "BK RU QRP?"

I answer, "BK YES 5 WATTS".

Oh crap! I knew it ...... here it comes!

"U BETTER RUN LIL MORE POWER. BAD QRN RUFF COPY. 73 TO U. W2LJ DE W$XXX SK"

Like magic, I went from a 579 to a 229 in one fell swoop! I hate QSOS like that and the lids who hear the words "5 Watts" and suddenly go deaf. If I had never given my power; or perhaps lied and said that I was running a K2/100 at 100 Watts; I'll bet the stupid QSO could have lasted a lot longer. But no, "5 Watts" means "crummy signal no matter how well I'm hearing you - don't disturb me with the facts, please!"

Sheesh!

73 de Larry W2LJ

SOC

SOC stands for The Second Class Operators Club. It's a group of good natured and perhaps a little bit too self-deprecating bunch of Hams who celebrate our human-ness, our foibles, and our ability to screw up royally!

We realize we're not icons of Hamdom; and we're darned proud of it! The only requirement for membership is to realize that you're not perfect and to have fun with that reality. Today on the SOC e-mail reflector came a post by Rich Arland W3OSS who is an SOC member and a member of the QRP Hall of Fame, by the way!

"As long as we are sharing stories: In the mid-late 80s was stationed at Langley AFB, VA and was a member of the Southern Peninsula Amateur Radio Klub (SPARK) who's membership was made up of a group of rocket scientists. No, I mean "REAL" rocket scientists....from the OSL (Other Side of Langley)....the NASA side. One of our FD sites was on the NASA grounds a couple of blocks away from a huge wind tunnel. (Believe me....this was MUCH better than the Nike missile site and it's bazillion mosquitoes!!) Several of our "Rocket Scientists" had researched an idea for a huge loop antenna for 80 meters. They announced at a meeting before FD that their newest antenna design would garner some really good 80M Qs....much better results than over the last several years. The "Rocket Scientists" proceeded to erect their "super-loop" on Saturday afternoon and shortly before sundown they started hunting on 80M with a virtually no success. They worked a few stations over the night but nearly not as many as previous years. They futzed and putzed with their death-ray antenna to no avail. They still had problems working stations on 80M. Signal levels were down and it took many calls for them to work even the loudest stations. About 9AM on Sunday, I was told to drag my Argonaut 509 into the 80M camper and use a hastily erected G5RV to make the five Qs for our "low power points". So here I am, rummaging around inside the camper setting up the Argo. I look down behind the table and saw several runs of coaxial cable laying on the floor. The "Rocket Scientists" had apparently loaded up into he dummy load the night before, confused the coaxial cables (they weren't marked) and tried making 80M Qs using the dummy load. Amazingly, they actually made contacts....I made sure to tell them that I was extremely impressed by their "QRP" operations, but they should really leave the low power stuff to some of us that knew what we were doing! Needless to say, there were some red faces at the next club meeting."

"Rocket Scientists" or no; these guys are prime membership material for the SOC. After all, who among us hasn't screwed up big time to the point of wanting to disappear?

Just so you know what we're all about, here are two quotes from a couple of our members:

Competence is tolerated, but not encouraged (Chris, SOC#436)

I demand the right to make a fool of myself in any way I see fit (Lee, SOC#425)

If you think you're SOC material; and want to investigate a little further, then visit:
http://www.qsl.net/soc/

73 de Larry W2LJ
Proud to be known as SOC Member #619

5 Whats?

40 Meters didn't seem to have a whole lot going on. I called CQ up by the QRP watering holes for a while and was fruitless. I wanted to get my QSO in for the day; because I 've been doing real well in that department. In the first four months of 2007, I think I've only missed one or two days without at least one QSO.

I decided to go down to the bottom of 40 Meters and see if there was any decent DX that I could hear. I did hear an Israeli station calling "CQ USA"; and I tried calling once or twice without success. Then the station must have shut down for the night; as I didn't hear any more CQs out of him.

A bit further down the band I heard RA6AU, Vasili in Russia calling CQ. He had quite the little pile up going. I heard some pretty loud stations calling, too. For the heck of it, the next time he called CQ, I waited for just about two seconds before throwing my call into the mix. I figured that I'd let the QRO stations drown each other out for a bit; and then try and make an end run.

It worked! Vasili came back with "LJ?" and I repeated my call two times more. We exchanged RST and names and he was on to the next station with a "TNX QSO QRZ DE RA6AU". Not the rarest of DX; but it's always nice when a 5 Watt station can beat out some of the big boys.

73 de Larry W2LJ

Foxtravaganza 2007

Last night was Foxtravaganza. Foxtravaganza is the final event of the QRP Foxhunting season. The individual hunts are over, and team and individual results have been tallied and recorded. But for one last frenetic evening most, is not all, the Foxes get on the air at one time for an fast paced, frenetic evening of fun.

I divided up the evening into two halves. I spent the first 45 minutes on 40 Meters and the last 45 minutes on 80 Meters. When all was said and done, I handed out a total of 34 pelts. This total was a bit less than the evenings during the regular season; but during the season, I only had one other Fox on the air along with me. Last night there had to be at least a good 10 -15 Foxes on the air all at the same time!

It was a ton of fun; and the Foxtravaganza experience just reinforced to me just how good the other Foxes and the Hounds are. These guys are the best!

Today is Good Friday, the most solemn day of the year for Christians. It is the day we remember how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took upon a human nature and offered His life up in order to win our salvation. The day is spent soberly and quietly.

73 de Larry W2LJ

March Poll Results

For March, the poll on my Website featured a question about antennas. Specifically, the questions was, "Which of the following antennas do you use most of the time?"

The answers, rather surprisingly to me, shook out as follows:

Resonant Dipole received 8 votes or 20.51%
Yagi or log periodic received NO votes!
Doublets received 10 votes or 25.64%
Verticals received 11 votes or 28.21%
Spider or Hexbeams received no votes.
Full sized wire loops received only 1 vote for 2.56%
Compact Magnetic Loops received 2 votes for 5.13%
Cubical or other quad antennas received 2 votes for 5.13%
Long Wire or Zepp antennas received no votes
"Other" received 5 votes for 12.82%

I am surprised that no one who voted in my poll seems to use either Yagi or long wire antennas. And I was also surprised that vertical antennas won the vote by a narrow margin. I expected Doublet (or multi band) antennas to receive a large portion of the vote; but I also thought the resonant (single band) dipole category would receive more votes than it did.

I guess more people are using verticals as a way to deal with the limitations of small, suburban lots.

Interesting.

73 de Larry W2LJ

Madre de Dios!

The Democrat leadership of the House Armed Services Committee is doing away with the term "Global War on Terror" in all 2008 budgetary documents.

They don't like the way it sounds.

Hmmmm ..... the terrorists have no problem declaring war on the United States by using passenger planes as weapons of mass destruction.

Maybe the Democrats need to grow a backbone; or better yet, we can call them the "Linguini Spined Party of Appeasement".

I like the way that sounds.

73 de Larry W2LJ
(Sorry for getting political ...... but enough is enough.)