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!
There's something about sitting motionless in a cold room that makes you colder.
ReplyDeleteBack in January 1996, when I did my first NAQP CW, I did it from my unfinished basement, which was about 60 degrees. Despite layers of clothing, bundling up, and wrapping a blanket around my legs, after 10 hours of operating I was really chilled.