Getting reaquainted

 I spent yesterday doing two things.

The first was posting results to the Skeeter Hunt Scoreboard, which will be published on Labor Day, September 1st. I didn't do an exact count, but there have to be close to 100 some log summaries that were sent in. If my guesstimate is correct, we're closing in on an 50% participation rate based on the number of Skeeter numbers that were issued.  That would be phenomenal!

The second thing I did was to spend some time in the shack getting reacquainted with my QMX.

I haven't used it much since our trip up to Alexandria Bay last October, when I used it for two POTA activations. I'm an old school "knob and dial" Ham.  Menus are something to be seen at restaurants, not radios. But I did OK for an Old Man.

The trickiest part for me is getting used to the number of pushes of those two main knobs. Depending on how many "clicks" you make - single pushes,, double pushes or even triple pushes - you accomplish different things.

I ended up using the ZM2 tuner instead of the 4 States (which I prefer) because I sheared off one of the BNC connectors. Thanks to the 4 States Group, a replacement is on the way.  The BNC connector is held in place by its solder lugs. I have to come up with a way to add extra stability to that as sometimes my big paws aren't as gentle as they should be.

I was happy that it didn't take long for me to get reaccustomed to my QMX. I made some POTA contacts on 20 Meters during the afternoon and a few on 40 Meters before checking into the St. Max Net at 8:00 PM.

As much as i love my KX3, this little guy amazes me for what it can do in a package about the size of a cigarette pack. It's ideal for POTA activations, and I hope to be doing a lot more of those next Spring and Summer ........ God willing and the creek don't rise.,

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Here we go again!

 

Of course, I live in the red zone. I hope it doesn't take me another 2 & 1/2 hours to get home tonight! The only good thing about this event is that the rain is supposed to occur from this afternoon, into tonight and overnight into tomorrow morning. It's when we get an exorbitant amount of rain in only an hour or two that things get really wacky. 

The good thing about this system is, that once through, it will pull along behind it some drier and cooler air. We've been in the 90s since Sunday and this has been one of the hottest summers that I can remember in a long time. We had a bunch like this when I was a kid, but I was better equipped to handle it then.  Even when I was in my 20s and 30s, I would think going out for a long bicycle ride in the 90s was "no big deal".

I'd probably keel over if I tried something like that now. Growing old is not for sissies!

The weekend outlook is looking very nice. Maybe on Sunday, I can pull out the QMX and my K6ARK EFRW and play a little radio from the patio table in the back yard, instead of confining myself to my basement shack. Admittedly, I still have not used my QMX enough for it to become second nature to me. Looks like Sunday might be a chance for a learning opportunity - maybe even at Washington Rock State Park for a POTA activation? Hmmmm?

I love the QMX for its size and portability - but menus drive me nuts! I need a lot more time behind the wheel before "comfort zone" and "second nature" happen. The downside of being a fossil ... being more comfortable with mechanical knobs, buttons and switches.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Never heard K2CAN

The Special Event Station that the LIMARC Club was holding to honor Apollo 11's landing on the Moon. I probably would have never heard them, anyway, as they were operating on 40, 20, and 15 Meters - all of which are probably unsuitable for an HF contact between Central NJ and Long Island. However, they never triggered HamAlert, which tells me they might not have been spotted anywhere.

This is a scan of a certificate I received for working WA4NZD from the Marshall Spaceflight Center ARC during the 25th Anniversary of the Moon landing, back in 1994. It proudly hangs framed on the shack wall.

Then Bob, W3BBO sent me photos of a couple Apollo certificates that he earned:

^This first one also commemorated the Anniversary of Apollo 11. While this second one commemorated the last Apollo mission - Apollo 17.

I should have checked the NASA On The Air website to see if nay of the NASA affiliated Amateur radio Clubs would be on the air this past weekend. Again, the idea came to me the day after. Typical!

While listening for a possible appearance by K2CAN, I also scanned the bands for POTA stations. I worked one on 20 Meters, and that was it. A bunch were listed on the POTA app, but I couldn't hear or could only barely hear any of them. So I spent some time reconfiguring my Jackite stand/holder.

Originally, all the PVC pipe lengths were 12" (30 cm) long. I shortened the ones in the cross piece to 3" (8 cm) long. In addition, I cemented all the pieces of the cross section together. This will prevent the Jackite from falling over to either side. 

I shortened the leg sections from 12" to 6" (15 cm) long.  This takes up a lot less real estate and is easier to pack in a bag for portability. The leg sections are still press fitted together. I didn't want to permanently cement the entire thing as it would make it much bulkier and harder to store or transport.

Later in the evening, after checking in to the St. max Net, I scanned 40 Meters for some POTA stations and was able to pit three in the logbook. Which brings another topic to mind, which I will save for tomorrow - after I do a little more research.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

On The Road Again!

Pretty soon, Marianne and I will be making our annual Summer sojourn up to Lake George. We've been going up there very year since 2003 - 22 years now - wow!

What to bring with me Ham Radio wise?

I'm thinking the KX3 and just the AX1. The antenna worked so well for me when we went up to Alexandria Bay last October. I'm fully confident that it will do well again for me as I activate Adirondack State Park for POTA again this year.

Why not the QMX? I could, but I know the KX3 like the back of my hand and it's an old familiar friend. I'm such a creature of habit that I'm seriously thinking of divesting myself of the QMX. It's the 80- 20 Meter version, was not used much and is in excellent shape, both cosmetically and electronically.. It's really redundant to my needs, so if you're interested, or know of someone who might be, I'll let it go at a very reasonable price. Just drop me a line at w2ljqrp@gmail.com

It's a fantastic little rig, but I'm not one of these guys that needs a radio for each finger of both hands. You can use only one at a time, right?

One other last Field Day thought. My batteries! Bravo ......superb job, batteries!  I used my 12Ah lithium battery and I loaned my 12Ah SLA to Bill W2AOF for his KX3. Both lasted for the entire Field Day effort, allowing the KX3's to deliver a full 5 Watts out for the duration.

They are still in my ammo box in the baxk of the Jeep. I'll have to bring them inside tonight and hook them up to my smart charger.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

New from Elecraft & the weekend of 4/12 and 4/13

 POTA, whether you like it or not, seems to be a driving force behind new product development, whether it's smaller rigs, antennas or accessories. Elecraft has just announced a new antenna - the AX3, which they describe as "POTA ready".

I'm not going to go into the details here - they can be found at https://elecraft.com/collections/antennas/products/ax1_ax1-multi-band-whip-antenna-copy

My AX1 with the 40 Meter extension will pretty much do the same things, but that built in tripod is a nice addition! It appears to be a lot better solution than that "protractor" type support they were offering. The AX3 also comes with a waterproof nylon bag, which is a nice touch.

On to this weekend's events:

Contests to be aware of (busy weekend for contests!):

QRP-ARCI Spring QSO Party - which starts tonight! - http://qrparci.org/contest/spring-qso-party

JIDX CW Contest: - http://www.jidx.org/jidxrule-e.html

SKCC Weekend Sprintathon - https://www.skccgroup.com/operating_activities/weekend_sprintathon/

Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest - https://gccontest.ru/en/rules-gc-2025/

DIG QSO Party, CW - https://dig-contest.de/rules

Texas State Parks on the Air - https://www.tspota.org/

New Mexico QSO Party - http://www.newmexicoqsoparty.org/

Georgia QSO Party - https://gaqsoparty.com/

North Dakota QSO Party (for those of you needing ND for WAS, listen for this one!) - https://ndarrlsection.com/2025/2025_nd_qso_party_rules.pdf

International Vintage Contest HF - https://vintagecontest.webnode.it/residenti/

4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint - http://www.4sqrp.com/SSS/sss_rules.pdf

And ........ you may hear this digital stuff on the bands:

IG-RY World Wide RTTY Contest, and the Africa FT4 DX Contest.

Special Event Stations:

04/12/2025 | Activation of State Parks in the State of TX Commemorating Tom King, WK5DX

Apr 12-Apr 13, 0800Z-2000Z, K5LRK, The Colony, TX. Lake Area Amateur Radio Klub. CW bottom of +40 kHz; Phone General segment +25 kHz and 28.350; VHF 50.200 144.200. QSL. Ken Rainy, AC3EZ, 529 Kenilworth Ave, Oak Point, TX 75068. www.k5lrk.com

04/12/2025 | Mississippi State Parks on the Air

Apr 12, 1300Z-2300Z, N5OS, Biloxi, MS. Jackson County MS ARA. 14.074. Certificate. Jerry Davis, P.O. Box 234, Gautier, MS 39553. 2nd Annual MS State Parks on the Air event https://jcmsara.org/mississippi-parks-on-the-air

04/12/2025 | Operation Frequent Wind

Apr 12, 1600Z-2300Z, NI6IW, San Diego, CA. USS Midway Museum Ship. 14.320 7.250 14.070 PSK31 DSTAR on Papa System Repeaters. QSL. USS Midway Museum Ship COMEDTRA, 910 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. www.qrz.com/db/ni6iw

04/12/2025 | Venice Florida Shark's Tooth Festival

Apr 12-Apr 13, 1020Z-1017Z, K4S, Venice, FL. Tamiami Amateur Radio Club. 14.136 21.136 28.136. QSL. TAMIAMI AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, PO BOX 976, Nokomis, FL 34274-0976. QSL includes a fossilized shark's tooth from the beach in Venice, FL when S.A.S.E. is sent to W4AC address on qrz.com tamiamiarc.org

Finally, for those of you who are NOT space buffs - April 12th is a significant day. In fact, April 12th is observed as the International Day of Human Spaceflight. On this day in 1961, Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin from the (at that time) USSR, became the first human being to orbit the Earth.

Some 20 years later, on April 12th 1981,  Astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen flew the Space Shuttle Columbia into orbit on the very first shuttle mission - STS-1. The shuttle was the first spacecraft designed to be reusable. It's a shame the shuttle project was terminated, it was a huge success.

And for those of you who just love OTA events, there actually is a NOTA - NASA On The Air program. This is a series of special events where the various Amateur Radio clubs at NASA facilities, or clubs with NASA affiliation get on the air to commemorate significant space events, past and current. You can read about it here - https://nasaontheair.wordpress.com/. And there's a Facebook page as well - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1101291730008122/

Have a great weekend, and hope to hear you in the QRP-ARCI Spring QSO Party tonight!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP -When you care to send the very least!

What a difference

a week makes!

I'm talking of propagation and the 40 Meter Fox Hunt which occurred last night. I was tired after a long day at work, and I wasn't going to ...........but then my Polish stubbornness licked and I headed downstairs at about 8:45 PM.

I turned on HamClock (I don't like to leave computers plugged in and running while I'm not home)  and I saw that Dave AB9CA was spotted in the POTA box, so I tuned to the frequency and was able to hear him at about 449-559. He was in Oklahoma and after a few tries I was able to grant him a QSO towards his activation.

Was that a portent of things to come?  Sort of.

When the clock struck 0200 UTC, I was able to find Jim N0UR rather easily. I didn't even have to look for his pack of baying Hounds, He was in the clear and the Minnesota to New Jersey pipeline was in full function and I worked him at 0206 UTC. I went back and worked him a second time closer to 0300 UTC because for some reason, I wasn't showing up on the live QSO map that some of the Foxes use. A look at his log this morning confirmed the 0206 UTC QSO and he deleted the dupe. Sorry for that, Jim!

Randy NC4RT was a whole different story. I worked him last week when I was the Fox and he was the Hound, so I expected that would hold true last night. You know what they say about making assumptions.

I found the chasing Hounds easily enough at about 7.0325 MHz and tuned down 1 kHz, where I expected Randy to be. Nothing. I think I may have heard a whisper of him once, but that was probably just my mind playing tricks on me. What didn't help at all was a slow speed QRO rag chew taking place right on the frequency! I thought I might stand a chance when the rag chew was over, but the one station started calling CQ again, so I just gave up a little bit after 0300 UTC. I was beat and tired and I didn't think propagation was going to improve enough in the last 25 minutes to make it worth my while. BUT, before I left the shack, I did fire up RBN to see where Randy had planted himself and I was right! He was being spotted at 7.0315 MHz, just where I thought he'd be. I just couldn't hear him at all .......... and just last week he had a decent signal into NJ on 40 Meters. Go figure.

I've said this so many times that it shouldn't surprise me.  When you think you have this whole propagation thing figured out? Think again!

On another subject - I removed the little globe -visitor map widget from the right side of the page. They hadn't renewed their security certificate and Google Chrome (which I use) won't display it, so rather than leave a hole, I deleted it. When I get some time, I'll look for an alternative.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

I'm NOT crazy! (Depends on who you ask)

Last month, when I wrote about my POTA activation at Krings Point State Park in New York, I mentioned I had worked a station in Alaska. That astounded me. 5 Watts to an Elecraft AX1 antenna, sitting on a picnic table in New York, sending RF all the way to Alaska?

After that, I kept asking myself - did I really hear that right? Maybe I botched the call sign?  Maybe it's an Alaskan call sign living somewhere in the lower 48?

Nope! Confirmed on Logbook of the World! I still find it hard to believe - it really does defy all logic that this little antenna can work so well.

I wonder what I could do with a wet string of spaghetti?

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least1

QMX pack is lighter now.

I ditched the "AA" lithium batteries for another of the exact same battery that I use with the KX3. (Boy, did it drop in price since I last purchased one!) I mentioned before of having to make an adapter from 3.5mm to 2.1mm for the QMX and it came out fine. I couldn't just change the plug outright because it's used not only to power out, but also to charge the battery. So I took what I needed from an older one that bulged and cobbled together what I needed.

And I also acquired a smaller key that I first saw on Craig WB3GCK's blog:

Craig had some issues with getting used to the action on his, and I assume the action on mine is identical to his - but I'm fine with the stiffer feel. I adjusted the contact spacing to the point where I was getting continuous dis and dahs and then backed off a 1/2 turn with the Allen wrench. I like the feel of this much better than the other paddle that I had used in Upstate NY. The Morse I was sending from my two POTA activations in NY was atrocious and embarrassing, in my own estimation. This stiffer spring pressure allows me to send with less errors. When the tension is soft, I get sloppy. To make sure, I plugged this little guy into my shack KX3, turned off the VOX to essentially turn the KX3 into a code practice oscillator and was able to send Morse comfortably at up to 25 WPM with no extra dits or dahs. I can show my face on the bands again!

Here's a video from YouTube that i found about the paddle.

'I disagree with him on several points, but like he said - it's his opinion. I think it's a great little portable ops paddle, the price was right, and I think it will hold up well -it's not like i'm going to be using is 365 days a year.. The magnet on the bottom of mine seems to be on very securely - I'm going to disagree with his "F" for mounting. And I stated above, what was most important to me was the feel.

I've got a VE session this morning, followed by grocery shopping. I'm hoping that maybe I can get away for an hour or two to activate either the Edison Memorial or perhaps the Washington-Rochambeau Trail, which is a lot closer to my house.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QRP Image of the Day

The photographer inside of me is captivated by images, And if the old adage is true that "A picture is worth 1,000 words:, then these two images are examples of what come to my mind when I think about QRP.

This image from the SOTA Facebook page, in fact it's now their cover page image. Didn't Steven pick a wonderful image? Who doesn't dream of someday taking a minimalistic set up to the top of a mountain and communicating with the world? I know I do, but I'm also wise enough to know my limitations and that I'm no Steve Galchutt WG0AT and the closest I'm ever going to get to this is operating portable from a picnic table somewhere. Still, the thrill is there, even if the panoramic vistas aren't!

The second image:

Isn't Alexey's station just grand? A One Watt homebrewed QRP transmitter. He posted a video of it on Facebook and it sounded oh, so sweet! Again, the closest I'm ever going to get to this is by building a kit of someone else's design. I'm not an Alexey UY1IF or a Bob W3BBO who can seem to cobble up working equipment just about every other day. I'm no engineer or designer - God didn't grace me with that kind of talent. But still, I can build some things (although with SMD, that's becoming harder and harder every day for my poor skill set) and when they actually work, the satisfaction is there that I didn't totally screw things up.

QRP is not for everyone. Sometimes it's actually rather easy, sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's frustrating, but it's also always immensely rewarding. Whether you're working from a mountain top or from your basement, whether you're operating something you designed and built all by yourself; or maybe just from a kit you bought and built ........ the Ham Radio experience you can get from QRP is like no other.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

So yesterday

I mentioned yesterday that I was probably a day late and a dollar short and with all the geomagnetic activity, the Northern Lights must have been pretty up in the 1,000 Islands .........right?

This was posted to Facebook by K & N photography - of course this happened  AFTER we left.

Of course!  Of course!

I guess the silver lining is that the geomagnetic activity that promulgated these auroral displays did not happen until after my two successful POTA activations. So for bands that were in decent shape and allowed for some amazing contacts ....... I am grateful. (Always have to look at the bright side!)

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Maps a lot

No. Not the Monty Python musical Spamalot - this is Maps a Lot. A comparison of RBN Maps vs. QSO maps from my POTA Activations last week. Just to see if and how they differ.

First - Keewaydin State Park, US-2088:

The Reverse Beacon Network Map

Actual QSO Map including the Alaska QSO

Closer look at just the Continental US QSOs

And now Kring Point State Park, US-2091:

The Reverse Beacon Network Map

The QSO Map

The QSO maps (courtesy of Log Analyzer 3.2 by DL4MFM) pretty much gibe with the skimmer maps, just as you'd expect. There are some discrepancies, though. From Keewaydin, I made it to Alaska, a bit farther than the skimmer in the Canadian North West that picked me up. Also, the RBN map didn't show me as getting out to the South West, but I did have a QSO with Oklahoma.

The RBN Map for Kring Point had no skimmers in the Western US pick me up, but yet I had a QSO with California. And I had a QSO with Arkansas, where the RBN map showed no skimmers picking me up. But even with the discrepancies, the Reverse Beacon Network is a great tool which allows you to get an idea of how your RF is getting out.

 

Just for reference, I was located in NY State right at the border with Canada, pretty much opposite of Ottawa. The RBN Maps are showing my signals as originating from my home QTH in New Jersey, so there's a bit of inaccuracy there.  The QSO maps show the origination point accurately. I think RBM goes by your call sign info, not where you're actually located at the time.0

Lesson learned from all this? You're definitely getting out and being heard to where the skimmers can capture you, and if your snr figures are in double digits- probably a lot farther.

A week later and I'm still astounded that the AX1 table top antenna completed QSOs with Alaska and California. As Craig WB3GCK says, "It defies logic."

Final thought - with all this geomagnetic activity happening right now, I'll bet the Northern Lights are quite pretty up in Alexandria Bay. Sigh. Seems I'm always a day late and a dollar short.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Wouldn't you know it?

My anticipation was growing last week in Upstate NY as Geomagnetic activity was getting greater and greater all week long. My SpaceWeather Live app was going off all week with news of flares, CMEs and such. Finally, there was a better than good chance that I would finally get to see the Northern Lights on Friday night - the last night before we left to return to New Jersey.

Upstate NY decided to pull a New Jersey on me and it clouded up and rained Friday night.

Sheesh.

In any event, I got my POTA logs uploaded yesterday as well as getting them into AC Log. Tonight, I want to make QSO maps for both activations and see how they compare to the RBN maps that I captured. I'll post them here.

The long range forecast for this week is showing the upcoming weekend to be nice. Maybe I can get away for an hour or two to activate Washington Rock, or perhaps the Washington-Rochambeau Trail. Doing POTA activations is kind of like eating Lays potato chips - You can't do just one! It's super easy o get hooked.

But as far as activations go, I'm not one of these guys that needs to get triple digit QSOs in the log. I'm quite happy getting my 10 or more, enjoying the outdoors and nice weather. If 20, 30, or 40 come easy because the bands are good .......great! If the bands are crappy and I only make 10 or 11 contacts, I'm fine with that, too. I'm in it for the experience and the fun.

The 4States QRP Group has come out with a new kit designed by Dave Cripe, NM0S - a CW VOX keyer. For those who may not be able to send Morse in the traditional way due to disabilities  - this will allow Morse to be sent by your transceiver by speaking into it. According to the 4States website: "The CWvox is a unique solution that leverages the ability of Morse Code operators to vocalize Morse Code using "da" for dashes and "dit" for dots. This practice isn't just a novelty; it's a skill that, when done correctly, mirrors the proper length ratio of dashes and dots in Morse Code."

The kit is available for $40 and all the details can be found here - https://www.4sqrp.com/kits/CW-VOX/4SQRP_CW_VOX_%20Manual.pdf

72 de Larry W2LJ 

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I guess I learned a few things about my POTA setup and a few changes that need to be made.

First, these battery packs I am currently using don't last long at all. I've decided to purchase another of the small blue lithium packs like I use with the KX3. The only problem there is that I will have to build an adapter cable as they come with a 3.5mm plug, while the QMX uses a 2.1mm plug. I have plenty of 2.1mm plugs and I have an old battery that bulged and is no longer usable. I'll scavenge the 3.5mm charging socket off of that, solder on a 2.1mm plug and I'll have the adapter cable I'll need.

Second, I'm not thrilled with the paddle I had recently purchased.  I'm having a hard time adjusting it to the feel that I want, and as I was putting it back into the QMX bag yesterday after the Kring Point activation, a small nut dropped out of it and landed on the picnic tabel - not good. I still have a Whiterook single lever paddle kicking around somewhere and I also have the Bulldog Clip key. I can use either one of those. My American Morse DCP paddle will remain exclusively with the KX3.

Lastly, I have not fallen in love with the QMX to the point to replace my KX3 with it. For POTA activations, it's great because you generally find a clear frequency, call "CQ POTA" and don't move around too much. The KX3 is way more easier to tune. For general operating, and for hunting and pouncing in Sprints the KX3 is the way to go. Plus the KX3 gives me access to bands that the QMX does not. The QMX will be my "in the car, operate at the spur of a moment" rig. The KX3 will remain the weapon of choice for serious operating. 

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

OK, I'm sold!

Yesterday was a rainy day, and Marianne and I vegged out for most of the day. The skies started clearing out in the late afternoon:

And we were rewarded with yet another beautiful sunset a few hours later:

This morning dawned sunny, bright and a tad on the chilly side. After breakfast and a few stops, Marianne and I headed out to Kring Point State Park, US-2091 for the second activation of our wedding anniversary getaway.

This time, I did not bring the AlexLoop along, only the Elecraft AX1. I was impressed by its performance on Tuesday and I was not to be disappointed this time, either!

Here are some photos that Marianne took of me doing the POTA thing:

And here are some photos that I took of the setup:

We arrived at the park at about 11:00 (15:00 UTC) and stopped at the Park Ranger booth only to be told that the picnic area was closed for renovation and construction, but that we were free to drive around and look at the park. That's when Marianne noticed quite a few vacant campsites that sure enough had picnic tables! So we stopped at campsite #12 and I headed off to the picnic bench while Marianne did some exploring,

I was set up by15:25 UTC, spotted myself on the POTA app and after calling CQ POTA on 14.062 MHz, I was immediately greeted by Hunters. I didn't want to stay too long as today is actually our anniversary and I didn't think it was polite and proper for Marianne to be bored out of her skull.

I quickly racked up another 14 QSOs in just 32 minutes and I pulled the plug when my batteries started going wonky. More about that in a minute. QSOs were made with New Jersey (NY to NJ on 20 Meters - strange!), WI, a Park to Park with WA9LEY at US-7256 in IL, SC, CA, GA, OH, VA, NC and AR.

The performance from this little antenna just blows my mind. As Craig WB3GCK said to me, "It defies all logic.", but there you have it, the proof is in the pudding. The AX1 will be my go to whenever I activate picnic table portable, The RBN map wasn't as impressive as Tuesday's but the snr figures were very nice! There was not a single skimmer that picked me up with a single digit snr report.

Regarding the batteries. I made sure they were fully charged and they did not last at all. That's probably due to the fact that they've been sitting in the shack for years without being used. I'll have to go to eBay to pick up some fresh ones or perhaps something else that will last a bit longer, but is still small enough to fit in my QMX bag.

Thanks to all the Hunters who worked me this week! My activations were not long or filled with triple digit QSO numbers, but they are valid activations and I had a lot of fun!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Success!

Around 10:00 this morning, Marianne looked at me and said, "So you want to go to one of those parks you were talking about?" Of course, I didn't miss a heartbeat and answered in the affirmative, so I placed the gear in the Jeep and we headed off for Keewaydin State Park, US-2088, which only a few miles down the road.

We drove to the lot where people park their boat trailers. Right next to it was a children's playground, a community pool and a very nice pavillion with plenty of picnic tables. The pavillion is all wooden, so no Faraday Cage syndrome.

I began by setting up the AlexLoop. It doesn't take long and I was on the air a few minutes before 11:00 AM - 15:00 UTC. At first, the calls came easy as I worked to really loud N9 stations out of Indiana. But after those two contacts I was calling "CQ POTA" a lot with little to show for it, and I was starting to worry that this was going to turn into a busted activation.

That's when I decided to break out the AX1, From previous posts you all know I've had mixed results and have been ........skeptical about its ability. I have to adnit that once I swithed over, the QSOs just started rolling in, one right after another! I worked stations in Virginia, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, Michigan and Ohio. I worked NL7V who according to QRZ is in Alaska, but I have to believe he was down here in the lower 48 somewhere on vacation. I didn't catch the state when he sent it. Alaska would be a dream QSO!

I didn't want to stay too long, as Marianne has no interest in Amateur Radio whatsoever. In just over a little over an hour, I made 14 contacts which is nothibg as far as POTA activations go, but still it counts as a valid activation.

The good news is that Marianne has agreed to accompany me to Krings Point State park later this week. The bad news is that since I only brought my aging Samsung tablet with me (and no laptop) my log submissions will have to wait a few days. My tablet doesn't have the display format size required to display the log upload page.

Here's the Reverse Beacon Network report for the day:

As you can see, the snr dB figures are pretty good for QRP. This AX1 is starting to turn me into a beleiver!

The rest of the day was spent doing things that Marianne had an interest in, and it turned out to be a very nice day. As we headed out to dinner this evening, we were rewarded with another gorgeous sunset.

Perfect ending to a great Amateur Radio day!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP = When you care to send the very least!

The weekend - September 28th and 29th

For those of you who will be on the air this weekend, scratching your heads and thinking "What $$%*@! contest is this?", brought to you as a public service:

Contests (not much):

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY - https://www.cqwwrtty.com/

Maine QSO Party - http://www.ws1sm.com/MEQP.html

For those of you who like to chase Special Event Stations:

09/26/2024 | Triple Tree Fly-In

Sep 26-Sep 28, 1200Z-2359Z, W4F, Spartanburg, SC. Spartanburg Amateur radio club. 7.210 14.200. QSL. SPARC, Fly-in, 400 Glenwood Dr, Spartanburg, SC 29303. station to operate during operation of the fly-in. k4ii.org

09/28/2024 | SENARC 1936-2024 ANNIVERSARY

Sep 28-Sep 29, 1521Z-1519Z, W9WKP, Lincoln, NE. SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB. 7.265 7.285. Certificate & QSL. Charles Bennett, PO Box 67181, Lincoln, NE 68506. The SENARC (SENRC) will celebrate 88 years as a club started in 1936. G.C. Bennett, Auburn, NE, W9WKP was the first ARRL emergency coordinator for Nebraska. senebrradioclub@gmail.com

09/28/2024 | Volcano Days WV Oil and Gas History

Sep 28, 1400Z-2200Z, W8PAR, Parkersburg, WV. Parkersburg Amateur Radio Klub. CW 14.050 PH 14.250 CW 7.050 PH 7.200 FT8 on 20 & 40. Certificate & QSL. Jerry Wharton, 1722 20th St, Parkersburg, WV 26101. Relive an exciting chapter in WV history! www.w8par.org

09/29/2024 | Re-enactment of the First Trans-Global Two-Way Radio Communication

Sep 29-Oct 26, 0000Z-2359Z, GB2NZ, Many locations, UNITED KINGDOM. Radio Society of Great Britain and New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (Otago Branch). All bands and all modes depending on operator availability. QSL. See website, for, information, UNITED KINGDOM. www.gb2nz.com

For you POTA Hunters, at some point next week I hope to activate either, or perhaps both of these in Upstate NY -  Kring Point State Park US-2091 and Keewaydin State Park US-2088.  If the weather cooperates and I get the opportunity to activate, I'll post my activation to the POTA app and will perhaps spot myself on the DX Cluster if I get cell phone coverage up there. I scoped out both parks on the Web and it appears both feature picnic tables in their amenities lists. Operating from my vehicle is a last resort - I prefer to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.

I'll have my QMX, my AX1, my AlexLoop, my Buddistick and my EFRW to pick from, so antennas won't be a problem.

The weather outlook for the week isn't too terrible, so maybe I will get an opportunity. A might chilly for my taste, but it's Autumn and I'll pack accordingly. When Marianne and I were up there last year at this time, it was in the 80's during the day, and felt more like Summer than Autumn! What a difference a year makes.

Tomorrow, the South Plainfield Police Dept. is hosting "National Afternoon Out" as National Night Out in August was a rainout. It is going to be held in Putnam Park which was recently renovated. This is the same park where we held Field Day from 2021 to 2023. I wish I could be there, but plans preclude it. Our Boro Council is going to make a presentation to SPARC, honoring the 10th Anniversary of our founding. As one of the founding members, I really hate missing this, but such is life.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP  - When you care to send the very least!

Another one

I've decided to make the 4States QRP Group 4S-Tuner the official tuner of the W2LJ QMX Portable Ops bag. So I ordered another one for the shack for when I use the HW-8.  This way, I don't have to keep transferring the one I have back and forth between car and shack.

I really, really like the function of the two LEDs.  Great design feature by David Wayne Cripe NM0S!

When the red one is bright and the green one is out, the SWR is too high. When the two LEDs are of equal brightness, you have a 2:1 SWR. When the green LED is at max brightness, and the red LED is at minimum brightness or out altogether, your SWR is around 1:1.

This is a T-Match Tuner and I find it a bit easier to use, having the inductor in the circuit. Nothing against the ZM-2 as it is a wonderful little unit and will stay in the KX3 bag, should the autotuner fail for whatever reason. But sometimes, I just have a bit of trouble getting that single red LED to dim. I guess it's range is just a little narrower than the 4S-Tuner.

I already know it works well with my KM4CFT EFRW antenna. This weekend, time and weather permitting, I'd like to see how it handles the AX1 from our patio tabletop - a simulated POTA activation. Have to practice, just like the astronauts did! HI HI !

Onto another subject, with all the CMEs and solar flares that have been occurring the past few weeks, I saw this photo on Facebook, taken just yesterday, from the 1,000 Islands region in Upstate NY.

Marianne and I are heading up there soon for some away time for our Anniversary - I know I've mentioned that before. Will this finally be a good chance for me to see the Northern Lights? I hope so! If I'm lucky enough, I'll try to get some photos.

While I'm on the subject of photos - here's a neat one I came across the other day, for the QRP Image of the Day. This was posted on Facebook by  Chris Farnham W1YTQ.  He was camping with his son's scout troop in Boston Harbor Island up in Massachusetts and one of the licensed Scouts actually accomplished his first POTA activation. Later, after the hustle and bustle of the day was over, Chris decided to stroll on down to the beach to activate - Boston Islands Park - US-2421, himself.

Isn't that a beauty of a shot? The moon and it's reflection on the water, the KH1 with the antenna sticking up, and that cube-ish  lantern. What a great mood shot! And once again, it shows that you don't have to tote around a whole mess of equipment to have a good time!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

POTAing on!

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.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Mixed day

Yesterday was a mixed day. I was happy because I did get to the car at lunchtime and made a POTA contact on 20 Meters with WS4Y at US-1873 in Florida. That was nice. Then, up the band a ways, I heard NV4H in New Mexico. re-tuned the ZM-2 until the red LED went out, as per the instructions, but for some reason, I still got a high SWR warning on the QMX and it went into self-protection mode and would not transmit. I still have a lot of "getting used to" with the QMX ahead of me. I guess I've been spoiled by how easy the KX3 is to use..

When I got home, I was saddened to learn of the passing of two people:

Ed Kranepool was my hero Met when I was a kid. He is the only player who played for the team for his entire career. He was very good first baseman and later in his career, a pinch hitter par exelance. He was a National League All Star in 1965 and was a member of the 1969 World Championship team. To me, he was Mr. Met. I got to meet him in the 90's at a baseball card show and got his autograph on a Major League baseball. He was quite the gentleman.

The other person whose passing away touched me is James Earl Jones.

This clip, from Field of Dreams, is one of my absolute favorites. The world will remember him as the voice of Darth Vader and the voice of CNN, but to me, James Earl Jones will always be Terence Mann, delivering perhaps the finest soliloquy about baseball that I've ever heard.

RIP Eddie and James - I hope you get to meet each other on the Field of Dreams.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

You can always tell an AI generated image

Just for the halibut, I asked "Canva" an AI image generator to capture the spirit of POTA. I asked it to generate an image of "A young Ham Radio operator, sitting at a picnic table in a park, sending Morse Code on his radio".

This is what I got:

Not bad, actually, right? But for some reason, AI always seems to get human hands wrong, and I labeled them in the image. In this case, this poor guy seems to have three! Two at the radio, one on the table.  I've noticed this on a lot of AI generated images where people are part of the scene. Weird, very weird. If it wasn't for the third hand, which I guess some of wish we had sometimes, it wouldn't be a bad image. Kind of nostalgic in a way. I like the guy's hat!

Speaking of the spirit of POTA, someone was complaining on the Facebook POTA page that the admins don't keep track of who first activates an entity. They don't - you can look up how many times a park has been activated,  and who has activated it, how many times a person has activated a particular park etc. but not who first activated it. (EDIT - actually as one of the commenters below pointed out, they DO keep track of who first activated a park - but there's no award or certificate for it. That's a more accurate description of what triggered the complainer - mea culpa for getting that wrong! And thank you Mark AI4BJ for pointing that out)

That seemed to crumble the cookies of the poster. "If my friend takes a day off from work and drives 1/2 way across the state to be the first one to activate a new park, he doesn't get recognition for it? Why do we do POTA then?"

"Maybe just to have fun and and enjoy doing radio in the great outdoors?", I answered. 

Does everything need to be a competition? Does everyone need to have a trophy? Has the concept of doing something just for the fun of it become a relic? Sadly, I guess it has.

Heavy sigh.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!