On The Air

Many of you have probably heard that the ARRL has launched a new publication - "On The Air". This magazine is dedicated to / aimed at the "Beginner to Intermediate" Amateur Radio operator, in terms of experience.

ARRL members will be able to specify which print magazine they wish to receive - either "On The Air" or "QST". Both will be available to all ARRL members as digital editions. But hey, don't take my word for it - here it is right fro the horse's mouth:

01/07/2020

The premiere issue of ARRL’s On the Air magazine has left the printer and is on its way to member subscribers! The magazine should be in mailboxes within the next 10 days. On the Air is the newest ARRL member benefit to help new licensees and beginner-to-intermediate radio communicators navigate the world of amateur radio.

Eligible US-based members can elect to receive On the Air or QST magazine in print when they join or when they renew their ARRL membership. All members will be able to access digital editions of On the Air magazine.

The first digital issue of On the Air will be available beginning January 14, supported by a new version of ARRL’s digital magazine app. With one app, members will be able to access On the Air and QST.

Looks like there's a new app that I will be downloading onto my phone, soon.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Thanksgiving humor

This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in these United States of America. It's my favorite holiday because with the exception of the Black Friday nonsense (which has nothing to do with Thanksgiving) there's no hype like there is for other holidays. Just family, friends, food and togetherness with a big dose of thanks to the Almighty tossed in for good measure.

So I'll begin this week with a pun, courtesy of the ARRL - taken from Jeeves, who appeared in QST for many a year:

Courtesy of the ARRL and QST

Oh! Another thing to be grateful for, pre-Holiday! This coming weekend is the CQ WWDX CW contest, so during this week, there should be plenty of stations in exotic DX locations setting up, getting ready and testing out antennas and equipment. Keep an ear peeled for ATNOs!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QCX Field Day

I saw this post of Facebook the other day:

It's so cool that they used two QCX transceivers for Field Day. Can you imagine how long they could last on a deep cycle marine battery or a solar panel?

My question is - I wonder where they got their Field Day results from?  The December 2018 edition of QST is not out yet - not even digitally. That's the only place that I know of where the scores are published.

It will be interesting to see how SPARC did this year. We had less Qs because we did a lot more "Elmering" this year. That's a big part of what the South Plainfield Amateur Radio Club is all about - so if our score suffered, we're okay with that.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least1

I'm going out on a limb

and creating more work for a QRP friend, Steve Fletcher G4GXL, over at QRP-ARCI (as if he doesn't have enough to do already - sorry, Steve!).

But did you know that if you're a paid up member of QRP-ARCI, that you can get QRP Quarterly as a .pdf file, sent to you?  Yes. you can! And it's real easy to do - here's the actual snippet from the QRP-ARCI Website:

Personally, I think this is fantastic and I offer kudos to Steve and QRP-ARCI.  I already get QST, CQ and the K9YA Telegraph in digital format, and now I can get the "Best of the Best" in digital format, too.

I know a lot of you prefer to have actual paper in your hands, but I like being able to have all four publications easily with me on my tablet. It takes up a lot less physical space, and I don't have to store back issues after the fact. And I've read so many books on my kindle and via the kindle app on other devices that swiping, enlarging, and dragging motions are almost like second nature to me now.

I suppose the fact that we save some trees in the process is a bonus too. Although, selfishly, I'm all in for the convenience! As far as storage goes, I have a dedicated USB memory stick where I already store back issues of the K9YA Telegraph. There's plenty of space on there for issues of QRP Quarterly.

Yes, I know there are downsides to digital formats of magazines. Of course, you need "juice" for the device's battery, and it's not as easy (or possible) to share or donate old issues to libraries or friends. But again, IMHO, these "cons" are minor compared to the "pros".  Whether we like it or not, it's more economical for the providers not to have to purchase paper, ink, binding, postage, etc. I would never say that actual paper publications will disappear forever, but this is (to use an overused phrase) "the wave of the future". And besides, if you're as old as I am (or older) who can forget the astronauts in "2001: A Space Odyssey" reading their news on a tablet like device.  Back in the 60s, when the movie came out, we all thought that would be so neat. That time is now, baby!

On another topic, remember how I mentioned in yesterday's post about FOBB that the weather forecast for Sunday would probably change between yesterday and then? It already has! Now it's looking like only clouds with no rain forecasted until well after FOBB 2015 is in the books. Looking better and better for heading out to Washington Rock State Park.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Every Ham's favorite? He is mine!

Gil Gildersleeve, W1CJD - the cartoonist whose work appeared for so many years in QST. When I was a young spud, it was Gil's cartoons that always caught my eye in the ARRL's license manuals and QST. They made me chuckle, they made me want to be a Ham. Gill Gildersleeve's cartoons were part and parcel of Amateur Radio to me!

 

 

So it was nice to see N2EST, Jim Massara post a new article about Gil on Facebook (for those Hams who avoid Facebook, calling it a waste ......... we'll go into THAT some other time!). You can read Jim's interesting article here.

 

 



While there will never be another Gil, it's comforting to know that we have excellent talent in our ranks, still today. Jim N2EST, and Jeff K1NSS are without a doubt, our generation's premier Amateur Radio illustrators. We're lucky to have them.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

This would be great!

Jeff Murray K1NSS of Dashtoons fame, posted the following on Facebook today. This would be awesome if it were to come about - and YOU can help make it possibly happen.

From Jim Massara N2EST:

"Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, and I are pitching the idea of returning Gil's classic "Jeeves" character in new cartoons to the pages of QST as a Rip Van Winkle character -- the hobby's changed, but he hasn't. We think it would be a great way to celebrate the League's centennial by connecting the hobby's past to its future. If you like the idea, email QST managing editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY at bschoenfeld@arrl.org and tell her so -- and share this post of a sample cartoon in as many places as possible."

Jeff goes on to comment further:

 "Fellow ham cartoonist/QSL artist Jim Massara N2EST and his partner in crime Eric Nichols KL7AJ are promoting the idea of a returning Gil Gildersleeve's Jeeves to the pages of QST. I think it would be swell to see Jeeves back where he belongs, trying to keep up like the rest of us geezers. It's a grand tradition. Many classic newspaper comics were carried on by other artists far far after the originals passed on. We grow up with cartoon characters like Jeeves, and they become little parts of of lives, and the continuity can be a small but real comfort."

Back to W2LJ - If I am not mistaken, 2015 is the Centennial of QST. I, for one, would love to see this. I am going to send Becky an enthusiastic e-mail. I hope you'll do the same.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

I was asleep at the wheel

How did I miss this?  I've had my September QST for over a week now (we Lifemembers seem to be the last to receive our QSTs!), and I must confess .... today was the first time I've given it a leaf through.  I was surprised and gladdened to read a really nice op-ed piece by good friend Jim W1PID on page 101.

Jim shared his thoughts on the changing face of Amateur Radio in celebration of the ARRL's 100th anniversary, but yet focused on the things that remain the same through the changes. The joy, the excitement, the satisfaction, the fun.

Good article, Jim and I'm glad the Newington Bunch had the good sense to publish it!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Day off today

I am lucky enough to find myself with a day off from work - as the firm is closed to honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..  It will not be an idle day however, as there is always much to do around the house. But as I sit here with a morning cup of coffee, I am glad to be inside as it's only 13F (-10C) here. Now I know a lot of you out there experience much colder temps on a routine basis throughout the Winter; and that you chuckle to yourselves when I mention how cold this seems to us around here.

But keep in mind, only about 25 miles due East of here is that Big Puddle that most folks call the Atlantic Ocean.  It's relatively warm waters tend to keep us pretty warm during the Winter.  For us, going down into or near the single digits is the same as when you get hit with deep minus F temperatures.  In fact, in my 55 years on this big blue marble that we call home, I can only remember a handful of times (if that many) that it actually went below 0F (-17C)

As I mentioned there is plenty do around here; but I still hope to get on for a little this afternoon.  The shack is probably a little to chilly to sit in right now anyway.  When I left the shack at the end of RFTB last night, it was 58F (14C) down there.  Nothing a T-shirt and sweatshirt can't handle; but after a night of frigid temps, it might even be a bit lower.  That will moderate as the day continues and the house warms up - I do have to get a fire going in the fireplace soon - next chore.

I noticed this morning that last night, Doug Hendricks announced a new kit at QRPKits.com - a 41dB Step RF Attenuator.

 

This looks like a really nice unit.  A lot more elegant than the mish-mosh attenuators that I used to jury rig back in the day.  All the details can be found here.

If any of you get QST, you may have noticed in the February 2012 edition that one of our own has an article in it.  Par excellant QRPer, Mert Nellis WØUFO (fellow Flying Piggie) has a very FB article entitled "Characterizing Solar Panels for Amateur Radio Applications".  Mert appears on many lines in my log book, as I have worked him in many QRP Sprints.  I always get a kick when someone in the QRP community gets good mention in any of the Amateur Radio publications.  It's kind of like "knowing the celebrity" if you know what I mean - how cool is that?

You might be thinking to yourself, "Hey Larry, that's old news, I've had my QST for weeks now".  That's another thing I wanted to mention.  I always seems to be the last person, out of the folks that I know, that gets their copy of QST.  I wonder if that's strictly a zip code issue, or as a Life Member, the League feels that I'm not going anywhere - so we get ours last?   ...... Strange things that go through my mind while the coffee kicks in.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!