Getting on the air

 Santa Ham image for the day:

I had a Dr. appointment at 4:00 PM, so I had to leave work early. It was the for the last injection of a series of four over two years as part of my treatment. In turn, i got home early and was able to make dinner for the family, after which I headed down to the shack for a bit.

I tuned to 80 Meters and heard John K3WWP calling CQ. He was weak - only about 339, but I decided to give him a call, anyway. It took a while of repeats and all, but I got a 229 report from him. That made me wonder if somehow the Nor'Easter we had yesterday had affected my antennas.

I moved in frequency a bit and called CQ hoping for a QSO, but also wanting to see how the Reverse Beacon Network would find me. To my relief, I was being spotted with some pretty decent signal strengths for a 5 Watt signal. I guess the path between South Plainfield and Kitanning just wasn't open last night.

My CQ was answered by Neal WD4LSS in Arcadia, NC and we had a bit of a 599 (both ways) ragchew for about 15 to 20 minutes. Neal is an SKCC'er and was hunting numbers, I guess. This surprised me a little bit as SKCC'ers generally stick around 3.550 MHz and I was up a bit in QRP territory. Nevertheless, we had a pleasant QSO and I might have surprised Neil with my SKCC # of 49C.  I don't hand it out all that often, and I'm not even sure how many of us early members are still around. The QSO came to a kind of abrupt halt when an Olivia or some other musical type digital signal erupted on our frequency, causing us both to not hear each other anymore.

Before shutting down for the evening, I fired up the POTA spotting page and was surprised to see not a single activation on any band. That's a rarity, indeed! Tonight is the South Plainfield ARES/RACES Net on VHF at 7:00 PM and a few hours later will be the 40 Meter Fox Hunt, if I have enough energy to stay up that late.

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day which kind of hit close to home. It said, "9:00 PM is the new Midnight." I can agree with that, at times!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Propagation is a fickle thing.

Yesterday, and again this morning, I have been trying to work my friend Bob W3BBO in the Pennsylvania QSO Party. You would think that between Erie, PA and Central NJ, either 40 Meters or 80 Meters would be a sure thing, right?

Nope.

I keep Bob's call listed in HamAlert so I know that when he's on. He was spotted multiple times on 40 Meters yesterday and 80 Meters AND 40 Meters this morning. Every time I run downstairs when I get notice of a spot, I tune on or close to the frequency that he's been spotted on - nothing. Can't hear a peep. I'll betcha a dollar to a donut that were he to switch to 20 Meters, somehow I'd be able to hear him - which goes against all logic as far as I'm concerned.

While listening for Bob, I was hearing a lot of SKCC stations on the air. I am guessing that this week is the SKCC Weekend Sprint. I'll have to dust off the ol' bug and practice with it, off the air, and maybe join in and work a few next month. I would try today, but straight key sending is holy terror on my wrist and my bug sending would send folks running for the hills swearing to "Never work that W2LJ guy again!"

Speaking of upcoming events, this made it to QRP-L this past week. Notice of the 2020 Zombie Shuffle:

Zombies and Zombettes:

That time of the year again.  The 23rd Annual Zombie Shuffle QRP whatever-it-is will be held Friday, October 30, 2020 from 1600 to midnight YOUR LOCAL TIME.  This should allow for a little 20M at the beginning before forced to 40 or 80M.

Rules are here: http://www.zianet.com/qrp/ZOMBIE/pg.htm

Pretty much the same ole malarky QRP fun that is senseless and pointless with ridiculous scoring for getting on the air and working a few fellow QRP Zombies.

Bonus stations this year will be sending "2020" as their Zombie Number for an even bigger score and additional multipliers.  We'd like to see Bonus Stations in the East, Midwest, West and VE.  So, if you're planning on operating for an hour or two and want to be one of the coveted Bonus Stations, please let me know (na5n@zianet.com).

If you've never participated in the Zombie Shuffle, give it a try.  Just some silly Halloween fun to work some fellow QRP stations.  Not a high speed QRQ contest; stations will match your speed if you're a bit rusty or new to CW.

We'll never have a more Zombie year than 2020!!! :-(

72, Paul NA5N

Grand Zombie #004/2020

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH !!!!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least

New Year's Eve possibilities

Lots happening this New Year's Eve - no excuse for NOT getting on the air! (Unless you have family obligations, of course. Family always comes first!)

40 Meter QRP Fox Hunt  - With two excellent Foxes - K4BAI in GA and NC4RT in NC.
0200-0330Z - search between 7.030 and 7.050 MHz - http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/winter_rules.htm

SKN - Straight Key Night - http://www.arrl.org/straight-key-night

SKCC Slow Speed Saunter - https://www.skccgroup.com/operating_activities/slowspeed/

W2P Special Event Station - Commemorating the Battle of Princeton and the "Ten Crucial Days of the Revolution" - https://bit.ly/2ZD9XYQ

I'm sure this is nowhere a complete listing - probably lots of other events you can join in on.

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

FISTS / SKCC Joint Sprint this Saturday

For all the details: http://www.skccgroup.com/operating_activities/fists-skcc_sprint/

Looks like I'll have to get some bug practice in before the weekend. This is going to be a toughie, though - a Saturday afternoon before Christmas. I definitely won't be able to put in a full four hours, but I am a member of both organizations and I do need to start working on my SKCC Tribune award. I've been treading water as a Centurion for years now.

72 de Larry W2LJ - FISTS 1469 - SKCC 49C

QRP - When you care to send the very least!