I always loved the Three Stooges, but I didn't remember this:
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Not a great day, but a better evening
My lunch time QRP session was the pits. I didn't work anyone and I kept getting jumpy SWRs. The KX3 kept wanting to re-tune and I couldn't get a decent SWR on 15 Meters, which had never been a problem until today. Last night, I re-soldered the connections to my magmount as the shield connection snapped. I brought the base in last night, cleaned everything up and re-soldered the wires to new connectors. When I reassembled the pieces, I thought I had screwed everything down tight. But when I took the Buddistick apart today at the end of my lunch time session, the threaded stud part of the magmount, that the radiator screws into, was turning pretty freely. Obviously, I didn't tighten things as well as I had thought. I took care of THAT this evening with the help of two good Craftsmen Hex Grip wrenches. Tomorrow should be better. Even if I don't end up working anyone, the KX3 should be a happier camper than it was today.
Tonight however, was a different story. I worked W1AW/7 in WY and W1AW/0 in MO on 30 Meters, back to back. Then I hopped on over to 15 Meters just in time for the grayline to give me a hand. Although I used QRO power (75 Watts), I was able to snare two good ones - E51KJW, South Cook Island and FW5JJ, Wallis and Futuna Islands. I had to work FW5JJ twice, as the first time he had me in his log as "W2LO". Big time dilemma. At that point, what do you do? I knew he had me wrong, but I didn't want to call again right away, so I went and worked E51KJW who got my call right the first time. After working Nakayama, I thought I'd give FW5JJ a second shot. I was worried that I would get the dreaded "WRKD B4", but this time he heard me correctly and I clearly heard "W2LJ" this time. Two new DXCC entities in the log - Booyah!
Going to shut the rig down now and head upstairs to watch "The World Wars" series that is running on The History Channel. I've been watching it since Monday night. So far it's been a very good documentary assessing how World War II was really just a continuation of World War I. And although I always considered myself pretty familar with the histories of both wars, there have been some new tidbits of information that were new to me, which is always fun.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tonight however, was a different story. I worked W1AW/7 in WY and W1AW/0 in MO on 30 Meters, back to back. Then I hopped on over to 15 Meters just in time for the grayline to give me a hand. Although I used QRO power (75 Watts), I was able to snare two good ones - E51KJW, South Cook Island and FW5JJ, Wallis and Futuna Islands. I had to work FW5JJ twice, as the first time he had me in his log as "W2LO". Big time dilemma. At that point, what do you do? I knew he had me wrong, but I didn't want to call again right away, so I went and worked E51KJW who got my call right the first time. After working Nakayama, I thought I'd give FW5JJ a second shot. I was worried that I would get the dreaded "WRKD B4", but this time he heard me correctly and I clearly heard "W2LJ" this time. Two new DXCC entities in the log - Booyah!
Going to shut the rig down now and head upstairs to watch "The World Wars" series that is running on The History Channel. I've been watching it since Monday night. So far it's been a very good documentary assessing how World War II was really just a continuation of World War I. And although I always considered myself pretty familar with the histories of both wars, there have been some new tidbits of information that were new to me, which is always fun.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Hoot Owl Sprint After Action Report
Disappointingly, there was not a lot of activity last night in the QRP ARCI Hoot Owl Sprint. My guess would be that between the CQ WWPX Contest and Holiday weekend BBQs and other activities, that most folks were probably too pooped to pop.
I was on for approximately 2 and 1/2 hours, from 8:30 PM local time to 11:30 PM local time (0030 - 0300 UTC). I worked a total of 17 stations - mostly up and down the East coast. I did work John N0EVH in Missouri and I did have a nice little QSO with Rumi LZ2R who was calling CQ USA from his QTH in Bulgaria. He was running his K3 at 5 Watts and we were 569 both ways. I think he was looking for counties, but I got the exchange needed for the Sprint, so as far as I'm concerned, it counts and it was by far my best DX for the night.
The last 1/2 hour, from 0230 to 0300 UTC was just me calling CW with no takers. That's when I decided to pack it in for the night. The KX3 was plugging away calling CQ and I started nodding off a little bit. I'm sure if there was more activity, I would have stayed on until the allotted time was up, which would have been local Midnight (0400 UTC). But the rig automatically calling CQ over and over is kind of like driving down a long highway in the rain with the windshield wipers on. The constant rhythm of CQ with no breaks can kind of lull yout to sleep.
According to Reverse Beacon Network, there is how I was being heard last night.
I spent just about all of my time on 40 Meters. I did make one QSO on 80 Meters and three on 20 Meters, featuring the one with LZ2RS. Other than that, everyone seemed to be concentrating on 40 Meters in the 7.030 MHz neighborhood. As far as antennas go, I was using mostly my 88' EDZ on 40 meters and for my very brief foray into 80 Meters. On 20 Meters, I used the Butternut HF9V.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I was on for approximately 2 and 1/2 hours, from 8:30 PM local time to 11:30 PM local time (0030 - 0300 UTC). I worked a total of 17 stations - mostly up and down the East coast. I did work John N0EVH in Missouri and I did have a nice little QSO with Rumi LZ2R who was calling CQ USA from his QTH in Bulgaria. He was running his K3 at 5 Watts and we were 569 both ways. I think he was looking for counties, but I got the exchange needed for the Sprint, so as far as I'm concerned, it counts and it was by far my best DX for the night.
The last 1/2 hour, from 0230 to 0300 UTC was just me calling CW with no takers. That's when I decided to pack it in for the night. The KX3 was plugging away calling CQ and I started nodding off a little bit. I'm sure if there was more activity, I would have stayed on until the allotted time was up, which would have been local Midnight (0400 UTC). But the rig automatically calling CQ over and over is kind of like driving down a long highway in the rain with the windshield wipers on. The constant rhythm of CQ with no breaks can kind of lull yout to sleep.
According to Reverse Beacon Network, there is how I was being heard last night.
I spent just about all of my time on 40 Meters. I did make one QSO on 80 Meters and three on 20 Meters, featuring the one with LZ2RS. Other than that, everyone seemed to be concentrating on 40 Meters in the 7.030 MHz neighborhood. As far as antennas go, I was using mostly my 88' EDZ on 40 meters and for my very brief foray into 80 Meters. On 20 Meters, I used the Butternut HF9V.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, May 25, 2014
THIS is why we celebrate the Holiday ......
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, May 23, 2014
If the shirt I'm wearing had buttons, they'd all have popped!
My two kids, Joey and Cara had a half day at school today. A friend's sister drove them home, so early this afternoon I started a text conversation with Joey:
Me: Home?
Joey: Now we r.
Me: Good! You got a ride.
Joey: Yes!
Me: I guess Cara's happy.
Joey: Yes she is. Guess what place I got in science fair.
Me: 1st
At this point, I wasn't getting an answer, so I texted again:
Me: ???
The reason I wasn't getting an answer is that Joey was sending me this photo:
If this golf shirt that I'm wearing had buttons on it, they'd all have popped by now. I am so proud of Joey and Cara, they are both great kids. God has truly blessed me.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Me: Home?
Joey: Now we r.
Me: Good! You got a ride.
Joey: Yes!
Me: I guess Cara's happy.
Joey: Yes she is. Guess what place I got in science fair.
Me: 1st
At this point, I wasn't getting an answer, so I texted again:
Me: ???
The reason I wasn't getting an answer is that Joey was sending me this photo:
If this golf shirt that I'm wearing had buttons on it, they'd all have popped by now. I am so proud of Joey and Cara, they are both great kids. God has truly blessed me.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Refurbed computers
In a recent post, I had mentioned how I had purchased two refurbished Windows 7 computers from the Blair Group via eBay. One was to replace the family computer that died, and the second was to replace my shack laptop that has seen better days and is in the throes of dying.
I just wanted to mention that so far, I am pretty well pleased with both machines. I spent $139 for each, which is a bargain when you take a look at the price of brand new computers today. But when you're saving up for a new radio accessory (PX3), you have to save pennies when and where you can.
Each computer is a basic box with Windows 7 installed. You might consider them a bit behind the current OS curve, but for me, this was a step up from XP and Vista. These are very basic computers, with no fancy software bundles, and I like that. A lot.
I don't need a fancy or overloaded desktop as everyone in the house does basic Web surfing and e-mail reading through tablets now, anyway. The family computer is now basically a homework and formal document machine and you all know what the shack computer is, more or less. If I get 4 or 5 years from each of these, I will be happy.
So if you're in the market for an inexpensive, yet decent machine, check the Blair Group on eBay. They do a good job.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I just wanted to mention that so far, I am pretty well pleased with both machines. I spent $139 for each, which is a bargain when you take a look at the price of brand new computers today. But when you're saving up for a new radio accessory (PX3), you have to save pennies when and where you can.
Each computer is a basic box with Windows 7 installed. You might consider them a bit behind the current OS curve, but for me, this was a step up from XP and Vista. These are very basic computers, with no fancy software bundles, and I like that. A lot.
I don't need a fancy or overloaded desktop as everyone in the house does basic Web surfing and e-mail reading through tablets now, anyway. The family computer is now basically a homework and formal document machine and you all know what the shack computer is, more or less. If I get 4 or 5 years from each of these, I will be happy.
So if you're in the market for an inexpensive, yet decent machine, check the Blair Group on eBay. They do a good job.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
One of my faves!
One of my favorite contest/Sprints is coming up this weekend. The Hoot Owl Sprint, sponsored by QRP ARCI is this coming Sunday evening. I guess I had lost focus, or wasn't paying attention, as this came as a surprise to me when Jim W4QO announced this on the NoGA Group reflector yesterday.
The Hoot Owl Sprint is always held on Memorial Day Weekend, here in the US. The rub is that it doesn't feel like Memorial Day weekend as far as the thermometer is concerned. It feels more like late April or early May around here. It's been chilly and wet for the most part, lately. We have had very few days where the temperatures have gone into the mid or upper 70s. And the forecast for the weekend is for basically more of the same. Ugh.
I also believe that Monday evening will be the MI QRP Memorial Day Sprint, but I haven't seen any announcements regarding that, either. Keep your eyes peeled. (Update: As per the MI QRP Website (should have looked there, first - DUH!) there will only be a Labor Day Sprint this year.)
I am hoping that it will stay dry enough so that I can test out a 53 foot radiator with the 9:1 UNUN at the park at some point this weekend. According to the SWR Chart on the Balun Designs website, a 53 foot radiator will yield decent SWRs on all bands 80 through 10 Meters. If I get an opportunity to play and the results bear out, then this will be one of the antennas that will be used at the SPARC Field Day effort.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The Hoot Owl Sprint is always held on Memorial Day Weekend, here in the US. The rub is that it doesn't feel like Memorial Day weekend as far as the thermometer is concerned. It feels more like late April or early May around here. It's been chilly and wet for the most part, lately. We have had very few days where the temperatures have gone into the mid or upper 70s. And the forecast for the weekend is for basically more of the same. Ugh.
I also believe that Monday evening will be the MI QRP Memorial Day Sprint, but I haven't seen any announcements regarding that, either. Keep your eyes peeled. (Update: As per the MI QRP Website (should have looked there, first - DUH!) there will only be a Labor Day Sprint this year.)
I am hoping that it will stay dry enough so that I can test out a 53 foot radiator with the 9:1 UNUN at the park at some point this weekend. According to the SWR Chart on the Balun Designs website, a 53 foot radiator will yield decent SWRs on all bands 80 through 10 Meters. If I get an opportunity to play and the results bear out, then this will be one of the antennas that will be used at the SPARC Field Day effort.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
SPARC Lives!
I guess you could say that tonight was the first, formal meeting of a new Amateur Radio club. The newly formed South Plainfield Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) now lives. Up until now, we were an "informal' club, a loosely knitted confederation of Amateur Radio operators who gathered under the CERT umbrella to provide community service to our town.
But now we have a formal constitution and by-laws and we now fall under the banner and protection of the South Plainfield Office of Emergency Management. Our major purpose is to provide communications and service to the OEM and the town of South Plainfield, NJ. The club documents were signed by the charter members, of which yours truly, is one. I was appointed to be Trustee of our Club Callsign NJ2SP., which really is just a continuation of what I had been doing.
Our secondary purpose is to highlight Amateur Radio to the public, as well as to try and introduce Amateur Radio to the youth of our town and the surrounding area. One of the ways we hope to do that is by sponsoring a prominent Field Day effort in a very public park in town. Since time is short, it was decided to put forth as simple an effort as possible, so we will be doing a two station QRP setup - one station SSB and one station CW. Since I seem to be the "QRP Guy" in town, I was made Field Day Committee Chairman. Yikes!
It looks like we'll be using my two KX3s and some simple wire antennas. While South Plainfield has its share of parks, there are two in particular that have very high visibility. The first is Spring Lake Park, which is actually part of the Middlesex County parks system.
That gazebo to the left in the picture would offer a nice shelter in the even of inclement weather. The other possibility is Putnam Park, a municipal park which has the advantage of being at the intersection of two major roads in town. It sees a lot of traffic and has lots of tall trees, also. The only disadvantage is the lack of a shelter. We would have to procure some kind of tent, canopy, or other portable shelter.
Time is short, and this is definitely going to be a "fly by the seat of the pants" effort at this point. The main goals will be to have fun and garner some publicity for SPARC and Amateur Radio in general. Since this looks like it's going to be a QRP expedition on steroids, maybe I can get the other guys in town to be bitten by the "QRP Bug".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
But now we have a formal constitution and by-laws and we now fall under the banner and protection of the South Plainfield Office of Emergency Management. Our major purpose is to provide communications and service to the OEM and the town of South Plainfield, NJ. The club documents were signed by the charter members, of which yours truly, is one. I was appointed to be Trustee of our Club Callsign NJ2SP., which really is just a continuation of what I had been doing.
Signed constitution - charter members - founders
Our secondary purpose is to highlight Amateur Radio to the public, as well as to try and introduce Amateur Radio to the youth of our town and the surrounding area. One of the ways we hope to do that is by sponsoring a prominent Field Day effort in a very public park in town. Since time is short, it was decided to put forth as simple an effort as possible, so we will be doing a two station QRP setup - one station SSB and one station CW. Since I seem to be the "QRP Guy" in town, I was made Field Day Committee Chairman. Yikes!
It looks like we'll be using my two KX3s and some simple wire antennas. While South Plainfield has its share of parks, there are two in particular that have very high visibility. The first is Spring Lake Park, which is actually part of the Middlesex County parks system.
That gazebo to the left in the picture would offer a nice shelter in the even of inclement weather. The other possibility is Putnam Park, a municipal park which has the advantage of being at the intersection of two major roads in town. It sees a lot of traffic and has lots of tall trees, also. The only disadvantage is the lack of a shelter. We would have to procure some kind of tent, canopy, or other portable shelter.
Time is short, and this is definitely going to be a "fly by the seat of the pants" effort at this point. The main goals will be to have fun and garner some publicity for SPARC and Amateur Radio in general. Since this looks like it's going to be a QRP expedition on steroids, maybe I can get the other guys in town to be bitten by the "QRP Bug".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Happy Birthday, ARRL!
Happy 100th Birthday, ARRL! You don't look a day over 50!
.jpg)
I wonder if there will be another special stamp issued this year?
72 de Larry W2LJ - Lifemember
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I wonder if there will be another special stamp issued this year?
72 de Larry W2LJ - Lifemember
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
FDIM and Dayton
Once again, I do not have the good fortune of being able to attend FDIM and Dayton. Attending FDIM is like, #1 on my wish list, but not this year and probably not next year, either. Joey's Confirmation is this weekend and next year, Cara's will be the same weekend. So maybe FDIM 2016? I can always hope!
But even though I'm not there, I do have the symposium running on a separate tab and I am listening, while working. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/g4gxl-test is the link, for those of you not in the know.
What I am listening to is mostly over my head. I'm not a technical wizard by any stretch of the imagination. Most of these guys making presentations are using transporters while I'm still rubbing two sticks together, trying to make fire. That said, it's still fun to listen to. Craig Behrens NM4T gave a talk that I am actually able to follow and enjoy - same for Rev. Dobson's talk on regenerative receivers earlier this morning. And right now there's a fascinating talk being given about WWII POWs building clandestine radios by Dave Cripe NM0S. Man, I wish I were there!
All this talk of Arduinos has me curious. There's a guy who comes to all the NJ Hamfests who sells beginner kits and I have that ARRL Birthday Month coupon kicking around - and they have a good book on Arduino experimenting, if I remember correctly. Intriguing (like I don't have enough to do!).
This afternoon during lunch I had a cool QSO with Gary WA2JQZ who was operating the Marshall Spaceflight Center ARC station WA4NZD. Gary was using a Yaesu FT950 at 5 Watts to a dipole. He was a good 579 or louder here and I got a 559 in return. I had actually worked Gary a few weekends ago during QRPttF. So we talked about that among other things.
And I hope I'm not "talking out of school" here, or giving away state secrets, but Gary shared some information that I am going to pass on. Please listen for N4A later on this year, sometime towards the end of July. The Marshall Spaceflight Center ARC will be using that call to run a Special Event station honoring and commemorating Apollo 11 - which of course, landed on the Moon in July - July 20th, 1969 to be exact. I'm not sure when they will be on, but I am sure there will be announcements in all the usual places.
As a Baby Boomer, I was a huge manned spaceflight fan/geek. When I hear about something like this, I make every effort to work the space flight themed Special Event stations - even if it means picking up a microphone (ugh!)
Update - Congrats to TJ Campie, W0EA (fellow blogger) who won one of four TenTec Rebel radios, which were given as door prizes today at FDIM. It was neat to listen in as his name was announced.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care enough to send the least!
But even though I'm not there, I do have the symposium running on a separate tab and I am listening, while working. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/g4gxl-test is the link, for those of you not in the know.
What I am listening to is mostly over my head. I'm not a technical wizard by any stretch of the imagination. Most of these guys making presentations are using transporters while I'm still rubbing two sticks together, trying to make fire. That said, it's still fun to listen to. Craig Behrens NM4T gave a talk that I am actually able to follow and enjoy - same for Rev. Dobson's talk on regenerative receivers earlier this morning. And right now there's a fascinating talk being given about WWII POWs building clandestine radios by Dave Cripe NM0S. Man, I wish I were there!
All this talk of Arduinos has me curious. There's a guy who comes to all the NJ Hamfests who sells beginner kits and I have that ARRL Birthday Month coupon kicking around - and they have a good book on Arduino experimenting, if I remember correctly. Intriguing (like I don't have enough to do!).
This afternoon during lunch I had a cool QSO with Gary WA2JQZ who was operating the Marshall Spaceflight Center ARC station WA4NZD. Gary was using a Yaesu FT950 at 5 Watts to a dipole. He was a good 579 or louder here and I got a 559 in return. I had actually worked Gary a few weekends ago during QRPttF. So we talked about that among other things.
And I hope I'm not "talking out of school" here, or giving away state secrets, but Gary shared some information that I am going to pass on. Please listen for N4A later on this year, sometime towards the end of July. The Marshall Spaceflight Center ARC will be using that call to run a Special Event station honoring and commemorating Apollo 11 - which of course, landed on the Moon in July - July 20th, 1969 to be exact. I'm not sure when they will be on, but I am sure there will be announcements in all the usual places.
As a Baby Boomer, I was a huge manned spaceflight fan/geek. When I hear about something like this, I make every effort to work the space flight themed Special Event stations - even if it means picking up a microphone (ugh!)
Update - Congrats to TJ Campie, W0EA (fellow blogger) who won one of four TenTec Rebel radios, which were given as door prizes today at FDIM. It was neat to listen in as his name was announced.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care enough to send the least!
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Two year anniversary
Today, sadly, marks the two year anniversary of the passing of my Mom. Some days, it seems like her passing happened so long ago. Other days, the pain is as raw as if it had just happened. I know they say that time heals all wounds, but there are some things you never get over. And to be honest, I would rather feel the occasional pang of grief than become complacent about her death. There are indeed moments when the emptiness and sadness still rear their ugly head. Fortunately, those sad times are farther and fewer between, and there are many times when the memories invoke moments of joy and laughter or a smile.
In a related matter, the friend of a friend passed away in early April. I mention this, because some of you may have known him - some well, others just in passing. The person I am referring to is Bill Stevenson G4KKI. Sadly, Bill passed away from cancer in early April. Bill was one of the "QRP family", a FISTS member, an antenna experimenter and he loved going on portable QRP operations. Bill contributed a lot to the various QRP lists with posts about his successes with homebrewing rigs, magloops, and his various portable QRP ops expeditions to various places in his beloved home of England.
His webpage is still up, if you care to have a look: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g4kki.william/
And Bill also liked to post videos of his projects and exploits on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/g4kki
A person once said that, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to do what they have to do to in order to get there - die." I suppose that's true, but sometimes I think the heavier burden is left with those of us who stay behind.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Mental gyrations
Yesterday, the bands seemed a little on the "light side" when I headed out for lunch. Both 15 Meters and 17 Meters had some signals, but it seemed like most of the DX stations were ones I have already worked before. So I decided to go to the 20 Meter QRP watering hole and put out a CQ.
I was answered by Bob AK4JA in Georgia. He was a solid 589 at peaks and he gave me a similar signal report. Here's the thing - while I was using my normal 5 Watts, Bob was running 500 mW! And his signal was fantastic! While I am fully aware how QRP signals don't necessarily equate to "weak signals" - even I stand up and take notice when a QRPp signal almost pins my meter. I kind of felt like this guy - remember him from TV commercials a few years back?
For those readers not from the US, the Department of Energy ran a series of public service announcements a few years back asking people not to be "Energy Hogs". Normally, running 5 Watts can make you feel smug with that regard. Yesterday, using even 5 Watts made me feel piggish.
For the record, Bob was using a Yaseu FT817 to a dipole - and it was doing a fantastic job for him. His 1/2 Watt signal almost sounded like he was transmitting from a location just down the street.
When I got home a "new" computer was waiting for me. I purchased a refurbished Dell Optiplex 320 from the Blair Group via eBay. This was the same place from which I had purchased a Compaq to replace the family computer which died a few weeks back. For a very good price (under $150), I got a Windows 7 box to replace my shack laptop, which is not only an XP machine, but is physically on its last legs after suffering through years of "kid abuse". I figured that it's better to replace it now, while the laptop is still barely kicking, so I can access all the data that is still there before it totally dies. As it was, I was already using an auxiliary keyboard and monitor, so I only had to purchase the box.
So I ran through the Windows 7 setup with nary a hitch. But then, of course, comes the fun part. Getting all the important Amateur Radio programs up and running. I downloaded Log4OM and got that running. I followed the directions for transferring all my log data and configurations from the XP machine to the Windows 7 machine. Everything seemed to be OK - except the program wasn't displaying any of my previous QSOs! Log4OM said they were all there, but it just wasn't showing them in a visible way. It turns out that the W2LJ.sql database file needed to be in a different sub-directory than where it was located on the XP machine. Once I got that figured out, things were good. But for a while there, the little beads of sweat started popping out on my forehead while I started muttering to myself, "Where are all my QSOs?"
The next problem to tackle was downloading the KX3 and KXPA100 utility programs from Elecraft in order to get them running, as well as OmniRig for CAT control for Log4OM. Downloading and installing the programs was easy enough - the computer did all the work while I tuned around 20 Meters. The hard part was figuring out why the computer didn't want to talk to the KX3 or the KXPA100.
For whatever reason, it didn't turn out to be as "plug and play" as it sometimes is. Every time I tried to get the KX3 utility to talk to the KX3 - nada, zip, zilch. The radio and computer were acting like a husband and wife after a marital spat - not talking to each other. It appears that the KX3 was looking to talk via Com1 - but that was being used by another device. And when I hit the "Scan for Ports" button on the utility, that was all that I was getting.
That caused me to make a sharp right turn and head off to the dreaded Control Panel and even more dreaded Device Manager. For those of us who don't consider ourselves to be all that computer savvy, this is terrifying territory. Kind of like walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
But it was there that I was able to scan for hardware changes, open another port (Com 3) and load the drivers for the Elecraft KXUSB cable. After that, the KX3 and Log4OM and the utility programs and the Dell were all smoochy-smoochy like a newlywed couple.
Satisfied that I got the very basics covered, I looked up at the clock to discover that it was after Midnight. Holy cow! When you get up before 6:00 AM, post Midnight is late - very late! I still have to download and install Avast (one of the first things I did was to uninstall and trash Microsoft Security Essentials, which IMHO is useless). After that, there are a few more remaining Amateur Radio programs that I have to re-download and get running - like DX Atlas and TrustedQSL for instance. Then I need to transfer accumulated documents and photos from the laptop and then I can finally say "Good-Bye" to Windows XP.
And that, in itself is kind of sad, as I consider XP to be the most stable and useful platform that Microsoft has ever come up with. If it wasn't for the fact that my laptop looks like Rocky Balboa after a tussle in the ring with Apollo Creed, I probably would have kept it going for a while longer. However, time marches on and I suppose it's appropriate to modify that well known saying - "Time and Microsoft wait for no man".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I was answered by Bob AK4JA in Georgia. He was a solid 589 at peaks and he gave me a similar signal report. Here's the thing - while I was using my normal 5 Watts, Bob was running 500 mW! And his signal was fantastic! While I am fully aware how QRP signals don't necessarily equate to "weak signals" - even I stand up and take notice when a QRPp signal almost pins my meter. I kind of felt like this guy - remember him from TV commercials a few years back?
For those readers not from the US, the Department of Energy ran a series of public service announcements a few years back asking people not to be "Energy Hogs". Normally, running 5 Watts can make you feel smug with that regard. Yesterday, using even 5 Watts made me feel piggish.
For the record, Bob was using a Yaseu FT817 to a dipole - and it was doing a fantastic job for him. His 1/2 Watt signal almost sounded like he was transmitting from a location just down the street.
When I got home a "new" computer was waiting for me. I purchased a refurbished Dell Optiplex 320 from the Blair Group via eBay. This was the same place from which I had purchased a Compaq to replace the family computer which died a few weeks back. For a very good price (under $150), I got a Windows 7 box to replace my shack laptop, which is not only an XP machine, but is physically on its last legs after suffering through years of "kid abuse". I figured that it's better to replace it now, while the laptop is still barely kicking, so I can access all the data that is still there before it totally dies. As it was, I was already using an auxiliary keyboard and monitor, so I only had to purchase the box.
So I ran through the Windows 7 setup with nary a hitch. But then, of course, comes the fun part. Getting all the important Amateur Radio programs up and running. I downloaded Log4OM and got that running. I followed the directions for transferring all my log data and configurations from the XP machine to the Windows 7 machine. Everything seemed to be OK - except the program wasn't displaying any of my previous QSOs! Log4OM said they were all there, but it just wasn't showing them in a visible way. It turns out that the W2LJ.sql database file needed to be in a different sub-directory than where it was located on the XP machine. Once I got that figured out, things were good. But for a while there, the little beads of sweat started popping out on my forehead while I started muttering to myself, "Where are all my QSOs?"
The next problem to tackle was downloading the KX3 and KXPA100 utility programs from Elecraft in order to get them running, as well as OmniRig for CAT control for Log4OM. Downloading and installing the programs was easy enough - the computer did all the work while I tuned around 20 Meters. The hard part was figuring out why the computer didn't want to talk to the KX3 or the KXPA100.
For whatever reason, it didn't turn out to be as "plug and play" as it sometimes is. Every time I tried to get the KX3 utility to talk to the KX3 - nada, zip, zilch. The radio and computer were acting like a husband and wife after a marital spat - not talking to each other. It appears that the KX3 was looking to talk via Com1 - but that was being used by another device. And when I hit the "Scan for Ports" button on the utility, that was all that I was getting.
That caused me to make a sharp right turn and head off to the dreaded Control Panel and even more dreaded Device Manager. For those of us who don't consider ourselves to be all that computer savvy, this is terrifying territory. Kind of like walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
But it was there that I was able to scan for hardware changes, open another port (Com 3) and load the drivers for the Elecraft KXUSB cable. After that, the KX3 and Log4OM and the utility programs and the Dell were all smoochy-smoochy like a newlywed couple.
Satisfied that I got the very basics covered, I looked up at the clock to discover that it was after Midnight. Holy cow! When you get up before 6:00 AM, post Midnight is late - very late! I still have to download and install Avast (one of the first things I did was to uninstall and trash Microsoft Security Essentials, which IMHO is useless). After that, there are a few more remaining Amateur Radio programs that I have to re-download and get running - like DX Atlas and TrustedQSL for instance. Then I need to transfer accumulated documents and photos from the laptop and then I can finally say "Good-Bye" to Windows XP.
And that, in itself is kind of sad, as I consider XP to be the most stable and useful platform that Microsoft has ever come up with. If it wasn't for the fact that my laptop looks like Rocky Balboa after a tussle in the ring with Apollo Creed, I probably would have kept it going for a while longer. However, time marches on and I suppose it's appropriate to modify that well known saying - "Time and Microsoft wait for no man".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Mad enough to spit nails
I was chasing Saudi Arabia on 17 Meters tonight. 7Z1HL was on the air and was working mostly W/VE stations. I boosted up the power to 90 Watts and joined in the fray. I have never worked Saudi Arabia before, so this would have been a new one.
Finally - finally he comes back to W2L? So I start sending my call several times. Can someone, for the love of Pete, please tell me why a W6 station would start calling on top of me when 7Z1HL clearly asked for "W2L?"?
I didn't make it through, so again he sends, "W2L?". Again, the same W6 station takes it upon himself to QRM me. Sadly, all I got for my effort was "SRI W2L? QRM NIL". And he moved on.
Nuts! - for lack of a more appropriate sentiment.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Finally - finally he comes back to W2L? So I start sending my call several times. Can someone, for the love of Pete, please tell me why a W6 station would start calling on top of me when 7Z1HL clearly asked for "W2L?"?
I didn't make it through, so again he sends, "W2L?". Again, the same W6 station takes it upon himself to QRM me. Sadly, all I got for my effort was "SRI W2L? QRM NIL". And he moved on.
Nuts! - for lack of a more appropriate sentiment.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Warm!
The weather has taken a decidedly summer-like turn in central NJ. At lunch time today, the outside temperature is a June/July like 84F (29C). You will not hear a word of complaint out of me, that this is too hot, considering how long and extended our winter was. I'll take this any day of the week!
As the situation at work returned to somewhat normal, I was able to head out to the Jeep this afternoon, for my hour long break. I was able to work out of the back, with the rear tailgate open, providing a bit of shade from the Noon sun.
15 Meters and 17 Meters seemed to be the active bands. On 15 Meters, I worked SN777AG - Jurek SP2GUB who was commemorating the 777th Anniversary of the City of Elblag, which is not far from Gdansk.
After SN777AG, I worked Jose EA1MX in Spain. QSB got the better of that QSO. We were able to exchange rudimentary RST information, and that was about it. I'll count it as complete QSO, but I hate when QSB kills an opportunity for more.
I then hopped on over to 17 Meters, where I worked EM90WF in the Ukraine, another Special Event Station. This one was to commemorate the 90th birthday of Vladimir Goncharsky U5WF (SK). Vladimir was not only a very successful Ham who had won many awards, but was also a WWII veteran. The station was loud into NJ - very loud. This is not the first time I have heard them, or have tried to work them, as I'm always attracted to very loud signals from DX stations. Attempts to work EM90WF in the past were unsuccessful. In fact, a few weeks ago, I spent one or two lunchtime sessions trying to break the pileup, fruitlessly. Today? First call - go figure.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
As the situation at work returned to somewhat normal, I was able to head out to the Jeep this afternoon, for my hour long break. I was able to work out of the back, with the rear tailgate open, providing a bit of shade from the Noon sun.
15 Meters and 17 Meters seemed to be the active bands. On 15 Meters, I worked SN777AG - Jurek SP2GUB who was commemorating the 777th Anniversary of the City of Elblag, which is not far from Gdansk.
After SN777AG, I worked Jose EA1MX in Spain. QSB got the better of that QSO. We were able to exchange rudimentary RST information, and that was about it. I'll count it as complete QSO, but I hate when QSB kills an opportunity for more.
I then hopped on over to 17 Meters, where I worked EM90WF in the Ukraine, another Special Event Station. This one was to commemorate the 90th birthday of Vladimir Goncharsky U5WF (SK). Vladimir was not only a very successful Ham who had won many awards, but was also a WWII veteran. The station was loud into NJ - very loud. This is not the first time I have heard them, or have tried to work them, as I'm always attracted to very loud signals from DX stations. Attempts to work EM90WF in the past were unsuccessful. In fact, a few weeks ago, I spent one or two lunchtime sessions trying to break the pileup, fruitlessly. Today? First call - go figure.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Saturday, May 10, 2014
This amazes me
While talking with my bud, Bob W3BBO today, we discussed an instance that we had both heard, of a Ham who was selling all his equipment. It appears this operator feels that he has reached the pinnacle of the hobby by working all the DX that there is to work, "So there's nothing else to do", and he's packing it in.
Bob and I were both incredulous. He's been in the hobby for over 50 years and I have been in the hobby for 36 years now. I do understand that with any undertaking, there are ebbs and flows of enthusiasm and interest. You might be super active for a period and then lose steam for a while. It might even reach the point of becoming temporarily inactive. And as John Lennon famously said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". Life circumstances change, as do priorities.
But to chuck everything and get out of the hobby because you have "done it all?" I don't think that's even possible!
So let's say you've been fortunate enough to work 9 band Honor Roll ....... there's nothing left? How about (wait for the plug) trying to do it again using QRP? Or how about getting into satellites, or digital modes, or perhaps taking a shot at working all counties? I have a friend, Dr. Paul Scipione AA2AV, who has worked all counties three separate times - SSB, CW and CW QRP. That's an accomplishment!
Build something, go hilltopping or become active in SOTA or IOTA, go on a DXepdition! Bounce your signals off the ionized trail of a meteor, or the moon.
My point is, Amateur Radio is actually a hobby built up of sub-hobbies. There's always something new to try and undertake. The day someone actually does end up "doing it all" will be a very special day, and I'd like to meet and shake that person's hand. For indeed, that person will definitely be very special, and I think I would love to read whatever book they choose to write about their adventures.
Scrolling through QRP-L today, I came across a link to a cool article written by Gerry Lynch, a Ham in the UK. If you're contemplating learning CW and are not sure it's worth your time and effort, you might want to read this: http://www.gerrylynch.co.uk/WhyCW.html
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Bob and I were both incredulous. He's been in the hobby for over 50 years and I have been in the hobby for 36 years now. I do understand that with any undertaking, there are ebbs and flows of enthusiasm and interest. You might be super active for a period and then lose steam for a while. It might even reach the point of becoming temporarily inactive. And as John Lennon famously said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". Life circumstances change, as do priorities.
But to chuck everything and get out of the hobby because you have "done it all?" I don't think that's even possible!
So let's say you've been fortunate enough to work 9 band Honor Roll ....... there's nothing left? How about (wait for the plug) trying to do it again using QRP? Or how about getting into satellites, or digital modes, or perhaps taking a shot at working all counties? I have a friend, Dr. Paul Scipione AA2AV, who has worked all counties three separate times - SSB, CW and CW QRP. That's an accomplishment!
Build something, go hilltopping or become active in SOTA or IOTA, go on a DXepdition! Bounce your signals off the ionized trail of a meteor, or the moon.
My point is, Amateur Radio is actually a hobby built up of sub-hobbies. There's always something new to try and undertake. The day someone actually does end up "doing it all" will be a very special day, and I'd like to meet and shake that person's hand. For indeed, that person will definitely be very special, and I think I would love to read whatever book they choose to write about their adventures.
Scrolling through QRP-L today, I came across a link to a cool article written by Gerry Lynch, a Ham in the UK. If you're contemplating learning CW and are not sure it's worth your time and effort, you might want to read this: http://www.gerrylynch.co.uk/WhyCW.html
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, May 08, 2014
Science Fair time!
"Hey, Dad ...... do you have a meter that will read really small voltages and tiny amounts of current?", my son Joseph asked the other week.
"Joey, I'd better! I'm an Amateur Radio operator, and I was an electronics technician for 22 years.", I replied.
And so began the 2014 8th grade Science Fair project. My son decided to see how the pH of a fruit or vegetable would affect its ability to generate electricity. His hypothesis - the more acidic the fruit/vegetable, the more power would be generated.
The materials were an apple, a lemon, a pear and a potato. A head of red cabbage was procured to act as a pH indicator. Zinc screws and 3 inch pieces of #10 gauge copper wire served as electrodes.
Before we began generating electricity, my wife boiled some leaves from the cabbage in a pot of water. The resulting liquid would act as our litmus paper.
I stuck a screw and a piece of the copper wire into each piece of produce. The positive lead from the meter went to the copper wire and the negative lead was attached to the zinc screw. We measured both voltage and current, to be able to calculate Watts.
A teaspoon of the cabbage water was put into four glasses. Juice from each piece of produce went into the purple cabbage water. If the cabbage water turned blue, it would indicate a base. If the water stayed purple, the pH would be neutral. An acidic pH would turn the cabbage juice pink.
From lowest output to highest were - potato, pear, apple, lemon.
And in turn, the potato had the lowest pH, while the lemon had the highest. The voltage and current readings followed the pH indications. It seems my son's hypothesis was correct!
Now all Joey has to do is make a graph, print out the pictures we took and write up an explanation of what was observed. The really neat thing was that he had a good time and really enjoyed himself. I'm not sure what he wants to be, someday; but something in the scientific or electronics field would not be so bad.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
"Joey, I'd better! I'm an Amateur Radio operator, and I was an electronics technician for 22 years.", I replied.
And so began the 2014 8th grade Science Fair project. My son decided to see how the pH of a fruit or vegetable would affect its ability to generate electricity. His hypothesis - the more acidic the fruit/vegetable, the more power would be generated.
The materials were an apple, a lemon, a pear and a potato. A head of red cabbage was procured to act as a pH indicator. Zinc screws and 3 inch pieces of #10 gauge copper wire served as electrodes.
Before we began generating electricity, my wife boiled some leaves from the cabbage in a pot of water. The resulting liquid would act as our litmus paper.
I stuck a screw and a piece of the copper wire into each piece of produce. The positive lead from the meter went to the copper wire and the negative lead was attached to the zinc screw. We measured both voltage and current, to be able to calculate Watts.
A teaspoon of the cabbage water was put into four glasses. Juice from each piece of produce went into the purple cabbage water. If the cabbage water turned blue, it would indicate a base. If the water stayed purple, the pH would be neutral. An acidic pH would turn the cabbage juice pink.
From lowest output to highest were - potato, pear, apple, lemon.
And in turn, the potato had the lowest pH, while the lemon had the highest. The voltage and current readings followed the pH indications. It seems my son's hypothesis was correct!
Now all Joey has to do is make a graph, print out the pictures we took and write up an explanation of what was observed. The really neat thing was that he had a good time and really enjoyed himself. I'm not sure what he wants to be, someday; but something in the scientific or electronics field would not be so bad.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Saturday, May 03, 2014
QRPttF 2014
Today was QRP to the Field for 2014, and it was also my birthday. What a present! Although I didn't get to spend anywhere near as much time on the air as I would have liked, I got a little air time in and that's always a good thing.
The theme for today was Tres de Mayo in honor of Cinco de Mayo. Well, here in New Jersey there really aren't an abundance of locales with a Mexican flair. So I got a little creative.
Yes, I placed some Chipotle Mayo next to me while I operated.
I got to experiment a bit too. I used both my Par EndFedz and the EARCHI 9:1 Unun with a 36 foot radiator. The Par EndFedz performed as expected. The EARCHI performed much better than last time. The extra three feet of wire made a big difference. The KX3 handled the wire well on all bands, 40 through 10 Meters with minimal clicking and clacking from the auto tuner.
In the hour or so of operating time that I got in, I worked about a dozen or so stations. Included were some very familiar calls like Mert W0UFO, Jerry N9AW, Rick NK9G, Dave AB9CA, Gene N5GW and Kelly K4UPG among others.
So even though I didn't get a lot of operating time in, I did learn more about the EARCHI end fed. I think it will serve well as an all around multi band antenna for portable ops.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The theme for today was Tres de Mayo in honor of Cinco de Mayo. Well, here in New Jersey there really aren't an abundance of locales with a Mexican flair. So I got a little creative.
I got to experiment a bit too. I used both my Par EndFedz and the EARCHI 9:1 Unun with a 36 foot radiator. The Par EndFedz performed as expected. The EARCHI performed much better than last time. The extra three feet of wire made a big difference. The KX3 handled the wire well on all bands, 40 through 10 Meters with minimal clicking and clacking from the auto tuner.
In the hour or so of operating time that I got in, I worked about a dozen or so stations. Included were some very familiar calls like Mert W0UFO, Jerry N9AW, Rick NK9G, Dave AB9CA, Gene N5GW and Kelly K4UPG among others.
So even though I didn't get a lot of operating time in, I did learn more about the EARCHI end fed. I think it will serve well as an all around multi band antenna for portable ops.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Speaking of portable ops
Here's a video by Dennis Blanchard, K1YPP who is also the author of "Three Hundred Zeros"
Dennis hiked the Appalachian Trail, among other places and has lived to tell us all about it. If you haven't read his book, then you're missing a good read. While there's not a whole lot in devoted to Amatuer Radio, it is a good read nonetheless, and inspiring, too.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Dennis hiked the Appalachian Trail, among other places and has lived to tell us all about it. If you haven't read his book, then you're missing a good read. While there's not a whole lot in devoted to Amatuer Radio, it is a good read nonetheless, and inspiring, too.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sage Advice
Paul Signorelli W0RW posted this to QRP-L yesterday. It is entitled "Top 10 Steps for QRPttF Operation". This is SO good that it needs to be shared with those who might not subscribe to QRP-L. Paul has spent many a year operating outdoors, particularly pedestrian mobile. Paul has a wealth of tribal knowledge built up here and this is good - very good, but often overlooked advice.
Here are the Top Ten Steps that I take for successful QRP Portable operation:
1. Propagation and Band Activity.
When you operate portable you want to work as many people as possible so the band conditions must be good. This means that you have to keep track of the propagation conditions before planning an operation. I try to look for propagation predictions for the band I plan to operate on but they are not very reliable. I check the QSL Net propagation site at <http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/>
The flux is always changing, so before I pick a date to operate, I monitor the bands at the same time that I plan to operate. The Absorption Index is also a key factor, I never operate when the "A" Index is above 6. I also use the NCDXF beacons see: <http://www.ncdxf.org/beacon/beaconschedule.html>
Trenton Military (15034 kHz) or CHU (14670 kHz) for 20 Meter propagation checks. Coastal stations might use WWV/WWVH on 10, 15 20 and 25 Mhz.
20 Meters is best for day time country wide propagation. 40 and 80 Meters are good for night time operation. I always try to avoid contests and other busy periods. Checking the QST Contest Calendar helps to insure the band is going to be clear. Check your desired frequency in advance, you don't want to pick a frequency that is used for nets, traffic handling or RTTY.
2. Weather Conditions.
The weather forecasting is really good, so this is easy.
Try <http://www.wunderground.com/>
I look for warm temperatures and no wind. If it is going to rain don't get too far away from a shelter.
Check your local web cam.
3. Honey Doo Items.
Always check the XYL's honey doo list and make sure you have a valid Pass for the day.
4. Location and Road Conditions.
Try a your local National Park <http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm>, If you are an Old Timer you can get a lifetime Pass. Always check the road and site conditions before going out in the field. You don't want to drive hundreds of miles to find out that the Capulin Volcano road is closed by snow. Canyon roads can have snow or land slides, Pick an open space operating site, canyons are not good for QRP operating. If you are going to operate Pedestrian Mobile with a whip you will want to find trails that don't have a lot of over hanging, antenna eating branches.
5. Equipment Readiness.
You need to check out your equipment right before you head out to your operating site. This prevents leaving behind some critical item. Needless to say, you should have your antenna all pre-tuned before you leave. My radio is always mounted to a backpack and is always ready to go. The LiIon battery is always charged but I always take a spare. I just need to put the back pack into the car, with the antenna and counterpoise. The accessories should also be checked: microphone, earphones, key, SWR meter, pen, log, watch, hat, gloves, coat, etc.
Make an equipment checklist.
It is good to charge or have a spare accessory batteries for your computer, keyer, SCAF, HT's, etc.,
and a spare radio, clip leads and duct tape for contingencies.
6. Vittles.
I take water, lunch (GORP) and my VHF HT in a fanny pack.
7. Operating Announcements:
I try to post my operations on the reflectors a day before the operation. When you post too far in advance, people forget and when you post right before the operation, some people don't get get the notice until after your are finished. I always try to be on my exact posted frequency (or alternate) at the exact time so people don't get stood up. Posting your operating times gives you more Q's. It is no fun running your battery down calling CQ with no responses. QRPspots, HFnow, GORC, QRP-L, SOTA Summits are good places to list your operation, as appropriate.
Post your schedule in GMT (Universal Time/Zulu time) as well as your local time.
Also post details about your operating location, links to pictures, trail maps, QSL Information, will be helpful, etc.
8. Prep Your Vehicle.
Put gas in your tank !
9. Initial set up.
When I arrive at my operating site, I set up my rig , attach the antenna, and check power and my operating frequency. When operating Pedestrian Mobile, I tune my whip and dragwire, put on my backpack and I am ready for the trail.
10. Safety.
Always be prepared for adverse conditions. You might need rain gear, snake proof boots, a map, GPS, etc. Always give someone your travel plans. Take your cell phone or an HT that will hit a repeater.
Be safe !
------------
For more detailed information on Portable and Pedestrian Mobile operation get WA3WSJ's Amateur Radio Pedestrian Mobile Handbook. He has made his First Edition Handbook free at: http://w3bqc.homestead.com/W3BQC-Library-Contents.html
That's it, the Top Ten Steps for QRP portable operating. If you are addicted, you can consider this your 10 Step Program.
Paul w0rw
Thanks for sharing your wisdom and knowledge, Paul!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Here are the Top Ten Steps that I take for successful QRP Portable operation:
1. Propagation and Band Activity.
When you operate portable you want to work as many people as possible so the band conditions must be good. This means that you have to keep track of the propagation conditions before planning an operation. I try to look for propagation predictions for the band I plan to operate on but they are not very reliable. I check the QSL Net propagation site at <http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/>
The flux is always changing, so before I pick a date to operate, I monitor the bands at the same time that I plan to operate. The Absorption Index is also a key factor, I never operate when the "A" Index is above 6. I also use the NCDXF beacons see: <http://www.ncdxf.org/beacon/beaconschedule.html>
Trenton Military (15034 kHz) or CHU (14670 kHz) for 20 Meter propagation checks. Coastal stations might use WWV/WWVH on 10, 15 20 and 25 Mhz.
20 Meters is best for day time country wide propagation. 40 and 80 Meters are good for night time operation. I always try to avoid contests and other busy periods. Checking the QST Contest Calendar helps to insure the band is going to be clear. Check your desired frequency in advance, you don't want to pick a frequency that is used for nets, traffic handling or RTTY.
2. Weather Conditions.
The weather forecasting is really good, so this is easy.
Try <http://www.wunderground.com/>
I look for warm temperatures and no wind. If it is going to rain don't get too far away from a shelter.
Check your local web cam.
3. Honey Doo Items.
Always check the XYL's honey doo list and make sure you have a valid Pass for the day.
4. Location and Road Conditions.
Try a your local National Park <http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm>, If you are an Old Timer you can get a lifetime Pass. Always check the road and site conditions before going out in the field. You don't want to drive hundreds of miles to find out that the Capulin Volcano road is closed by snow. Canyon roads can have snow or land slides, Pick an open space operating site, canyons are not good for QRP operating. If you are going to operate Pedestrian Mobile with a whip you will want to find trails that don't have a lot of over hanging, antenna eating branches.
5. Equipment Readiness.
You need to check out your equipment right before you head out to your operating site. This prevents leaving behind some critical item. Needless to say, you should have your antenna all pre-tuned before you leave. My radio is always mounted to a backpack and is always ready to go. The LiIon battery is always charged but I always take a spare. I just need to put the back pack into the car, with the antenna and counterpoise. The accessories should also be checked: microphone, earphones, key, SWR meter, pen, log, watch, hat, gloves, coat, etc.
Make an equipment checklist.
It is good to charge or have a spare accessory batteries for your computer, keyer, SCAF, HT's, etc.,
and a spare radio, clip leads and duct tape for contingencies.
6. Vittles.
I take water, lunch (GORP) and my VHF HT in a fanny pack.
7. Operating Announcements:
I try to post my operations on the reflectors a day before the operation. When you post too far in advance, people forget and when you post right before the operation, some people don't get get the notice until after your are finished. I always try to be on my exact posted frequency (or alternate) at the exact time so people don't get stood up. Posting your operating times gives you more Q's. It is no fun running your battery down calling CQ with no responses. QRPspots, HFnow, GORC, QRP-L, SOTA Summits are good places to list your operation, as appropriate.
Post your schedule in GMT (Universal Time/Zulu time) as well as your local time.
Also post details about your operating location, links to pictures, trail maps, QSL Information, will be helpful, etc.
8. Prep Your Vehicle.
Put gas in your tank !
9. Initial set up.
When I arrive at my operating site, I set up my rig , attach the antenna, and check power and my operating frequency. When operating Pedestrian Mobile, I tune my whip and dragwire, put on my backpack and I am ready for the trail.
10. Safety.
Always be prepared for adverse conditions. You might need rain gear, snake proof boots, a map, GPS, etc. Always give someone your travel plans. Take your cell phone or an HT that will hit a repeater.
Be safe !
------------
For more detailed information on Portable and Pedestrian Mobile operation get WA3WSJ's Amateur Radio Pedestrian Mobile Handbook. He has made his First Edition Handbook free at: http://w3bqc.homestead.com/W3BQC-Library-Contents.html
That's it, the Top Ten Steps for QRP portable operating. If you are addicted, you can consider this your 10 Step Program.
Paul w0rw
Thanks for sharing your wisdom and knowledge, Paul!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
This time it was QRP!
I worked JT1AA/3 in Mongolia again tonight. This time it was different, though - it was on 15 Meters instead of 17 Meters for a new band, and 5 Watts did the trick this time. It took a couple of repeats, even with another station trying to send right over me, but Gan's terrific ears pulled my signal out of the aether.
Mongolia on 5 Watts - covering a distance of about 6,320 miles. Very cool beans!
In addition, thanks to some helpful direction from Terry G4POP and Daniele IW3HMH, I was able to solve a slight problem with Log4OM that was baffling me. When I would mouse click on a station in the DX Cluster, the KX3 would go right to the proper frequency - but the radio would change modes and go into CW REV. It didn't matter if I was changing frequencies between bands or within a band. Whenever I clicked, I would jump to the right frequency - but the mode would always change from CW to CW REV.
So on Terry and Daniele's suggestion, I went into the configuration files for the K3 in OmniRig (the CAT program that Log4OM uses). There I saw the commands for CW and CW REV. The command for CW-U was MD7 and the command for CW-L was MD3. So I flipped them, saved the file, restarted everything and now it works fine. Geez, at this rate, I might become a software problem solver in about a hundred years or so!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Mongolia on 5 Watts - covering a distance of about 6,320 miles. Very cool beans!
In addition, thanks to some helpful direction from Terry G4POP and Daniele IW3HMH, I was able to solve a slight problem with Log4OM that was baffling me. When I would mouse click on a station in the DX Cluster, the KX3 would go right to the proper frequency - but the radio would change modes and go into CW REV. It didn't matter if I was changing frequencies between bands or within a band. Whenever I clicked, I would jump to the right frequency - but the mode would always change from CW to CW REV.
So on Terry and Daniele's suggestion, I went into the configuration files for the K3 in OmniRig (the CAT program that Log4OM uses). There I saw the commands for CW and CW REV. The command for CW-U was MD7 and the command for CW-L was MD3. So I flipped them, saved the file, restarted everything and now it works fine. Geez, at this rate, I might become a software problem solver in about a hundred years or so!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Exceptional Service
Last Wednesday evening, just before turning in for the night, I placed an order with Amateur Radio Supplies for some antenna rope and wire. I placed an order for 150 feet of 14 gauge jacketed Flexweave and 200 feet of Dacron rope.
The next morning, I had an order confirmation in my inbox and by the end of the day on Thursday, I had received a "your order has shipped" e-mail. To be honest, my initial thought was, "Yeah, right!".
Much to my surprise, the rope and wire arrived on Saturday via FedEx Home Delivery. Wow! I have to say that Amateur Radio Supplies made a believer of this sceptic. I certainly was not expecting such fast service, but was very happy to receive it.
This weekend is QRP To The Field. The weather for Saturday is looking "iffy" right now - partly sunny/cloudy with a 25 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. I will probably operate from the backyard and will have my son help me cut a few radiators to try out the 9:1 EARCHI UNUN a little bit more.
In order to prepare, I did the first lawn mowing of the season tonight after dinner. The front yard needs some work (re-seeding), but the back yard is in decent shape.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The next morning, I had an order confirmation in my inbox and by the end of the day on Thursday, I had received a "your order has shipped" e-mail. To be honest, my initial thought was, "Yeah, right!".
Much to my surprise, the rope and wire arrived on Saturday via FedEx Home Delivery. Wow! I have to say that Amateur Radio Supplies made a believer of this sceptic. I certainly was not expecting such fast service, but was very happy to receive it.
This weekend is QRP To The Field. The weather for Saturday is looking "iffy" right now - partly sunny/cloudy with a 25 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. I will probably operate from the backyard and will have my son help me cut a few radiators to try out the 9:1 EARCHI UNUN a little bit more.
In order to prepare, I did the first lawn mowing of the season tonight after dinner. The front yard needs some work (re-seeding), but the back yard is in decent shape.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, April 25, 2014
Some things
Got an answer from Terry G4POP regarding my Log4OM issue regarding the distances being shown in kilometers, rather than miles (even though I chose the miles option):
"Distance in miles is only for display, when the record is saved to your log it has to conform with the ADIF (Amateur Data Interchange Format) format which requires Km."
Since I'm not the software or ADIF expert, I'll accept that answer, although HRD and other logging programs I have played with seem to work around it. In light of how good the program seems to me so far, it's a minor inconvenience, and in the scheme of things I can live with that. What's more important to me is that the CAT (Computer Aided Tuning) works well. The KX3 seems to obey whenever I point and click on a frequency.
The DX Cluster and the loading and downloading to and from eQSL and LotW work especially well. Callsign lookup is lightning fast. In short, Log4OM is easy to use (it has a very short learning curve), it makes sense, works well and is aesthetically pleasing too. It's easy on the eyes and to many, that may be superfluous, but to me it is important.
Another big plus is that the Website offers for download a comprehensive User Manual that is complete, but is still a manageably sized document that I can keep on my tablet for easy reference.
The evaluation of logging software is very subjective. What works for one person is useless to another. Log4OM works very well for me, and if you're looking for something new, or a nice package, be sure to check it out. It might not be your cup of tea; but then again it might.
Here's a VERY COOL special event that is going on tomorrow. I want to help spread the word:
"A Special Event honoring 20 years of the AZ ScQRPions QRP Club will be held April 26, 1400-2330 UTC at the unique relic of the cold war nuclear deterrent: the TITAN MISSILE MUSEUM in Green Valley AZ dedicated by Ronald Reagan to creating an ongoing awareness of the Armagedon that would result from a nuclear exchange. Everyone should be guided through the silo andcontrol rooms to get a sense of the reality of it all.
The CLUB will use the site's primary antenna -- a broadband 90' DISCONE with a fairly flat SWR from 1.8-30 Mhz, with low nodes in most of the ham bands. We will operate with QRP rigs such as the KX3, K3, QRP+, ICOM-703, ATS-4, Wilderness Sierra and who knows what else. QRP frequencies will be used to the extent they produce steady contacts. Otherwise take note of the following operating Fregs: SSB -- 14270Mhz, 18130Mhz, 21280Mhz, & 28370Mhz, +/-20Khz; c.w. --14020, 18072, 21030, 28015, +/-10Khz. We will call " CQ TITAN de K7T".
Details and photos of the DISCONE monster can be viewed at the following links:
http://www.wa0itp.com/titandiscone.htmlhttp://www.wa0itp.com/ttm%202010.htm
http://www.gvarc.us
Special QSL on receipt of your QSL to:
Ade Weiss W0RSP, 810 N. Placita la Canoa, Green Valley, AZ 85614
QRO stations certainly invited to let us know we're getting out -- and to practice copying weak DX signals and local QRP signals! Win-win!
Check http://www.QRPSPOTS.com for most current frequency info.
Simultaneous operation of three stations on the Discone is planned using a triplexer and bandpass filters. An in-band SSB 20m - 10M experiment will be attempted with additional antennas separated from the Discone. Note that 12M, 17M CW/SSB and 30M may also be used as this is not a contest, but an outdoor operating event on a nice 90F+ spring day!
Drop by for a QSO! Make our day! CU de TITAN!
Also ...... tomorrow, Saturday April 26th is International Marconi Day. You may hear a lot of stations on the air around the world using an "IMD" suffix. That's what that is all about. You can read more about it on the ARRL Letter, if you get that, or by going here: http://g4usb.net/IMD/the-award/award-classes/
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
"Distance in miles is only for display, when the record is saved to your log it has to conform with the ADIF (Amateur Data Interchange Format) format which requires Km."
Since I'm not the software or ADIF expert, I'll accept that answer, although HRD and other logging programs I have played with seem to work around it. In light of how good the program seems to me so far, it's a minor inconvenience, and in the scheme of things I can live with that. What's more important to me is that the CAT (Computer Aided Tuning) works well. The KX3 seems to obey whenever I point and click on a frequency.
The DX Cluster and the loading and downloading to and from eQSL and LotW work especially well. Callsign lookup is lightning fast. In short, Log4OM is easy to use (it has a very short learning curve), it makes sense, works well and is aesthetically pleasing too. It's easy on the eyes and to many, that may be superfluous, but to me it is important.
Another big plus is that the Website offers for download a comprehensive User Manual that is complete, but is still a manageably sized document that I can keep on my tablet for easy reference.
The evaluation of logging software is very subjective. What works for one person is useless to another. Log4OM works very well for me, and if you're looking for something new, or a nice package, be sure to check it out. It might not be your cup of tea; but then again it might.
Here's a VERY COOL special event that is going on tomorrow. I want to help spread the word:
"A Special Event honoring 20 years of the AZ ScQRPions QRP Club will be held April 26, 1400-2330 UTC at the unique relic of the cold war nuclear deterrent: the TITAN MISSILE MUSEUM in Green Valley AZ dedicated by Ronald Reagan to creating an ongoing awareness of the Armagedon that would result from a nuclear exchange. Everyone should be guided through the silo andcontrol rooms to get a sense of the reality of it all.
The CLUB will use the site's primary antenna -- a broadband 90' DISCONE with a fairly flat SWR from 1.8-30 Mhz, with low nodes in most of the ham bands. We will operate with QRP rigs such as the KX3, K3, QRP+, ICOM-703, ATS-4, Wilderness Sierra and who knows what else. QRP frequencies will be used to the extent they produce steady contacts. Otherwise take note of the following operating Fregs: SSB -- 14270Mhz, 18130Mhz, 21280Mhz, & 28370Mhz, +/-20Khz; c.w. --14020, 18072, 21030, 28015, +/-10Khz. We will call " CQ TITAN de K7T".
Details and photos of the DISCONE monster can be viewed at the following links:
http://www.wa0itp.com/titandiscone.htmlhttp://www.wa0itp.com/ttm%202010.htm
http://www.gvarc.us
Special QSL on receipt of your QSL to:
Ade Weiss W0RSP, 810 N. Placita la Canoa, Green Valley, AZ 85614
QRO stations certainly invited to let us know we're getting out -- and to practice copying weak DX signals and local QRP signals! Win-win!
Check http://www.QRPSPOTS.com for most current frequency info.
Simultaneous operation of three stations on the Discone is planned using a triplexer and bandpass filters. An in-band SSB 20m - 10M experiment will be attempted with additional antennas separated from the Discone. Note that 12M, 17M CW/SSB and 30M may also be used as this is not a contest, but an outdoor operating event on a nice 90F+ spring day!
Drop by for a QSO! Make our day! CU de TITAN!
Also ...... tomorrow, Saturday April 26th is International Marconi Day. You may hear a lot of stations on the air around the world using an "IMD" suffix. That's what that is all about. You can read more about it on the ARRL Letter, if you get that, or by going here: http://g4usb.net/IMD/the-award/award-classes/
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, April 24, 2014
More on Log4OM
Ok. I got the eQSL and LotW procedures figured out and running. The only minor bug is the distance thing. Even though I have the "Show distances in miles" box checked off on the settings page, the distances are still being shown as kilometers. Not a deal breaker, but something I would like to resolve. I posted an update to my query on the Log4OM forum. We'll see what kind of answers I get, if any.
Other than that, I am very pleased with the software. It is running very smoothly. Everything I need is displayed on one screen, which I like - very much. Actually using the program to record QSOs is very easy and straightforward. Log4OM is missing a few of the bells and whistles that HRD has, but for $00.00, I can live with it.
I was testing the rig control feature out and saw JT1AA/3 spotted. I clicked on the call and the KX3 actually jumped bands to get to the proper 17 Meter frequency. I threw my call out after listening for a few minutes and was actually heard after my first try! Not a new DXCC entity for me, but a new country for 17 Meters for me. And that's good enough for tonight.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Other than that, I am very pleased with the software. It is running very smoothly. Everything I need is displayed on one screen, which I like - very much. Actually using the program to record QSOs is very easy and straightforward. Log4OM is missing a few of the bells and whistles that HRD has, but for $00.00, I can live with it.
I was testing the rig control feature out and saw JT1AA/3 spotted. I clicked on the call and the KX3 actually jumped bands to get to the proper 17 Meter frequency. I threw my call out after listening for a few minutes and was actually heard after my first try! Not a new DXCC entity for me, but a new country for 17 Meters for me. And that's good enough for tonight.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Cut short
Every now and then, my lunch time QRP sessions are cut short by a work crisis. Such was the case today. Not hearing many strong signals during my initial tune through, I decided to call CQ for a while and then go back to search and pounce. I managed to call CQ alright, but never got to the search and pounce portion of the plan. My cell phone buzzed in my pocket and demanded a quick return to my desk to handle "a situation".
The bright side is that my CQs, although unanswered, were at least heard:
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The bright side is that my CQs, although unanswered, were at least heard:
Courtesy of Reverse Beacon Network and Google
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Doing the math
I've been doing some investigating with my computerized logbook. In the over 11,000 entries that I have in it, I took the time to tally the numbers for CW QSOs vs. Non-CW (Digital, Phone) QSOs. CW makes up for 98.7% of my operating.
Speaking of computerized logbooks, I am playing around more and more with Log4OM and am taking a liking to it. It may soon become my full time computer logging software. I still have a few issues to work out - such as why the distances displayed are in kilometers even though I have the "display distances in miles" checkbox checked. Also, I have to get the program to hook up with LoTW and eQSL. I think those are minor issues, especially after watching the YouTube videos on the subject by Terry G4POP.
Additionally, Ham Radio Deluxe has developed a glitch which has me puzzled. When I have the Cluster display open, if I click on a DX station that is on a band other than what I am currently on, the KX3 will go to that station and then immediately back to where I am/was.
Let's say I just worked W1AW/1 on 7.038 MHz, and I see on the Cluster that EM7XX is on 14.004 MHz. If I use my mouse to click on EM7XX, the KX3 will go to 14.004 MHz, but then will immediately go back to 7.038 MHz. It never used to do that. In the past, it would have gone to 14.004 MHz and would have stayed there. I have de-installed and re-installed HRD, but for whatever reason, it doesn't want to behave properly anymore. And while I'm trying to save up for the PX3, I really don't want to pop a hundred bucks for the new version of HRD. Log4OM is not behaving that way, it's acting like it should and it's free, so ............... I think you can see where I'm headed.
I have played around with the DX Lab Suite and for some reason it would not import about a 1,000 of my QSOs via ADIF import. The same thing happened with Logger32. Log4OM imported every single QSO that I had in HRD. I was looking at nGenLog and kind of liked it, but for some reason after the initial session, it hangs up and freezes my computer when trying start up the next session. It's so bad that I have to hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE to access the Task Manager in order to stop the program and get the computer running again.
Maybe it's also time for a new computing platform in the shack.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Speaking of computerized logbooks, I am playing around more and more with Log4OM and am taking a liking to it. It may soon become my full time computer logging software. I still have a few issues to work out - such as why the distances displayed are in kilometers even though I have the "display distances in miles" checkbox checked. Also, I have to get the program to hook up with LoTW and eQSL. I think those are minor issues, especially after watching the YouTube videos on the subject by Terry G4POP.
Additionally, Ham Radio Deluxe has developed a glitch which has me puzzled. When I have the Cluster display open, if I click on a DX station that is on a band other than what I am currently on, the KX3 will go to that station and then immediately back to where I am/was.
Let's say I just worked W1AW/1 on 7.038 MHz, and I see on the Cluster that EM7XX is on 14.004 MHz. If I use my mouse to click on EM7XX, the KX3 will go to 14.004 MHz, but then will immediately go back to 7.038 MHz. It never used to do that. In the past, it would have gone to 14.004 MHz and would have stayed there. I have de-installed and re-installed HRD, but for whatever reason, it doesn't want to behave properly anymore. And while I'm trying to save up for the PX3, I really don't want to pop a hundred bucks for the new version of HRD. Log4OM is not behaving that way, it's acting like it should and it's free, so ............... I think you can see where I'm headed.
I have played around with the DX Lab Suite and for some reason it would not import about a 1,000 of my QSOs via ADIF import. The same thing happened with Logger32. Log4OM imported every single QSO that I had in HRD. I was looking at nGenLog and kind of liked it, but for some reason after the initial session, it hangs up and freezes my computer when trying start up the next session. It's so bad that I have to hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE to access the Task Manager in order to stop the program and get the computer running again.
Maybe it's also time for a new computing platform in the shack.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Another one got away
Band conditions seem to have deteriorated lately. Bob W3BBO and I were discussing this on Saturday. The upper bands, 10, 12, 15 Meters still have signals on them, but they seem to be not as plentiful and nowhere as strong as they were just a month or six weeks ago. Just after the cold weather broke here in NJ and I resumed my QRP sessions, it seemed like each lunchtime from the car netted 3 our 4 or even 5 DX stations per sitting.
Lately, those kind of band conditions seem to have disappeared. Signals are fewer and weaker. But today was a case of the one that got away. I was tuning up and down the bands and heard JY9CF on 12 Meters. He was kind of loud and was calling "CQ USA ONLY". I tried, and wasn't being heard. But I did have time, as I heard him early on during lunch hour and he was getting louder. I figured giving just a little bit more time, I just might have nabbed him. However, many non-USA stations began calling, and the operator was getting frustrated as a few times he sent, "PLS LSN USA ONLY". As his signal strength to me increased, so did his frustration. Finally he announced he was going QRT.
Rats! My gut was telling me that with a just a bit more time ...... maybe. I am pretty certain that if I was home and had the shack KX3 fired up to the 75/100 Watt neighborhood, that I would have garnered a new country. It seems that 5 Watts and the Buddistick just didn't cut it today, even though the JY9 station was the loudest I have ever heard here.
On the bright side, I did have a short QSO with Jim N0UR on 20 Meters. I have worked Jim in many Sprints and many QRP Fox hunts. It was good to hook up with him in an "everyday QSO" situation. Jim was running 4 Watts from his Flex1500 and he was a good, solid 579 here into New Jersey (when QSB wasn't kicking in).
BTW, Paul NA5N has announced the theme for this year's QRPTTF - "Tres de Mayo" considering how close this year's event is to Cinco de Mayo. I have already decided what I am going to do to be "in theme" - but I am NOT sharing until after the event. All the rules can be found here: http://www.zianet.com/qrp/qrpttf/2014/ttf.htm
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Lately, those kind of band conditions seem to have disappeared. Signals are fewer and weaker. But today was a case of the one that got away. I was tuning up and down the bands and heard JY9CF on 12 Meters. He was kind of loud and was calling "CQ USA ONLY". I tried, and wasn't being heard. But I did have time, as I heard him early on during lunch hour and he was getting louder. I figured giving just a little bit more time, I just might have nabbed him. However, many non-USA stations began calling, and the operator was getting frustrated as a few times he sent, "PLS LSN USA ONLY". As his signal strength to me increased, so did his frustration. Finally he announced he was going QRT.
Rats! My gut was telling me that with a just a bit more time ...... maybe. I am pretty certain that if I was home and had the shack KX3 fired up to the 75/100 Watt neighborhood, that I would have garnered a new country. It seems that 5 Watts and the Buddistick just didn't cut it today, even though the JY9 station was the loudest I have ever heard here.
On the bright side, I did have a short QSO with Jim N0UR on 20 Meters. I have worked Jim in many Sprints and many QRP Fox hunts. It was good to hook up with him in an "everyday QSO" situation. Jim was running 4 Watts from his Flex1500 and he was a good, solid 579 here into New Jersey (when QSB wasn't kicking in).
BTW, Paul NA5N has announced the theme for this year's QRPTTF - "Tres de Mayo" considering how close this year's event is to Cinco de Mayo. I have already decided what I am going to do to be "in theme" - but I am NOT sharing until after the event. All the rules can be found here: http://www.zianet.com/qrp/qrpttf/2014/ttf.htm
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Easter Sunday - 2014
This is the Day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Amen! Alleluia!
For the Lamb who was slain at the hands of evil men has risen, never to die again. And those who the Lamb claims as His own share in His victory over death. Amen! Alleluia!
May the peace of the Lord, which is beyond all human understanding, be with you and your families, this day and forever more. Amen! Alleluia!
Fish sa'id
Felices Pasques
Fu huo jie kuai le
Sretan Uskrs
Vesele Velikonoce
God paske
Gelukkig Paasfest
Joyeuses Paques
Frohe Ostern
Chag pesach same'ach
Buona Pasqua
Linksmu Velyku
Priecigas Lieldienas
Wesolego Alleluja
Schtsjastlivyje Paschi
Felices Pascuas
Milostiplne prezitie Velkonocnych sviatkov
Vesele velikonocne praznike
Khrystos voskres
Happy Easter!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Holy Saturday
The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.
Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This last imposture would be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them, “The guard is yours; go secure it as best you can.” So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Good Friday 2014
What makes Good Friday good?” you ask.
A challenge! A rather daunting task.
Some may dismiss it with a shrug and a smirk,
And consider it another day off work.
Others, religious, pious as such,
Take a few minutes for a mournful watch;
Merchants unlock their doors with glee,
Anticipating the pre-Easter shopping spree.
A bunny here, a chocolate egg there,
Symbols of a society that doesn’t care.
“Care?” you say, “Do you mean me?”
“What’s there to care; how can this be?”
It’s the cross, you forget, that rugged wood,
That makes Good Friday eternally good.
What’s so good about the death of an ancient man,
Who died long before my life began?
This man, who on this earth once trod,
Was not only man, but the Son of God.
That wood, that tree, that old rugged cross,
Was the symbol of gain and the symbol of loss.
To those who believe, it is the promise of gain;
The hope that, like Jesus, we’ll rise again!
For the skeptic, the doubter, the meaning is loss;
An eternal gulf, which no one can cross.
Good Friday is good, because of the death
Of Jesus the Savior, who gave His last breath
So you, friend, and I, could be cleared of our guilt,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb that was spilt.
Mourn not, my dear soul, for the death of the Lamb,
For that cross made the bridge to the Great I AM.
Christ paid the price, rose again to God’s side,
And brought us next Sunday: the Resurrection-tide!
~by Alan Allegra~
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Figuring the numbers
As you all know from reading this blog, my main interests in Amateur Radio are QRP, CW, portable ops and DX. I don't consider myself a hardcore DXer. I will look for it, I will work it when I hear it, but I'm not one of those guys that has the Cluster send alerts to his smartphone. I'm not one of those who will set his alarm clock for 2:00 AM just to work a new one. I will, however, bump up the power and leave QRP land to work a new one if I hear it. I did that last night.
I consider myself one notch above the "Casual DXer" level.
I was fooling around playing with Logger32 and LOG4OM. While the computer was doing its thing, I saw Easter Island and Qatar spotted on the Cluster. These were two new ones that I have never worked before. My first move was to bump up the power to 75 Watts. I'm enough of a DXer to want them in the log that I'll try to get them in there using QRO power first and will worry about QRP later. Jumping into each pileup, I was surprised to actually work each on the first call. Qatar was a nice and clean QSO. Easter Island took a bunch of repeats, even at higher power, but I did hear my call and a "TU" at the end.
Afterwards, I got curious about how many countries I have worked. I went to Log of the World to do a bit of research. I have 165 countries confirmed via LoTW. The problem is, that I have worked a bunch of countries via Hams who don't use LoTW. If I send out QSLs to each of these and get QSLs in return, I will have 185 countries confirmed. I am a bit "iffy" about being in the logs of one or two of those, so 183 is probably more likely.
I know that with my set up here (antenna situation, in particular) - I am not DXCC Honor Roll material. The probability that I would ever reach that level is slim and none, and slim left town. I just don't have the antennas, or the will power to get me there - as I have said before, I am not a hardcore DXer. But, if someday at the end of my Ham career, I could have 250+ countries confirmed, I'd be a happy camper.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I consider myself one notch above the "Casual DXer" level.
I was fooling around playing with Logger32 and LOG4OM. While the computer was doing its thing, I saw Easter Island and Qatar spotted on the Cluster. These were two new ones that I have never worked before. My first move was to bump up the power to 75 Watts. I'm enough of a DXer to want them in the log that I'll try to get them in there using QRO power first and will worry about QRP later. Jumping into each pileup, I was surprised to actually work each on the first call. Qatar was a nice and clean QSO. Easter Island took a bunch of repeats, even at higher power, but I did hear my call and a "TU" at the end.
Afterwards, I got curious about how many countries I have worked. I went to Log of the World to do a bit of research. I have 165 countries confirmed via LoTW. The problem is, that I have worked a bunch of countries via Hams who don't use LoTW. If I send out QSLs to each of these and get QSLs in return, I will have 185 countries confirmed. I am a bit "iffy" about being in the logs of one or two of those, so 183 is probably more likely.
I know that with my set up here (antenna situation, in particular) - I am not DXCC Honor Roll material. The probability that I would ever reach that level is slim and none, and slim left town. I just don't have the antennas, or the will power to get me there - as I have said before, I am not a hardcore DXer. But, if someday at the end of my Ham career, I could have 250+ countries confirmed, I'd be a happy camper.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Many thanks
to those of you who posted comments, or sent me private e-mails concerning the 9:11 UNUN, and particularly to "Anonymous" who provided the link to: http://www.balundesigns.com/servlet/the-102/QRP-9-cln-1-Unun-1.5/Detail
That was an eye-opener. If the weather isn't too chilly or damp this weekend, I think I am going to see what happens when I use the 24.5' and 36' wires as the radiator. As my friend Bob W3BBO says, this is the fun of playing around with homebrew antennas - playing around until you discover something that works for you. It will help if propagation is decent - it's never a great day to evaluate an antenna when just about no one is around!
The 24.5' wire would allow decent SWRs on 40 through 6 Meters (according to the chart, the highest SWR would be on 17 Meters at 2.1:1), while the 36' wire would allow decent SWRs on 80 through 6 Meters (according to the chart, the highest SWR would be on 20 Meters at 2:1). In either event, this should work better than what I had previously tried, where I was getting a 3:1 SWR or higher on some bands.
I know there's no "one size fits all' kind of solution here. If there was, someone would be either very rich, or very famous. My concern is to be able to go to the park, toss one manageable wire into a tree and get as much operating time in as possible. Multi-band doublets might yield better results, but at a cost of increased setup time as well as the need for two supports. Another simultaneous goal is to be able to switch bands as much as possible, without messing around with wires too much after the initial set up.
I know - about as easy as trying to change lead into gold.
I'll keep you who are like minded posted as to what I discover.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
That was an eye-opener. If the weather isn't too chilly or damp this weekend, I think I am going to see what happens when I use the 24.5' and 36' wires as the radiator. As my friend Bob W3BBO says, this is the fun of playing around with homebrew antennas - playing around until you discover something that works for you. It will help if propagation is decent - it's never a great day to evaluate an antenna when just about no one is around!
The 24.5' wire would allow decent SWRs on 40 through 6 Meters (according to the chart, the highest SWR would be on 17 Meters at 2.1:1), while the 36' wire would allow decent SWRs on 80 through 6 Meters (according to the chart, the highest SWR would be on 20 Meters at 2:1). In either event, this should work better than what I had previously tried, where I was getting a 3:1 SWR or higher on some bands.
I know there's no "one size fits all' kind of solution here. If there was, someone would be either very rich, or very famous. My concern is to be able to go to the park, toss one manageable wire into a tree and get as much operating time in as possible. Multi-band doublets might yield better results, but at a cost of increased setup time as well as the need for two supports. Another simultaneous goal is to be able to switch bands as much as possible, without messing around with wires too much after the initial set up.
I know - about as easy as trying to change lead into gold.
I'll keep you who are like minded posted as to what I discover.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Great way to kick off Holy Week.
First off, please allow me to wish all my friends of the Jewish faith a very Happy Passover, which begins tonight. May your Holy Days be blessed and enjoyable, surrounded by good food, friends and family.
Holy Week began yesterday for those of us who are Roman Catholic, or those who are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church as well as most Protestant denominations. So what better way to kick off the week (Amateur Radio wise) than by working 3Z14EASTER?
Holy Week began yesterday for those of us who are Roman Catholic, or those who are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church as well as most Protestant denominations. So what better way to kick off the week (Amateur Radio wise) than by working 3Z14EASTER?
Courtesy of QRZ and SP6IEQ
Dionizy SP6IEQ, is running the Special Event station until April 24th. I worked him on 15 Meters with 5 Watts from the Jeep and the Buddistick. Thank you, Dionizy for the QSO and Wesołego Alleluja to you and your family!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
And here I thought it was me!
To say it is a beautiful day in New Jersey today is in understatement. The sun is shining, and the temperatures are in the upper 60s (20C). The breeze (if there is any) is so gentle that you don't even notice it. So I decided that after grocery shopping, but before other chores, that I would sneak off to the park and try out the EARCHI antenna. I built the 9:1 UNUN late last Autumn and didn't get a chance to try it out.
The antenna line launcher worked perfectly, once again. First shot, I cleared a 50 foot tree with ease. The end fed EARCHI was up in record time. I used a 33 foot piece of wire attached to the UNUN, and ran a 20 foot piece of coax from the UNUN to the KX3. My results with tuning it via the KX3's autotuner were so-so. The KX3 loved the antenna on 30, 20, 18 and 12 Meters. On 40, 15 and 10 Meters, I got a decent match, but the KX3's tuner clacked around noticeably longer finding a match on these bands. I think I am going to have to experiment with different radiator lengths to see what ends up working best as an "all around" antenna length.
But even with decent matches, the bands seemed dead! I did end up working W1AW/KP4 on 20 Meters, but other than them, I did not hear much. I hear much more activity during the workweek from the Jeep than I heard today. Naturally, the first thing the Ham suspects is that it's the antenna - especially when it's a new one. Actually, my first reaction was that I screwed up something when I built the UNUN. I came home after only a short time out, a bit dejected.
Then when I got home, I got on the computer to order some wire and rope from The Wireman. For the heck of it, I also decided to check out Facebook. A lot of my Ham friends had posted about how lousy the band conditions are today. In fact, one commented that he went outside to make sure his antennas were still in the air!
So it ends up that today was not the day to base a critical performance review on, I will have to wait for another weekend with decent weather and better band conditions for another test. In the meantime, I will also browse the Internet to see if I can garner more information on optimal radiator lengths for use with a 9:1 UNUN.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Courtesy of Facebook
So it ends up that today was not the day to base a critical performance review on, I will have to wait for another weekend with decent weather and better band conditions for another test. In the meantime, I will also browse the Internet to see if I can garner more information on optimal radiator lengths for use with a 9:1 UNUN.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Gorgeous day!
After a rainy start, it turned out to be a gorgeous Spring day. It was sunny and it was nice and warm, despite a stiff breeze. I was able to get to the car at lunchtime and worked two Swedish stations, SM5IMO and SM4NGT on 15 meters and IK2CIO on 12 Meters. The nice thing about operating at lunchtime here, is that at that time, most of Europe is done with the work day and there are lots of stations on the air. They get to relax and enjoy their evening, and I get some good DX.
Thanks to a comment from Kelly WB0WQS, I am taking another close look at LOG4OM. I tried this a couple years ago and was having severe problems getting it to run properly on my computer. They must have made a bunch of improvements, or maybe it's that the laptop I am using now is a better platform than what I had before. Whatever the reason, I downloaded it again tonight and installed it. It's working very well and for now? Let's say I am intrigued. It has most of the bells and whistles that are part of better logging programs these days. It is powerful with CAT, Cluster management and all the other "necessary" stuff. It's free and it's easy on the eyes.
Here's an announcement that I saw in an e-mail today. This looks way cool and is going to get me to try and get back in the swing with my bug (pun intended!):
W6SFM On-Air BUG ROUNDUP - Saturday May 17th 2014
Objective:
This 12-hour event is not a contest; rather it is a time dedicated to celebrating our CW and Bug key heritage. Participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs using a Bug style key as the sending instrument. There are no points scored in this event, and all who participate are winners.
Once the event has concluded, logs can be submitted to the W6SFM by way of the link provided on the clubs Bug Roundup web page. Nominal prizes/certificates will be awarded to: the person who had the most QSOs during the 12 hour period; and the person who worked the most interesting amount of bug types.
Bands (Suggested Freq.)
10 meters - 28.040 - 28.050 MHz
15 meters - 21.040 - 21.050 MHz
20 meters - 14.040 - 14.050 MHz
40 meters - 7.040 - 7.050 MHz
80 meters - 3.540 - 3.550 MHz
Dates
W6SFM Bug Roundup is held twice annually.
- Every 3rd Saturday in May from 1700 UTC though Sunday 0500 UTC
- Every 3rd Saturday in November from 1800 UTC through Sunday 0600 UTC
Thank you for your participation and we hope you enjoy the event. 73
For more information on this exciting event please visit the W6SFM Bug Roundup website page by clicking HERE (http://www.w6sfm.com/Bug_Roundup.html)
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thanks to a comment from Kelly WB0WQS, I am taking another close look at LOG4OM. I tried this a couple years ago and was having severe problems getting it to run properly on my computer. They must have made a bunch of improvements, or maybe it's that the laptop I am using now is a better platform than what I had before. Whatever the reason, I downloaded it again tonight and installed it. It's working very well and for now? Let's say I am intrigued. It has most of the bells and whistles that are part of better logging programs these days. It is powerful with CAT, Cluster management and all the other "necessary" stuff. It's free and it's easy on the eyes.
Here's an announcement that I saw in an e-mail today. This looks way cool and is going to get me to try and get back in the swing with my bug (pun intended!):
W6SFM On-Air BUG ROUNDUP - Saturday May 17th 2014
Objective:
This 12-hour event is not a contest; rather it is a time dedicated to celebrating our CW and Bug key heritage. Participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs using a Bug style key as the sending instrument. There are no points scored in this event, and all who participate are winners.
Once the event has concluded, logs can be submitted to the W6SFM by way of the link provided on the clubs Bug Roundup web page. Nominal prizes/certificates will be awarded to: the person who had the most QSOs during the 12 hour period; and the person who worked the most interesting amount of bug types.
Bands (Suggested Freq.)
10 meters - 28.040 - 28.050 MHz
15 meters - 21.040 - 21.050 MHz
20 meters - 14.040 - 14.050 MHz
40 meters - 7.040 - 7.050 MHz
80 meters - 3.540 - 3.550 MHz
Dates
W6SFM Bug Roundup is held twice annually.
- Every 3rd Saturday in May from 1700 UTC though Sunday 0500 UTC
- Every 3rd Saturday in November from 1800 UTC through Sunday 0600 UTC
Thank you for your participation and we hope you enjoy the event. 73
For more information on this exciting event please visit the W6SFM Bug Roundup website page by clicking HERE (http://www.w6sfm.com/Bug_Roundup.html)
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Tired
Work has been a bear the past few days. The weather has turned decidedly Springlike, but yet I've been stuck behind my desk the past three days. No lunchtime QRP for W2LJ. :-(
And to make matters worse, it's that time of year that we QRP Fox hunters go into withdrawal, as the season has ended. So I'm tired from work, but yet can't fall asleep, and I'm in Fox withdrawal to boot ..... so what do I do? I get on the air - that's what!
Tonight, I worked EA8TL on 17 Meters. He was one of the few stations that I was able to hear on the band after dinner, but was he ever loud. Like, across the street loud! I called Jorge, and got through on the 1st call with 5 Watts.
After that, I engaged in a nice ragchew with Jeff, K9JP, who answered my CQ on 20 Meters. Jeff was using a KX3 also, and was blasting into New Jersey with 4 Watts. He's also an SKCC member, so it was a 2X KX3 SKCC QSO! That's a lot of capital letters!
After the QSO with Jeff, I dove into the pileup to work W1AW/4 from Virginia on 80 Meters. I managed to break that pileup in about 10 minutes, maybe a little less. 80 Meters was a lot tamer than it was last Thursday night when I got skunked in the last hunt of the season.
All the while that I was chasing W1AW/4, I was also playing with the DX Labs suite of programs. Sometimes I feel like Diogenes, searching for the perfect logging program like he searched for an honest man. DX Labs looks like it's going to require a bit of a steeper learning curve than Ham Radio Deluxe. But it is very comprehensive and full featured. If I ever get the hang of it, I just may switch over.
Did I mention that my old, decrepit shack laptop uses Windows XP? I turned it on for the first time since support ended and it didn't blow up! ;-). (Like I thought that it would ... NOT!) Gosh, I'm getting punchy here, I had better try to get some sleep.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
And to make matters worse, it's that time of year that we QRP Fox hunters go into withdrawal, as the season has ended. So I'm tired from work, but yet can't fall asleep, and I'm in Fox withdrawal to boot ..... so what do I do? I get on the air - that's what!
Tonight, I worked EA8TL on 17 Meters. He was one of the few stations that I was able to hear on the band after dinner, but was he ever loud. Like, across the street loud! I called Jorge, and got through on the 1st call with 5 Watts.
After that, I engaged in a nice ragchew with Jeff, K9JP, who answered my CQ on 20 Meters. Jeff was using a KX3 also, and was blasting into New Jersey with 4 Watts. He's also an SKCC member, so it was a 2X KX3 SKCC QSO! That's a lot of capital letters!
After the QSO with Jeff, I dove into the pileup to work W1AW/4 from Virginia on 80 Meters. I managed to break that pileup in about 10 minutes, maybe a little less. 80 Meters was a lot tamer than it was last Thursday night when I got skunked in the last hunt of the season.
All the while that I was chasing W1AW/4, I was also playing with the DX Labs suite of programs. Sometimes I feel like Diogenes, searching for the perfect logging program like he searched for an honest man. DX Labs looks like it's going to require a bit of a steeper learning curve than Ham Radio Deluxe. But it is very comprehensive and full featured. If I ever get the hang of it, I just may switch over.
Did I mention that my old, decrepit shack laptop uses Windows XP? I turned it on for the first time since support ended and it didn't blow up! ;-). (Like I thought that it would ... NOT!) Gosh, I'm getting punchy here, I had better try to get some sleep.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, April 06, 2014
Some more PX3 photos
Courtesy of Facebook postings:
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Saturday, April 05, 2014
Disappointing so far
The QRP-ARCI Spring QSO Party is today and tomorrow. I've been on for a bit today and so far band conditions seem to be downright horrible. It seems I have an S5 noise level on just about every band except for 10 Meters, and there's not much in the way of activity. I've worked three stations so far, including EA2LU on 10 Meters. Jorge is very active in just about all the QRP-ARCI contests.
I sure hope conditions get better as the afternoon draws on and that activity increases.
BTW, Harry K7ZOV commented on the AmateurRadio.com site that the PX3 is expected to ship late June or early July. That's a lot quicker than I had expected. My birthday is coming up in less than a month. Maybe I'll treat myself - or maybe not. Still have to think about this for a while.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, April 04, 2014
Looks like I was right - for once! ;-)
I nailed it as far as guessing what the new KX3 product would be - the PX3! A small companion panadapter for the KX3.
No idea when it will ship and the asking price for the kit is $499.95. ($569.95 assembled) It looks really nice and I just might consider it for the shack KX3. Time will tell. I'm not ordering it this weekend, even though Elecraft is taking orders already. I'll let the guys who have to have every single piece of Elecraft gear there is jump in line ahead of me.
The downside is that now until the darn thing is being shipped, there will probably be nothing else discussed on the KX3 reflector.
Let the whining and peeing and moaning begin!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
No idea when it will ship and the asking price for the kit is $499.95. ($569.95 assembled) It looks really nice and I just might consider it for the shack KX3. Time will tell. I'm not ordering it this weekend, even though Elecraft is taking orders already. I'll let the guys who have to have every single piece of Elecraft gear there is jump in line ahead of me.
The downside is that now until the darn thing is being shipped, there will probably be nothing else discussed on the KX3 reflector.
Let the whining and peeing and moaning begin!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Wow! - And a mention about the QRP Marathon
It was quite beautiful outside at lunchtime today. Sunny and 64F (18C). Unfortunately, it's not going to last. Tomorrow is expected to be rainy with only a high of about 45F (7C). But I got to the car and enjoyed my time away from the desk. I only worked one station - EW1TZ on 12 Meters. Serge was 599+ in New Jersey and I received a 579 in return. I didn't mention that I was running QRP (I rarely do), so I will take that 579 to the bank.
This QSO was entered into the pot for the annual "QRP Marathon" which is sponsored by Oleg Borodin RV3GM and Club72. It's not a contest, but a QRP statistic gathering event. Basically, you add into a database your best distanced QRP contacts for the day. Here are some of the particulars from Oleg's website:
Date and time: April 1 (00.00 UTC) to April 30 (23.59 UTC) annually.
Only the following modes are usable: CW, SSB, DIGI (PSK, MFSK, HELL, Olivia).
All HF bands 10 to 160 Meters including the WARC bands.
There is no conventional exchange. The Marathon is not a contest. Add your Maidenhead locator (i.e FN20to, for example) and your output power in the report form. Participants are to use QRP power only from 1 to 5 watts output, the "other" station may use any power. Only 1 QSO per each HF band per each day (UTC) may be submitted. Use the QSO which gave you the best distance.
Any passive power attenuators or power dividers are forbidden. Only output RF power from an active component before antenna (transistor, valve) must be submitted.
Only QSOs covering a distance of 500 km (311 miles) or more may be submitted.
All the details can be found at http://club72.su/marathon.html. The form and webpage are pretty well explained. You should have no trouble.
As of right now, I am 5th in a field of 13. That will drastically change as more QRPers enter and more entries are received. I usually end the month somewhere in the bottom half of the pack. But it's fun and it sure would be nice to see some other W/VE operators in there. I'm not sure as to whether or not you have to be a Club72 member to participate, but membership is free - so consider joining, if you haven't already.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
This QSO was entered into the pot for the annual "QRP Marathon" which is sponsored by Oleg Borodin RV3GM and Club72. It's not a contest, but a QRP statistic gathering event. Basically, you add into a database your best distanced QRP contacts for the day. Here are some of the particulars from Oleg's website:
Date and time: April 1 (00.00 UTC) to April 30 (23.59 UTC) annually.
Only the following modes are usable: CW, SSB, DIGI (PSK, MFSK, HELL, Olivia).
All HF bands 10 to 160 Meters including the WARC bands.
There is no conventional exchange. The Marathon is not a contest. Add your Maidenhead locator (i.e FN20to, for example) and your output power in the report form. Participants are to use QRP power only from 1 to 5 watts output, the "other" station may use any power. Only 1 QSO per each HF band per each day (UTC) may be submitted. Use the QSO which gave you the best distance.
Any passive power attenuators or power dividers are forbidden. Only output RF power from an active component before antenna (transistor, valve) must be submitted.
Only QSOs covering a distance of 500 km (311 miles) or more may be submitted.
All the details can be found at http://club72.su/marathon.html. The form and webpage are pretty well explained. You should have no trouble.
As of right now, I am 5th in a field of 13. That will drastically change as more QRPers enter and more entries are received. I usually end the month somewhere in the bottom half of the pack. But it's fun and it sure would be nice to see some other W/VE operators in there. I'm not sure as to whether or not you have to be a Club72 member to participate, but membership is free - so consider joining, if you haven't already.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Looks like I am in deep trouble
From the KX3 e-mail reflector:
Message 1 of 30
,
Today at 1:49 PM
Hi all,
We'll be showing a major new product -- a KX3 external accessory -- at the Visalia DX Convention. You can test-drive one at our booth.
(By the way, I'm not referring to the 2-meter module. But that option will also be the subject of an announcement in the next week or two.)
73,
Wayne, N6KR
We'll be showing a major new product -- a KX3 external accessory -- at the Visalia DX Convention. You can test-drive one at our booth.
(By the way, I'm not referring to the 2-meter module. But that option will also be the subject of an announcement in the next week or two.)
73,
Wayne, N6KR
Personally? I am going to predict that it will be some sort of panadapter/waterfall display type accessory.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)