Tomorrow night, April 11th ( The morning of April 12th for those of you not bothered by UTC conversions), will be the 150th NAQCC Monthly Sprint. That's 12 and a half years of monthly NAQCC Sprints now - since the club was formed. In honor of this momentous occasion, the leadership of the NAQCC has planned something special. Rather than try and go into my own details, I'll post the email announcement here:
On Tuesday evening, April 11 (4/12 UTC), we will have our landmark 150th regular monthly sprint.
We want to celebrate this event by giving away a prize worth $150 to one member-participant!
But there is a catch, we will only have a prize drawing if we get at least 150 submitted logs.
You don’t have to be an experienced contester or a high speed CW operator to participate.
Just get on the air, make at least 1 sprint QSO, and submit your log, and you will be eligible for the prize drawing.
So mark your calendar and get ready!
EDT - 8:30-10:30PM, CDT - 7:30-9:30PM, MDT - 6:30-8:30PM, PDT - 5:30-7:30PM),
which translates as Wednesday, April 12th, 0030 to 0230Z in all cases.
For all the "official" information, please go to:
http://naqcc.info/sprint/sprint201704.html
There you will find all the details as to time, frequencies and other important
information.
This is a monthly event that caters to the CW veteran, the CW newcomer, straight
key and bug fans. All are welcome to participate (this includes QRO); but you
must use QRP power levels to compete for awards.
If you've been hesitant to join in our sprints because you hear other sprints
running at breakneck speeds, have no fear. Our sprints are geared to the
newcomer to CW and/or contesting. Virtually everyone including the many veteran
contesters who regularly enter our sprints will slow down to YOUR speed to help
you make your contacts.
If you are not already a member of NAQCC... membership is FREE! Now is your
chance to join the largest QRP CW Club in the world!! We currently have 7100+
members in: All 50 States - 9 VE Provinces - 100 Countries. Sign up on the
NAQCC website today (http://naqcc.info/) and receive a handsome certificate,
with your membership number on it, which is good for life.
Come join us and have a real good time!
72/73 de Larry W2LJ
NAQCC #35
for NAQCC
http://naqcc.info/
Admittedly, I have not participated in one of these in a long time. Between various commitments, I have either not been home Tuesday or Wednesday evenings; or I have been too pooped to pop from a long day's work. But I am going to try and participate for at least the first 90 minutes tomorrow night. I'm not eligible for the prize as I'm quasi-NAQCC staff, but I can help drive the number of log entries up.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, April 10, 2017
Friday, April 07, 2017
QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party this weekend
I hope to get on! But it looks busy - VE Exams tomorrow morning, followed by grocery shopping and some house chores. Sunday afternoon is our monthly stint at the soup kitchen, so maybe some time in between chores and possibly Saturday evening? I sure hope so! I have not been on the air much lately and I'm feeling that tug to get on more. Again, not that I'm that much into contesting; but the idea to flex some CW muscle and fatten up the log book is appealing.
2017 QRP-ARCI(sm) SPRING QSO PARTY
Date/Time:
1200Z on 8 April 2017 through 2400Z on 9 April 2017. You may work a maximum of 24 hours of the 36 hour period.
Mode: HF CW only.
Exchange:
Members send: RST, State/Province/Country, ARCI member number
Non-Members send: RST, State/Province/Country, Power Out
QSO Points:
Member = 5 points
Non-Member, Different Continent = 4 points
Non-Member, Same Continent = 2 points
Multiplier:
SPC (State/Province/Country) total for all bands. The same station may be worked on multiple bands for QSO points and SPC credit.
Power Multiplier:
>5 Watts = x1
>1 - 5 Watts = x7
>250 mW - 1 Watt = x10
>55 mW - 250 mW = x15
55 mW or less = x20
Suggested Frequencies:
160m - 1810 kHz
80m - 3560 kHz
40m - 7030 kHz (please listen at 7040 kHz for rock bound participants)
20m - 14060 kHz
15m - 21060 kHz
10m - 28060 kHz
Score:
Final Score = Points (total for all bands) x SPCs (total for all bands) x Power Multiplier.
BONUS POINTS: None available for this contest.
Categories:
Entry may be All-Band, Single Band, High Bands (10m-15m-20m) or Low Bands (40m-80m)
How to Participate:
Get on any of the HF bands except the WARC bands and hang out near the QRP frequencies. Work as many stations calling CQ QRP or CQ TEST as possible, or call CQ QRP or CQ TEST yourself! You can work a station for credit once on each band.
Log Submission:
Submit your entry online at http://www.qrpcontest.com
Contest logs are not required for entry, but may be requested by the Contest Manager if required.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked on or before 23 April 2017.
Results: Will be published in QRP Quarterly and shown on the QRP-ARCI website.
Certificates: Will be awarded to the Top 10 Scoring Entrants.
Hopefully, I'll see you on the air at some point this weekend! (At least this year, the contest doesn't fall on Easter Weekend!)
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
2017 QRP-ARCI(sm) SPRING QSO PARTY
Date/Time:
1200Z on 8 April 2017 through 2400Z on 9 April 2017. You may work a maximum of 24 hours of the 36 hour period.
Mode: HF CW only.
Exchange:
Members send: RST, State/Province/Country, ARCI member number
Non-Members send: RST, State/Province/Country, Power Out
QSO Points:
Member = 5 points
Non-Member, Different Continent = 4 points
Non-Member, Same Continent = 2 points
Multiplier:
SPC (State/Province/Country) total for all bands. The same station may be worked on multiple bands for QSO points and SPC credit.
Power Multiplier:
>5 Watts = x1
>1 - 5 Watts = x7
>250 mW - 1 Watt = x10
>55 mW - 250 mW = x15
55 mW or less = x20
Suggested Frequencies:
160m - 1810 kHz
80m - 3560 kHz
40m - 7030 kHz (please listen at 7040 kHz for rock bound participants)
20m - 14060 kHz
15m - 21060 kHz
10m - 28060 kHz
Score:
Final Score = Points (total for all bands) x SPCs (total for all bands) x Power Multiplier.
BONUS POINTS: None available for this contest.
Categories:
Entry may be All-Band, Single Band, High Bands (10m-15m-20m) or Low Bands (40m-80m)
How to Participate:
Get on any of the HF bands except the WARC bands and hang out near the QRP frequencies. Work as many stations calling CQ QRP or CQ TEST as possible, or call CQ QRP or CQ TEST yourself! You can work a station for credit once on each band.
Log Submission:
Submit your entry online at http://www.qrpcontest.com
Contest logs are not required for entry, but may be requested by the Contest Manager if required.
Deadline: Entries must be postmarked on or before 23 April 2017.
Results: Will be published in QRP Quarterly and shown on the QRP-ARCI website.
Certificates: Will be awarded to the Top 10 Scoring Entrants.
Hopefully, I'll see you on the air at some point this weekend! (At least this year, the contest doesn't fall on Easter Weekend!)
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, April 04, 2017
Ham Cram Results
Let's just say I was expecting and hoping for better results and leave it at that. I drove home Saturday afternoon disappointed and a bit depressed. It's hard on the instructors when candidates fail to pass the license exam. In my case, I immediately wonder, "What more could I have done?" My personal problem is that, since I love Amateur Radio so much, I assume that every one in the class wants their license as badly as I wanted mine. So when they fail, I tend to internalize the blame.
But there was a clear division between the two camps. There were the people who wanted their license and actually studied the material diligently and there were the others who may have cracked open the license manual once or twice, if at all. Listening to some of the comments from the folks who didn't pass, I was surprised at how little they applied themselves.
Let's face it, the Technician Class license exam is not the hardest exam in the world, but you DO have to study and you DO have to want it. Going to class because your good friend talked you into it; or because your supervisor thinks it would be a good thing to have a license is not good enough. There has to be some personal motivation driving the effort. As my RACES Bureau Chief said to me as we were leaving the building, "Just remember Lar, you can lead a horse to water; but you can't make him drink". He's 1000% correct, but maybe there's more we can do to make drinking more enticing.
So where do we go from here? While I am still wary of the Ham Cram process, I am willing to give it another shot. I still think the full blown eight week class concept works better, but I do realize that less than perfectly motivated people are busy and have lives, and are not willing to give up that much time from their busy schedules. I think with a couple of tweaks, the Ham Cram route can be a successful one.
Two changes in particular that I would like to make:
1) Ahead of the next "home study cycle", I would like an accurate head count of all the participants. I would like to order their ARRL license manuals ahead of time and have a meeting with the candidates BEFORE the front cover of the manual is even opened. I would like to take that opportunity to hand them their manuals, study guides and point blank tell them, "If you fail to study over the next month, or wait until the last minute to study, past experience indicates that you will not pass the exam." I think it needs to be impressed upon the candidates how important the home study portion of this process is; and that without it, there's really no point in continuing on. It would also be an excellent opportunity for Marv and I to introduce ourselves and give the students our contact information - so if they have any difficulty whatsoever, they know there's someone they can reach out to for help.
At that same meeting, there's an excellent video on Amateur Radio that we use for the first session of our eight week class sessions, that I would like to show. It comes in two versions, one 30 minutes long, the other an hour. Both go into a lot of the "fun" aspects of the hobby. For those who are getting a license just for CERT and EMCOMM purposes, if they see the fun they can have once they're licensed, I'm willing to bet that it might be easier to get them to take a good, long drink.
I know that time is precious, but between handing out the manuals and study guides and then giving a little pep talk and then showing the video, we can keep that introductory meeting to less than 90 minutes. I am coming to believe that this may be a crucial step in the process. If you're not willing to come to a meeting to get your manual and get a little pre-home study guidance, there isn't really a point with continuing on, is there?
2) A change of the Ham Cram review material. We used the W9PE Power Point last Saturday. While it is complete and comprehensive and very good, I think it is more geared to the prospective Ham who is into getting a license for the hobby aspect of it. I was given a Power Point produced by Alan Wolke W2AEW of YouTube Ham Radio videos fame. His presentation is ideal for presenting to those who are coming to the Amateur Radio world from the First Responder world. It is more visually appealing with lots of graphics; and as a result, I think it will be more successful.
I think if we make these two changes, our next Ham Cram venture will be more successful. Now all I have to do is pitch this to the "Powers That Be".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
But there was a clear division between the two camps. There were the people who wanted their license and actually studied the material diligently and there were the others who may have cracked open the license manual once or twice, if at all. Listening to some of the comments from the folks who didn't pass, I was surprised at how little they applied themselves.
Let's face it, the Technician Class license exam is not the hardest exam in the world, but you DO have to study and you DO have to want it. Going to class because your good friend talked you into it; or because your supervisor thinks it would be a good thing to have a license is not good enough. There has to be some personal motivation driving the effort. As my RACES Bureau Chief said to me as we were leaving the building, "Just remember Lar, you can lead a horse to water; but you can't make him drink". He's 1000% correct, but maybe there's more we can do to make drinking more enticing.
So where do we go from here? While I am still wary of the Ham Cram process, I am willing to give it another shot. I still think the full blown eight week class concept works better, but I do realize that less than perfectly motivated people are busy and have lives, and are not willing to give up that much time from their busy schedules. I think with a couple of tweaks, the Ham Cram route can be a successful one.
Two changes in particular that I would like to make:
1) Ahead of the next "home study cycle", I would like an accurate head count of all the participants. I would like to order their ARRL license manuals ahead of time and have a meeting with the candidates BEFORE the front cover of the manual is even opened. I would like to take that opportunity to hand them their manuals, study guides and point blank tell them, "If you fail to study over the next month, or wait until the last minute to study, past experience indicates that you will not pass the exam." I think it needs to be impressed upon the candidates how important the home study portion of this process is; and that without it, there's really no point in continuing on. It would also be an excellent opportunity for Marv and I to introduce ourselves and give the students our contact information - so if they have any difficulty whatsoever, they know there's someone they can reach out to for help.
At that same meeting, there's an excellent video on Amateur Radio that we use for the first session of our eight week class sessions, that I would like to show. It comes in two versions, one 30 minutes long, the other an hour. Both go into a lot of the "fun" aspects of the hobby. For those who are getting a license just for CERT and EMCOMM purposes, if they see the fun they can have once they're licensed, I'm willing to bet that it might be easier to get them to take a good, long drink.
I know that time is precious, but between handing out the manuals and study guides and then giving a little pep talk and then showing the video, we can keep that introductory meeting to less than 90 minutes. I am coming to believe that this may be a crucial step in the process. If you're not willing to come to a meeting to get your manual and get a little pre-home study guidance, there isn't really a point with continuing on, is there?
2) A change of the Ham Cram review material. We used the W9PE Power Point last Saturday. While it is complete and comprehensive and very good, I think it is more geared to the prospective Ham who is into getting a license for the hobby aspect of it. I was given a Power Point produced by Alan Wolke W2AEW of YouTube Ham Radio videos fame. His presentation is ideal for presenting to those who are coming to the Amateur Radio world from the First Responder world. It is more visually appealing with lots of graphics; and as a result, I think it will be more successful.
I think if we make these two changes, our next Ham Cram venture will be more successful. Now all I have to do is pitch this to the "Powers That Be".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, April 03, 2017
I've never worked either of these ........
Courtesy of the ARRL:
Midway and Kure Islands are Now Deleted DXCC Entities
03/31/2017
Midway and Kure Islands have been placed on the list of DXCC deleted entities, effective August 26, 2016. This came about as an unintended consequence of action last summer by then-President Barack Obama that expanded the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to include the northwestern Hawaiian Islands west of Ni’ihau Island, making it the largest contiguous protected conservation area under the US flag.
Midway (KH4) had qualified for DXCC status by virtue of its being governed by a separate administration. Because it is now under the administration of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, however, it becomes a deleted entity. Approximately 50 people live on Midway, including US Fish and Wildlife Service staffers and contractors. The Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Allied World War II Pacific Campaign, took place in June 1942.
Now uninhabited, Kure Island (KH7K), a part of Hawaii, is separated from the rest of the state by Midway; because of that, it qualified for DXCC status under Section II, 2 (b) (iii) of the DXCC Rules — separation from its “parent” Hawaii. Midway Island’s change in DXCC status in turn made Kure Island no longer eligible for DXCC status, since Kure no longer is separated from the rest of Hawaii by intervening land or islands that are part of another DXCC entity.
Kure Island once was home to a US Coast Guard LORAN station, remnants of which are still evident. It has been a state wildlife sanctuary since 1981.
The relevant parts of Section II of the DXCC Rules follow:
A Geographic Separation Entity may result when a single Political Entity is physically separated into two or more parts. The part of such a Political Entity that contains the capital city is considered the Parent for tests under these criteria. One or more of the remaining parts resulting from the separation may then qualify for separate status as a DXCC Entity if they satisfy paragraph a) or b) of the Geographic Separation Criteria, as follows.
b) Island Areas (Separation by Water):
A new entity results in the case of an island under any of the following conditions:
iii) The island is separated from its Parent by intervening land or islands that are part of another DXCC entity, such that a line drawn along a great circle in any direction, from any part of the island, does not touch the Parent before touching the intervening DXCC entity. There is no minimum separation distance for the first island entity created under this rule. Additional island entities may be created under this rule, provided that they are similarly separated from the Parent by a different DXCC entity and separated from any other islands associated with the Parent by at least 800 km.
Neither Midway nor Kure was able to be activated without prior permission and only for a planned DXpedition. Only contacts made on August 25, 2016, or earlier will count for these two entities.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Midway and Kure Islands are Now Deleted DXCC Entities
03/31/2017
Midway and Kure Islands have been placed on the list of DXCC deleted entities, effective August 26, 2016. This came about as an unintended consequence of action last summer by then-President Barack Obama that expanded the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to include the northwestern Hawaiian Islands west of Ni’ihau Island, making it the largest contiguous protected conservation area under the US flag.
Midway (KH4) had qualified for DXCC status by virtue of its being governed by a separate administration. Because it is now under the administration of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, however, it becomes a deleted entity. Approximately 50 people live on Midway, including US Fish and Wildlife Service staffers and contractors. The Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Allied World War II Pacific Campaign, took place in June 1942.
Now uninhabited, Kure Island (KH7K), a part of Hawaii, is separated from the rest of the state by Midway; because of that, it qualified for DXCC status under Section II, 2 (b) (iii) of the DXCC Rules — separation from its “parent” Hawaii. Midway Island’s change in DXCC status in turn made Kure Island no longer eligible for DXCC status, since Kure no longer is separated from the rest of Hawaii by intervening land or islands that are part of another DXCC entity.
Kure Island once was home to a US Coast Guard LORAN station, remnants of which are still evident. It has been a state wildlife sanctuary since 1981.
The relevant parts of Section II of the DXCC Rules follow:
A Geographic Separation Entity may result when a single Political Entity is physically separated into two or more parts. The part of such a Political Entity that contains the capital city is considered the Parent for tests under these criteria. One or more of the remaining parts resulting from the separation may then qualify for separate status as a DXCC Entity if they satisfy paragraph a) or b) of the Geographic Separation Criteria, as follows.
b) Island Areas (Separation by Water):
A new entity results in the case of an island under any of the following conditions:
iii) The island is separated from its Parent by intervening land or islands that are part of another DXCC entity, such that a line drawn along a great circle in any direction, from any part of the island, does not touch the Parent before touching the intervening DXCC entity. There is no minimum separation distance for the first island entity created under this rule. Additional island entities may be created under this rule, provided that they are similarly separated from the Parent by a different DXCC entity and separated from any other islands associated with the Parent by at least 800 km.
Neither Midway nor Kure was able to be activated without prior permission and only for a planned DXpedition. Only contacts made on August 25, 2016, or earlier will count for these two entities.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, April 02, 2017
Product reviews
I have two product reviews to do, from two kind Amateur Radio vendors who sent me some "cool stuff" to try out. Many. many thanks to hamshop.cz and SOTABEAMS for thinking highly enough of me to do some product testing.
I am going to do one review tonight and another after next weekend. I have played with both products and both are superb; and I want to give each its due, so tonight, I will talk about hamshop.cz's Mini Iambic Mini Paddles, which I received first
I received these paddles a couple of months ago - soon after their availability was announced. They looked interesting to me and I had even mentioned on this blog that I would have liked to purchase a set. Not long after that, a sample arrived in the mailbox. Thank you, hamshop.cz !!!
These are constructed from parts printed out from a 3D printer if I am not mistaken. They are light in weight and are ideal for QRP portable ops, whether that be SOTA, POTA, or just a trip to your backyard, if that's what you have in mind.
One might think that something that came out of a 3D printer would be cheap or shoddy and I have to tell you honestly, that nothing could be farther from the truth. I have played with these paddles for a while now and I have to tell you that they compare VERY favorably with my Palm Pico paddles. They are roughly the same size, but the hamshop.cz's iteration are a bit lighter and also a tiny bit larger. They use a magnetic return for a very smooth feel and a very positive return.The tension can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the big screw at the top and lever spacing can be adjusted by two tiny set screws by each paddle at the front of the housing.
These first run paddles came without a cable and I had to wire them up myself, but that was not a big issue. I see on the hamshop.cz website that the paddles now come with a cable for the circuit board pin configuration that they use as a connector.
So, how do they work? Very well actually! I have been using them on the KX3 and they have been a joy to use. As I mentioned, they are smooth and have a good feel to them. The positive return makes sure the paddles always return to "home" position reliably, so there is no issue with getting stuck sending unintentional strings of dits or dahs. I have sent at speeds from about 13 WPM to 25 WPM with no fumbling or mistakes due to the equipment. Any mistakes originated from the "gray matter between the ears".
They are ideal for portable ops as they are a breeze to carry in a backpack and are so light that you can hold them in your hand all day and send Morse for hours without getting tired. I see hamshop.cz now supplies them with magnets on the base so that you can stick these to something if you'd rather not hand hold them for any length of time.
The price is a selling point, too. Currently, a set of these paddles go for 25 Euros, which is about $27 US Dollars. Compare that to the Palm Pico Paddles, which go for about $116. I know, I know - this is kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
Would I give up my Pico Paddles? No, not at all. When you compare the two, the craftsmanship and the materials used in the Palm paddles justify their cost. But for $27, I think the hamshop.cz paddles are a bargain! The operability, size and weight compare favorably to the more sophisticated Pico paddles, but the price is a clear winner. If you're on a tight budget, you can have a set of really good miniature paddles for a very reasonable price. And, if you should have an accident and damage them; or even be unlucky enough to lose them, there's no heart attack factor involved - you just order another set!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I am going to do one review tonight and another after next weekend. I have played with both products and both are superb; and I want to give each its due, so tonight, I will talk about hamshop.cz's Mini Iambic Mini Paddles, which I received first
I received these paddles a couple of months ago - soon after their availability was announced. They looked interesting to me and I had even mentioned on this blog that I would have liked to purchase a set. Not long after that, a sample arrived in the mailbox. Thank you, hamshop.cz !!!
These are constructed from parts printed out from a 3D printer if I am not mistaken. They are light in weight and are ideal for QRP portable ops, whether that be SOTA, POTA, or just a trip to your backyard, if that's what you have in mind.
One might think that something that came out of a 3D printer would be cheap or shoddy and I have to tell you honestly, that nothing could be farther from the truth. I have played with these paddles for a while now and I have to tell you that they compare VERY favorably with my Palm Pico paddles. They are roughly the same size, but the hamshop.cz's iteration are a bit lighter and also a tiny bit larger. They use a magnetic return for a very smooth feel and a very positive return.The tension can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the big screw at the top and lever spacing can be adjusted by two tiny set screws by each paddle at the front of the housing.
These first run paddles came without a cable and I had to wire them up myself, but that was not a big issue. I see on the hamshop.cz website that the paddles now come with a cable for the circuit board pin configuration that they use as a connector.
So, how do they work? Very well actually! I have been using them on the KX3 and they have been a joy to use. As I mentioned, they are smooth and have a good feel to them. The positive return makes sure the paddles always return to "home" position reliably, so there is no issue with getting stuck sending unintentional strings of dits or dahs. I have sent at speeds from about 13 WPM to 25 WPM with no fumbling or mistakes due to the equipment. Any mistakes originated from the "gray matter between the ears".
They are ideal for portable ops as they are a breeze to carry in a backpack and are so light that you can hold them in your hand all day and send Morse for hours without getting tired. I see hamshop.cz now supplies them with magnets on the base so that you can stick these to something if you'd rather not hand hold them for any length of time.
The price is a selling point, too. Currently, a set of these paddles go for 25 Euros, which is about $27 US Dollars. Compare that to the Palm Pico Paddles, which go for about $116. I know, I know - this is kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
Would I give up my Pico Paddles? No, not at all. When you compare the two, the craftsmanship and the materials used in the Palm paddles justify their cost. But for $27, I think the hamshop.cz paddles are a bargain! The operability, size and weight compare favorably to the more sophisticated Pico paddles, but the price is a clear winner. If you're on a tight budget, you can have a set of really good miniature paddles for a very reasonable price. And, if you should have an accident and damage them; or even be unlucky enough to lose them, there's no heart attack factor involved - you just order another set!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, March 31, 2017
Great news
for QRPers with REALLY long wire antennas:
http://cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2017/03/flash-fcc-approves-new-mflf-ham-bands.html?spref=fb
The FCC has authorized two new bands for experimentation. 2,200 Meter (Yes, that's right - 2200 Meters) and 630 Meters. Can you imagine having enough property to build a true 1/2 wave dipole?
2200 Meters will be limited to 1 Watt EIRP and 630 Meters to 5 Watts EIRP.
There are lots of rules to adhere to because "we" will be secondary on these bands, as they are used primarily by Electric Utility companies for controlling the power grid.
Click on the link above for more information.
ALSO ............ there's a new "NA5N-type" fun QRP Sprint debuting today/tonight (depending on where you live).
It's called the "Sasquatch Stomp" and it's sponsored by the Pacific Northwest QRP Group.
Here's "Da Rulz": https://sites.google.com/site/pnwqrpgroup/sasquatch-stomp
Tonight is our monthly radio club meeting, so I doubt I'll get much time to participate, but it looks fun, in the same vein as the "Zombie Shuffle".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
http://cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2017/03/flash-fcc-approves-new-mflf-ham-bands.html?spref=fb
The FCC has authorized two new bands for experimentation. 2,200 Meter (Yes, that's right - 2200 Meters) and 630 Meters. Can you imagine having enough property to build a true 1/2 wave dipole?
2200 Meters will be limited to 1 Watt EIRP and 630 Meters to 5 Watts EIRP.
There are lots of rules to adhere to because "we" will be secondary on these bands, as they are used primarily by Electric Utility companies for controlling the power grid.
Click on the link above for more information.
ALSO ............ there's a new "NA5N-type" fun QRP Sprint debuting today/tonight (depending on where you live).
It's called the "Sasquatch Stomp" and it's sponsored by the Pacific Northwest QRP Group.
Here's "Da Rulz": https://sites.google.com/site/pnwqrpgroup/sasquatch-stomp
My official Sasquatch Stomp Badge
Tonight is our monthly radio club meeting, so I doubt I'll get much time to participate, but it looks fun, in the same vein as the "Zombie Shuffle".
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Long day, yesterday
'Twas a very long day, yesterday. After a full day of work, I immediately traveled to the Middlesex County Fire Academy for our CERT class on catastrophic bleeding control. To say that it was eye opening and intense would be an understatement. But of all the CERT training sessions that I have attended, this one was by far the best. No competition, there.
Our instructors included an EMT who works with Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Newark, NJ. That right there caused the needle on the "Impressed Meter" to go off the scale. Another was an EMT who used to be in the Air Force and did two tours in the Mid East as a Casualty Evacuation Corpsman. (I was mentally debating, "Which is safer - Newark or Iraq?) The third instructor was an EMT who works with the NJ Medical Reserve Unit and he specializes in S&R and Wilderness Emergency Treatment. We were in good hands for the evening. Very, very good hands.
The instructors taught us in the proper deployment and use of tourniquets, as well as how to pack a wound with both regular gauze and gauze treated with coagulant materials in order to control or stop hemorrhagic bleeding. We also learned how to dress sucking chest wounds and how to do quick assessments for catastrophic injuries in the field.
As a CERT volunteer, sometimes you get the feeling that you're considered somewhat as "an outsider" by the local police and fire personnel. They know their jobs, they do them well, and it can be very apparent that they consider CERT to be unnecessary; or just a bother, in their eyes. I have to say that out of all the training that I have received so far, the guys last night, and the people from Homeland Security, who gave us our AuxComm training, were definitely different in that regard. Last night we were treated ......... what's the word I'm looking for .......... seriously - very seriously. In their eyes, we CERT volunteers were just as valuable to them as any regular police or fire officer, or EMT.
I guess when you're in a situation where three minutes can make the difference between life or death, the gentlemen who taught us last night were very happy to have some good eyes, hands and minds out there in the field. At the end of the evening, each of us were issued an IFAK - and Individual First Aid Kit, complete with supplies needed to make that difference. I pray I'll never be in that situation where I have to implement it; but if I am, I'm pretty darned confident that I now know enough to save someone's life, if it comes to that.
Kudos to our three instructors and the Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management for last evening. We hope we'll make you proud.
As an aside, when I got home at 9:45 PM, my Harold was sitting in the bay window, faithfully waiting for me. What a good doggie; and just the thing to come home to after a very long day!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Our instructors included an EMT who works with Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Newark, NJ. That right there caused the needle on the "Impressed Meter" to go off the scale. Another was an EMT who used to be in the Air Force and did two tours in the Mid East as a Casualty Evacuation Corpsman. (I was mentally debating, "Which is safer - Newark or Iraq?) The third instructor was an EMT who works with the NJ Medical Reserve Unit and he specializes in S&R and Wilderness Emergency Treatment. We were in good hands for the evening. Very, very good hands.
The instructors taught us in the proper deployment and use of tourniquets, as well as how to pack a wound with both regular gauze and gauze treated with coagulant materials in order to control or stop hemorrhagic bleeding. We also learned how to dress sucking chest wounds and how to do quick assessments for catastrophic injuries in the field.
The job for our trainers was difficult. It had to be no nonsense, in order to impress upon us the need for speed, clear headed thinking, and acting upon a really bad situation without freezing or choking up. But yet, they manged to keep the session light enough that we were not frightened by the task before us. These guys were the best, hands down.
As a CERT volunteer, sometimes you get the feeling that you're considered somewhat as "an outsider" by the local police and fire personnel. They know their jobs, they do them well, and it can be very apparent that they consider CERT to be unnecessary; or just a bother, in their eyes. I have to say that out of all the training that I have received so far, the guys last night, and the people from Homeland Security, who gave us our AuxComm training, were definitely different in that regard. Last night we were treated ......... what's the word I'm looking for .......... seriously - very seriously. In their eyes, we CERT volunteers were just as valuable to them as any regular police or fire officer, or EMT.
I guess when you're in a situation where three minutes can make the difference between life or death, the gentlemen who taught us last night were very happy to have some good eyes, hands and minds out there in the field. At the end of the evening, each of us were issued an IFAK - and Individual First Aid Kit, complete with supplies needed to make that difference. I pray I'll never be in that situation where I have to implement it; but if I am, I'm pretty darned confident that I now know enough to save someone's life, if it comes to that.
Kudos to our three instructors and the Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management for last evening. We hope we'll make you proud.
As an aside, when I got home at 9:45 PM, my Harold was sitting in the bay window, faithfully waiting for me. What a good doggie; and just the thing to come home to after a very long day!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
New QRP Podcast
A new QRP Podcast - "The QRP'ian" - can be found at Spreaker.com. This one is hosted by Mike Malone KD5KXF, and the first episode can be found here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/8972678/episode-001?autoplay=true
The guests on the first episode are Brian KB9BVN, who's a good friend and a fellow Flying Pig. Also appearing is Dave Cripes NM0S - a QRP Hall of Famer and a guy I enjoy following on Facebook.
I'm listening to Episode 001 as I type this and it is excellent! It's like sitting around the workbench with your QRP buddies, shooting the breeze, while sharing a cup o' Joe.
I'm not big into following podcasts, but this is one that I will listen to on a regular basis. This and QSO Today will be my two favorites.
BTW, I'm going to a different kind of CERT training class tonight .... Bleeding control. I have to high tail it over from work; as the class starts promptly at 6:00 PM. Should be interesting as it's a "practical" class with hands on experience. I was told we each get a tourniquet for our CERT kits, since we will have been trained on their proper use.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The guests on the first episode are Brian KB9BVN, who's a good friend and a fellow Flying Pig. Also appearing is Dave Cripes NM0S - a QRP Hall of Famer and a guy I enjoy following on Facebook.
I'm listening to Episode 001 as I type this and it is excellent! It's like sitting around the workbench with your QRP buddies, shooting the breeze, while sharing a cup o' Joe.
I'm not big into following podcasts, but this is one that I will listen to on a regular basis. This and QSO Today will be my two favorites.
BTW, I'm going to a different kind of CERT training class tonight .... Bleeding control. I have to high tail it over from work; as the class starts promptly at 6:00 PM. Should be interesting as it's a "practical" class with hands on experience. I was told we each get a tourniquet for our CERT kits, since we will have been trained on their proper use.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Ham Cram
This coming Saturday, Marv K2VHW and I will be attempting our first one day "Ham Cram". Normally, we conduct Technician License classes over an eight week period, one evening a week for two hours with self study in between sessions.
The group that requested this did not want to go that route. With the unpredictable winter weather that we have been having, that's understandable. Instead of the usual routine, we composed a "Technician Class Self Study Guide" which was issued to all the prospective candidates a month ahead of time. We broke down the ARRL License Manual into four manageable chunks. We also provided links to appropriate You Tube videos, as well as other on line resources to accompany the material in the manual.
The session on Saturday will start at 8:00 AM and will break for a one hour lunch period at Noon. We will continue on to about 3:30 PM with exams following at 4:00 PM. The half hour in between will be used to fill out 605 forms and all the other necessary paperwork.
Marv and I will be "going boldly, where we have never gone before"!
Wish us, and our candidates luck!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
The group that requested this did not want to go that route. With the unpredictable winter weather that we have been having, that's understandable. Instead of the usual routine, we composed a "Technician Class Self Study Guide" which was issued to all the prospective candidates a month ahead of time. We broke down the ARRL License Manual into four manageable chunks. We also provided links to appropriate You Tube videos, as well as other on line resources to accompany the material in the manual.
The session on Saturday will start at 8:00 AM and will break for a one hour lunch period at Noon. We will continue on to about 3:30 PM with exams following at 4:00 PM. The half hour in between will be used to fill out 605 forms and all the other necessary paperwork.
Marv and I will be "going boldly, where we have never gone before"!
Wish us, and our candidates luck!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Toothpaste works!
Yesterday, we had a work detail at the Middlesex County Fire Academy, where I volunteer as a RACES operator. Our goal for the day was to assemble our UHF/VHF Go Kits, put them on the air, and make sure the antennas were marked, so that when they're deployed by the various municipalities in the county, that the SWR will be optimal.
As I was putting the kits away in the storage room, which is tiny, I heard a strange noise. I wasn't aware of what it was until I got in the car to come home. I had my Wouxun UV8D on my belt, and I was navigating the storage room, I was unknowingly rubbing the face of my HT against the cinder block wall.
It was nowhere near as bad as the above picture that I found on the Web, but there were a few noticeable, long scratches.
When I got home, I went into one of our bathrooms to see what kind of toothpastes we have. I use AIM, which is a blue, minty gel (and is cheap); but my daughter uses Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening, which is a standard "white" toothpaste. I put a tiny dab of that on my finger and made continual circular motions across the HT screen while slowly counting to 100 in my head. I cleaned off the toothpaste with a paper towel and was happy to see the scratches were almost gone! I repeated the procedure once more, and now the scratches are 99% removed. You can still see them slightly, but you have to know that they're there and you have to look for them.
So if you ever scratch the display of your HT (and it's not a touch screen), don't despair. A few minutes of your time and some toothpaste will fix that right up.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
As I was putting the kits away in the storage room, which is tiny, I heard a strange noise. I wasn't aware of what it was until I got in the car to come home. I had my Wouxun UV8D on my belt, and I was navigating the storage room, I was unknowingly rubbing the face of my HT against the cinder block wall.
It was nowhere near as bad as the above picture that I found on the Web, but there were a few noticeable, long scratches.
When I got home, I went into one of our bathrooms to see what kind of toothpastes we have. I use AIM, which is a blue, minty gel (and is cheap); but my daughter uses Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening, which is a standard "white" toothpaste. I put a tiny dab of that on my finger and made continual circular motions across the HT screen while slowly counting to 100 in my head. I cleaned off the toothpaste with a paper towel and was happy to see the scratches were almost gone! I repeated the procedure once more, and now the scratches are 99% removed. You can still see them slightly, but you have to know that they're there and you have to look for them.
So if you ever scratch the display of your HT (and it's not a touch screen), don't despair. A few minutes of your time and some toothpaste will fix that right up.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Mag loop success!
After Sunday's discouraging outcome, I decided to give the mag loop another little workout tonight during the 40 Meter QRP Fox hunt. Even though I'm dog tired after a long day at work, I had enough energy to give it a shot.
I must say that I'm getting pretty darn good at putting it together. It's getting to the point now that I can be on the air within 5 minutes. I do need to get a better tripod, though. My little Buddistick minipod doesn't offer enough stability.
At any rate, tuning the capacitor was once again a breeze, and I found Todd N9NE rather quickly. He had a great signal, as always; and he's such a great op that it wasn't hard to figure his split. I got him on my second or third call. What's nice about the loop is that I was able to rotate it for maximum signal strength from Todd. He was his usual strong 559 and I received the same in return.
Even though I usually have a pipeline to Todd in Wisconsin, it was nice to have another success with the loop. I'd still rather use a conventional antenna whenever possible, but it sure is nice to have another reliable RF arrow in the quiver. After some 39 years of "More wire ....... and the higher, the better!", it's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that a 3 foot diameter loop at no more than a few feet off the ground works at all, let alone that it seems to work well. Physics and results don't lie, I guess.
Conventional wisdom isn't so conventional - again. Maybe I need to go search for some of that "unconventional" wisdom.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I must say that I'm getting pretty darn good at putting it together. It's getting to the point now that I can be on the air within 5 minutes. I do need to get a better tripod, though. My little Buddistick minipod doesn't offer enough stability.
At any rate, tuning the capacitor was once again a breeze, and I found Todd N9NE rather quickly. He had a great signal, as always; and he's such a great op that it wasn't hard to figure his split. I got him on my second or third call. What's nice about the loop is that I was able to rotate it for maximum signal strength from Todd. He was his usual strong 559 and I received the same in return.
Even though I usually have a pipeline to Todd in Wisconsin, it was nice to have another success with the loop. I'd still rather use a conventional antenna whenever possible, but it sure is nice to have another reliable RF arrow in the quiver. After some 39 years of "More wire ....... and the higher, the better!", it's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that a 3 foot diameter loop at no more than a few feet off the ground works at all, let alone that it seems to work well. Physics and results don't lie, I guess.
Conventional wisdom isn't so conventional - again. Maybe I need to go search for some of that "unconventional" wisdom.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, March 20, 2017
Bands were crappy yesterday
Saturday was a very busy, busy day for me. I was determined to do "not much of anything" on Sunday, as a result of that busy-ness. It was still chilly in the basement; so I brought the magloop upstairs to do a little experimenting
First off, in my mind, the loop has proven itself as a viable performer on 20 Meters. I have made several trans-Continental and trans-Oceanic QSOs with it. However, I have not used the loop much on 40 Meters, or any of the other bands at all, if I remember correctly.
That said, I was itching to log some QSOs, so I started out on 20 Meters, where my previous success had been. I was disappointed as I didn't hear many signals; and the ones I did hear were weak and watery. On the bright side, I was able to find the "sweet spot" on the tuning capacitor as easily as I did before and it was pretty easy to bring the SWR down to about 1.2:1.
So I hopped to 40, 30 and 17 Meters, respectively. On each band I was able to find the "sweet spot" on the tuning capacitor with ease. The background noise would peak very easily and some careful tuning back and forth resulted in very respectable SWRs on each band. But again, 17 and 30 Meters seemed to both be pretty dead.
40 Meters had a few loud signals; but it seemed everyone I heard was already in QSO. I wasn't able to hear anyone calling CQ. Because of that, I called CQ on both 20 and 40 Meters. No answers on 40 Meters, but there was a very weak answer on 20 Meters. I could tell that a station was calling me; but I just could not pull them out of the background noise. Whoever that might have been, I apologize.
In all I spent about 45 minutes playing around, mostly just band switching to see how quickly I could tune the loop after band/frequency hops. Even with the 6:1 reduction drive installed, it was not long at all before I was ready to go after making a change.
Here's an RBN map of where my CQs were being heard:
Disappointed by the band conditions, I headed down to the basement shack to see if perhaps it was the antenna instead of the band being dead. Nope - the Butternut HF9V and the W3EDP weren't hearing any better, if at all. Just another one of those days of when you want to get on the air; but there's just not much doing.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
First off, in my mind, the loop has proven itself as a viable performer on 20 Meters. I have made several trans-Continental and trans-Oceanic QSOs with it. However, I have not used the loop much on 40 Meters, or any of the other bands at all, if I remember correctly.
That said, I was itching to log some QSOs, so I started out on 20 Meters, where my previous success had been. I was disappointed as I didn't hear many signals; and the ones I did hear were weak and watery. On the bright side, I was able to find the "sweet spot" on the tuning capacitor as easily as I did before and it was pretty easy to bring the SWR down to about 1.2:1.
So I hopped to 40, 30 and 17 Meters, respectively. On each band I was able to find the "sweet spot" on the tuning capacitor with ease. The background noise would peak very easily and some careful tuning back and forth resulted in very respectable SWRs on each band. But again, 17 and 30 Meters seemed to both be pretty dead.
40 Meters had a few loud signals; but it seemed everyone I heard was already in QSO. I wasn't able to hear anyone calling CQ. Because of that, I called CQ on both 20 and 40 Meters. No answers on 40 Meters, but there was a very weak answer on 20 Meters. I could tell that a station was calling me; but I just could not pull them out of the background noise. Whoever that might have been, I apologize.
In all I spent about 45 minutes playing around, mostly just band switching to see how quickly I could tune the loop after band/frequency hops. Even with the 6:1 reduction drive installed, it was not long at all before I was ready to go after making a change.
Here's an RBN map of where my CQs were being heard:
Disappointed by the band conditions, I headed down to the basement shack to see if perhaps it was the antenna instead of the band being dead. Nope - the Butternut HF9V and the W3EDP weren't hearing any better, if at all. Just another one of those days of when you want to get on the air; but there's just not much doing.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Stella !!!!
Not done yet. For now, due to the storm sweeping in tropical warmth in the upper troughs, the precipitation has changed from snow to sleet and ice pellets. As things wrap around, we should go back to snow within a few hours. So far, 7 inches on the ground and the antennas are still up; but the winds are starting to increase.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Monday, March 13, 2017
Tomorrow
I "just" make it into the 18-24 inch area. The boundary between us and less snowfall will be the Raritan River; and I'm north of it.
The reminds me of a snow event back sometime in the mid 80s when I was living in East Brunswick. We got rain; but my sister and I were in her car and we crossed one of the bridges over the Raritan and it was like driving through a door - rain on one side, snow on the other.
Weather can be a funny thing. I just hope my antennas escape, unscathed. I never worry about the Butternut; but I'm always checking the wire during events like these.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Another cold weekend
Another cold March weekend in New Jersey. The trees are budding, and the daffodils are quite sad as thry are being blanketed with snow. We got just a coating yesterday, but the possibility is emerging for a MAJOR snow event this coming Tuesday.
And this morning, when I woke up, it was a very brisk 15F (-9C) outside. Not my favorite time of year, by any means. It seems Nature is playing a game of tug-o'-war with Old Man Winter; and he's in no hurry to give up and go!
To warm my heart and to remind me of what's shortly to come, I received this certificate via email from the WWFF/KFF folks:
I am hanging on for dear life to the fact that soon, this cold weather will be just a bad memory, and that I will be in a park somewhere in NJ activating POTA entities - with the sun on my face and the breeze in my hair and a song (to the tune of CW) in my heart.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Budding trees
Snow on the gound (not much ....... for now!)
Very disgruntled Daffodils!
And this morning, when I woke up, it was a very brisk 15F (-9C) outside. Not my favorite time of year, by any means. It seems Nature is playing a game of tug-o'-war with Old Man Winter; and he's in no hurry to give up and go!
To warm my heart and to remind me of what's shortly to come, I received this certificate via email from the WWFF/KFF folks:
I am hanging on for dear life to the fact that soon, this cold weather will be just a bad memory, and that I will be in a park somewhere in NJ activating POTA entities - with the sun on my face and the breeze in my hair and a song (to the tune of CW) in my heart.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, March 05, 2017
C-c-c-c-old !!!!!
It seems surreal that just two Sundays ago, I was sitting in Washington Rock State Park making QSOs at a picnic bench. The temperatures were in the 60s (18C). Today, I woke up and the thermometer read 8F (-13C). The temperatures took a nose dive on Friday and this weekend was frigid. So instead of doing much operating, I spent Saturday and a bit of today cleaning the shack.
I'll admit it, I got sloppy and lazy the last few months. But on top of that, it seems the rest of the family used my little area of the basement as a dumping ground for cardboard, Christmas wrapping stuff and other effluvia. I spent the day cleaning, tossing and organizing, and ended up filling up five large garbage bags. I also cut up about a dozen cardboard boxes and consolidating them for our bi-weekly recycling pick up tomorrow. I can now sit in my shack again without being totally disgusted with myself!
Here's a video tour of the somewhat cleaned up W2LJ shack:
I apologize for the video quality as it's not the best; and I'm still getting used to this.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I'll admit it, I got sloppy and lazy the last few months. But on top of that, it seems the rest of the family used my little area of the basement as a dumping ground for cardboard, Christmas wrapping stuff and other effluvia. I spent the day cleaning, tossing and organizing, and ended up filling up five large garbage bags. I also cut up about a dozen cardboard boxes and consolidating them for our bi-weekly recycling pick up tomorrow. I can now sit in my shack again without being totally disgusted with myself!
Here's a video tour of the somewhat cleaned up W2LJ shack:
I apologize for the video quality as it's not the best; and I'm still getting used to this.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Friday, March 03, 2017
QRPTTF 2017 announced!
Today, Paul Harden announced the theme for QRP To The Field 2017 - "A River Runs Through It" or, as he also refers to it - "Rivers On The Air".
http://www.zianet.com/qrp/qrpttf/2017/ttf.htm
To quote Paul:
Qualifying River: To avoid any confusion defining a river, creek, stream, canal, etc. – if it has a name, it qualifies, whether or not there's water in it when you arrive. This would include dry river beds and arroyos (with a name) common in the Southwest. Operate from near the river as safety or local facilities allow.
This year, QRPTTF falls on Saturday, April 22nd. It runs 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Local Time (so it varies from time zone to time zone).
The name of the river is a required part of the exchange, but you're welcomed to shorten it to something manageable - so something like the "Chattahoochie" won't be so daunting on CW.
There's no shortage of rivers, creeks and streams near me, so finding a suitable location to operate shouldn't be a problem. QRPTTF is one of my most favorite events of the year and is the kick off to the Summer QRP Outdoor Operating season. Once QRPTTF rolls around - you know Winter is definitely over!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
http://www.zianet.com/qrp/qrpttf/2017/ttf.htm
To quote Paul:
Qualifying River: To avoid any confusion defining a river, creek, stream, canal, etc. – if it has a name, it qualifies, whether or not there's water in it when you arrive. This would include dry river beds and arroyos (with a name) common in the Southwest. Operate from near the river as safety or local facilities allow.
This year, QRPTTF falls on Saturday, April 22nd. It runs 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Local Time (so it varies from time zone to time zone).
The name of the river is a required part of the exchange, but you're welcomed to shorten it to something manageable - so something like the "Chattahoochie" won't be so daunting on CW.
There's no shortage of rivers, creeks and streams near me, so finding a suitable location to operate shouldn't be a problem. QRPTTF is one of my most favorite events of the year and is the kick off to the Summer QRP Outdoor Operating season. Once QRPTTF rolls around - you know Winter is definitely over!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Warm!
February 19th and it was warm! It felt more like a Spring day than the middle of Winter; as it reached a high of 68F (20C).So what does a relatively young man's fancy turn to when it warms up like this? Why, Amateur Radio of course! In particular, portable QRP operating. Too nice to stay cooped up inside, right?
I decided on a very impromptu activation of Washington Rock State Park, which is designated as KFF-1635 in WWFF (World Wide Flora and Fauna nomenclature). Probably not my brightest idea as it's the ARRL DX Contest weekend; but I decided to head out, anyway. Before heading to the park, I had to stop by Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up some fishing swivels (with clasps).
I use these to attach the "bullet" of my Joplin ARC Antenna Launcher to the fishing line. This allows me to quickly detach the projectile and attach in it's place the Mason's twine that I use as support rope during these activations. A package of a hundred (a lifetime supply) cost all of about $5.
I got to the park and it appeared that everyone else from Central NJ had the same idea that I did! There was a small crowd at the park. It's very popular, because as I've mentioned before, Washington Rock is located on the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains and provides an unobstructed view of the NJ Shore and the Piedmont. On a clear day, like today, it is even possible to see Manhattan and Staten Island with the help of binoculars or a telescope. This is why General Washington used this spot during the Revolution. By going up there at night, he was able to clearly see the campfires of all the British troop encampments.
But I digress.I found the last empty picnic table and claimed it by placing my equipment on top. Then I got to the business of hoisting the antenna. Again, the Joplin ARC Launcher made this an easy task. I become a better shot each time out and once again, the "bullet" cleared the tree and went exactly where I wanted it to go. The PAR END FEDZ 40/20/10 went up easily and within minutes, I was on the air. Actually, I arrived at the park at about 1850 UTC and was calling CQ by 1900 UTC,
I really like the PAR END FEDZ 40/20/10, as it deploys easily and with the KX3's autotuner, it also loads up and seems to get out really well on 30 Meters and 17 Meters in addition to the three bands it was designed to operate on.
I started out on 40 Meters with no takers, despite spotting myself on DX Summit as well as the WWFF/POTA Facebook page. That was a disappointment, as I was hoping for a decent amount of local activity. At that time of the day, DX from Europe (and thus any contest QRM) is minimal, so I was hoping to work folks along the East coast and up into Canada. After about 20 minutes or so of no answers, I went up to 20 Meters.
Calling CQ POTA in the midst of the ARRL DX Contest was probably pure folly, but I did get answers. I worked S52A, EA8KW, S50Q, C6ARU, FY5KE and CO2JD at various points. They were probably wondering what the heck "KFF1635" was. I think they probably just wanted the "599 NJ", but that's neither here or there. They were QSOs made from the park; and they count whether they were looking specifically for me or not.
17 Meters yielded contacts with KG5CIK, WR2E and WB2MKX, both of whom were in New Jersey.
30 Meters was good for two contacts. One was with KA9CFD and the other was a half hour or so rag chew with N1KW, Bob in IL. Bob was also enjoying the warm weather in Illinois and was in his back yard, using his K2 at 10 Watts straight off a solar panel - no battery. I really enjoyed the QSO with Bob and it's made me anxious to try out the solar panel that I bought from Harbor Freight last October. I purchased a voltage controller from Bangood, and once I wire it up, I should be able to get a good and steady 12 Volts on a decently bright day - more than enough to power the KX3.
After the rag chew with Bob, I realized I had been at the park for close to two hours, so I decided to pack up and head home while there was still plenty of light. I did have a few people come up to me, asking me what I was doing. I was able to give Amateur Radio, QRP and portable operating a couple of good plugs.
With that, I'll close this post with a very short and hastily made video that I took just prior to tear down. I apologize for the quality - Steve WG0AT has nothing to worry from me as far as video expertise goes. But maybe, just maybe, if I keep this up, I can get better at that, too. Lord knows, I've come a long way from my first attempt at portable QRP ops!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I decided on a very impromptu activation of Washington Rock State Park, which is designated as KFF-1635 in WWFF (World Wide Flora and Fauna nomenclature). Probably not my brightest idea as it's the ARRL DX Contest weekend; but I decided to head out, anyway. Before heading to the park, I had to stop by Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up some fishing swivels (with clasps).
I use these to attach the "bullet" of my Joplin ARC Antenna Launcher to the fishing line. This allows me to quickly detach the projectile and attach in it's place the Mason's twine that I use as support rope during these activations. A package of a hundred (a lifetime supply) cost all of about $5.
I got to the park and it appeared that everyone else from Central NJ had the same idea that I did! There was a small crowd at the park. It's very popular, because as I've mentioned before, Washington Rock is located on the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains and provides an unobstructed view of the NJ Shore and the Piedmont. On a clear day, like today, it is even possible to see Manhattan and Staten Island with the help of binoculars or a telescope. This is why General Washington used this spot during the Revolution. By going up there at night, he was able to clearly see the campfires of all the British troop encampments.
But I digress.I found the last empty picnic table and claimed it by placing my equipment on top. Then I got to the business of hoisting the antenna. Again, the Joplin ARC Launcher made this an easy task. I become a better shot each time out and once again, the "bullet" cleared the tree and went exactly where I wanted it to go. The PAR END FEDZ 40/20/10 went up easily and within minutes, I was on the air. Actually, I arrived at the park at about 1850 UTC and was calling CQ by 1900 UTC,
I really like the PAR END FEDZ 40/20/10, as it deploys easily and with the KX3's autotuner, it also loads up and seems to get out really well on 30 Meters and 17 Meters in addition to the three bands it was designed to operate on.
I started out on 40 Meters with no takers, despite spotting myself on DX Summit as well as the WWFF/POTA Facebook page. That was a disappointment, as I was hoping for a decent amount of local activity. At that time of the day, DX from Europe (and thus any contest QRM) is minimal, so I was hoping to work folks along the East coast and up into Canada. After about 20 minutes or so of no answers, I went up to 20 Meters.
Calling CQ POTA in the midst of the ARRL DX Contest was probably pure folly, but I did get answers. I worked S52A, EA8KW, S50Q, C6ARU, FY5KE and CO2JD at various points. They were probably wondering what the heck "KFF1635" was. I think they probably just wanted the "599 NJ", but that's neither here or there. They were QSOs made from the park; and they count whether they were looking specifically for me or not.
17 Meters yielded contacts with KG5CIK, WR2E and WB2MKX, both of whom were in New Jersey.
30 Meters was good for two contacts. One was with KA9CFD and the other was a half hour or so rag chew with N1KW, Bob in IL. Bob was also enjoying the warm weather in Illinois and was in his back yard, using his K2 at 10 Watts straight off a solar panel - no battery. I really enjoyed the QSO with Bob and it's made me anxious to try out the solar panel that I bought from Harbor Freight last October. I purchased a voltage controller from Bangood, and once I wire it up, I should be able to get a good and steady 12 Volts on a decently bright day - more than enough to power the KX3.
After the rag chew with Bob, I realized I had been at the park for close to two hours, so I decided to pack up and head home while there was still plenty of light. I did have a few people come up to me, asking me what I was doing. I was able to give Amateur Radio, QRP and portable operating a couple of good plugs.
With that, I'll close this post with a very short and hastily made video that I took just prior to tear down. I apologize for the quality - Steve WG0AT has nothing to worry from me as far as video expertise goes. But maybe, just maybe, if I keep this up, I can get better at that, too. Lord knows, I've come a long way from my first attempt at portable QRP ops!
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
Interesting
It appears that in September of 2016, the ARRL formed a committee, looking into the possibility of petitioning the FCC to create a new entry level Amateur Radio license. At this point, they are looking for membership input.
So if you're a member of the ARRL, please log in to their Web site and take a survey, by clicking here.
Personally, some of the best times I have had in Amateur Radio occurred when I was a Novice. I learned so much, most of it by the Amateur Radio School of Hard Knocks. So, I was very saddened when the FCC ditched the Novice license. I thought this was an excellent way to enter the Amateur Radio world, with the focus on operating in the HF bands, not just VHF/UHF. Not that there's anything wrong with VHF/UHF, but I think opening up the world of the HF bands is the way to go, keeping interests piqued and offering endless possibilities.
It will be interesting to see how this all pans out and if anything comes of it.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
So if you're a member of the ARRL, please log in to their Web site and take a survey, by clicking here.
Personally, some of the best times I have had in Amateur Radio occurred when I was a Novice. I learned so much, most of it by the Amateur Radio School of Hard Knocks. So, I was very saddened when the FCC ditched the Novice license. I thought this was an excellent way to enter the Amateur Radio world, with the focus on operating in the HF bands, not just VHF/UHF. Not that there's anything wrong with VHF/UHF, but I think opening up the world of the HF bands is the way to go, keeping interests piqued and offering endless possibilities.
It will be interesting to see how this all pans out and if anything comes of it.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Had to post!
Saw this on the "100 Watts and a Wire" Facebook page - too funny not to share!
KUDOs to Andre Vorreiter
KUDOs to Andre Vorreiter
LOL!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
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