My Most Recent QSO's

Friday, January 28, 2011

The Month of January

January has been a good "radio" month for me. The highlight has been the  K3Y Special Event Contest.  With the exception of Alaska and Hawaii (I've heard Alaska but couldn't work him), I've worked stations in nearly every section of the country. I like these "month long contests" because they give me the opportunity to contact other "straight key" operators.

I continue to easily work into central Texas and Oklahoma. I also made a contact with a North Dakota station who was out in his pick up truck, in 5 degree weather, on the prairie, in the blowing snow. From a follow up e-mail, he said if it snowed much more, he'd be forced to climb out his home windows in order to shovel the snow from his doorway. That's a LOT of snow, even for North Dakota....

I've worked NG7Z in Washington state three different times this month. (Paul is a little over 2,000 miles from me.) I had a nice QSO with a former DX editor of CQ Magazine. (W2DEC) and an excellent QSO with a "classic jazz" enthusiast (K0ZK) who sponsors a weekly radio program with internet streaming. BTW/ he was in the state of Maine and operating QRP!

I'm still hoping to make a contact with Alaska. The months not over yet. On average, I've worked at least one station everyday this month.

On another vein, and related to the hobby, I've purchased one of those new electronic e-books. I now have the last two month issues of "Monitoring Times" on it. It has a web browser built into it, which allows me to read my "blogs" and search a variety of ham radio information sites.  It's really nice to use this "small" device to enhance my hobby. I can't say enough good about the Kindle.......


I have all 300 stories from Mark Twain loaded on it now, and well as several other books. I've just scratched the surface on the memory. It has a month long battery life

2 comments:

Dick said...

Looks like January has been a successful month for you. and, it isn't over yet. I'm also back on my straight key. (see my key photo on my blog later). I have mixed feelings about electronic books. However, for anyone living in limited space, (retirement homes, senior-citizen housing, etc.), it does reduce the space required for a good library. 73 Dick

Jspiker said...

Hello Dick,

They certainly save a lot of trees. Hihi

I've subscribed to the electronic edition of "Monitoring Times" for several years and find I like it better than the printed version. But after buying the Kindle, it's like the difference between "dial up" and a "cable" modem. I doubt they will "replace" the printed page but they're the wave of the future.

I find myself reading twice as much now and that's a good thing. I bought the "cheap" one ($139) and think it's one of the best investments I've ever made. I take it just about everywhere I go.....