Changes at the Home Station

All my "radio decisions" revolve around choosing "light weight and portable equipment" that can be easily transported, so I've made a change to my "antenna farm"; notably removing the 80 meter Isotron antenna from my array that I've kept in the spare room.

I hope to sell it and (maybe) re-invest in a 30 meter version.

Although the entire array could still be transported in the car, (without taking it apart) it was difficult to get this array downstairs and into the car for transportation because of the "tuning hats" on the 80 meter antenna, and looking back at the decision to add 80 meters to the "farm", it was a bad decision for me.

To be honest, I don't find much interesting on this band. I've heard some "horrible" language on this band (always on the SSB portions) and it's NOT a long distance band from here in the valley. With a few rare exceptions, my contacts were usually very short distance. I think it resembles the 11 meter band now. (no, it's NOT as bad as it used to be but still is NOT good)

I'm looking at two different options to replace the 80 meter band. Number ONE is using a random wire of 47 feet for 30 meters and the other is to add the "matching network" from my PAR end fed "dipole" (not the correct terminology). Regardless, I have a small MFJ tuner that will help with the random wire.

Last weeks excursion to Richwood WV (at 4,000 feet), and the warmer weather, makes me want to operate MUCH more outdoors and with the summer season approaching, I'll be spending time in the West Virginia State Parks, New York, and North Carolina. I'm looking forward to setting up at these places and spending some quality time on the air.

I really want to operate more on the 30 meter band, I like what I heard last week in the mountains.

Trip to the Mountains

I recently bought two new "dipoles" for 15 and 30 meters, so last Thursday, I drove into the mountains to set up and operate "outdoors" for a few hours. The bands are picking up and I hoped to work into Europe and maybe talk to my friends in England and the Netherlands on the 15 meter band.

There have been some "good" band openings on 15 meters and I listen to 30 meters occasionally and I like what I hear on this band. (it's limited to only CW and a maximum power of 200 watts)

I can get out of the valley and into a decent elevation in about an hours drive from here but my goal was the 4,000 ft "scenic highway" near Richwood, WV. I've been there many times and can usually drive to this place in about 2 hours.

I wanted to reach a "very nice" area about 10 miles across the highway but after reaching the 4 mile mark, to my astonishment, the road came to an abrupt end with about 2 feet of SNOW in the middle of the road. What a surprise! This highway isn't maintained during the winter months and there were many trees in the road which I had to swerve between to reach this spot which was a "trail head" with a small parking area on the side of the road at about 4,200 feet.

Not the "best" place to operate, but it's still above 4,000 ft, and I was lucky to find this parking lot and get my stuff set up. It was easy to get the 15 meter antenna into the trees, at about 20 feet, with the slingshot (only two good shots). I put up the table and a lawn chair and I was ready to operate.

Much to my dismay, 15 meters was NOT open and I only heard "one" German station, so I immediately dropped the antenna and stretched out the 30 meter dipole.

After listening to the band for a few minutes there were "many" stations and I heard VE9WW in New Brunswick Canada. Its well about Maine and Bill was VERY strong at almost 1,000 miles. We were both hearing each other well above the "599" level.

After a few minutes QSO, we signed off and I listened again to DL3AO in Germany as he worked another VERY strong station in Melbourne, Florida. I desperately tried to get his attention when the they ended their QSO but no luck.

I then sent out my CQ and was answered by a station in Sherbrooke, Canada. Also hearing each other at the 599 level, I recognized his call immediately. Pierre (VE2PID) and I have talked several times over the last few years.

Today he was using his QRP rig and a dipole at 5 watts. What a great day to work another QRP station!

Unfortunately, I needed to break down everything soon afterwards, and get ready for the long drive back into the valley. I'm looking forward to the next "field trip" and was impressed with the 30 meter band. I heard a LOT of activity on it while up there.

I'm looking forward to doing a LOT more of this as the weather improves.

This is why I use QRP equipment. It's portable and I can use it outdoors when I want to do a little traveling and also spend a nice day outdoors.

Germany and the Czech Republic on 40 Meters

I'm still not sure what "specific" contest brought everyone out of the woodwork, but Friday night, 40 meters was the BEST I've ever heard it. And it seemed everyone was using SSB. So I did something extremely rare for me. I got out the microphone.

There were many European stations working the United States and I was fortunate to quickly work 4O3A in Montenegro. (I was unsure he copied my call sign correctly so I sent him a follow up e-mail). A few minutes later, I worked DR1A in Germany and received his signal report along with my log number. I then worked several Canadian stations, and then several US stations, and before turning in, I was able to work OL4A in the Czech Republic. (I was also hearing OK4U but couldn't work him)

I'm still shaking my head and wondering if these were real stations or my imagination. I've worked these three countries before on 20 meters, but never on 40 meters. This was a RARE opening on this band.

Other stations heard on 40 meters (but unable to work) were CQ8A in Portugal, GM3WOJ in Scotland, EA5BY in Spain, ON4UN in Belgium and TM77M in France.

Just when you think you've heard it all....something like this happens. I could understand all this on 20 meters (or higher), but 40 meters?? .........I'm still having trouble believing all these guys were on 40 meters.

The three new contacts I made on 40 meters had no idea I was running 10 watts power and using a simple wire antenna. They were knocking out so many contacts, so quickly, I didn't have time to tell them.

City Location

I've mentioned my poor location here near the "state capitol building" in Charleston, West Virginia many times on this blog. Several weeks ago (during a brief snow squall) I shot this picture from the upstairs window of our home. As you can tell, it's a wonder I get ANY signal out of this RF hole.

I've always joked about bouncing my signals off the "gold dome" of the capitol complex just up the street. It's as good an explanation as any and a good conversation item. I use my Isotron antennas because this is a "historic district" and there are more "rules and regulations" that you can ever imagine to keep everything looking "historic". Duh.........

My antennas do a fantastic job considering the circumstances here in this narrow valley. The Kanawha river is only two blocks over from here, and there are "hills" (400 ft) on both sides of me. The elevation here is only 600 ft. above sea level.

But, despite all the obstacles, I still have an enormous amount of fun with my "5 watts" of power. Most of my contacts are amazed that I operate QRP and send out good signals. It's a rare day when I can't make a contact on the bands.

Last week, I bought two "full dipoles" (with balums attached) for the 15 and 30 meter bands and am looking forward to "skipping across the pond" on the next good weather day. Fifteen meters seems to open up pretty regular the last few weeks and I've always thought thirty meters is the ideal band for QRP CW operators.

I'll keep you posted on the progress on the next "field operation". It's going to be especially nice to get away from all this electrical noise here in the middle of town.

A VERY LONG 1/2 WATT CONTACT

Every now and then, I have an exceptional QSO on 40 meters. I've always enjoyed 40 meters, above all other bands, because there always seems to be a good CW operator on this band.

The last several weeks I've had several GOOD contacts with great CW operators that went well beyond the usual name, location, signal reports etc. I love these conversations that go beyond the basics. Recently, I've talked about others living in similar towns in WV, music, even good books with CW on 40 meters. I had long QSO about "picking and grinning" while using CW. (Morse code actually seems like a form of music to me). I don't know if others have noticed it or not but I see the combination of CW ops and musicians very often.

This evening I worked N8GEY near Detroit Michigan. He was just above Lake Erie and between it and Lake Michigan. Not very far from me in a straight line (300 miles) and for reasons I can't explain, an area I get into VERY well with only 5 watts of power. I've always got into the Great Lakes area easily despite my location here in town.

It was a LONG conversation. We had 7 or 8 exchanges and each time, I continued to reduce my power because of his original 599 +10 over report. Near the bottom of the last exchanges, I made the comment that I "couldn't reduce my power any lower" since my 703 was at the "lowest possible setting" It was at 1/2 watt and he still gave me a good signal report. (559)

Sometimes another station is in JUST the right location for the perfect contact!

I've made several other contacts at 1/2 watt but this one lasted nearly an hour. It was a true joy to communicate at this level. I felt as much a sense of accomplishment with this QSO as a 5000 mile QSO at 5 watts. It gave me a sense of "camping" with a QRPp rig that is SO easy to take along in your shirt pocket with a little wire for an antenna.

Before we called it an end, we talked about his business, (I kidded him about have NO fear of heights), the weather, our rigs and antennas, our age and years as a ham, our Navy experiences (him on an aircraft carrier in the 70's and me on a destroyer around the same time) and our tenure as deck hands on smaller ships. He worked on ships on the Great Lakes and I worked on a "tug boat" hauling coal here in West Virginia. It seems we've both done a lot of different things in our lives.

It was truly a GREAT contact with a really "good" operator and chatting at 1/2 watt made it even better!

Pirates From Alaska

I've been a Ham for about 15 years, so when an "Alaskan Station" (KL7) answered my CQ on 40 meters this morning......., I was a bit skeptical. (Valdez is quite a ways from here)

Sure enough, when I ran the call, it became apparent this was a "pirate" call sign.

I've only worked three "pirates" in my radio career and they've all been on 40 meters. Two of them were using "Alaskan" calls and one was "French".

This particular "pirate" is using another Alaskan hams call "exclusively". (I'm not going to mention the exact call sign) and when I looked it up on the web, there's a disclaimer from the affected ham and a direct link to a FCC investigator.

I e-mailed them both immediately. (and got a response from the FCC almost immediately)

There's not much chance of "catching" a "HF" pirate that makes 60 second exchanges. He always follow the same format. He sends call, qth, rst and 73. But for the life of me, I can't understand the "reasoning" behind this stuff. If I took the time to learn CW and spent the money to put a transmitter on the air, I'd get my license and use my own call.

I'm proud to have my "ham ticket" and take it's responsibilities very seriously.

I was deliberately calling CQ on 7114 MHz because it's a "common" frequency for "new" operators just starting to get their feet wet. Perhaps the pirate thought it would be a good laugh (at someone else's expense). I also have a good sense of humor and will enjoy reading about his "capture" on the ARRL "news line".

Now.......on the serious side of radio.

This weekend I worked several stations in the "North Carolina QSO Party" to give out some "West Virginia" stations for their log books. One of them knew the exact town where my father was born and some local people in the area.

I even assembled a little 1/4 wave "whip" to listen to 15 meters. It's a "horrible" radiator but I was able to hear "several" new hams from the southern hemisphere. LU1FDU (in Argentina) was "booming" in here and I even worked a V3 station in Belize (again sending too fast so won't claim the catch). He DID repeat my call so I know he heard me.

The "Olympic Station" in Canada worked so many stations I couldn't get in a word edgewise and KL7LF in Fairbanks Alaska (for real) worked so many stations on the east coast it was embarrassing. (not me)

I'd like to get on the 15 meter band but chances of that happening are not very good. Perhaps I could run a random wire in the attic but I'm afraid of TVI and stereo problems with the apartment dwellers next door.

It looks like I'll have to settle for the G5RV when the weather warms up this spring.

The picture above is a "suspected" pirate photo from Wikipedia. It was taken by the US govt and is in the public domain. (Notice the "sandbags" on deck to protect from small arms fire).

Slovak Republic @ 4,679 Miles

It was amazingly easy to work OM3RM in the Slovak Republic this afternoon. He was sending blistering fast on 14.029 at 1847z. Because of his speed, it took me several times to make sure I had his call sign correct. I'm uncomfortable with speeds over 20 wpm and he was sending much faster than 20. He answered my call on the my FIRST try.

The band has been like a "tree full of squirrels" today. (There one minute and gone the next). I think I was the only one that worked him because he choose another frequency or another band after sending back my call sign and "QRP" to let me know he heard me correctly. Honestly...his speed was much too quick for me.

Tibor (OM3RM) is listed on the E-QSL site so I sent him my electronic QSL card.

At the end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989, the Slovak Republic peacefully declared themselves a sovereign state. Although they still consider themselves a close partner with the Czech Republic, they're a NATO member and a member of the European Union and use the Euro as currency.

Their GDP comes mostly from automobile manufactures like Volkswagon, Peugeot, and Kia. They also have major electronic manufactures like Sony and Samsung.

The above picture came from Wikipedia and is a ski resort.