The Best QSO's

I've worked several 2,000 mile stations (on 20 meters) in the state of Washington recently.

I worked KE7PZX (twice) in the last 10 days and also worked WC7C. (in Washington). Some of the other stations I've worked have been in Texas and Florida. (W5VYN--W5GXV & K3RLL). I also worked VE9CQ in New Brunswick and VE1BA in Nova Scotia. All of which are at the 1,000 mile range using my QRP rig and the indoor Isotron antenna.

But I don't spend a lot of time on 20 meters because I find most of these contacts are very weak, and only allow the basic exchange of signal strength, name, and location. The CW speed is also seldom less than 15 wpm. (Most are at 25+ wpm and a little too quick for me).

I've worked 34 DX stations now with my QRP rig and simple wire antennas. Several have been at 4,000 miles (or more) but I only remember one station (in Germany) that took a few minutes to actually 'chat' with me. It was a 10 minute QSO and an extremely rare instance. I find it amusing when I make long distance contacts, (yes I enjoy them from time to time) but they're not the very "best". I guess there's different things for different people, but still, my biggest joy is making a contact with another QRP operator.

When I worked K3RLL, (QRP) in Daytona Beach Florida, his batteries were about to go. But I still made the contact as he used a little QRP rig and a simple wire antenna while operating from a city park. My contact in Nova Scotia (VE1BA) was also QRP but using a small beam.

As I look over my log book now, I see a little over 800 contacts. Of those, 182 stations have been North American QRP CW Club (NAQCC) members.

Those QRP CW contacts are what I would call my "best QSO's".

Revolving Map Gadget

Sometimes what appears to be progress isn't necessarily so.....This morning, I removed the "Revolving Map" from the blog because I found it slowed down, not only the loading time of my blog, but also my connection to other links. It was a beautiful application (visually) but just wasn't working out.

In a similar maze, the "elections" are over.

If there's anything positive about any of the results, it's that (at least for now) $142 million dollars can't buy a seat in the government, there's not a "witch" on board (this is meant to be funny) and our beloved Robert C Byrd (from West Virginia) wasn't replaced by a rich man who actually lives in Florida.

I'm still scratching my head and wondering "what now".

One candidate (who lost by more than 25 percentage points) brandished a "baseball bat" on stage at his concession speech. I was a little disappointed at that....at least he could have held his breath until he passed out.

Stealth Monkey

This is VERY funny. (cut and pasted from the Ham Radio Safari blog)

BBC Radio Player

I've developed a fondness for the British Broadcasting World Service. When I was a kid, I remember the sounds of Big Ben and their broadcast over the shortwave bands. I've always enjoyed their programing. I consider it one of the best in the world.

But shortwave listening is becoming more difficult every year because of budget cuts, poor propagation, and increasing electrical interference. Some major international broadcasters have ceased transmitting all together, and many others are limiting their transmissions to the weekends.

For those reasons, I feel the future of most radio stations will be on the world wide web. There's both good and bad for this mode. Obviously, if you don't have web service, you don't have anything, and if someone decides to "pull the plug" on the electrical grid, we're all "up the creek". But what it is, is what it is....This is the wave of the future, weather we like it or not.

I found a neat gadget yesterday that allows you to choose many "different" streams of the BBC at the click of a button. I've added it to the right side of my blog. I usually have something playing in the background whenever I'm surfing the web.

I can't think of a better station to listen to. I hope you enjoy it also.

20 Meter DX Field Day

I spent this afternoon "out in the field" with my portable station. The solar flux was 90, the A index was 1, and the K index was 0....all the indicators for a good radio day, especially in the field, away from the electrical noise in town.

But I never dreamed it would be THAT good of a day!

I set up at a city park just outside of town, on the highest point, with some nice trees for an antenna support. As always, I set up for 30 meters with a dipole. Everything went perfect today. It was a "first shot" with the slingshot, and I had the antenna in the air in just a few minutes.

It took only a few more minutes to arrange my table and battery and I was on the air.

But not much on 30 meters....I heard a clear 3 watt beacon (W0ERE) and a station in Florida but not much else.

So I switched over to 20 meters and found it ALIVE with DX stations.

It took a few extra minutes to drop the 30 meter dipole and exchange it with my end fed Zepp. (some people call this antenna an end fed dipole), I re-tuned and immediately heard KN6ZA in Paradise California. Sounded just like he was beside me.

Right after this QSO, I heard WI5C in Arlington Texas. Fantastic signal and we chatted for a bit and then closed because I wanted to listen for some distant stations.

A few minutes later I heard IK6BGT in Italy with an even stronger signal. Justin was on the far side of the "boot" and coming in just like a local. He congratulated me on my QRP status.

A few minutes later, LY3X in Lithuania kicked my socks off...I was beginning to feel really proud of my portable station sitting on a hill in good old West Virginia.

Just when I thought I couldn't get much better, I worked UW5ZM in the Ukraine. Wow....what a day.

About that time, my cell phone rang. It was my brother coming home from work. He could hear the dots and dashes in the background, I said "Is this anything important" -- He said "No"--just wanted to say hello and sounds like you're on the radio---I said yes...having a blast up here in the park---I said-- "I got'a go, I'll call you right back". Then I listened in amazement as I heard a familiar K6AA calling from San Pedro California.

If you look back a few entries on my blog, you'll notice that call sign, as the one I worked a few weeks ago, while aboard the LST 325 (WW2LST) when I visited it, in Marietta Ohio. My Dad was with me and I was fortunate enough to use the ships radio for this contact.

Today....we must have talked for 15 minutes about this eerie "second meeting" on the band. It was spooky.....The club station was again on the air, we happened to be on the same frequency, at the same time. We re-hashed me walking the past club station a few years ago when my wife and I were walking to Huntington beach via an old railroad trail.

To make it more eerie, when I returned this afternoon, from my field operations, their QSL card was on the table.

Radio doesn't get any better than it was for me today. Maybe the dog bite, and the way it turned out had something to do with it?

Good Karma I suppose.

Stealth Radio

I'm disappointed that some operators criticize the "stealth" mode of operation. I have several friends that operate this mode and see nothing wrong with preserving the skyline and the property values of my neighbors. And it's not necessary to have an unsightly array of aluminium tubing and steel wires running all over your property to have fun with this hobby. I call those "lightening rods".

I operate this mode because I'm forced to use an indoor antenna. It's a "must" due to restrictions in the "historic district" where I live. But I have a lot of fun with my station and the neighbors have no idea that I'm a ham radio operator. (other than seeing the 'tags' on my car).

I call this criticism "belated blathering" because it serves no purpose other than allowing the ham who has spent thousands of dollars on equipment, to justify themselves and feel successful in the hobby.

Some of us choose not to do that.

Every time I walk the shores of the Hudson River in New York City, I glance up at the skyscrapers with the hope of seeing one of my friends antennas. I've worked him a half dozen times with his random wire hanging out an apartment window. I have another friend that operates from hotel rooms, all over the east coast, from Florida to Pennsylvania. I recently worked a station in the mid west that was using his "rain gutters" for an antenna. I've worked stations in tents, sailboats, trains, and once listened to a pilot flying from Cancun to Phoenix at 35,000 feet. He was having a chat with a fellow in England.

The point I'm trying to make is that it's not necessary to spend thousands of dollars on equipment to have fun in this hobby. Some of us choose not to do so.

And that's OK.

I'm Going to Live After All

After the "dog bite" Saturday afternoon, I made a doctor appointment this morning. There wasn't an infection at the bite site, but my calve muscle was still bruised, and was very sore this morning. I called the doctor at 9:00 am and got an appointment at 2:30pm. I arrived at 2:15 and saw a nurse. I saw the doctor at 3pm and was out of the office by 3:30.

My wife, and several of my friends and family members were worried about "rabies" and I thought it would be good to set their minds at ease. (and leave me alone) My sister is a professional sanitarian and has dealt with this on the job. I was beginning to feel like a squirrel on the first day of hunting season.

I got the "all clear" signal from the doctor today.

My temperature was actually a little below normal. (a very good sign) with little irritation in the bite area. Of course, the muscle is still bruised, but considering the size of the dog, it's to be expected. It's going to be sore for a few more days.

The Doc suggested keeping in touch with the owners for another week. She also suggested (if this ever happens again) to demand the Veterinarians name, address, and phone number and to personally contact the Vet to verify the information. (in other words, don't take anyones word for it) We reviewed my inoculation history going back the last several years and after looking at those, she agreed it would be difficult for me to catch the common cold in the next few years. My tetanus shot was still current so no booster necessary.

Have a nice day and pay the receptionist before you leave the building.

No...I'm only kidding about that.

Actually, I use the Veterans Administration for my health care (the government run socialized medicine program). And while I have the podium, let me put in a good word for them. I use the VA clinic, not because it's the cheapest (which it is by far) but because it's the BEST medical care in this valley.

It's VERY well managed.

If I had gone to a "private doctor"...

#1. I would have been in the waiting room (for at least an hour) filling out an insurance form.

#2. I would have then seen a (pretend to be a nurse) who would have taken another 15 minutes taking a detailed medical history.

#3. I would then be taken back to the waiting room and forced to watch "FOX" news on the giant large screen TV.

#4. I'd get to see the doctor (if I was lucky) in another hour.

#5. I'd see the doctor and he would have given me a tetanus shot, an antibiotic shot, and scheduled me for an x-ray. (to keep from being sued in court)

Then the receptionist would demand about $150 bucks for services rendered.

Oh...by the way, I'd get another bill for the x-ray, and another bill from the person that "read" the X-ray.

I'd be really lucky to get in and out of a "private office" in under two hours.

I won't "spell it out" but you should get where I'm coming from with this entry. I don't have a problem with "socialized medicine".

Getting back to the dogs, I didn't want to appear overly confident, but they were well groomed, sheltered, and obviously healthy . The owners were genuinely concerned about me, cleansed the wound, and offered bandages etc. That's a pretty good sign they're honest and good folks.

I guess today was just a "safety check".