E-QSL Cards

Looking around on the E-QSL site, I noticed a feature which looks for variations of your call sign. Many times, I make a special effort to let stations know I'm operating "portable" or "QRP".

This program takes a few minutes to run but happily, I found seven new cards on the site with the /QRP or /P after my call sign. Three of them were DX contacts....

I love the E-QSL site and use it exclusively for my radio contacts. In these days of soaring (especially international postage) rates, I see no reason to use anything else for confirmations.

I'll always return a paper QSL card when receiving a SASE for those who still like them.

I had no idea this was an option available to "QRP" and "portable" operators.  I like it very much....

LX1DA Luxembourg

I heard this station (LX1DA) yesterday but couldn't work him. This morning was a successful contact (CW) on 15 meters.  I'm finding 15 meters to be a very good band for me in the morning.

I also worked ON7USB in Belgium and another Switzerland station HB9TJR, but they were SSB contacts. SSB isn't much of a challenge for me. Quite honestly, anyone can speak into a microphone. I'll work a few for amusement, but there's nothing in my book like CW. I simply like dots and dashes.

I heard a strong Hungary station (HA5AWT) in CW and a strong (SSB) station in Newfoundland  (VO1KVT)  but couldn't work them.

The contacts this morning puts me at 150 in the DX log book. A lot of people with mega stations, running mega power, would laugh at this, but I'm quite happy to have done this with QRP power and "non-gain" antennas. It's been very fun for me....

Two new DX Countries

I hit the jackpot this morning on 15 meters with 5 DX stations. Two of them were new countries for me. I used the 15 meter dipole again stretched out inside the upstairs rooms. Today I moved it to the same location as the 10 meter end fed wire. There's hardly any space to spare but I was able to use it by adding another 10 feet of coax to feed the center point of the dipole.

My first contact was IT9KCD in Italy (SSB) followed almost immediately by GW0TAU (CW)  in Whales. I've worked both these countries but soon afterwards I worked my first contact in Switzerland (HB9AOF) SSB. About 10 minutes later I heard a VERY strong French station (F5IN). He was so strong that I immediately dropped my power to around 3 watts. I actually sent my power to him as 4 watts during the contact but the meter on the rig was much less than 4....regardless, this makes my 15th "1000 MPW" contact.

My other new country was 5Q4B in Denmark.

I'm ecstatic about all these contacts. Switzerland and Denmark and another French "1000 MPW" station. It was a very good day for me.

I heard (but couldn't work) TK5EP in Corsica, CT1EHI in Portugal, RW2A in Russia, LX1DA in Luxembourger, EU7A in Belrus, and another station in Austria (couldn't find the call sign).

EI5DR Ireland and my 2011 QSO's

I worked a new DX entity this morning on 15 (CW) meters. ED (EI5DR) was my first contact into Ireland.

The "year end" totals for my station this year (just a few more days left in 2011) are much better this year than any other year. I'm sure most of it has been the result of better band propagation and the addition of a 10 meter end fed wire. I've also started hanging my 15 meter dipole inside the house. .

Thanks to some fantastic "ears" in Europe, I've worked 108 DX stations in 2011. My QSO totals (all years) are now 1231, and of those, 276 have been 2x QRP QSO's. Last year I worked a total of 297 stations and this year, I've worked 399 stations. I've actually worked 15 stations now at "1000 miles per watt". (the last contact was made at 5 watts and reduced to one watt)

I do VERY little contesting due to poor filtering on my rig.

I think, by far, the best contact this year was RD3A in Moscow Russia. I say this because, although I've worked many stations at the 5,000+ range on the upper bands, this station was a contact I made using my 40 meter Isotron antenna. I've actually had one ham accuse me of "fabricating" this contact. In my almost 20 year ham radio career, this is the first time I've ever had this happen.

The facts are the facts tho...the card is visible to anyone on the world wide web. 

This bring me to an interesting point, of which is puzzling to me. Contesting has never been a "hi-point" for me, but I understand and accept those who live for this and nothing else. If  "money was no object", I was born rich, and owned enough land to plant an antenna farm the size of a city block, I still wouldn't invest thousands and thousands of dollars into a hobby than demanded I sit in front of a computer and punched "buttons" all day long when the band was open. This just isn't my "cup of tea".

Four of my DX contacts this year were fellow QRP operators and I got more excitement out of working those than all the others combined. To me, there's still nothing (after almost 20 years) more exciting than working a "portable" station operating low power from a picnic table, an island, or a cabin in the woods.

Looking at the "other side of the coin" this is such a great hobby, there's more than enough fun for everyone.  (regardless of the expense)  Keeping it "simple" is still admirable to many.

15 Meter Dipole Contacts

I had some fun this morning when I stretched my 15 meter dipole out in the upstairs room. This antenna is only seven feet longer than the end fed 10 meter wire and I easily found the extra space I needed by running it from the bathroom window sill to the bedroom curtain railing. (very much like the end fed wire for 10 meters)

My only fear was that the wire might be too close to the metal medicine cabinet and absorb my radio signal. Happily, that didn't seem to happen when I got on the air.

Although I didn't hear, or work any DX, I heard some good strong stations in New Mexico (KE1R) and the state of Washington. My last contact was a friend and fellow blogger in California. Dave (AA7EE)  was operating QRP with a vertical antenna. It's always good to work a "coast to coast" QRP station. We immediately recognized each others calls and it was a real joy to say hello.

The Washington state contact (WA7UQE) was a "FISTS" club member and we exchanged club numbers. We both had such good signals from each other that I decided to drop my power down to one watt. He could still hear me well even though QSB was causing a small problem.

I missed an opportunity for a "1000 MPW" contact with this station. If I had originally responded with one watt, at a little over 2,000 miles, he would have made # 15 for me.

When I find the band open, I'll be using the 15 meter dipole again . Although I missed the opportunity for a 2,000 miles with a watt contact, when I hear the next strong station on 15 meters, I'll immediately drop power to the very minimum.

An Old Tune on the Guitar

On the BIO section of the QRZ site, I have a picture of me and my guitar. I'm sitting on the back porch steps of a mountain cabin. Often times, when I'm having a QSO, someone asks me what kind of music I play on the guitar. My best explanation is that I like to modify old songs.

I think everyone should have their own style, and strive to play uniquely, according to what they hear in their head. I never play a song the way it was originally written.

Here's my version of an old tune called "Misty". It's done with an old acoustical guitar made by a company called EKO. It was made in Italy and I bought there in 1970.

This video is done with a cheap little pocket camera ($100) that I recently bought. I don't play professionally, and this video is no more than an amateur attempt to do a little strumming for my own pleasure. I play just for fun and with a few friends when we have the time.

RD3A Moscow Russia

I still can't believe RD3A in Moscow Russia returned my call on 40 meters CW this evening. Of course, he's a contest station calling (and obviously pointing at the US) with a massive antenna array. It's by far, my best contact on 40 meters at a little over 5,000 miles. I'm amazed as he was the only station I'm hearing on the entire 40 meters band. Maybe that's why I was able to work him?

My wife and I had been out playing bridge with a local group of Grandparents. I'm glad I was lucky enough to work this station. I NEVER expected this surprise on 40 meters. It's NOT my best band by far but the conditions must be just right tonight.