Microphone Weekend

I don't spend much time using 'SSB' with my rig but I had high hopes of working a few "Special Event Stations" this weekend. There were also lot of "International Lighthouse/Lightship" stations on the air which I hoped to work.

My biggest hope was to work the Arecibo Lighthouse, in Puerto Rico, and it would have been an exceptional catch. There was also a station celebrating the "Navajo Code Talkers" and another celebrating the "66th Reunion of the USS Intrepid Crew Members". We used to sail with them when I was in the Navy.

But I didn't catch either the "code talkers" or the Intrepid on the air.

Instead, I found myself in the middle of the North American QSO Party.

I worked a bunch of them, very quickly, in 11 different states. My catches were Minnesota, Illinois, Vermont, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Kansas, Utah, and Colorado, plus Ontario (3) and another one in Quebec.

This morning, I also worked 4 lighthouses. I caught #001 (K2BR/LH) near Atlantic City New Jersey (Absecon Lighthouse), and three others on Long Island in New York. (W2GSB/LH-K2EC/LH-and W2AMC/LH)

Among the stations I worked, most gave me GREAT signal reports. Several of the lighthouses responded with S9 to +10....they had NO idea I was operating 10 watts QRP until I told them.

I'm sure many people made hundreds of contacts this weekend but I don't imagine they had more fun than me. I really enjoyed myself....

N0B Special Event Station at 14,100 Feet

If you haven’t seen this year’s VIDEO of the “Colorado 14’er Special Event” by wG0AT and N7UN, you’re missing the BEST of this year’s QRP adventures.

For several years, I’ve followed their hikes but have yet to work them from Colorado. Last week, while in New York, I could only hear “calling” stations.....

It’s difficult to “comprehend” the challenge of a 14,000 ft climb but I’ve hiked a couple of times at 12,000 feet, and believe me, the air is "thin" up there and its always "cold". Pitch in a 40 mph wind, and you’ve got your hands full….

Once in Hawaii, it took me 2 hours to hike to a “cinder cone” below the rim of volcano but 4 hours to hike back out. Going up hill is MUCH harder than going downhill.

Another time was in South America where it took several days to adjust to the elevation.

This 14,100 ft climb to Humboldt Peak should only be attempted by “professional” people. Making a mistake up here can easily become fatal.

Their best contact was Switzerland….WOW with 5 watts!

They’re links to BOTH their web sites on the right side of this blog.

I’d highly suggest every QRP’er take a look at this video.

Here's a link to the HF "Special Event Station"

N0B Colorado 14er Special Event

QRP Submarine (N3AQC/MM)

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to work some old Navy Ships and Submarines from the Outer Banks of North Carolina but I couldn't make the connection.

This morning, from West Virginia, I was in the right place at the right time.

I was able to work the USS REQUIN (SS-481/SSR-481) as part of a Special Event sponsored by the North American QRP CW Club.

I started to listen for them around 1500z and at 1545z I heard them working another station. When I tried the "first" contact, their signal vanished into thin air. I frantically sent QSB SRI I lost U and added "will try agn later".

My hopes rose again at 1625Z when they surfaced once more. I recognized the N3AQC/MM call immediately and sent my call sign. This time, QSB was reaching a high point, and I completed the QSO.

This contact is also credit as a "club station".

I've worked this "Club Station" about 5 times in the last few weeks and at 5 points each, they're starting to add up to a lot of 'quick' points. My first "awards" were with this club, and I can't say enough good about them.

The most important thing is EVERY contact with this club is a QRP contact.

Last week, while in New York, I worked Austria, Germany, and the Ukraine. Germany was using the least power at 400 watts and a beam.

But my most exciting contact was a QRP station in Washington state. Coast to coast with a good signal report.....

Working a Submarine (QRP to QRP) is also going to be memorial.

Austria (OE5AA) 5,000 Miles @ 5 Watts ?

This one's gonna be really close folks.....for the 1,000 mile per watt award. Of course, this one's a CW contact at 5 watts on 14.027.5 MHz. (2135Z)

I worked OE5AA (August) in Austria a few minutes ago and my distance from West Virginia (per the QRZ.com site) shows 4,608 miles.

Of course, I'm not there now.... I'm very near New York City (about 20 miles north) and West Virginia is East of me. The question is:...is it 400 miles?

I'll need to get home and calculate the distance with a Rand McNally program I use on the home computer to know for sure. (using the New York co-ordinates)

Today has been a wonderful day despite working VERY hard doing yard work. My wife and I cut a small tree, trimmed the bushes, cut the grass (I did this with an old "push mower") and hauled the waste to the front of the house. My back is talking to me now.....all the way down to the toes on my left leg.

But between chores, I've managed to work three QRP stations. All on 20 meters (14.060) and the band really stinks right now. The solar flux was 67 today.

My first was K9IS (QRP) in White Lake Wisconsin. The second was KB0PCI (QRP) in Minnesota and the last (but not least) was W7PFZ (QRP) in the state of Washington. That's one's a GREAT catch for a QRP x QRP QSO!

Time to take the rest of the evening off and nurse the back and leg. (Hook up the tens unit) All my contacts were QRP CW today. I tried to work an Armenian station, SSB, but couldn't pull it off (EK6TA).....just goes to show you how more effective CW at 5 watts is compared to 10 watts SSB.....

Getting back home next week, I hope to figure the exact distance for the thousand mile a watt award.

Hamburg Germany 4,000 + Miles (DL4HG)

I heard this call several times before I attempted the contact because I thought he was a local guy. And then the "DL" finally sank into my brain....yes, he was THAT strong!

It was also pretty quick CW, which made me a little hesitant, but when I realized he could possibly be in Germany, I HAD to try for the contact, despite my 5 watt QRP signal.

I'm glad I put forth the effort because this turned out to be one of the most enjoyable contacts I've ever made on the CW bands. Olaf had a good fist, and spacing, which matched my skills perfectly. Most DX contacts (at least before this one) are strictly "Hello, Name, QTH, RST, and 73"....quick and to the point. And I had the tendency to do the same because I didn't think the band would hold up very long (at least on my end with 5 watts).

But we exchanged pleasantry's for at least 10 minutes as we talked about his Kenwood TS 570, his amp (400 watts) and the Yagi antenna he was currently using. And then I explained my "zig zag" end fed Zepp in the attic and me visiting New York City for a few days. Then we started on the weather and all the rain we've had here for the last few days....

I'm making this entry now, as we've just returned from two days in the "city", so I don't remember every detail, but the jest of it is: I had a great QSO, at over 4,000 miles, with a CW station, at about 15+ wpm, with a German gentleman speaking VERY good English.

I'm elated with this exchange and looking forward to hearing Olaf (DL4HG) again on the bands. His signal was a good 599+ most of the time with little QSB. He was hearing me 579 (at least on the high nulls).

We agreed to exchange cards VIA the Buro.(got to look into that when we return to the home QTH in West Virginia).

ps....I made this contact back on 7-31-09 @ 2150z, and it will be another week before returning home. I'll be disappointed with the valley location, the electrical noise, and the hi-rise building next door.

I've transmitted from here several times over the years but the band has never been this good. (at least for a few brief days).

Since the few brief days of decent DX (the solar flux is down again to 67 now) I've heard Austria, Finland, Mexico City, the Netherlands, and Trinidad.

Before leaving for the city a few days ago, I heard a great QSO between a friend back home (K8NYG) and another friend (N9HAL) in WI. I've also worked two "special event stations" (one a new IOTA and new lighthouse) and a large "experimental aircraft gathering". I've even listened to a good AM broadcast station back home in Wheeling (WWVA 1170).

I'll write more about those a little later but now....off for a nice walk.

Southern Ukraine at 5000 + Miles (UR5ZVP)

I've been near New York City for several days now and it's rained cats and dogs most of the time. The Internet has also been down and I've been suffering withdrawal symptoms from the information highway.

My first chore when arriving in NY was to stretch my end fed Zepp in the attic and get on the air.

It's amazing to hear the European stations on the bands here. Just a little more Northern latitude and being on the Hudson River makes a BIG difference from the valley location in West Virginia.

There was quite a "pile up" on 14.240, on the 31st, but after several attempts, I was able to work UR5ZVP in the Southern Ukraine. It was a difficult contact, and I had to repeat my call several times, but I'm now in his log book. You can see the entry from his online logbook (page 25 #172)

I don't have a "distance" program running on this laptop but it's 5,264 miles from the WV QTH.

My longest distance yet for my QRP station.

I'm overjoyed with this contact but (I'm sure you've noticed) this frequency is in the SSB portion of the 20 meter band....

I was using the max 10 watts and it doesn't qualify for the 1,000 mile a watt award. It's still considered QRP, but technically, not the right distance and power.

It's a great start tho...and I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to snag more contacts like this one before heading back home.

15 Minutes of Fame

The last few days have brought about some interesting contacts on the air. I've been checking into the NAQCC QRS net (Sunday evenings at 8:30 local time) and enjoy it more every week. I like this net although it's at the same time of a local two meter club (KARC) net here in the valley.

I can send and receive code comfortably at 15+ wpm but it's encouraging to hear new stations struggle with their speed and there's a real need to practice on the air in a real situation.

Last night there was an excellent pass over West Virginia of the International Space Space Station at about 9:30 PM. These "near sunset" revolutions allow it to be viewed quite easily even in city lights. The local KARC net was on the verge of closing and I jumped in with a comment about the direction of the pass.

WOW....did they ever get a kick out of it!

I was surprised so few have really "seen" the ISS in the sky. It entered the US just below Lake Michigan and exited the East coast about South Carolina last night. It moved right up the Kanawha River above the State Capitol here.

This morning I had a fantastic QSO with KA3P who was near Pittsburgh PA (just 171 miles from here). We talked for a long time about him linking repeaters from there into the Kanawha Valley. I seldom listen to 2 meters anymore but got into the hobby for communications when hiking and camping. (before I learned about HF QRP). He's using an end fed Zepp too....I take mine with me when I travel.

What a great fist!

This afternoon was the "crown prince of contacts" when I worked W1AW on 40 meters. I know who the operator was but had to try twice to exchange my RST and club number. He was SO weak (QSB) and actually sent SRI at one point. I waited until the cycle peaked and completed the essentials for the QSO.....