Morning QSO on 40 Meters

This morning, waiting on bacon and eggs (just kidding) , I heard the sound of another familiar call sign!

Gary (N2ESE) and I have talked before but never this long a QSO. We discussed a variety of subjects revolving around the FISTS Club I've recently joined. I had to increase my power to the maximun 10 watts because of QSB but we chatted for almost an hour before calling it quits! Gary (N2ESE) lives in Stanhope, NJ and is FISTS # 12806.

I have his card in my BURO envelope now. I'll send it when I get another 6 or 7 contacts.

I told him about my faint 80 meter results and added the 20 meter band to those I can work from here. I can work three bands with my Isotron Antenna's (40-20-80) and just about ALL bands with the G5RV when operating in the field.

My friend Gari (K8KFJ) did a good job in the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) contest last night. If I remember right, I think 13 QSO's in 11 states! I entered my results in the contest logbook and was amused at the QRP stations that made decent scores!

I wasn't very amused at my 2 contacts...but it was fun!
One of these days, I'll set up outdoors, in the woods, with the G5RV, and make a good score!

SKCC Sprint

I'm actually quite shocked that I worked a few stations on 80 meters tonight!

80 meters is my worst band and I hardly ever transmit there.....but the stations I've caught have been good ones.

Of course, all my contacts are at QRP levels, and tonight's SKCC Sprint was my first with this club. The goal is to make as many contacts as possible, in a 2 hour time frame, but Marilyn and I were at a retirement dinner for about half of the contest. I only worked the contest for about an hour but caught two stations.

When we returned home, I tuned around on the 40 meter band and I didn't hear much. In desperation, I listened on the 80 meter band and heard stations everywhere.

I heard KC2KY (Neil) in New York work my friend Gari (K8KFJ) here in the next town about 15 miles from me. What 'da heck, I'll give it a try! (Gari is my mentor, and the guy that keeps me motivated).

It took about 10 minutes to get his attention, but I finally heard my call repeated back and I sent my Name, State, and SKCC number. He returned with the same (I already knew it and had it written down in the log when he worked Gari).

About 10 minutes after that, I heard K4ZGB (Tom) in Alabama. WOW....was he strong!

I never expected him to hear me at this distance with 5 watts but he came right back when I sent N8 ?........ We exchanged the same Name, State and SKCC number and GL TU. (Good Heavens...what a pair or ears)!

It was all over in about 30 seconds but that's the way it works......quick, and on to the next station!

I sent my log into the club and imagine there are those who will chuckle about 2 contacts...

But I'm happy.....I'm not a real competitive contester. I don't do it with the expectations of a big score, I do it just for one reason.......it's fun to me!

I run all these with 5 watts and a simple indoor wire antenna.

72's

Jamboree on the Air

Scout Oath:

On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law:

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,brave, clean, and reverent.

I remember those words, not from my youth, but actually, my middle age years.

I was working on heavy equipment at that time and a few of my fellow workers were leaders of a Scout Troop in my town. It was natural for me to help out since we were all outdoors people.

It was especially rewarding to hear Scouts, (Boys and Girls) all over the world participate in a yearly Ham radio event called the "Jamboree on the Air" this weekend. It allows kids to talk to each other over Ham radio stations set up and sponsored by the Amateur Radio Relay League.

This weekend I heard a bunch of them excitedly chatting to all parts of the world with each other over the air waves. I even talked to a few of them myself.

Where did I first learn Morse Code?

I learned it from the Boy Scout Handbook, as a kid, although I wasn't able to join in the fun!

While in the Navy in the late 60's I re-discovered that I could still read Morse Code sent on the searchlights of other ships sending info back and forth between themselves.

When my shipmates discovered my talents, it's was a quick move to the Signal Bridge!

It's funny how simple things can develop into useful service to others in emergencies.
I hope some of those I heard this weekend do the same!

My Morning QSO

I quickly worked KM4VX in Willmington, NC this morning while waiting for breakfast. It's a morning ritual where I wait 30 minutes after taking my cholesterol pill. Hey....got to do something, and can't think of a better way to spend a little radio time! I like working the "coastal areas" and Willmington was a good catch this morning. (My RST 479)

I get down that neck of the woods, at least once a year, and it brings back good memories about radio etc. (I hear a lot of Carribean stations)

But I'm amazed at QRM at times.... It's not that some stations can't hear me, (and Ron had a good signal) but I think....some operators just don't take the time to listen for a few minutes. (no QRL or nothing, they just start sending)

We exchanged the "basic" call sign and QTH etc, and then were pounced upon. We cut it short because of interference and I went downstairs for "bacon and eggs"....

I'm just kidding here, can't eat much of that kind of stuff.....

My 6 month check up, with the VA a few days ago, was the best news I've had all year.
Cholesterol is a genetic thing with me. I eat healthy and exercise when ever possible. (My Sciatic nerve flares up sometimes). But my Cholesterol is usually sky high....

My check up this year was within guidelines! Unbelievable....it's taken 2 years to find the right combinations of medications.

I'm enjoying the low Cholesterol numbers now!

A Morning QRP x QRP QSO

I've worked Walt (WA9LT) before, but this morning it was especially nice to hear his QRP rig again from Geneseo Illinois.

Last night, just before turning in, I worked a Texas station at 1100 miles, but there's NOTHING like a QRP contact to start off the day!

QRP x QRP contacts are special!

I remembered Walt as soon as I heard the call. How can anyone forget a call like this?

WA9LT--Walt-- get it? The first time I worked him I had a hard time getting his name because of noise here in the middle of town. He came back to me with W A L T (without the 9).

He actually spelled the entire thing out to me.

I don't know how some Hams are lucky enough to get a call like this, but it's something you won't forget when you work them on the air!

Great FIST too !!

Nice spacing and a pleasure to listen to, especially first thing in the morning, in this cool foggy Kanawha Valley.

Nice to hear you again Walt !!

Long Texas QSO

Just what I needed to cheer me up a bit after the disastrous contest this weekend!

About 10 pm this evening I was tuning a little high of the Fists frequency (7062 Mhz) and heard a 5 call with pretty good signal strength. (449)

I always give these things a "shot" with the assumption that if I can hear a station, they can hear me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.....

Wayne (W5WRF) in Argyle, Texas and I carried on a QSO for about half an hour. He was using a Kenwood at about 70 watts. I was, of course, operating with 5 watts. The band shifted slightly and I decided to use the max 10 watts because his signal dropped to a 229, but I copied 90% or more of the entire conversation by tweaking the knobs a bit.
Jim was 1100 miles from me here in West Virginia.
Oh.....by the way, my RST was 589!

I really needed that one!

A Bee Hive

I wasn’t able to make a single contact with the NAQCC contest this weekend. Of course, all the participants were running QRP (5 watts or less), which make it a little tuff, but, in the past, I’ve worked several QRP stations at 1000 miles.

The problem was a horrendous noise level at my QTH…. It was so bad I couldn’t hear a thing on 40 meters (where I make most of those contacts) and my antenna doesn’t function well on 80 meters.

I could hear many stations on 80 meters, but I don’t have extra filtering on my rig.
I was hearing the sound of a “bee hive” and that was about it.

The bands have been just horrible the last few days but I’ve managed to work at least a station a day this month (and there have been several days I’ve not been on the air). I'm having fun tho....and that's all that matters!

Fox Hunting season (on 40 meters) is about to open and I'll be looking forward to tanning a few hides! This month I’ve worked stations in MO, NY (2), NJ, TN, IN, IL (2), NC, and IA.

Today, I mailed out an envelope of QSL cards for FISTS members.
One of the stations (KB9VTM) had a nice picture of his shack on the web:

It was also a joy to work K2GTC (again) in New York City last week. I’ve worked him before and I travel to the “big city” several times a year. Most Hams are familiar with “Google Earth” program. I use it for hiking sometimes and, just out of curiosity, I looked up his QTH .

I’ve walked right by his place several times. The last time I was there, I recognized his apartment building from the "Google Earth" program. I’m not sure, but I thought I saw his "random wire" , blowing in the wind, from the 6th floor window.

You don’t hear many Hams in this neck of the woods!