So, That's What I Look Like

Thanks Michael

73 Rob

Store Bought Tuner

Retired the homebrewed junque-box special after 60 DX countries, it just would not tune below 40M without a lot of tweaking and not 80M or 160M at all. The new one is as simple as a rock and gives an acceptable or better match 10M to 80M (haven't tried 60M) and I think I need more wire for 160M, or at least measured for a critical length. I have noticed folks are more prone to ragchewing on 80M which means I need to work on the typing.

73 de Rob

HELL I did it again!

Merci Didier!

73 de Rob

Well Hell(screiber that is)

Thanks to Raffaele I completed my first, and only, Hellschreiber contact. And DX at that! It's an interesting mode, dating from the 1920's and tolerant of low power, poor selectivity and less than optimal band conditions-ideal for a pissweaker, like yours truly. While there is some interest stateside, the reflector suggests more interest in Europe and Africa. I did note the day of the QSO, I had been unable to raise EU on PSK. The Op. at the other end was patient and the DX mode on Hellschreiber was useful but I couldn't even get a QRZ? on PSK31. Anyway, gonna keep trying on this mode.

Grazi Raffaele!

73 de Rob

Getting That Urge

To start chasing meteors with equipment ill suited to the task-in the 90's it was with 10 watts SSB and a cross polarized omni antenna. But I live in a valley now-not on a ridge so I may have to gin up an antenna with some gain and aimed over the ridges.

Tnx Michael

73 de Rob

Now, That's A Zaggy Prefix!

Thanks Mike, 73 de  Rob

Buy Her Book-Buy me a Tower II

The YL has a new one out there.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B007JCG9MK/ref=sib_dp_kd#reader-link




73 es tnx  Rob

Interlude

Spent the last few days chasing after and feeding copious quantities of grilled cheese sandwiches to the grandsons. When I got home had almost as much fun with my first Tasmania QSO!  Thanks Doug

73 de Rob

Nothing Like Some Confirmation

I continue to be amazed with what 5 Watts and a wire out a window can do!

Tnx guys, 73 de Rob

Well Now, Wasn't That Fun?

The big storm left us without power from 1900 Friday till 0430 Wednesday. No ham radio heroics, but the skill set allowed the ginning up of a charging station for electronics-we still had some cell service. Now I know that the rule is you are on your own for the first three days but we never saw FEMA, the National Guard nor the Red Cross. The local Volunteer Fire Department carried the load, emergency medical services, distributing food and water and trying to provide accurate information. Meanwhile NPR and other big outlets were giving infrequent bulletins that sounded like press releases. A local sports/talk radio station improvised a studio and tried to get out and receive information with call ins, local emergency officials and business that had emergency power so they could provide some services. Again no big ticket relief organizations involved. 

I'm no stranger to relief efforts, as a ham in a major flood and data infrastructure reconstruction after Andrew and the big organization and agencies can work but they are hard to get started and aren't too flexible but that was no excuse for their conspicuous absence.

I think I'll take a check to the VFD tomorrow.

Nuttin to do with Ham Radio, 73 de Rob

My Pissweaker Pacific DX Window

Not to brag, OK I'm bragging, worked JE1AAG this am at 1104Z. This has been consistent with the ZL, VK and 3D QSOs and has been accompanied by near crickets in NA. If I hear anybody in NA it is in the NE.  Monitoring the DX, they don't seem to be working any 6's or 7's and none are heard at this QTH. At least it seems there is a gap in the Great Wall of California. The set up is still 5W into a top fed vertical cut for 40m and worked on 20M. It could be the product of behavioral engineering; 1100Z is pretty early for the West Coast and it seems to be better on workdays. Of course it only may be the product of more radio time with retirement.  73 de Rob

A Flash From the Past

A little six meter qrp.

This is the QSO that got this OM a mention in QST and was the inspiration of 10 Watts, a Wire and an Attitude. Gracias Luis for uploading this to eQSL.  73 de Rob

GO FIGURE

This retirement thing has given me more morning time to operate and I just added ZL3DW/QRP to the list, thanks Andrew!, but it has me puzzled. Each time I have worked this kind of dx, VK, 3D es ZL, stateside, in fact most of NA, has been dead to me and the PSKReporter shows few if any spots in NA. By 1200-1300Z NA warms up and the waterfall is full. Maybe this is the window in the 6-land Great Wall? I am still amazed what I can do with 5 watts and a wire stuck out my window!   73 de Rob

HOT DIGGITY DAMN DAMN!

First day of my retirement I work a VK qrp, then the second day its 3D2MP Fiji! There must be something to this retirement thing. 73 Rob

HOT DIGGITY DAMN!

Made the antipodes! Tnx Mick-VK4NGW, ya made this QRPers day. About 1800 miles to the watt short path.   73 Rob

QRPp or 5400 Miles to the Watt.

Was calling CQ QRPp on 20M for a while tonight with no joy, then heard HC6EP calling CQ. A 3X3 callback and we connected for a 599/579 QSO. After the QSO I realized I hadn't upped the power back to 5W but completed with 0.5W. Must be something to this Brimstone and Treacle of a Brit wire vertical

Gracias Ernesto

73 de Rob

Citizen Drones... Citizen Anti-Aircraft Gunners

http://thetandd.com/animal-rights-group-says-drone-shot-down/article_017a720a-56ce-11e1-afc4-001871e3ce6c.html?mode=video Yeah set your private UAV to snoop on private property of a bunch of wingshooters-and you are suprised?
Nutten to do with ham radio, except maybe a PSK 31 signal on the control frequency-but that would be aginst the law...
73 de Rob

Go Ahead, Ask a Question

I hesitate to call Wolfram Alpha a search engine, it's a knowledge base. Thanks to Roberta X. See below.

73 de Rob

Aurora

Worked VE4TTH, Peter in Manitoba, his signal would smear across the waterfall and fade S-9 to  S-2 in a matter of seconds some times with sidebands 400hz wide. Then he tells me he has the Northern Lights at his qth bright enough to light up the ground.

 I've heard auroral buzz and fade on fone on transpolar and 6 meter aurora propagation but its the first time I've seen it. Eyeballed it a couple of times in the North Pacific in my sailor days-damn that was a long time ago.

73 de Rob

She works on a Starship

I always wondered why the finals on my tube 6 meter rig had an otherworldly glow....see the link below.
73 de Rob

Working Split

Passed along a dx spot this am "FM/F6AVS 17m listening up 100." Didn't think much of it until I remembered when I thought working split was unobtanium. I was never able to do it with my old analog gear-with digital and a pc its click and drag. Somehow I don't think its the same.

73 de Rob