AmateurRadio.com

No e-mail from Elecraft today.  My brain knows that it will be a week or two before kits start rolling out the door.  My heart , however, tells me, “Go home NOW!  Check your e-mail NOW! Now, now , now, NOW!”

This is going to be a long couple of weeks.  Honestly, I can’t remember being this anxious about a package since being a kid around Christmas time.  And the closer it gets, the harder it gets.  I didn’t even really think much about this a couple of weeks ago – now my brain in zoning in on it way more often.

It’s a good thing I have distractions, like reading more of Jim W1PID’s reports of portable QRP operations from up in New Hampshire.  Here’s another goody:

http://www.w1pid.com/jackson/jackson.html

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

PS: To all my Christian friends out there, wishes for a blessed Holy Week!

But even in a joke there’s truth to be found.

“It’s a dot and a dash. To have a conversation with the entire world. It’s great.”

Yes, yes it is.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

The weather has been phenomenal this winter, as you all know.  Due to Arctic air staying way up north, we’ve had one of the warmer Winters that we’ve had in a while.  Who would’ve thought last Halloween, when we had that early snow, that Winter was going to turn out the way it did?

The early warmth and early blooming and budding is playing havoc with my head, though.  My nose is all stopped up and my eyes are itchy and watery.  Allergies are no fun; but this too shall pass.

So when my friend Rem K6BBQ posted about another video from last year, it’s gotten me all torqued up for portable operating for this coming Spring and Summer outdoor operating season.  Shorts and T-shirt weather may not be immediately imminent; but I dare say it’s closer than father away!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

Through a post on the nogaqrp e-mail reflector, I learned from Jim W4QO that the QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party will be the weekend of April 7th and 8th.

Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday – Ouch with a capital “O”.

Sunday participation will be just about impossible.  I am not totally sure at this moment in time, but we usually spend the day with Marianne’s brother and his wife.  There may be a chance for an hour or two between Sunday morning Church services and leaving for there.

Saturday is going to be extremely hard also, as that is Holy Saturday which is generally a busy day at our household.  Maybe, if I am lucky, an hour or two in the late afternoon.

I am going to have to really try to mazimize my QSO rate for the miniscule amount of time that I will be on the air.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

I try very hard not to needlessly duplicate the offerings of my fellow bloggers. However, I caught Chris KQ2RP’s post and felt that it needed amplification (pun intended).

Rex Harper W1REX, member of the QRP Hall of Fame and primary owner/operator of QRPme has come up with a great idea – the “QRP Kit of the Month Club”.

This is such a cool idea!  Personally, I think it’s one of the best unexpected gifts a QRPer could find himself being on the receiving end of. Wow – bad sentence, but you know what I mean.  🙂

I’d much rather receive a QRP kit every month rather than a piece of fruit, or a cheese ball, or a beef log, or a jar of jam or jelly.  You can opt into different subscription plans; but for the full boat of 12 months, it works out to 12 kits at $15 a clip – not bad at all.  I know that sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t when you think of how it breaks down.

Kudos to Rex for coming up with an innovative idea!  It will be interesting to see if any QRPers are gifted this way.  I may have to start leaving some obvious hints myself, starting this coming October and November.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least.

This sounds like a great kit at a fantastic price, for what you’ll be getting!

Dubbed the QRPometer during development, this useful accessory is a highly accurate and easy to use power and swr indicating meter. Unusual in any pwer meter, the range of accurate power measurement extends down to a low 100 milliwatts. It has a large digital display and boasts an accuracy level that few, if any, similar meters on the market can match. A unique design feature is that 2 circuit boards are included in the kit, they form the front and back of the enclosure. The boards are shiny black so there is no need to buy, build, or paint an enclosure.

This kit was conceived to fill a need within the hobby for an inexpensive, highly accurate VSWR and RF power meter for QRP power levels. The QRPometer uses simple analog signal-processing circuitry to provide a set of essential measurement features not previously available in a single unit. High quality, double sided, printed circuit board construction is used, with solder mask and silk screened component reference designators. All components are through-hole for easy assembly. NO toroids are required. All controls and jacks are PCB mounted, and a single, four conductor ribbon cable is the only wiring necessary. The QRPometer can be constructed by beginners as well as experienced builders. Construction time is approximately 3 hours, depending on experience level. The only equipment required for calibration of the QRPometer is a digital voltmeter, and a QRP transmitter.

First time builders please note: This kit is not difficult to build. All parts are thru hole parts, there are NO SMT parts. The parts are wide spaced on the board making installation easy, and all connectors are board mounted which eliminates point to point wiring. Also note that there are No TOROIDS to wind – none.

Specifications and Design Features
Power Range: 100 mW to 10 Watts
Accuracy: Power, 2% Typical
VSWR, 5% Typical
Large Digital Display The digits are .52″ in height.
Sensitivity: Direct readout on 3 1/2 digit LCD display. Minimum resolution 10 mW.
Enclosure: Silk Screened PC boards create the enclosure, no need to purchase one.
No Toroids: There are no toroids in this kit.

The price?  Only $50.00 (US).  Wow!

For all the details; and to order ………  http://www.wa0itp.com/qrpom.html

Please note that I am not a member of the 4 State QRP Group and have no “interest” in this kit, other than seeing great stuff get into the hands of my fellow QRPers!

72 de Larry W2LJ

through Jim W1PID and another lovely sunny day in New Hampshire.

http://www.w1pid.com/eagle/eagle.html

The weather was lovely here too; but time constraints at work have prevented me from getting to the car at lunchtime.  As the warm weather is supposed to last for a bit, maybe I’ll be able to over the next few days. The PFR3A, Buddistick/magmount combo patiently await me.

Tonight is the final 80 Meter QRP Foxhunt for the 2011/2012 season.  It’s hard to believe that it has gone by so fast.  Before you know it, the 20 Meter Summer season will begin.  Maybe I’ll have my KX3 by then!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!