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I got curious and sent an e-mail to Elecraft asking them when I might expect my KXPA100 kit, that I ordered in October.

Good news! Only about another month or so!

To be honest with you, I wasn’t expecting such a quick response. I got my e-mail answer in less than 24 hours. Kudos to Dean and the Elecraft Sales Team.

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

As announced by the Four States QRP Group today:

The Four State QRP Group is very pleased to announce that Dave Benson’s, Freq-Mite kit has been added to the lineup of Four State kits. Upon retirement, Dave, K1SWL, graciously offered the kit to us to continue production. Along with his SW+ transceiver series, the Freq-Mite is one of his signature designs. The Freq-Mite provides audio frequency annunciation, and is intended to be installed as a frequency counter inside a rig. Thus providing an inexpensive alternative to an LCD display. It is easily installed in new or existing rigs and easy to understand installation notes for many rigs are included on the web site.

The kit sells for only $22 US, which includes shipping, and may be ordered from it’s home page http://www.4sqrp.com/freq-mite.php All of the Four State kit offerings may be found on this page http://www.4sqrp.com/kitIndex.php Additional kits are in the pipeline and will be made available as soon as possible.

As always, thank you for supporting Four State. All proceeds go to funding OzarkCon, the largest and best QRP conference in the Central Time Zone. Hope to cu in Branson on April 4t and 5th.

de Terry WAØITP

Between the Four States Group and QRPMe, it’s good to see Dave Benson’s designs not being lost to oblivion.  On a side note, K1SWL posted on QRP-L that he participated in the North American QSO Party this weekend – first time he’s been on the air in about 10 years. Good for him!  Personally, I am glad to see Dave enjoying Amateur Radio and QRPing again – he deserves as much for all his dedicated service to the QRP community over the years.

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

Sometimes I wonder if that’s truly my problem, or if I just have too many irons in the fire.  I don’t LIKE to put things off – it’s just that sometimes I am forced to because something else comes up that has to be dealt with NOW. Then I lose my place and that’s how things go by the wayside for me. Maybe I need to take courses in multi-tasking – do they offer those?  😉

Another thing that I did today (besides finish printing the Skeeter certificates) was to finally do something with my Christmas present.  That’s right – I haven’t written about my Christmas present, have I?

Marianne had no idea what to get me, so I made it simple for her. I made it super simple for her!  I ordered a set of SideKX cover plates for my “portable” KX3, the one I take to work with me everyday, and I had them sent here to the house to her attention. I installed them today (super easy!) and instead of sticking my KX3 inside a ziploc bag inside my LowePro bag, it is now protected by the SideKX.

The KX3 before surgery:

And the KX3 after surgery – now fully protected:

The silkscreening on the SideKX plates is virtually identical to the silkscreening on the original Elecraft side plates.  It would take an expert with a lot keener eye than mine to be able to see any differences.  The price was very reasonale for the extra protection that you get. Of course, I had to put the radio on the air after its operation, just to make sure I didn’t screw anything up.  A couple of quick NAQP contacts on 20 Meters confirmed that I hadn’t!

Oh, one other thing that I got to see today.  At this morning’s VE session that I attended and helped at, fellow Volunteer Examiner Bob KB2VMG brought along his KXPA100 that had just arrived yesterday.  He ordered his as a pre-built unit in June.  I ordered mine as a kit in October.  I was hoping to have mine by the end of January, but if Bob just got his, which he ordered four months earlier than I did, I am now hoping to see mine by Easter.  Anyway, I got to see one live and up close and personal and got to drool for a little while!

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

I received a gentle nudge from one of the 2013 Skeeter Hunt participants this week via an e-mail, “Did you ever get the certificates out?”.

If you’re a subscriber to WorldRadio Online, be sure to check out the article on Page 16 in the January 2014 edition. There’s an article by Cory GB Sickles, WA3UUV, which is entitled “”Elmering” in the Age of the Internet”, and it deserves your attention.

Prominently featured are several folks who should be easily recognized by just about any serious QRPer, and they are Rem Donnelly K6BBQ (whose videos are often posted here), Steve Galchutt WG0AT (ditto), and Chuck Carpenter W5USJ.  Also mentioned is Randy Hall K7AGE. Rem, Steve and Randy are noted for their informative, fun and educational videos that appear on YouTube (and here).  Chuck is noted for his great website and all the informative and helpful topics that he covers there. And the help and advice he offers in the Rockmite and other e-mail reflectors is worth its weight in gold.

These guys deserve the title “Elmer” which is so sorely needed this day and age.  When I attended an Amateur Radio licensing course back in the late 1970’s, I had a course teacher, but no true “Elmer”.  After I got my ticket, most of what I learned was by trial and error, often proverbially hitting my thumb with that hammer.  Things would have gone infinitely smoother (but not necessarily better!) had there be someone I could go to, to ask for advice and encouragement.

These days, however, it seems that when people seek new knowledge, the first place they head to is Google, Bing or some other search engine.  The service that the above mentioned Hams provide is so invaluable – and by no means are they the only ones.  There are so many great resources of Amateur Radio information out there, like we’ve never had before.  The Internet is ripe for the picking of this treasure trove of information.

That being said, what are you doing to help this effort along?  Don’t think you don’t have anything valuable to add, because you do.  Your help is constantly needed not only to encourage those who are thinking of getting licensed, but also those who are recently licensed and are unsure of themselves.  There are so many things you can do, I’ll list just a few here:

1) Become a Volunteer Examiner.  Not only will you meet people who are just entering the hobby, but you can befriend them and explain to them about the whole new world that is opening up to them.  Tell them about local clubs and Ham Radio activities, invite them to come out to a local Hamfest or club meeting, or even the occasional Saturday breakfast “with the guys” – remember, for the bit of time that they are taking “The Exam”, they are a captive audience. Strike while the iron is hot.

2) Make a YouTube video and share it with the world.  Got a new idea, process or invention?  Have a unique or new way of doing something in Amateur radio that’s never been done before?  Make a video and post it!  They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true, then a good video is worth about ten million!  To this day, I owe as great deal of thanks to TJ W0EA, for posting a video about the LowePro Traveler 150 camera bag and how he uses it to carry his QRP gear.  It convinced me to go out and buy mine, and as of now, I wouldn’t think of using anything else for that purpose.  I had been struggling to find a good solution for quite some time when I happened upon his video, it was just what I needed to see, at just the right time.

3) Start a Website or a blog.  A fine example is Chuck’s website, and for a fine example of Amateur Radio blogs – just look down the right edge of this site.  You think I list a lot?  Maybe, but even more are needed.  Do you have a new or unique idea that no one’s covered before, that’s just waiting to be shared?  You say that you don’t want to start a blog, but have something you’d like to cover and are not sure how to do it?  Contact me.  I’ll gladly lend you space here. (or see #5 below). I’ll even help you put your idea into words if you like, and YOU’LL receive all the credit that you’ll so richly deserve!  And your story needn’t be technically minded.  Just sharing a story of how you accomplished hanging your antenna or putting together your station or how you configured your computer and radio for WSPR or PSK31 may be all the encouragement that is needed by someone who is attempting to do the same thing – but has no one to ask, or may be too shy to ask, or maybe has been reading articles, but just doesn’t “get it”.

4) Get on your local repeater, ESPECIALLY when you hear a “new” call.  Nothing is more special that being welcomed and acknowledged on the air.  Don’t be afraid to talk to new and any younger voices that you hear on the air.  The welcome that you extend today will exist long into the future, and will be an inspiration as to how new Hams years down the road will be treated.

5) Write an article, as mentioned above in bullet point #3.  Have a unique idea or maybe a new perspective on something that’s tried and true?  Write something about it!  While it would be nice to see your name in QST or CQ, there are other “niche” publications out there – literally begging for contributions.  For the CW and QRP crowd, right off the top of my head, I can think of The Keynote (FISTS), SPRAT (GQRP),  QRP Quarterly (QRP ARCI), and the K9YA Telegraph e-zine (CW enthusiasts).  For other facets of the hobby, I am sure there are just as many outlets available.

6) Always keep the kids in mind.  If you get the opportunity to demonstrate this hobby to kids, especially younger ones – don’t let the chance slip through your fingers.  You may think that kids look upon this hobby as “dull”, “uninteresting”, or “ancient”.  Maybe some do, but even more don’t.  Some of the best times I’ve had have been explaining Amateur Radio to school kids, Boy Scouts, etc.  The looks on the their faces, and their enthusiasm will warm your heart and will in turn, encourage you and keep you young.

7) Teach a license class.  This is maybe one of the best ways to pass along your love of this hobby to the next generation of Hams.  Don’t know where to begin?  Get in touch with the ARRL, they have a whole department that is willing to help you get started.  And it doesn’t have to be just kids that you aim your teaching sights on.  Most high schools give opportunities for free or low cost continuing education courses for adults. often held on weekday evenings.  Offer to teach a radio license course for them.  They’ll do a lot of the groundwork and advertising for you – you just need to supply the teaching part.  You’d be very surprised how many retired folks there are out there, looking for a new hobby.

The main idea here is to share, to help not only those thinking about becoming Hams, but also to put out the helping hand to those who are recently licensed. And you’ll also find that you’ll be helping yourself by keeping your enthusiasm for this wonderful hobby vibrant in your own life.

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

As seen on QRP-L this morning, by Paul NA5N:

Solar flares and a heads up

Gang,
Ole Sol has awoken with three large flares in the past 18 hours, an M3, M6 and an X1.  There may be more to come.  The active solar region is in the center of the sun, looking right at us, meaning any CMEs (and future flares/CMEs) will most likely deliver a shock wave to planet Earth on Friday and/or Saturday with some geomagnetic storming.

But more exciting is how these flares have gushed waves of ionizing radiation into our ionosphere. The average solar flux for the past 90 days has been a count of 150.  Today’s flares increased the solar flux to *237*, though short lived as local sunset occurred not long after in North America with EU already in the dark.

However, the prediction for the next two days is a solar flux of 195.  This is about the highest it has been this solar cycle and sufficient for 10M openings in local daylight hours.  So for those of you snow bound, freezing your coax off and otherwise bored Wednesday in the Eastern U.S., turn on that rig during daylight hours and enjoy some very likely good conditions from 20-10M.  Daytime conditions should be very favorable until late Friday, when the shock wave from the X1 flare is expected to arrive.  The CME left the sun at about 1,100 km/sec – a pretty decent shock wave.  NOAA is predicting a moderate geomagnetic storm, but it could get worse, though short lived.

These favorable conditions apply to all areas, Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, etc. during daylight hours.  The proton count is also fairly high, meaning signals may be very attenuated in the polar latitudes and causing some fading (QSB) in the middle latitudes.  If the proton count remains high and the CMEs hit Friday night, it could mean some impressive northern lights, perhaps extending into the northern tier of U.S. states or northern EU (depending on when it hits).

If you’re new to ham radio or QRP, check out 15M and 10M next couple of days.  If those bands are open and the solar flux indeed comes in around 190-200, you should be able to easily work some nice DX with your 5 watts.  This is the first such opportunity I have seen in a long time.  Unfortunately, I will be at work tomorrow, installing some experimental 74 and 300 MHz receivers onto some VLA antennas.  Maybe I can sneak my 817 into one of the tool bags?

Let us know if you snag any good catches, or how conditions sound at your QTH. The way I figure it for right now … turning on your 100W coffee pot and 500W shack heater to get your 5W on the air will be worth it -hi.

GL to all.
72, Paul

Current solar and geophysical conditions are always here:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html
or … http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SWN/index.html

Alerts and warning here:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/alerts/warnings_timeline.html

And, current solar flux values here:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/curind.txt
-1 means no data or the station is currently “in the dark”

Good news! Too bad I am stuck here at work!

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

Like a lot of you in other places, we’ve been on a bit of a temperature roller coaster lately.  Last weekend, after Christmas, it was up in the mid 50s (12C) here in New Jersey. This weekend, after New Year, we went as low as -3F (-19C) and our high for the day on Saturday was about 20F (-6C). That was just two days ago.

This morning, when I drove into work, it was 54F (12C).  Now, after lunch, it is 38F (3C) and the temperature continues to free fall.  By the time I leave to go home, I am sure that the temperature will be somewhere around the mid-20s (-4C).  And over the next 24 hours, we’re supposed to get some of the coldest weather we’ve had here in over 20 years.  The temperatures are expected to go below 0F (-17C) at night again, but this time with wind chills way lower than that. Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be only somewhere around 11F (-11C).  But then, later towards the upcoming weekend, it’s supposed to warm up again to more like springtime temperatures.

Stop the roller coaster, I want to get off!  I am NOT a big fan of the cold, but I sure wish that it would already stay one way or the other for a while.  It’s winter time, so even though I don’t like it, I can deal with the cold for a bit.  This teasing of Spring, and then the plunge back into the deep freeze is just cruel.

On a radio note, I was looking at the solar conditions yesterday and I was licking my lips.  High SFI, a goodly number of sun spots and low A and K values. Having some free time for a change,  I got on the air, expecting to hear a lot, and for a while I thought ALL my antennas were on the fritz!  Nothing much heard yesterday, and nothing much worked.  What a let down.  At first I thought maybe everyone was working the ARRL RTTY Roundup, but even RTTY signals seemed sparse to me.  In a major RTTY contest, we often get interlopers all the way down to the lowest of the low part of the bands. Yesterday, all the RTTY stations that I heard seemed to be staying way above the .060, QRP Watering Hole areas.

Maybe all the RF is freezing from the cold air and is just dropping out of the sky.

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