AmateurRadio.com

I made a quick bike trip from Andover to the old Potter Place railroad station this afternoon. The fall colors were beautiful and I worked Texas and Germany.

I rode along the old Northern Rail route. It’s a rails to trails bike path now. I heaved my wire over an oak tree across from the station and sat down in the grass with the KX3. I was using a 30 foot wire as a vertical with an EARCHI 9:1 unun. I started out on 17 meters and heard N5WNG calling CQ from Dallas. He was really strong… we must have had an excellent path because Mike gave me a 599 and judging by his signal, I think it was a real report.

I didn’t hear any other stations on 17 meters, so I switched to 20. Ralf, DK7AH in Munich was just finishing up a QSO and I called him. He was also very strong. He gave me a 579. He was running 500 watts with a 5 element yagi. “UR LOUD ES CLEAR,” he sent. We chatted for a few minutes and then I packed up for the return trip.

These beautiful fall days only last a short time. I’m trying to get out whenever I can.