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One of my favorite events is the Orlando Hamcation. This year I didn’t really have a “get list” so could enjoy more time with fellow QRP ops. Our Central FL QRP Group regular Jim Diggs K4AHO helped us get a QRP Forum and Jim Stafford W4QO came in from Georgia to help bring a good session about working DXCC with QRP. Wow! Jim also did a lot of recruiting of QRP ops as he manned the QRP ARCI booth and allowed us to hang out and assist. We had quite a good turnout of QRP Ops from FL and all over the US and a few overseas members too!

  Carl AA2JZ brought some of his homebrew masterpieces and along with some QRP rigs W4QO displayed we got a lot if interests and questions on what was in the Altoids tins.

After the QRP Forum, Greg N4KGL gave us a demo of his Alex Loop and KX-3 at a nearby picnic table. The weather and bands were both cooperative and we were all impressed with the way the antenna and rig set up and operated!

Thanks to all who joined in the fun. Check out our Central FL QRP Group blog for details on our outings.

Time was when I used to attend many of the radio rallies. These days, I generally attend one a year – and it’s usually the Harwell Rally – located about 20 minutes drive from home.

Today was the day! And enjoyable it was. No major purchases – just a bit of aerial wire and some back issues of magazines. I did enjoy chatting with Francis, G7CND of GEO – Group for Earth Observation I could easily be tempted to have a go at some of the imaging that the group are doing!

I had a happy hour or two on the Practical Wireless / RadioUser stand, with Rob G3XFD and Tex, G1TEX – chatting to visitors and selling the odd back issue magazine and archive CD.

It was good to see many friends including Graham G4FUJ (who first taught me morse a very long time ago!), Pete 2E0SQL, Rob M0VFC, Paul M3JFM, Mike M0RBD as well of course the Harwell team who put the rally on – great to see Ann G8NVI, Mike G8CUL, Malcolm G8NRP, Bob G0ADH, Mike G0MJW, John G3VPW, Des G3NNG – lots of other smiling faces too.

A great time inspite of some inclement weather!

Series Six Episode Three of the ICQ Podcast has been released. News Stories include :-   

• Tasmanian Bush Fires operation
• WICEN involvement in flooding
• Uganda DXpedition
• Arnhem Zoo special event
• United Nations Radio - World Radio Day Stamps
• FCC to modernize Ham Radio rules
• Australia’s first amateur satellite
• VK Mini Contest University ready to go
• Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference - 2013
• OZ7IGY - 4m beacon now on Next Generation Beacons platform
• Italian Radio Hams on 70 MHz
• Ham Radio Satellite Explorer App

Martin Butler (M1MRB & W9ICQ) discuss Coax Myths

Series Six Episode Three of the ICQ Podcast has been released. News Stories include :-   

• Tasmanian Bush Fires operation
• WICEN involvement in flooding
• Uganda DXpedition
• Arnhem Zoo special event
• United Nations Radio - World Radio Day Stamps
• FCC to modernize Ham Radio rules
• Australia’s first amateur satellite
• VK Mini Contest University ready to go
• Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference - 2013
• OZ7IGY - 4m beacon now on Next Generation Beacons platform
• Italian Radio Hams on 70 MHz
• Ham Radio Satellite Explorer App

Martin Butler (M1MRB & W9ICQ) discuss Coax Myths

Sunday morning I was a bit late getting up. I felt like a change from listening to silence while waiting for someone to come up in DV mode so I decided to try some QRP CW using the KX3 to remove the temptation to turn the power up.

It was clear there was a contest on – the PACC contest – and I worked out that the PA stations were sending a city or county code and the rest were sending a serial number, so I decided to give away a few points.

I set the KX3 to 5 watts to keep in the spirit of QRP and started making some contacts. I thought 40m would be the best band to work Dutch stations from here. In 20 minutes I made 4 QSOs. All came back to my first call, and I was reminded that it really isn’t that difficult to make contacts on the 40m band with an attic antenna and low power.

I reached the bottom of the band and started tuning up the other way but the band seemed to have gone quiet. After a few minutes a light bulb flickered on dimly in my head and I looked at the clock: 1205. I dashed downstairs to get the February RadCom and looked in the contest news. Sure enough, the PACC contest ran from 1200 Saturday to 1200 Sunday. It had finished five minutes ago!

I really should get up earlier on Sundays!

Series Six Episode Three of the ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast has been released. The latest news and Martin (M1MRB & W9ICQ) dicusses coax myths.

• Tasmanian Bush Fires operations
• WICEN involvement in flooding
• Uganda DXpedition
• Arnhem Zoo special event
• United Nations Radio - World Radio Day Stamps
• FCC to modernize Ham Radio rules
• Australia’s first amateur satellite
• VK Mini Contest University ready to go
• Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference - 2013
• OZ7IGY - 4m beacon now on Next Generation Beacons platform
• Italian Radio Hams on 70 MHz
• Ham Radio Satellite Explorer App

The Committee to Preserve Golf November Tango is pleased to announce the availability of the new GNT Polo Shirt. The origins of the GNT frequency traces back to the incident when three ham radio operators found themselves stranded on the shore of Lake Michigan, calling out in desperation for Gin and Tonic. You may recall the unfortunate circumstances that caused confusion about the correct Golf November Tango calling frequency.

Fortunately, this has all been cleared up and The Committee has authorized the sale of the Golf November Tango shirt, with the official GNT frequency embroidered on it. (It seems that the group is really bad at documenting things, so they figured that if they all had a shirt with the frequency written on it, it could only help. See the logo shown to the left.)

These awesome polo shirts are available online in both mens and womens sizes at the Ham Radio Techwear store. The committee apologizes that these shirts are a little late for Christmas presents, but there is always next year.

Remember, when all else fails, make a call on the GNT Frequency.

73, Bob K0NR