AmateurRadio.com

So long for now, sort of!

I have decided to ask Matt W1MST, the Editor at AmateurRadio.com to end the mirroring of this blog there.  I know this may appear to be kind of sudden, but actually, this has been a decision that I have been trying to discern since this past Easter.

The content of this blog is mostly about QRP and CW as you all know. So actually, I do cater to a rather small niche in the Amateur Radio world, and the things of which I write are not of interest to everyone – or even a large portion of everyone.  In addition, I have also been known to throw in random posts here and there that are of a religious or political nature, when the mood strikes me.  And I also regale my readers with my wacky sense of humor now and then.  They say that writers should write about what they know best, and that’s what I try to do – and at this stage of my life, I’m not going to change that.

That’s fine for people who actually come to w2lj.blogspot.com looking for that kind of thing.  They know what they’re in for when they walk through my door. But to be foisted upon folks coming to a “general interest” Amateur Radio site?  I think maybe not so much.

So, AmateurRadio.com readers, if you like my ramblings – please feel free to come to w2lj.blogspot.com at anytime, 24/7/365.  The door is always open and you’ll always be welcome. And per chance, should you not like what you see there – you’re always free to “change the channel”.

My thanks to Matt W1MST and AmateurRadio.com for the continued support over the past few years. Matt has been a most gracious host, ever since he asked my permission to mirror this blog over there. Certainly, the service he offers to the Amateur Radio community is a treasure. I will continue to keep the link to AmateurRadio.com active and open in my blog roll.  I hope you’ll feel free to bounce back and forth between us.

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

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

that I link to an article written for eHam, but here’s a really good one written by Ron KA3J:

http://www.eham.net/articles/32380

It regards Technicians (or any new Hams for that matter, CW and QRP – relevant topics for this blog!) And just to let you know how good it is, up to this point in time, Ron has not been heckled in the commbox!

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

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

Posted by Bobby AK4JA (who I’ve worked – fantastic op!) on QRP-L today. Provocative? Yes. Controversial? Yes. True? No, but I kinda like it anyway:

“QRP – a real man’s mode , not for sissies and certainly not for selfish, impatient , ego-maniacs – Man up, grow a set and go QRP if you dare!”

Not trying to start a QRO vs QRP war, but I enjoyed the humor. And it makes for a good battle cry. Definitely better than “Life is too short for $200 finals” or whatever some guys like to bandy about. And no, I won’t be changing my tag line.

Hey, Bobby! I think this would make a good T-shirt!  Something on the order of this:

Hee hee!  Is that a challenge, or what ?

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

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

This coming weekend is International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend. Here’s an article I caught online:

http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_4b4d8e82-21ea-11e4-9326-001a4bcf887a.html

I’ve had the opportunity to work various lighthouses and lightships the world over throughout the years and it’s always been fun.  Back when the Piscataway Amateur Radio Club was in its hey-day, we activated the Twin Lights Lighthouse in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 69 is now available for download.

In this episode Peter demonstrates a new microcontrolled component test. George talks all about Dummy Loads. Tommy shows us the new DV Mega Raspberry Pi D-Star Hotspot. And a visit to the K7LWH D-Star Repeater site in Bellevue Washington.

We also announce our 9th Anniversary Sweepstakes where some ham is going to win the Ultimate Mobile Station.

1:20:46 of premium Ham Radio content.

Download
YouTube

George Thomas, W5JDX, is co-host of AmateurLogic.TV, an original amateur radio video program hosted by George Thomas (W5JDX), Tommy Martin (N5ZNO), Peter Berrett (VK3PB), and Emile Diodene (KE5QKR). Contact him at [email protected].

During last year's fall season, VE7CA (Markus), VE7BDQ (John) and myself were getting prepared to venture into the nanowave world....that part of the electromagnetic spectrum that lightwaves of various wavelengths call home.


Over the course of many months, I had become intrigued by the lightwave experimentation being done by amateurs in the UK and particularly those being done by Roger, G3XBM. Like many of the UK builders, Roger had been building and testing simple low-power LED lightwave transmitters along with simple receiving systems. It was fascinating to follow his progress thanks to his daily blog (read his '481tHz' optical postings here) which documented every detail...both failures and successes. Even though not amateur radio per-se, to me it represented the best of what is so wonderful about our hobby and experimental homebrewing in particular. Unknowingly, Roger had me hooked and eventually I started to seriously contemplate building a lightwave system.

What finally pushed me over the building-brink was an amazing series of articles by Stuart Wisher (G8CYW) published in Radcom magazine and now available for download on Yahoo's "UK Nanowave Group". This four-part series was full of ideas, schematics and inspiration. I would challenge any homebrewer to read them without wanting to start building almost immediately! The group itself is an excellent source of circuits and up-to-date information regarding the latest activity amongst the UK amateur 'nanowavers'.


Now.... just having a lightwave system would not be much fun without having someone else to talk to. My first challenge was to find someone, preferably another ham, with whom I might be able to communicate once I had a system built and....they would need to be a homebrewer as well since none of this stuff was available 'off the shelf '. I contacted Markus (VE7CA), a very skilled homebrewer and sent him the series of Radcom lightwave articles. I did the same with John (VE7BDQ), another ardent builder and the main motivator (although he never knew it at the time) in me becoming hooked on ham radio as an early teenager. Both immediately called 'all-in'....our nanowave project was off and running!


Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].