AmateurRadio.com

Late in the afternoon today, I decided to drive down to the hamlet of Duxford a mile or so from where we live. There’s a nice peaceful part of the River Thames there which I enjoy a walk around.

As I was descending the hill towards the river, I had the Anytone rig running on 29.010MHz AM when I heard a weak ‘W0TDH testing’. I dropped my call in and was totally surprised when I got a response.

Tom’s in the mountains of North Carolina and we had a nice QSO, despite my comparatively weak signal there. Good ears, Tom – thank you.

After I finished my walk and I returned home, I looked up Tom on QRZ.com – he’s got some lovely looking vintage equipment. We swapped emails and Tom said it was a while since he’d heard any mobiles coming through.

AM QSO number 3 and the best DX so far!

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

Paul G4DCV posted another video that he took at the recent RSGB Convention. This time, it is the excellent presentation from Liviu, YO4FNG. Although it is titled ‘4300 km on 144MHz’, it tells the story of how he evolved his VHF station in Romania.

It is full of fascinating stories, charm and gentle humour and I thoroughly recommend it to you.

Thanks again to Paul G4DCV for the excellent video production.

See the video here

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

then I am willing to bet that you know, have worked, or at the very least, heard of one or more of these fine individuals.

From Jim W4QO:

“Travel plans are set for the fifth “Buddies in the Caribbean” (BIC) mini-DXpedition to St Lucia (J6). Eight operators, some of whom have never experienced the “other side” of a pileup, will be operating from Chateau Devaux on the NE side of St. Lucia from December 1st through 9th, 2013.

This “Suitcase DXpedition” will operate QRP to 100-watt radio stations using backpackable Buddipole antennas to make contacts from the villa, the surrounding mountains, and (of course) from St. Lucia’s superb beaches.

The eight operators are Jerry—N9AW, Craig—NM4T, John—W5EXJ, Joe—K3JDB, Rick—AA4W, Jim—W4QO, Chris—W6HFP, and Budd—W3FF (J68FF). Ops will preface their own calls with “J6/”.

Team members will operate several CW, SSB, and/or Digital Mode stations on 160-10 Meters from the villa while others make contacts with portable set-ups from other J6 locations.

Per tradition, meeting and operating with local hams while on J6 is one of our key goals.

Details for obtaining contact confirmations from the operators can be obtained by checking www.QRZ.com. The BIC team members will confirm contacts via LOTW and/or QSL cards.”

Got to hand it to these gents – they know when to make an escape to the Caribbean, eh?  Just as the really cold weather settles in, they’ll be on the beach, enjoying the balmy breezes and having drinks with little umbrellas from coconut shells. And enjoying Amateur Radio to boot!  Have fun, guys …. I’ll be listening for you!

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].

Today I was hanging around the QRP frequencies on 30 and 20 meter. On 30 meter I worked S51WO. On 20 meter (14060 KHz) I worked EA2KV and YU1BM. 2-way QRP contact with RX3DOR and OH3GE.
Paul Stam, PC4T, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from the Netherlands. Contact him at [email protected].

Amateur radio has a long history, going all the way back to wireless experiments in the late 1800s. However the study of electricity has its roots in the observation of natural phenomena and stretches back much further.

I ran across this excellent three part documentary detailing the story of the discovery of electricity. The presenter is Jim Al-Khalili, currently Professor of Theoretical Physics and Chair in the Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey. He not only knows his stuff, he is also an interesting and engaging speaker.

The documentary runs for three hours but is worth your time if you are interested in the story of electricity and the people behind its discovery and history. I hope you find it as enjoyable as I did.

Owen Morgan, KF5CZO, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

 

The season started tonight on 80 Meters. I worked Tom KV2X in NY rather easily. Then I located Jay KT5E in CO, and called him pretty much non-stop for the next hour. Sadly, it was not to be. Conditions didn’t favor me, and out of the three regular NJ Hounds, only Al W2EEW, got a two-fer. Both Charles W2SH and I nabbed only one pelt each.

Today during lunch, I was disappointed to hear that activity on 10 Meters seems to be waning. I didn’t hear many CQers, so I shinnied up to the QRP Watering Hole at 28.060 and called CQ for a bit myself. I was answered by Gerry EI5HJ. It was a nice QSO, but copy was a bit tough, with lots of QSB. 10 Meters may still be open, but the band seems to be in a bit rougher shape than it was just a mere week ago.

After my QSO with Gerry, I slid on down to 17 Meters, where I worked Cedric, CT3FT on Madeira Island. Band conditions seemed a lot better there. There was also more activity there than there was all last week.

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].