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I’m gearing up for another QSO a day in 2014 and like a marathon runner might begin training a few months prior, I’ve also started training and prepping for the challenge.   I’ve been on the air running JT65A, JT9, PSK, RTTY and attempting to bust the pileups on SSB for 5J0R (unsuccessfully, but still trying).

Why set a goal of a QSO each day?  I must first give credit where credit is due and thank Keith, G6NHU for both the idea and the inspiration.  Keith successfully completed his QSO365 challenge in 2011.  It was an honor to work Keith in 2011 and be one of the many QSO’s he completed that year and yes he successfully met his challenge.

If you’ve followed my blogging and podcasts over the past few years, you know I attempted a QSO a Day challenge in 2012.  I successfully met my goal of getting on the air each and every day (366 days) and completing at least one QSO each day.  While I can honestly say “It’s not about the numbers”, my logbook exploded with the number of QSO’s going in and most importantly my DXCC count also grew more in 2012 than in the previous years since I had been licensed.   I also earned my WAS in several categories.

I chose not to attempt the challenge in 2013 as I knew my travel schedule would prevent me from meeting my goal.  Also, I have spent much of 2013 focused on my health and as of today, my total weight loss is 36 pounds.  I’m a light 195 with a goal of 15 more to lose between now and Spring 2014.   I feel as if I’m 20 years younger and have no desire to return to the heavy side again.

One thing I do plan to do differently in 2014 which I didn’t do in 2012, is make a QSL card available (a brand new design) and on the back I’ll identify which day in 2014 the QSO was logged. 

As part of my efforts to educate, encourage and inspire….I certainly hope you’ll join me in your very own QSO a day Challenge in 2014.  While I can’t guarantee you’ll add to your DXCC count, or earn your WAS wallpaper…I believe you’ll have fun just the same. 

Until next time…

73 de KD0BIK

Jerry Taylor, KD0BIK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. He is the host of the Practical Amateur Radio Podcast. Contact him at [email protected].

I took this picture just outside our village. Yes, it's autumn time here. Rain, windy and nice clouds.

Paul Stam, PC4T, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from the Netherlands. Contact him at [email protected].

Many of you have gotten to know Rooster and Peanut, through the videos by Steve WG0AT, the Alpha Goat. Some of you have been fortunate enough to meet the goats in person, which is always a real treat. I blogged about Steve and his goats a number of times, see this posting that highlights one of Steve’s videos.

Today we received the sad news that Rooster has died, a Silent Key in ham radio jargon.

Steve sent this message:

It’s with deep sorrow I have to make this announcement …”Rooster” goat died suddenly last night of unknown causes …his trail buddies will soon be scattering Rooster’s ashes on many SOTA peaks throughout western NA

73, Bob K0NR

Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

Yesterday morning I worked K9W (KH9) on 160m, but it wasn't QRP. Only in my dreams could that happen, but I'm always excited to get a new one on Top Band. The QSO was at 12:45z, just before my sunrise, which is the primo time for 160m propagation.

 The one notable comment on my 160m set-up is that my antenna is a simple Alpha-Delta DX-A mounted on a 55 ft. tower, no beverages or listening antenna of any sort, just the DX-A. I have worked and confirmed 170+ countries on 160m with this antenna. So it still falls into the category of accomplishing a lot with a little.

AE5X also blogged about his 160m contact with K9W, so I guess I'm just trying to keep up;-)

Lots of good DX on, so now is the time to work the new ones.
Mike Crownover, AD5A, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

to the 2013/2014 Winter Fox Hunt season.

Tonight’s Foxes were Tom KV2X in Upstate NY,  and Jim N0UR in MN. I was wary about even hearing Tom. NY to NJ on 40 Meters at night is a stretch. Usually the band is way too long for that, and tonight was no exception. But I was hearing a lot of the Hounds that were chasing Tom, especially the ones located in Wisconsin. To me, that indicated that working Jim was a high probability.

Except that it appears that Jim didn’t make it to the dance tonight. I didn’t hear him, and it appears (according to the e-mails that I am seeing on the QFOX reflector) that no one else did, either. I sure hope that nothing befell Jim and that he’s OK.

So I ended up getting skunked right out of the gate. Not the best of outcomes. On the bright side, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” was pretty good tonight. You have to take your consolations where you can get them.

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 week in the heart-pounding, blood-stopping episode of Linux in the Ham Shack, our intrepid hosts discuss a variety of topics from call sign look-up databases to Ubuntu, freeware collaboration suites to mobile computing, and QRP kits to hosted developer platforms. As if that were not enough, there’s music, banter, a cameo by Wil Wheaton and a rocking good time. What more could you possible want?

73 de The LHS Guys

Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].

Sunspots are up and the DX-peditioner's are out. This is a great formula for getting some nice QRP DXCC counters. I had a free evening after a very busy run over the last few weeks so I sat down in front of the KX3 to work a little DX or at least try to work some new QRP DXCC countries. On the menu were K9W from Wake Island (KH9), XR0YY from Easter Island and 5J0R from San Andreas. Not a bad selection of nice DX on Monday night.

My first target was K9W. Wake Island isn't on very often, so if you have a chance to work them you should, you never know when the island will be on again. At my QTH, northeast of San Antonio, TX, all three stations were coming in nicely, but with good propagation they are heard by many and the pile-ups were significant. I started chasing K9W on 12m, working up, however the operator wasn't paying much attention to NA, so I moved up to 10m where they were working NA/SA. After 10 minutes of chasing him up and down the band, I got them in the log at 00:59z. One down, two to go.

Next up 5J0R on 30m. I called for 15 minutes, no luck and the pile-up was huge. There was then a spot for  XR0YY on 10m SSB working simplex. A quick QSY netted a QSO on the first call at 01:18z. Cool. Two new QRP DXCC counters in 20 minutes. Only one more for the trifecta, so back to 5J0R on 30m. Another 20 minutes of calling and no QSO. I stepped away from the radio for a while and came back to their 20m SSB station. I had him in the clear a couple of times, but couldn't manage the QSO, so I called it quits for the night.

Overall a successful night of QRP DXing, my QRP DXCC count is now up to 159. Upward and onward.

QRP/DX IS
Mike Crownover, AD5A, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].