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Propagation numbers baffle me sometimes. Yesterday, when the numbers looked so good, I thought I was going to end up getting skunked. I did end up working Oleg UR3IFD, in the Ukraine, and I also had a very brief, QSB busted QSO with Paul WA9PWP. But other than those two very brief contacts, it was pretty grim. There wasn’t else much to be heard and my CQs on several bands went unanswered. Advance the clock 24 hours, to find the SSN is down to 35 and the SFI is only at 110. Not great numbers. But despite the numbers, I had a great outing.

I started out on 17 Meters with a brief QSO with Ted LZ1ND, who was calling CQ. Ted was a good 599+ here in New Jersey, and I got a 549 in return. Not a bad report, and Ted got all my basic information, so I was definitely copy-able in Bulgaria. And it looks like Ted is quite comfortable behind the dial of a QRP rig himself. Here’s an old photo I dug up of him on the Web, taken while he was participating in Bulgaria’s HF QRP Field Day.

After Ted, I switched on over to 20 Meters and called CQ. I was answered by Ron W5VYN, from Whitesboro, TX. Ron had a magnificent signal into New Jersey. The fact that he was using home brewed gear made it all the sweeter. Ron had asked me if he was generating any key clicks, and I was happy to be able to tell him that he had a perfect, solid and stable 9 in the “T” portion of RST. His home brew rig sounded just as good as any commercial rig out there. That was a nice QSO.

That was followed up by a “quickie” QSO with Greg N4KGL. Greg, who’s down in Florida, was using one of those new PAR ENDFEDZ Trail Friendly antennas, which was generating a nice 579 signal for him. It’s always nice chatting with Greg, and I wish I could have stayed on longer. But as always, time flies when you’re having fun, and it was time to break down and head on back to work.

So it just goes to show …. you can have a great QRP day, even when the solar conditions say, “Maybe not”.

Even so, I had to laugh on the way home from work.  As I was driving, I was listening to two Hams on a local 2 Meter repeater bemoan the current sunspot cycle.  One was complaining about “How you just can’t work any decent DX without at least a 500 Watt amplifier!”.  I almost lost it right there, I started chuckling so hard.

Lots of QRPers, including N8ZYA, K3WWP, W2LJ and many, many others have log books that attest to the direct opposite!

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

I saw this posted on QRP-L today and decided to share it here, for those of you who might not be subscribers.  This was a post by Grayson Evans, KJ7UM/TA2ZGE.  It describes his recent encounter with QRP.  You can almost feel his excitement and joy from his post!

Sorry, I have to admit that I’m not much of a QRPer.  Not because I don’t like it or not interested, it is just that I haven’t had much luck at it.  I have a hard enough time trying to make a contact with 100W out of my Kenwood something-or-other.  Part of the problem (well, probably all of the problem) is my QTH.  Very urban in the middle of Ankara, the capital city of 6 – 8 million.  S7 background noise on 20 on a good nite.  And my apartment is on the bottom floor of a 6 story concrete building surrounding on all sides by equally tall solid concrete buildings.  I have tried all sorts of antennas out the window and in the small garden, but they all seem to work equally poorly.  I currently have an end-fed “zepp” sort of thing strung between two street lights.  It seems to work the best until a big truck takes it out.

Anyway, I have two MFJ QRP rigs I bought second hand a few years ago.  One is 20M CW and SSB, 5W, the other is 40M CW only, 5W.  I did make a few contacts with them when I lived in the U.S., so at one time I know they worked.

My family (wife and 11 year old son) have started doing some camping around Turkey (not a popular activity here).  So I thought it would be a good idea to try some portable QRP operating in the forests. Never done it before. The first time a tried, I had all sorts of problems, nothing seemed to work.  Back to drawing board.

Last weekend I tried again, took more parts, two antennas (a new 20M dipole), two batteries, etc.  tuner with SWR, dummy load, and a good supply of 807’s (youngsters probably not familiar with “807s”).

This time everything seemed to work, but I could only get 1 watt out of the MFJ 20M rig (SSB and CW). OK, 1.2 watts.  Also the key input didn’t work.  I figured a no-go again.

Also it was a contest weekend. No surprise, there is some sort of contest every weekend here.  _____ “QSO party” (fill in the blank with any european or eastern european country…they are not QSO’s, and not a party).  I am not a contester but I have to admit they are good for testing antennas/rigs.

BUT, I got a big shock (emotional kind)! 

First of course, zero background noise.  Those little rigs have a nice receiver.  I could even hear myself think with headphones on.

Second (and this is the SHOCK), if the calling station was S5+, I could work em.  EVERY TIME.
I have no idea what contest I was working (the usual call sign, phony 5/9, and a sequence number), but I worked over 80 stations in a 2000 km radius over a 2-3 hr time.  I haven’t had time to look up all the screwy prefixes (“DX” to you is the norm here of course), but I recognized Romania, Central Russia, Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Slovakia, Slodowneya, etc. etc.

AND, when I mentioned I was actually running 1 Watt, I got a few stations to give me a real signal report. and they were never less than S4.  I got a few S8 and S9’s.  how could this be?

I am impressed.  This RF stuff is amazing.
I gotta try this again!

Photo is here:http://s838.photobucket.com/user/WA4GVM/media/Misc/qrpin_zpsb02e80f4.jpg.html

73, Grayson TA2ZGE/KJ7UM
(sorry this rambled)

Follow my hollow-state blog at hollowstatedesign.tumblr.com

Thanks, Grayson, for sharing.  You’ll find out that most QRPers are happier for their fellow QRP’ers success, rather than their own!  I hope you’ll be doing this again, and often!  (Hint! I still need Turkey via QRP!)

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

Today’s QSO was a very pleasant 20 minute rag chew with Gene N5GW. Gene and I have worked each other countless times, but to be honest with you, the majority of our conversations have sounded something like this:

N5GW DE W2LJ UR 559 NJ 5W
W2LJ DE N5GW TU UR 559 MS 5W
N5GW DE W2LJ TNX 72 DE W2LJ QRZ?

But as I stated before, today we had an actual conversation – no QRP Sprint exchange …. for a change!

And this time, Gene was not in Mississippi, he was in Tennessee, on vacation on the Cumberland Plateau.  Gene and his XYL are enjoying the mountains, and having a gold old time. Gene brought along his IC-7000 and strung up a wire antenna in an oak tree outside their cabin. Gene had a good 589 signal into New Jersey, and I got a 559/569 report in return.

Gene had the good fortune of having a good antenna (even though it’s temporary), and high elevation. That combination gave him a winning signal.

It’s always a delight to actually converse with guys that I’ve only held brief QSOs with. QRP is not just contesting and sprints. It’s also very much getting to know the other guy, just like in the other niches of Amateur Radio. And this is the better part, because this is where the lasting friendships are made.

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

Subtitle – It pays to know your prefixes!

My lunchtime QRP session today looked like it was going to be no big deal. 15 Meters seemed to be dead as a doornail. I heard some activity on 20 Meters, but not much to write home about.

So I popped on over to 17 Meters, where there seemed to be some activity. The first station that I heard and worked was EC7CW from Seville, Spain. After I nabbed him, I tuned around the band and heard a huge pileup.

Lots of times when you hear a pileup, the station that is the quarry is very weak. Today that was not the case. The station that everyone was chasing was JW/LY2KW, and he was very loud. A quick look at the IARU prefix list told me that JW is Norway, but something didn’t seem quite right. Such a huge pileup for Norway?

Well, since the DX was loud, and I had time to kill, I figured, “Why not?” I figured out the split rather quickly, and this time, luck and the good ears of JW/LY2KW were on my side. After about a half dozen calls or so, the DX station came back to W2LJ.

I always feel great when a DX station comes back to me, but it’s even more special when I’m using the KX3 and Buddistick at lunchtime. And it’s even better when that combination helps me bust a pileup. So I went back to work a very happy camper, knowing that I got Spain and Norway in the log.

But as I was walking back in, I was wondering….. why the massive pileup? It’s not like Norway is the rarest of the rare DX, after all. So I decided a Google search was in order. Unbeknownst to me, JW is indeed issued to Norway, but for Svalbard. Holy cow, this was a brandy new DXCC entity via QRP for me! I am constantly amazed by the performance of the Buddistick on the top of my Jeep. A compromise antenna for sure, but a compromise that I can seem to live with.

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

As you all know from my near constant and annoying yammering since last August, the 2013 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt is tomorrow. This is a huge event for me, and it gives me a lot of joy to not only operate in it, but to manage it as well. It is my sincere wish that all of you who have chosen to participate this year enjoy yourselves and have the best of times. You folks are the life blood of the QRP hobby, and without all of you, this niche of Amateur Radio would not be thriving like it is – and thriving it is!

Unfortunately, I will only be able to join with you all for a limited amount of time at the beginning and at the end of the contest. A few months ago, without paying attention to the date, I agreed to volunteer at the St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen in Plainfield from 2:00 to 4:00 PM (the middle two hours of the hunt) tomorrow afternoon. When I discovered the conflict, I have to admit that my first reaction was the human one, I thought of trying to find a substitute, or possibly make an excuse and just back out all together.

But as important as the Skeeter Hunt and Amateur Radio are to me (and they are VERY important!) some things are more important. The people that are served, who are down on their luck, depend on this facility for a decent meal. And even though my presence isn’t mandatory for the kitchen to open or run, it wouldn’t be right to blow off a commitment to people who are in need. Besides, the Amateur’s Code reminds us that the Radio Amateur must be “Balanced – Radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.” In the end, I had to ask myself, “What’s more important, my fellow man or my hobby?” I think you’d all agree with me as to the answer.

Still, I can’t begin to tell you how much I want to be on the air for the entire event, but this year, that’s just not possible. So for as much as I can manage to squeeze in out of the first and final hours, Skeeter #13 will be in the basement shack, handing out as many contacts as possible.  And believe me, I am going to squeeze in every possible last nano-second that I can, so keep your ears peeled for W2LJ.

Now, with all that said and done, I have a huge favor to ask of all of you who are participating. Along with your log summaries and soapbox comments (and photos … please, plenty of photos!) please let me know what changes if any, you would like to see for next year’s Skeeter Hunt. We added SSB this year – digital modes, next year perhaps? Would you like to see that? Different time of the day, i.e. a later start? Anything that you would like to see modified will be taken under thoughtful consideration.

For those of you who are not participating for one reason or another, but just might in the future, I’d be very happy to read your comments and suggestions, too. Just send an e-mail titled “Skeeter Hunt Suggestions” to either [email protected] or [email protected].

Once again, thanks for participating and for making the NJQRP Skeeter Hunt the success that it is – signups for Skeeter numbers exceeded last year’s requests! And a very special thanks to the NJQRP for sponsoring this event – with out them, this wouldn’t be possible.

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

According to the “official” Skeeter Hunt rules, working any DX station during the hunt is worth 3 QSO points. This year, like last year, the Worked All Europe coincides with the Skeeter Hunt. So working DX is definitely possible. In fact, just going from memory (not consulting my log as I write this) I know that last year I worked at least one European station, and it might have been two.

This year, we have an Amateur Radio op from South Africa who has requested and received a Skeeter number. Eddie ZS6BNE is Skeeter #114. Even though the Hunt occurs in his local evening time, he is going to go out, set up and try to make contact with as many of us as he can.

To recognize his special effort, anyone who makes contact with Eddie can count that QSO for 4 points, instead of the traditional 3 points for normal DX QSOs (The rules have been amended to reflect this) Please make sure to listen for him at or near the QRP Watering Holes on 20 and 15 Meters. If propagation is with us, those bands will probably provide your best shot.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Greg N4KGL, who talked up the Skeeter Hunt with the RApid Deployment Amateur Radio group (RADAR). It was via Greg’s post that Eddie found out about the Skeeter Hunt.  Also, a tip ‘o the call sign cap to Pickett AD4S, who talked up the Skeeter Hunt on the NOGAQRP reflector.

A special “thank you” to anyone who has talked up the event and spread the word via e-mail, word-of-mouth, smoke signals or whatever means. Your help is appreciated more than you will ever know!

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

My mag mount, I mean.  After working on it on Sunday, I gave it the shakedown cruise yesterday and today at lunchtime. Unfortunately, the bands seemed to be in less than stellar condition – thanks Ol’ Sol!  But yesterday netted me a contact with XE1XR, David in Mexico and KG9HV, John in Indiana.

Today, I heard even less on the bands. After perusing 15 and 17 Meters and not hearing much of anything, I decided to go to 20 Meters to see if I could hear any SOTA stations. Pfft!  Nada in New Jersey. So then I made the decision to call CQ.

I was answered by Burke N0HYD, who hails from Wichita, KS.  Turns out that he’s a reader of this blog and has started blogging himself.  I have added his blog to the blogroll. His blog is entitled “N0HYD – QRP & Portable Exploits”.  Sounds like Burke is a man after my own heart!  Burke describes himself as a “QRP Addict”. How could I not add the blog to the blogroll when a guy describes himself like that? Anyway, it was a great but all too short QSO.  I hope we have the chance to hook up again, soon.  It was not only a 2X QRP QSO, but also a 2X KX3 QSO – thanks for the QSO, Burke, Oh, and by the way, your rig sounded superb!

I have also done a little bit of blogroll maintenance tonight.  Any blogs that haven’t been updated within the last 12 months have been moved to the “Gone but not forgotten” area.  That includes Chas, W5PG’s blog.  Gosh, it’s just a little over a year now that Chas became a silent key.  He was a good blogger friend, and even though he’s gone, I just can’t bring myself to delete his blog – so as long as it’s on the Web, the link will remain.

Just a reminder – this Sunday is the Skeeter hunt!  Don’t wait until the last second to get your Skeeter number.

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