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Friday was a bit frustrating – the bands seemed really weird, and not much if any activity was heard here in Kansas.

I did manage one and a half contacts!

N5NAA – On 30 meters I worked Steve down in TX for a 2xQRP contact.  Steve was running 3 watts and even mentioned that he reads my blog!  Hi Steve!

VE4CWF (10492T) – I replied to Chris calling CQ.  He came back to me and gave me all his specifics, and then just as I completed sending our call signs back, my battery died in the KX3!  I admit it, I had operated probably 3 portable sessions without charging the internal pack – my fault.  So….sorry Chris for dropping you like a hot potato!  Hopefully we can connect down the line.

Thats all for today, I hope to have some time this weekend for a bit of SKCC CW!

Friday was a bit frustrating – the bands seemed really weird, and not much if any activity was heard here in Kansas.

I did manage one and a half contacts!

N5NAA – On 30 meters I worked Steve down in TX for a 2xQRP contact.  Steve was running 3 watts and even mentioned that he reads my blog!  Hi Steve!

VE4CWF (10492T) – I replied to Chris calling CQ.  He came back to me and gave me all his specifics, and then just as I completed sending our call signs back, my battery died in the KX3!  I admit it, I had operated probably 3 portable sessions without charging the internal pack – my fault.  So….sorry Chris for dropping you like a hot potato!  Hopefully we can connect down the line.

Thats all for today, I hope to have some time this weekend for a bit of SKCC CW!

It was another windy, windy day here in Kansas!  Once again the Jackite dropped a couple sections right during a QSO.  When I took it down at the end of the session the tip section is stuck and won’t release to slide down inside the next section – will have to work on that.

Today was pretty slow, 20 meters was a weird band for me today.  I was spotted all over the far east coast, but really nothing in between.

Tuning around I heard a strong station on 14.064, but for the life of me I could not copy the call sign.  I asked him to QRS (slow down) and he did and I finally got his call!

KA4RRU – Mike was activating NPOTA HP06 – this is my first NPOTA station other than when I was an activator.

AH6AX (11165S) – Larry answered my CQ, we had worked each other before.  He had a great signal from Maryland today, and it was nice to know I was getting out.  I had been calling CQ for some time with no takers!

KG4LLQ (5883T) – Ken answered my CQ from North Carolina.  Looking at his QRZ page he has some interesting rigs – I hope he was using one of the cool ones for our QSO today!

So in my quest for SKCC Centurion, I am now sitting at 18 unique contacts on my way to 100!

It was another windy, windy day here in Kansas!  Once again the Jackite dropped a couple sections right during a QSO.  When I took it down at the end of the session the tip section is stuck and won’t release to slide down inside the next section – will have to work on that.

Today was pretty slow, 20 meters was a weird band for me today.  I was spotted all over the far east coast, but really nothing in between.

Tuning around I heard a strong station on 14.064, but for the life of me I could not copy the call sign.  I asked him to QRS (slow down) and he did and I finally got his call!

KA4RRU – Mike was activating NPOTA HP06 – this is my first NPOTA station other than when I was an activator.

AH6AX (11165S) – Larry answered my CQ, we had worked each other before.  He had a great signal from Maryland today, and it was nice to know I was getting out.  I had been calling CQ for some time with no takers!

KG4LLQ (5883T) – Ken answered my CQ from North Carolina.  Looking at his QRZ page he has some interesting rigs – I hope he was using one of the cool ones for our QSO today!

So in my quest for SKCC Centurion, I am now sitting at 18 unique contacts on my way to 100!

If there is one thing Kansas is known for, its the wind!  Today was no exception!  We had 26 mph steady winds with gusts to 30-40 mph.  This was really bending the old 31′ Jackite over!  At one point one of the lower sections unleashed and fell into the bottom section during a QSO.  I was able to complete the QSO and then get out of the car and fix the antenna!

Today I continued my quest for more SKCC members, and I was not disappointed.  20 meters was great today for me – working from coast to coast from my normal spot in the park.

I started calling CQ on 14.054…

KA2KGP (1494T): came back to my CQ with a 549 report and some QSB from New York.  He was 599.  If you check out Tom’s QRZ page you will read what he told me, and that is that he is deaf.  How amazing is that to work a deaf member of our ham radio community on CW.  QSB got him a bit, but I believe he said that CW is his main mode since he can’t hear voice.  Tom had a nice fist as well!

K4DJ (11060S): came back to my next CQ with a 569 report from North Carolina.  Rich wished me luck in my pursuit of the Centurion SKCC award.  He was running 75 watts on his end.

W1FJI/p (2182): I was tuning around and heard a very faint CQ about 14.054, about a RST of 539, but very weak.  I got his call, so I answered and Art gave me a 559 in return from Massachusetts.  Art was portable either from his car or a park, not sure.  He was running 3 watts – so this was a nice 2xQRP contact.

NS3C (8284T): Richard and I connected on the SKCC Sked page and met at 14.054 – he answered my CQ.  I had worked Richard last week I believe.  This time he was on his KX3 as well in California.  He had a great signal into Kansas.  So this was a nice 2xQRP and 2xKX3 contact!  Thanks Richard!

After that my 60 minutes was up and it was time to head back to the office.  At the pace I am going I think I will reach my goal of 45 portable operation outings much earlier than expected!

After today I am at 17 unique SKCC members worked.  I hope to work at least for a bit Wednesday night in the monthly sprint, but not sure I will be able to leave the kids and wife for 2 hours solid!

If there is one thing Kansas is known for, its the wind!  Today was no exception!  We had 26 mph steady winds with gusts to 30-40 mph.  This was really bending the old 31′ Jackite over!  At one point one of the lower sections unleashed and fell into the bottom section during a QSO.  I was able to complete the QSO and then get out of the car and fix the antenna!

Today I continued my quest for more SKCC members, and I was not disappointed.  20 meters was great today for me – working from coast to coast from my normal spot in the park.

I started calling CQ on 14.054…

KA2KGP (1494T): came back to my CQ with a 549 report and some QSB from New York.  He was 599.  If you check out Tom’s QRZ page you will read what he told me, and that is that he is deaf.  How amazing is that to work a deaf member of our ham radio community on CW.  QSB got him a bit, but I believe he said that CW is his main mode since he can’t hear voice.  Tom had a nice fist as well!

K4DJ (11060S): came back to my next CQ with a 569 report from North Carolina.  Rich wished me luck in my pursuit of the Centurion SKCC award.  He was running 75 watts on his end.

W1FJI/p (2182): I was tuning around and heard a very faint CQ about 14.054, about a RST of 539, but very weak.  I got his call, so I answered and Art gave me a 559 in return from Massachusetts.  Art was portable either from his car or a park, not sure.  He was running 3 watts – so this was a nice 2xQRP contact.

NS3C (8284T): Richard and I connected on the SKCC Sked page and met at 14.054 – he answered my CQ.  I had worked Richard last week I believe.  This time he was on his KX3 as well in California.  He had a great signal into Kansas.  So this was a nice 2xQRP and 2xKX3 contact!  Thanks Richard!

After that my 60 minutes was up and it was time to head back to the office.  At the pace I am going I think I will reach my goal of 45 portable operation outings much earlier than expected!

After today I am at 17 unique SKCC members worked.  I hope to work at least for a bit Wednesday night in the monthly sprint, but not sure I will be able to leave the kids and wife for 2 hours solid!

I need your help!

Come meet me on the shortwave (HF) ham bands for the Morse code (CW mode) special event, the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) celebration, with special callsign, K3Y. During the shifts (time slots) listed below, I am the control operator as K3Y/0.

I need you to make a contact with me.

This special event takes place every year during January. We celebrate the legacy of Morse code, and promote Morse code and manual creation of the code by any non-electronic (digital) device and method. Which means that we love mechanical bugs, straight keys, two ends of a wire, or any other manual device, if Morse code is generated. The Straight Key Century Club is a free membership group. The link to their website is below.

I need you to make a contact with me, during my scheduled times, listed below.

NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE (free) SKCC GROUP. To get into my logbook, you meet me on my frequency, and use Morse code to communicate with me. It is painless. If you must, you can use computer-generated Morse code. Or, you can tap it out on any Morse code signalling device, like a bug, a set of paddles, or a straight key; whatever you choose to make Morse code emanate from your HF transmitter.

HOWEVER: For those of you who want to get fully immersed in the spirit of this event, you are invited to use a straight key. And, as a bonus, you may and can join the SKCC group for FREE. Then, you would have your own SKCC number. That’d be cool; we SKCC members use that number in our exchange during our QSO information exchange. But, you don’t need that. Since it is free, why not?

What is needed is simply you, getting on the shortwave band, finding me, hearing me, and responding to me with Morse code. In other words, we need to have a QSO using Morse code. I am not a fast operator, so no problem if you are not very fast. I’ll meet your speed.

In any case, here are some of the times I will be on the air as K3Y/0… please dust off your straight key, bug, paddles, whatever, and make a QSO with me. Thanks!

My current schedule:

UTC Start/End (remember, these are NOT your local times, but are the UTC (GMT) times!)

(revised times, as of edit date)


00:00 - 02:59 19-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 20-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 21-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 22-Jan-16
00:00 - 05:59 23-Jan-16
14:00 - 18:59 23-Jan-16
20:00 - 21:59 23-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 24-Jan-16
14:00 - 18:59 24-Jan-16
21:00 - 21:59 24-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 25-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 26-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 27-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 28-Jan-16
00:00 - 02:59 29-Jan-16
00:00 - 05:59 30-Jan-16
13:00 - 18:59 30-Jan-16
20:00 - 21:59 30-Jan-16
00:00 - 03:59 31-Jan-16
13:00 - 23:59 31-Jan-16

Now, what frequency will I be on?

To find out what frequency I am on:

Visit http://g.nw7us.us/sched4SKCC and look on the right side for my callsign, NW7US. I usually post my frequency of operation right after my call sign.

Typically, evening operation is 30m, then 40m, and then possibly 80m.

If you are trying to alert me to your presence, you may message me on my personal Facebook profile, under my “Tomas David Hood” profile messages, but I may not see that right away.

Here is the detail covering the K3Y operation and the SKCC group: http://skccgroup.com/k3y

73 de NW7US
dit dit

This was last year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfRvITFpTb4

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