Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Beginning NAQCC 30-30

Tonight I decided to work toward the NAQCC 30-30 Award.   

"Make 30 QSO's on 30 meters during a calendar month using as few as 1 day up to as many as 31 days to get the QSO's" 

Well, I'm at the end of August, but let's get warmed up and ready for September that is (wow) just around the corner.

Using a Yaesu FT857d at 5 watts to a ladder line fed dipole, I called CQ on 10.118.  After several minutes, Chip, W9EBE from Southern Illinois replied.  Chip was a solid 599 here, and he gave me a 579 in return.    Chip has a great QRZ page, and indicates he follows the RST system traditionally be ear.   I'll take his 579 using 5 watts as a compliment!

Today we saw a return of heat and humidity to Southern New England.  The high temp was 90 per my weather station.  We're currently at 73 with a dewpoint of 70.  You can really feel the moisture in the air.  There were thunderstorms about the area, but no rain fell here.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

2 Meter Nets

75 degrees, mostly clear, 1.23 inches rain last night

I've never spent much time on 2 meters.  Well, my first radio was a FT60 Handheld, that serves me very well on the occasion I blow off the dust to listen to local repeater nets, or try and catch an FM satellite pass.

I decided to do a little listening tonight.  N1TUJ Eileen was hosting the Vernon EmCom net for registered members of their Emergency Communications Team.    The Bloomfield Area Radio Club BARC Radio net was conducted tonight....coming in weaker than I would hope using my HT with extended antenna.   I'll have to get the FT857 back on line for 2 meter repeater work.

There were a number of stations working the Straight Key Century Club Straight Key Sprint this evening.  I tuned around a bit and logged Russ, K0LUW a regular on the SKS circuit.  He does a nice job with a bug that looks to be homebrew from his QRZed page.


Monday, August 26, 2013

Denmark on 30 Meters



 69 Degrees, Light Rain, Winds are Calm

After an almost 2 week dry spell, a little rain has arrived.  The landscape is happy.  I was tuning 30 meters, listening call by call.  It's tempting to click through the various spots but also fun to try and pull out the various ops and their call signs.  I really like 30 meters in the late evening.  One call is West Coast US, the next may be Europe.  Ken, OZ1HDF was making a nice run stations here and abroad.  This may be my first Denmark contact on 30 meters.  I called for a while, and then he returned my call with a 549.   He's a very good operator, someone I would like to emulate.   Not just making a run, but taking time to give his name and a cordial 73 at close.