The photographer inside of me is captivated by images, And if the old adage is true that "A picture is worth 1,000 words:, then these two images are examples of what come to my mind when I think about QRP.
This image from the SOTA Facebook page, in fact it's now their cover page image. Didn't Steven pick a wonderful image? Who doesn't dream of someday taking a minimalistic set up to the top of a mountain and communicating with the world? I know I do, but I'm also wise enough to know my limitations and that I'm no Steve Galchutt WG0AT and the closest I'm ever going to get to this is operating portable from a picnic table somewhere. Still, the thrill is there, even if the panoramic vistas aren't!
The second image:
Isn't Alexey's station just grand? A One Watt homebrewed QRP transmitter. He posted a video of it on Facebook and it sounded oh, so sweet! Again, the closest I'm ever going to get to this is by building a kit of someone else's design. I'm not an Alexey UY1IF or a Bob W3BBO who can seem to cobble up working equipment just about every other day. I'm no engineer or designer - God didn't grace me with that kind of talent. But still, I can build some things (although with SMD, that's becoming harder and harder every day for my poor skill set) and when they actually work, the satisfaction is there that I didn't totally screw things up.
QRP is not for everyone. Sometimes it's actually rather easy, sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's frustrating, but it's also always immensely rewarding. Whether you're working from a mountain top or from your basement, whether you're operating something you designed and built all by yourself; or maybe just from a kit you bought and built ........ the Ham Radio experience you can get from QRP is like no other.
Many times, I have said that if I had to give up every radio magazine then SPRAT would be the last one to go. This is still my view.Β
SPRAT is published every quarter as a colour A5 magazine. It is packed full mainly of simple construction projects and annual subs are very low. It is entirely run by volunteers with back issues of SPRAT available on a flash stick at a very reasonable sum. Well worth getting.
11am Meet in the βDungeonβ in theΒ Lowndes Emergency Services AnnexΒ of the Court House. Go to the 911 office door and press the 911 call button and tell them you are there for the HAM radio club meeting. Once in, go left, downstairs, then to the right at the end of the hall. See Yβall There!Β
Was spring free about 30 hours after walking in the hospital door! Surgeon and his awesome team confirmed the knee was bone-on-bone and worn out. Was walking about 2-1/2 hours afterwards, brief walks at first. By late evening I could do double laps circumnavigating the hospital floor. In the morning I got cleared to use⦠Continue reading No Longer an Inmate (Medically That Is)
For our local 2m net, the Net Control Station asks a Question of the Night to stimulate some discussion. Recently, the question was: Do you have any interest in CW. If yes, Do you currently operate CW or do you plan to learn? If you have no interest in CW, what other modes besides voice do you operate on or Continue reading Which Modes Have You Operated?β
This evening starting at 1900z is the 70cm FT8 activity contest.Β
It always surprises me how far away stations can be copied. I usually work a few locals, but spend most of the time on RX. I use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna only.Β
I wonder if with 70cm FT8 we can tap into some kind of troposcatter?
All this makes me wonder how effective 70cm FT8 would be with a decent beam and reasonable powers.
UPDATE 1936z:Β Lots of stations spotted with the furthermostΒ DJ6TA (493km). The more I think about 70cm FT8 is a very under-used band!
UPDATE 2135z:Β The map shows the stations spotted on 70cm FT8 this evening.
For our local 2m net, the Net Control Station asks a Question of the Night to stimulate some discussion. Recently, the question was:
Do you have any interest in CW. If yes, Do you currently operate CW or do you plan to learn? If you have no interest in CW, what other modes besides voice do you operate on or would like to?
I am not a huge CW fan, but I do use it from time to time, especially when it comes to squeezing out difficult contacts on VHF or UHF. However, this question had me thinking about the various modes I have operated, so I made a list:
SSB - quite often on HF, VHF, UHF
CW - not nearly as often but on HF, VHF, UHF
FM/PM - lots of VHF activity here, 2m FM is the Utility Mode
AM - a few times, just to check it out
RTTY - I used to do this often but my interest has faded
PSK31 - I used to do this often but my interest has faded
FT8 - this one has taken over my digital operating
FT4 - a faster alternative to FT8, often better to use
Q65 - I just started using this for weak-signal VHF/UHF
MSK144 - for meteor scatter, but I haven't done that for a while
AX.25 - VHF packet radio, including APRS
DMR - the most common digital mode in Colorado
D-STAR - I used D-STAR when it first came out but lost interest
C4FM - Yaesu Fusion, I've used it a few times
Each one of these modes has a story behind itβ¦often I was just looking for something new to try. (If you find yourself getting bored with ham radio, it might be time to try a new mode.)
This list also reminds me that I need to get back to chasing grids on the 2-meter band, using CW, SSB, FT8, MSK144, and Q65. I have a new tower up that Iβve not taken full advantage of for VHF/UHF.
Thatβs my list of modes used, what does your list look like?
Iβm not really sure where I found out about the RSGB Logbook: Explorer, but I like it a lot. Itβs sort of a British version of my 21 Things to Do After You Get Your Amateur Radio License, but itβs a workbook that hams can print out and then fill up as they go along. Here are the activities included in the RSGB Logbook:
Register online. In this step, the new ham is asked to set up accounts on QRZ.Com, Logbook of the World, the RSGB QSL Bureau, and EchoLink.
Build a wire antenna. This task is to build a simple wire antenna and then describe the antenna.
Make 10 contacts through a repeater and log them.
Make 10 contacts on 2-meter simplex and log them.
Make 10 POTA contacts and log them.
Make 10 Summits on the Air (SOTA) contacts and log them.
Make 10 Bunkers on the Air (BOTA) contacts and log them.
Worked All Britain. Make 10 contacts in 10 different grid squares in Britain and log them.
Use different modes on HF. Make 10 HF contacts using at least two of the following modes: CW, FM, FSTV, FT4, FT8, JS8, JT65, MFSK, packet radio (AX25), PSK31, RTTY, SSB and SSTV; you MUST use at least 2 bands from the following list: 40m, 30m, 20m, 10m.
Make 10 VHF/UHF contacts on any band but 2 meters and log them.
Take the RSGB Quiz. The quiz consists of 10 questions that invites the readers to do a little research on famous radio amateurs and a couple of technical topics.
I think that perhaps for the next edition of 21 Things Iβm going to use this format. Itβs more interactive, and it just might get more hams to try new things with their licenses. Of course, some of these activities donβt really apply to U.S. hams. The reason for this is that British hams get more HF privileges than U.S. hams, but perhaps I can slant the activities I Β include to target those things that U.S. hams can do.
And, since everyone likes awards, Iβll design certificate for those that complete 75% of the logbook and submit proof of the activities that theyβve completed.
To see how one ham used the RSGB Logbook: Explorer, read read this article on the RSGB website.
The Grand Manan ferry coming in to dockΒ Before the winter hits we thought it would be a great idea to head off to Grand Manan Island for some rest and relaxation. The island ofΒ Grand Manan is located right in the middle of the Bay of Fundy a...
Tuning on 20 meters this morning looking for weather traffic related to the hurricane set to make landfall in Florida, I caught special event station W1A celebrating the 67th International Airstream Rally in Sedalia, Missouri:
Welcome to W1A. The purpose of this special event station is celebrating the 67th Annual International Rally of the Airstream Club International. Weβre operating portable from the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia Missouri. We will have multiple operators and multiple radios.
The special event will be on the air from 5 October to 10 October 2024
The Amateur Radio Club was formed in 1963 by Earl Johnston W0ICV, as the βAirstream Netβ. At that time its membership consisted of hams who owned Airstream travel trailers and were members of the trailer club which was formed by and named after Wally Byam, the originator of the Airstream travel trailer. The club has in recent years reorganized and expanded its operations in order to serve all amateurs interested in Recreational Vehicles and in travel.
The International RV Service Net is sponsored by the Wally Byam Caravan Club International Amateur Radio Club, WBCCI ARC, an intra-club of Airstream Club International.
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