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Before yesterdayW2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Weekend mish-mash

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
12 August 2024 at 11:34

This weekend saw a mix of various Amateur Radio activities. Getting on HF was not predominant, although I did get on Sunday morning for a bit and worked a few POTA activations. Brave souls, those activators, because all weekend long, the Space Weather Live app was VERY active. It seemed like every time I turned around I was getting a notification of a new solar flare or a "minor" radio blackout. On Facebook, more than one activator commented about the crummy band conditions and the noticeably fewer stations that they were able to log.

Saturday morning saw our monthly VE Session. We had two candidates, one of whom upgraded to Amateur Extra. Our other candidate got his Technician class license and missed becoming a General by only three wrong answers. He got 12 wrong and you're allowed up to 9. So close! The bright side is that he saw the exam, he has an idea now of what's on it and he should have a good idea where he's comfortable with his knowledge and where he needs to study more. I predict he'll be a General class Ham within a month or two.

On Sunday morning, I made the additional "modification" to my drive on mast holder. The lid hinges that I ordered through Amazon were delivered on Thursday. They did the trick to a "T" - or maybe I should say to an "L". HI!





The hinges lock in and brace the two boards at a 90 degree angle, just as I need them to. In fact, this configuration is so stable that in a pinch, any heavy weight will suffice, such as a heavy rock, or a cinder block, or a sand bag or something like that  It's an ideal drive on mast holder, and while a vehicle is certainly preferred, it's not absolutely necessary. Conceivably, with a heavy enough weight, I could use this in the field on Field Day would no longer have to mess with the PVC holder that uses the tent pegs and CamJams. That would be a time saver! The only prerequisite is that I'd have to find a location flat enough to place this on so that it's not leaning in any one direction too much.

BTW, before you ask, the 4 holes in the horizontal board are there to give the protruding U-Bolt threads and the nuts the space they need so that when collapsed, this contraption can lay totally flat and not wedged.

Other than that, the weekend was occupied with the normal weekend chores and duties. Hope you had a good weekend and I'm looking forward to the Skeeter Hunt next Sunday! 

Tonight we have a CERT training session with the NorthStar helicopter. NorthStar is the helicopter owned and utilized by the NJ State Police for the northern half of New Jersey. (SouthStar covers the southern half of the state). It is used primarily for transporting medivac patients to wherever they need to go depending on the circumstances and extent of their injuries. The session tonight will certify that we've been properly trained on procedures and safety requirements, so that we can approach the helicopter and assist with loading and unloading victims should it ever become =necessary.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

The heat

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
22 July 2024 at 12:31

Yesterday was a CERT day. Like those bumblebee shirts? I should wear it NEXT Sunday! Hi!


From left to right, Bill Meixner KC2PLO, Sharon Padula (non-Ham), Marv Bornstein K2VHW, W2LJ, Captain Wendell Born, our OEM Director - photo courtesy of Councilwoman Christine Faustini

As I had mentioned earlier, the South Plainfield Business Association put on their annual "Christmas in July" celebration.  Santa was there for the kids, but it's mostly an opportunity for businesses, mostly local small businesses to display and offer their wares and to increase their visibility within the community. As CERT members, we were there to hand out literature about hurricane preparedness, flooding preparedness and to possibly. recruit more CERT members. 

The event ran from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM in order to beat the peak "hot hours" of the day, but it was still pretty hot. I took out my cellphone around 4:30 to check and see what the temperature was at my weather station located about a mile away, and I was seeing a reading of 93 F (34 C). Captain Born is one smart cookie, though. He set up a fan/mister combo right in front of our canopy which insured many stoppers by. I only wish he had pointed the thing inward instead of outward!

Marv and I both made a mental note to make sure we ask him if we can borrow that for next year's Field Day effort. But sitting there in the heat made me think about next Sunday's 90 F (and possibly higher) temps for FOBB. I'm not going to have the advantage of having that mister at Cotton Street Park. And even though it's pretty shady there, if there's no breeze and the air is still, it can get downright uncomfortable.

So once again, I whipped out the cell phone and ordered one of these portable neck fans.

It was only $12 on eBay and should be at my house either Friday or Saturday in time for next Sunday's event. When I was a kid, the extreme heat or cold didn't bother me so much. I grew up in a house with no air conditioning, and it was only later at my time at home that my parents put window air conditioners in a couple of rooms.  As one grows older, let's just say we grow more appreciative of the more temperate range of climes. I doubt I could live in a house without A/C again.

Earlier in the day, before I left for the CERT event, I spent some time down in the shack and worked four POTA stations. Signals on 20 Meters were really down and in the mud. The only signal louder than 559 was K8ARE at US-4239 in Ohio. He was 599, everyone else I worked was either 559 or even fainter. I hope propagation is better next Sunday, and again on August 18th!

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

Current project

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
16 July 2024 at 11:52

This is a  KM4CFT  EFHW UNUN kit that I purchased via eBay.  The circuit board is actually done, and I built mine as a EFRW UNUN, so that I can use the same wire for multiple bands. The only difference between the two versions is that the EFHW UNUN builds the toroid as a 49:1 transformer and uses a 100pF capacitor in the circuit. The EFRW UNUN builds the toroid as a 9:1 transformer and the capacitor is not used. I still have to measure out some wire - two lengths - one 41 Foot length (one of the non-resonant lengths recommended for 40 - 10 Meters ) for the radiator and one 17 foot length for the counterpoise.

When finished, it will be only a foot longer than my PAR ENDFEDZ, but will give me all bands, 40 - 10 Meters. The PAR will load up on 15 Meters with the KX3's auto-tuner, but 17 and 12 Meters are pretty much no-go.

This will be my antenna for Flight of the Bumblebees on Sunday, 7/28. If the weather is decent, I'll probably go to Cotton Street Park here in town and will shoot a line up into one of the really tall trees there and will use this as a hanging vertical or sloper. If the weather is crappy, I'll set up the Jackite in the backyard and will use this as a sloper while operating at our patio table under the cover of the big umbrella.

If it performs decently well for me, then I am counting on it and my ZM-2 tuner to pair up with the QMX when it finally gets here for a truly small portable operating package.  I also ordered a 3.5 mm to 2.1 mm power cable adapter so I can use my little blue lithium battery with the QMX. Hopefully the QMX will be here in another month or two and I can take it with me when Marianne and I head up to Alexandria Bay for our anniversary in October. There are two state parks relatively close to where we will be staying that can be activated for POTA. Last year Marianne actually told me she wouldn't mind going with me if and when I activate them, when I brought up the possibility.

I'm quickly becoming enamored with operating portable with the smallest station that I can carry. It's truly amazing what you can accomplish with 5 Watts, if you know what you're doing and don't get into that nasty ol' mindset of "That will never work!".

On a side note ...... last year when we headed up to Alexandria Bay, we left on a Saturday after Marianne got home from work. Because we started out late, we spent Saturday night in Binghamton, NY. Recently, I looked up the hotel that we stayed at on Google maps and discovered that we were actually only a few blocks away from the street on which the original W2LJ lived! How cool is that? This year we plan to make the trip in one day, with no stop over. It's about a 6 hour ride up to Alex Bay from South Plainfield.

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

PS; Just checked the QRP Labs "Assembled Kits Order Status" page, which was updated today. I am 293rd on the list. If they build approximately 200 per month, then I'm looking at an arrival time of maybe late September. That would still be in time for me to take it along  to Alex Bay. Fingers crossed!

Rare second post

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
12 July 2024 at 22:12
I try to make only one post per day, but since tomorrow is a travel day, I'm going to let my self-imposed rule slide for today.

Final POTA activation today:


I started the activation on 20 Meters with the Buddistick mag-mounted to the roof of the Jeep. I haven't used it in a long time, so I just kind of tried to remember how I used to configure it to the best of my recollection. I must have been not far off as you can see by the RBN map. I worked Sweden and Italy. I didn't bring the Nano VNA along. I think that will help me get it configured even closer to ideal.

I didn't bring the camping chair along and standing behind the Jeep's open back hatch was setting off the bursitis in my hip, so I opted to switch to the AlexLoop and sit on the cabin porch for the rest of the activation.

16 Hunters worked including Sweden, Italy, Quebec, MO (for a Park to Park with NU7J), ME, MA, VA, WI, PA, FL, NC and I think that's everyone.

I am by no means a hard core or even semi-hard core or even a semi-semi-hard core POTA activator. I just like to have fun and get to play radio - even if it's just for a little while. I also like to remind myself every now and then how far I can get with 5 Watts. Sometimes I take that for granted.

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

Last day

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
12 July 2024 at 15:06

Another year, another vacation coming to an end. This morning we left a deposit on our cabin for the same time next year. Unfortunately, that's 52 weeks away. Lord willing, we'll make it back up here. Who knows, maybe this time next year I'll actually be retired and won't quite dread returning home so much. Mind you, it's not home that I dread returning to. It's work. After 46 continuous years of work days, I've had just about enough.

Right now, the lawn maintenance people are busy outside, cutting grass and trimming. Once they are finished, I'll set up one last time to give out some contacts from US-2001. It's not quite so hot today as it has been, but I'll probably drape a white towel over the KX3 to reflect some of the sun's rays away.

The weekend forecast for home shows a flash flood watch has been issued for today and tomorrow. Sunday is the Sussex ARC Hamfest, probably ranked as the biggest, or at least one of the top two biggest Hamfests in New Jersey. That's a good hour's ride from home. After driving home tomorrow, and then going to pick up Harold from my sister, I doubt I'll be in a driving mood come Sunday morning. I'm not in the market for any gear, but it's always nice to run into familiar faces.

On a side note, I did not bring the laptop with me. I've been doing all the computer stuff that I need to do with a (very) old Samsung Galaxy tablet and a Bluetooth keyboard. It has worked out pretty well, above comic notwithstanding.  The tablet was originally mine, but I gave it to Marianne when hers gave up the ghost. After a few years of her using it, I bought her a new one last Christmas. This one has a few cracks in its glass and the processor is notably, and sometimes maddeningly slow, but it does what I need it to do, eventually. I have been able to keep up with Skeeter Hunt number requests ..... we're up to 123 now, and I've been able to add my POTA QSOs to their database. I've also been able to keep up with the Ham Radio blogs that I read and of course, my daily needed dose of comic strips. You know, the important stuff!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Ten more

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
10 July 2024 at 12:12

Another 10 stations in the log.  I have to be upfront about this. This isn't a POTA vacation like some of the real die-hards do. This is a time to be away with family and just to enjoy each other and our down time together. Nonetheless, they do respect my love for Amateur Radio and afford me some solo time for my favorite pasttime.

The set up of the crappie pole and PAR ENDFEDZ went like a hot knife through butter. Easier, and it went up even more quickly than expected. Literally in a matter of minutes, the antenna was up and ready to go. Hindsight being 20/20, the Jackite pole would have been the better option, giving me an additional 10 feet in height. That's on my mental list for next year. Tear down and stowaway went just as smoothly.


After these sessions, I like to go to the Reverse Beacon Network for an "after action report". I was getting out pretty  well. The PAR even tunes up well enough on 15 Meters that I was able to be heard out Arizona-ways.

The best contact of the day came at 18:47 UTC, when my "CQ POTA" on 20 Meters was answered by SM5DXT, Chris in Sweden. I got a 419 report from him. Weak signal, but pretty readable. I'll take that any day of the week.

I had QSOs with Hunters in MO, ON (this one was a Park to Park), WV, GA, PA, MD, and NJ.  Good enough to satisfy my Ham Radio craving for the day. We're supposed to get the remnants of Hurricane Beryl visiting us today. It's kind of sunny right now, but the overcast is gaining ground. 1 - 3 inches of rain are supposedly coming according to WeatherBug. If I get on the air at all today, it just might be from the covered porch with the AlexLoop.

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

MacGyver I am not

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
9 July 2024 at 13:51
Yesterday was somewhat of a good radio day up here at the Lake, all be it with a scare thrown in for good measure. From public property, I made my 10 QSOs for a successful activation of US-2001, Adirondack State Park.

I was operating from a picnic table and started out using the AX1. I worked John N0EVH who was at US-6470 for a Park to Park. But after him, I wasn't hearing much of anything on 20 Meters. So I shut off the KX3 and decided to switch to the AlexLoop. This is where the scare came in. When I went to turn the KX3 back on, it would't turn on! After about 5 tries, it eventually came back to life, but to say I was concerned is an understatement.

I went to my phone and was going to Google "KX3 fails to turn on" and that's when I found the answer in a roundabout way. W2LJ, the KX3 and the cellphone were all sitting in the hot sun. My cellphone gave me a warning message. "Your phone is too hot. Apps will not open." Everything was too hot, as my little Radio Shack clock/thermometer (which is in a WHITE plastic case) confirmed that it was over 100F in the sun.

Later, after bringing the KX3 back into the cabin and allowing it to cool down, it repeatedly turned on and off as it always has.  Before shutting down and coming inside, I did manage to work the requisite amount of stations with contacts on 20 and 40 Meters ranging from NY to AL, MN and NE.


A while back, I saw in one of the Elecraft user Facebook pages where a guy took his brand new KX2 and painted the case with a desert sand colored paint. I have to admit that I thought he was nuts, but after yesterday, I recognize his wisdom. The light color reflects the hot sun instead of absorbing it. Additionally, Bob W3BBO reminded me that was probably the reason of the PFR3 was bright yellow. I'll have to come up with some kind of shading solution.

Now for the title part of this post and my statement about not being MacGyver.......

We've been coming up to this place at Lake George for 21 Summers now. This is our 20th year at this particular place called Stepping Stones. We have been in various cabins throughout our years here, but about 5 years ago, we were able to snag one of the two cabins closest to the lake. This is what's right outside our window - between us and the lake. For years I did not notice this !?!


Fence posts! I can bungee my crappie pole (or the Jackite, if I bring it) to one of the fence posts and then run the PAR ENDFEDZ right to the porch! If I bungee it to the farthest fence post, even the mast will disappear in the foliage and no one will know it's there. Added bonus ...... I can set it up and take it down in minutes.


Sometimes I am so slow on the uptake that I disgust even myself. Angus MacGyver I am not. If you're ever in a situation where there's a bomb ready to go off and all we have is some shoelaces, chewing gum, and rubber bands, I am NOT the guy you want to have at your side!

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

Hootowl Sprint

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
27 May 2024 at 16:12

I got on the air last night for the Hootowl Sprint. Activity was not the busiest, but that was probably because the CQ WW PX contest was dominating the bands, especially 20 Meters, I called "CQ QRP" there for a while with no joy. I did hear Mark WB9HFK calling CQ with a FB 599 signal and worked him.

40 Meters afforded me an unoccupied frequency on which to call CQ and I worked another four stations. Not the greatest total, but at least I was on the air. After the fact, I looked up my call sign on the Reverse Beacon Network and this was where I was being heard:


20 Meters was taking me into Europe and 40 Meters was getting me down into the Cayman Islands.

The antenna for the night was my W3EDP. I don't think I've really talked much about how it's set up. My backyard measures only about 50 X 50 feet. Not a lot of real estate back there so I had to get creative. This is how it's laid out:


It's anchored on the side of the house near a second floor window:



The coax runs from the balun down to the window that's on the shack side of the shack side of the basement. From the anchor point, the wire runs out to a mast that I have hose clamped to the chain link fence on the edge of our property.





The wire used to go out to "Ol' Mapely", but the tree which straddled our properties got infested with carpenter ants and became a real cause for concern that given a powerful Nor'Easter or Sandy type hurricane, it could fall on either ours or our neighbor's house, so we had to take it down. We came to that decision after having an arborist come by, who only confirmed our fears. Darn! Trees are an Amateur Radio Op's best friends!

From the "center mast", the wire pivots as per the aerial view and goes to another mast at the far right hand corner of the backyard where it terminates. The masts are military surplus fiberglass.


This photo doesn't show much which indicates that except for that middle mast, which is hose clamped to the fence, the antenna itself is pretty darn stealthy. That really isn't necessary, as at QRP levels, i never get any complaints from the neighbors and I'm not in an HOA situation. 

I would guesstimate that my W3EDP is my weapon of choice probably 75 - 80 percent of the time. It's longer than a classic W3EDP which is about 84 feet long. I had one of those and took it down and replaced it as the wire terminated about half way between the middle mast and the far mast. I constructed this one with about another 25 feet of wire so that it ends just a few inches from the end mast. Even with the additional wire, the KX3's autotuner matches to it quite easily and without any fits. It loads on all bands from 160 Meters to 6 Meters without any difficulty. If you don't have a lot of back yard space, maybe my layout (or something similar) can work for you. Is my solution an ideal solution? Not a chance in a million - but it works and I make contacts with it. So as they say, any antenna is better than no antenna.

On another note, I read where beginning with New Jersey's 2025 fiscal year, which starts on July 1st, that it will cost to get into certain NJ State Parks. This may be a concern for NJ POTA activators. There are several guys who check into the nightly Middlesex County Chat Group Net who often relate their experiences of repeatedly activating Cheesequake State Park and the Spruce Run Resevoir. Starting July1st, it's going to run $5 each time they want to enter those two parks or several other very popular NJ State Parks. The state will offer an opportunity to purchase a 1 year pass for $50. Luckily, the two parks I like to activate - Washington Rock State Park and the Edison Memorial Tower will remain admission free.

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

CW Bands should be crowded this weekend!

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
By: QRP - When you care to send the very least!
24 May 2024 at 11:38

 Contests:

CQ WW WPX Contest, CW - One of the biggies! - https://www.cqwpx.com/rules.htm

QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint - http://qrparci.org/contest/hoot-owl-sprint

Special Events:

05/19/2024 | National EMS Week

May 19-May 25, 0000Z-0000Z, N4E, Gainesville, FL. W.T. Loften High School Amateur Radio Club. 14.335. QSL. W.T. Loften High School ARC, 3000 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641. www.qrz.com/db/k4wtl

05/24/2024 | Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Special Event Station

May 24-May 25, 2200Z-2200Z, K9V, Columbia City, IN. Whitley County Amateur Radio Club. 7.243 14.243 21.343 28.343; FT8 on all frequencies (10M thru 80M).. QSL. WC9AR - K9V, P.O. Box 652, Columbia City, IN 46725. www,wcarc.orgwww,wcarc.org

05/26/2024 | The Event of the Month, Day, and Year Being the Same as Our ZIP Code

May 26, 1200Z-2358Z, W0FUN, Denmark, IA. Iowa Radiosport Society. 7.054 7.235 10.121 14.235. QSL. Iowa Radiosport Society, W0FUN, P.O. Box 73, Denmark, IA 52624.

05/27/2024 | Memorial Day

May 27, 1800Z-2100Z, N3TAL, Lanham, MD. American Legion Post 275 Amateur Radio Team. 7.275 MHz (+/-) LSB. QSL. American Legion Post 275 Amateur Radio Team, 8201 Martin Luther King Jr Hwy, Lanham, MD 20706. N3TAL275@gmail.com or www.qrz.com/db/n3tal

I'm guessing any POTA CW activity may stick to the WARC bands. If I get a chance, maybe I can sneak in an activation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail - US-4582 on Sunday afternoon.

This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend in the US, the "unofficial beginning of Summer". In my neck of the woods, the weather is forecast to be decent today (big deal, I'm working!) Saturday and Sunday, with daytime highs in the mid 80s (29C). The actual Holiday on Monday is supposed to be thunderstormy with about 3/4 of an inch or so of rain forecasted. 

The "actual" Holiday was instituted to remember those brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our citizens and our Constitution during times of conflict. It is a good thing to remember them and pray for them this weekend. We would not enjoy the freedoms we have were it not for them, and we should honor them by doing our utmost to not fritter those freedoms away. Their sacrifice should never be in vain.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

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