WITH

using

James Watt

As some of you know I do some QRPp Parks on the Air activations using the QRP Labs QCX Mini. For the past couple of years I've had GREAT results using my 40 and 20 meter QCX Mini with what I call, "My Smoke Detector Battery" setup

QRP Labs QCXX Mini 20 Meters

 

A few days later on May 1, 2024; I decided to give it another try but this time on 40 meters when conditions were not quite optimal. And again, I was amazed with the number of stations picking up my signal with "My Smoke Detector Battery"

QRP Labs QCX Mini 40 Meters

As most of you may know, during the month of June 2024, the sun has presented several Earth facing regions which have been quite active with solar storms, solar flares, large sunspot regions, CME's and HF radio blackouts. These conditions have not been favorable for QRPp communications. Living in Kentucky, USA this time of year also represents days and weeks of hot, humid weather with potential for almost daily thunderstorms. So far in June 2024; we've seen record low morning temperatures of 82 degrees and several days of temperatures exceeding 95 degrees with heat indices well over 100 degrees.

Finally the Solar Space Weather forecast for the first few days of July 2024 looked like an excellent opportunity to try some Parks on the Air CW activations using QRPp. However, terrestrial weather was another issue. Heat advisories were forecasted for the last few days of June 2024 and first few days of July 2024.  It was time to take advantage of this brief window to do some QRPp operating.

QRPp Equipment Set Up

The antenna I was going to use was the Tufteln 40 / 20 Linked EFHW. I made this antenna specifically for my QRP Labs 40 & 20 Meter QCX Minis.

Tufteln 40 / 20 Meter Linked EFHW

As for a keyer, I was going to use the American Morse Equipment Ultra Porta Paddle. 

American Morse Equipment Ultra Porta Paddle

Upon awaking before daybreak, I checked the NOAA Space Weather Predication Center's website for Space Weather conditions. It all looked favorable. Terrestrial weather had a Heat Advisory forecasted for July 2, 2024, so I decided to head out for a near sunrise Parks on the Air activation at Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve US-7956 which is less than 4 miles from my QTH.

Not knowing who would be hunting at 1130 UTC, I arrived on site; throw up my arborist line about 45 feet into a tree and pulled up my antenna in a sloper configuration, set up my 40 meter QCX Mini and was ready to go.

At 1142 I started sending CQ and 'BEHOLD" within a minute or two the hunters responded top my calls and kept me busy for the next 50 minutes. Below are the results of what a QRPp CW Parks on the Air activation yielded me.

The highlight of this day's activation was a QSO with Greg / VE3GSS  Port Carling, ON, Canada. A little over 920 km from my Kentucky POTA site with less than 1 WATT.

At 1235 UTC the temperature had risen to 84 degrees. It made no sense in pushing it as I had already achieved more than I expected. To say I walked away with a HUGE grin on my face is an understatement. It was a GREAT Parks on the Air activation.

                                                         

On July 3, 2024 my internal clock woke me at 0900 UTC with basically the same Space and Terrestrial conditions that were in play as the day before.  So why not make this "Ground Hog Day in July.  Same time, same set up on July 3, 2024. One difference; today I would try 20 meters.

Within less than a minute after my CQ on 40 meters at 1143 UTC, my activation began with hunters eagerly wanting to be acknowledged.  I didn't disappoint and neither did they.  QSOs were rapid fire for almost an hour.

 At 1240, I switched over to my 20 meter QCX Mini to see what I could garner, knowing that at time time of morning in the U.S., the likelihood of getting any action on 20 meters was suspect.   I did manage one 20 meter QSO.  Here was my catch for a July "Ground Hog Day"

  

The highlight of this day was as try for a Park-to-Park QSO with a station in Japan. I tirelessly tried for several minutes to make a 40 meter contact with a Parks on the Air station JJVAS at JP- 0128. The QSB was pronounced and the strongest I could get was a 229.  The operator was kind enough to send AGN? a few times but I was just trilled for that reply with less than 1 WATT.

This day like many others brought greetings from people who have become familiar with my operations as they get in their daily walks, runs and cycling before the heat sets in.  Today though I met Dr. Tamekka Cornelius, Ph. D, who was out on her daily walk. She, like others are inquisitive about seeing a man sitting in a mostly open field connected to some wires, a bicycle close by and some weird equipment strapped to his legs.   Dr. Cornelius and I had a nice chat about Amateur Radio, brief history of my broadcast career and my bicycling activities.

 

Operating QRPp reminds me of the country music singer Kenny Rogers' song: 

"The Gambler"

You've got to know when to hold 'em

Know when to fold 'em

Know when to walk away

And know when to run

Once in your ham radio journey, try operating QRPp.

You might be surprised with YOUR results.

73

Jim

"Ham on a Bike"

]

 

    

What a day!  A once in a lifetime experience. Although the Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve POTA site in Louisville, KY. USA is about 40 miles south of a totally region, I was able to experience 99.3 % of totality.  Health concerns prevented me from traveling those 40 miles to an area of complete totality but what I did experience was equally awe striking.

For months I had planned to operate at a Parks on the Air site during the eclipse. My plan was to operate QRP with my Yaesu FT-817 C, SSB and FT8 using my Signalink and Panasonic FZ-G1 Toughpad and my Buddipole Deluxe Antenna System.  I wanted to see if the eclipse would have any effect operating QRP.  The FT-817 gave me several band options and the Buddipole Antenna in dipole configuration would be easily tunable on all bands 40 - 10 meters. I've compiled enough data and spent enough time with my Buddipole Antenna System all I need is a tape measure to tune it on all bands. With a tape measure I can usually get it resonant to 1:15:1 by adjusting the whips as I have pre-set the coils taps for 40 - 10 meters. 

However, when I woke up on Eclipse day, Monday April 8, 2024, I had an epiphany.  Why limit myself to the FT817. Why not operate three stations simultaneously.  I had the rigs, had the power (batteries) and the antennas.  What a neat plan!

So here's was the setup:

SURLY Long Haul Trucker Bicycle

I quickly setup my Buddipole in a diople configuration with the other antennas attached to the top of my Buddipolle mast in an area where I wouldn't be an obstacle to others who would take advantage of the beautiful weather to observe the 99.3% of the eclipse totality over the Louisville, KY. USA area. The setup was very quick as you can view below. 

After the raising the Buddipole in a diploe configuration with the Tufteln vertical and QRP EFHW attached o the top of te mast, I checked the SWR with my Nano VNA and found it to be 1.15:1 for the entire CW portion of 20 meters. 

Because everything was within arms reach, even though they were on the ground, for a short time I was able to operate all stations simultaneously. The QCX Mini was automatically running in WSPR mode, the QDX was running by itself. All I needed to do was make a quick click to log a QSO and with the attached pilot kneeboard and using my CW Morse SP4 paddle, Morse Code operation was Eezy Peezy.

  

I had all of my antennas set up in an orientation along the U.S. path of the eclipse., I wanted to see if the eclipse was going to have any effects with transmitting and / or receiving.  

My 20 meter QCX Mini WSPR using 9V 200 mW received well all along the U.S. path of the eclipse with receptions reports in the U.S., eastern Canada, Central America and Europe.

The BIG surprise for me came with the operation of the QDX on 20 meters with 5 watts. I was amazed at the WSJT-X waterfall. It was lite up like a Christmas tree. I knew my little QRP signal did not stand a chance as it was difficult to find an area to squeeze into to transmit.  There were countless stations calling "CQ POTA" and "CQ SEQP" (CQ Solar Eclipse QSO Party) However, I was able to sneak in a couple of FT8 QSOs (N0RC/KS) & W9NG/MS) Plus, I had one incomplete QSO with VU3EFG/India. It was nice to see all of the FT8 activity.

There was lots of activity for SSB on 20, 17 and 15 meters. Lots of QRO stations. Called "CQ" for several minutes but again my QRP signal could not break through crowded band conditions.  Additionally, I work SSB so little, some may have thought someone else was using my callsign. "hi hi"

Most of my operating was CW. Most of my time was spent on 20 meters with a few 15 meter contacts and several "CQ" calls on 17, 12, 10 meters. There was plenty of hunters taking advantage of modest 20 meter band conditions. I was appreciative of the amount of new to me HUNTERS like a DX from F4ILH- Jean Baptiste and equally thankful for some of my familiar Hunters. W2AEQ - Alan / K9IS - Steve / VE1CNS-Bryne / AA0IW - David and1st time hunter for me AE6Z - C.W. 

The highlight of this day's Parks on the Air activation was a CW QSO with N5KT - Gerald as the eclipse passed over him in Texas and 8 minutes later with W0YEM - Nick, as the eclipse passed over me in Kentucky. USA.  EPIC!

April 8, 2024 will be one of those Parks on the Air activations I'll never forget