The RSGB Convention is just eight weeks away and the programme is shaping up to be a fantastic mix of interesting presentations for every radio amateur, regardless of experience. There will also be practical sessions and time to chat to representatives from RSGB committees and groups. For a reminder of the wide range of RSGB […]

Ofcom has released a new step-by-step video on its YouTube channel to assist radio amateurs on the process of revalidating a UK amateur radio licence using the online licensing portal. Ofcom does note that whilst it is a requirement to revalidate your licence every five years, it is recommended to do it annually. Make sure […]

For all the details. please go to https://www.qsl.net/w2lj/ - Skeeter numbers will be handed out right up until Midnight Saturday/Sunday EDT. After that, the roster is closed. Thanks to all of you who have signed up so far. As of this morning, as I type this, we have 209 Skeeters waiting to take wing.

W2LJ will most likely be working from the shack this year. The weather outlook for Sunday in NJ is still terrible. Rain showers all day with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon. I was going to set up in the backyard, but unless a weather miracle occurs, that's not going to happen. I do enough stuff that merits God hitting me with a lightning bolt. No sense in making it easier for Him. LOL!

Oh wait! There are "other" contests this weekend? I guess so. LOL!

SARTG WW RTTY Contest - http://www.sartg.com/contest/wwrules.htm

ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest - https://www.arrl.org/10-ghz-up

Keyman's Club of Japan Contest - https://kcj-cw.com/contest/rule/2024_45_kcj_dx_.pdf

North American QSO Party, SSB - https://www.ncjweb.com/NAQP-Rules.pdf

CVA DX Contest, CW - https://cvadx.org/

Run for the Bacon QRP Contest - http://qrpcontest.com/pigrun/

Special Event Stations:

Don't forget! This weekend is International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. I'm sure there will be plenty on the air. Here's a list of entrants for 2024 - https://illw.net/index.php/entrants-list-2024

08/16/2024 | Field of Dreams

Aug 16-Aug 17, 1020Z-0920Z, W0DBQ, Dubuque, IA. The Great River Amateur Radio Club. 7.282 14.282 17 meters 15 meters. QSL. GRARC, POB 12384, Dubuque, IA 52004. Come and have a pick-up game with us on the air. w9upk@arrl.net or https://www.w0dbq.org

08/17/2024 | Celebrating Gene Senti's Birthday

Aug 17, 1400Z-1800Z, W0CXX, Cedar Rapids, IA. Collins Amateur Radio Club. 14.263 MHz. QSL. Brice AntonJensen, 1110 Lyndhurst Dr, Hiawatha, IA 52233. https://www.qrz.com/db/W0CXX

08/17/2024 | International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend

Aug 17-Aug 19, 0001Z-0000Z, T44IJ, Isla de la Juventud, CUBA. Radioclub Isla de la Juventud (CO9DAA), Cuba. 7.091 10.131 14.090 21.091. QSL. Vasiliy, P.O. Caja "8" , g. Novopavlovsk, distrito de Stavropol, RUSIA 357300, CUBA. La estación estará activando el Faro de Carapashibey al sur de la Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, con número de Isla NA-056 https://www.qrz.com/db/T44IJ

08/17/2024 | International Lighthouse Weekend 2024

Aug 17-Aug 18, 0001Z-2324Z, W7FLO, Florence, OR. Oregon Coast Emergency Repeater Inc.. 14.265.000. QSL. COCARC, PO BOX 254, Florence, OR 97439. info@w7flo.com

08/17/2024 | International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend

Aug 17-Aug 18, 1700Z-1500Z, N6L, La Honda, CA. SC4ARC. 7.030 CW, 7.270 SSB 14.030 CW, 14.270 SSB 21.030 CW, 21.370 SSB. QSL. SC4ARC, P.O. Box 237, La Honda, CA 94020. Please do not send QSL card. Logged contacts will be sent QSL after event. www.SC4ARC.org/events/lighthouse

08/17/2024 | Nuclear Ship Savannah Maiden Voyage Anniversary

Aug 17, 1300Z-2100Z, K3S, Baltimore, MD. Nuclear Ship Savannah ARC. 7.1 14.1 21.1 28.1. QSL. K3LU, 980 PATUXENT ROAD, Odenton, MD 21113. Single transmitter SSB and CW aboard N/S Savannah. Please check spotting networks for frequencies. Info on QRZ.com www.qrz.com/db/k3s

08/17/2024 | Port Clinton, OH Lighthouse activation on Saturday, August 17th, 2024

Aug 17, 1500Z-2100Z, W8GNM/8, Port Clinton, OH. Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservency. 14.335 21.440 28.615 7.235. QSL. Geoff Mendenhall, 4720 E. Terrace Cir, 4720 E. Terrace Cir, Port Clinton, OH 43452. W8GNM/8 will be QRV from the Port Clinton Lighthouse during the Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival at Port Clinton, OH (ARLHS USA-922). Grid Square: EN81mm (http://arlhs.com/events/) International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend Aug 17, 2024 at Port Clinton, OH. (US 0228) (https://wllw.org/index.php/list-3) Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy (http://portclintonlighthouse.org/) Check web clusters for specific frequencies. Typical 40m frequencies 7.200 or 7.235 Typical 20m frequencies 14.285 or 14.335 Typical 15m frequencies 21.350 or 21.440 Typical 10m frequencies 28.600 or 28.615 QSL via LoTW only to W8GNM/8. Operators: Geoff - W8GNM, Jay - K8CJY, Tom - KZ8ZZ, and Jon - KB8SRQ https://portclintonlighthouse.org

08/17/2024 | Shiremanstown Sesquicentennial

Aug 17-Aug 18, 1500Z-0300Z, K3K, Camp Hill, PA. South Mountain Radio Amateurs. 7.290 21.290 14.290 28.390. QSL. See K3K , on QRZ, Shiremanstown. Electronic QSL card provided through email and/or eQSL.cc. Fill out form on N3TWT.org to get email with Electronic QSL card. Additional information available on QRZ under K3K special events call sign n3twt.org

08/17/2024 | Thunder on the Plains

Aug 17, 1400Z-2100Z, WB5EMR, Levelland, TX. Hockley County Amateur Radio Club. 7.260 14.260. QSL. Whitney Owens, N5QNS, 332 Pecan, Levelland, TX 79336. See website for details. www.wb5emr.org

And lastly ...... overnight I got an e-mail from QRP Labs that my QMX has been shipped! Another e-mail from FedEx shows the probable delivery date? You guessed it! Monday ..... the day AFTER the Skeeter Hunt! Oh well, I'd want to take the time to go through the manual quite thoroughly anyway, so I don't destroy the radio the first time I turn it on.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

I have been on 10m FT8 with my 2.5W for about 2 hours. So far (at 1104z) I have been spotted by 195 stations and here I have spotted 280 stations with the furthermost Western Australia.

Having lived in the Cambridge area for 54 years I have never noticed this cottage opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum! 

It dates back to the 1600s and is currently owned by Peterhouse College. 

Message to self,"keep your eyes open in future".

Just crossed 55,000 logged at QRZ.com: Confirmed at QRZ.com is 71.6% A new country, if evenly spaced out, would be one out of every 256 QSOs (every 233 QSOs if the 21 unconfirmed DX Countries were confirmed at QRZ.com) Domestic QSOs account for 75.6% (so DX contacts average just under one-fourth) 73 Steve K9ZW

Meetings of Bolsover Amateur Radio Society take place every other Tuesday starting at 8pm at the Bainbridge Hall, Bolsover, S44 6PX. Further information and reminders for meetings can be found on the Society’s Facebook page @bolsoverars  Contact Vin, G4KSY on 01246 827135 for further information. Bromsgrove and District Amateur Radio Club meets every Friday from […]

Barnsley and District Amateur Radio Club has a meeting from 7pm every Wednesday. On Thursday, there will be a net on 144.5625MHz FM from 7pm. David, G4TMZ, g6aj@outlook.com Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club will be meeting at the Village Hall, Stanley Crook on Thursday evening from 7.30pm. Please visit the Club’s website at barac.org.uk  for […]

Antrim and District Amateur Radio Society has 2m nets from 9pm on Tuesday and from 8pm on Saturday. adars.co.uk Bangor and District Amateur Radio Society meets on the second Tuesday of the month in the Marquis Hall, Abbey Street, Bangor, BT20 4JE from 7.30pm. For more information visit the Society’s Facebook page. Bushvalley Amateur Radio […]

Today, the 18 August, members of Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society are operating from Todhead Lighthouse during International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. Thursday sees a direction-finding activity from 7pm. aars.org.uk Ayr Amateur Radio Group meets on alternate Fridays at Prestwick Community Centre from 7.30pm. For details of club activities and nets visit gm0ayr.org Derek, MM0OVD, 0742 […]

On Wednesday, Aylesbury Vale Radio Society is visiting RAF Halton Museum. For more information about the Society visit avrs.org.uk Banbury Amateur Radio Society has a net most evenings on 144.5125MHz FM. Members are meeting for a club night on Wednesday. For more information visit banburyares.co.uk On Monday Bishop’s Stortford Amateur Radio Society has a meeting […]

If you are of a certain age, you started with something like WordStar (or WordPerfect) most likely. Well those who want to continue have built archives to keep you going: https://sfwriter.com/blog/?p=5806 Anyone can have WordStar for DOS 7.0 up and running on a Windows computer in a matter of minutes using this archive; with just […]

A35GC Team will be active from Tonga, 25 November - 6 December 2024.

 The following have been notified to me. The usual caveats apply: always check before going any distance.

• Sunday August 18th - Rugby Amateur Transmitting Society Annual Radio Rally, Rugby, CV23 9PY. Contact rally@rugbyats.co.uk .
• Sunday August 18th - West Manchester Radio Club Red Rose Summer Rally, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Contact rally@wmrc.co.uk .

by Anthony (M7TAW) Introduction After the success that was my first ever activations at Devil’s Punch Bowl, I’d earmarked another close by POTA spot for my second activation. This one had an unusually low number of activations, given the local activity in surrounding parks. I just figured maybe it’s a bit out the way and … Continue reading Climbing an old hill and struggling to get ten in the logs! →

A group of amateur radio operators from across the Mid-West Region will mark the 170th...

Our son and family are spending a few weeks in Brisbane, Australia with his in-laws. I see our grandson has found some treats!

They are currently at the Sunshine Coast, although the weather looks better here! 😊

My latest RadCom arrived yesterday.

One major dealer is advertising widely (the RSGB must really value this income) and I could not help noticing a major antenna manufacturer selling antennas (on the centre pages) via this dealer for £3899.99 and £4199.99!

If this major UK dealer decided to "hang up his boots" and leave the amateur market then RadCom would have to radically change. It would probably have to shrink and come out less often.  The only amateur radio magazine remaining on newsagent's stands would really struggle.

Now, I am not able, nor wish, to say how you spend your money. However, for me, these antennas are not amateur radio. A fan dipole covering all the higher HF bands could probably be made for the cost of a few coffees out. So you might be a few dBs down on a big tower with one of these antennas on the top, but you will probably save a 4 figure sum in the process.

In the end, we have to understand what our hobby is really about.  To me, there are 2 major sorts of radio amateur: (a) those who just get out their credit card and (b) those that experiment. I prefer the latter.

In my view, the writing is already on the wall. I personally see a battle looming between the credit card operators and experimenters.  In my view credit card operators will merge with CB. Experimenters?