❌

Reading view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.

The weekend - September 28th and 29th

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

For those of you who will be on the air this weekend, scratching your heads and thinking "What $$%*@! contest is this?", brought to you as a public service:

Contests (not much):

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY - https://www.cqwwrtty.com/

Maine QSO Party - http://www.ws1sm.com/MEQP.html

For those of you who like to chase Special Event Stations:

09/26/2024 | Triple Tree Fly-In

Sep 26-Sep 28, 1200Z-2359Z, W4F, Spartanburg, SC. Spartanburg Amateur radio club. 7.210 14.200. QSL. SPARC, Fly-in, 400 Glenwood Dr, Spartanburg, SC 29303. station to operate during operation of the fly-in. k4ii.org

09/28/2024 | SENARC 1936-2024 ANNIVERSARY

Sep 28-Sep 29, 1521Z-1519Z, W9WKP, Lincoln, NE. SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB. 7.265 7.285. Certificate & QSL. Charles Bennett, PO Box 67181, Lincoln, NE 68506. The SENARC (SENRC) will celebrate 88 years as a club started in 1936. G.C. Bennett, Auburn, NE, W9WKP was the first ARRL emergency coordinator for Nebraska. senebrradioclub@gmail.com

09/28/2024 | Volcano Days WV Oil and Gas History

Sep 28, 1400Z-2200Z, W8PAR, Parkersburg, WV. Parkersburg Amateur Radio Klub. CW 14.050 PH 14.250 CW 7.050 PH 7.200 FT8 on 20 & 40. Certificate & QSL. Jerry Wharton, 1722 20th St, Parkersburg, WV 26101. Relive an exciting chapter in WV history! www.w8par.org

09/29/2024 | Re-enactment of the First Trans-Global Two-Way Radio Communication

Sep 29-Oct 26, 0000Z-2359Z, GB2NZ, Many locations, UNITED KINGDOM. Radio Society of Great Britain and New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (Otago Branch). All bands and all modes depending on operator availability. QSL. See website, for, information, UNITED KINGDOM. www.gb2nz.com

For you POTA Hunters, at some point next week I hope to activate either, or perhaps both of these in Upstate NY -  Kring Point State Park US-2091 and Keewaydin State Park US-2088.  If the weather cooperates and I get the opportunity to activate, I'll post my activation to the POTA app and will perhaps spot myself on the DX Cluster if I get cell phone coverage up there. I scoped out both parks on the Web and it appears both feature picnic tables in their amenities lists. Operating from my vehicle is a last resort - I prefer to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.

I'll have my QMX, my AX1, my AlexLoop, my Buddistick and my EFRW to pick from, so antennas won't be a problem.


The weather outlook for the week isn't too terrible, so maybe I will get an opportunity. A might chilly for my taste, but it's Autumn and I'll pack accordingly. When Marianne and I were up there last year at this time, it was in the 80's during the day, and felt more like Summer than Autumn! What a difference a year makes.

Tomorrow, the South Plainfield Police Dept. is hosting "National Afternoon Out" as National Night Out in August was a rainout. It is going to be held in Putnam Park which was recently renovated. This is the same park where we held Field Day from 2021 to 2023. I wish I could be there, but plans preclude it. Our Boro Council is going to make a presentation to SPARC, honoring the 10th Anniversary of our founding. As one of the founding members, I really hate missing this, but such is life.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP  - When you care to send the very least!

Come and gone - again.

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Before I begin, some sights from SPARC Field Day 2024, I provided some sounds on the previous post:


Dave KD2FSI setting up the 6 Meter antenna and VHF/UHF Antennas.


We were visited by Councilman Derryck White. That's Bill W2AOF, the Councilman, Tim AB2ZK behind him and Marv K2VHW to the right.


Marty WB2BEW hard at work making SSB contacts.


Dave KD2FSI making FT8 contacts and Dave was also our GOTA Coach.


KD2FSI and K2VHW burning the Midnight oil.


A panoramic shot of Spring Lake Park and our Field Day site courtesy of Mario KD2HPF


The anniversary banner proudly displayed. Photo by KD2HPF


Harry KC2PGX playing with lemons - more about that below. Photo by KD2HPF.


And there was cake!

So where does one begin? We'll start by a brief weather report. It was hot, hot, HOT! The heat and humidity and thunderstorms made this Field Day an extra effort this year, but it turned out to be worth it. Set up and tear down were not complicated by rain, but working in the hot sun takes its toll, especially when you're not a spring chicken anymore!

Despite the weather, this was perhaps our best Field day effort ever. We had a lot of visitors, and the educational activity with the kids was a success - at least IMHO. We had five kids show up and we explained what batteries were and how they worked. Then the kids were each given a lemon, some copper and zinc coated nails and a cheapie Harbor Freight VOM.  The got to see their lemons actually produced voltage from anywhere from 0.8 V to a little over a Volt. And we all found out together, courtesy of Harry KC2PGX, that it takes six lemons connected in series to light up a 2 Volt LED.

After the educational activity, there was pizza and cake. That, of course was more satisfying and welcome than the educational activity, but the kids and their parents or grandparents left happy, I think.

We also had a few non-member Hams show up to guest operate and the kids who came for the educational activity attempted to make contacts on the GOTA station, thanks to the watchful eye and coaching of Dave KD2FSI.

Because of the educational activity and the thunderstorms, there might be fewer QSOs in the log this year. We had to shut down and disconnect antennas three times during the event. The thunderstorms were pretty intense with some pretty close lightning strikes. Marb K2VHW was keeping an eye on that via https://map.blitzortung.org/ In all we may have lost a good two or three hours of operating time.

But the time we were able to spend on the bands was time well spent. There was a ton of activity and we were making contacts right up until around 1:00 PM on Sunday when it seemed that activity was significantly slowing down and we decided to pack it in.

From the top of my foggy head, I believe we made 230 CW contacts, 97 FT8 contacts and about 75 or so SSB contacts - all at 5 Watts, all done on battery powered transceivers. The two MFJ end feds once again did an outstanding job for us. Great results with a minimum of hassle in time and effort to spend setting them up and stowing them away. And Ol'' Sol behaved this weekend! No solar flares or Coronal Mass Ejections to ruin the weekend with HF blackouts.

The core group of SPARC members did an outstanding job of pulling Field Day 2024 off. I'm proud and honored to be a member of that core group. And publicly, I would like to state that it was another honor and pleasure to be partnered up with Marv K2VHW as the primary CW ops. Marv is by far the best CW op that I know. I'm nowhere close to being in his league and I appreciate being teamed up with him.

Before I close - a disclaimer. Please excuse any typos or other goofs I may have made in this post. My brain is still in a fog from the spending the majority of the weekend without sleep. I don't think I've messed up too badly.

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

Proclaimed

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!





Amateur Radio Week was indeed proclaimed at the Boro Council Meeting last night.  Neil WA2EGE, Marv K2VHW and W2LJ are standing next to our Mayor, the Honorable Matthew Anesh.

So why does W2LJ have that "deer in the headlights" look? The group was asked to say a few words, and neither Neil or Marv spoke up, so it fell upon yours truly. I am NOT the greatest public speaker, especially off the cuff. But I did manage to stammer out a few words about Field Day, SPARC's 10th Anniversary and extended an invitation to all to come by to get on the air via our GOTA station.

I don't think I embarrassed myself too badly.

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

A hot time in the old town tonight!

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

 Wow!

Summer starts on Thursday, but you would think by the forecast temps that it starts today! 

90s all week, but my attention is on Saturday and Sunday, of course. Looks like set up and tear down for Field Day will be OK. But the boomers for Saturday can start as soon as 2:00 PM. And of course, 2:00 PM is the start of the whole shebang! A little rain is no big deal, as we'll be more than amply covered. Lightning? We all know about antennas, radio and lightning - not a perfect match.

It's only Monday and things could change by the weekend - let's hope they change for the better and not the worse! (I'm such a worry wart!)

72 de Larry w2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Amateur Radio Week

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

For the past 10 years, since the birth of SPARC, South Plainfield has declared the week before Field Day weekend to be Amateur Radio Week in our town. This year is no exception, as we received this e-mail from our Director of Emergency Management, Captain Wendell Born:

Good Afternoon CERT / SPARC,

June 17th, -23rd, 2024 is Amateur Radio Week. If you are available to join us at Monday's Council Meeting June 17th, 2024 at 7pm. Mayor Anesh is signing a Proclamation to honor Amateur Radio Operators. (SPARC). Hopefully our members can make it. Thank you for all that you guys do. 

Wendell

I'll be sure to be there, all decked out in my SPARC shirt!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Field Day and the weekend

✇W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

I spent a little time (and money) on the Vistaprint site last night, designing an additional and special banner for SPARC's Field Day effort:


We will be marking the 10th Anniversary of our founding and 10 years of service to our community. There will be cake!  Oh yes, there will be cake!

I'm not a graphic designer, by any means, and I'm certain that a pro would've come up with something snappier and more eye-catching. But we'd also have to pay for that service, so SPARC will have to make do with my meager effort. With practicality in mind, I took special care not to mention "10th Anniversary" so that the banner can be re-displayed as needed in future years. Observers should be able to do the math in their heads, and if they can't, they can always whip out their cell phone calculators.

On to the weekend's doings:

Contests:



Kentucky QSO Party - http://www.kyqsoparty.org/rules/


ARRL Inter. Digital Contest (undoubtedly this will encroach down into the CW portion of the bands) - https://www.arrl.org/arrl-digital-contest


Special Events:

05/31/2024 | 45th Hank Williams Sr Festival
May 31-Jun 1, 1500Z-2359Z, W4H, Georgiana, AL. Jim Bell Wireless Association. 14250 SSB 7180 SSB 14074 FT8 7074 FT8. QSL. JBWA - W4H, 274 W Pettibone Rd, Georgiana, AL 36033. The festival celebrates the legendary Hank Williams Sr career with live entertainment and vendors. The special event station will be at Watson Park across from the festival grounds. Send a SASE for QSL. For additional information: hank@k4tns.com https://www.k4tns.com/hank

06/01/2024 | Audie Murphy 
Jun 1, 1400Z-2000Z, W2A, Christiansburg, VA. New River Valley Amateur Radio Club. 14.240. QSL. Danny Wylam, 710 McDaniel Dr., Christiansburg, VA 24073-3848. Commemorating Audie Murphy, America's most decorated soldier from WW2 dannywylam@gmail.com

06/01/2024 | Fox River Radio League 100th Anniversary
Jun 1-Jun 15, 0000Z-2359Z, W9CEQ, Batavia, IL. Fox River Radio League. 14.260 14.035 7.260 7.035. Certificate & QSL. FRRL - K9MMS, PO Box 673, Batavia, IL 60510. www.frrl.org

06/01/2024 | GB80 D-Day - WWII D-Day 80th Anniversary
Jun 1-Jun 28, 0000Z-2359Z, GB80DDAY, Berkshire, ENGLAND. Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society. All bands; all modes. QSL. See website for, QSL, information, ENGLAND. Operating from the Control Tower each Saturday, and Thursday June 6; remote other times. Other activities will occur throughout the event at the Control Tower. www.nadars.org.uk

06/01/2024 | Museum Ships Weekend - Nuclear Ship Savannah
Jun 1-Jun 2, 1300Z-2100Z, K3SAV, 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/k3sav

06/01/2024 | Museum Ships Weekend Event
Jun 1-Jun 2, 0001Z-2359Z, NI6IW, San Diego, CA. USS Midway Museum Ship. 7.250 14.320 14.070 PSK31 DSTAR. QSL. USS Midway Museum Ship COMEDTRA, 910 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. www.qrz.com/db/ni6iw

06/01/2024 | Museum Ships Weekend Event - Special emphasis because this is New Jersey!
Jun 1-Jun 2, 0001Z-2359Z, NJ2BB, Camden, NJ. Battle Ship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station. 7272 14262 7044 14044. QSL. Margaret Burgess, 150 Schooner Avenue, Barnegat, NJ 08005. nj2bb.org

06/01/2024 | Museum Ships Weekend Event - USS Tennessee
Jun 1-Jun 2, 0000Z-0359Z, W4BSF, Oneida, TN. Big South Fork Amateur Radio Club and the USS Tennessee Battleship Museum. 40 20 15 and 10 meters. QSL. W4BSF USS TN BB43, P.O. Box 5029, Oneida, TN 37841. Please check spotting networks. QSL with SASE by July 15, 2024. bsfarc.org/museum-ship-weekend-2024

06/01/2024 | National Museum of the Great Lakes Museum Ships Weekend Event
Jun 1-Jun 2, 1400Z-1830Z, K8E, Toledo, OH. Toledo Mobile Radio Association W8HHF. 14.260 14.239 7.260 7.039. QSL. Col. James M. Schoonmaker, P.O. Box 9673, Toledo, OH 43697. www.qrz.com/db/K8E or www.w8hhf.org 

06/01/2024 | NB9QV USS Cobia Special Event
Jun 1-Jun 2, 1400Z-2000Z, NB9QV, Manitowoc, WI. NB9QV Cobia Club. 7.240 14.240. Certificate. See website, for information on receiving, certificate. An Electronic Certificate will be available. Please send your call sign, name, band, date and UTC time of contact to kc9yl@arrl.net to receive your PDF certificate via email. https://www.qrz.com/db/NB9QV

06/01/2024 | Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival
Jun 1, 0900Z-1000Z, W0R / WA0SDO, Sedalia, MO. Sedalia Pettis Amateur Radio Klub. 14.250 7.180. Certificate. Bret Kuhns, 1880 Quisenberry Rd, Sedalia, Sedalia, MO 65301-0445. We Will be operating on site at the Scott Joplin Ragtime Music Festival. www.wa0sdo.org

06/01/2024 | W2D D-Day Commemoration
Jun 1-Jun 14, 1300Z-2200Z, W2D, Hunt Valley, MD. Amateur Radio Club of the National Electronics Museum (ARCNEM). 14.244 14.044 7.244 7.044. Certificate & QSL. K3NY, 108 Brent, Arnold, MD 21012. Amateur Radio Club of the National Electronics Museum (ARCNEM) will operate W2D in commemoration of the anniversary of D-Day and the role of electronics in WWII. Primary operation will be June 1-June 6 with additional operation possible during June 7-14 as operator availability permits. Operation on 80M (3.544, 3.844), additional bands and digital modes possible during event. Frequencies +/- according to QRM. QSL and Certificate available via SASE; details at ww-2.us ww-2.us

A little bit more on the USS New Jersey. The battleship New Jersey is the most decorated battleship in the United States Navy. She served with distinction in more conflicts than any other in her class. Originally, the plan was that the USS New Jersey would be the ship on which the treaty for ending WWII would be signed. When President Franklin Roosevelt died, the war ended under the watch of President Harry Truman. President Truman was a native Missourian - so ................. the USS Missouri was chosen, instead.

Finally, next Thursday, June 6th, marks the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. Something to keep in mind on that day - please remember the brave men and women from around the world who fought to save the world from tyranny on that day and throughout the duration of WWII.

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

❌