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I queried an Alaskan ham about the best approach to get a QSO with the Last Frontier:

I’m usually on the OMISS Net daily at 1830 UTC Monday through Saturday. You might be interested in the OMISS gang. It’s a worked all states net. Freq is 14.290 Mhz for the 20 meter net. Check out their web site at OMISS.net. Membership is $7.00 for a lifetime and the QSL bureau is free and QUICK!! I sometimes get on the 17 and 40 meter nets also so look for me there.

73s

Hal KL0WX

http://www.omiss.net/

“No counterpoise” antenna on the beach today

I took my 7.8m homebrew version of the “no counterpoise” antenna /p down to the beach at the King Alfred in Hove this afternoon.

Set up was easy – cable tied top to my fishing pole, twisted the pole 4 or 5 times to keep the wire close to the pole and cable tied it in 3 other places. Banged my support stake into the sand/gravel, sat the pole over it, connected up the balun and tuner at the base and I was on air in under 5 minutes (bit of a breeze compared with setting up the Moxons like I usually use).

Anyway, quick flick through all the bands from 20 thru 6 proved it was easy to tune on them all with the Elecraft T1. First QSO was into Germany on 17m – sigs genuine 58 to 59. Second QSO into Germany on 20, and 3rd QSO into southern Switzerland on 20. These were also genuine 59 QSOs. Mode used – SSB, power used 2.5W. Also listened into some French CBers on 11m (strong 59 sigs on AM).

Band condx were pretty crap though with lots of QRM from very strong French BC station affecting 17m, and lots of QRN – I think there were lightning storms going on somewhere very distant.

Anyway, I’m extremely pleased with the way it worked and with how quick and easy it was to set up, and the no hassle band changing. Definitely a winner with me, and now a permanent part of my /p outfit.

72s for now
Pete M3KXZ G-QRP 11767
Brighton UK

German Online Callsign Lookup Available

Mitch Wolfson (DJ0QN) on June 16, 2006

Several years after the last printed German callbook, The German Bundesnetzagentur has finally released an online call lookup at:

http://ans.bundesnetzagentur.de/Amateurfunk/ (click on Rufzeichen)

During the time this data was unavailable, German hams were allowed to request to have their entries removed from the pubic domain if they had data protection issues.

The part that says “Standorte von automatisch arbeitenden Amateurfunkstellen” will soon include repeaters, links and other stations operating in automatic mode.

73,
Mitch DJØQN/K7DX

QRP Remote

An article by: Scott (VA3SLJ)

I’ve been interested in amateur radio since I was in grade school. I was about 12 when I passed the Novice code test in 1968 or 69, at World Radio Labs in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Flunked the Novice test, though, and gave it up. In 1975 I passed a 3rd class radiotelephone licence exam so I could be a college DJ. Those questions looked really familiar. I’ve always had a shortwave set though, and have always dreamed of being a Ham.

Fast forward 28 years. Three kids, 1 grandkid, and a whole lot of life behind me.

Now a Canadian resident/citizen, I became VA3SLJ in 2003, code test and HF privileges and all. I’ve always been easily amused, and will never cease to be amazed that with less power than a nightlight, one can communicate around the world (or more likely, a thousand miles or more).

At home I have a Kenwood 830s, but I love the idea of working with a battery, portable radio and portable antenna.

So I’m ready to try remote/portable: October 2005, on vacation in Kansas, at the in-laws. I brought along an MFJ 9020, SWR meter, about 100′ of coax, portable 12v battery pack (the kind used for jump-starting cars), a hamstick, mirror mount, 2′ aluminium rod, and four radials cut for 20 meters. All I had to do was push the rod into the ground, fasten the mirror mount to it, connect the hamstick and the radials to the mirror mount (I had a predrilled a hole for this and connected all four radials to a common bolt), and run the coax. I did not need a tuner, because the hamstick can be tuned to 1:1 VSR across the bandspread of the 9020.

It all worked! I am a slow-coder, but was able to have a good QSO with a fellow in Long Island, New York, from rural Washington County, Kansas. Five watts—wow!

This did not count in my book as a QRP remote, however, because I was indoors, and just a little too comfy. Also, I didn’t really have time the rest of the week to make contacts. It didn’t help having nephews around (“Whazzat?? Whad’they say? Can you pick up police with that?) I’m happy to try to answer questions, but remember: “slow coder.” I need my concentration time. Other family duties croweded out radio time. From a non-ham point of view, being hunched over a radio listening to “static and beeps” does seem a little anti-social.

So I wait for the next chance. At home, I do little QRP, and just try to make contacts on my Kenwood. In 2003 my first QSO’s were all CW, because I didn’t have a mike. The solid contacts of the Kenwood, with filters, make for good code practise.

Next chance—back in Council Bluffs, at my father’s place. It is a balmy day in late February, and I’m on his back deck. I’m using the same radio, but brought the “No Counterpoise” antenna made of heavy twinlead. It requires a tuner, so I packed one and for power used a filtered wall wart. Because I was there to visit my father and not for a DXpedition, I didn’t have lots of time, but did make a great QRP contact in North Carolina! The thrill is still there. That antenna, by the way, is fantastic. It’s sold on Ebay most of the time.

This was still not a remote in my thinking. It was still indoors, and I was using AC! I’m really beginning to enjoy the idea of doing a remote QRP operation, but am having a tough time pulling it off. I’m beginning to notice a pattern: the best 20 meter openings occur at really bad times when you are supposed to be visiting people when on holidays. I need a time and place where I can have privacy to operate guilt-free.

June 1st, 2006, Stratford, Ontario. While my wife and daughter attend the play “Oliver,” I set up to operate in the park near the theatre. Stratford, Ontario, is famous for its Shakespeare festival, and is a beautiful city about 150 KM from Toronto. The park is full of old trees, with low branches just asking for an antenna deployment. I had a great view of the Thames, and the sky was almost cloudless.

So, after unloading my trusty 9020 and a Heathkit HW-8, I look for a good place for my hamstick antenna. I mentioned before that the Hamstick antenna does not need a tuner; true, but it does require coax to the radio—coax I left coiled up at the shack. So out comes my “no counterpoise” antenna, and I set it up at about 10′ off the ground. QSO with N2WN in Florida! Now I’m happy, and have more time to make contacts. But now I am beset by the worst QRM ever, and I’m not talking about the guy on SSB on the QRP calling frequency counting out numbers (if you were doing this at 00:15 Z on 2 June 2006, you should know better). No, the QRM I’m talking about is when the “M” stands for mosquito! Besides my coax, forgetting the bug spray was my worst mistake. I was only a hundred meters or so from the river, but thought that since it was running water I’d be safe. I had to beat a hasty retreat. Too bad, because I had the time, a good band, and coffee!

But I was “remote” with portable power, lawn chair, coffee, and my 7 month old Labradoodle keeping the van safe. I just can’t handle all that QRM: -.-. slaa slaa slap slaa just doesn’t do it.

Scott Jacobsen

VA3SLJ

The Devil Drove Up To Dayton

The devil drove up to Dayton, he was lookin’ for a hamfest deal.

He was in a bind, cause he was way behind, so he was ready to make a deal.

When he came across this young man sittin’ in the Salem Mall parking lot.

And the devil jumped up on a Skywarn van, he said, “Boy let me tell ya what!”

“I bet you didn’t know it, but I’m a ham operator too.”

“So if you care to take a dare, I’ll make a bet with you.”

“Now you send pretty good code ol’ boy, but give devil his due.”

“I’ll bet a straight key of gold against your soul, cause I think I’m better than you.”

The boy said, “My name’s Mikey, and it might be a sin, but I’ll take your bet, and you’re gonna regret, cause code’s all I ever send!”

Refrain:

Mikey plug in your key and send them dits and dahs. Cause hell’s broke loose in Dayton, and the devil deals the cards. Now if you win you’ll get that shiny straight key made of gold. But if you lose, the devil gets your soul.

The devil plugged in his key, and he said, “I’ll start this gig.” And sparks flew from his linear amp as he was tunin’ up his rig. And he started sendin’ dits and dahs, and they made an evil hiss. And then a band of demons joined in, and it sounded somethin’ like this.

(Insert CW QRM Noise)

When the devil finished, Mikey said, “Well you’re pretty ole’ son, but sit down on that linear amp, and let me show ya how it’s done.”

(In CW he sent)

Hey now devil, I got some skill. Devil’s lookin’ for a hamfest deal. Listen now devil, don’t ya whine! That gold straight, she’s a gonna be mine!

Well the devil bowed his head, because he knew that he’d been beat. And he laid that golden straight key on the ground at Michael’s feet. Michael said, “Devil just come on back if ya ever wanna try me again.” “I done told you once you son of a b-tch, I’m the best that’s ever been!”

73, and all apologies to Charlie Daniels,
KU4UV

Lightship New Bedford rolls over at its berth

This story is based on an article in the New Bedford Standard-Times of June 2, 2006.

Apersistent leak has caused the Lightship New Bedford to roll over on its side at its berth at the Commonwealth Electric Pier in New Bedford. The ship, owned by the city of New Bedford, could remain on its side for at least a week, according to John Simpson, executive director of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission. The city is seeking estimates to lift the vessel out of the water for examination and repair, he added.

“We need to determine the cause (of the leak) and prevent it from happening,” Simpson told reporters.

According to the Coast Guard, the overturned lightship does not create any navigational or environmental hazards. “From what we know, there is no fuel onboard,” said Petty Officer Tiffany Carvalho of Marine Safety Detachment New Bedford.

The deactivated lightship has been leaking for several week, Simpson said, and had been pumped periodically. The city had intended to seek financial assistance from the Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council for repairs. “It’s now a situation we have to deal with,” he said.

The 133-foot (40.5 m) lightship was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. One of only 13 surviving U.S. lightships, it has been in poor condition for years and is listed on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Lighthouse preservationists were quick to express their concern. “Let’s hope efforts to right the vessel and stop the leak that caused this disaster are successful. With so few lightships left in the country, we can ill-afford to lose this treasure,” said Bob Trapani of the American Lighthouse Foundation.

12 Reasons Why CW is my ” FAV ” mode.

1. Simplicity – If anyone would really take a good look at what Morse Code consists of, they would see that it is truely a very simple system. Basically CW is a “Digital” mode. Being on and off keying. The duration of each tone and combination of long and short tones tells us what letter, number or punctuation is being sent. Could it be possibile that we try to oversimplify it to the extent that it becomes difficult and an unreachable target or goal?

2. Fun – To me this simple language is like a secret code known only to those select few who dare to take time and effort to learn it as a communication tool. It is fun to communicate with others who have become a member of this sort of “Secret Society” Although it is not that secret, there seems to be a calling for other Hams to partake in it.

3. Relaxing – There are times after a long and stressful day, that just sitting down and trying to relax just doesn’t work out. I have found that working CW takes my mind off of things as I try to decipher what my fellow ham is trying to tell me. There is some concentration needed to copy code and there is relaxation in the transposition of these Dots and Dashes.

4. Exciting – The ability to communicate in using a language that only the whole world of CW operators know and use, is exciting. I heard an operator working a contest that was collecting SSB contacts and then for some reason I thought he was talking to himself and as I retuned a little to his signal, I heard the tones from a CW signal. Even though it wasn’t a true 2 way conversation, I was still impressed that he was able to talk to a CW operator as well as a SSB operator.

5. Frustrating – Yes… it is true… CW can be frustrating… There are times when I would like to contact that much needed station, only to not get the return QSO. Then there are times when I get a station that is sending a little faster than I and when I try to match his speed he speeds up even faster, as if I was not allowed to send as fast as he could send and he had to be the faster station. CW is a means of communications NOT a race to see who can send the fastest. More often than not, the operators who try to send faster, make so many mistakes, it would have been better if they just slowed down to start with.

6. Unique – CW is a very unique way to communicate as in, not every Ham throughout the world uses Morse Code but the ones who do are very respectful.

7. Respectful – of each other and the code that we use has become sort of “code”. That is good radio practices, not to step on the other guy as he speaks, and to always treat each other as ladies and gentlemen whichever the case may be.

8. Never reports of enforcements from the FCC. – If you were to look into the FCC enforcements listing on the ARRL web site, you will see actions towards people causing interferance on repeaters, some about RFI, and others about advertising on the Ham air waves, which I believe are against FCC rules. But you will find very few if any actions about Code. As stated above that is where the respect comes into play.

9. CW cuts through propagation – I have read and heard where CW played a large part in saving the lives of people in danger during Katrina.

10. First line of communications – I believe that code was the first form of communications that brought on the rescues early on during this tragedy.

11. Historical – CW was the first means for the Railroad and the Western Union to talk with each other within their infrastructure. It became the grandfather of Ham radio, and the only way to communicate at the beginning of amateur radio.

12. Defeated!!! (Fearfully) – This in not a reason that I enjoy CW but in my opinion, the entry level has become downgraded to where geting a license has become very easy. As more and more operators acquire a license they really don’t want to or value CW. Yes it is old, and yes there are newermore up to date means of digital communications but they require a computer and the internet to run them. If this infrastructure is damaged or challenged in any way communication becomes difficult. It is my hope that the ARRL and FCC will see the value in CW and keep it in the licensing structure.