Friday, January 14, 2011

Fun afternoon

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to get in another shot with K6JSS/KH6 and decided to take it.  Max KH6ZM was calling CQ without any takers; so I threw my call out and heard him come back to me.  Max was only 339 into New Jersey this time;  but we got the job done.

It was interesting to watch some of the reports from other QRPers via QRPSPOTS.com  I was able to see that Max also worked stations in CT, KS, and NH.  If you are not familiar with this Website, then it's high time you did yourself a favor and checked it out.  Put together by Terry WA0ITP (with whom I've had the great fortune to QSO with many times) and the 4 States QRP Group, it's a DX Summit kind of thing; but devoted to QRPers.  In addition to spotting other QRPers that you've worked; or juicy DX stations that you've worked via QRP, you can spot yourself!  This might go against the "purist" QRP blood flowing in your veins but I can envision a good use.  Say, for instance, that you're packing your "Go Bag" and you're headed out for a mini-QRP expedition to a local park or trail by you.  For the time and effort you're putting in - want to stack the deck in your favor?  Spot yourself!  That's right - announce the time and frequency that you will be working and just maybe you'll find some QRPers just waiting for you once you're on the air.

After the Hawaii QSO on 15 Meters, I headed on down to 20 Meters and put out a CQ on 14.060.  I was answered and greeted by Tony AD4TT from Daytona Beach, FL, where it was a balmy 62 degrees.  That might not be so warm by Florida standards; but it's a might better than the high of 30 degrees that we're having here today!  Tony was pumping 175 Watts into a Hamstick that he has mounted on a tripod on the top of his condo.  Not able to put up a "normal" full sized antenna, Tony makes due with what he has and for our QSO anyway, it rewarded him with a nice 589 signal into New Jersey.

Never underestimate the ingenuity of Hams.  If we can find a way to pump RF into the aether, even under the most daunting circumstances, we'll usually find a way!

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

5 comments:

  1. You are having way too much fun!
    Congratulations of a fine catch Larry. I need both Alaska and Hawaii for WAS but just can't do it from here. At least with what I'm using now. 72's

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  2. I think it's qrpsPots, Larry!

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  3. Thanks, Julian! Hee-hee, perhaps I am the QRP sot! :)

    73 de Larry W2LJ

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  4. I agree Larry about spotting yourself it's not a contest and heck there are also those looking around the band for QRP stations. If you are only pounding out less than a watt you could be over looked at first as static. The spotting allows others to know were you are and to have a good listen for you.

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  5. Anonymous5:47 PM

    QRPSPOTS is also on Twitter so it gets pushed to my Droid Incredible, I don't even have to go to the web to see who's on the air.

    Amir K9CHP

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