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Subjects related to amateur radio
📡 Moderated by: Queen_City_Nerd
WInLink- radio email. So there's this thing called Winlink2000 and it's a packet system that lets you send email over the radio to RMS gating points aorund the world. They are on HF as well as VHF and it seems pretty neat. we've got a local VHF gate that I can't seem to crack but I'm learning I can hear quite a few HF gates and am hoping to go that direction. Might have to get a gateway set up at my Dad's QTH. On a hilltop he can cover 30+ miles and be a great option for folks who want to use...
💬 1 like · Aug 29 · 3 days ago
Straight Key Sprint - SKS - will take place August 28, 2024 from 0000 - 0200 UTC. Mark your calendar... Wednesday 0000 UTC - 0200 UTC (Tuesday evening for most of us)! Our August SKS Bonus Station will be Gary, K7EK [https link]
💬 1 comment · Aug 27 · 4 days ago
QRZ.com.. So if you keep a log at QRZ or know someone who does... please please please verify contacts... I'm like 2 away from getting my first 100 counties award. I'm well past half the worked all states but I've got 4 states with dozens of contacts unverivied in them. LoTW is good I'm tied into that too but man it could not be easier to do this and it's holding people up when you don't. www.qrz.com
💬 View post · Aug 25 · 6 days ago
Some Events in Ham Radio this weekend: ARRL EME Contest... Yes you can use the moon as a reflector dish. This is the one area of ham radio I've never gone. I think now days people use digital modes, back when I was starting out you'd send CW at the moon for minute and listen for a minute, but you still need a pretty impressive VHF/6m set up to track the moon with. Anyone who can see it at the same time as you is a potential contact. I did once work with HAARP up in Alaska as listning station...
💬 View post · Aug 23 · 8 days ago
East Coast NAQCC QRP net tonight, 19:30EDT(2330z) 7.030 and will move up as needed for a clear frequency. CQ ECN.. 73 de N2QFD AR SK..
💬 1 comment · Aug 22 · 9 days ago
Antennas: Been playing with an old Hy-Gain Vertical I had in teh garage this weekend. There's something to a true multiband that forcing an other wise 1 band antenna with a tuner can't give. Still, I think wire antennas are where it's at if you have the space. The old vertical tunes across more bandwith with less loss but is overall less efficient than the monobander when I need it on it's design band. Sure it tunes on 40m but I'm recieving at 5/5/9 maybe 5/7/9 but when I switch to the 40m...
💬 View post · Aug 20 · 11 days ago
WOW 10m openeing yesterday. Hopefully we'll get some more of that this week and though the year. It was like a taste of the 90's having 28Mhz grant coast to coast range. Reverse beacon network had my puny QRP signals making Utah and Puerto Rico even. At 0100z 19AUG24 we could hear truckers on CB (27mhz) tralking coast to coast.
💬 1 like · Aug 19 · 12 days ago
POTA- Parks On the Air — Have you heard someone calling CQ POTA, or maybe a pile up trying to reach an operator and they're just giving an RST (signal report) and a SPC (State Code)? It might be a Parks on the Air station. They are portable operations set up in a park as defined by the program and it's a type of radio sport again where you're trying to collect contacts. You can be an Activator, (in the park) or a Hunter, (not in a park) to collect points and make lists and all the usual stuff....
💬 View post · Aug 15 · 2 weeks ago
Radio Clubs... — I realized that I probably post a lot of club stuff and haven't explained this. So Ham Radio... There's different modes like Side Band, AM, FM (talking on the radio) there's digial, using your computer to send sounds that will be decoded by another computer, there's CW continious wave or Morse Code. Code is sometimes called "the original mode" and the people at FISTS used to say, "talk is cheap, real hams beep!" It's not for everyone... There's different bands, this is how...
💬 1 like · Aug 15 · 2 weeks ago
NAQCC Sprint 14AUG24 0033-0233z (20:30-22:30 EDT Tuesday 13 August)
💬 2 comments · Aug 13 · 3 weeks ago
Ham Radio... I was tuned into 40m this morning and I also had the SKCC Sked page up which is a real time chat room for SKCC members to use on line. There's a fellow NY'er AD2DX and Nate's hangin on 20m but bouncing around looking for QSO's shen he chanced on an Australian ham on 14Mhz as well (also a SKCC person so on the Sked page) 10 watts and timing and they made it happen. There's plenty of times your on the air and you say "asshats.." when you hear them operating like Lids, but there's...
💬 View post · Aug 13 · 3 weeks ago
What a difference a day makes: Yesterday I was doing really well It was Weekend Sprint from SKCC and I caught some pota and a Maryland QSO party. RST ranged from 339-599 with my 5w set up. Today/this evening I can't get a how do you do! Didn't get any more WES hits or the SST slow speed test that' happens Friday and Sunday evenings in EDT. K index bounced up so that's a good sign that lQRP will be hard to do! Good sign for Aurora though if you're in Northern Tier states. [https link]
💬 View post · Aug 12 · 3 weeks ago
Strange one here : how do you read a UTC post for an event? The Flying Pigs had a "walk the Pigs Sprint" It was adtertised as August 7, 0-1UTC and August 8, 1-2UTC. I read that as Aug, 6 20-21 local and same with next day. Apparently I'm wrong and they use local date with unicersal time at Flying Pigs which seems like mixing Feet and Meters too me. I know the Flying Pigs like a bit of whimsy in their lot but I don't know any other event organizer that manages time/date like this. It saves...
💬 View post · Aug 08 · 3 weeks ago
Small Sprints — I've been thinking abour the small club based sprints lately. While it wasn't so much a thing when I was younger in the hobby I think it's really grown on me. Working, not being able to afford the radio set up of our parents, we're time and cash strapped and having these QRP or otherwise CW events that can bracket for QRP and lighter equipment footprints really keeps us going. I can squeeze in an hour to play radio, and lots of soapbox comments reflect the same, "had to leave...
💬 View post · Aug 06 · 4 weeks ago
ARS Spartan Sprint — The Adventure Radio Society Spartan Sprint is a two hour casual QRP contest. It is open to all QRP CW operators – there is not any membership requirement. Operating portable and/or using lightweight minimalist (spartan) equipment is encouraged, but is not required. THE CONTEST PERIOD FOR EACH TIME ZONE IS: EASTERN 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Local. CENTRAL 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Local MOUNTAIN 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Local PACIFIC 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Local Details: [https...
💬 View post · Aug 05 · 4 weeks ago
Up early today, Decided to spin the dial and turned out 40m is still where it's at from 0300 to 0400 EDT but mostly southern and western states. Copied and replied to W7QQQ in Benson Arizona, he replied SRI TOO WEAK 73... bummer too I never hear AZ! My antenna is pointing east so the radiation pattern is north south for me and of course we're still in the wake of the solar weather. Always next time.
💬 View post · Aug 03 · 4 weeks ago
Solar Weather Blues... It's been a hard week for QRP with the "solar tsunami" hitting us, had my 1st ever 119 RST rprt back... Probably a good moment to remember to check the Reverse Beacon Network as see how the bands are working, and also to shift operations where you can to after dark, though I find I have more luck in the morning 0600-0800 local. Other news, tried my hamstick in the back of the pickup and it worked but saw a Japanese ham out a wire on the top rather than the solid element...
💬 2 comments · Aug 02 · 4 weeks ago
Some Ham Radio events this week for CW QRP: Flying Pigs Walk the Pig 40 Wednesday/Thursday . QRP-Labs has the QCX challenge going on, too. Finally the Slow Speed Tests are Friday's and Sunday's . [https link] [http link] [http link]
💬 View post · Jul 29 · 5 weeks ago
Two secondhand QCX-Minis arrived in the mail today, 20-meter and 40-meter models. 😁 It's rad that you can use them as Morse trainers in addition to their main functions. I'm including 3/4-amp fuses in their power supply cable, which should be high enough according to the manual... I bought some 1-amp fuses just in case though.
💬 1 comment · Jul 26 · 5 weeks ago
Came in 7/11 in the QRP stations for the SKS this month! I don't do it for the rankings though so all good there. Just nice to see 11 other brave amateurs out there running below 5 watts! This Sunday is FOBB event. The Adventure Radio Society Flight of the Bumblebees is a four-hour event held annually on the last Sunday of July. It is open to all QRP CW operators – there is not any membership requirement. The Bumblebees are the stations that are out in the field who are sought after. They...
💬 View post · Jul 24 · 5 weeks ago
Thought I'd post on a station topic: Smol Ham Radio. I'm selling my all mode/band QRO rig. It's an Alinco DX-SR8T over on ebay. Why? Well for the last 10 years I've been QRP (low power) & CW (morse code) & I'm finding that I just like having that on my desk better. I like having only a small wall wart or battery vs a bench power supply, I like that my LDG auto tuner is a littel larger than my "rig." I usually get good signal reports year round with this & my simple wire antenna. My PC gives me...
💬 View post · Jul 23 · 6 weeks ago
SKCC SKS Tonight 24JULY24 UTC: The Straight Key Sprints are 2 hours to make as many SKCC member contacts as you can. It's 0000z-0200z (20:00-22:00 Tuesday EDT) Exchange is RST/SPC/number and if you're not a member feel free to send NONE in place of a SKCC number. Straight Key by club definition are the straight key, the 'cootie' or double speed 'sideswiper' and the 'bug' type semi-auto, no electronics allowed. More information at: [https link]
💬 View post · Jul 23 · 6 weeks ago
Got a neat add-on for my Vibroplex that lets me send at PaRtY-PaCe. A little extention to the pendlum made and sold by AI4UH over on ebay. CW events a plenty this weekend. K1USN SST Slow Speed conTest 1600-1700EDT this afternoon, RandomGram event, Bug Day, and the Straight Key Sprint is next Tuesday evening. [https link]
💬 4 comments · 1 like · Jul 19 · 6 weeks ago
NAQCC mw Sprint last night was pretty rough. QRN/QRM was BrUtAl! (plus I was tired...) Funny thought of the event for me was that if straight key gets x2 and Bug gets x1.5 in points but I send slow on my bug am I hurting myself? I send with the bug at a speed you could do with a straight key, so I loose points in the talley, and I send slowly enough that I don't make them up per volume! Ah well, it's about getting on the air with your club and swapping some numbers not the ranking! Best 73 hope...
💬 View post · Jul 18 · 6 weeks ago
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