Wednesday, April 19, 2017

04/18/2017z
Today was a super frustrating QRP day!  I am on vacation this week!  That is the great news.  So Monday nights I have orchestra rehearsal and got home about 9:30pm EDT.  That is 01:30z time.  I couldn't get a QSO.  I wasn't worried. I had all day.  The sun rises and I am looking for a QSO in the morning.  I hear stations, but nothing for me.  No one can hear me.  Noon comes and fewer stations as expected, but I have made QRP QSO's at lunch time on 40 many many times.  Again, nothing.  Then I had an appointment with the eye dr.  I got the news.... yep, bifocals but barely so i opted for not.  She said it's optional but the time is near.  *sigh*.  Then I got home and took a nap... Did I say I am on vacation?  OK.  Well then supper and back to the radio.  Nothing, Nothing, and then at 23:18 I logged K4NAX in Carmel, IN.  I need Indiana for WAS!  I'm at 33 states.
I know Carmel.  Carmel is just on the north side of Indianapolis.  Carmel has been known as a more expensive part of the Indianapolis area.  Many of the local affluent people live there including the owner of the Indianapolis Colts.  However, it has a lot of housing for upper middle income living as well and I am sure a wide range of incomes live there.  It has a nice smaller town feel and is super clean. It's nice with everything you need for shopping and activities.  There is a palladium concert hall which I have not yet ever attended but Yo Yo Ma played there.  I really would have liked to have seen him.  Anyway, Carmel is also so close to Indianapolis that you really don't know you left one and went into the other and what you don't find in Carmel you will in Indianapolis.  Museums, the zoo, Lucas oil stadium where the Colts play, Banker's life field house where the Pacers play, and on the west side of Indianapolis is the Indianapolis 500 race track.  

Back to ham radio, the frustrating part is that I tried a lot.  Hours!  To get a QSO and finally I got one.  Don did ask if I was going to be in the upcoming IN QSO Party.  Yes of course I am.  But Don said the noise level was so high that I was hardly there but he did hear I was running 1.5 watts.  Don was using a KX3 at 100 watts and a loop antenna.  Days like this is why not everyone loves QRP.  If I were not looking for the daily QSO I would not have pushed on which is the smart thing to do.  Some times it's good to know when to turn off the radio and find something else to do.

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