06/29/2017

Today I went to the Morgan Monroe State Forest.  It is the closest forest to where I live.  I unusually go there.  It is the place I go to try out equipment and enjoy the outdoors.  I took the  K2 with me.  I made two QSO’s while there.  One was to Sherbrooke, QC.  Pierre was using his KX3 at 5 watts.  I was running 2 watts.  My antenna was a dipole and Pierre was using a yagi antenna.  Sherbrooke has some wonderful history and culture.  Pierre does SOTA work with QRP.  What a wonderful QSO for me!!   We met on 20 meters.  

My 2nd QSO was to Harrington, CT to Henry K1PUG.  He was running 100 watts with his Ten Tec Omni D.  Another fun QSO at 2 watts. 

I knew the key was very heavy.  If I should find a light weight key.  The other thing I notices was that the battery drained quicker than the KX1 I used before.  I had shut off the bar graph and turned the performance to battery operation.  I operated at 2 watts but the battery still would not have lasted a weekend of casual use.  I’m not sure the K2 for that reason can be a backpacking radio for me but I will keep working with it.  

          

       On the way home I was suddenly stopped by a tree that fell across the road while I was on the trail.  It was a windy day but I am amazed to find myself having to look for an alternate route home.  A trip into the woods with a radio always feels like a success if you make at least one QSO as a reward for the effort.