08/25/2017 

I was looking for a new county tonight calling CQ on 40 meters.  The answer to my call came from VA3YG.  Not a new county but a QSO is a QSO and beggars can’t be choosers in these band conditions.  What a pleasant QSO!  Brent lives on the shore of Lake Huron in South Ampton, ON.  Brent promotes the use of simple QRP radios.  I second that!  I enjoy my Elecraft K2 very much, but as I have mentioned I also have a great time with my single band radios.  Tonight Brent was running 300 watts with a new vertical antenna.  Maybe conditions are making many of us turn to QRO power.  

Southampton is a small town and Bruce says his family has lived there for over 80 years.  It has a post office and road signs It’s primary employment is agriculture.  It sounds a lot like where I live in Eminence, except we don’t have a huge lake or light house. 

08/20/2017

I got my QRP QSO today at 0100z just as the Zulu day started.  I have been using my Elecraft K2 radio most of the time.  The SW+ at 1.5 watts just seems like torture for those copying me.  I’m looking for conversation more than just the state or county.  I haven’t given up on it though.  I will keep working on WAS with that radio but at the bottom of the sun spot cycle just a little more seems like what is on everyone’s minds.  I read another QRPer’s blog last night and he bought a 100 watt amp for his QRP radio due to the dismal conditions.  I’m not that far gone…..  He wrote that this was his first sunspot low using QRP.  I am a seasoned veteran. I have been using QRP since 2005 and have been through a sunspot minimum before.  This is the time I am finding nice state side QSO’s and mostly stick to 40 meters.  It is best to enjoy what we can get.  I am back working on county hunting.  It’s great for what we have in band conditions.  If you have never county hunted before I highly recommend it.  Some states have tons of counties while others may have only a few.  Either way I have not yet worked any state’s entire counties.  Some are as rare as hen’s teeth!

The QSO came from Salem, NH.  Carmen K1LKP.  Carmen served on a submarine in our U.S. Navy.  He also serves the Lord (as in Christianity), keeps fantastic records, and is a proud ham!  Salem is in Rockingham Co.  That is not a new county for me unfortunately.  Carmen told me our only two QSO’s before this was in 2006.  He even had my age logged at that time.  Ha ha… I said at that time I must have been using my TS-520 radio.  He corrected me and said no, it was the IC-703.  WOW!  I don’t have that radio any more but I sure loved it.  It is Icom’s full featured QRP radio.  I got into contesting with that radio and took it hiking in the woods.  I also flew kites with magnet wire hooked to it.  I didn’t know static would build on the wire which burned up my finals not once, but twice.  The Icom service center told me to stop doing that.  Ha ha…  I sold it to help fund my Elecraft K2 when that opportunity came along.  Of course I still have the Elecraft and it serves as my main radio.  He sure brought back memories of when I got into CW.  At the end of the QSO Carmen wished me God’s blessings and to my loved ones.  I did the same.  If you have not been listening to CW QSO’s much it is very common to say “God Bless” at the end of a QSO.  I found that pleasant but strange at first, however, I have come to find many CW ops will say this and I do it as well.  

So to end this blog post I want to say God Bless to all of you and Dit Dit.

08/19/2017z 

I haven’t been on the air a lot lately but I’m catching up.  There has been little hiking or bicycling much this summer.  It’s funny that I can’t really tell you what I have been doing.  I guess working and doing other activities.  I play the cello and I set time aside each day to practice.  Days just go by I guess.  Within the hobby of ham radio I have been spending time with a new ham and friend Mike W9ODX.  Mike received a 1969 Vibrokeyer key from a nice fellow radio enthusiast.  It needed a little TLC so we put new finger pieces on it and replaced the underside hardware with correct screws.  It also got a new foot because one was cracked.  This key is a left handed paddle which no one would know except that Vibrokeyers are reminiscent of a Vibroplex bug which do function either right or left handed. I primarily use a Vibrokeyer paddle also so I am very familiar with this key.  Mike’s is jeweled and has a super smooth feel.  I’m sure he will get a lifetime of enjoyment out of his new to him key.

     This morning I set up in the back yard waiting for Mike to come and receive the key and had a nice QSO with it to K2OGT/Bob in Gouldsboro, PA.  Gouldsboro is located within the Pocono mountains It is a small town and named after Jay Gould who made his fortune with the railroad.  Jay Gould was not well liked but made wised investments in the Railroad and ended up in control of the Erie Railroad.  Gouldsboro has recently restored its train depot.  As for me I doubt I will ever be an investment tycoon.  I seem to invest in ham radio equipment and things that bring me personal enjoyment.  Maybe I should get a lottery ticket tonight.  The powerball is getting pretty big!

While I ended my fun QSO with Bob, Mike pulled into my driveway and I gave my 73 and goodby.  Mike and I had a nice visit and then went out for pizza and talked about CW traffic nets and DX.