03.10.2019

OK, well it has been almost a year since I last posted on the blog.  There are many reasons.  One is that I moved to Plainfield, IN in May.  That took a lot of time of course to not only physically move but also just settle in.  It has been very nice though and I am enjoying it here very much.  The bands have also been terrible lately.  Oh, a QSO can be made and I have been making them with my Elecraft K2, but much harder for 1.5 watts.  Well, my good friend Brian KB9BVN just purchased a new radio available at 4 states QRP Club called a hilltopper 20.  It is designed off the SW+ series radios and that should put me over the edge to buy one myself.  However, a couple years ago I bought a MFJ Cub for 20 meters and have never really taken advantage of it as much as I thought I would.  So, I wanted to work with that and see if I could make a QSO before Brian.  My QSO came today by taking advantage of the ID QSO party.  I got two.  K7PI a club station and KA7T.  My regular antenna right now is a off center fed dipole for 80 meters.  I just don’t think it is efficient enough for 1.5 watts output, so I set up my hamstick on a mount with radials I made.  No tuner needed and a takeoff angle that will get me a better distance.  I heard AK and sure tried but to no avail.  As a side note there seems to be interest in the ground mount I make for hamsticks.  I made these several years ago and have been able to use them backpacking and just about anywhere you can shove a rod into the ground and spread out some radials.  It seems to work very well and my friend Mike NR9R received one.  He has also had great luck with it and uses it at lunch time in parks.  I think I will look into getting a freq-mite for the cub and see if I can track my frequency when I am on the air with it.

So…. The MFJ Cub works!  Another reason I am really interested in using the “Cub” is because there is another “Cub” on the way.  It is the new 2019 Honda Super Cub!  This is a new design of the classic Honda Cub introduced in America in the 1950’s with a 125cc engine. 

This little motorcycle wasn’t easy to reserve.  It is a limited release right now so I reserved mine in October and expected it at the end of January.  Like most new things I guess it is delayed.  So here we are getting toward the middle of March and I’m still waiting.  But hopefully before real riding weather gets here I will have the “Cub” in the garage and a "Cub" in the bag ready for QRP adventures together!  I will blog more than once a year.  So Please look for another update from time to time.

72, Ivin