Field Day 2015

I don’t recall exactly, when the last time was that I operated Field Day primarily from home. I haven’t had much setup at home lately, and have been involved with various club efforts for years and years. This year tho, I was “1 Dog from Alabama” – referring to the “1D” category of a home station using commercial power. I used this as an opportunity to exercise one radio with one antenna. I often have my tape measure tuned radial elements on display, but don’t get to use them much at home. I thought 40m was greatly improved. I use these on a Hustler 5BTV, with a Yaesu FT-897D. Conditions were good on 40m thru the night, worked nearly everybody that I called back to. I got good reports.
There had been some concern, that the recent solar storm might leave a mess, but I thought conditions were pretty good. I was pleased.
I worked only the 40, 20, 15, & 10 meter bands, SSB only.
I didn’t get in any hurry, didn’t even leave the house. Made about 50 contacts.

I appreciate N3FJP’s programs; n3fjp.com

I didn’t have a current version of http://n3fjp.com/fieldday.html, but a quick visit to the site, and an install – and it was registered and running. Shows me that ~40% of my contacts were on 7 MHz, but all together fairly well spread about the map. Hope everyone else had a good time as well.

52 contacts on a section map

Thanks for the QSOs…
/;^)

SWL log from 1968

Turned up an interesting relic (while looking for something else, of course). I was in the 8th grade in 1968, and had use of a Hallicrafters S-38 receiver. Staying up late, the ionospheric ‘skip’ would expand to include Europe and I kept a log of different broadcast stations as I found them.

A page of my Shortwave Listener’s Log from 1968

I kept other notes as well, and often I wrote to the stations asking for a QSL card. I have found several of these as well – but they can go in a future post. Note the wavelength calculation, top left – to find the element length for a 18 MHz dipole… I think that was the antenna I had hanging from the ridge line of the attic.

What Fun that was.
Thanks  /;^)

VHF Contest Award

Another surprise in the mailbox.
On the heels of the 2015 January VHF contest, arrives an award certificate for last year. Seems that with only 13 contacts and 5 grids, I was the band winner in the Alabama Section, Single Op, Low Power category for 222 MHz.

222 MHz Award

This is not the first time I have received an award, for a fairly minimal contribution. I also received this award in 2010, for the 2009 June VHF contest – again on 222 MHz. That time I had 3 contacts in that band, 2 grids. This time I only had one 222 contact, W4ZRZ… Thanks Jimmy..

These VHF contests may not seem like much to many, but I look at them as a mini Field Day. I set up my (mostly) portable antennas and listen a lot as I do other things. This year for the January event I have 17 contacts across 4 bands (3 on 222 this time). I appreciate these little contests, as I get to check in with a few folks I don’t hear much from thru the year. There is always someone new to the VHF contest world, or VHF SSB for that matter… Oh, BTW, these 222 contacts have all been with a HT on FM, but using a small 4 element beam.

50 MHz Squalo and 432 MHz Texas Eggbeater

If you haven’t done such a regional contest yet, try one. Sometimes 50 MHz will surprise you – those are exciting contests when the ‘magic band‘ comes to life.
In the Huntsville area, there are plenty of stations to work, even with just a vertical. Do what you can with what you’ve got.
Get some soon, try a VHF contest.!.
Thanks  /;^)

2014 June VHF QSO Party

This appears to be shaping up with fairly good conditions on 6 meters, but then I am still kinda new on 6. There have been plenty of times before that I didn’t hear much. For sure I am hearing a lot more now than can hear me, but I only have 100 watts, and a home brew Squalo. I have made about 40 contacts on 6 m so far. Maybe I can get a good pic of the antennas later.

Trying to be heard in Colorado.

I use the very helpful DXmap real-time updates from