News From A.R.S. KD8JHJ

After the crazy logistics of Field Day I finally got my amateur radio gear returned to my basement ham shack and back operational just in time for the SKCC Week End Sprint on July 10th.  With the heat and humidity of summer settling into the Ohio valley the cool climate controlled environs of my "man-cave" is the place to be.

July's sprint theme was QRP low power.  QRP operation is encouraged with extra bonus points but not required for participation.  I really did not feel like turning my rig power all the way down or using my QRP specific transceiver so I just left the power set at my usual 50 watts and had fun all the same.

Conditions on the air were a mixed bag with great regional propagation Saturday evening on 40 and 80 meters.  Sunday morning and midday received signals were very low and hard to copy.  I held out as long as I could and then went swimming with the family.  By the last few hours of the sprint as the sun moved closer to the western horizon signals got louder and activity increased as SKCC members flushed out those last contacts.   

SKCC July 2011 Week End Sprint Log KD8JHJ

7.120    W1LIC    Maine

7.117    K4CNW    South Carolina

7.110    NE0S    Missouri

7.057    K5KV    Louisiana

3.551    NW2K    New York

3.552    W1LIC    Maine*

7.055    AA9L    Wisconsin

7.111    W5ZR    Louisiana

7.118    AC2C    Maryland

7.108    KB4QQJ    North Carolina

3.549    N3WT    Maryland

3.548    AC2C    Maryland*

3.550    NG3V    Virginia

3.554    N8AMM    Michigan

14.046    AE5VB    Louisiana

14.049    W4CU    Florida

14.052    W5ZR    Louisiana*

14.048    K4CNW    South Carolina*

3.551    K9SKC    Michigan

7.114    NW2K    New York*

7.055    VE3FUJ    Ontario, Canada

7.050    WA1AR    Massachusetts

7.050    AK3X    Maryland

7.053    W4NA    Virginia

*Denotes multiple band contacts

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Digital Goings-on at KD8JHJ


e-qsl received from K4VO confirming our excellent Feld Hell ragchew on 20 meters



After nearly two months of CW (Morse code) only operation I have been feeling the urge to boot up the laptop and  generate some digital transmissions.  With three years of ham radio under my belt I am a dyed in the wool CW nut but sometimes I like to give the decoder between my ears a rest and let the computer do the work. 

Yesterday after work I powered up the station and was purusing the digital watering holes around 14.070 MHz when I came upon the unmistakable cricket chirp of  Hellschreiber at 14.074 MHz.  I quickly switched modes in the software and tuned in the station.  Mark, K4VO in Birmingham, Alabama and I exchanged 599 signal reports and then had a pleasant keyboard conversation for half an hour.  With only 550 miles between us reception was very clear and strong using the 20 meter band.  I have been looking forward to playing with Feld Hell now that we have at least a few sunspots increasing the solar flux value.  I would love to make some DX contacts with other Feld Hell stations in Europe where the mode originated.  I have one or two in the log already from the past couple years but now with solar cycle 24 heating up even if only lukewarm I believe I will try a little harder and start sending out some CQs.