07/14/09 10 Meters was "Timely"

Great conditions on ten meters made me spend quality QSO time on a band I don't often visit. But since the start of summer, some magical openings have happened on ten meters, and tonight was no exception.

Tonight's Contact Plot shows you can just about set your watch by Ham Radio. Virtually every station lies along a straight line, practically a dead match of Earths greyline.

Tonight's contacts run a beeline from New Hampshire, all the way to Oklahoma, all made between 8:30PM & 10:30PM EST. Every one had 10 over S-9 signals, and at the same time, New Hampshire & Oklahoma were sounding equally loud, with very little fading up until around 1:30 UTC.

Being inside that time frame, and along that straight arrow track, you can just about visualize the greyline of sunset marching across the globe from east to west. And with Google Earth, you can see how similar tonight's plot, and the actual greyline actually is.

It was fun. And I really was surprised to have "armchair" copy QSO's from stations running as low as 25 watts. I don't think anyone was working with more than 100 watts, and my little 100 Watt "peanut whistle" Yeasu 857-D was doing great.

My regards to everyone in the contact plot, to me, it truly was a awesome night of 10 Meter Ham Radio.

07/13/09 40 Meter QSO's

Despite the snap crackle pop of atmospherics due to the rainstorms across the region, I gathered quite a number of good contacts from the deep south into the central midwest. Checked into the North American Traffic & Awards Net on 7.195 and logged several stations including good signals in Texas, Indiana & Oklahoma.

Early this morning I made my first 40 meter contacts in AM mode. All in all, a very good day with Ham Radio. 73 KI4HEE

Contact Log for Sunday, July 12 2009

I'm going to try to post the results of my contacts on Ham Radio on a continual basis now that I have Google Earth able to plot the stations I work. It's a good way to depict the scope of coverage that is on Ham Radio.

Tonight's activity was all on 40 Meters, there was one DX contact: Martin OE3WMA in Austria was 57 copy into South Carolina & he received me 57 as well.

The Catch of the Day...

Right in the middle of my work in the backyard, something seemed to compel me to stop what I was doing, grab my fishpole, walk down to the pond, and cast out a line. On the second cast came this...

I've been catching a couple of "big'uns" each weekend since spring, but this ol'lady Bass is sure the leader of the pack.

She had made lunchmeat of the rubber lizard lure and danced twice out of the water trying to spit the hook out, it was a real thrill.

A couple of snapshots with the cellphone camera n' back in the water she went. I cast a couple of more times but figured I had caught my limit for the day n' went back to the yard-work.

The moment of fishing-zen was over...

It's confirmed...I'm a computer junkie...

Time for some truthful self-admittance...I'm experiencing some serious "jones" while my precious HP Touchsmart Notebook is in the Geek Squad shop getting a new keyboard.

Note to self...I'll never try to catch a notebook as it slides off it's precarious spot on a chair onto the floor, with a glass of iced tea in my hand ever again.

Some thoughts on all this...

I've scoffed at buying extended warranties... but in this case, it was the smartest thing I've done in a while in buying the Geek Squad "black tie" protection plan when I bought my notebook. It was money WELL spent.

How do I know I'm hooked? ...I'm posting this using a 10 yr old laptop that's slower than frozen snot, taking up the whole friggin' day to load a page...n' I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread...but I'm getting by...barely.

6 YEAR UPDATE: Jan. 2, 2015
Life hasn't changed, except the jones now is Apple Products, as in all things Apple. It's seamless, & fun!

I'll be signing autographs in the lobby after the matinee...

The Myrtle Beach Herald ran a good article covering this years field day...somehow, the "face that's made for radio" got in the article.

Local Hams to participate in National Ham Radio Emergency Test June 27-28

(Myrtle Beach, SC 24 June 2009) – Whenever there is a disaster, reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications in emergencies world-wide is common. On the weekend of June 27-28th., local ham radio operators will be operating under simulated emergency field conditions outside the Horry County American Red Cross Center on the old Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, to exercise their emergency communication skills.

Thousands of Ham Radio operators will be showing off their emergency capabilities nationwide during the two day event.

With a long history of providing critical communications after a disaster, Amateur Radio – often called “Ham Radio” - is often the ONLY way remaining by which people could communicate. When trouble is brewing, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications.

On the weekend of June 27-28, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with ham radio operators and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showcasing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historic Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of their emergency communications abilities.

This annual event, called "Field Day" is the climax of week long "Amateur Radio Week" sponsored by the ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country. Their slogan, "When all else fails…”is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised.

Local Field Day activities will be conducted by members of the Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club outside the Horry County American Red Cross Center, 2795 Pampas Dr. Myrtle Beach, SC. The Public is invited.



Photo Caption: Local Ham Radio Operators practice Emergency Communication Field Conditions at a Ham Radio Field Day. This years event will be held Saturday & Sunday June 27th. & 28th. at the Horry County American Red Cross Building, on the old Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Photo Credit: Robert Hawkins

If Travel Trailer Dragsters ain't enough...

Clip courtesy of the good folks at LiveLeak.com

...if only it had a built-in Beer Tap.