Conditions

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Another WES, SKCC Tribune and QRP

Well I did OK in this months SKCC weekend sprint. I am at 100th overall and 40th in the QRO group. I made a total of 36 QSOs and 5 QRP QSOs, a personal best and not too bad.

I also got my Tribune suffix. So now my SKCC number is 10530T. So now it is on to Senator. That requires 200 T or S contacts. That might take me awhile. I already got my first one today! Going to be interesting to see how long it takes. My C took me over a year, but the T only took about a month.

The Flex-6300 is doing well. I am really glad I got it. Can't wait for the warm weather so I can put up some antennas outside. I am sorry to say I haven't touched either the Kenwood or the HW-8 since the Flex arrived. I am sure that won't last too much longer.

I have been using the MFJ-553 Key. I must admit at first I wasn't very impressed with it. But it is a nice key and I am using it a lot.

I was having a CW rag-chew with KB1BIC Rick in Ludlow, MA when he decided to go QRP and set his power to 5 Watts. After our next exchange, he ask me if I could go QRP also. So I set my power to 5 Watts and we finished our QSO at that power level. Really didn't notice a very large drop in his signal and he was very readable the entire QSO. Right after we finished, Jeff W2PWD called me and we also had a QRP QSO. And if that wasn't enough, Jim N3ADF in Maryland called to get my SKCC number. So don't let anyone tell you QRP doesn't work. Just ask John K3WWP. He has something like 64,000 QSO running QRP!  Here is his URL: http://home.windstream.net/johnshan/ .

The last couple of nights I have been listening around 7.114 MHz for some QRS or general rag-chew QSOs. One of my problems with CW is carrying on a random conversation with someone. It is harder then you would think, but you will only get better if you practice at it.

I received the WARPS PCB about a week ago. So that will be yet another project to work on. Whats that about 4 projects in the queue now?

OK just wanted to jot a few things down before I forgot them.

Sorry no pictures this month.