Off on an adventure.....

This coming weekend is the CQ World-wide SSB DX Contest and I'm off on a mini-DXpedition to Hampton, NB, to take part in the contest.

VE3FI and VE3MNE will be operating as VE9FI for the contest.  Both Don and myself are really looking forward to operating from the VE9FI station as Russ has put in a lot of work into it since he moved down there.

We reckon it will take 2 days driving to get there, so allowing some time to get to know the systems, we plan on leaving home on Wednesday morning and will spend the first night in Edmunston, NB, before moving on to Hampton on Thursday.

Looking forward to a great contest using some great antennas.   Lots more to report once I get home next week.

The VE9FI towers.....ready to go!!

Lunch Hour QRP

Looking for something to do at lunch time?  Following my last entry to this Blog, I can across the following this morning, and waited for permission to repost this information.  Mike, K9ODX, has a great idea and here it is:

Lunch Hour QRP

Ivin and I have discussed doing a "lunch hour" contest in an effort to encourage each other to get out and operate, even if it's just during a lunch break throughout the week. I then thought, if we were going to do this why not invite others to join us?

I have proposed the following to our local "QRP group" here in Central Indiana and I would like to share it with our blog readers as well. The event would last for one month and would be limited to one hour per day, your lunch hour. Please review the idea below and let us know what you think.

Purpose: To practice and encourage the use of portable/mobile amateur radio and operating at QRP power levels. Participants will drive to a remote location during their regular lunch hour, away from their home or work, and complete as many QSOs as possible using a portable/mobile station with a mobile antenna attached to their vehicle.

Dates: One Month (Monday - Friday)
Time: One Hour per day during your lunch hour
Modes: CW or SSB
Exchange: Call, RST, State (or Country if DX)

Special Rules: QRP power levels - 5w CW & 10w SSB

Points: 2 points for each CW QSO & 1 point for each SSB QSO

Multipliers: x2 points if other station is mobile & x2 points if other station is QRP

Do you know how we might make this more fun and interesting? Would you be interested in joining us? Please comment below and share your thoughts.

72 de Mike W9ODX

What makes a good club?

What makes a good club?  How about "No Dues, No Rules, Just Fun".  Well the club I belong to has no dues, no rules, but I don't find it "fun" anymore.  It's a typical club where only 3% of the members do 97% of the work, but then everyone enjoys the fruits of their labour.

I've gotten tired of planning events that only ever have the same three people attend them.  It's just not worth getting upset over any more, and it's time for the other 97% to start taking an active part in running the club.

For the past six weeks I’ve been doing my own thing, not attending club activities or meetings, I don't monitor the 2m repeater much anymore…but I am going to the local park on Sunday mornings and experimenting with different antennas and operating QRP with a group of like minded individuals…and I’m having a real blast doing it and making some good DX contacts as well.

I’ve decided that I’m going to get less and less involved with the club...and more and more involved with portable operating, HF QRP and VHF/UHF contesting, and plan my own mini-DXpeditions…in other words I’m going to start having fun and doing ham radio the way I want to...life is just too short to do otherwise.

In the mail today......

The mail was picked up, and I received a surprise today.......

Thanks to the guys at US Islands, I had a blast on Simcoe Island - ON022 that day....but I would be really amiss if I did not mention that Jim VE3ULC was also there working the digital contacts with me.