Sunday on the Air...

What a great day to be out in the park and on the air today!!  We're just about finished with November and the outdoor temperature here is still +8C, and everything is green.  Who could resist getting outdoors and playing radio today?

For a change of scenery I chose to activate the Frontenac Biosphere, VE-0023.  There is a nice quiet spot, just off of the K&P walking trail, that I use north of town.

First in the log today was Stuart, M0TTQ, who was in a UK park.  Then it was the turn of 20 US and Canadian stations up and down the east coast, and I finished with two more DX stations, EA1DHB, and IK4IDF.  Not a bad day on the bands!

While there was a very amount of QSB today, the good thing is there was no deliberate QRM that has been plaguing many POTA operations lately.

I used my 20m and 40m hamsticks today, as well as the KX3 set at 10 watts.  

Here's today's QSO map:

Todays mid-morning propagation was:  SFI=107, SN=56, A Index=20, and the K Index was 2.

Whoever said "Life is too short for QRP" has obviously never operated QRP.  It's an absolute thrill every time I have a SSB QSO with somebody across the pond.  Tomorrow, I might take out my FT-817 and try it again with a screaming 5 watts.

Stay safe out there !!

Portland Bay Conservation Area...

What a great activation this morning at Portland Bay Conservation Area, POTA VE-5957.

I ended up with 101 QSO's in the log after 1 hour, 50 minutes on the air. That included 3 Spanish stations and one from the UK, and 8 Park to Parks. I used my KX3 at 10w into a 20m or 40m hamstick on the roof of the van.......it worked a charm!!

The site at Portland is great, and it's a brand new site.  It's just off the highway, best of all there is no charge to use the place, and the washroom's are open year round....which is unusual here in the winter months.

When operating I had a S1 or S2 noise floor, and while the site is very close to the main Highway, and a power line, the highway noise wasn't bad at all and there is nothing from the power line.

Propagation today was: SFI=113, SN=61, A Index=3, and the K Index=1.

Here's todays contact map:

Stay Safe Out There!!!

This Weekends Propagation...

Well, this certainly doesn't look too good...

This is thanks to the November 14th CME event.  We've had an amazing few days of great propagation, but apparently we're in for a few garbage days.  Oh well, it will improve!!

Stay Safe Out There!

Good Bands Today...

It was snowing when I got up this morning, the very first snow of the season.  So, what was I to do other than go out and activate another park!

Todays propagation was: SFI=137, SN=74, A Index=5, and the K Index=1.  Given those numbers the bands were not too bad, the QSB was there, but it wasn't bothersome.

No DX to speak of, but the 23 contacts made me happy.  Radio today was my usual KX3, the antenna was a Packtenna 40m EFHW held up with a SOTABEAMS Tactical-mini mast.  By the time I had finished the activation of VE-5142 the snow had stopped and it had warmed up to a stunning +1C.  

Old man winter has arrived, let's all hope next April comes quickly!!

Stay safe and warm out there!!

Remembrance Day....

In Loving Memory of the

Officers, NCO's, and Men

of

2816 Squadron RAF Regiment

1941 - 1946

"PER ARDUA"

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today."

Bands are Improving...

As most of you will know, the propagation has not been the best over the past few days. So it was a pleasant surprise today to see the bands had improved somewhat.

Yesterday (Friday) I managed to pull off a POTA activation at Parrott's Bay, VE-5142.  I had deep QSB and found it very hard to hold a QSO without the other station disappearing totally. In the end I closed down after 27 minutes with 17 contacts in the log.  

The propagation numbers were: SFI=125, SN=82, A Index=26, and the K Index=3.

Oh yeah, after the activation I went and got my Extra Strength Flu shot for this year. So far other than a sore shoulder, I'm OK.

Today (Saturday) I decided to go to Lemoine Point, VE-5141, for another morning activation.  It was a great day, the temperature was +21C, and I was in shorts.....in November....in Canada!!!!!  While the QSB was bad, it wasn't as bad as yesterday. In fact I managed, after 40 minutes, to put 39 contacts in the log.  While I had no Trans-Atlantic DX, it was still a really good day.

Today, the propagation numbers were: SFI=118, SN=82, A Index=16, and the K Index=3.

As is usual for me I was using my KX3, set at 10w, and my 20m and 40m Hamsticks.

Here's todays contact map:

Stay Safe Out There!!!