Propagation...

Looks like it will be a tough couple of days on the bands....

UPDATED.....1300 UTC, February 2nd

UPDATED.....0300 UTC, February 3rd

Winter Field Day...the aftermath

This weekend was a tough one for operating at QRP levels! The bands were alive with the sound of signals...all weekend...and all right next to each other. While I stuck to 20m and 40m, contacts were heard being made on every band, 10m through 160m. Both WFD and POTA operators were out in force.

Propagation numbers were:

Saturday: SFI=125, SN=77, A Index= 19, K Index=1

Sunday: SFI=125, SN=74, A Index=17, K Index=2

Conditions are now starting to deteriorate in front of the expected G2 Solar Storm that is supposed to hit us on Tuesday, 1st February.

It was bitterly cold here the whole weekend, with temperatures down around -25C. The wind chill made it feel a lot worse than that. I found I could last about 40 to 50 minutes before I was just too cold and had to go and warm up. Because of this I split my operating into two parts, the first Saturday afternoon and the second on Sunday morning. This made the cold a bit more tolerable.

This year I operated in the "1 Outdoors" category, which I may have to reconsider next year. What amazed me the most over the weekend was the amount of stations operating as "1 Home", nearly all from the deep south where they don't have the cold we have here in the north. I have never figured out why people take part in a "Field Day" (Summer or Winter) and do so from home without ever going out to the field.

Once again I was using 10w from my KX3, and a 20m or 40m mag-mounted Hamstick. It saves so much time setting up in the deep cold not having to throw up a wire antenna.

Sunday morning brought some good DX on 20m, first up was CU3HY, quickly followed by CU3BL, both from the Azores. Then it was the turn of EA1FIC from Spain, and the biggest surprise was YV1GIY from Venezuela. I'm really pleased with those contacts.

Here's the map of the weekends 40 contacts:

Stay safe and warm out there!

Good Day Activating...

It was a very cold day here yesterday, so the new PackTenna linked dipole didn't make it out of the container.  Once again I used the 20m hamstick with a mag-mount on the roof of the van to save time out in the cold.  It was -20C without the wind, and the wind was absolutely howling.

Equipment, as usual, was my KX3 pumping out 10 screaming watts into the 20m Hamstick.

Propagation was good when I started.  SFI=102, SN=71, A Index=10, K Index=2.  Shortly after I went QRT the bands died within minutes.

As you can see from the map, 20m started long and as I logged contacts it started to shorten up, and eventually disappeared.

My Bioenno battery certainly doesn't like the cold, and I have noticed that it will remain good for about 40 minutes in deep cold.  

Yesterday I shut things down after 20 minutes with 27 contacts in the log.  The battery was still fine, but it's probably time to re-charge it.

I will have both batteries charged up ready for Winter Field Day this weekend.  I'm planning on doing dual POTA and WFD activations...hopefully that will drum up more business for the log book. 😋

Stay warm and safe out there!

Winter Field Day...

Coming up this weekend, January 29th - 30th, is Winter Field Day.....you know that weekend we get to go play radio and freeze our butts off......oh...and have fun doing it!!!

The Rules can be found HERE.   There are a few changes this year, so have a read of them and make sure you understand them....especially the point about submitting logs.

Both Saturday and Sunday are forecasted to have a high of -11C, but on the plus side, there's no snow on the horizon.

I have just received today, from PackTenna, a new 20m/40m linked dipole. Winter Field Day should be a great opportunity to use it for the first time....if a location can be found where I can put it up.  

20m/40m linked dipole

Stay warm and safe out there!

A Cold Activation...

This weekend the Winter Support Your Parks event is taking place, and it coincided with probably the coldest weekend we have had yet this year.  It was -37C with the wind chill when I left for Lemoine Point, VE-5141.  Absolutely bone chilling.

The propagation, as I reported earlier in another post, was not forecasted to be very good, but it did improve enough for me to think I could squeeze in an activation.   The propagation numbers were:  SFI=83, SN=39, A Index=9, and the K Index=2.

Before I left home I checked both 20m and 40m which were very busy, with very little room between the big signals.  By the time I got to my site, 20 minutes later, the signals on 17m and 15m had totally gone, and those on 40m were quickly disappearing. So I set up on 20m and hoped for the best.

Once again it was my KX3 being used with a 20m Hamstick.  I used the Hamstick today for the simple reason it was the fastest option to get on the air, and get me out of the cold.

Now activating using QRP levels does have a disadvantage, and I knew that going in to this, but the killer today was not the power level, but the extremely deep QSB.  One minute a signal was S9 and the next it had disappeared completely never to be heard again.  

I must admit that when I set out this morning I thought, given the amount of POTA traffic on the bands that it wouldn't take too long to do this, but in the end it took me 30 minutes to make 21 contacts. That's pretty slow for me, even operating QRP.

Todays activation map is below.

Stay warm and safe out there!

Weekend Propagation...

This weekend, January 15th & 16th is the annual POTA Winter Support Your Parks event, and my clubs QRP HF Sprint on Saturday evening.

Well......I think from the forecasted propagation we can just about forget those events....and here is that forecast:

Tomorrow may be a quiet radio day.  Weather wise it's going down to -32C (-25F) tonight and Monday we're expecting over 35 cm of snow (that's over 12" for my American friends).  

This weekend is shaping up to be a golden opportunity to work on some maintenance to my portable wire antennas and get the gear ready for my spring activations.  I need to go over what I have and see if I have to order any new or replacement items.

Stay warm and safe out there!

NOTE:  Updated Saturday Morning, January 15th.

2022 Plans....

Being ever the optimist, I have started making some radio plans for this year.  Although I'm sure the Covid Wizards may have other plans.  To be quite honest, my main plan this year is to simply survive the year without catching anything!

Things have actually been pretty quiet around this QTH apart from activating parks for POTA, yesterday was -38C with the wind, so not much got done around here.  Today it's +4C, you just never know, day to day, what you're going to get weather wise.

Plans are currently being made for some POTA "micro-DXpeditions".  There are a couple of areas of the province that I would like to get on the air this year.  The first one I have planned is down to Chatham in South-West Ontario, and return home along the lakes, activating the many POTA locations as I pass them.  That one will be a 5 day trip with each night at a different park.

Anther will be up to Penetanguishene and around the Georgian Bay POTA parks.  A lovely part of the province and only a days drive from Kingston.  That one will be a 4 day trip, and once again each night will be at a different park.

My trans-Canada trip is planned, and has been approved by the XYL, but I can't see that trip happening this year.  My gut feeling is that there is still far too many covid risks to do that trip yet.  Maybe next year.

The "pre-pre-planning" for both Field Days, winter & summer, has already started.  I'm not sure if the club is planning anything, I doubt it given the covid situation here in Ontario.  So I have decided to push ahead and make my own plans and go from there.

This year Winter Field Day is being held on January 29/30.  I'll post more about that closer to the date.   Their website can be found HERE.

Stay safe out there!!

Good Days on the Bands...

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Years.....and is staying safe from the latest round of Covid.

The last two days I have managed to pull off successful activations of local parks for POTA.   Both days I activated on 40m, and had no issue with making contacts.  

For comparison, the propagation for the two days was:

Thursday: SFI=84, SN=24, A Index=3, K Index=0

Friday: SFI=102, SN=35, A Index=2, K Index=0

Both maps look pretty much the same, which is what you would expect given the similar propagation numbers we had.

The weather here has been cold and we have had some blowing snow, so I have not been straying too far from home, so these have been local activations.  I don't see this changing until much later in the season.  We are lucky that the parks are still open around here, given the government covid regulations we now live under....and I can't see those changing until late spring at the earliest.

Thursday's QSO 40m Plot

Friday's QSO 40m Plot

Year End Wrap Up....

Well, it's been a bit of a roller coaster at times, but yet another year of the Covid Plague is coming to a close....is this year two or year three?  I've lost count.  

My family and I have been very lucky, none of us have been sick, and all of us have been able to get our shots and boosters on time with no issues.  Most of my friends have also been lucky and escaped the plague.  Let's hope that luck holds for all of us through next year as well.

On the amateur radio front it has been an exceptional year for me.  Since January 1st of this year I have made at least one QRP contact every day, not a day has been missed.  In fact I have put 3464 QRP contacts in my log this year, yet I still hear that "QRP doesn't work"........yeah, and I have a unicorn for sale to the highest bidder.  All my POTA activations have been done with my KX3, and I have to say that I just love that radio.  I wish I had bought it years ago.

I have activated 130 parks in the POTA program, which, if the truth be told, has managed to keep me sane during these trying times....my wife may argue that fact though.   

Best piece of gear bought this year?  My set of Workman Hamsticks......they win hands down.  You can't beat them for ease of set-up and being so easy to use.  Every day I'm amazed at where I can talk to with them.

At the start of the year I was determined to get on the air using CW.  My Dad, VE7CVQ (SK) was a CW fanatic.  He didn't own a mic, but many keys.  I knew he would be very disappointed with me not knowing and operating CW.  So.....I'm pretty pleased to tell you that this year I have made and completed 394 CW QSO's.  I'm over the moon with that.

Plans for next year are up in the air of course, as they will depend on what the government has to say about inter-provincial travel.  I have several POTA mini-DXpeditions planned to different parts of the province, as well as a trip out west to see family.  I have my doubt the western trip will happen in 2022, the trips within Ontario I'm hoping will happen, but they depend on whether or not the parks open.

I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year, and that you all stay safe.

Here's the QSO map from today, my last POTA activation of the year, Number 130:

December 30th, 2021........17m and 40m.

Merry Christmas...

 

Merry Christmas everyone......let's hope 2022 is a far better year for us all.

Yet Another Good Day...

Have you guys seen the propagation numbers for today?   One word: "WOW".  These are the highest numbers yet this cycle, and I can't remember the last time I saw numbers that high.  I took one look at them and immediately decided to go and do a POTA activation.  

Lemoine's Point, VE-5141, was the destination today.  It was pretty busy with dog walkers and families doing a walk.  I hid in the corner of the top parking lot, and set up for an activation on 17m.

It took 23 minutes and I had 23 contacts in the log, then I was deliberately QRM'ed off the frequency. This has been happening a lot lately, many POTA operators have mentioned this on the POTA Facebook site.  I don't fret about that anymore.  If I have more than the basic activation number of 10 stations, I just go QRT, and head home for a hot cup of tea and relax....which is what I did today.

There were three good contacts out west, one in Idaho, and two in California.  Not too shabby for 10w into a 17m hamstick.

My plan is to do another two parks before Christmas Day, mainly as a way to keep out of the busy XYL's way.  If I can do that, and then one everyday next week, I will end the year with 133 activations this year.  That's going to take some work to beat next year!

The question is......do I try and sneak in a Park on Christmas afternoon....is my life worth it, or am I courting an untimely death by doing so?

Stay safe out there!!

Today's activation map.

A Cold Day Operating...

What sort of a nut goes out and activates a park for POTA when it's -3C and blowing snow?  Oh, that would be me 😁

I knew it would be a cold activation, and initially plans were to activate two parks, but after finishing the first park I realized it was just too cold and needed to go and get warm before I got hypothermic.  The wind just drew what little heat you had right out of you.

Thanks goodness I had a package of hand-warmers in the van!  They really helped.

The propagation numbers were great today, not as good as yesterday.  They were: SFI=119, SN=119, A Index=3, and the K Index=1.  There was a fair bit of deep QSB, and the bands were busy with contests, including the RAC Winter Contest.

One thing that did stand out today was the fact that I suffered no deliberate QRM that we POTA activators have been suffering with for the past few months.  Apparently a number of individuals don't like the POTA program and are trying to cause enough trouble to get people to walk away from it.  Their plan isn't working, in fact POTA seems to be growing everyday to new countries.

So using my now usual routine - the KX3 with 10 screaming watts output into a 20m hamstick - I managed to work Mike CU3HY, Manuel CU3BL, and Jerry HI5YJM.   Contacts were also made in IL, CA, TN, GA, AL, LA, MO, and TX.

The wind and snow is supposed to stop late this evening, so tomorrow I can dig out and set off to another park and do it all over again 😊

Today's QSO Map

Not Your Typical Sunday...

Last night, December 11th, we had probably the biggest wind storm hit us in the sixteen years I have lived here.  We had sustained winds of 80 kph, and gusts over a 100 kph.  There were lots of power outages, trees down over the roads, and even a barn roof blew off and landed on the railway tracks halting rail travel between Toronto and Montreal for many hours.

This morning the clean up began as power was slowly restored and roads were re-opened, but parts of the city looked worse for wear.  Luckily, my house didn't lose any power or suffer any damage, and my antennas even managed to stay up in the air.

It was the turn of the Marshlands Conservation Area, VE-5143, to be activated today, and I chose 20m to start with.  Twenty metres was in great shape, and in no time I had I4DRY, and OK1IWS in the log.  Not bad for 10w from the KX3 into a 20m Hamstick.  After a short while it seemed I had worked 20m out, so I QSY'ed to 40m and picked up another 15 contacts before I went QRT.

I put 35 contacts in the log in 30 minutes.  It was nice to work Puerto Rico, CA and WA as well today.  NB and SK also made it into my log.  

Propagation today was: SFI = 77, SN = 0, A Index = 5, and the K Index = 1.  This was my 117 POTA activation of the year, and I'm hoping to get to 120 before the end of the month.......I don't think I'll have a problem doing that 😁

Stay safe out there!

Today's activation map.

ARRL 10m Contest...

Don't forget this weekend is the ARRL 10m contest.    I'm hoping that this year we actually get an opening and are able to work some good DX.  The band has been open, once in a while, lately, but I'm not convinced it will be this weekend though.  Only time will tell.

The rules can be found HERE.

As usual I will be doing some casual operating, handing out points if I manage to hear and work somebody.

Stay safe out there!

Portable Antennas...

I've had several people email me recently asking what antennas, other than my hamsticks, I use for POTA and portable operating. It must be admitted that over the past few months I've got lazy and only used the hamsticks...mainly for the convenience.

There are several different portable wire antennas in my rucksack.  The following are a few of my favourites, but please remember, antennas are like opinions...everyone has one and everyone has their favourite.

A few years ago I was having some trouble getting a Bandspringer Midi antenna I had bought from Sotabeams to tune up with sufficiently low SWR....the SWR I had was over 25:1 over all bands and nothing I did would change that fact.  It just wasn't happening, and the thing was, to me, completely unusable so it was put away in a drawer.  Shortly after this I was watching a video of Steve, WG0AT, operating SOTA from Mount Herman in Colorado, and I noticed he was using a simple wire antenna.

I emailed Steve about it, and he told me it was a 41' radiator and a 17' counterpoise, and with his KX2 he could tune it on all the bands he needed.  No balun required, just a binding post to BNC converter, and you're in business.  That afternoon I took the Sotabeams antenna and spent a few hours doing surgery, and transformed it into what I now call my "WG0AT Antenna". It works like a charm and I have made hundreds of contacts with it on all bands 40m through 6m.

Probably the most used antenna in my collection is a 40m EFHW.  This was built with a LnR Precision transformer that I found hiding in a drawer one day.  This antenna works on 40m through 6m and I have never had any bad SWR issues with it.

Just 63' of wire, no counterpoises, and you're on the air.  I used this antenna at Chillycon this year as my campsite antenna, and made over 200 contacts with it all over Europe and North America. A great antenna.

My 20/40 linked dipole has also seen a lot of use in the past, but not so much lately.  This was built from plans found on Google, and it does match and work very well on 10m/15m/20m/40m. It is a bit of a pain to put up, but it is a solid performer. I plan on re-making this antenna out of lighter gauge wire as at the moment it is far too heavy to carry.

It is well worth the time and effort to make one.

The Packtenna Mini is the only store bought wire antenna in my possession.  It works very well.

This is a 9:1 transformer and 66' of wire.  The instructions state that you don't need a radial....but....I find that I must use ground radials with it as well as an RF isolator to get the SWR down to were I want it.  I have made a set of three radials on a large alligator clip that I use with it.

To be very honest, while this antenna works extremely well, it doesn't work any better than any of my home-brewed antennas, and it wasn't cheap to buy either. 

So there you have it, my wire antenna collection - and my thoughts on them.  I very rarely use them for POTA activations these days as they all need a portable mast or a tree, and in the crowded conditions of some parks, it's just far easier, and safer, to use the hamsticks.

Stay safe out there!

Did I Hear The Bands Turn Off?...

It was a great morning up on Fort Henry Hill.  It's a very quiet RF site now that the dozens of plasma TV's they had installed in the information centre have all broke and been removed.  The down side was the temperature which sat at -7C, not including the wind chill factor.

Todays propagation, not spectacular by any means, was:  SFI=92, SN=20, A Index=4, and the K Index=1.

I managed to work 17 stations on 20m, including CU3HY in the Azores, and KN6KI in California.  There were a number of repeat offenders who seem to find me every time I activate, and I'm very grateful for them.  

About 1500 UTC the bands instantly went quiet, the signals just disappeared.  There had been a great deal of very deep QSB on 20m, but at least you could hear something.  I spun the VFO several times across 20m, 40m, and 17m, and heard nothing, just static.  The bands, it seemed, had turned off.

I'm hoping that they turn back on in time for another couple of POTA activations tomorrow.  My original plan was to stop activating this year when I reached 100 activations...now I plan to keep going until the weather makes it uncomfortable to activate.  So I'll probably get about 10 more.

Stay warm out there!

Todays Contact Map.  10w from the KX3 into a 20m Hamstick.

A Milestone has passed...

A year ago this month I decided to get involved with the Parks On The Air (POTA) program, and I have absolutely had a blast doing it.

Yesterday, November 26, I achieved my 100th park activation this year, and have managed to put 2856 contacts in my log carrying out activations or hunting parks.  On top of this I have actually started to get my money's worth out of my KX3!!

Also this week my new powered speaker from West Mountain Radio arrived.  What a difference that has made to operating the KX3.  I can actually hear things properly now.  The signals I am hearing are now crystal clear, and there is no more of the famous KX3 distortion.

This speaker is a game changer for people, like myself, who have hearing issues.....and I have way too much time flying very noisy Chinook Helicopters.  And of course, as we get older our hearing gets worse.  

I've a few more activations to go before the snow starts to fall (which it did today for a short time).  It's definitely getting colder, and sitting in the back of the van doing an activation isn't the most comfortable of places these days.

The KX3 and new speaker set up in the van.

Stay warm out there!!

Great Morning on the Bands...

It was a cold morning here, just -1C when I left to activate the Frontenac Biosphere, VE-0023.  I didn't expect to have much of an activation, I know I'd get the ten required contacts, but I assumed it would be just the normal chasers.

How wrong I was.   The propagation this morning was SFI=78, SN=22, A Index=5, and the K Index=1.  The radio in use was my KX3, and I had a 20m hamstick on a mag-mount on the roof of my van.  This has been my normal setup for a few months now, and it never ceases to amaze me just how well the Hamsticks perform.  Today was no exception.

So with 10 screaming watts into the hamstick I worked Mike, CU3HY in the Azores, Jean, F4ILH in France, Rodolfo, I4RHP in Italy, and Bryan, KP4M in Puerto Rico.  I was just amazed as the DX stations called me, I never thought I would be doing cross-Atlantic contacts today.  It was just amazing.

Here's the contact map from today:

Looking forward to more of this!!

Good Results On The Bands...

The last two days I have taken the time to do a couple of POTA activations.....now there's a surprise.  But, I really felt the need yesterday, November 11th, to get out and operate as I really felt my Dad's presence.  He was a Signaller and a WW2 Veteran, and although he died 28 years ago, very rarely does a day go by when I don't think of him.  

Propagation wasn't too bad, SFI=87, SN=37, A Index=8, and the K Index=2.

I packed up the KX3 and Hamsticks and made a few successful calls using his, and now my call, VE7CVQ, and then spotted myself on the POTA app using my VE3FI call.  The results on 20m were an amazing 24 contacts in 19 minutes.  Here's the contact map below:

Today, Friday, I decided to go and operate after my morning walk.  I ended up at Lemoine Point and put 32 contacts in the log in 24 minutes, all on 40m with the KX3 and Hamsticks.

Propagation today was: SFI=84, SN=39, A Index=4, and the K Index=1.  Here's todays contact map:

Today was my 92nd POTA Activation this year (I'm shooting for 100) and I've put 2,632 POTA contacts in my log since January 1st.  Every time I do an activation I am constantly amazed just how well the KX3 and Hamsticks work together.  

It was a good couple of days, and I'm glad I got out to operate.

In Remembrance...

In Loving Memory

of the 

Officers, NCO's, and Men

of

2816 Squadron, RAF Regiment

December 1941 - June 1946

GONE, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

PER ARDUA

Back At It...

It didn't look a good day to play radio today, this morning the propagation numbers were:  SFI=84, SN=28, A Index=69, and the K Index=3.  It was pretty noisy and there was lots of deep QRM.

By mid-afternoon the effect of the last CME on the propagation had started to settle down.....so it was off to play POTA.

It's a short drive from my house to Lemoine Point, VE-5141, and I set up the KX3 and 20m Hamstick upon arrival.  It took 27 minutes to get 25 contacts in the log, including EA1AF in Spain, W6KC in California, and K7SEN in Arizona.  I did not expect to make half the contacts I made, it was amazing the way they kept answering my QRZ.

I'm hoping that band conditions hold up all weekend so I can get a few more activations in.  I've done 87 activations so far this year, and my goal is to complete 100......13 to go!!

Here's a look at todays contact map....

K Index = 7 !!!

It's not often you get to see a K Index of 7 !!!!  I don't imagine the bands are going to be very good for the next few days.

Updated as of 1510 UTC, November 4th....still looking bad:

Sunday Morning Propagation...

Well, the bands are still fun of screaming contesters....no sign of the CME yet.

Here's the latest graph showing what is forecasted.

I guess it's a game of "wait and see".....but I'm off to do a POTA activation before things get really bad 😁

Saturday Morning on 17m...

Not a very nice day here in Kingston this morning, it was 7C in heavy rain.  As soon as you stepped out of the front door the damp cold hit you.  But there was no  time to complain, I was off to do a POTA activation at Parrott's Bay, VE-5142, not very far from my home.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much today after the X1 flare and CME warnings that we have had over the past two days.  However, the bands seemed to be in good shape, except for the million and a half rabid contesters all screaming "CQ Contest" on 20m and 40m.  

I knew I wouldn't stand a chance of being heard on either 20m or 40m, so I chose to activate on 17m, something I haven't done before.  

Today's propagation numbers were: SFI=112, SN=82, A Index=3, and the K Index=1.  Those numbers are down from yesterday, but not by much.

Even with the pouring rain it didn't take me very long to set up.  This was the first time I had used my 17m Hamstick so I was off in unchartered territory.  I was a bit worried as there was only two POTA stations on 17m when I started, so I didn't think my chances of being successful were too good.  

It worked great with my KX3 set at 10w.  First in the log was KP4RK in Puerto Rico, he was operating with 5w SSB, and we were 53 both ways.  Later I worked VE5XU, Clarence, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and it was 53 both ways as well.  

Tomorrow will be a day off from Radio, well, until at least the evening when the worse of the CME hit has blown through.  

Parrott's Bay from the air.

Today's contact map.

Propagation Has Exploded...

What a great morning I had today playing radio!!  The propagation news yesterday wasn't very good, apparently we had a X1 flare and an earth-bound CME.  The CME isn't expected to hit us till late Saturday, but the X1 flare sure messed things up.  So I didn't expect good results today at all.

I drove to the Frontenac Biosphere, VE-0023, and set up to do a POTA activation.  As usual I used my KX3 at 10w, and 20m Hamstick with a mag-mount on the roof of my van.  

What a surprise I had....first up was Joe, KI7IOC in Bend, OR, with a tremendous 59 signal, and he gave me a 53.  Then it was the turn of Heinz, VA7AQ, in Langley, BC, with another great 59 signal, and I received a 57 from him.  I then worked Raffaele, IK4IDF in Ravenna, Italy with a 58 signal, and he gave me a 55....which I was very happy to get.  Towards the end of my activation I worked Gerry, VE8GER, up in Inuvik, NT, and it was 44 both ways...but we had a small rag-chew before we said 73.  

I also worked stations in OR, CA, TN, FL, AR, AL, IL, and MN.  The log had 20 contacts in it when I went QRT.  My expectations of this activation was not very high when I left home today, so I was extremely surprised to have contacts where I did.

Propagation numbers this morning were:  SFI=113, SN=96, A Index=3, and the K Index=0.  A lot better than was advertised yesterday.  

We'll have to see what happens with the propagation tomorrow, and see if we can sneak in another POTA activation.

Today's map of contacts

Not looking good for the next few days!!

Updated Saturday morning, Oct 30th.

This Weekend...

 

I will be hiding out on 12m, 17m, and 30m activation parks for POTA.  

But you contesters have fun!

A Great Day...

What an outstanding day on the bands it was, and weather wise it isn't bad either.  Listening on the repeater I heard the guys talking about how hot 40m was, so I packed my things and headed out the door to VE-0023, the Frontenac Biosphere.  

I have found that normally after you have worked 6 or 7 hunters the pile-up dries up and you need to re-spot yourself on POTA Spots to keep the traffic heading your way.  Not this morning!!  The pile-up didn't dry up until after I had 25 contacts in my log, and then a quick CQ POTA call brought in another 11 contacts.

So 36 contacts in the log in twenty-five minutes.  You can't beat that!  Radio, as usual, was my KX3 running 10w into a 40m Hamstick on the roof of my van.

Propagation numbers today were:  SFI=91, SN=32,  A Index=3, and the K Index=1.   It looks like things are picking up propagation wise.

So far this year I've done 86 POTA activations and logged over 2300 QSO's.  I'm hoping to have 100 activations completed by Christmas.

The weather this coming week doesn't look too promising, it's looking like rain every day, but I'm hoping to get at least another 2 activations in before the end of the month.

Todays QSO Map

More Portable Ops...

It was a beautiful day here in Kingston, although it was a little chilly....winter is definitely on its way.  I checked the propagation websites and it didn't look too bad for a change.  SFI=86, SN=28, A Index=4, and the K Index=1. So I decided to go and activate a park. 

I went to Lemoine Point first, and couldn't get a parking spot.  VE3SIQ was already operating at Parrotts Bay, and there isn't room there for two ops to work there comfortably.  So it was off the Marshlands Conservation Area, VE-5143.  Surprisingly when I got there the parking lot was completely empty.

It only takes me a few moments to get set up, as usual it was my KX3 and a hamstick on the roof of the van.  I managed to put 26 in the log in a little over thirty minutes, ten on 20m and sixteen on 40m.    

Overall it was a good activation, and my plan is to go out Sunday morning if the propagation holds, and activate another location.  I suspect next weekend with the CQ WW DX SSB Contest will not be a good weekend for POTA, so I'm getting my fill now.

Saturday's QSO Map

JOTA 2021...

Scouting’s largest event in the world, Jamboree-on-the-Air is this weekend, October 15 – 17. JOTA uses amateur radio to link Scouts and hams around the world.

We all bitch and complain about the lack of youth in the hobby, so here's your chance to show them what we can do and get them interested.

You can use any mode and any band.  Below is the frequency chart used by the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

The World Federation of Independent Scouts also runs JOTA this weekend, normally on and around the same frequencies.

Get on the air and talk to the Scouts!!

This doesn't look good....

 It might be hard going for the next couple of days if you're chasing DX.....

Bands are........hmmmm

The bands didn't see too bad Thursday morning.  I did manage a quick POTA activation, and for a change did it on 20m.  40m didn't seem that good.  

It was certainly nice to work the west coast again, it has been a while, as had any contacts with Newfoundland, but I made a contact there as well.

Today, Sunday, the propagation is not that good.  Bands are noisy and the QSB is very bad.  

SFI = 91, SN=28, A Index=14, and the K Index=3.  I have managed to only make 2 contacts today, one to VA and the other to OH.

Hopefully things will improve soon.