In Todays Mail...

An interesting package arrived in the mail today. It was addressed to me....but it had no return address on it, and even more mysterious was the fact there was not even a note inside the package. It arrived as a surprise and completely anonymous.

So, what was in the package you ask?  Well, that's where it gets interesting. It was a 1878 Jerome Redding & Company CW set. The set comprises of a full-sized camel back brass key on a jappened base and a sounder. It's stamped with the Jerome Redding & Co mark, and a resistance rating of 4 ohms. So it was designed for use with a single 1.5 volt cell.

The original cost was $4.20 in US dollars, or about $148 today in 2023.

Here is the drawing of it in the 1880 company catalogue:

And.....here are pictures of the actual machine on my desk today:

As I stated above, I have no idea who sent this to me, but Thank You Very Much!!!!  This will be the centrepiece of my key collection.

2023 Plans...

As I did this time last year, I have started to think about making some radio plans for this year.  I think it’s safe enough to travel these days, as long as you play it safe around crowds…..which I don’t plan to be in or near.  Just like last year, my main plan this year is to simply survive without catching anything nasty!

So far this year, apart from a few cold days, we really have not had the bitter cold winter we normally get.  I’m sure this will change as we roll further into January and February, but for now I’m enjoying the heat wave of +2C.  I should mention that it hasn’t been cold, but it has been very damp which is worse in my book.

Given the current price of gas (petrol) here I really shouldn’t be making any long distance travel plans as the prices are expected to rise even further….a lot!  But, in the end it’s only money.  

So with this in mind I have resurrected some plans I made last year for a few POTA micro-DXpeditions.  At this point in time, I’m pretty certain my big trip out to the west coast isn’t going to happen (even though it’s planned down the last detail) so I will replace it with several short duration camping and radio trips.  

The first trip I have planned is down to Point Pelee 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.

The second one that I also had planned for last year, will be a trip to Penetanguishene and around the Georgian Bay POTA parks to Tobermory. That one will be a 4-day trip, and once again each night will be at a different park.

The "pre-pre-planning" for both Field Days, winter & summer, has already started, and plans are in the works for the W/VE Island QSO Party and the International Lighthouse Weekend both held in August.  Chillycon is also on my agenda for September.

Stay safe out there!!

The 2022 Year End Wrap Up...

2022 leaves us in a few hours, and to be honest, it really wasn't that bad....it did fly by though.  There seems to be truth in the saying the the older you get the quicker time goes by.

Once again the 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.  Thankfully, all of my friends have also been lucky and escaped the covid plague.  Let's hope that this Covid mess is now behind us and we can start to get back to normal..

I have had an exceptional year with amateur radio, Starting on January 1st of this year I have made at least one QRP contact every day, and not a day has been missed.  In fact I have put 4000 QRP contacts in my log this year, and yes, I'm still hearing that "QRP doesn't work"........yeah, and I have still a unicorn for sale to the highest bidder.  As I did last year, all my POTA activations have been done with my KX3.

I have activated 180 parks in the POTA program, which is more than last year.  I wonder if I can keep that pace up in 2023?  

At the start of last year I was determined to get on the air using CW.  My Dad, VE7CVQ (SK) was a CW fanatic.  So.....I'm pretty pleased to tell you that this year I have made and completed 457 CW QSO's, and I'm really, really pleased with that.

Plans for next year...there are several POTA mini-DXpeditions planned to different parts of the province, as well as the long delayed trip out west to see family.  The western trip was supposed to happen two years ago, but obviously didn't happen.

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

Last POTA of the Year...

Lemoine Point VE-5141

What a beautiful day it was here at the QTH.  Blue skies and +6C, and not a drop of wind......far too good weather to sit around at home, so off I went.

The propagation this morning was:  SFI=160, SN=118, A Index=5, and the K Index=3.

Today was two activations for the price of one.  Recently they added VE-6003 The Great Lakes Waterfront Recreational Trail, and by chance this trail intersects a good number of local POTA sites.  So I had both VE-5151 and VE-6003 up on the air at the same time today.

It wasn't a good day for DX, in fact there wasn't any.  Furthest contact today was with Ron WD5CSK, in Oklahoma.

Antenna today was my 28.5' vertical and 17' ground radial, held up with my SOTABEAMS tactical mini-mast.  Radio was my KX3 at 10 watts.

Propagation looks to be dropping in the toilet for the next two days, so this looks like this was my last activation of the year.  

Here's todays contact map:

Stay Safe Out There!!

Christmas Time....

May peace, happiness and goodwill be with you and your family not only on Christmas, but throughout the year and beyond. 

From my house, to your house, here's wishing you all a very 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2023.

More POTA...

Today was probably the last POTA activation before Christmas this year, things are starting to get busy around here.

It was a gloriously bright day, blue sky and a very balmy -3C, so I decided to go to Parrotts Bay VE-5142, which is not very far from my home QTH.  The first problem I had was when I arrived there, the parking lot had not been plowed out and there was over 2' of hard snow over it.  Once I got into the parking lot I was fine, but it touch and go at first.

Today's propagation was not too bad: SFI=155, SN=131, A Index=6 and the K Index=1.

It took me 26 minutes to put 32 contacts in the log, including one from Mike, CU3HY, in the Azores.

Here's today's contact map:

Todays rig was the KX3 at 10 watts, antennas were my 20m and 40m hamsticks.  

Stay Safe Out There!!

Back on the Air...

After eleven days off the air I finally felt well enough to get out and do a POTA activation.  The past week has been a blur of coughing, sneezing, and generally feeling chilled to the bone.....there were times I could not get warm at all.

Today was the second day that I woke up feeling better, so I decided to chance getting out the house and doing an activation.  I'm glad I did, the experience made me feel even better, and I feel that I'm well on the road to being my old self now.

Todays propagation was ok: SFI=143, SN=139, A Index=11, and the K Index=3.

I started on 40m but I  only made 4 contacts before the band dried up and a switched to 20m.  The pileup started after my second CQ call.  Fifteen minutes later, and another 25 contacts in the log I decided to go QRT.  I even managed to put Vicente EA2EZ in the log after I pulled him out of the pileup.

As usual I used my KX3 and a screaming 10w, and a 20m or 40m hamstick mounted on the an roof with a 5" mag-mount.

All in all it was a great day on the bands, and it was made even better by the fact I felt well enough to get outside and play radio.

Here's today's contact map:

Stay safe and healthy!!!

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 !!