Nov 28th George Park QRP

I planned to setup and operate on 30 meters to avoid the WW CW contest. So I headed to George Park here in Panama City. I could not find my battery pack and went back home only to find it was in the truck all along. Then returning to the field I did not have my long wire I planned to use. Well I did have my 10/20/40 Par End Fed. So I made use of the fact that you can use a 1/2 wave wire with end fed's matchbox on any HF band. So I rigged up a 46 foot wire based on the 33 foot section of the end fed and finishing it out with the radial on the kite winder from the Buddistick. It matched well on first try and I finally got on 30 meters. I had three contacts. The one with K3XI running 5 watts in Whitepost, VA was very solid.

On another note I used one of my PVC A Frame masts (13 foot) to hold up one end of the end fed dipole. The mast is like cheap furniture it is just strong enough to stay together. Anyway it did serve its purpose. See my notes on the mast here. Here are some photos.

4616 Miles Per Watt

I was very surprised and pleased to work F6HKA Bert of France during SKCC Sprints. I was running 1 watt on the IC-703 and using my doublet. I don't chase DX but very pleased to run into some. Thanks Bert!

W5ALT Antenna Notes

Link to Antenna Notes

One of the best write-ups on antennas I have seen. The following statement confirmed what I suspected but it is nice to see it in print

In other words, the common SWR meter measures the ratio of impedance to 50 ohms. It does not measure the transmission line "standing wave ratio."

N4KGL

Video Tour Space Station Ham Radio

Nov 23rd Lunch Time QRP

I was 20 meters QRP portable on lunch break again. I found KN0WCW/3 on in QSO to W5VYN. KN0WCW went QRT and then I called W5VYN and had a good QSO. Ron is in Whitesboro, TX. I was about to go QRT and got a call from KF4VWZ in Virgina Beach. This is lots of fun and I plan to return on Friday Nov 26th at 1730Z. So look for me at 14.057 + or - 4 KHz..

I am becoming a real believer in my ham stick dipole on the 20 foot mast. I'd like get the sticks from MFJ for 30 meters but I bet it is their least stocked ham stick since there is no phone on that band.

N4KGL

Latitude: 30.17516 Longitude: -85.761917

Nov 22 Lunch Break QRP Ops

I am squeezing in some ham radio at lunch break from work. So I setup in a parking lot. The rig was the Wilderness SST running 3 watts to Ham-Stick Dipole at 20 feet on the military mast/ hitch mount on the Avalanche. With that said I worked KB2PDX on about 14.059. Sweet QSO to Rifton, NY about 1000 miles. The WX was nice, sunny/clear with a pretty good breeze. Plan to repeat on weekdays except Wednesdays for a while.

November Polar Bear Ops

Saturday morning, I went out to George Park in Panama City, FL to participate in the November Polar Bear Midnight Madness Event PBMME. The event is the Saturday closest to the full Moon in the fall and winter months. The best part is sending grrrrr on CW. I just joined the group and my Polar Bear number is 257.

Little known, George Park is the field behind the Panama City ARC Clubhouse. It has a nice clear field to try out various portable antennas. I have been involved in Field day ops there for the last few years.

Well it was not midnight and it was not cold. I started out on 40 meters with Sierra and the Par end-Fed Dipole and had a very solid QSO with Jim K4AHO in Orlando. Jim and I exchanged FISTS Numbers. He tried to hook me up with Kelly K4UPG down there but Kelly was on another mission.

 Then I switched to 20 meters SST and went to the ham-stick dipole at the top of the 20 foot mast.  I did find bears on 20 meters, Martin VA3SIE  PB 20 on the trail and Dan NI9Y PB 214. I also worked AJ8P on the trail ( FT817 @3w, wire in tree) at Salt Fork State Park, Ohio today. he was doing a Parks On the Air (POTA) activation. QRP to QRP QSOs are always fun and actually there was comfortable weather here in Florida!

N4KGL

George Park

Par End Fed from mast

Sierra on 40 meters

SST for 20 meters

20 meter Ham-Stick dipole