Tuesday, December 18, 2018

DX - December 2018

Second Op Jack says: "XT2BR is listening for JA stations.
Why aren't we calling, Pop? My name starts with JA."

QRP

Who I've worked in December (KX2 CW @ 5W).

Medium-Rare Wave

I've been playing with mediumwave DX a lot lately, using the NRD-515 and Kiwa Air-Core MW Loop. It's not very often that I do this, I don't know why. The 515 has a pair of custom Kiwa filters (3.5 kHz and 8.0 kHz bandwidths) that I installed back in the mid-90's when I acquired this radio. This is the first time I've used this gear since moving to Cedar Key. It still rocks. There is still some good stuff on the AM dial late at night!


Sunday, December 9, 2018

#shackcleaningsunday


Against all expectations, I actually did find a floor beneath all the wires and dust bunnies.

Friday, November 30, 2018

DX - November 2018


DX I worked in November (all CW).

QRP DXCC total (worked) is now at 64 entities, up from 58 when I left off in August 2017 - six new ones out of 24 contacts. I can live with a 25% ATNO rate. Lol!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Mail Call!

Received from buro 20-Nov-2018

Monday, November 19, 2018

Early operations from NA-076


At the moment I'm working on a makeover for the Cedar Key Historical Society's web site, and as I was flipping through old photos I came across this healthy dose of Hallicrafters goodness! Click the photo to enlarge it.

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Back again.

I've been tuning around since Wednesday with the little rig (at 5 watts) and a short wire (poorly matched) at the ass end of the sunspot cycle. Could it get any worse? 🤔

Making a few contacts, added a couple of new ones for the QRP DXCC chase (8P9 and VP2V) bringing me up to 60 worked. But damn, it's hard to make Qs! So much easier with the KPA500...

The KX2 is an amazing radio. I'm making this my main rig until I accomplish two goals: get the Tarheel and ground radials installed, and work QRP DXCC. I don't think I'm going to get 40 new ones by the end of the year, but maybe by February and the Orlando fest. The Tarheel screwdriver, though... that would definitely help with the DXCC goal.

I've been working in WordPress for a couple of clients and loving it, so this blog may be undergoing a major redesign soon.

The Jackonaut has called dibs on my office/shack, so he's the Second Op now, relieving the Tiny Brown Kitten of those duties.