24 April 2010 QRPTTF just announced it will continue this event. Website will be updated soon… here’s the LINK.

Stay tuned for more details.

Tuff day on the ice floes in Central Florida. I was not able to use my
target location because of rain and wind direction, so I operated from
the back porch of our condo with my Sierra and SST working through my
Buddistick up about 15 ft on a painter’s pole. Temp hovered in mid to
upper 40’s but with the wind and dampness it felt colder at times.

Band condx were poor with brief bright spots when the QSB let up and
signals sounded fairly decent. I started on 30m but it was pretty quiet
so I tweaked the antenna in the rain for 20m and found it even
quieter… Back to 30m after checking 40m which also was noisy and
almost no signals heard.

First QSO was K9DP Dan in Smithville, TN… He was 569 until QSB hit
hard but we had a 25minute ragchew that was nice. He gave me a 599 and a
couple others did later making me wonder why they could hear me better
than I was hearing them? Then read the mail for a bit on a few other
stations but didn’t get a rise when I tried to connect. Tried to connect
with K9QB but after a few weak QRZ’s we both moved on for better luck.

Finally heard a PB on 20m, WD4MSM, Barry in Indiana working someone
else. When they finished the QSO I called Barry and we had a short QSO
although the QSB was up and down and made copy tough at times. It was
good to be able to Grrrrowllll. Tried to find others and even using the
QRP Spots and K3UK spotting pages could not connect. Then I called CQ
and Guy rose out of the Band N7UN was in the log… Good to connect with
another Bear but the copy deteriorated quickly so we kept it very short.
Thanks Guy for digging my signal out. Next was Frank,, KB3AAG to finish
my day. His signal totally got lost in the noise and so it was a short
QSO to end the day.

Whew… many antenna changes, tweaks and lots of tuning, listening,
trying to hear today. I think the bands were pretty void of activity
except for us QRP types. Not often that happens, eh?

Thanks to all who went out and gave it a go. Missed talking to our
Canadian and West Coast guys this time… let’s keep trying. Also quiet
without Ken Bear raising a ruckus from MI and no Alpha Bear on the AT…
See ya in March… Grrrr!!!!

72,
Kelly K4UPG PB #173

Which of the intrepid bunch of QRP crazed Polar Bears will overcome the cold and actually enjoy the challenge of punching a peanut whistle signal through another weekend’s RTTY contest bunch?

Will the sunspots be with us and bounce our signals out of the neighborhood and enable us to contact our Polar Bear cuzzins in Canada (VG3SIE/P) on the mountain tops, in Alaska on the ice floes( KL7WP & KL8DX ) , in Scotland in the highlands ( MM0CWJ & MM0FMF ), outside Buckingham Palace ( 2E0RKY ), in Spain’s coastal range ( EB3EPR ), or in a dark snow den in New Jersey ( N7UN/2 ) On a windy slope in Utah ( AD7KG )?Will our Ohio Bears freeze their acorns off in the park ( WB2DFC ) ? What will it take to get a signal into the Goat Den to our pals Rooster and Peanut and the old Goat himself ( WGØAT )? Will the Revenuers catch up to Hillbilly Bear in the park at Chickasaw ( AF4O ) ? Who will connect with K3YTR and the 2m HT from the hospital bed in Pottstown? Can anyone guess which antenna trick will be used by our Illinois Bear (N9SKN) ? How will the Florida Bears fare with the rain and cool wind from the northwest can it dampen their signals ( K4UPG & KC4TM ) ? And how about the Alpha Bear ( WB3AAL )on the Appalachian Trail with his snowshoes and 4 wheel drive truck for backup?

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES… Grrrrrr!

My Oil Change Parking Lot QTH for 30m

A quick tune found a couple week signals. I tuned the antenna a bit, called CQ with no luck, then heard a decent 579 signal calling CQ. Bill, NG3O in Columbia, MD replied and although I wasn’t strong (539) he thought he could copy me. He sure did a great job and we enjoyed a nice QSO for almost 30 minutes. Sure is pleasant to work a good fist without any QRM. He said I was his first Oil Change Parking Lot QSO.

A few minutes later, I connected with Rudy, W8RJW in Columbia, SC. He was a strong 589 and gave me a 559. We had a nice qso for several minutes too. It was a fun way to pass the time while I waited on my car maintenance to be done.

The band got pretty quiet afterwards and though I heard a few more stations, it was time to pull the plug, take down the wire and go home. I think I have figured out a new way to pass time when the opportunity is present. Hope you will give it a try too!

72,

Kelly K4UPG

Setup started a bit before 9 am local time.

KJ4BR K3RLL KG4LAL setting up 40m SSB Station

Wally calling CQ on 40m SSB

Jim K4AHO is ready to go on 20m CW

Jim's got one for the log!

Don K3RLL (ex-WA3ZBJ) working 20m on Kelly's Sierra

Kelly K4UPG working 20m CW

We spent more time talking than operating, but this was a fun event for us and none of us thinks we are heavy duty contesters! We love to make qso’s and shoot the breeze about our antennas and homebrew gear.   In between conversations and coffee breaks we did work a few stations.

Final Score  29 QSO’s X 22 SPC = 638 X Temp Multi (x2) = 1276 x Field (x4) = 5104 X (alt pwr dna) = 5104 + WQ7RP (+100) = 5204 measly points

We moved to the larger pavillion of picnic area A at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford and had more trees and space to hang wire and put up verticals. This spot seems to be a winner for us and we are planning to hold GatorCon 10 there in July. We’ll be recruiting more active QRP ops for that one. Stay tuned!

GatorCon Mascot

WANTED: QRP Ops fer CW or SSB

This Saturday 6 Feb 2010 1400 -2400 UTC

Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford, FL

PLS RSVP if you can make it!

The WX guesser’s are predicting a very nice day for our annual FYBO Event (Freeze Your Buns Off!). RULES HERE

Some of the gang will meet at 0700 for breakfast at the Sanford Cracker Barrel (I-4 & SR 46 on the NE corner)

We could use some operators to fill time slots and loggers to help us keep up with the logging chores. If you like Field Day, you’ll like this event. (it’s just more fun!)

Shifts are available… PLEASE let us know if you can attend and help us in our first Multi-Station Multi-Operator event. The NM QRP guys are offering a PRIZE to the QRP Multi-Multi challengers with the best score.

The GatorCon guys need your help to put us over the top.

Leave a comment or send an email and let us know if you will be attending!

Thanks and 73,

Kelly K4UPG Jim K4AHO Don K3RLL (ex WA3ZBJ)

Wally KG4LAL Larry KJ4BR Matt W1MDG

on behalf of The Central FL QRP Group (aka the GatorCon guys!)

GatorCon Guys Luv QRP! How about you?

Pioneers Headquarters Prayer Tower on left

Bands were pretty good and there were a lot of QRP signals out there as well as SKCC and FIST ops. I worked a few of my fellow Polar Bears:

1. K6BBQ Rem in California
2. WA8REI Ken in Michigan
3. VA3RCS Martin in Canada operating a club call
4. N0EVH John in MO

Then I worked a few non-PB’s and had some good QSO’s with SKCC members.

1. AD4YB Ed in NC
2. WD0ESF Mike in KS
3. KK7YJ Jim in MT
4. KK7UV Steve in MT
5. K3y/7 Alan (K07X) in WY
6. K2USA Howard the op in NJ on 20m SSB to test my Argonaut 509  in that mode

Next weekend is the FYBO and the Central FL QRP Group will be operating its first multi station- multi operator event at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford, FL. If you’ll are down this way look us up. If not, give a listen for K4AHO which is the call sign we will be using.

Here’s to many good QSO’s. Thanks to all the good ops with good ears that heard my peanut whistle 2 watts today.

I have read about rain gutter and downspout antennas but never tried loading my own or worked somebody using one, until earlier this week when I had a QSO with Craig, KA1GYB.  During our 80m PSK31 chat Craig told me he was using a downspout antenna and had worked 42 countries and 42 states, including Alaska, from his Connecticut QTH with that antenna. His signal gave great copy for me and I was very impressed.  He told me he could load it on 160m to 6m, using an antenna tuner.va3stl.wordpress.com, Downspout Antenna

You should read the whole article.

As a condo dweller with antenna restrictions, this approach has appeal. Do you have experience with doing this? Our downspouts are connected to plastic piping leading to an underground drain. I assume if they are wet, it might be a tall dummy load.

Pipe in on this if you have some thoughts.

Back in the days when bass tournament fishing was my religion, we competitors used to talk about our go-to lure. That was the one bait that we knew we could use to catch a fish, even on days when they seemed to have lock jaw. We recognized confidence was an important part of being a successful catcher of fish.

As a recycled ham, just getting back into my amateur radio hobby after many years of other activities, I feel the same way about my QRP rig. I’m still experimenting, listening to others, but so far, my Wilderness Sierra and Buddistick antenna are my go-to rig!

Ok, now it is your turn. Share with us your go-to setup. When the bands stink and you really want to make a contact, what would you use? Or if you could only use one QRP rig & antenna setup, what would it be?

Leave a comment and share your thoughts with us! I am all ears…

72,

Kelly K4UPG