AmateurRadio.com

Today was a surprise… 65F. I hiked to the ledges and worked Russia, the Netherlands, Czech Rep and Tennessee.

The woods were gorgeous… but wait ’til you see the view from the top! Judy and I drove up Wadleigh Road until it turned into Class 6… basically an unmaintained logging road. From there we drove into the boonies until we couldn’t go any farther. Then we started hiking.

I haven’t been here for a few years… and was even uncertain about the trail. Several times I thought we were lost only to find a trace of the trail once again. We hiked about a mile and a half up some steep slopes and soon we were at the top. The view is perfect.

We had lunch in the glorious sunshine. It’s been in the 40s for the last couple of weeks, so this was a real treat. The quiet was stunning. Except for the sound of a lone crow soaring over the valley, there was only the sound of the wind in the evergreens.

After lunch I heaved my water bottle into a dead pine tree at the edge of a rock cliff. I missed the first time, and the water bottle came crashing down onto the ledge and cracked. Darn! I made the second throw before all the water leaked out… and it was right on target. I pulled up about 25 feet of wire and used the Elecraft T-1 tuner and the ATS-4 on 20 meters.

There wasn’t a lot of activity on 20 meters, but the signals that were there, were strong. I called PD1DX, Erik in the Netherlands, after he finished a QSO. We exchanged 599 reports and signed. Next, I called Dan OK1DIG in the Czech Republic. Dan gave me a 589 and he was a good 599. I’ve
worked Dan several times before.

Then I had a 10 minute QSO with Bunky, K4EJQ in Tennessee. He was using an Icom 706 with a tri-band beam and was just booming in. “UR GUD CPY 599 PLUS,” he sent. When I told him I was hiking and had a beautiful mountain view, he sent, ” I envy you being able to take your rig with you. I used to mountain top with VHF/UHF, but old age caught up with me X Enjoy your hike.” With that we signed and I made one more quick QSO…. this time with Russia. RU1ZC was calling CQ on 14.017. Wally was a 569 and he gave me a 559. He lives near the Barents Sea not far from Finland.

We were careful on the hike back. It was a bit slippery under foot  with the heavy covering  of leaves on the hillside. We found our way easily this time and returned just as the woods were growing dark.

This may be the last good outing before the snow flies.

I monitored a QSO between W2LJ and W1JSB this evening. Then I had a QSO with Larry myself. He has been out of power in South Plainfield, NJ since Monday night around 8:00 pm. He is using his KX3 at 5 watts on 3560 with a doublet. He says his antennas all survived the storm. The power came back on briefly Wednesday but went out again and has been off ever since. He’s OK but says the house is getting chilly. I hope to work him again tomorrow evening. 73 Jim W1PID

I hiked again on Shute Hill today. It was a glorious, warm day with a brilliant blue sky. Once again I worked GM0HCQ/MM, the Royal Research Vessel, James Clark Ross. The vessel is on its way to the Falkland Islands and today was a bit north of the Equator… at about the same latitude as Equatorial Guinea in Africa. I also worked California, NC and TN.

It was nearly 70F on the ground where I sat beneath an oak tree. I set up on 15 meters with a 22 foot wire and the ATS-4. I tuned the wire with an Elecraft T-1. First I heard Andy, KN6ZA calling CQ and answered. My report was only 449 but he copied most of the exchange. “Enjoy UR hike X UR 4W is working,” he sent.  Going up the band a bit I heard Mike, GM0HCQ/MM  finishing up a QSO, and I called him. I had worked him the other day, and I was excited to hear him once again.

     -Mike, GM0HCQ in the radio room of the James Clark Ross-

Mike gave me a 449 and gave his QTH at 5N/20W. He was about a 579. It’s always thrilling for me to work a ship at sea. Here’s a photo of the vessel.

-The James Clark Ross entering the harbor at Uruguay-

After contacting the ship, I moved to 20 meters and worked two stations in the CW Ops sprint. The first was N4AF in NC; the second was N4ZZ in TN. These were quick exchanges with name and number.

Shute Hill  is a beautiful area to hike and operate. It’s absolutely quiet and the afternoon sun is a welcome as the days get cooler.

Today was almost Indian summer. I hiked on Shute Hill and sat in the sun under a canopy of gold. I worked a dozen German stations in the Worked All Germany Contest.

I hiked up the Rufus Colby road and turned right into the woods. Not far ahead lay two small fields. It was grand to be in shirt sleeves at the edge of the field. I brought the ATS-4 and set up a half wave  wire for 15 meters in an oak tree. Bright orange, yellow and gold accentuated the deep blue sky.

In barely six minutes, I worked six German stations with my 3 watts and 22 foot wire. I tuned the wire with an Elecraft T-1. Then I extended the wire to 33 feet and set the ATS-4 for 20 meters.

In the next ten minutes I worked 3 more German stations and a Dutch special event station celebrating 75 years of Boy Scouting. All the QSOs
were quick contest exchanges. Here’s my log:

20 Oct-12 1843  21.018 DL5NDX  CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1844  21.019 DJ9DZ     CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1846  21.024 DK4WF   CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1847  21.028 DK5DQ   CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1848  21.030 DL0UM   CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1849  21.032 DL5JS     CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1900  14.016 DL3GA    CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1903  14.019 DJ9DZ     CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1904  14.020 PH75S/J CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1905  14.022 DL8QS     CW 599 599
20 Oct-12 1910  14.042 DL0UM   CW 599 599

I packed up and headed back through the 20 acre field at the top of Shute Hill. The field is surrounded by a wall of color. The air is so fragrant and warm, I wonder why Mother Nature didn’t make Fall last at least another month or so.

Today I hiked on the old east-west range road in Sanbornton. The fall colors were fantastic and so was the DX. I worked Dominica, Germany, Czech Rep., and a research ship off the coast of Africa.

The day was glorious… a tad over 60F with clear blue skies. The hike was less than a mile, but the views and the fall colors were grand. I stopped in a field on the Swain Farm, a little north of Hunkins Pond. I tossed my line into a huge maple tree. In the spring, it’s tapped for maple syrup. Today, it provided glorious color and a great antenna support.

Even though my throw went nearly 50 feet high… I only needed 22 feet. I set up on 15 meters with the ATS-4 and used a half wave wire. I powered the setup with 8AA batteries that I solar charged this morning.

The band was remarkable. Very quiet with a handful of very strong signals. My first contact was with Volker, J79WE in Dominica. He gave me a 549 and we finished a quick exchange easily. Next I answered a CQ from CM8CAD in Cuba. Carl gave me a 559.  I sat right in the grass under the tree and enjoyed a view of the Belknap range to the south.

My third QSO was with Hardy, DL1VDL in Dresden. He gave me a 579. Hardy reminded me that we had worked before. Checking my log, I noted that I had worked him in 2008 from the cabin at Knox Mountain! “UR FB 4W is great,” he sent. “Have fun hiking.” With that we signed and I packed up to continue the hike. I went east over the side of the hill, and set up once again. This time on 20 meters.

I sat down in a second field after throwing a 33 foot wire over another maple branch. This time I looked across the high field into a glade below. Mt. Rowe is in the background. I called CQ on 14.060 and received a quick reply from Jan, OK2BUT in the Czech Rep. Jan gave me a 569 and sent “FB sig from UR 4W.” He was running 100 watts with a 3 element yagi. I dropped down to 14.017 and was just in time to hear the end of a QSO. I called GM0HCQ/MM and Mike returned my call. He gave his QTH as 28N – 20W.  Mike was on the Royal Research Ship James Clark Ross near Gomera Island off the north east coast of Africa. Here’s a picture of the ship at anchor in the Antarctic:

You can find out more about the ship and Mike’s station at: http://gm0hcq.com

After this QSO I packed up and walked out of the field onto the old range road. The sun was falling rapidly and illuminated the trees as I headed west.

These glorious fall days are numbered, with November just around the corner. The forecast for tomorrow is rain.

It’s a perfect fall day… sunny and nearly 60F. I head to Knox Mountain to enjoy the fall air and make a few QSOs. I work France and Georgia.

The trail is a carpet of color. The air is glorious. Most of the leaves are on the ground. Afternoon sunlight still dances between the bright yellow beech leaves.

The brook tells the story without a word. Gold leaves mingle with golden sun and green moss.  The season is changing as rapidly as the running water. There is a certain nostalgia that comes with the season.

The trail follows the brook, and as I approach the cabin, I must jump across the rocks to the other side. The old bridge has rotted, and the caretaker has removed the ancient timbers.

The pond is full, not only with water… but of stories and images that lay mysteriously upon the fragile surface.

I sit in my favorite place in the sun on the east side of the cabin… beneath a cherry tree. Everything is still except the tapping of a woodpecker. Even the crickets are quiet now. But I see them hopping in the grass around me. The clouds are but wisps… the day a poignant reminder of the changing season.

I heave a line about 40 feet over a cherry branch and pull up a half wave wire for 20 meters. The band is muted… I think many of the stalwarts are on 15 and 10 meters today. I should have brought the ATS-4 so I could operate on 15. I am using the HB-1B with 4 watts. Signals are down here and I get poor reports from the stations I work. First I call F8BPF in the northwest of France. It takes Sylvain a few tries to get my call correctly. He gives me a 419, but copies my name and QTH the first time. He is running 100 watts to a 3 element yagi. I can hear him easily.

Next I work a county hunter operating mobile in Georgia. Greg, NM2L/M only gives me a 339, but again he copies the exchange first time.

I pull down the wire and prepare to leave. Today radios take second place. The air, the sky, the water, the leaves and the quiet rule the atmosphere.

This morning I worked Jos, ON6WJ in Belgium. He was operating with a homebrew rig that uses little pencil tubes like the one used in the original Sputnik. He was running 700mw!

This is the anniversary of the original beeping Sputnik. A group of QRP guys, lead by Michael Rainey, AA1TJ, built some replicas of the original transmitter and run them every year on 21.060 to commemorate Sputnik.

This morning Jos was solid copy in New Hampshire. In fact, he was 579 for a good part of our QSO. Here’s an audio clip of Jos calling CQ.

ON6WJ

After the QSO Jos and I exchanged emails. He sent me a photo of the little rig. Here it is:

I was running 8 watts to start and then I dropped my power to 1W. I was using an OCF dipole. Working a 700mw station across the pond is a major thrill! Thanks Jos.