AmateurRadio.com

Today was magic! Everything has turned green in the last couple of days. Judy and I rode our bikes in Old Hill Village this afternoon. I brought the KX3 and worked Slovenia, Lithuania, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, Indiana and South Dakota.

We started out at Shop Road and headed south. We could tell the Pemigewasset River was high. But we were surprised when we found the road was flooded about a mile into the trip.

We turned around and rode back to the camper. Then we headed south by car several miles and came into the flood control area from the other end. It was gorgeous. After riding for ten minutes or so, we came to a beautiful little cove.

Soon the old road leveled out through a large field not far from the river. But we were on high ground and didn’t see any more water on the road.

We stopped in front of an old butternut tree a mile or so farther on. I’ve operated here before.

You can see Judy in the background. She brought her knitting and is working on some booties for a friend’s new baby. I tossed my line over the tallest branch and set up a vertical wire. I ran the KX3 at 5 watts and started out on 17 meters. Right away I worked W1AW/0 in South Dakota. I jumped between 17, 15 and 12 meters to work six stations in about 20 minutes.
Here’s my log:

18 May-14 2026 18.085 W1AW/0 CW 599 599 SD
18 May-14 2030 24.892 HI3LFE CW 599 599 Dominican Rep
18 May-14 2034 21.035 LY10W CW 599 599 Lithuania
18 May-14 2037 18.068 S51TA CW 559 599 Slovenia
18 May-14 2043 18.076 W9FAM CW 599 599 IN
18 May-14 2044 18.077 V44KAI CW 599 599 St. Kitts

From this spot I look east across the Pemi to Sanbornton. It’s beautiful.

I packed up the gear for the ride south to the camper. Judy took a quick snapshot of me and the bike.

I took the kayak out on Hermit Lake today. It was beautiful. I worked Missouri, Rhode Island, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia… all with a d-star handie talkie.

It was 70F and sunny, and I was ready for my first outing to Hermit Lake. I brought a d-star setup packed in a bright yellow Pelican case. It contains a Raspberry Pi computer, a battery, a DVAP (digital voice access point) and a MiFi card. I also had the Icom ID-51 handie. This setup gives me access to the world-wide d-star network.

As soon as I left the shore I started working stations all over the country. I was connected to reflector 30C which is in Atlanta. A reflector is a collection of repeaters. Today 30C may have had 60 users. Making contacts is easy. When I started out, KB6RRX in Georgia was talking with WJ4X in South Carolina. I joined in and explained that I was out in Hermit Lake in a Kayak. Adam, WJ4X looked me up on http://www.aprs.fi. He could see my GPS track on the lake. Unfortunately, I forgot to change the hiking icon to a boat.

The lake was wonderful! As I was paddling along, a large loon popped up barely 20 feet from me. He didn’t seem worried about my paddling by. I floated past islands and coves where turtles basked in the sun on half sunken logs.

Not far away a large Canada goose veered away to the south of me. As I floated through the quiet water, I chatted with Jamie, K4OEY in Alabama. Then I had a call from Mike W4MPL in Orlando. Turns out we both went to the same college. A few minutes later I was chatting with Tony AD0DQ out in Missouri.

As I neared the shore I heard Barry N1TOQ in Rhode Island send his ID. I returned the call and we chatted for a few minutes. He also operates d-star while /MM and wanted to know the details of my setup.

Within the next 10 days our club is putting up a d-star repeater in the area. Next time I go kayaking, I won’t need the pelican case full of equipment. I’ll just use the repeater.

What a beautiful day in New Hampshire! Tim W3ATB and I hiked to Bald Ledges, a little past Sky Pond. We had a fantastic time. We worked the Netherlands, Belgium, England and WA8REI in Michigan.

Sky Pond is a tiny lake in the wilderness of New Hampton. It’s about 12 miles from home. We had a picnic lunch on the shore and then hiked about 20 minutes to the ledges. The view there is stunning.

Toward the northeast, we can see Lake Winona in the foreground and both the White Mountains and Ossipee Mountains in the distance.

I set up the KX3 with a 33 foot sloper to a pine tree. Band conditions weren’t very good, and I worked 17 meters, because that’s where I could hear the most activity. I worked PI4DX in the Netherlands, OS11M, a Morse Heritage special event in Belgium, and then my old friend Tom G3HGE in England. As I was working Tom, a large hawk flew back and forth at eye level out several hundred feet from the ledges. I described it to Tom but I called it an eagle by mistake. He was impressed with the description and wanted me to send a photo!

I packed up my gear and walked up the ledge to see how Tim was doing. He was running the HB-1B on 20 meters and there wasn’t much going on. We went up to the QRP frequency and there was Ken WA8REI just finishing up a QSO. What a thrill to receive a 579 from Ken in Michigan and chat with him for a few minutes. We first met at Lobstercon in Maine. I handed the key to Tim and he and Ken chatted for a minutes before signing. It was a perfect ending to a perfect outing.

The black flies are just coming into their own in New Hampshire. Soon they’ll pretty much control all the outdoor activity. We might not get out much for the next couple of weeks until they die back. Then we’ll have mosquitoes to contend with. All better than snow!

Tim, W3ATB and I took an extraordinary hike to Knox Mountain this afternoon. We walked along the brook enjoying the music and scenery of the spring day. I worked Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Tim worked Illinois and took some fantastic photos.

Barely a quarter of a mile from the pond we came around the corner and found a pile of rubble in the middle of the trail. “It’s a landslide!” said Tim right away. And it was. Tim estimates nearly 100 tons of the hillside (mostly clay) had slid down the hill… some of it reached the brook.

We crossed it easily, although we had mud covered shoes by the time we reached the other side.

It’s always a treat when the pond and cabin come into view after the hike.

The day was warm… perhaps 65F. The black flies have just started to appear, but they’re not biting yet. Tim tossed his line nearly 50 feet over the branch of the large cherry tree near the cabin. He pulled up a Par End Fed for 40 and 20 meters. I chose a smaller maple and used a 33 foot wire sloping toward the south. I was running the KX3 set up on 17 meters. Right away I worked IK2SND, Dan in Italy. Conditions weren’t great, but good enough for solid copy both ways. Meanwhile Tim was working K9MY, Jerald in Illinois with the HB-1B on 20 meters.

Next I worked ED5URL in Spain and CT7/RC2A in Portugal both on 17 meters. Then I switched to 15 meters and worked EA8NC, Manuel… again in Spain. I don’t think the propagation was very good because I didn’t hear many stations. And the ones I worked weren’t that strong.

Tim and I packed up and headed back down along the brook. It’s a day to be savored in memory. Blue skies, warm weather, a hike through some of the most beautiful country anywhere and some wonderful radio contacts… not just across the small pond at Knox Mountain… but across the Big Pond… all the way to another continent.

It was a perfect day for a hike up to Knox Mountain. I walked up after lunch and worked Ukraine, Italy and Portugal.

The first bridge crosses the brook a few minutes into the hike. It’s collapsing. One of the main support timbers has crashed into the water. The whole thing is sagging… I cross carefully.

The trail meanders through the woods alongside of the brook. It’s a glorious adventure. Huge pine trees tower above the path.

It’s about 50F today with some clouds. I’m looking for a way to cross the brook at the top end of the trail. The second bridge is gone and a board we placed across the rocks last year has washed away with the snow melt. I find a place about a quarter of a mile from the pond where I can jump safely across the rocks.

Alongside the brook, at the bottom of a steep hillside, I found an area covered with bright yellow colts foot flowers. Within a few minutes I reach the dam and the pond comes into view.

I walk around to the opposite bank and toss my line over a high cherry tree near the cabin. I pull up a 33 foot wire. I use the earchi.org 9:1 unun connected to the KX3 and run 5 watts.

I tune up on 15 meters and hear Dima, UT6UA in the Ukraine. We exchange reports and he gives me a 569. He’s a 599.

Next I work Walter IK5ZWU in Italy. He’s also a strong 599 and gives me a 559. Then I switch to 20 meters and call Oleg CT7/RC2A who is portable in Portugal. His signal is excellent and he gives me a 569.

I sit for a few minutes enjoying the view before I pack up. It’s been four months since I was here last. You can see why it’s a favorite spot.

All Photos by W3ATB

Tim W3ATB and I rode our bikes to Eagle Pond along the old rail route. We worked Hungary, Israel, Ukraine, Indiana, and Virginia.

We traveled along the old Northern Rail route about four miles. It’s 60F and a perfect spring day. We skirted back and forth across the Black River starting out in Andover.

We stopped at the covered bridge to enjoy the scenery and rest a bit. About a mile and a half from Andover is Potter Place. The local historical society has turned the old station into a museum.

The route is a perfect bike path. Railroad grades are very slight so there are no hills at all. We come to Eagle Pond after riding 40 minutes or so. It’s glorious. Blue sky, sparkling water and some good DX. I’m running the KX3 with a 33 foot wire. I operate mostly on 15M and 17M.

Here’s my log:

25 Apr-14 1855 21.010 HA9RT CW 599 599 Hungary
25 Apr-14 1900 18.076 EM90WF CW 599 599 Ukraine
25 Apr-14 1910 21.018 HA8FK CW 559 599 Hungary
25 Apr-14 1915 18.091 KA4RRU CW 559 599 VA
25 Apr-14 1922 18.078 4Z5IW CW 559 599 Israel

Tim is sitting about 60 feet away running an HB-1B and the Par End fed wire. He’s operating on 20M. He has a nice QSO with an Indiana station. Amazingly, we don’t interfere with each other even though we have parallel vertical wires in close proximity.

We pack up our gear for the return trip and stop several times along the trail. Our butts are sore and our muscles feel the exercise. We’ll be in better shape next time. We pass a few spots with telltale signs of winter. They’ll probably be gone next time too. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.

I heard spring peepers for the first time this year. I hiked in an old field off Johnson Road and worked Russia, Panama and a couple of stations in the Michigan QSO Party.

I hiked about a quarter of a mile on a trail from the road and turned south skirting the edge of the field when I heard the peepers. I know where they are! There’s a vernal pool down a horse path through a large and prickly raspberry patch. I look through the woods and onto the small pond. Every time one of these tiny frogs sings, his body trembles enough to send circular ripples into the pond. They are, of course, calling CQ. It is a clear sign of spring and I am overjoyed.

I wandered through this overgrown field for a while. I was searching for a warm spot out of the wind. It’s only about 45F with a stiff breeze and a bit chilly. I pass the telltale signs of a long winter… tiny holes in the grass where mice and voles have sought cover while enduring the bitter cold.

I set up under a tall pine tree on a little hillside facing the sun.

I heave my wire over a branch and tune the KX3 on 20 meters. Stations are strong, but they don’t hear me well. I work UA2FL who is operating the Mineira DX Contest from Russia. Then I work two stations in the Michigan QSO party… N8KS and K8BZ. I switch to 12 meters. HO100CANAL is calling CQ and he answers right away. This is a special event station in Panama celebrating the opening of the canal 100 years ago.

With this I pack up and head back to the car. I check for ticks (usually out
by now) but thankfully, I don’t find any. Maybe the hard winter has reduced
their numbers.