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Judy and I drove over to the beach today… and what a day it was! We had a beautiful walk on the beach. I worked Bulgaria, France, Italy, TN and GA with a wire that was only three feet off the ground!

We brought our bikes and after a picnic lunch we rode a few miles up the road and back along the shore. Judy picked rose hips (rich in vitamin C) from the wild Rosa Rugosa along the way. It was in the low 80s F with just a little breeze. After that we sat on some benches in front of Rye Harbor. Judy lay down in the sun, and I strung a wire from the bench to a low bush that was 40 feet behind us. At most the wire was only 3 feet above the ground. I’d brought the kite, but there wasn’t enough wind to fly it. So I used what was available.

I had brought the KX3 and tuned around 20 meters and heard a couple of strong stations… the first one was W1AW/4 in TN. What the heck, I thought… I’ll give it a try. I got an answer on the first call and completed the exchange. Whooppee! TN on a 30 foot wire 3 feet off the ground. Next I worked Tony W4FOA in Georgia. He also gave me a 599. Now I was feeling pretty confident and went down the band for some DX. IK1ZNL, Paolo in Italy was 579. He answered my call and gave me a 559. Yikes… DX with a low wire. Then I worked LZ37MP in Bulgaria. I was working DX with the nicest view in the world…. Rye Harbor.

I thought I’d see what 30 meters was like. The Europeans were working each other all over the band, and they were strong! So I called a few… but no luck. I was hearing them, but their local signals were much stronger than I was. Anyway, I worked Chris F8DGY in France on 30 and completed the exchange, but clearly he wasn’t hearing me very well. But what the heck… I simply couldn’t ask for more. A perfect day, a beautiful beach and some DX by the sea.

This afternoon Hanz W1JSB and I hiked up to Knox Mountain. What a beautiful place. We worked Russia, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Germany and Croatia.

Along the trail, the first bridge has deteriorated significantly since we made the trip last. The timbers have sagged so badly that the planks at the leading edge are sticking several feet above the ground. We crossed cautiously. We came to the pond after hiking forty minutes or so. It’s always a welcome sight.

Hanz and I set up between the two cabins on the hill above the pond. I tossed a half wave wire for 20 meters over a high branch of the cherry tree and we shared the antenna. I brought the KX3. Hanz brought his new rig. It’s an enhanced HB-1B in a waterproof Pelican case. It’s really gorgeous.

Hanz has added a large display, an amplified speaker, internal battery, charger, power monitor, and a touch keyer to the HB-1B. It’s beautiful and really works just as well.

Hanz took the first turn with the antenna. He worked Russia, Poland, Georgia, and South Carolina. We were working the Romanian DX Contest.

Here’s my log:

30 Aug-14 1941 14.025 HG8C CW 599 599 Hungary
30 Aug-14 1946 14.014 R3ZV CW 599 599 Russia
30 Aug-14 1953 14.031 W4IX CW 599 599 SC
30 Aug-14 1957 14.011 I3FIY CW 599 599 Italy
30 Aug-14 2003 14.027 YR9F CW 599 599 Romania
30 Aug-14 2029 14.026 DJ2QV CW 599 599 Germany
30 Aug-14 2032 14.018 N4AF CW 599 599 NC
30 Aug-14 2033 14.014 W4BQF CW 599 599 GA
30 Aug-14 2035 14.019 9A5Y CW 599 599 Croatia

We passed the antenna back and forth for an hour or so.

We packed up after a perfect afternoon and headed down the trail alongside the brook. Hanz took one last picture of the afternoon sun shimmering in a pool in the rocks.

Part humor, part friendly reminder from Reddit user hamfacts.

(There are 6 more “HamFacts” if you’re into self-deprecating ham humor….)

Here are the featured stories from our September, 2014 issue:

An Inexpensive VHF/UHF Spectrum Analyzer Dongle
By Mario Filippi, N2HUN

Commercial spectrum analyzers can run upwards of several thousand dollars in price, but for those on a limited budget, who don’t require the sophisticated features of high-end analyzers, the RF spectrum analyzer by Nuts About Nets fits the hobbyist’s bill nicely. It has opened up a new world of interest in the types of signals that inhabit the VHF/UHF bands, what they look like and where they appear. Regular contributor to TSM, Mario Filippi N2HUN, takes this spectrum analyzer dongle to the VHF and UHF bands, looking for signals. He notes, “Unquestionably, this is one of the most useful pieces of radio gear I have encountered as a hobbyist in many years!”

The Slow and Unsteady Course of HD Radio™
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

In the days before Wi-Fi radio, Pandora™, and the many ways people digitally stream audio to their mobile devices, HD Radio was created to combat the first digital threat to over-the-air radio: XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Six years ago the market was awash in tabletop HD Radio sets ranging in price from $100-600. Now, there’s only one such set: a $52 FM-only radio from Insignia. In the 13 years since its inception, iBiquity, the broadcast consortium behind the HD Radio brand, has seen its product go from “The Next Great Idea” to the question: “Whatever happened to HD Radio?”

Going Mobile Digitally; Connect Systems CS700 Review, and Nifty! Mini-Manuals
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

In this month’s look at digital amateur radio operating, Cory Sickles WA3UVV, reviews Connect Systems’ CS700 portable UHF digital amateur radio transceiver that boasts 4 watts output, a keypad and more, for a direct retail price of $180. That price is what created the initial buzz, as even a basic Digital Mobile Radio, without any display or keypad, can cost $360 or more. Factor in that the CS700 is supplied with a drop-in charger and free, downloadable, programming software, and you’ll discover why this radio has been such a game changer. We all know that price alone, however, does not guarantee a winner. But Cory found that, with the CS700, the quality and attention to detail was evident from the moment he opened the box and placed the radio in his hand.

TSM Review:

Hardrock 50 Amplifier Kit: Giving QRP a Boost
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH

QRP rigs are simple to build and fun to operate. But, as band conditions deteriorate over the next few years, you may find some need for a boost of power to get those contacts, especially if you’re chasing DX. The Hardrock 50 amp is an economical way to satisfy your urge to build, along with your need for a few dB of added signal strength on all the popular HF bands plus 6 meters. Regular TSM contributor, Mark Haverstock K8MSH, details his experience as he tackled the job of building this amp and putting it to the test on his Elecraft KX-3, a popular all-band, all-mode, low-power transceiver.

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file.  Annual subscription (12 issues, beginning with the January 2014 issue) is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.