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It was another pretty active month on the radio for me and my KX3.  I have now operated portable 22 times – with my goal being 45 for the year – I think I will make it no problem!

I continued this month really having fun with the SKCC QSO’s and chasing members for my first 100 SKCC contacts so I could claim the Centurion Award.  I ended the month with 83 total contacts toward my ‘C’ – just 17 more and I will be there.

With WES coming up this weekend I should be able to get there in short order!

So here is the recap on the MONTHLY numbers:

Total QSO’s all modes: 81

Total CW QSO’s: 75
Total PSK31 QSO’s: 6

Total SKCC QSO’s: 65

I apologize to those I have worked but have not documented here on the blog during my portable operations – but sometimes lack of time gets the best of me!

A couple DX highlights from this month – I worked ZL2BLQ in New Zealand on 15 meters and LW3EX on 10 meters with just 5 watts and my portable QRP antenna from a local park!

Even with these poor propagation conditions, I am still having a blast with just 5 watts and a wire!

It was another pretty active month on the radio for me and my KX3.  I have now operated portable 22 times – with my goal being 45 for the year – I think I will make it no problem!

I continued this month really having fun with the SKCC QSO’s and chasing members for my first 100 SKCC contacts so I could claim the Centurion Award.  I ended the month with 83 total contacts toward my ‘C’ – just 17 more and I will be there.

With WES coming up this weekend I should be able to get there in short order!

So here is the recap on the MONTHLY numbers:

Total QSO’s all modes: 81

Total CW QSO’s: 75
Total PSK31 QSO’s: 6

Total SKCC QSO’s: 65

I apologize to those I have worked but have not documented here on the blog during my portable operations – but sometimes lack of time gets the best of me!

A couple DX highlights from this month – I worked ZL2BLQ in New Zealand on 15 meters and LW3EX on 10 meters with just 5 watts and my portable QRP antenna from a local park!

Even with these poor propagation conditions, I am still having a blast with just 5 watts and a wire!

I finally got a chance today to play on the radio – my first time on the air since the SKCC WES!  Much to my enjoyment 20 meters was actually playing nice for me!

I went over the local park near my office and got set up – it is a absolutely beautiful spring day here in Kansas.

Setup in my Honda Pilot – J-37 key to KX3 coax out to 31′ Jackite pole with vertical wire from a 9:1 UNUN  – works great!

After tuning around a bit and not hearing anything, I decided everyone must be listening and nobody seemed to be calling CQ – so today I decided to only call CQ!

And the contacts began almost immediately….

AI4UL (6327) – Bob gave me a call from North Carolina with a nice 559 signal – he gave me a 569 report.

VA5CW (4326S) – Bill gave me a call from Saskatchewan Canada – and he was very loud – 599!  He was running 100 watts into a yagi, so I am sure that helped.  He dropped his power to 5 watts and I could still copy him very well.  We had a nice chat, and a nice two way QRP QSO!

KF7WJY (14522T) – Tim returned my call from Nevada, but we both had very weak signals 339 both ways.  It was a slug, but we managed to finish up the QSO.  Thanks Tim!

K2PAY (4304S) – Jerry was very weak when he first returned my call from Long Island, NY – 339 here in Kansas.  He gave me a 459.  QSB got the best of his signal when he was telling me his power, so I don’t know if he was QRP or not – I think he said 50 watts, but not sure. (update: a PM on the SKCC sked page Jerry said he was at 50 watts)

KG7VTO (14714) – Bob called me with a 559 from Pendleton, OR.  After reading his QRZ page, and looking at his SKCC number, I figured out he is a pretty new ham.  He just got his ticket fall of 2015 and joined SKCC in December 2015.  Bob had a nice fist and it was a pleasure to work a newer ham – glad you were bit by the CW bug Bob!

W4RMM (2471T) – last QSO of the day goes to Bill from Alabama!  He was pretty weak here in Kansas with a 339, and he gave me a 449.  We kept it short because I had to get back to work.

Thanks to all that answered me – you provided me a truly enjoyable lunch time portable operation!

What a fun day on the radio!  I picked up several new SKCC numbers towards my Centurion Quest, and just had a fun time with the J-37 key.

The map of the Reverse Beacon Network from my calling CQ today – pretty impressive!

I finally got a chance today to play on the radio – my first time on the air since the SKCC WES!  Much to my enjoyment 20 meters was actually playing nice for me!

I went over the local park near my office and got set up – it is a absolutely beautiful spring day here in Kansas.

Setup in my Honda Pilot – J-37 key to KX3 coax out to 31′ Jackite pole with vertical wire from a 9:1 UNUN  – works great!

After tuning around a bit and not hearing anything, I decided everyone must be listening and nobody seemed to be calling CQ – so today I decided to only call CQ!

And the contacts began almost immediately….

AI4UL (6327) – Bob gave me a call from North Carolina with a nice 559 signal – he gave me a 569 report.

VA5CW (4326S) – Bill gave me a call from Saskatchewan Canada – and he was very loud – 599!  He was running 100 watts into a yagi, so I am sure that helped.  He dropped his power to 5 watts and I could still copy him very well.  We had a nice chat, and a nice two way QRP QSO!

KF7WJY (14522T) – Tim returned my call from Nevada, but we both had very weak signals 339 both ways.  It was a slug, but we managed to finish up the QSO.  Thanks Tim!

K2PAY (4304S) – Jerry was very weak when he first returned my call from Long Island, NY – 339 here in Kansas.  He gave me a 459.  QSB got the best of his signal when he was telling me his power, so I don’t know if he was QRP or not – I think he said 50 watts, but not sure. (update: a PM on the SKCC sked page Jerry said he was at 50 watts)

KG7VTO (14714) – Bob called me with a 559 from Pendleton, OR.  After reading his QRZ page, and looking at his SKCC number, I figured out he is a pretty new ham.  He just got his ticket fall of 2015 and joined SKCC in December 2015.  Bob had a nice fist and it was a pleasure to work a newer ham – glad you were bit by the CW bug Bob!

W4RMM (2471T) – last QSO of the day goes to Bill from Alabama!  He was pretty weak here in Kansas with a 339, and he gave me a 449.  We kept it short because I had to get back to work.

Thanks to all that answered me – you provided me a truly enjoyable lunch time portable operation!

What a fun day on the radio!  I picked up several new SKCC numbers towards my Centurion Quest, and just had a fun time with the J-37 key.

The map of the Reverse Beacon Network from my calling CQ today – pretty impressive!

This weekend was the monthly SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (WES), and I was really looking forward to working this.  I had hear there was lots of activity, and a great way to pick up additional SKCC member QSO’s as I work towards my Centurion (100 contacts).

Map of contacts – most were on 40 meters (PR was on 15 meters, only 15 meter contact) – map by http://www.qsomap.org/

So I was up and at it at 7:00 AM local Saturday morning (12:00 UTC).  Long story short, the bands really stunk here in Kansas the entire weekend.  All total I probably was able to work about 8 hours of the contest.

I ended up making 24 contacts, 16 states/provinces (including Puerto Rico and France) for a total score of 774 points – all QRP at 5 watts with the KX3 and my 20/40 dipole that lays on my shingles on the roof.

I used the SKCC Logger program, and it made life really easy!

I dug out an old J-37 key that my father had, and it was a real pleasure to use!

J-37 Key – KX3 on 3D printed stand my son made for me!

I added 16 new SKCC numbers, so right now I am sitting at 59 – just 41 more to go for my Centurion.

I will definitely be back next month!  This was really fun, and if you’re worried about your CW skills, this is the perfect event for you.  Nice and slow – not the break-neck speed of most CW contests!