Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cuba! CO8LY...

Man is it ever hot here in Kansas!  Today it was 93 when I exited the car to setup the antenna.  Can't wait for those cool fall days to arrive!

Once I turned the radio on I opened SOTA Goat on my iPhone to see where the SOTA activators were.  I noticed one of them was calling CQ on 12 meters.  I had never even listened on 12 meters, so I thought I would give it a go.

I couldn't hear the SOTA activator, but I did here...

CO8LY - map from QRZ
CO8LY:  I heard Eduardo calling CQ with no takers and he was LOUD.  So I gave him a shot and he came back with a 599 report.  From the map on QRZ it looks like Eduardo was near the "infamous" Guantanamo Bay.

The bands were slightly strange today, a little up and down by there just not too many stations on.

I called CQ on 20 meters near the QRP watering hole.....



WB3GCK - from QRZ
WB3GCK/P: Craig was working portable from Duck, NC.  Duck, NC is on the eastern most part of NC - and looks to be a popular resort area.  He was VERY quiet - and judging from his picture on QRZ he was probably QRP.  He gave me a 559 and I gave him a 339.  We kept it short since he was so quiet.  Craig has a nice page with lots of operating stories and other projects.  You should really check it out here: http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/  He is definitely a QRPer!

Called CQ some more and...

N3RSD: Frank came back with 559 reports both ways.  He was in Wilmington, DE.  We exchanged SKCC numbers and called it day.  I always feel bad exchanging SKCC numbers when I am using the keyer - should I?

One other interesting thing... I was tuning around at 18.100 and heard W4BVH/BCN Tampa FL - I will have to check this out and let him know I heard it!

Another fun and successful QRP lunch time portable outing!
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4 comments:

  1. UnknownSeptember 12, 2013 at 6:55 AM

    Hi Burke:

    Thanks for the QSO! I had just started following your blog a week or so ago, so I was surprised last night to see my face in it. :-)

    I was indeed QRP. I was running 5W from a Yaesu FT-817/Z-817. The antenna was the "Up and Outer" doublet described on my website.

    I'm on vacation this week in a rental house overlooking Currituck Sound. In fact, last night I did some operating from a gazebo at the end of a dock about 45 yards out into the sound. I'll have some pictures and details up on my website after I get back home to Pennsylvania next week.

    Be sure to give me a holler if you hear me!

    73/72 Craig WB3GCK/QRP/P
    Duck, NC on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

    ReplyDelete
  2. Burke Jones - N0HYDSeptember 12, 2013 at 11:59 AM

    Craig - thanks for checking in! I sometimes wonder if anyone actually reads my thoughts here :) I have visited your site multiple times prior to our QSO - I just didn't put your call with that site.

    Have fun on vacation - looks like a great place!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pat RingSeptember 16, 2013 at 8:51 PM

    Hi Burke. What is the antenna you have connected to the KX1 in your QRZ pic? Some sort of Par End Fedz? Thanks. pat n0yca

    ReplyDelete
  4. Burke Jones - N0HYDSeptember 17, 2013 at 10:33 AM

    Pat - that is just a wire that is about 20 some feet long, with a counterpoise laid out on the ground. It is connected to the KX1 with a BNC to terminal adaptor. Let me know if you have another questions!

    ReplyDelete

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