Portable Ops 18/45: 20 Meters was good today!

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!