Answering Readers Questions & Comments VII - Keynote # 4, 2002
It's time again to get caught up on some correspondence from you, my readers.
First here's what Bob K2QJ had to say in an email received several months ago.
Hi John: Like your website very much. I just thought you may be interested that I was in Norway in late May until late June 2001 operating LA/K2QJ from our old farm house located to the West of Farsund Norway in the Lista area (southwest coastal area). We vacation there every year or every other year. My xyl was raised there and has many relatives so hamming keeps me active and gives me something to do while she visits her friends and family.
I used my Heathkit HW-9 with a built-in Tic keyer and external home built tuner and swr meter. I tried the W3EDP antenna and by adding a 66 foot wire to the opposite direction made a sort of Windom out of it and fed it by bringing the ends into the ATU balanced input. I made about 130 QSO's and only about 5 US/Canadian QSO's. I worked several FISTS members, mostly in the UK but was not very successful working GQRP members. The sun shines from about 3AM to 11PM and North American signals usually appeared on 20 and 15 M around 0600 UTC when I got up in the morning. I need to make a mast to raise the antenna up as I now only throw the wire over the house roof and hold the end up with a branch from a short tree. I brought over my Radio Shack 10 meter SSB/CW mobile rig and a 10 meter magmount whip but heard nothing on ten meters; a real disappointment. Have a great summer and keep up the good work. 72/73 Bob K2QJ FISTS 6163 GQRP 5352 ARCI 6146 MI 672.
Next some interesting info received near the end of last year from my friend Hector NP4FW.
Good morning John Shannon; This is Hector NP4FW FISTS 2531 writing you from my office during my coffee break. I am reading your article in the last Keynote. Just a few words on it. I am not so much active as you in terms of contesting. Between Scouting and Ham Radio, my xyl is just ready to hang me up.
Anyway, I am a regular participant at the ARRL INT DX CW Contest of February. I have worked that contest for about 4 years already and received a certificate from the ARRL on two times as the #1 QRP winner for the Puerto Rico area. Maybe no one else entered the contest Hi Hi. I have to confess that it has been real fun and I enjoy very much. I always go with the same radio and antenna. The two times I have come as a winner, I have used both my MFJ QRP 20-meter QRP rig and a Cushcraft vertical.
Phone calls, lunch, supper there, a neighbor knocking my door to borrow my tools and a minor honey do here and there always takes me out for short periods each year, but I manage to catch up again and still enjoy some more. For me as a DX Country, all I need are the US stations, however it's really thrilling when I hear stations from Germany, Jamaica, France, Italy, and Finland calling me. That means, that my humble 4 watts + signal is hitting far away countries nicely. Please also note that I am 100% deaf from one side so I have some difficulty pulling out stations from the pileup but I tell you, its a great feeling.
I also try to be near the FISTS 14.058 frequency. In that way, I can make myself some more new FISTS colleagues by the same token. Next year, I am planning to show up again but this time, with a new Cushcraft Yagi I have just bought and the same rig.
I guess that's about all John; let me wish you a very nice holiday season and may God bless you good. 73 Hector NP4FW FISTS 2531.
Thank you very much Hector and Bob for helping me to show that QRP does work, and in fact works very well, especially when you are using CW.
There's just time now to invite you to visit me at my web site - home.windstream.net/johnshan/. If you'd like some more interactive communication, look for me on the bands or email me. Of course, although it's slower, regular mail also still works well - John Shannon, 478 E. High St., Kittanning, PA 16201-1304. Till the next time - 73. -30-
