Tag Archives: HF

CW and QRP, General, Homebrewing, Newsletter, On The Air

QRP on the AIR… from K-ONE Last Good Question

By Dennis Marandos – K1LGQ

What a difference 90 days can make! It wasn’t that long ago we were looking out our windows and pleading with the snow gods to give us a break, and finally, our cries were heard. The temperatures, the blue skies, the winds have all been recently favorable and we can’t even remember what it was like with four-foot levels of bleached, hard bursts, hoar frosts in our front yards and drifts even higher. Well, we would much prefer to forget last winter than try to remember forging paths to the house garage, the grocery stores, to work or simply just getting our mail in the front yard–but look at it now. The sun is higher in the sky, the temps are thirty to forty degrees warmer than before, and the winds have shifted, a bit, for us to say “We’re in pig (HAM) heaven!”  What does all this lead up to you say? It is nature calling us to get out of the stale-air shack and into our “get-off-our-fanny” modes…including hiking, camping, biking and just plan QRP along the mountain paths. Yes, it’s the call of the CONTINUOUS WAVE!

Dennis K1LGQ, Mr. QRP
Dennis K1LGQ

I have been waiting all winter for the warmer spring months so I could pack my QRP gear into my knapsack, charge up the ole gel-cell and retune my throw-up dipoles to GET ON THE AIR. I have a small 7-amp gel-cell which is pretty much all anyone needs and thin, copper wire to fling onto the nearest tree limb to get the RF into the ionosphere. A quick and grubby antenna tuner will certainly do the job plus its pocket size which means not a lot of space occupied in the QRP bag. Overall, it’s pretty easy and if you’re thinking you have to do a lot to visit Mother Nature’s playground in her best, you’re wrong. Outdoor operating is now easier than it has ever been, and I am going to tell you why.

First off, operating QRP means you take the least favorable weight, carry less with you, and enjoy what you have. Five watts, or less, is pretty slim-pickings and to throw an antenna into a tree is the least of your hardships, but getting outside into the woods, the parks, the BACK YARD is going to be your toughest struggle. Where can I go? Who can I go with? How much gear do I need? Do I need to bring food, coffee, or snacks where I am headed? OH COME ON! We’re talking simply getting outside and into the sun and on the air!

I have built over two dozen QRP transceivers and perhaps as many antennas as well for the trickiest trees around. What you need is simply a low power rig that can be easily driven by six or eight double-AA batteries, or even a Lithium alone will get you on the air and you’re in attendance. Have you checked the pages of CQ magazine or QST to see who is selling QRP transceivers? Or better and easier, ‘Goggle’ QRP kits on your computer and you’ll find a utopia in front of you. Come on, the longer, brighter, sunshine days are here and you need to get moving before that cool breeze from the north comes visiting again. Not to worry, it’ll be a while, so warm up the soldering iron and burn some rosin. Just target the “al fresco” rig and get moving. By the way, bring your key, paper, and chronographic meter as well.

What does it take to get you moving? Okay, let’s suppose someone offered you fifty dollars to join him on a hike. Now, you’re outdoors and you’re loving it. Well, tell yourself that simply taking your gear to the woods is worth more than fifty dollars and look how much you saved. Think of mind relaxing thoughts, soothing, refreshing sunshine and the thrill of working QSOs anywhere someone can hear you. Now—doesn’t this bring a little excitement to your hard pressed schedule? YES, IT DOES! Now get moving…!

CW and QRP, Education and Training, General, Homebrewing, Youth Activities

My Name Is Patrick…

2 Comments

By Dennis Marandos – K1LGQ

The excitement for warm time operations is just heating up and getting out is easier now than it was a while ago. And judging from what I have already heard on the air, the rivalry for band space is getting hotter and harder to find. Let me tell you about an episode I experienced in Nashua one warm, sunny day when the adrenaline was kicking in and the sun was shining brightly. In the back of my mind-set was the sheer fact that I am radio-active, have a valid license, am getting on the air is what I love so what could possibly go wrong?

I arrived at the local city greenery named Greeley Park (after Horace Greeley) in Nashua, NH and scouted for some tall, white pines for a wire antenna. Here in the northeast, pine trees are like blades of grass…they’re everywhere. Another friend of mine, we’ll call him Mike, and I spotted a pine tree at the edge of the 150-yard field and I took aim with my trust surgical-rubber sling-shot, bought at the local Wal-Mart emporium, and on the second try landed a nice 95 foot shot into the coniferous tower. With my mighty homebrew antenna, called the ‘Gusher,’ the tentacle was placed into combat readiness within fifteen minutes after arriving at the park. We mountain men of the northeast don’t waste any time in being prepared.

The yellow card table was unfolded, the collapsible chair was pushed into the ground for stability, and the tools of the day were unraveled. The NorCal 40a, a 40-meter homebrew transceiver, was attached dutifully to the MFJ-971 antenna tuner, which was then gingerly appended to the Gusher antenna, which culminated with a fully charged jolt of volts from the 7aH gel-cell battery. The log book was strategically placed to the right side, (I am left handed so all papers need to be in front of the writing hand and to the right. Smudges…you know.) Retractable Cross pen in hand, MFJ-24 hour clock blinking away, Vibroplex Bug (Original #2636801) adjusted, antenna swaying in the breeze—what’s left?

Contest time and the calls were loud and clear. My first contact was WA4CMI. Great, we’re getting out! Second QSO was with CH3Y (Canada), a special call for an event I’m still not sure about, dealing with the police department? I wonder if I can get a QSL or an acknowledgment from them…? My third contact was N2HMN in New Jersey, followed by KA3P in Pittsburgh, PA. It seems the RF was flowing to the north and south. The vertical long wire (a sloper) was still hanging in the tree pouring out two watts of pure, unadulterated New Hampshire power across the country…around the world. (I always like to think big.) Then another contact with K1TJ in Morristown, VA, followed by N2VPK in NY, WA4KAC in MD, W1XH in MA, K3AS in PA, N2YIY in PA, KF2HC in NJ, N1RXT on Mt. Monadnock, NH, N2SMH in NJ, AA6UL/4 in VA, W3BNB in MD, AA3LY in PA, WB3GCK in DL, K9UT in IN, KC1GS on Wachusett MT, MA, K8DSS in OH, AF3V in PA, W3GES in PA, K3TKS in MD, WK8S in MI, VE3FAO in Ont., VE3LCW in Ont., and K8JJC in MI. It was pretty exciting hearing and working all these good people on 40 meters and I wanted to thank each and everyone one of them…even the dupes.

Now, what could have gone wrong during such a brilliant contest in the park such as this? During the Saturday sunshine, while in Nashua’s public park, were also 35 to 50 fifteen to nineteen-year-old teenagers who were reenacting Dungeons and Dragons. Their crusade was to run, jump, whoop and yell it up. Okay, they were over THERE, and I was over HERE, about 150 yards apart; and we were worlds away from each other. WRONG! They wanted my space also. They wanted to “play” where I was and to see if I would notice them. Actually, they were the curious ones for many came to my table and asked, “Whatcha doin’?” while snapping their gum and starring at the QRP rig. Boys and girls who were holding duct-tape swords, mock malls and hammers in their hands, wanting to know why I was using Morse code and not a microphone. One brave young man, who looked like he needed a bath, said he had a radio too. My ears perked up and I asked him what his call was. He couldn’t remember but he was on channel 19 along with his divorced mother. “Oh,” I said and turned back to my CW.

After everyone had seen what they wanted to see, they left to conquer the world. Thank goodness for me, for now it is peace and quiet time. Well, not really. Standing in front of me, for minutes…not moving, was Patrick, a five year old boy who had no one to play with and deemed me his friend. HE WOULD NOT GO AWAY. He was inquisitive and pulled on the long wire which was connected to the MFJ-971, of which I said politely, “Please don’t touch anything.” He said okay, until he saw the cable from my gel-cell and wanted to know why it was red and black. I said politely, “Please don’t touch anything.” This appeased him until he saw inside my Xerox paper box filled with field strength meters, a frequency meter, coax, et al, something more interesting. Patrick wanted to see what else was inside and proceeded to empty, one piece at a time, the entire contents of what was there. “Wow, what are you doing?”…ran through my mind, but I looked at him and said politely, “Please don’t touch anything.” I, at this time, mentioned that his father was looking for him, or perhaps his mother wanted him too. Patrick said his mother wasn’t there in the park but that his father wanted him to play with that nice man in the corner of the field…me. My eye lit open and I said nicely, “Why don’t you go play with your friends.” He said he wanted to stay and watch me. Patrick then spied the Oreo cookies I had in my Tupperware container in my Xerox catch-all radio box. He said that they must taste good because he has had them before. I offered two cookies to him and said make sure your dad gives you permission to eat them. Patrick ran away with smiles on his face and a kick in his gait.

Patrick ran back ten minutes later, mouth all loaded with black cookie crumbs and said that they were so good he was wondering if there might be more. Again, he got another two cookies and off he went. That was the end of Patrick, until he came back for the third handout. I said, “I am sorry Patrick, but you ate them all and now you’ll have to leave here and not come back till I have over fifty contacts.” He didn’t understand what I meant but HE LEFT! Nice kid, but what a time to pick to be an inquisitive five year old!

Did I have a good time? YES! I can’t wait for the next QRP contest in the park, and I know a lot of us are waiting for the good times to continue. I have always said that amateur radio has to be instant gratification and that’s why I love it so much. This has got to be the best fraternity I’ve even been in and I love all you guys. You dudes are great and I want to work you all. And…Patrick, too!

Digital, Education and Training, Featured, Field Day, General, Newsletter

2nd Field Day Prep Meeting Recap

I wanted to provide an update to all club members on our progress related to Field Day 2017.  We had our second field-day meeting yesterday at the Nashua Public Library.  I’m pleased to report that we have selected the Hollis Brookline High School for a 2nd year as our site.  Paperwork has been submitted to the school seeking formal approval.

Now that a site has been identified, formal station planning has begun.  Once again, we will be operating this year as a 7 Alpha, which means we will have 7-transmitters, plus a GOTA and a Satellite station.  We will setup the following stations:

  • 10/15/80m SSB
  • 20m SSB
  • 40m SSB
  • 10/15/80m CW
  • 20m CW
  • 40m CW
  • 6m VHF
  • A Digital Station
  • A “Get on the Air” GOTA Station
  • Satellite Station with computer-controlled Azimuth / Elevation rotor
  • A VHF/UHF “talk-in” station

As there are many new members in the group, I wanted to take a minute to explain the complexities of this type of setup.  Operating so many transmitters in close proximity is a recipe for disaster unless proper precautions are made.  We must do this right so all the stations will be able to operate without interference to one another.  If we don’t, it would be very easy to have de-sense or worse case physical front-end damage to a receiver where it would require repair.

To combat these issues, we are going to erect 3 towers this year, each separated by about 300-feet.  Each of them will have a tri-band HF beam antenna directed to the southwest and pointed perpendicular to the axis of the towers.  In addition, we will be using a device called a triplexer to separate the single antenna feed coming from the tribanders into individual 10m, 15m and 20m feeds to the radios.  Each of these feeds will be further protected with a band-specific Band Pass Filter (BPF).  This will allow 3 separate radios to transmit and receive simultaneously over a single antenna.

There will be several new concepts introduced this year, including the addition of a Wi-Fi Mesh LAN environment to connect all the sites computers together.  This LAN will provide shared internet access as well through a 4G cellular connection.

Field Day - WiFi Mesh Topology
WiFi Mesh Topology

We will be running the N1MM logger in network mode this year as well.  This will allow for real-time tracking of our combined score, with a “dashboard” being available in the public information tent.

Another new concept will be a remote radio setup.  Given the layout of the Hollis Brookline site, the third tower will be located remotely on a lower field.  Although it’s still within the 1,000’ transmitter perimeter allowed by ARRL, the third tower will be quite isolated.  We have decided to place two Flex Radio’s at the third tower for our GOTA and Digital operations.  The operators will connect to these radios over the Wi-Fi Mesh network, allowing them to be anywhere on-site.  The user interface for the GOTA station will be a Flex Maestro controller, which emulates a traditional “knob and button” radio.

Our primary objective is to make sure there is something for everyone.  We want to be inclusionary, and give anyone that’s interested an opportunity to participate.

We have established a regular bi-weekly planning meeting at the Nashua Public library.  Generally, the meetings are held on Sunday’s from 1 – 3 PM.  However, the next meeting will be on Saturday, April 8th from 12 – 2 PM due to lack of availability of facilities on Sunday.  We will resume the normal schedule on Sunday, April 23rd from 1-3PM.

I will be sharing additional details at club meetings and through N1FD.ORG as things progress.

Dave, K1DLM

Hashtags: #ARRLFD 

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