Another One Confirmed

This weekend brought a new QSL card.

Happily, it was from 8P6JD in Barbados.

Unhappily, the post office thoughtfully removed the lower left hand corner and most of Rod's call.

So I used an image editor to put it back. The original card of course is in the same condition it was received.

Worth a Shot

I was looking through my log and checking a few things, and noticed that I never attempted to QSL Rick, PY2HL, whom I worked back in 2005 on 15 meters, QRP.

Looking at his QRZ.com entry reveals he has posted QSL instructions, so I am going to give it a shot. Maybe I can get two confirmations from Brazil.

After the Fox, 2007 Edition

I joined the QRP Fox Hunt for the 1st hunt tonight. I dialed the IC-7000 power down to 9%. I measured 5 watts at 10% last week, so 9% should be safely in the QRP range. Conditions on 20 were terrible, for the most part. I found John, K4BAI, after about 30 minutes, and got a 579 report from him, for 1 fox.

I found ET, N1FN, up the band too, but he was never above the noise. I only knew he was there from the fragments of the exchange I could catch.

So, 1 for 2 in the summer series. I'll see how next week goes.

But I will say, working with dual VFOs is sweet.

Costa Rica in the Log

I worked Carlos, TI8II, in Costa Rica today on 15 meters SSB. I have heard Carlos' high speed CW on 15 and 20 for a couple of years, but never worked him until today.

Costa Rica is a new country for me.

Now I have to dig up some IRCs so I can try for a QSL.

Where Did All the Cards Go?

Well, I had reached 81 cards in the right column, kind of excessive loading times unless you are broadband. And, everything before June were all QRP contacts made with my MFJ triplets.

So I decided to display only cards received for contacts made with the new radio on the main page. The whole thing is still available (and now date sorted!) at http://wa5ica.us/qsls/, my QSL wall display.

And I am hopeful I will fill up that right hand column again soon.

Summer Sprint

I got a late start on the sprint tonight, almost an hour and a half into it before I could get home and on the air. Also, 20 meters was plagued by QRM that made me think that BPL had at last arrived in the neighborhood, and this slowed me down for another half hour until it finally subsided.

So in the end, I worked most of the ones I called, but not very many. I didn't break 1000 points, which is my usual target. I think I like the Saturday daytime sprints much better.

I will have another go in the fall.

But I did get both foxes last night, so that's something.

Remote Control

My remoting kit arrived, and I wasted no time getting it installed. The main body of the 7K went behind the passenger seat and the control head is mounted on a satellite radio mount that locks into the can holder.

I had to try a few positions to get it where it is easy to get to and operate while driving, but I think this will work for now.

Some Catching Up

I worked ZF2EK in Grand Cayman on 40 meter CW on the way to work Thursday morning. I worked one fox but not the other Thursday night. I also tuned my extra 40 meter Hamstick to the phone portion of the band, but have not had any 40 meter phone contacts yet.

Friday I set up some memory channels on the 7000 for AO-51 and SO-50. I caught a pass of SO-50 and was able to determine that my antenna is a net attenuator on 70 cm - heard nothing at all. I will be looking into a good dual band soon.

Saturday I worked XE1L on 14.300 for my 1st ever 20 meter phone contact, and got a 5x9 report to boot. Later I worked TO5J in Martinique on 20 cw.

I also worked W0PTI on 6 meter CW. He is in Watauga, for a DX contact of about 14 miles.