[ADXA] Fwd: Great day, no lip turned upside down now. VEC Cert, new rig, and QSL card!

Thu Jun 26 11:09:16 EDT 2025

Oops, too quick on the SEND button. Now to everyone …

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Nick Kennedy <kennnick at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 26, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: [ADXA] Great day, no lip turned upside down now. VEC Cert, new
rig, and QSL card!
To: Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com>

Congrats on the QMX+, Jay. I built the original QMX, which is much smaller
but only allows a limited selection of bands. Mine does 80-20. Hans went to
a bigger box with the QMX+ so he could fit in all the filter toroids to
cover all bands.

Even with its limited coverage, mine is so tight that I had to put on my
boots and jump up and down on it several times before I could close the box.

That guy - Hans Summers, G0UPL - is an amazing designer and experimenter.
When he introduced the QMX a few years ago, he “sort of” promised, with
fingers crossed, that he would add SSB capability at some point.  His
presentation this year at Dayton/FDIM described all the obstacles he had to
overcome to finally get there.  It’s on YouTube now, if you have an hour to
kill:

https://youtu.be/bsDBcFXgHbY?si=8DIgBNkH1Uu5IHuo

I haven’t upgraded mine to SSB yet - I still have to select a microphone.
But it’s on my list.

73

Nick, WA5BDU

On Wed, Jun 25, 2025 at 9:30 PM Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com> wrote:

> Thanks for the kind words, Dennis!  We sure had a lot of fun over the
> years with your club and that one time you fixed the antenna up for us at
> the Russellville Hamfest!  I will never forget those young contest dudes
> that came through the forum and saw the Small Wonder Labs QRP rig, asking
> what is this good for?  One of them, got a nice European run and if I
> remember right?  That same year the hamfest was on ARRL CW.  It was a
> highlight reel for sure.  I loved seeing their faces and comments as they
> were leaving the room.
>
> In the last few years, Kathy calls it my before SK sale, I sold off or
> thinned out the QRP little rig herd.  I still have one of those rigs that
> cover 4 bands.  It is a MRT version, but I can't remember the model.  Still
> brand new and never fired up!  I will probably sell it now that I have the
> QMX.  I still have some kits, but nothing air worthy.  Also have the Icom
> 705, but mainly use that to talk with K5VR on 70cm.  Afraid I will drop it
> if I take it outside, but Pat W5VY uses his 705 for Hilltopping VHF and
> UHF!  The first rig I never fully understood all it can do!
>
> There are a few things I would change in the QMX.  Have a back jack for
> external speaker, fold up feet in the front ( Danny took care of that for
> me ), a dedicated mic jack in the back and front for SSB.  Oh, I would add
> enough diodes to drop the voltage down to 12 volts and below.  The range is
> from 6 volts to 12 volts and nothing below or beyond that range.  It would
> only take about 6 diodes in series to be right in the sweet spot.
>
> Know what you mean about the grass!  I have a great mowing machine, but it
> needed attention and maintenance this week.  UGH right in the heat, but
> saved us about a $1000 doing it myself.  I normally check the bolts before
> mowing season while getting it grease up.  These Diesels tend to vibrate
> enough to loosen up bolts.  The one year I didn't check them, I had Muffler
> bolts loosen up and even had a rear wheel fall off.  I never thought to
> check those since toque specs are 80 FT Ibs.  The Kubota is around 10 years
> old and the parts guy says it happens all the time at this age of the
> mower!  They are still making the 1211 model to this day!  Those axle lug
> bots and nuts had some screw up threads and that took a while to clean up
> the axle holes.  Didn't know if a normal tab would work or not, but I did
> have a plan B.  Thankfully I didn't have to use Plan B!
>
> Welcome to my world on the washer!  I do feel your pain!  You may have to
> belly up and just buy a new one?  Still, I bet you can find a repairman
> that has a good bone yard to leaned you the parts to keep that one going
> until the new parts come it?  That is what my number 1 step daughter did.
> BTW, she is attached to that unit I bought her as a wedding gift.  I keep
> telling her that their will come a time it will have to be replace and she
> says NO.  Gezz, I think it is now going on 21 years old.  I thought it was
> going to be this year, but she conned her repairman to keep trying to fix
> it!  It took several tries.  The machine doesn't owe her one bit.  With 4
> kids and a husband it, runs nonstop nearly every single day!  Good luck
> with your repair!
>
> Now that my chores are all done, I am hoping I am good to go for this
> year's FD!  Last year I did all the weedeating and mowing right before FD
> kicked off.  I got too hot and was sick right before Friday.  Hydrate well
> Dennis!  Enjoy ARVARF!  Please tell the guys I said hi!   This year I hope
> things turn out differently for me.  Kathy spent the whole weekend at BVRC
> FD.   73 de jay/w5jay..
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Dennis Schaefer <dennisw5rz at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 25, 2025 6:46 PM
> *To:* Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com>
> *Cc:* 'ADXA' <adxa at mailman.qth.net> <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
>
> *Subject:* Re: [ADXA] Great day, no lip turned upside down now. VEC Cert,
> new rig, and QSL card!
>
> You and Kathy have always been good ambassadors for ham radio, so it’s
> fitting that you enlisted as VE’s.  I’ve enjoyed it for many years, started
> sometime in the 80’s.  I do ARRL and W5YI and participate in some remote
> sessions for both.  I was dubious about the remote testing at first, but it
> seems plenty secure.  We test some very interesting people.
>
> I’ve thought about a QMX and I’m sure you’ll have fun with it.  I’ve got a
> QDX (digital only) from the same manufacturer.  I’ve got way too many QRP
> CW rigs.  The latest is an MTR-4B, which also runs off 9V.  It’s fun to see
> how many you can work in a DX contest on a single smoke alarm battery.
>
> I’ll run some CW with ARVARF this FD weekend (not QRP).  It won’t be
> all-out like I used to do with Nick, but I hope to get a couple hundred Q’s
> or more, along with actually getting some sleep.
>
> Mowed the yard today mid-afternoon and didn’t die.  Washing machine quit
> and the part won’t be available for at least 6 months.  First world
> problems!
> 73,
> Dennis
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com> wrote:
>
> Well, Well, Well, The Pony- Express finally got out of Central Arkansas
> and made it to the promise land!  No more lower lip syndrome here in NWA!
> Really would have been happier with LOTW confirmation and not having the
> card checked!
>
> Also, I got a super neat rig from Danny W5CI.  Look at the size of it and
> will be great to have it portable with an upcoming trip with my grandkids.
> Trying my best to get #1 grand take the amateur radio test!  Thanks Danny!
> BTW, if you haven't seen this radio before look up QMX on YouTube, you will
> not believe what it can do and it fits in the palm of your hand!  If you
> have seen the latest Aurora from Flex, it is using some of the same
> technology, EER and APD!  All bands and modes are included in this radio!
> Even runs off a 9 volt battery!
>
> Also got in the mail today, Kathy and I's VEC credentials.  It was signed
> by a very famous DXer K5UR.  I guess when I see him at the next hamfest I
> will have to knell down and kiss the ring again!  I always do this.  Kathy
> was excited to see the certificate and Rick's name and signature on it!
> Can't wait to help Don K5DB and BVRC out bringing new hams into the hobby.
>
>
> Great day and such fun that such simple things bring a smile to one's
> face!  Also worked a few new grids 6m off the 80/40 Fan Dipole!
>
> Thanks for the read!  I had to brag to the list and do a little show and
> tell!  73 de jay..
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