[KYHAM] QRP 40 Meter Radio Contacts

[Jeanie Dalton]

This is from a good friend of mine in Charleston, West Virginia who has r=
ecently =

discovered QRP.  I thought those interested in QRP would get a kick out o=
f what =

he does to get a signal.  He is an avid hiker and takes his radio with hi=
m.
Jeanie, KB8QLC



RE:	QRP 40 Meter Radio Contacts

 =

Hello Gang, =


Yesterday afternoon, while the tempature was in the mid 50's, and after a=
 =

nice walk by the river near the State Capitol of Charleston WV, I decided=
 to =

see if I could stretch some coax from the stairwell in the apartment comp=
lex =

to my new 40 meter MFJ SSB radio. I knew the tempature was going to drop =
and =

it would be a little "chilly" when the sun went down but I wanted to see =
what =

the "rig" would do if I could get the antenna (a small 2'x2' Isotron Loop=
) =

away from all the "steel" in my apartment building.

I've been making some short contacts with the mast and antenna mounted to=
 a =

camera tripod and "sitting in the center of the living room floor". =

(Brrrrrr....its been real cold outside since Christmas). but I've checked=
 =

into the WV Midday net several times, the Mid Car net, the Navy net, and =
the =

OMISS net while using the camera tripod. <ha> I only use "small portable =

gear" that is "backpackable" That's the way I prefer radio  and I intend =
to =

"keep it that way". I find communicating is much more of a "challenge" an=
d is =

more "rewarding" using portable gear! It's a great excuse for staying =

outdoors also. <ha> =


I "bungee corded" a 16' painters extension pole, with the Isoltron Loop =

mounted at the top, to the stair railing leading to the third floor of th=
e =

apartment complex and was able to get the coax into my apartment by runni=
ng =

it over the top of the door and into the rig. I tuned across the 40 meter=
 =

band, adjusted the SWR to the lowest point  and heard a small group near =
Lake =

Erie chatting. Two members of the group were brothers. One was near Erie,=
 Pa =

and the other at the far tip of Florida. 'Ya think a 10 watt QRP rig coul=
d =

make the trip? You bet'cha....I worked two Florida stations, one North =

Carolina station, and two Virginia Beach stations easily! The Florida guy=
s =

were giving me 5-7 reports and couldn't believe I was "QRP". "Everyone" s=
aid =

the audio quality was excellent! (the MFJ 9040 has a speech processor bui=
lt =

into it). All these East Coast contacts were about 6:30pm EST. =


Ok...now for the exciting stuff!  The evening OMISS 40 meter net on 7265 =
MHZ =

came aboard about 9 pm.(I've worked a few stations on this net from the =

living room floor also), but when I gave my QRP West Virginia (I told the=
m =

all I was running 12 watts) ...they all went "nuts". (at least that's wha=
t it =

seemed to me) <ha> It's amazing how just getting in a decent operating =

location can make "all the difference". My best view from the apartment =

complex is to the East. I have a "massive" building behind me to the West=
. =

(the Charleston Ordinance Center) so I didn't expect to do very well out =

West. Wow....what an eye opener! Before the evening was over,  I made my =
best =

40 meter distance contact yet!  Broomfield Colorado (W0QE) was 1200 miles=
 =

away. I got a 5-5 report with excellent audio! I worked two Nebraska =

stations, one Iowa station, one Texas station and one Arkansas station al=
so. =

My weakest reports were 4-4 into Nebraska. I even worked an old "Destroye=
r", =

the USS Kid, in the Gulf of Mexico near Baton Rouge, La. The operator on =
the =

ship (W5KID) had a group of Boy and Girl Scouts aboard and I think....I =

operated with her back in '68. If I remember right...they were an officia=
l =

member of the "Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club". I was stationed aboard the USS Co=
rry =

DD 817 at the time. I "heard" a station in California but tonight the =

conditions weren't favorable to make the contact!

I know I'm guilty of "tooting my own horn" but 'dang it...I just can't he=
lp =

it! I'm amazed that I can work stations like these on a "nothing unusual =

evening" on 40 meters "QRP From a difficult apartment building" !  This =

summer when I can get out hiking in the mountains....and really away from=
 the =

city "concrete, glass, and steel"...I'm not going to be able to sleep at =

night! =


I have a vision of working Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas, the Virgin Island=
s =

and even "skipping accross the pond" to England and France, if the sunspo=
ts =

are right. =

'Ya know the best thing about it? I'll be transmitting while "Sitting Aro=
und =

a Campfire" "Watching the Stars" with "Fresh Clean Air"  I know of about =
100 =

mountain tops at the 4,000 ft level here in West Virginia. (they don't ca=
ll =

us the Mountain State for nothing)  I only pull about 2 amps transmitting=
 SSB =

and 1 amp on CW so a small battery pack will be sufficient! (one that I c=
an =

hike with and carry easily).

I'm really, really, really looking forward to this spring and summer on t=
he =

radio! =

The outdoors is taking on a whole differnt view now. =


72's
Happy Trails, =


John Smithson N8ZYA =

133 3rd. Ave. Apt.3B
So. Charleston, WV 25303 =

e-mail Jspiker@AOL.com
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rs =

Home Page</A> =


"All that is gold does not glitter...not all those who wander are lost."
J. R. R. Tolkien