[Lowfer] first timers impression of FDIM

[Paul Daulton]

I left Sunday morning and drove through and got home sunday night. About 663 
miles. I usually break it up into two legs but was feeling ok.

I got lots of small parts and a Heath VFO for my AT-1. I wish I had bought 
one of Diz's dds generators could have saved 5 odr 10 bucks over catalog 
plus shipping.
for those wondering google W8DIZ and check out his wonderful line of modular 
kits. Diz was one of the vendors at FDIM.

Beacon survived bad t'storms while I was gone but digital clock and timer on 
kitchen stove wasn't so lucky, must tear into it tomorrow.

I am going to have to do some head scratching to figure out where to put 
30meter antenna for beacon, I use 80/40 meter inverted vee on my tower with 
antenna tuner what little I have operated 30 m.
I was too busy today doing laundry and cleaning up camper to look at 10.140 
for qrss beacons. I figure early moring hours best. Probably look at WSPR 
and se how the propagation is going on 30meters.

For those wondering, Mike and I bought qrp 30meter beacon kits from Hans 
Summers G0upl at the FDIM convention. xtal change would put it on 22 meters 
easilly. Hans sold 100 of  his kits and programmed the ID chip on the spot. 
Quite a few Europeans active on 10.140 qrss 3.

Have a safe trip going home, maybe next year you can make Ozarkcon at 
Branson.

73 Paul
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike.WE0H" <we0h at gmx.com>
To: "Discussion of the Lowfer (US, European, &amp;UK) and MedFer bands" 
<lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Lowfer] first timers impression of FDIM


> Ah you made it home. We are in Detroit tonight. That sure was cool
> meeting you Paul. I was napping at the hotel when the receiver
> presentation was going on. So much going on and little sleep. I skipped
> out on Dayton on Sunday. I didn't have much interest this year to
> collect stuff. Can't wait to get home to build that 30m beacon kit. That
> will be a cool project.
>
> Take care,
> Mike
> WE0H/8
>
>
>
> Paul  wrote:
>> My first qrp convention was at Joplin,Mo in2007. Dave w0ch had invited me 
>> a couple of years earlier but I wasn't able to attend until after I 
>> retired. My friend Bill Allsopp W5TJI said it best, "going to Ozarkcon 
>> for the first time was like trying to drink from a fire hose, so much to 
>> comprehend in so little time".
>>
>> After four Ozarkcons my first FDIM wasnt so intimidating. I particulary 
>> enjoyed the show and tell sessions at night. I was honored to be a 
>> presenter at Ozarkcon on my favorite subject- Low frequency beacons and 
>> weak signal reception.At show and tell I got a chance to display my 
>> workbench lowfer tx and a loading coil. I was joined by Mike WE0H who is 
>> another lowfer and 600 meter operator. I had lots of people stop by and 
>> chat. I handed out over 80 cards with my e-mail address and links to LWCA 
>> and our yahoogroup/part15 sites. Mike distributed info on ARRL 600 meter 
>> ops( he is WD2XSH/16). Some said they were unaware of our ops others said 
>> it was something they always wanted to try. Hans Summers talk about QRSS 
>> beacons on 30 meters really greased the wheels for me and Mike, since our 
>> beacon work is very similar.Mike and I bought two of Hans' 30 meter 
>> beacons.
>>
>> It is hard to pick a favorite from the speakers, but Jim K8IKE and Jay 
>> K4ZLE gave a wonderful presentation on reciever and transmitter 
>> performance testing. Jim and I had a couple of chats thurday and friday 
>> evenings and I got a chance to show him my latest project, a superhet 
>> with singly balanced mixers instead of the usual ne602. Jim was very 
>> encouraging. I hope the program people at Ozarkcon will try to have Jim 
>> and Jay next year.
>>
>> We had a fine dinner, great food, but remember those prime ribs at 
>> Branson ?.ummmmmm
>>
>> Paul K5WMS
>> ps for the lowfer group FDIM is the annual qrp convention held by QRP 
>> amateur radio club international at Holiday Inn in Fairborn OH at the 
>> same time as the Dayton Hamvention.
>> Ozarkcon is held at Branson Mo sponsored by the 4sqrp group. Google FDIM 
>> and 4sqrp or Ozarkcon for info.
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