K4LRG Sunday Night 0030z to 0059z
13 Checkins
Topics: Heat, A/C, Saturday’s club meeting, The Comet, FT8 and Signalink USB, Soldering, Newly licensed, First time on the net, the Heat, 6am walking to avoid the heat, and so much more
Attendees:
WV8VAN – Van on an HT in Chantily
N7XUI – Stan on an HT
W4PSO – Mark and Gavin
KO4FIN – Brian on an HT (2nd antenna was booming; new ticket!!)
N4PDY – Mike
K2BFY – Henry
K0ZR – Jeff
K3WD – Bill
W0MPM – John
AD7FW – Roy
W3VAR – Chuck
W5ODJ – John
AB3KC – Collins (NC)
CW HF Net July 14
There were four check-ins this evening: K0ZR, K3WD, W0MPM, and KT9N. Not a lot to report with all the hot weather and virus impacts. We look forward to the return of K8SYH once he gets some antenna issues resolved.
Jeff, K0ZR
July Virtual Meeting Reminder 07-18-2020 0830 Eastern
Just a reminder that our scheduled meeting for June will be held this Saturday, July 18th at 0830. This meeting will be hosted virtually.
- Members on the LARG Reflector can join using the calendar invite that was sent to all members
- Visitors needing access should contact [email protected]
K0ZR & 13 Colonies
Ended up spending more time on this event than first envisioned. Did only CW, managing 1,252 QSOs. 40m was the “money band”. My attempts to “open-up” 10 & 15 m were ineffective as the numbers show.
13 Colonies Recap
It took most of the week but I did finally manage to get all stations for the original 13 Colonies and the two extra stations.
They were tough this year! WM3PEN either used CW or FT8 every time I looked to see where they were operating. I did not have FT8 installed on my computer nor do I really know how to use it. I managed to install the software but was not successful in actually making it work in my favor. So I waited for CW which I finally accomplished tonight.
Speaking of CW I worked 4 of the 15 stations using CW this year. The Tuesday night nets really helped me get this done! I still need to get better at this mode but I’m doing OK with it. Enough to help in a contest anyway.
On the operator side of things I’ve managed to put in 6 hours of work this week. In that 6 hours I have worked 859 unique stations. That’s about 143 per hour. It gets pretty crazy at times.
I hope to work another hour or two tomorrow. Maybe I can top off the list at 1000 for 2020.
This is always a fun event for me. This year was the hardest for me to finish but it was rewarding using some new skills to make it happen.
73,
John
W5ODJ
13 Colonies 2020
A quick reminder that the 13 Colonies event starts tomorrow. For more information on the event you can go here. 2020 Event Dates / July 1 (9AM Eastern) to July 7 (Midnight Eastern).
I’ll be operating one of the K2B stations. Of all of the contests I have done this one is the fastest pace by far. Because there are so few operators in Virginia our state, one of the original 13 colonies, is highly sought after.
Last year I had a rate of about 200 QSOs an hour. That’s one about every 18 seconds. I know that when I sit at my desk I have to be on my toes because they come at me fast.
While I am going to be operating I’ll also be getting the “Clean Sweep”. I enjoy doing this each year. Tracking down the bonus stations is always a hoot.
Spotting is not only allowed but encouraged. So if you hear me calling CQ give me a quick spot on DXSummit.
Maybe we’ll hear each other on the air this week!
73,
John
W5ODJ
Lovettsville Oktoberfest Cancelled for 2020
From their Facebook page:
“The Lovettsville Oktoberfest Committee regrets to announce the cancelation (sic) of Lovettsville Oktoberfest 2020 due to concerns for the health and safety of our volunteers, patrons, and vendors.”
I guess it was inevitable for 2020.
73,
John
W5ODJ
Field Day 2020 Recap – W5ODJ
It didn’t start with the normal hustle that comes with executing a well thought through plan.
In fact, it was pretty benign. I was in my chair at the beginning and tried to make a contact in the last minutes. Casual “Search and Pounce” was my M.O. for this event.
The bands were in such good shape! In particular 20 meters. My noise levels were very low on all of the bands with 80 being an exception. It was fun to hear everyone still out there trying to make as many contacts as they could. Getting a new contact was as easy as spinning the dial and logging.
The times I was sitting at my desk I also left 146.52 open in my headset. I was surprised to hear all the chatter on that band this weekend. I ended up making 8 FD specific contacts on 2m simplex. A first for me. Lots of people were out on hikes and making FD contacts with HTs. I also talked to a few people outside of FD. That’s always fun.
Another goal I set for myself was a Field Day specific digital contact which I did in the last hour of the event. That’s not easy to do. If I do digital contesting and want to log and have control of the radio from two programs I have to work on some communications on my desk. Both the digital program and logging want to have access to the radio at the same time. I have the gear, just need to hook it up.
At 2pm today it was like someone turned the electricity off. All of the bands were empty again. This Field Day was over.
In spite of it being a Field Day of One I had a good time. The “clean up” will certainly be easy.
As I push away from my desk I wonder … maybe the hustle will return in 2021.
73,
John
W5ODJ
Field Day 2012 – Eight years ago.
Where does the time go?
I don’t remember all of the details of this particular Field Day event. I do remember It being a another well-run activity and was followed up by a de-brief the evening the Derecho came through Virginia. Hard to believe that was 8 short years ago.
What followed the Derecho was 7 days of over 100º weather and no electricity at my home for 7 days. It was interesting for sure. I was prepared for this thanks to all my work with radio, Field Day, ARES and EOC.
Could you do without electricity for 7 days?
What about 24 hours?
Today you may be able to test that theory.
Do you recognize anyone in the photographs above?
For me 8 years ago was a very chaotic time in my personal life. Trying to keep corporate job while running a local business was not an easy thing to pull off. I quit that job and sold the business(es) since then. Life is much more placid.
But it is also very quiet. Very, very quiet.
In the past few days I’ve prepared my station to work some in this year’s Field Day. I’m not going to kill myself trying to make contacts so this year is about the fun of making contact rather than the tactics.
If I get a wild hair I’m prepared to run a frequency at high power and log it all in real time. So we’ll have to see where this goes. No plans to show up on any top 10 list this year.
I’m happy to report I have no engineering problems with my station so I can just sit down and operate. Part of eliminating the chaos of 8 years ago has afforded me the time on my own station that I did not have the time to do then. And to do it properly. Time has taught me how to do things right the first time or at least wait until I can do that.
The last ten years have been interesting times for sure. So many life lessons learned. I’m thankful that through all those lessons that radio has been at the center of it all. it’s the one stable thing I turn to each day to distract myself from the noise of life.
Every year at this time I remember those who have been instrumental in my life. While I don’t remember all of the details of time passed I’m thankful for those who have been there with me.
Where did the time go? Not so sure. But thankful for the time I spent doing this.
Have a great Field Day 2020. Maybe we’ll hear each other on the air.
73,
John
W5ODJ
LARG HF Net June 25 2020
Had a good turn-out for this evening’s 75m SSB net. Check-ins included:
- K8SYH Bill
- W5ODJ John
- KE4S Dave
- N4CF Mike
- KG4UPR/m Brian
- W4PMP Chris
- K3WD Bill
- W0MPM John
- N3NL Al
- K0ZR Jeff (NCS)
Most of the discussion during the net centered around the upcoming Field Day weekend and people’s plans for operation. A large percentage of the check-ins plan to do some operating during the event which commences this Saturday at 1 PM EDT.
Signals were just average this evening; all stations were Q5 or better.
Only KE4S migrated to ten meters for further conversation.
Hope all is well with all our members (as well as others…..)
Jeff, K0ZR, NCS this week