I got the chance to get on the air for a short time this afternoon. I took the opportunity to spin the dial around the 10 Meter band. Around the 10.200 MHz neighborhood, I heard beacons from Mexico, Brazil and British Columbia in Canada. Encouraged that the band might be open, I continued my spin.
In the CW portion of the band, I was able to work CT1IUA with 5 Watts. He was 599 and I received a 559 in return. After that, for the heck of it, I traveled all the way up to the SSB portion of the band. Here, I heard CT1EHI booming into NJ. Again, for the heck of it, I pumped up the power to 10 Watts and gave him a call. He answered me! When he found out that I was in New Jersey, Marco asked me if I knew where Flemington is. Heck, it's about 10 - 15 miles down the highway from where I work. Marco informed me that he has some friends that live there, and in fact he's gone to Dayton with them a few times.
I don't do so much in the way of QRP SSB as CW has always been my first love. It's gratifying, though, to make a SSB contact using only 10 Watts and it's even more gratifying when that contact is overseas. Marco gave me a 5X7 signal report, too - not too shabby! You have to absolutely love 10 Meters when it's open - pure magic!
15 Meters was also open and I had a nice "chew" with N5XE, Carl in Oklahoma who answered my CQ. I also had a quick QSO with OX3XR, David in Greenland. I've worked David twice before, once on 12 Meters and once on 20 Meters, so this was a new band for me for Greenland.
On 17 Meters (I was doing a bit of band hopping) I ran into and worked OJØH/MM again. Last time I worked them, they were travelling the Caribbean. I have no idea where they were located this time. They were not as strong as they were last time; but not sure whether that was due to location or just how the propagation was.
When the bands are open and propagation is good - the most fun hobby in the world becomes even more so.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!![]()
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In the CW portion of the band, I was able to work CT1IUA with 5 Watts. He was 599 and I received a 559 in return. After that, for the heck of it, I traveled all the way up to the SSB portion of the band. Here, I heard CT1EHI booming into NJ. Again, for the heck of it, I pumped up the power to 10 Watts and gave him a call. He answered me! When he found out that I was in New Jersey, Marco asked me if I knew where Flemington is. Heck, it's about 10 - 15 miles down the highway from where I work. Marco informed me that he has some friends that live there, and in fact he's gone to Dayton with them a few times.
I don't do so much in the way of QRP SSB as CW has always been my first love. It's gratifying, though, to make a SSB contact using only 10 Watts and it's even more gratifying when that contact is overseas. Marco gave me a 5X7 signal report, too - not too shabby! You have to absolutely love 10 Meters when it's open - pure magic!
15 Meters was also open and I had a nice "chew" with N5XE, Carl in Oklahoma who answered my CQ. I also had a quick QSO with OX3XR, David in Greenland. I've worked David twice before, once on 12 Meters and once on 20 Meters, so this was a new band for me for Greenland.
On 17 Meters (I was doing a bit of band hopping) I ran into and worked OJØH/MM again. Last time I worked them, they were travelling the Caribbean. I have no idea where they were located this time. They were not as strong as they were last time; but not sure whether that was due to location or just how the propagation was.
When the bands are open and propagation is good - the most fun hobby in the world becomes even more so.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!