CQ CQ CQ #HamRadio Open Band Alert

I’ve been listening on and off during the day to 20m.  I’ve heard Sweden, Sao Paolo, Island of St. Helena, Croatia, S. Italy.  What a contrast from a week ago.

Chime in here if you hams want to make some contacts.

73
KC9ZJN

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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180 Comments

  1. acardnal says:

    Sorry Fr. Z, but the Packers’ game is a Doubles, I Class Feast.

  2. Are they playing? Again?

  3. CandS says:

    Sorry, was out this evening and just saw this. I would be able to set up tomorrow during the day or for the evening.

  4. Fr. Bryan says:

    Perhaps this afternoon late, or this evening 9/29?

  5. CandS says:

    I’ll set up this afternoon on 20m then. I didn’t have time this past weekend to try things out at all. And I still haven’t really thought about ways to adjust and play around with the Buddipole. The standard setup is not optimal for 20m, but I haven’t figured out what to do to experiment with finding a better configuration.

  6. I’ll set up late afternoon. Watch the top of my sidebar.

  7. Fr. Bryan says:

    Nice way to inform the HAM’s where you are on the bands Fr. Z. Should be up an running from 4-5, then from 6:30 on. de KD8ZFF

  8. CandS says:

    I’m set up on 20m. Working while I have it on and not doing anything in particular. I’ll check back here from time to time.

  9. Fr. Bryan says:

    I am on 20 meters. Starting at 14.255 USB

  10. CandS says:

    I’m also still on. Let me know where you end up frequency-wise.

  11. Fr. Bryan says:

    Monitoring 14.255 upper sideband. Will stay and listen. Call for KD8ZFF

  12. CandS says:

    I’m there too. I hear static. I just called CQ and for you specifically. Did you hear anything?

    Being new at this, I’m beginning to wonder if I can only hear and speak to people with good antennas and powerful radios.

    I’m 100W, but on a 20m setup with a Buddipole. I’m hearing only static on 14.255 USB.

  13. Fr. Bryan says:

    CandS, I can hear you way down in the mud 2×2. What is your call?

  14. CandS says:

    Or if I really need to tweak my antenna and try to optimize it.

  15. Fr. Bryan says:

    CandS. I can barely hear you. I am running 100 watts through a 40 meter dipole up 30 feet loaded up to 20 meters.

  16. CandS says:

    Well, you are definitely set up with a better antenna. But if you can hear something, that is a start.

    I’ve got a buddipole with coils. It’s probably physically about 11 feet across and I’ve got it up on a 20ft mast, so not very wide and not very high.

  17. Fr. Bryan says:

    I heard you come in there pretty strong for about 5 or 6 seconds, and you faded back into the mud. What’s you call? I got KD1JD?

  18. CandS says:

    That’s kind of cool You’re very close on the call sign. I’ve been avoiding putting it out on the internet though. I know I’m telling the world where I am and who I am when I transmit, but somehow I’m still avoiding listing that on this website. :)

  19. CandS says:

    I just heard your Kilo Delta 8 Zulu Foxtrot Foxtrot. That’s the first I’ve heard. I did hear you for just a bit.

  20. Fr. Bryan says:

    Got someone else on the freq now… PY2SPY

  21. CandS says:

    I can’t hear much, I can detect something very faint. I’m certainly not getting Brazil.

    Still, with the help of the internet, I can tell you heard me a bit and I heard you a bit. A partial success.

  22. Fr. Bryan says:

    lets try 14.265 its clear. Guy in Brazil can’t hear me anyway

  23. CandS says:

    I’m hearing lots of noise there, but very garbled. Can’t make it out at all.

  24. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK. I am hearing nothing. Band may be giving out a bit. Can you do 40 meters? If not, may have to try another day.

  25. CandS says:

    I can at least switch over and try to hear. I can convert my antenna if it seems promising. What frequency?

  26. Fr. Bryan says:

    Lets see if you can hear me on 7.238

  27. Fr. Bryan says:

    LSB

  28. CandS says:

    I’m at 7.238 LSB and I had a chance to convert the antenna to 40m.
    I can hear you clearly. Can you hear me?

  29. Fr. Bryan says:

    Glad you can hear me. I have been on vacation for 2 weeks, and was wondering if I was getting out that well…. I think I heard you tune up but I am not hearing any voice comms. Maybe something very very weak.

  30. CandS says:

    I hear you just fine. I’m no good
    W2JAZ is answering you.

  31. CandS says:

    JGZ I heard.

  32. CandS says:

    No, it was W2JAZ. I can hear both of you just fine. I’m no good with the 5-9 scale yet, but you are very clear and he is only slightly less.

  33. CandS says:

    Newbie question. What does it mean when people say they hear you tuning up?

    I’m just at the frequency and I don’t have anything I can do to my antenna other than manually go out and reconfigure.

    Or I still have lots to learn about my radio and how to get more out of it.

    I usually hear a lot more on 40m, but I have to assume the Buddipole is sadly stretched to transmit on 40m.

  34. CandS says:

    There’s a lot of traffic on 7.240, I think that is interfering with us on 7.238.

  35. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, thank you CandD. He was about a 4×4 to me, which is a weak, and barely readable signal. I could pick up about every other word or so. He is in New Jersey, I am in Ohio. I didn’t hear a signal report from him, but I did log him as a station worked because there was a QSO, however brief. Sometimes the bands are not optimal, and it can be frustrating. They constantly change as the conditions do. I will hang around to see if Fr. Z comes on the air, and head to whatever band and freq he is using . I’ve had trouble getting him on HF too.

  36. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I’m on 20m right now 1822CDT

  37. Fr. Bryan says:

    Yes, that could well be. Sounds like a net.

  38. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, Fr. Z, I will change to 20 meters. Frequency?

  39. CandS says:

    I’ll change back to 20m too.

  40. CandS says:

    I see Fr. Z on 14.275 in the new area up at the top right.

  41. I’ll post changes at the top of the side bar, if that helps.

  42. Fr. Bryan says:

    On 14.275. There is a Spanish language QSO 2 Hz below that is causing some QRM. Otherwise nothing heard I’m afraid.

  43. Fr. Bryan says:

    Been calling, nothing heard….wondering if you can hear me?

  44. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I don’t hear the Spanish. Have another freq? QSY?

    ok… I hear some Spanish now

  45. Fr. Bryan says:

    14.245…seems quieter on the white background noise.

  46. 14.264 sounds quiet. Getting swamped here by a digital signal on .275

  47. CandS says:

    I could definitely hear better on 40m this evening. But I don’t know about transmitting.
    I’m listening on 14.245 right now.

  48. Fr. Bryan says:

    Calling CQ on 245.

  49. I went to 14.255

    On 245 I heard a QSO in FL with someone in WI with nearly my same callsign!

  50. CandS says:

    Fr. Bryan, did you just have someone from Tampa Bay calling you on 14.245? I heard the tail end of that.

  51. Fr. Bryan says:

    Negative. I heard nothing here…..With what Fr. Z is describing, sounds like we are over each others heads with our RF signals.

  52. CandS says:

    I can’t make anything out at 14.255, but it seems like someone is talking so I don’t want to cut in.

  53. Fr. Bryan says:

    CandD, I have heard nothing on .255. I think the signal bounce is taking me over everyone’s heads on 20 m. I do better with 40 for these regional QSOs.

  54. CandS says:

    Fr. Bryan, I could definitely hear you very well on 40m at 7.238.00 earlier.

  55. CandS says:

    I hear something like Charlie-Brown-Teacher on 14.255.00 right now, but can’t make it out.

  56. Fr. Bryan says:

    Thank you CandD. Glad to know I was getting out.

  57. Moving to 14.264 as suggested by WB0YLE

  58. Fr. Bryan says:

    He is on 14.254. A TX station.

  59. CandS says:

    I just called CQ on 14.264.

  60. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, there!

  61. CandS says:

    14.254.00 I’m hearing that now.

  62. Fr. Bryan says:

    Also on Echolink as well in the WDTPRS Cafe

  63. CandS says:

    Called again on 14.264.00.

  64. are we meeting somewhere?

  65. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, I am hearing nothing here…I’m sorry. I am thinking the RF is going over me.

  66. CandS says:

    I’m hearing nothing at all or so deep down as to be almost nothing. I think I hear phantom noise all the time anyway. :)

  67. No joy here either. You could be right about the skip.

  68. Fr. Bryan says:

    Yes, I can hear TX, CA, FL. Allot further off than WI. I think the skip just isn’t working for us tonight.

  69. Fr. Bryan says:

    I hear that too, very faint

  70. Fr. Bryan says:

    Would anyone want to try PSK-31 Digital is more efficent than phone

  71. CandS says:

    I’m in Massachusetts though, so not regional like between WI and OH.

  72. CandS says:

    I can’t do digital yet.

  73. Fr. Bryan says:

    Yes and no CandD. 40 m is a more regional band and you heard me there, and 20 m is used quite a bit for DX

  74. 7.190? Sounds clear here…?

  75. Fr. Bryan says:

    I can go there? anyone else?

  76. CandS says:

    I’ll listen on 7.190 with my antenna as is and can change it over if it seems to be working.

  77. Fr. Bryan says:

    On with WB0YLE on 7.190

  78. CandS says:

    I can hear you Fr. Bryan and Bryan. Not clearly, but I can make it out.

  79. I hear you guys. I don’t know if I can get out, however.

  80. MWindsor says:

    CandS – when you tune, you have to make some kind of noise to transmit. It’s usually a solid tone or a whistle. While transmitting the tuner will try to minimize the SWR.

    Are you guys still on? I can get my rig out in about 20 minutes.

  81. CandS says:

    So, to tune in that sense, do you need an antenna tuner? I just have a radio connected directly to my antenna. I’m still learning what the radio can do, but I’ve only seen tuning features related to use with certain antenna systems. There’s a lot to learn beyond passing the exam.

  82. I tuned up on 40 and hear you

  83. Fr. Bryan says:

    Great Fr. Z. Are you trying to break in.

  84. CandS says:

    I hear Fr. Bryan very decently.

  85. I was trying to break in.

  86. I do hear you and I have tried to call in. WB0YLE you are strong in Madison. And Fr. B I have you too, but less strong.

  87. CandS says:

    No one is hearing me, right?

  88. MWindsor says:

    Where are you guys?

  89. CandS says:

    40m 7.190 LSB

  90. MWindsor says:

    I got it

  91. MWindsor says:

    Lots of qrm forme

  92. You heard me! That’s a start.

  93. I could hear your ZFF Fr. B

  94. CandS says:

    I called in just now. Anyone hear me?

  95. MWindsor says:

    I got lots of noise from 188

  96. Fr. Bryan says:

    Glad to hear ZJN, I am sorry that I can’t pick you up from the noise.

  97. CandS says:

    Would trying a different frequency help us out? I’m getting lots of noise.

  98. there’s someone a few KC away. Lots of splatter….but…

  99. Fr. Bryan says:

    First Z Net ! Ooh-Rah! In the books. Logged WB0YLE on QRZ.com at 00:36 30-09-15 Will also log him at LoTW and eQSL. May send a QSL card too!

  100. Well… that was more productive than the last time!

    I look forward to more discussion of a Catholic net.

  101. Fr. Bryan says:

    As do I. Fr. Z, Pls feel free to share my email with WB0YLE.

  102. CandS says:

    With the internet assist, I’m almost willing to concede that Fr. Bryan and I talked to each other. You got my call sign and I didn’t give it away here.

  103. CandS says:

    Fr. Z, you can share my email with Fr. Bryan and Bryan as well.

  104. MWindsor says:

    Someone seems to have left their tuner on on 190

  105. CandS says:

    I’m hearing a loud tone on 7.190.

  106. MWindsor says:

    175 seems open if anyone is still out there

  107. MWindsor says:

    CandS – thats someone tuning

  108. Yay! First meeting of the Z-Net. The new evangelization takes to the airwaves from the ground up!

    Excellent talking with you, Fr. Bryan. Now, we just have to get everyone’s RF widgets working correctly!

    Yippee! QSL in the mail to you, Fr. B.

  109. Fr. Bryan says:

    I did hear CandS very briefly, enough time to get the call, but not much else.

  110. CandS says:

    Are we calling it a night?

  111. Fr. Bryan says:

    I am hearing Spanish on .175 MWindsor.

  112. Fr. Bryan says:

    I am still on .190 CandS, if you want to try it again.

  113. MWindsor says:

    Well I heard the two Bryans but they didnt hear me. Gotta go help with homework. 73 everyone.

  114. CandS says:

    I hear you clearly, Fr. Bryan and am calling back.

  115. CandS says:

    I’m losing you in among some other interference and noise, but I mostly heard that last transmission just fine.

  116. Caritas in veritate says:

    This is really neat. I wish I understood what this was all about but sounds fun.

  117. CandS says:

    I answered back again, but I’m guessing on your end it’s nothing.

  118. CandS says:

    and 73 to you too, Fr. Bryan.

    We’ll try again.

    You were advising a different antenna setup, correct? I was losing that a bit.

    I don’t have a permanent station set up at home yet. I bring out the radio, the power supply and the antenna every time I set up. I’m about to go take down the antenna in the rainy drizzle we have here in Massachusetts this evening.

  119. Fr. Bryan says:

    Unfortunately, I am hearing nothing on this end. Band conditions are changing some.

  120. Fr. Bryan says:

    Yes, CandD. I have found verticals to be a bit less effective than dipoles, for whatever reason. Discovered that at a field day that our local Ham radio club put on last April. There could be a number of factors, but I am not saying that a Buddie-pole is a bad antenna, but maybe a compromised one, for the purposes of portability.

  121. Baritone says:

    I can hear voices on 7.190 but can’t make out the words. 73 from TX.

  122. Fr. Bryan says:

    Someone tuning up on 7.190?

  123. MWindsor says:

    Fr. Bryan – I’m in a suburb of Dallas and heard you. The best was about 4×4 but with serious QSB at times.

    Fr. Z. – I think I heard something, but it was deep in the mud.

    Bryan Boyle – I had you about 6×6. I don’t think you topped 6 on my meter, but there were times when the QSB got your signal too.

    CandS – I didn’t hear you at all. Sorry. But I don’t think anyone heard me either.

    The band wasn’t great, but there was a lot of QRM tonight. I heard someone’s tuner for a good 8 or 10 minutes, and the splatter from 188 was pretty bad on my end.

    Pax et LXXIII,
    Mark

  124. Well that was exciting.

    We did it! Out comes a couple fingers of Balvenie before retiring.

  125. Fr. Bryan says:

    WB0YLE is probably right, we will all need to know CW, as it would have gotten through to all.

  126. CandS says:

    Fr. Bryan,

    My Buddipole setup is a dipole. It’s a dipole with coils.

    40m is probably quite a stretch for it though.

    http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/buddipole/buddipole2008.pdf

    It’s doing 40m on about 11ft across with the coils untapped so they are at maximum effect as well. I have the extra tall mast, but that is still 11ft+coils at 20ft up in the air. That’s all I can do right now.

    I do have a big yard and lots of tall trees though. If I got creative, I could string up a proper dipole high in the trees.

  127. CandS says:

    My daughter and I started learning CW in August, but she got tired of it (10 years old) and we were trying to do it together.

    http://www.hamwhisperer.com/p/morse-code-course.html

  128. CandS says:

    And I’m happy to receive any elmering from the blog readers! :)

  129. MWindsor says:

    CandS – Verticle antennas work better between vertical antennas, and horizontal antennas work better between other horizontal antennas. With my little HT, I have to go vertical on VHF/UHF, as that’s what the local repeater is. If I turn the HT sideways and make it a horizontal, I can’t even hear the repeater, much less have them hear me.

    Most people use horizontals, so if you’re running a vertical, it will always be a bit more of a challenge. I carry an end-fed vertical in my kit, and I have been able to reach as far as Michigan with good band conditions, but I can get a whole lot farther with the mag loop or an inverted V (I can’t do a true vertical dipole in my yard very easily).

    There’s actually a name for this horizontal-to-horizontal or vertical-to-verticle thing, but for the life of me I can’t remember it now. It was even on m technician exam….

  130. CandS says:

    My Shack-in-the-Box is packed back up for the night. Buddipole parts are drying out from the drizzle.

  131. MWindsor says:

    CandS – if you ever want to try slow CW, I’m game. I’ve been trying to learn CW, but it’s just not working.

  132. Fr. Bryan says:

    CandD, yep, sounds like you could have a great set-up. A good inverted V stretched between the trees oriented north/south would probably do it…that is essentially my set up, between the south exterior wall of the church, and a big oak tree, though stretched straight horizontally, not an inverted V. I am thinking about a Buddipole for travel, so I am interested in its performance.

  133. MWindsor says:

    CandS – I found that the buddipole system was hurt by the terrain around me. I have houses in several directions, and high tension power lines to the northeast. I never got a signal out at all. I could hear things, but I could never get enough hight to defeat the trees, houses, and power lines. But the power lines shouldn’t have had anything to do with it, but I blame them partially anyway. :)

  134. Fr. Bryan says:

    CandS said: “So, to tune in that sense, do you need an antenna tuner?” My answer would be yes, so that you can get as close to a 1:1 SWR as possible. That will help your Rx, but even more it will help your Tx. It could be that you wern’t getting out because of high SWR. Did your radio get hot?

  135. CandS says:

    I haven’t talked much so far, mostly because I just got my license at the beginning of the month and I’ve really only had time to set up about 9 times so far. I have made contact with Germany and Missouri as examples with the Buddipole and I hear all over the place: all regions of the US so far and Germany and Belgium in Europe and the Isle of Bonaire near Venezuela. I may have heard Australia one day, but I couldn’t confirm it (at least they were talking about Australian topics!).

  136. CandS says:

    The radio doesn’t get hot. I do have an antenna analyzer. Tonight I was about 1.4 SWR on 20m. I didn’t check it when I switched to 40m, but when I have in the past, 40m has had better SWR than 20m. The resistance goes way up too when the SWR is off. Is that normal? I thought the resistance was just what the coax was rated for, not also connected with the resonance of the antenna.

  137. Fr. Bryan says:

    That is great! Germany for a first DX QSO is awesome! Mine was Ontario.

    With respect to antennas, if you have the room, I would definitely recommend the center fed dipole permanently set up in your trees. Mine was under $50 at R&L Electronics, which is local to me. Add some coax, and you’ve got a nice base antenna for under $100.

  138. MWindsor: cross-polarization is the term you’re looking for. There can be >20dB difference when you try and receive one on it’s opposite polarization, depending on the distance.

    Bit of trivia: originally TV stations had horizontal polarization, AM/FM were vertical. However, while TV broadcast was built as fixed-point to fixed point and could specify one polarization, and AM groundwave tended to be vertical (there are still some AM’ers running end-fed horizontals and Sturber curtains…I know of one that used to be along US22 half way between Allentown and Harrisburg), FM suffered from reflections and interrupted signals in the vertical plane from built-up areas and structures. RCA did some work in the late 60s with feeding alternating horizontal and vertical elements on their FM transmitting sticks and found that by alternating the H/V elements up the pole, they could get the perceived signal to “rotate” in a circular wave front, ushering in circular polarization which minimized multipath interference and improved mobile radio reception.

    Generally speaking, in my experience, dipoles are great radiators out to 3-400 miles IF the feed point and majority of the radiator is at least 1/4 wavelength for the band in question above ground. Otherwise, the interaction with the soil or ground cover tends to raise the take-off angle of the signal; in this case, higher is better than lower for dipoles if you want to get any distance with them.

    On the other hand, if you are running a vertical (I have a Gap Challenger DX here, which is actually a vertical dipole), the interaction of the E field with the ground requires that you couple the vertical element through the use of counterpoise radials to the ground to both bring the angle of radiation down to decrease the take-off angle of the signal as well as match the feedpoint impedance to the transmitter better. In this case, verticals like to be lower with good coupling to the dirt (and electrically isolated, mind you…) to get the best performance.

    In a hobby such as this, experimentation will yield results which are satisfactory to you. Full disclosure: I have both dipoles and the vertical Gap here. And used to build commercial radio stations…held a 1st Phone back in the day when it meant something…;)

  139. Fr. Bryan says:

    The way it was explained to me was that the power being sent to the antenna has to go somewhere. If the SWR is high (over 1.5 is when I get a bit concerned, other don’t worry till over 2) that power comes back down into the radio, and can if your duty cycle is high and power is high, over-heat your radio. My radio actually will cut back the power if the SWR is too high to protect itself. I have an SWR meter built into the rig itself, and an auto tuner to get that SWR as close to a match as possible.

  140. CandS said:
    The radio doesn’t get hot. I do have an antenna analyzer. Tonight I was about 1.4 SWR on 20m. I didn’t check it when I switched to 40m, but when I have in the past, 40m has had better SWR than 20m. The resistance goes way up too when the SWR is off. Is that normal? I thought the resistance was just what the coax was rated for, not also connected with the resonance of the antenna.

    SWR is a function of how well the generated RF signal in/out of the radio is matched to the radiator RF impedence (which is a function of wavelength/velocity factor of the materials used for the antenna). Typically, anything under 2.0:1 is acceptable, the closer you get to 1:1 the better off you are (the only 1:1 match is a dummy load, so…don’t obsess over the 1:1 thing…) since as you approach 1:1, the amount of power wasted in mismatch (and there will always be some) will be lessened. It has to do with complex power transitions from the radio to the coax (the coax rating is a theoretical impedence rating derived from the outer diameter of the inner conductor to the inner diameter of the outer conductor) and then from the coax to the antenna, which translates to a interaction between competing signals on the 2 conductors of the coax (remember RF is just a very high frequency AC signal).

    Low SWR=better match and better power transfer. High SWR=warming the coax and the earthworms (if you bury the cable).

    Hope this helps.

  141. CandS says:

    When I bought my setup a month ago, I was also trying to get as far as I could with an initial purchase and little knowledge so that I could do as much as I could out of the box while I figured things out more. I did get the antenna analyzer with the idea of both configuring the Buddipole more precisely and of making my own dipoles (eventually), but having put the money in for now, I was kind of hoping not to have to buy too much more in the near term.

    I’ve been happy with what I can do in the kind of random contacts area, but these attempts to get the Fr. Z Net up and running have been a little frustrating, but today was some real progress. I’m happy to take incremental steps towards success. Of course, what would we do if we didn’t have blog comments to keep coming back to while we try to make contact?

  142. Good rule of thumb: 2:1 SWR at 100 W means that 10 W is coming back down the line to be disapated somewhere either in the coax itself or the radio. 1.5:1 is only 4(!) watts coming back. With a 1.2:1, you have just a shade over 1W reflected.

    There’s an iPhone app called SWR Calc which lets you play with different values to see the relationship and help visualize what’s happening. I use it with my Bird meter…and find it indispensible when in the field and trying to figure out why things aren’t working as they should.

  143. CandS says:

    I appreciate all the discussion here. Hope to talk to you all soon. Keep us posted about the Fr. Z Net. I’ll keep my eyes on the site.

  144. MWindsor says:

    CandS – How much power are you running? Just curious.

    I got an Elecraft T1 antenna tuner a while back. I use it when I run the wires instead of the mag loop. My wife gets a little annoyed when I whistle while it tunes, but it works. I’m very seat-of-the-pants. I got my rig to do SOTA expeditions, so it’s all portable. I’ve got a shack-in-a-box too, basically. But I don’t use an SWR meter, or an analyzer, or an SWR meter or anything like that. If it might take away from my 5 watts, I don’t haul it.

    With QRP, patience is the name of the game.

  145. Fr. Bryan says:

    There is always Echolink, CandS, which is available only to HAM radio operators. When I couldn’t get a QSO on 20 or 40 meters with Fr. Z, I had a contact with him on Echolink in WB0YLE’s Echolink node. I used an app on my Blackberry to do that. Recently, while I was on vacation, I was using Echolink almost every day to connect to friends back at home through a local 2 m repeater at home because I didn’t take an HF set with me. We are fortunate to have the combox here and it helps a great deal with co-ordination for band and frequency etc. Please don’t let the frustration get to you. Much of amateur radio is trail and error, and experimentation and what may work tonight, may not tomorrow due to changing conditions. I have been told several times that the license is a license to learn, and I’ve got so much to learn in this hobby too, and there is always something more. You will get there.

  146. CandS says:

    I have a Yaesu 857D and it puts out 100W on the HF bands.

  147. CandS says:

    What does it take to get set up for Echolink or PSK-31? I’m on a Mac too, so that might be more limited with software.

    Thanks to all! I appreciate it.

  148. SanSan says:

    So what do you “hams” talk about?

  149. SanSan: Well…besides weather, SWR, new rigs, how the kids are doing, where we went on vacation, studying for the next exam, car problems, audio quality…really anything other than politics and inappropriate topics.

    Think of it as an instantaneous blog comment box, only no wires, no internet, no Facebook, no Twitter, and not dependent on anyone or any company’s facilities to ‘reach out and touch someone’.

  150. Fr. Bryan says:

    Anyone on tonight, 10/1 @ 8:40 EDT

  151. I’ll get on for a bit.

  152. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK. I will look at the sidebar.

  153. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    40m

  154. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK 7.218 LSB clear on this end

  155. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    calling on 7218

  156. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I hear you 57

  157. Fr. Bryan says:

    I am hearing you, but can’t make out what you’re saying. I’d say 2×2 at best

  158. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, I think I barely hear my call from you.

  159. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I hear you and responded.

  160. Fr. Bryan says:

    Someone tuning up

  161. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    yep… not i

  162. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK. Hmm. I find it interesting that I am being heard well, and you are muddy. Must he the height of the antenna as WB0YLE suggested the other evening. We keep trying.

  163. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I barely hear you now

  164. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    try 7190

  165. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK. Band conditions are in flux I guess. I am certainly no expert, but I am all for continuing to try to get this working. How great it would be to get a Z-Net going.

  166. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK, calling on 7190

  167. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I hear you well

  168. Fr. Bryan says:

    You tuning up?

  169. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    not i

  170. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    I heard you say I was about 33, you about 57 but with lots of noise

  171. Father Zuhlsdorf says:

    okay … gotta shut down.

  172. Fr. Bryan says:

    I heard you, but had a very hard time making out the words. I am connected to the Echolink node as well.

  173. Fr. Bryan says:

    OK. Another time. We’ll get this.

  174. Going to Echolink too.

  175. Fr. Bryan says:

    Updated my QRZ.com. QSO confirmed! 73 for now, KD8ZFF

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