The ultimate objective…
Now for another edition of Ham Radio Saturday.
I created a page for the List of YOUR callsigns. HERE Chime in or drop me a note if your call doesn’t appear in the list.
The first Ham Radio news of global importance is that …
… my call sign changed!
KC9ZJN is now…
The new card. So, you reader hams, we need some contacts so I can send a few of these.
I haven’t made many contacts with the new call sign yet, since I wanted to wait until it also got into QRZ.com.
When I was notified by the FCC, I switched on the rig and made a DX contact saying “Whiskey Nine Foxtrot…” which cuts through better than “Kilo Charlies Nine…”.
So… that’s done.
The next item involves the possibility of setting up a station and shack here in the Diocese of Madison with a club. At a local parish where I say Mass on Sundays there is an old school that has some storage space that can – and will – be reallocated. My local Elmer and I met the pastor and scoped out the place. We also looked at where antennas could go and of what sort. It’l take some elbow grease, but it can be done. Furthermore, I have found at least four hams from the parish who are interested in forming the core of the club, so that we can get a call sign.
Brick by brick.
Another bit: thanks to WB0YLE who gave me a gift of credit at Ham Radio Outlet. They assign credit to your call sign and you can use it at any of their stores. You have to call in your order, but that’s not a big deal. I used some credit to buy a 100′ long high quality cable so that I can get my antenna down on the ground rather that on my re-rod reinforced balcony.
Look how thick this stuff is. Whew.
Also, I solved an intermittent SWR problem that I was having with my portable SuperAntenna. There is a whip antenna on the top of the coil. The whip is to be extended all the way. However, there is a little hitch in one of the tubes of the antenna that made me think that it was extended all the way… when it wasn’t. Once I discovered that, and I powered by the little sticky part, and got it correctly extended, the SWR dropped.
Anyway, my Saturday looks pretty flexible and it looks like it’ll be a sunny day. I may give myself a field day and go to the parish cemetery again (HERE and HERE) and – after praying for the dead to gain an indulgence (hopefully plenary) – see what happens.
That’s the update for this week.
W9FRZ (olim KC9ZJN)
73
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I haven’t had time to set up in over a month, but I’m on today. Currently listening on 10m. Congratulations on the new call sign.
Anyone on today?
I will be on around noon central time, if anyone is still out there. I won’t be around this evening.
MWindsor: 20m?
I think 20m might be better to start out with. I was on a little while ago when I setup my rig. 40m was less muddy, but from what I heard I think the distance between us might be better on 20m.
But in 2 hours the bands should be a bit stronger too.
Listening on 14.230.
There is now a ton of static on 20m.
There is now a ton of static on 20m.
Well, I just worked a special events station in southeastern Wisconsin. It’s muddy, but on 20m the skip is right today.
That last post was on 14.255 .
Gota step away for a while to run to get groceries. Back in a while.
I’ll fire up the rig in a little bit.
Will be back on in 20 to 25 minutes.
On now. I have QRN on the lower end of 20m right now, but above about 260 is ok at the moment.
I’m going to check something on 10m but will come back to 20m as soon as I see a post.
I just finished stringing a 40m dipole, but I can switch to a 20m.
I can work either band. Just let me know where to listen.
14.319.0
Calling on 14.319
Me too. Maybe we should try 40m
Ok.
285 seems open
Calling on 7.285
On 7285 I think I hear you.
I’m getting QRM from maybe an AM station.
I thought I heard something, but not readable so far.
QSY 7.290.0?
Wilco
I can hear something but too low to make out.
QRM now on 290.
All of a sudden QRM and people tuning. QSY?
Sure. 7.252.5 is open on my end
7.252.5
Still got nothin.
Me too. I’ll head back to 20m for a while.
Good idea. Let me know where you land and I’ll try to follow.
14.307.0
Calling on 14.307
Still not getting anything.
i heard my call sign
I can hear something but I can’t make out anything specific.
I can hear you call way down in the mud.
I’ve got the gate wide open but can’t hear anything right now.
grrrrrr not getting through the mud
tried calling you Fr on 307 ( just now ) … no joy
W4JMJ
ps love the new callsign
Now I’m getting QRM
I heard a woman’s voice calling. Usually FL is good.
that was me Fr but I hear splatter from 305 on 307 .
I think the band is not cooperating this afternoon.
want to go up 1 to 308 ? and I’ll try again
Joan W4JMJ
sure 308 going now
Well, my battery is getting low, so I think I will sign off for this wekend . I seem to be getting that splatter too. Another day .
73,
Mark
KT5WX
i heard you JMJ
i heard someone in there on 308 BUT not enuf to copy
sorry
rough conditions here
73
W4JMJ
I heard you too JMJ
JMJ – I can hear the guy youre talking to very clearly, but youre unreadable . I can hear you but cant make out anyhing more
did you go to 309?
Thats where I heard jmj
Hi Fr and Mark ( KT5WX),
I heard WA7ND on 309 calling CQ and made a contact with him.
Too bad we can’t make the trip. Another day ?!
73
W4JMJ
I also spoke with WA7ND just after you left.
Another day!
Ya know, just as I was beginning to shut down, I heard WA7ND talking to someone named john. But he asked if he was retired and I thouht John had said yes . So I shut down thinking it was someone else.
W4JMJ – I followed the splatter to find you and heard him reply with your call. But I only got one side of the conversation.
hi Mark ( MWindsor)
We’ll have to make that contact another time. I look forward to it. Band was a little weak here today.
73
Joan W4JMJ
Father you can add me to the list JonPatrick KC1EFW. Not active on HF yet, hope to get on Echolink sometime when I get it figured out. For HF given the cost of decent equipment, thinking about learning Morse and going the QRP route which looks to be a lot cheaper.
[I’ll add you to the list right away. Thanks for chiming in.]
Love it!
73’s