I was pondering earlier this evening about DXing. I am a proud member of a local prestigious DX club that sponsors DXpeditons and has members who participate in DXpeditons all over the world. Several of the membership are on the DXCC "honor roll" meaning they have worked at least 331 DX entities (as defined by the ARRL)! These are a world class group of hams that have dedicated their lives to the world of working distant stations (DX) and helping by financing DXpeditons for those hams that want to put extremely rare locations on the air.
Over the last 55+ years as a ham radio operator I have worked DXCC (that is working or contacting 100 countries) on three (3) separate occasions using three (3) different call signs while on active duty with the USAF.
All this was completely unintentional. I did not set out to "get" DXCC. It just happened. Between three intercontinental moves with the military I managed to lose several critical log books so I never collected the requisite 100 QSL cards to submit to the ARRL to qualify for the DXCC certificate. What can I say....shit happens. Now days I have no real interest in swapping QSL cards with the stations I work nor do I have any interest in getting the necessary QSL cards to qualify for DXCC. Sorry, that is just who I am.
Thinking about the DXing side of ham radio has led me to form some interesting conclusions.
1. DXers are obsessive, A+ personalities that have a serious competitive streak.
2. Most "big gun" DXers are extremely well heeled as far as money goes.
3. DXers, for the most part, are on the "bleeding edge" of technology. They uses computers and Software Defined Radios (SDRs) to pursue their facet of the ham radio hobby.
4. The majority of DXers look upon us QRP operators and smile, while patting us on our collective heads, classifying us as "DXer
wannabees".
These are just four of the conclusions that I have formed in relating with DXers.
Looking at #1: DXers are single minded. DXing "is" as the old saying goes. They are solely focused on working distant stations and little else. Competitive? Without a doubt! These folks are all about "one ups-manship" on their fellow DXers. Working an All Time New One (ATNO} is the name of the game.
About #2: If you have a chance to be invited to one of the local "big gun" DXers in your area be prepared for some intense sticker shock! Since DXing is a life style many DXers have more than one, high end, HF transceiver, multiple computer systems, antennas out the wazoo and a room away from the family for their ham shack. These folks don't have a problem spending thousands of dollars to be competitive DXers.
Looking at #3: Technology is a wonderful thing.....WHEN IT WORKS!! DXers look at any new technology that gives then a "leg up" on their competition with a critical eye, ready to integrate same into their high end stations. Operating modes like PSK-31, JT-65, and JT-8 are guaranteed to grab the DXers attention. Adding computer waterfall displays gives them the advantage to look at whole chunks of the RF spectrum making for critical operating decisions, especially during contests, a whole lot easier.
As for #4: I have been a QRP (5 watt ham radio) operator for 53 years. I joined the QRP Amateur Radio Club International (QRP ARCI) in 1965 (member # 2388). Over this time I have come to realized that being a QRP op has a down side. Mainly the majority of other ham radio ops look down their noises at us QRPers. The DXers are the biggest offenders downplaying QRP as DXer wannabees. Why? Everyone KNOWS that you need at least 100 watts of RF (preferably much more) to work DX. Guess these nay sayers haven't taken a real look at QRP. Watts are not the answer in most cases. Operating techniques are. As Howard Pyle, W7OE, stated many years ago: "Power is no substitute for skill". Truer words were never spoken!
Contesting also is a place where DXers congregate on many weekends each year, in an attempt to work as many DX entities as possible, accruing points in the process.
Having been a guest operator for four years at the G4ANT (GB4ANT) East Anglican Contest Station, I have had a taste of what it takes to accrue a world class score in several HF contests. G4ANT was the club station for the Mosley antenna manufacturer in the UK, owned and operated by Owen Chilvers, G3JOC. On the major HF contest weekends a group of outstanding DXers would descend upon the factory and put a minimum of 5 complete, high powered, HF stations on the air covering 160 through 10 meters. Antennas were never a problem as Owen had installed three towers the tallest of which was 120 ft, with fixed and rotatable mono-band beams and tri-banders at various levels. Add to this a host of wire antennas and you get the picture. Depending upon propagation each station could select one of several antennas to work the contest. It was a "sweet" operation. I learned so much hanging with these world class DXers/contesters over that four years. I am eternally grateful for the chance to work with DXers like G3LDI, Roger, G3JOC, Owen, G3MPN, David, G3VXT, Ricky and a host of others.
Occasionally I will still get on the air during the CQ DX WW CW and WPX CW tests along with the CW portion of the ARRL DX contest to "give away" a few Qs and, in some feeble way, relive those halcyon days at G4ANT.
Do not get my opinions twisted. I truly admire DXers. They are the Senior Statesmen (and women) of the ham radio hobby. I'm not whining about sour grapes. Far from it. DXing and contesting are outstanding ways to sharpen your CW and phone skills along with giving newer modes (PSK & JT modes) a try under extremely congested band conditions. Of course you can always use these times as a way to increase your DXCC totals!!
OK, time to get the station ready for the ARRL 10 Meter contest next weekend.
Vy 73
Rich K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch
Dacula, GA
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Hobbies & Ham Radio
There is a corollary in the ham radio hobby about the "other" hobbies that ham's seem to participate in. Among the most popular are (in no particular order):
Model railroading
Photography
Amateur Astronomy
Shortwave listening (SWL)
Computers
Over they years in this hobby I have encountered many hams who regularly engage in one or more these five side-hobbies and I always find that we have some common ground as I like all of them!!!! Unfortunately none of them are cheap.
Photography, in particular, is my 2nd hobby. I have been a photographer since age 8, when a cousin gave me a Baby Brownie camera at a family gathering. During junior high and high school I was year book photographer for the Palouse high school. I started shooting a Baby Brownie, moved to a Kodak Hawkeye, graduated to a Crown Graphic with a hand held light meter, and finally when I arrived in Japan in 1968, found a local camera company call Nippon Kogaku and I have been shooting with Nikon cameras ever since.
True story: My barracks room mate was Jay Merton Verrill III, a crypto maintenance man who liked shooting super 8 movies. We hit it off and when I was offered a ticket to the 1968 Bob Hope Show at Camp Zama, Japan, I was loaned a Nikon F, a couple of lenses, and a whole bunch of 35mm bulk loaded film by Jay's co-worker, Jack Wallace (AKA: Wally). That one outing with a Nikon F was the clincher. I loved the "F" and ended up owning two of them and seven (7) Nikkor lenses. Life was good....very good. While stationed in Japan in the late 1970s I entered and won base, command and Air Force level photo competitions!
During my divorce in 1981, I was forced to sell my beloved Nikons in order to raise money to pay off some bills that my ex-wife managed to accrue without my knowledge. That left me using a large Mamiya Super 23 press camera (used 120/220 roll film) and was not the best camera for the type of photography I engaged in.
I married Patricia (KB3MCT) in July of 1981 in England where we were both stationed. During that time I managed to procure a Russian Zorki 4K 35mm roll film camera, their knock off of a Leica IIIC. It was an amazing camera for the money and, some warts aside, was a good little 35mm camera. No light meter but by that time (especially after graduating from the School of Modern Photography) I was able to "read light" very effectively so a light meter was really not a necessity.
Christmas of 1986 found us re-stationed to Langley AFB, VA (near Hampton Roads). For Christmas that year Patti completely surprised me with a new Nikon FG and a couple of lenses! I was back in the Nikon Fold. I still have that little camera and it works great, considering it is over 30 years old. I have taken a lot of really good images with that little Nikon box, even winning several local competitions with the prints.
In 2006 my daughter, Maja, a graduate with a major in photography from Marywood College, loaned me her Nikon D-70 digital. I had promised myself that I would never go digital. That lasted for a grand total of 3 days after Maja dropped off her camera. My D-70S was on order along with an 18-200mm zoom with vibration reduction (VR). That lens seldom leaves the camera body! It's a "do-it-all lens" that, although very expensive, is a great lens that yields terrific images.
I used the D-70S until about 2 years ago when I found a Nikon D-90 on ebay for a decent price. I contacted the seller and we exchanged several emails and I felt confident it was a good upgrade. Although slightly larger than the D-70, the D-90 offered matrix metering which the D-70 didn't. The upgrade in bodies was well worth the expense.
Now I have come full circle with the purchase of a used Nikon F4 and three auto focus (AF) lenses. The F4 platform is a film camera, not a digital one. According to articles I've read there is an upsurge in going "retro" and breaking out the old film cameras, especially in Japan.
Opinion time:
One of the things I absolutely deplore about digital photography is the simple fact that virtually anyone can turn out very technically correct and, in most cases, well composed images at the press of a button. There is no "art" involved, as with dark room work. Take that digital image and roll it into Photo Shop or Lightroom, and you can do all sorts of computer manipulation that cannot be done in the dark room. That's just not fair nor is it in keeping with the "art" of photography. Where is the "art" in punching a keyboard?
All the previous history of my photography involvement leads up to my good friend, Michael Boatright, KO4WX, a expert photographer who also indulges in the ham radio hobby. I first Mike during a trip to Tampa in 2000 to be part of the birth of KC, my grand child. He met me in the Atlanta terminal, took me into the Delta Crown Club and we talked QRP and he gave me some info on a project that he'd been working on. Later, after we decided to move to the metro Atlanta area I became involved with the North Georgia QRP Club (NoGA) and Mike was a member. We discussed QRP, photography and ended up trading gear: my Mamiya Super 23 for his Ten-Tec Argonaut 509 station.
Over the next several years Mike withdrew from actively participating in ham radio and NoGA, channeling his efforts into his photography. The best portrait ever taken of me was shot by Mike at my new shack in Dacula. The guy is an absolute genius with a camera. If he can make me look good....imagine what he can do for you!! He has since opened his own studio in Dacater, GA and hosts regular open house events open to the public. To see his work, go to: http://www.michaelboatright.com/galleries.php. You will be impressed.
I'd be interested to those who read this blog giving me feedback as to their favorite hobbies.
All for now.
Vy 73 es "say cheese!"
Rich K7SZ
Model railroading
Photography
Amateur Astronomy
Shortwave listening (SWL)
Computers
Over they years in this hobby I have encountered many hams who regularly engage in one or more these five side-hobbies and I always find that we have some common ground as I like all of them!!!! Unfortunately none of them are cheap.
Photography, in particular, is my 2nd hobby. I have been a photographer since age 8, when a cousin gave me a Baby Brownie camera at a family gathering. During junior high and high school I was year book photographer for the Palouse high school. I started shooting a Baby Brownie, moved to a Kodak Hawkeye, graduated to a Crown Graphic with a hand held light meter, and finally when I arrived in Japan in 1968, found a local camera company call Nippon Kogaku and I have been shooting with Nikon cameras ever since.
True story: My barracks room mate was Jay Merton Verrill III, a crypto maintenance man who liked shooting super 8 movies. We hit it off and when I was offered a ticket to the 1968 Bob Hope Show at Camp Zama, Japan, I was loaned a Nikon F, a couple of lenses, and a whole bunch of 35mm bulk loaded film by Jay's co-worker, Jack Wallace (AKA: Wally). That one outing with a Nikon F was the clincher. I loved the "F" and ended up owning two of them and seven (7) Nikkor lenses. Life was good....very good. While stationed in Japan in the late 1970s I entered and won base, command and Air Force level photo competitions!
During my divorce in 1981, I was forced to sell my beloved Nikons in order to raise money to pay off some bills that my ex-wife managed to accrue without my knowledge. That left me using a large Mamiya Super 23 press camera (used 120/220 roll film) and was not the best camera for the type of photography I engaged in.
I married Patricia (KB3MCT) in July of 1981 in England where we were both stationed. During that time I managed to procure a Russian Zorki 4K 35mm roll film camera, their knock off of a Leica IIIC. It was an amazing camera for the money and, some warts aside, was a good little 35mm camera. No light meter but by that time (especially after graduating from the School of Modern Photography) I was able to "read light" very effectively so a light meter was really not a necessity.
Christmas of 1986 found us re-stationed to Langley AFB, VA (near Hampton Roads). For Christmas that year Patti completely surprised me with a new Nikon FG and a couple of lenses! I was back in the Nikon Fold. I still have that little camera and it works great, considering it is over 30 years old. I have taken a lot of really good images with that little Nikon box, even winning several local competitions with the prints.
In 2006 my daughter, Maja, a graduate with a major in photography from Marywood College, loaned me her Nikon D-70 digital. I had promised myself that I would never go digital. That lasted for a grand total of 3 days after Maja dropped off her camera. My D-70S was on order along with an 18-200mm zoom with vibration reduction (VR). That lens seldom leaves the camera body! It's a "do-it-all lens" that, although very expensive, is a great lens that yields terrific images.
I used the D-70S until about 2 years ago when I found a Nikon D-90 on ebay for a decent price. I contacted the seller and we exchanged several emails and I felt confident it was a good upgrade. Although slightly larger than the D-70, the D-90 offered matrix metering which the D-70 didn't. The upgrade in bodies was well worth the expense.
Now I have come full circle with the purchase of a used Nikon F4 and three auto focus (AF) lenses. The F4 platform is a film camera, not a digital one. According to articles I've read there is an upsurge in going "retro" and breaking out the old film cameras, especially in Japan.
Opinion time:
One of the things I absolutely deplore about digital photography is the simple fact that virtually anyone can turn out very technically correct and, in most cases, well composed images at the press of a button. There is no "art" involved, as with dark room work. Take that digital image and roll it into Photo Shop or Lightroom, and you can do all sorts of computer manipulation that cannot be done in the dark room. That's just not fair nor is it in keeping with the "art" of photography. Where is the "art" in punching a keyboard?
All the previous history of my photography involvement leads up to my good friend, Michael Boatright, KO4WX, a expert photographer who also indulges in the ham radio hobby. I first Mike during a trip to Tampa in 2000 to be part of the birth of KC, my grand child. He met me in the Atlanta terminal, took me into the Delta Crown Club and we talked QRP and he gave me some info on a project that he'd been working on. Later, after we decided to move to the metro Atlanta area I became involved with the North Georgia QRP Club (NoGA) and Mike was a member. We discussed QRP, photography and ended up trading gear: my Mamiya Super 23 for his Ten-Tec Argonaut 509 station.
Over the next several years Mike withdrew from actively participating in ham radio and NoGA, channeling his efforts into his photography. The best portrait ever taken of me was shot by Mike at my new shack in Dacula. The guy is an absolute genius with a camera. If he can make me look good....imagine what he can do for you!! He has since opened his own studio in Dacater, GA and hosts regular open house events open to the public. To see his work, go to: http://www.michaelboatright.com/galleries.php. You will be impressed.
I'd be interested to those who read this blog giving me feedback as to their favorite hobbies.
All for now.
Vy 73 es "say cheese!"
Rich K7SZ
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Thats What Friends Are For
I've repeatedly said that the one thing I really love about this radio hobby are the people you meet and the friends you make. This is especially true in the niche areas of the hobby like QRP.
We QRPers are linked by the challenge of doing more with less. Not only is it a challenge to pursue ham radio at the 5 watt (or less) level, it is a character building exercise. Add homebrew equipment into the mix and you have a facet of the hobby that is a great place to be.
In order to become a successful QRP operator your operating habits have to be honed and your knowledge of antennas, propagation and station engineering have to be top notch. This is where our fellow QRPers come into the picture.
No one in this hobby has all the answers. We can all learn no matter our experience level or the overall time in the hobby. As a collective body QRPers are an open and sharing group. In the spirit of ham radio we gladly share our knowledge and provide help and guidance for our fellow low power operators.
On rare occasions one meets some really astounding people in this hobby. In my instance two of those people are Paul Stroud, AA4XX, and Fran Slavinski, K3BX, formerly KA3WTF. I have known the two of them for well over 25 years, starting with their attempts to shatter the miles-per-watt record on 40 meters in mid-1990s. At the end of a two year period Paul and Fran had proven it was possible to communicate over several hundred miles with microwatts on an HF band that was crowded with high power ham radio operators along with massive shortwave broadcast stations! This saga is outlined in my QRP books for the ARRL. Suffice it to say that these two QRPers are legendary in the annals of low power operations.
Recently I had been offered a chance to procure a Ten-Tec Argonaut II (Model 535) in exchange for my Kenwood TS-130V station. I jumped at the offer as it dove tailed nicely with my plans to downsize my station. The deal was struck and I now had a very nice digital Argonaut.
I took the new rig home, fired it up and started tuning around the bands. All went well until I tired to go above 15M (21 MHz). The rig would display the frequency but no receive and no transmit. I finally decided that it was the synthesizer that was coming unlocked above 21 MHz.
I contacted Fran (K3BX) and he advised since that rig had a number of header plugs and cables, it might be prudent to go inside the rig and, one-by-one, pull the cable headers off the pins and apply some DeOxit (an electronic contact cleaner/lube that has been sent from Heaven to alleviate corrosion on electrical contacts and clean up controls) then re-seat the headers several times to spread the DeOxit around. This technique I have used on other rigs, most notably a second hand Yaesu FT-726 VHF/UHF multi-mode transceiver.
I have put this on "hold" due to an unforeseen development. In addition to QSOing Fran, I also contacted Paul, AA4XX, for his advice or to see if his Argo II had exhibited similar problems and what he did to resolve them.
At this point in our conversation Paul said he hadn't had any similar problems but his display back light had failed (a common theme with the Argo II) so he'd placed it on the shelf and hadn't used it for several years. He was looking to off-load it, would I care to have another Argo II?
Say what?!?!?!
Long story short: Paul sent me his Argo II in exchange for the shipping costs! It works just fine except for the back light. This gift was totally unexpected. Thank you, my friend, it will be front and center in my shack.
I have located a replacement back light which will be the subject of another blog entry. As for the other Argo II, it will be put back into full service and find a new home.
My thanks to Paul and Fran for a long and fruitful friendship. This is what good friends are for.
All for now. I gotta go make an appearance on HF during the 2018 CQ DX WW CW test. Using the new Argo II of course.
Vy 73
Rich K7SZ
We QRPers are linked by the challenge of doing more with less. Not only is it a challenge to pursue ham radio at the 5 watt (or less) level, it is a character building exercise. Add homebrew equipment into the mix and you have a facet of the hobby that is a great place to be.
In order to become a successful QRP operator your operating habits have to be honed and your knowledge of antennas, propagation and station engineering have to be top notch. This is where our fellow QRPers come into the picture.
No one in this hobby has all the answers. We can all learn no matter our experience level or the overall time in the hobby. As a collective body QRPers are an open and sharing group. In the spirit of ham radio we gladly share our knowledge and provide help and guidance for our fellow low power operators.
On rare occasions one meets some really astounding people in this hobby. In my instance two of those people are Paul Stroud, AA4XX, and Fran Slavinski, K3BX, formerly KA3WTF. I have known the two of them for well over 25 years, starting with their attempts to shatter the miles-per-watt record on 40 meters in mid-1990s. At the end of a two year period Paul and Fran had proven it was possible to communicate over several hundred miles with microwatts on an HF band that was crowded with high power ham radio operators along with massive shortwave broadcast stations! This saga is outlined in my QRP books for the ARRL. Suffice it to say that these two QRPers are legendary in the annals of low power operations.
Recently I had been offered a chance to procure a Ten-Tec Argonaut II (Model 535) in exchange for my Kenwood TS-130V station. I jumped at the offer as it dove tailed nicely with my plans to downsize my station. The deal was struck and I now had a very nice digital Argonaut.
I took the new rig home, fired it up and started tuning around the bands. All went well until I tired to go above 15M (21 MHz). The rig would display the frequency but no receive and no transmit. I finally decided that it was the synthesizer that was coming unlocked above 21 MHz.
I contacted Fran (K3BX) and he advised since that rig had a number of header plugs and cables, it might be prudent to go inside the rig and, one-by-one, pull the cable headers off the pins and apply some DeOxit (an electronic contact cleaner/lube that has been sent from Heaven to alleviate corrosion on electrical contacts and clean up controls) then re-seat the headers several times to spread the DeOxit around. This technique I have used on other rigs, most notably a second hand Yaesu FT-726 VHF/UHF multi-mode transceiver.
I have put this on "hold" due to an unforeseen development. In addition to QSOing Fran, I also contacted Paul, AA4XX, for his advice or to see if his Argo II had exhibited similar problems and what he did to resolve them.
At this point in our conversation Paul said he hadn't had any similar problems but his display back light had failed (a common theme with the Argo II) so he'd placed it on the shelf and hadn't used it for several years. He was looking to off-load it, would I care to have another Argo II?
Say what?!?!?!
Long story short: Paul sent me his Argo II in exchange for the shipping costs! It works just fine except for the back light. This gift was totally unexpected. Thank you, my friend, it will be front and center in my shack.
I have located a replacement back light which will be the subject of another blog entry. As for the other Argo II, it will be put back into full service and find a new home.
My thanks to Paul and Fran for a long and fruitful friendship. This is what good friends are for.
All for now. I gotta go make an appearance on HF during the 2018 CQ DX WW CW test. Using the new Argo II of course.
Vy 73
Rich K7SZ
Thursday, November 15, 2018
When Life Gets in the Way
We plan, we save, we prepare but in the end "LIFE" wins! OK, so what am I up to this time?
This post is about taking some of my own advice and passing along some observations about how "LIFE" gets in the way of the best laid plans of mice, men and K7SZ.
Fact: we don't live forever. What a revelation! Therefore, we need to be realistic about our plans, dreams and schemes. When it comes to ham radio one must evaluate what one needs to play the radio game and be watchful of the amount of time, money and storage space needed to engage in this hobby.
Case in point:
Pat and I had looked forward to moving from the frumpy, cold, unappealing town of Wilkes-Barre, PA (a place seemingly stuck in 1the 1960s) to a warmer, more hospitable climate. We had anticipated the move for several years before immigrating to Georgia. Outside of our daughter, Gwen's, husband's family we knew virtually no one in the area to which we moved in 2008.
We found a nice little three bedroom ranch house in Dacula, GA, about 40 miles ENE of Atlanta and set up housekeeping with the intent of spending the remainder of our lives in this area. Good plan, bad timing with the housing bubble catastrophe that imploded that year. We were financially strapped for several years but dug our way out and finally had our feet on firm financial ground. Yeah team!
After a series of physical challenges (including falling and putting a huge gash in my forehead, breaking two ribs along with my tail bone, and finally my right clavicle) I've had to make some drastic adjustments as to how I went about life (although the gnarly scar on my forehead really looks cool....Hey, I don't have any tattoos, or own a Harley so I really needed that scar!) It quickly became evident that we needed to sell the house and move into a retirement community. Downsizing....that was the name of the game.
This past few weeks Pat finally convinced me to take a critical look at all my ham radio and electronics projects and do some off-loading of my stash of "stuff". While it was agonizing it was also a bit refreshing to unload all that "stuff" and actually be able to see the floor of the shack and the walls of our storage shed!
I guess the point of this blog is to say that while I pontificated in an earlier posting about getting our ham radio affairs in order for that inevitable day we leave this plain of existence, I was not heeding my own words. However, now I am seeing the wisdom of Pat's need to downsize. After all, I am only a man, and everyone knows that men need close, hands-on guidance in the form of a mate. Or, as I am fond of putting it: "I am Pat's Four H project!" (Hey, everyone needs a hobby and I'm hers!)
So, to that end I placed my Drake TR-4 station up for sale, along with the Benton Harbor Lunch Boxes, two Argonaut 509s, a couple of Zenith SW radios, my Novice station, and a lot more "stuff" that I have not used (nor in some cases even seen) in years.
For radio gear currently in the K7SZ shack I have the astounding Elecraft KX2 HF portable rig, a T-T Argonaut II, a fully restored (by W4OP) SBE-34, and a Radio Shack 10 meter SSB/CW rig. I hung on to the two Icom VHF rigs (one in the car and one at the shack) along with a couple of Yaesu HTs. That's it. Talk about downsizing! Man, that was a tough call but very cathartic in the end.
So now you know.....K7SZ's Chief Engineer has things under control (yeah, right)! While I was saddened to see that "stuff" get sold off at a couple of local ham fests, I realized two things: first, one does not need a ton (or two) of "stuff" to participate in the ham radio hobby. Second, you cannot relive your youth (yoot?) It is impossible to try and replicate all the things you lusted for (but couldn't afford to purchase) in the early years of your ham radio life. It's also expensive. Many of us try, but it is futile. It's also expensive. When you combine all the accumulated "stuff" you quickly realize that virtually none of it will ever grace the tables of your shack or living room. Oh, did I mention it is also expensive?
All for now. As a pre-New Years resolution I am going to make a concerted effort to blog more and spend some quality time at the operating bench getting on the air and enjoying the hobby.
Vy 73 es Happy Thanksgiving
Rich K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch, Dacula, GA.
This post is about taking some of my own advice and passing along some observations about how "LIFE" gets in the way of the best laid plans of mice, men and K7SZ.
Fact: we don't live forever. What a revelation! Therefore, we need to be realistic about our plans, dreams and schemes. When it comes to ham radio one must evaluate what one needs to play the radio game and be watchful of the amount of time, money and storage space needed to engage in this hobby.
Case in point:
Pat and I had looked forward to moving from the frumpy, cold, unappealing town of Wilkes-Barre, PA (a place seemingly stuck in 1the 1960s) to a warmer, more hospitable climate. We had anticipated the move for several years before immigrating to Georgia. Outside of our daughter, Gwen's, husband's family we knew virtually no one in the area to which we moved in 2008.
We found a nice little three bedroom ranch house in Dacula, GA, about 40 miles ENE of Atlanta and set up housekeeping with the intent of spending the remainder of our lives in this area. Good plan, bad timing with the housing bubble catastrophe that imploded that year. We were financially strapped for several years but dug our way out and finally had our feet on firm financial ground. Yeah team!
After a series of physical challenges (including falling and putting a huge gash in my forehead, breaking two ribs along with my tail bone, and finally my right clavicle) I've had to make some drastic adjustments as to how I went about life (although the gnarly scar on my forehead really looks cool....Hey, I don't have any tattoos, or own a Harley so I really needed that scar!) It quickly became evident that we needed to sell the house and move into a retirement community. Downsizing....that was the name of the game.
This past few weeks Pat finally convinced me to take a critical look at all my ham radio and electronics projects and do some off-loading of my stash of "stuff". While it was agonizing it was also a bit refreshing to unload all that "stuff" and actually be able to see the floor of the shack and the walls of our storage shed!
I guess the point of this blog is to say that while I pontificated in an earlier posting about getting our ham radio affairs in order for that inevitable day we leave this plain of existence, I was not heeding my own words. However, now I am seeing the wisdom of Pat's need to downsize. After all, I am only a man, and everyone knows that men need close, hands-on guidance in the form of a mate. Or, as I am fond of putting it: "I am Pat's Four H project!" (Hey, everyone needs a hobby and I'm hers!)
So, to that end I placed my Drake TR-4 station up for sale, along with the Benton Harbor Lunch Boxes, two Argonaut 509s, a couple of Zenith SW radios, my Novice station, and a lot more "stuff" that I have not used (nor in some cases even seen) in years.
For radio gear currently in the K7SZ shack I have the astounding Elecraft KX2 HF portable rig, a T-T Argonaut II, a fully restored (by W4OP) SBE-34, and a Radio Shack 10 meter SSB/CW rig. I hung on to the two Icom VHF rigs (one in the car and one at the shack) along with a couple of Yaesu HTs. That's it. Talk about downsizing! Man, that was a tough call but very cathartic in the end.
So now you know.....K7SZ's Chief Engineer has things under control (yeah, right)! While I was saddened to see that "stuff" get sold off at a couple of local ham fests, I realized two things: first, one does not need a ton (or two) of "stuff" to participate in the ham radio hobby. Second, you cannot relive your youth (yoot?) It is impossible to try and replicate all the things you lusted for (but couldn't afford to purchase) in the early years of your ham radio life. It's also expensive. Many of us try, but it is futile. It's also expensive. When you combine all the accumulated "stuff" you quickly realize that virtually none of it will ever grace the tables of your shack or living room. Oh, did I mention it is also expensive?
All for now. As a pre-New Years resolution I am going to make a concerted effort to blog more and spend some quality time at the operating bench getting on the air and enjoying the hobby.
Vy 73 es Happy Thanksgiving
Rich K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch, Dacula, GA.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Happy Birthday to me!!!
On Wednesday, March 6, 1946, I was born in the St. Ignatius Catholic Hospital in Colfax, Washington. Fifty one years earlier, Yakima Canutt, champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director was born in that same hospital. Yesterday (March 6th) was my 72 birthday! So far it has been a great ride!
It was a very complicated birth for my mother, Ann. Mom was 5' 2" tall and Dad was 6' 7"!! How I EVER came about is still a mystery to me! Suffice it to say that mom had some difficulty while in labor. The doctors were really baffled when I came out of the birth canal clutching a Hallicrafters S-38 (the original model with BFO). No wonder Mom had difficulties and that, dear readers, is why I am an only child!
Obviously, the die was cast....radio was in my life from the very beginning. Having been licensed as a ham in 1963 the last 55 years has been amazing. However, I was involved with shortwave listening (SWLing) and broadcast band DXing since I was about 8 yrs old. Like I said, radio was an integral part of my life very early on.
While many of "the great unwashed" are totally ignorant of ham radio and its place in the current world of technology, I find that when someone asks me about the hobby they think that cell phones and the internet have replaced ham radio. It amazes them when I relate that their precious little "smart" phone is nothing more than a hand held radio. Their internet connections are dependent upon radio in the form of their router and microwave links in order to work. Yeah, all that Buck Rogers technology still relies on good old radio! 'Ya gotta love it!
I am going to take a minute and wax poetic. Tanner Raynes, a good friend of mine, once told me a couple of things about life.
1. "Old age is a gift, enjoy it, you earned it".
2. "Good days and bad days: All days are "good days" when you are surrounded by the ones you love and care for.
Thank you, Tanner.
My birthday present to myself was to procure a brand new, untouched by human hands, Elecraft KX2. OK, the "human hands" thing isn't quite right.....untouched by "normal" human hands is more like it. Why? Because, nobody (and I do mean nobody) at Elecraft is "normal" and I mean that in a VERY good way!
Elecraft is a success story beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Not only is Elecraft a success story about technology it is a success story about how to build a business model and leave the other ham radio manufacturers in the dust! The adjective "innovation" does not even begin to encompass what that company is about!
I have only met Wayne Burcick, N6KR, and Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, a couple of times. However, looking at the brief history of the company it is abundantly clear that the brain trust at Elecraft is a force of nature. Not only do they design and market cutting edge ham radio technology, their price points on their products are well below similar products offered by the (evil?) Off Shore Empire. The KX2 is only the latest innovation in a long line of products that has set the ham radio hobby on it's ear.
OK, enough praise. Let me tell you about my KX2. It's small. Obviously. It is feature packed.....again, obviously. Finally it is easy to operate without a steep learning curve.
Time for a history lesson. For a little less than 20 years I have been an advocate of the Yaesu FT-817, a truly amazing radio for the early 2000s. Much has changed from then to now. Unfortunately, while Yaesu had the lion's share of the QRP portable market for a long time, they failed to update the 817 and that left them vulnerable to Elecraft's KX3 and KX2 transceivers. Although it is rumored that Yaesu is about to release an upgraded QRP portable rig (the FT-818?) the features that have been leaked to the public show very little impressive technology upgrade. Basically it's the old story of "too little, to late".
Now, before you start condemning me as an Elecraft "sellout" you need to remember I have had four FT-817s over the years and have had a lot invested in three out of the four with 3rd party upgrades like DSP, CW/SSB filters, etc. For me to sell my last, fully loaded, FT-817 (total investment around $1600) was a major turning point in my QRP journey. Unfortunately, here at the K7SZ Bent Dipole Ranch, money is not something that I have in abundance. If I want a substantial upgrade in my ham gear I have to either find some older boatanchor gear, restore and sell them for a profit or sell a piece of gear I have in order to fund the project. This KX2 upgrade (and it is some kinda' fine upgrade!) forced me to sell my tricked out 817 to get enough money to afford the KX2. Am I glad I did? Initially I was really unsure. After all it was a hunk of change (just over $1000). However, after I got into the operation of the KX2 I never looked back! The FT-817 is part of QRP history. The KX2 is the new frontier. Period.
I am not going to bore you with operational details and the minutia of getting to know my KX2. You can find all that on the Internet and You Tube. I will say that I am extremely satisfied with my new radio and look forward to doing some satisfying mobile/portable work from our RV and SOTA (anyway those summits that I can get to with a bad back, two bad knees, and two highly modified feet....while it sucks getting old....I can truthfully say I have earned every ache and pain twofold!)
That's it for this posting. I still have some birthday cake to eat, so I better get to it!
Vy 73 and God Bless.
Rich K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch
Dacula, GA
It was a very complicated birth for my mother, Ann. Mom was 5' 2" tall and Dad was 6' 7"!! How I EVER came about is still a mystery to me! Suffice it to say that mom had some difficulty while in labor. The doctors were really baffled when I came out of the birth canal clutching a Hallicrafters S-38 (the original model with BFO). No wonder Mom had difficulties and that, dear readers, is why I am an only child!
Obviously, the die was cast....radio was in my life from the very beginning. Having been licensed as a ham in 1963 the last 55 years has been amazing. However, I was involved with shortwave listening (SWLing) and broadcast band DXing since I was about 8 yrs old. Like I said, radio was an integral part of my life very early on.
While many of "the great unwashed" are totally ignorant of ham radio and its place in the current world of technology, I find that when someone asks me about the hobby they think that cell phones and the internet have replaced ham radio. It amazes them when I relate that their precious little "smart" phone is nothing more than a hand held radio. Their internet connections are dependent upon radio in the form of their router and microwave links in order to work. Yeah, all that Buck Rogers technology still relies on good old radio! 'Ya gotta love it!
I am going to take a minute and wax poetic. Tanner Raynes, a good friend of mine, once told me a couple of things about life.
1. "Old age is a gift, enjoy it, you earned it".
2. "Good days and bad days: All days are "good days" when you are surrounded by the ones you love and care for.
Thank you, Tanner.
My birthday present to myself was to procure a brand new, untouched by human hands, Elecraft KX2. OK, the "human hands" thing isn't quite right.....untouched by "normal" human hands is more like it. Why? Because, nobody (and I do mean nobody) at Elecraft is "normal" and I mean that in a VERY good way!
Elecraft is a success story beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Not only is Elecraft a success story about technology it is a success story about how to build a business model and leave the other ham radio manufacturers in the dust! The adjective "innovation" does not even begin to encompass what that company is about!
I have only met Wayne Burcick, N6KR, and Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, a couple of times. However, looking at the brief history of the company it is abundantly clear that the brain trust at Elecraft is a force of nature. Not only do they design and market cutting edge ham radio technology, their price points on their products are well below similar products offered by the (evil?) Off Shore Empire. The KX2 is only the latest innovation in a long line of products that has set the ham radio hobby on it's ear.
OK, enough praise. Let me tell you about my KX2. It's small. Obviously. It is feature packed.....again, obviously. Finally it is easy to operate without a steep learning curve.
Time for a history lesson. For a little less than 20 years I have been an advocate of the Yaesu FT-817, a truly amazing radio for the early 2000s. Much has changed from then to now. Unfortunately, while Yaesu had the lion's share of the QRP portable market for a long time, they failed to update the 817 and that left them vulnerable to Elecraft's KX3 and KX2 transceivers. Although it is rumored that Yaesu is about to release an upgraded QRP portable rig (the FT-818?) the features that have been leaked to the public show very little impressive technology upgrade. Basically it's the old story of "too little, to late".
Now, before you start condemning me as an Elecraft "sellout" you need to remember I have had four FT-817s over the years and have had a lot invested in three out of the four with 3rd party upgrades like DSP, CW/SSB filters, etc. For me to sell my last, fully loaded, FT-817 (total investment around $1600) was a major turning point in my QRP journey. Unfortunately, here at the K7SZ Bent Dipole Ranch, money is not something that I have in abundance. If I want a substantial upgrade in my ham gear I have to either find some older boatanchor gear, restore and sell them for a profit or sell a piece of gear I have in order to fund the project. This KX2 upgrade (and it is some kinda' fine upgrade!) forced me to sell my tricked out 817 to get enough money to afford the KX2. Am I glad I did? Initially I was really unsure. After all it was a hunk of change (just over $1000). However, after I got into the operation of the KX2 I never looked back! The FT-817 is part of QRP history. The KX2 is the new frontier. Period.
I am not going to bore you with operational details and the minutia of getting to know my KX2. You can find all that on the Internet and You Tube. I will say that I am extremely satisfied with my new radio and look forward to doing some satisfying mobile/portable work from our RV and SOTA (anyway those summits that I can get to with a bad back, two bad knees, and two highly modified feet....while it sucks getting old....I can truthfully say I have earned every ache and pain twofold!)
That's it for this posting. I still have some birthday cake to eat, so I better get to it!
Vy 73 and God Bless.
Rich K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch
Dacula, GA
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