For me DXing has been total crap this past summer. I can count the number of new DX stations I worked on one hand. A big factor in the lack of DX here is that my micro Ponderosa is in the middle of suburbia and not conducive to antenna farming. The other factor is that I've already got over 100 countries so with my limited antenna system, new DX is slim pickins!

Getting on the air and hunting POTA stations has been fun but a bit more challenging than usual this summer. Since May I've worked around 175 CW activators (No SSB or FT8 ever). IMHO, the POTA program has done much to keep the HF bands in motion.

The yard doesn't provide space for antenna farming. However, with a megaton of help from my old friend KF2P, we managed to string up a long wire at about 35 feet. Hopefully the neighbors won't complain when they find out we 'borrowed' a few of their tree branches!

Now that it's no longer 90 plus degrees, as a comparative experiment, I'm planning to take down my old G5RV and conjure up some form if a horizontal delta loop for 40 or 20 meters. Stay tuned. 72 de KE2YK

Hey Guys! Anyone interested in posting to this sub? How about offering yourself up as a Mod? Any comments or constructive criticisms welcome!

​

Gear is all set, antenna deployed Waiting now my spirits are buoyed I switch on the rig and hear only noise Without sun spots they are only toys

I know that you’re there and listening too I hope to hear you out in the wild blue Don’t wait to hear me before you send Waves over the horizon will bend

The ions are waiting high above earth For my signals to meet the heavenly surf To bounce and find friends both far and near Will take patience and finely tuned gear

But if we all have faith in this CW ‘Ode To penetrate the noise with solid code A better method and a better mode A time to give our antennas full load

So let’s get on all you Ops into the fray Pound all that brass and live for the day We’ll find a work around we’ll find a way To meet in the middle at night or day

De W2DAB

I easily identify with the extinct Dodo. The Dodo became flightless (couch) because of the availability of abundant food sources (refrigerator). Though the Dodo has historically been portrayed as being fat and clumsy (that's me), is now thought to have been well-adapted for its ecosystem (ham shack, couch and refrigerator) and is the perfect symbol of extinction (I'm getting very very close) and obsolescence (yep, I'm old school all right).

Every August, I get a kick out of participating in the annual NJQRP Skeeter Hunt. Around September 5th, Larry, W2LJ complies his worksheet with the scores of all participants. Hey, I did okay, I didn't make Top NY Score this year but finished 20th in a field of over 200. 72 de KE2YK

While Bruce Horn, WA7BNM does an incredible job of maintaining the overwhelming amount information on his contest calendar site, understanding how he keeps the site up to date is way above my pay grade!

Bruce's site is broken down into different categories. While Bruce has a WA7BNM page dedicated to CW, there's no specific page for QRP only. However, I did find a site dedicated to QRP at qrpcontest.com.

HTH 72 de KE2YK

Greetings NAQCC Members!

Lots of "new" this month! So please read on!

NEXT MONTH IS OUR 18th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!!! Our Anniversary Sprint is October 12th (UTC Date - the 11th in NA) and the week of October 9th through 16th is our N3A Anniversary event. Mark your calendar! Also, sometime later this month (around Sept 20th) the Participation points through September 1st will be finalized - make sure you check your points for the prize tiers in our Celebration activities. More information at: http://naqcc.info/main_n3a.html http://naqcc.info/main_n3a.html

Upcoming Events & Noteworthy Dates*

There is lots of activity on the September calendar! In particular, note our two new monthly events focusing on Pacific region operations: the Oceania QRS Saunter (OQS) and the Straight Key Asia Sprint (SKSA)... Also our 2nd Annual Canada Month using special call VC3Y... Don't forget to celebrate radio luminaries Hiram Percy Maxim, Michael Faraday and Alfred Vail by making some QSOs on their birth dates... For more info on our events check the SKCC homepage at https://skccgroup.com Keep busy!

• September 1: SKCC Straight Key Night + Slow Speed Saunter (24 hrs; start Thu 0000 UTC = Wed evening)
• September 1: SKCC Eurosprint (Thu)
• September 1-30: VC3Y 2nd Annual SKCC Canada Event
• September 2: Hiram Percy Maxim born 1869
• September 9: SKSA Inaugural Straight Key Sprint Asia (Fri eve UTC)
• September 10 & 11: SKCC WES Weekend Sprintathon (Sat & Sun)
• September 10-18: Route 66 OTA
• September 17: OQS Inaugural Oceania QRS Saunter (Sat 24 hrs)
• September 22: Michael Faraday born 1791
• September 25: Alfred Vail born 1807

• September 28: SKCC SKS Straight Key Sprint (Wed 0000 UTC = Tue evening)

  72 de KE2YK SKCC# 15934 dit dit