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Jim, N8NLE answerd by CQ on 7.112 MHz during my luch break. Jim had a nice signal for Toledo, OH that cut through some rough band conditions. We did the standard exchange (RST, name, QTH, rig, antenna and WX) and then I had to QRT. I believe Jim was using a straight key. I’d like to be able to tell the difference between a straight key and a bug.

I want to work towards this award. I need to finish logging in a bunch of QSL cards and see how many points I have.

The Century Award is earned by working 100 points of FISTS members. FISTS operating from the same country that you are in are worth one point. FISTS operating from a different country, as defined by DXCC rules, are worth two points. FISTS affiliated club stations are worth three points.

The following FISTS National Club Stations are worth 5 points towards FISTS awards;

GXØIPX #1, ZL6FF #9600, VK2FDU #9610, and KNØWCW #10,000

Just had a really nice 40M CW QSO with Lloyd, KO4L, from Darlington, SC. It was Lloyd’s first CW QSO! Like me, he is new to CW and is trying to get on the air and improve his CW skills. He’s also got a very nice website.

I had the day off and had time to get on the radio this morning for three QSOs this morning. The first was Eric, F5xxx, near Bordeaux, France on 20M SSB. Eric told me he was near the Atlantic coast and gave me a WX report with the temp in Celsius and I told him I was also near the Atlantic and gave him a WX report with the temp in Fahrenheit. The DX packet cluster had a spot from Australia, I don’t remember the band, but I could barely hear the signal and listen to an op in Tennessee work him. That is huge – I’ve never heard a station west of California, east of Moscow, or south of Algeria. It gives me hope that with further antenna improvement, I’ll be able to work Hawaii, Japan, and Australia.

The next QSO was 40M CW with Dick, N2xxx, from Akron, NY. Nice QSO, Dick had a solid signal. The final QSO was also 40M CW with Rik, KB1BIC – the same gentlemen I talked to a few days ago. Our initial exchange was good, but Rik picked up the speed a bit and all I got was a jumble of letters. Just more motivation to keep working on my CW.

I received an email from The Willamette Valley DX Club – home to the ARRL 7th District Incoming QSL Bureau. They said they had some QSL cards for AD7MI and would I please send them a little bit of money for postage so they can mail them to me. I was able to mail off the check and hope to get the cards soon. I wonder who they’re from? It’s always neat getting cards from the bureau.

I got my Blinky Light kit from Electronics Rainbow. My plan is to modify it a bit and use it for Halloween.

“QRP or QRPp is not for impatient Type-A people with countless crumpled-up grande Starbucks cups in the waste basket.”

Peter, N4LI

After watching Frontline’s: Return of the Taliban last night, I jumped onto 80M CW novice sub-band to try and scare up a QSO.

I called CQ for a few minutes and received a reply from Bill, KB2MBC, from Auburn, NY. If I remember correctly (and as the log indicates) I had a short QSO with Bill last Saturday in the evening. This time the QSO lasted for about 30 minutes. Bill gave me a 559 and I gave him a 599, although I was trying to actually give him a 589. Had some fading towards the end of the QSO, but I had solid copy on everything Bill was sending. He had a nice, slow fist (maybe a little faster than 5wpm)… I think he was using a straight key. We exchanged information on rigs and antennas as well as a WX report. For some reason, I am having a hard time sending the number “2” and the prosign “BT”. For the number “2”, I end up sending 3 dits, instead of 2 and for “BT” I end up sending 2 dits instead of 3 in between the dahs. I need to do some practice sending.

EU Autumn Sprint — SSB, sponsored by the EU Sprint Gang, 1600Z-1959Z Oct 7 (CW is 1600Z-1959Z Oct 14). Frequencies: 80-20 meters, stations outside EU work EU stations only. SOAB category only. Exchange: your call, serial number, name, other station’s call. Special QSY rule — see Web site. Score is number of QSOs. For more infor-mation: www.eusprint.com. Logs due 15 days after the contest to eusprint@kkn.net or Paolo Cortese, I2UIY, PO Box 14, I-27043 Broni (PV), Italy (CW logs to Karel Karmasin, OK2FD, Gen Svobody 636, CZ-674 01 Trebic, Czech Republic).

Chase down the rare counties in the largest of all state QSO parties.

California QSO Party — CW/SSB, sponsored by the Northern California Contest Club, 1600Z Oct 7-2159Z Oct 8. Frequencies: 160-2 meters. Categories: SOAB (HP >200 W, LP, QRP), MS, MM, CA County Expedition, Mobile, Club, School. SO work 24 hours only. CW QSOs in CW subbands, except 160/6/2 meters. Stations on a county line count as a single contact for QSO points, but both counties may be claimed as multipliers. Exchange: serial number and state/province (DX send DX) or CA county. QSO points: CW –3 pts, Phone — 2 pts. Score: QSO points × CA counties (max 58) or CA stations multiply by states and VE call areas (max 58). For more information: www.cqp.org. Logs due by Nov 15 via form on contest Web site (preferred), logs@cqp.org, or to NCCC, c/o Kevin Rowett, WB6S, 21906 Monte Ct, Cupertino, CA 95014.

Oceania DX Contest — sponsored by the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) and New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART), Phone 0800Z Oct 7-0800Z Oct 8 (CW is 0800 Z Oct 14-0800Z Oct 15). Frequencies: 160-10 meters, work VK/ZL/Oceania stations only. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MS, MM, SWL. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number. QSO points: 160 — 20 pts, 80 — 10 pts, 40 — 5 pts, 20 — 1 pt, 15 — 2 pts, 10 — 3 pts. Score: QSO points × WPX prefixes counted once per band. For more information: www.oceaniadxcontest.com. Logs due Nov 12 in Cabrillo format (required for logs with more than 50 QSOs) to ph@oceaniadxcontest.com (CW to cw@oceaniadxcontest.com) or paper logs (if fewer than 50 QSOs) to Oceania DX Contest, c/o Wellington Amateur Radio Club Inc, PO Box 6464, Wellington 6030, New Zealand.

YLRL Anniversary Party — CW, sponsored by the YLRL, 1400Z Oct 3-0200Z Oct 5 (Phone Oct 10-Oct 12). Frequencies: 160-10 meters. Exchange: serial number, RS(T), and ARRL section/VE province/country. QSO points: US or VE YLs — 1 pt, DX YLs — 2 pts. Score: QSO points × S/P/C. For more information: www.ylrl.org. Logs due 30 days after the contest to kc4iyd@yahoo.com or to Nancy Rabel Hall, KC4IYD, PO Box 775, North Olmsted, OH 44070.

PSK Rumble (The Fall Classic) — sponsored by Troy ARA, 0000Z-2400Z Oct 7. 160-6 meters. Exchange: name and S/P/C. Categories: Normal (>100 W), Great (<20 W), Super (<5 W), Novice, SWL. Score: QSOs × (W/VE/JA/VK call areas + DXCC entities counted once per band). For more information: www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_rumble_rules.html. Logs due Oct 30 via online score submission form at www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_rumble_score.html. 10-10 Day Sprint -- Phone/CW/Digital, 0001Z-2359Z, Oct 10. One QSO per station, regardless of mode. Logs due Oct 25 (see Aug QST, p 88 or www.ten-ten.org).

No contacts last night – I was caught up with other stuff and didn’t turn on the radio. Tried to get a contact during lunch…. no luck.

I had a nice, short (very short) lunchtime CW QSO with Rik, KB1BIC. Rik answered my very last CQ on 40M and I had to cut the QSO short in order to get back to work. I was easily able to copy Rik’s fist, very smooth and steady… just the right speed. We were only able to exchange callsigns, RST reports (I gave him a 589, he gave me a 579), names, and QTHs (he is in Ludlow, MA) before I had to say 73. I wish the QSO could have gone longer – it is such a great feeling to be able to get 100% copy on a CW QSO! Gives me hope I can keep improving my speed.

On Friday, October 6th from 1900utc until 2200utc or so look for Polar Bears on the air! Yes we bears will hike, drive etc to the top of the local terrain and operate our qrp rigs. We call this a Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Event or PBMME. We do this only during or near a full moon every month from October to March. We presently have 37 Polar Bears in over six states and two countries so look for the US and Canadian PBs on the air this Friday!

The EPA QRP Club sponsors this nice event.
http://n3epa.org/

Every Polar Bear has a PB# so ask for his number too. This isn’t a contest, but just a FUN event. It’s a nice way to get to know other hams too.

If you want to bag a bear, look around the QRP frequencies of 3.5060, 7.040, 10.106, 14.060 and 21.060mhz.

Be the first to work WA3WSJ and I’ll send you a very nice Two Dollar Canadian Polar Bear Coin! You can look at the coin on my Polar Bear Website at http://www.wa3wsj.com/files/PolarBear2006.html

Be sure to look in the scrolling picture header at the top of the page.

72,
Ed, WA3WSJ
PB #2