Monthly Archives: January 2018

Contact #8000 Uploaded to LotW

Posted on January 31, 2018 by robert

Back on Oct 3, 120 days ago, I noted that I had uploaded my 7,000th contact into LotW.  Today I am happy to note that contact 8,000 has been uploaded.  Many of those QSOs (654 of them) are a result … Continue reading →

Posted in DX, FT8, Grid Chase, Operating | Leave a comment

Happy 5000th Confirmed LotW QSO

Posted on January 19, 2018 by robert

Confirmation #5000 just came into LotW sometime in the last hour.  It was for a contact with Rich WD4JJI, who lives in a antenna restricted community in FLA.  By stealth and magic, he has found his way onto the air, … Continue reading →

Posted in Grid Chase, LotW | Leave a comment

An 80-Meter Surprise DP1POL

Posted on January 19, 2018 by robert

Like many folks chasing grid squares, I’m spending time on the digital modes.  Yesterday was a fairly unusual day for me in that I was able to make contact with places that I usually don’t hear, most likely on  the … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Mode, DX, FT8, Grid Chase | Leave a comment

Well THAT didn’t last long…

Posted on January 16, 2018 by robert

Sure enough, within an hour or so, some work was done on the IGC website, and the positions reported have changed around a bit.  For example, here in RI, I’ve moved down to 2nd place. The key parameter now is … Continue reading →

Posted in Grid Chase | Leave a comment

Lots of progress in the past week

Posted on January 16, 2018 by robert

The International Grid Chase continues.  I’ve managed to put in a few hours each day of the new year to get on the air.  I’ve probably had about 20 QSOs a day, and somewhere around half of them have confirmed … Continue reading →

Posted in 160-Meters, DX, Grid Chase | Leave a comment

Grid Square Hunt Marches on

Posted on January 10, 2018 by robert

In the past 10 days I’ve worked about 200 stations in the grid chase.  A big issue is that less than half of them are confirming via LotW, which is the key for the contact counting.  RI, being a small … Continue reading →

Posted in Grid Chase | Leave a comment

Ryan has Success with CAS-4B QSOs

Posted on January 3, 2018 by robert

I mentioned that I’ve been mentoring a neighbor that lives a few houses down the street from me.  Ryan is 11 years old and in the 6th grade.  Ryan hopes to be a meteorologist when he grows up and understands … Continue reading →

Posted in AMSAT, CAS-4B, Satellite | Leave a comment

ARRL International Grid Chase Underway!

Posted on January 3, 2018 by robert

Don’t forget that the ARRL International Grid Chase is now underway and runs all of 2018.  While there is an implication that this is a “special” event, it really isn’t.  Any contact you make that is confirmed in LotW counts.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Contests, Grid Chase, Operating | Leave a comment

Straight Key Night (Day?)

Posted on January 1, 2018 by robert

A New Years Eve dinner and party kept me off the air last night, but I made a point of dusting off my old J-38 key, and firing up a QRP rig that I had built to put 4.5 blazing … Continue reading →

Posted in Operating, QRP | Leave a comment

Happy New Year! Goal Review

Posted on January 1, 2018 by robert

2017 was a very productive year for my ham radio hobby.  At the beginning of the year I set the following goals: Teach a Technician class 265 confirmed countries 1250 Challenge band-points Successful ARISS contact at BHHS Complete 1 QRP … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, From the OM | Leave a comment