Goal Review 2022

Posted on March 31, 2022 by robert

I started the year with 5 goals.  Two have been completed and two are underway:

  • Teach a CW Academy Course – This goal has been completed after teaching 16 classes in January and March.  All seven students were advanced to the next higher level
  • Teach a Technician Course – The planning has been completed for a class to begin on April 19th.  So far 17 students have signed up.
  • Conduct NCRC’s first electronic VE exam.  This was completed on March 11th.  Beyond a doubt this is by far the most efficient way of giving an exam.  NCRC will be funding the purchase of additional tablet computers to support this activity.
  • Build my QRP-Labs QCX 20m Transceiver – I have not begun this task.
  • Participate in 120+ CWTs for the CWops Gold Medal.  For the 2022 year, I have completed 52 CWTs.  Today is actually my 1 year anniversary of my first CWT, and I have completed 143 of them during that period of time.
Posted in CW Academy, CWops, CWT, Education, From the OM, Goals, QRP | Leave a comment

Completed my CWops Beginner Class Instruction

Posted on February 26, 2022 by robert

I had the privilege of working with seven students across 9 different time zones this winter as their advisor/instructor for a CW Academy Beginner CW class.  After 16 sessions (twice a week for eight weeks), I’m happy to say that all the students were promoted to the next level class.  They went from little to no experience with Morse Code to being able to copy and send all characters at 20 WPM.  Most of them have completed at least one on-the-air CW QSO, and all of them have had contacts via Google Meetings.

A tip of the hat to Dave, Edwin, Rob, Stephen, Ted, Wilbert, and Willard!

CW Academy Options – CWops

Posted in CW, CW Academy, CWops | 2 Comments

A surprise POTA Award!

Posted on February 26, 2022 by robert

I was checking my Hunter status today to see how far I was from the next award and discovered a new award had arrived a few days back (Feb 18th).  It is the “Operator to Operator” award, given for working the same operator at 50 different parks.

For months, I’ve enjoyed working Bill Brown K4NYM on CW, often several times a day.  It’s gotten to the point where I recognize his signal by sound before I get a chance to copy his call.  Without knowing it, Bill and I have worked each other in 50 different parks.  He is an amazing adventurer to be out and about so often.  There have been some days when the clouds, cold, and damp just seep into my bones this winter, but contacting Bill always makes me feel better.  Thank you Bill !

And speaking of thanks, I continue to be amazed by the Parks On The Air program that Jason W3AAX and his team have put together.  We are lucky to be in a hobby with so many selfless folks that make it an absolute joy to be on the air!

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POTA Hunter Award for 500 Parks

Posted on February 10, 2022 by robert

This just came in today:

Posted in Hunter, POTA | Leave a comment

Snow melting and antenna still up!

Posted on February 6, 2022 by robert

I don’t know why I didn’t post this photo earlier – it was taken Jan 29th after we had a blizzard.  Because of hurricane strength winds, it was hard to measure.  I took 20 readings along our driveway and came up with 16″, but many people around us were in excess of 20 inches.

The following week we had another hurricane strength wind storm with sleet and freezing rain.  Despite some ice buildup, my antenna managed to stay up in the air.  I had done some math and calculated that 1/4″ of ice (total diameter, not radius) would add about 500 pounds to my Inverted-L antenna wire.  We had about half that much ice here.

Posted in Antennas | Leave a comment

Solar Cycle 25 Continues to Amaze

Posted on January 15, 2022 by robert

The official prediction for Solar Cycle 25 was a bit disappointing, with most forecasters agreeing that it would be similar to Solar Cycle 24, and only a few suggesting it might be better.

Well, in the 15 months since Solar Cycle 25 began, the solar activity has consistently been above the prediction, and we have already been enjoying frequent 10m DX.  Solar activity hasn’t been at this level for 5 years.

Let’s hope the trend continues – if so Solar Cycle 25 might be fantastic!

Posted in Propagation, Solar Cycles | 4 Comments

2021 Goal Review and 2022 Goals

Posted on January 2, 2022 by robert

For the first time ever, all goals for a year were completed in 2021

  • Teach a Technician Class (Completed)
  • Reach 1500 Band-Points in the DXCC Challenge (Completed with 1,521)
  • Complete DXCC on 160-Meters (Completed)
  • Reach a total of 50 park activations in RI (Completed)
  • Add 1,500 QSOs to the log (added 4,450)

Some other achievements for 2021 were:

  • Completed CWops CW Academy Advanced Course
  • Became a member of CWops (#2903)
  • Participated in 92 CWTs (Silver Medal at 80)

The following are my goals for 2022

  • Teach a CW Academy Course
  • Teach a Technician Course
  • Conduct NCRC’s first electronic VE exam
  • Build my QRP-Labs QCX 20m Transceiver
  • Participate in 120+ CWTs for the CWops Gold Medal
Posted in 160-Meters, CW Academy, CWops, CWT, DX, Goals | Leave a comment

First snow for 2021 season

Posted on December 9, 2021 by robert

Well it had to happen sooner or later, the first snow of the season, a dusting here at casa-WB4SON

Now if that were all we would get, life would be grand.  But winter is coming, along with brutal nor’easter storms with near hurricane strength winds.  In fact, this fall, we have already had four nor’easters (rain, not snow) and the tree damage to go along with it.

Every morning I get up and hope my antenna is still up in the air.

Posted in Weather | Leave a comment

Yes you can get an Amateur Radio Plate on a EV in RI

Posted on December 9, 2021 by robert

I had obtained an Amateur Radio tag for my truck about a decade ago.  It was quite an ordeal due to a lack of documentation at DMV, and their inability to be able to enter the request in their computer system.  In fact, shortly after speaking with the director of the DMV at the time, a new form appeared that spelled out the process.

After 20 faithful years of service, I retired my truck this year and replaced it with a plug-hybrid.  I was a tad concerned about getting the Amateur Radio tag converted over, but it was an easy process, all done at the dealer.  The new plates showed up about 5 weeks later.  All I had to do was pay the regular fee for obtaining a replacement tag (the old tags were beat up and did not identify it as a EV/HEV, which is important for fire services to know).

Posted in From the OM | Leave a comment

160 Meter DXCC Certificate Arrives

Posted on December 8, 2021 by robert

The ARRL continues to be fast; the DXCC Certificate #3,752 for 160 Meters arrived on Monday December 6th.

Back in 2012, when I got my DXCC Mixed certificate, there had been 48,128 of them issued, and no doubt many more have been issued in following 9 years.  Clearly 160 meter DXCC is more rare, which is understandable due to the size of the antenna, and that the band is only usable for about half of the year due to high noise in the summer.

Posted in 160-Meters, DX | 2 Comments