Why I Quit QRP (and maybe shouldn’t have)

For many years I was a dedicated QRP operator. I even took my "Portable QRP Operation" show-and-tell out on the road for presentation at ham clubs in my area. Then along came the dark, gloomy depths of the solar cycle minimum. My forays out into the Big Blue Sky Shack became a series of disappointments. … Continue reading Why I Quit QRP (and maybe shouldn’t have) →

Beware of Old Coax!

Don't mess with old, untested coaxial cables! Really, it just isn't worth the risk. It might seem like a good idea when you need another cable, but there are hidden gremlins in old coax as I recently discovered. Corroded, blackened braid on old coax I have a box full of old coax cables. Some of … Continue reading Beware of Old Coax! →

Hello, What’s Going On Here Then?

Do you ever feel slightly guilty about operating your ham station out in the big blue sky shack in full view of the public? I do. A ham station can look very suspicious to somebody who doesn't understand the hobby. Where I like to operate there are often signs with rules about "permitted activities". The … Continue reading Hello, What’s Going On Here Then? →

To V or not to V? Obey the rules!

Rules? It has been said that rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools. Sounds a bit harsh but it may have some truth to it. In our hobby it might be better expressed as "rules are for the guidance of experts and the obedience of novices". What is an … Continue reading To V or not to V? Obey the rules! →

3 Days, 3 Activations, 2 Parks

It is getting near the end of camping season for 2022. We have one more trip planned for the beginning of October before we winterize the trailer and prepare to hunker down for the long, cold winter. It won't be long before I'll be switching to local park activations in the snow using my radio … Continue reading 3 Days, 3 Activations, 2 Parks →

Hooray, No Internet!

Remember that day, during the summer of 2022 when Rogers Communications wasn't? Wasn't providing communicaions, that is. No cell service. No Internet. It was the nearest thing to Armageddon for many users, but not for me. I actually felt a complete sense of relaxation and smug satisfaction that my own life was not completely bound … Continue reading Hooray, No Internet! →

POTA Activation VE-5658 Spirit Rock Conservation Area

Spirit Rock Conservation Area is located at the top of the escarpment in Wiarton, Ontario (home of one of Canada's leading weather forcecasters, the albino groundhog "Wiarton Willie", who issues only one weather prediction per year in February). Access to the park is difficult. It is easy to drive right past the main entrance on … Continue reading POTA Activation VE-5658 Spirit Rock Conservation Area →

Vertical Antenna Redesigned

I have posted before about my DIY vertical antenna. It is a rapid deployment antenna that has served faithfully for several POTA activations. But, recently I came to realize it wasn't meeting my needs for all three ways in which I needed to deploy it. Time for a redesign! My vertical antenna is a centre-loaded … Continue reading Vertical Antenna Redesigned →

POTA – in Bear Country!

Most of us who live in North America are aware of bears. Many of us actually actually live in areas designated as "bear country". The eastern part of the continent is home to black bears who are generally not aggressive. The west is home to grizzlies and that is a whole different story. Black bears … Continue reading POTA – in Bear Country! →

POTA – I got it all wrong!

In my previous park activations I was content to be a "ten and done" activator. That is, I made the required minimum ten contacts to achieve a successful activation then quit. To be completely honest, I usually hung in to make at least one or two additional "insurance" contacts - just in case a dupe … Continue reading POTA – I got it all wrong! →