Author: Admim

  • Hung a new antenna today!

    It seems like just yesterday I was thinking about getting an antenna up in the trees at home … Now, as the sun sets, I have one! The day started sunny and cold, but after noon sunny was winning and the temperature got up to around 30. I had all the necessary stuff handy (I’ve…

  • Omnibus and variorum in K minor, Op. 7_1beta

    re: Field Day 2023 The December issue of QST arrived a while ago and I invested maybe 15 minutes looking through the fine print for my score: 440 points. I think that my claimed bonus for Public Information Display was rejected; not unfairly mind you, it was a bit skimpy. Eh, surest way to fail…

  • An amusing juxtaposition

    seen on the kitchen table yesterday. Nothing, otherwise; certainly no radio; home DIY is absorbing a lot of time as a project draws to a close. Maybe next week, right? (rueful lol) Thanks for visiting! Please leave a comment if you get what I found amusing in that picture, or if you just have a…

  • Cut down my knee board today

    When I made this I cut it to fit in a good-sized backpack, never thinking that I might want to use it with any of the smaller packs that I more often use for portable operating; this is why it gets carried hanging outside the pack from a carabiner. Today I had a few moments…

  • happy anniversary, driftlessqrp!

    It’s been a year, today! Onward to many more years of hiking, and radio, and blogging here!

  • Touch paddle project, with updates

    October 24th: I want to start off with a word of praise for UPS; yesterday evening my package was in Louisville KY; this morning at 5:30 it was in Rockford IL; but I lacked faith, I didn’t believe it would get here today … and there it was on my doorstep at 3! Thanks, UPS!…

  • Okay, that’s it, I want an Elecraft KH1

    It has been on my mind, on and off, ever since Saturday, when I heard the news about the new handheld HF rig from Elecraft over at qrper.com but I just watched this video: “Wayne Burdick N6KR Elecraft Cofounder Talking About the New KH1 Transceiver at SOTA Luncheon” and I am completely sold. Everything about…

  • A non-QRP post

    DIY stuff around the house has been taking up a lot of my time these past few weeks, with a proportionate decrease in park activations! I keep on thinking about sort-of-related things that might make interesting posts though, so here are a few of them for your entertainment: circa 10/13/23: Interesting reading, and maybe a…

  • (tr)uSDX and X6100 at Wildcat Mountain

    Well, in accordance with my last post there seemed to be nothing left to try but to take the (tr)uSDX out to a park and try it on a resonant antenna, and the next day seemed to be free, so it was up before dawn to make coffee and sandwiches, load the car with radio…

  • Experimenting with FT8CN and the (tr)uSDX

    I think it was over at the forum at DL2MAN’s (tr)uSDX site that I read a post about FT8CN, an Android app (written by BG7YOZ) for the FT8 digital mode, which recently acquired the ability to do CAT control and audio over the USB connection of the (tr)uSDX. I have thought about operating digital modes…

  • A day at Wildcat Mountain

    I mainly went out to Wildcat Mountain to test and adjust my wire antennas, so I brought a couple of radios, all of my antennas, and a variety of test equipment. I set up just off the upper parking area near one of the trailheads of Old Settler’s Trail, which is one of my favorite…

  • Another mini-mic (lol)

    As I mentioned in an earlier post, I purchased all of the parts needed to make a few more mini-mics to use with other radios. I had one of each sitting out on the benchtop for a day or so while I noodled about what to use to give it some structure … then a…