We had a nice opening on 10m, today (20:00-23:00z or so) and I managed to work a little bit of phone and a fair amount of JT65, including a little trans-equatorial DX (a CA3, an LU, and a couple PYs). I was really hoping to work the last few states I need on 10m for WAS. I’m missing WY and MT and only have a card for OR (no LoTW). If I close those, 5BWAS is within reach, but I suspect I’ll struggle closing the gap. Here’s why: Right over the top.
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tl;dr: We activated two NPOTA units and the ARRL assessed them as invalid. I agree, but have determined to attempt a valid activation!
When the ARRL announced the National Parks On The Air, my buddy Jean (KG7NJQ) and I started plotting and scheming a local activation. I immediately noticed the two urban locations in Seattle, within 1/2 a mile of each other.
The words “National Park” probably conjures images of big trees, waterfalls, rocky crags and remote trails. These two “units” qualify as they are managed by the National Park Service, but neither fit that picturesque mold. The first (Klondike Gold Rush – Seattle Unit – HP22) is a “Historical Place” (though interestingly, all of Pioneer Square is identified as a Historical Area). The second (Wing Luke Asian Pacific Museum – AA25) is an “Affiliated Area” and also managed by the NPS. Both are basically museums in downtown Seattle.
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Prior to the shack-relocation and remodel, I was using a 2-element SteppIR at ~30 feet and a ZS6BKW at ~55 feet. With the move inside, I’ve compromised and I’m only using the ZS6BKW (relocated – now broadside E/W @ ~70 feet with the help of W7ECK). This is about as simple as it gets. One rig, one tuner, one amp, one feedline, and one antenna.
Array Solutions Six-Pak 
WX0B Relays, inside Six-Pak
Just sync’ed DXKeeper with LoTW and was pleasantly surprised to see that K5P had already uploaded!
Call Band Mode Station Call Result
K5P 15M SSB K7ADD new confirmation for Palmyra & Jarvis Islands: 15M
K5P 12M SSB K7ADD new confirmation for Palmyra & Jarvis Islands: 12M
K5P 20M SSB K7ADD new confirmation for Palmyra & Jarvis Islands: 20M
LotW operations: 39 QSLs processed, 39 log entries updated, 0 errors
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I have a friendly competition with a couple of other hams around # of worked DXCC entities, contest scores, and occasionally, who’ll break through a pileup first. I enjoy the slight gamification of amateur radio. It’s slightly more than “fake radio points” but not by much.
I spend time on the IRC channel affiliated with the Reddit /r/amateurradiosubreddit. It’s an incredibly supportive and quirky group of hams. mostly younger and greener than the typical ham population. I find that there’s lots more interest in programming, building, and new digital modes than exists in the general ham population. Sunday afternoon/evening (US-centric view), we coordinate HF skeds in the IRC channel and I’ve been working to be the first to “WAS Reddit.” The goal is to work “redditors” in all 50 US states I have 14 remaining.
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Managed to work the K5P Palmyra DXPeditionon 3 bands (12m, 15m, and 20m), all phone. This was due, in no small part, to horrible illness that Lauren and I picked up. We skipped our vacation to Costa Rica and enjoyed a round of antibiotics and stomach flu, instead… which meant I was in the new shackinstead of on a TI2 beach.
I didn’t manage to nab the VP8STI South Sandwich DXPedition, but I’m looking for the on South Georgia.
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Having postedabout the new QSL cards, I thought it was worth a followup on the process I used to burn my first 850+ cards in a year or so. I’ve been “chasing paper” (seeking awards) and keeping my confirmed : worked ratio high has been a constant challenge. LoTW is awesome, but some DX just don’t upload. I also send cards for people’s first HF contacts, particularly memorable contacts, two-way QRP contacts, and to users of the Reddit /r/amateurradiosubreddit. Reddit users get a memeor two on the QSO detail label and the Reddit Snooon outbound label. I put a “success kid” meme on the return SASE label.
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While I was happy with my last QSL cards, \I’d blown through almost 1000 cards needed some new ones. I figured I’d learn from my mistakes and do something a little unique. At the rate I use cards, the risk of doing something that doesn’t quite work is pretty low.
My last cards seemed pretty sterile and I wanted to do something quirky and a little “gritty”. I’m sure I achieved that with the design, but I’m not super happy with the finished product, as printed. I used UX5UOand the printing is great, but the glossy finish sort of deceives the slovenly aesthetic I was going for. His pricing is great, they shipped quickly and they’re well printed. I might use them again, next go round.
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Results first. Much better showing than my goofing around,a couple years ago. Single op, assisted, low power:
Band QSOs Pts Sec Mt2
3.5 23 23 16 0
7 80 80 33 2
14 81 81 35 1
21 26 26 12 0
28 3 3 3 0
Total 213 213 99 3
Score: 21,726
1 Mult = 2.1 Q's
Amazing what a difference time makes. Ironically, it was the same power (100W), as the contest is limited to Low Power entries, and the same antenna (ZS6BKW), as I’m taking down the SteppIR in preparation for The Big Tower Project®. I didn’t spend the full allowed 10 hours in the chair (probably closer to 6.5) and I didn’t scrub my logs at all. IknowI busted calls. I could see them in the log, right afterward, but am using this as a test of my skill, not my ability to figure out calls later. I also wasn’t strict about breaks, so there aren’t clear 30 minute gaps in my log… we’ll see what the scoring does to that 21.7k number. I filled in a ton of 40 and 80m WAS gaps and I have line of sight on 5BWAS now!
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I recently relocated the shack from the old location in the garage into aclosetin the front guest room. You read that correctly… a closet(pictured in 2014 NAQP SSB results) was out in the garage and left a lot to be desired. Factors leading to my decision to rebuild the shack included lack of heat, inadequate power, and (cuts both ways) it was pretty far removed from the main part of the house.