Okay – what is the difference? In my view a key collection is acquiring keys to display with a possible focus on a certain manufacturer or maybe a period in the history of morse code. A collection of keys has the focus of acquiring various keys to use on the air. I fit into the collection of keys group. I am about done with my collection of keys. However, I would like one more. Either a J-36 or a McElory bug key. I may never purchase one as they tend to be expensive and I am not knowledgeable enough to know how many of the key’s components are authentic.
When we first downsized our QTH (mistake!) my antenna made its way to the attic. I settled on running 25 watts for the following reasons:
- Low power was required because the antenna was in the attic and the dwellings are very close together in the neighborhood.
- RFI from my transmitter was not acceptable.
- The old rule of thumb was to hear the difference at the other end it took a 3 db increase. Therefore, power would have to double for it to make a difference. Not wanting to go to 50 watts or even higher I would just live at 25 watts.
The third bullet above is starting to be questioned. If my little 1.5 watt NorCal 40B can be heard (yes even with my attic antenna) would a power increase of less the double make a difference? This is supported by the fact that I make many contacts at 2 (HW-8), 5 (TR-25) and 10 (FTX-1F) watts. Maybe just a few watts would pull my signal above the noise level and result in more contacts.
I am now testing for possible negative effects of increasing my power level. I would like to get to 35 watts with a very remote possibility of getting to 40 watts on certain bands.
Note: RF Exposure calculations performed.
I sit and look at my HW-8 and think I don’t use it much so I guess I should sell it. So, I make a video to show it in operation and then am so surprised how well it gets out. After all, two watts on 40 meters into a 55 foot attic doublet bent to fit, who could possibly hear my signal? Several months ago, I went to sell it again and it worked so well I kept it and built an Elecraft audio filter to improve its performance. A week ago, I once again made a video with the purpose of selling the unit. I worked several parks and WES contacts and once again it never made it to the For Sale page.
I keep a log of every QSO made. I believe most hams to the same. Logs for the most part appear to be kept on shack computers, but there are still many paper logs in use today. Maybe it’s my professional background (now retired), but I like detail in my log entries for future reference. My current logging program in addition to the normal comment field offers an attached txt file option to enter additional information. Preferably, DXlab (my prior logging program) offers the ability to create custom fields to enter information.
With my working conditions (CW; low power; attic antenna), the apparent non-contest reduced CW activity and the waning sunspot cycle a hard choice is here.
- FT-8 is an unbelievable mode and I from time to time look for DX with the mode. However, there is no joy in contacting a station four states away on FT-8.
- At first WWFF then POTA were fun. But how many times can you work the same park? Not fun anymore.
- QRT? Ham radio has been such a part of my life for so many years. I hate to hang up my keys.
The following is being done to delay the shutdown (Looking for the spark – not spark gap)
- An FTx-1F was purchased to kindle the fire. It is a fun little radio, but it does not change the stations I can work with my working conditions.
- Operate from our back deck with a portable antenna – WX permitting.
- Operating the activities run by SKCC and next in line are those run by NAQCC.
- Work a few state QSO Parties.
Why do I still hunt POTA stations? After all, nine out of ten calls/parks I hear have been worked multiple times. There are four reasons as follows:
- Test and find tune my Morse keys. Especially bug keys.
- Use of my lower power radios (HW-8, TR-25 and NorCal 40B).
- To not only see hits on the Reverse Beacon but contact someone.
- Work the occasional new park.
To say I messed up when downsizing would be an understatement. I am seeing this sunspot cycle slip away ( I am 80 do the math). If you like to work DX and do not want to settle for:
- Being heard fairy well 600 mies away
- Receive marginal reports up to 2,000 miles away
- Work the occasional station beyond that point who works at pulling your signal out of the noise because there is no one else for them to work.
- See your signal on the RBN just above the noise level.
- Work the same park with the same operator for the 25th time.
Do not downsize before really thinking it through!
Note: Yes FT8 is ham radio and I do work the mode from time to time. It has no personality to me. Also, they say it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Well my barrel is very large the fish appear to be very small.
Much to my surprise I made 42 contact during this past weekend’s ARRL DX contest. I cannot confirm it, but that just may be more than the sum total of all the contest contacts I have ever made. There is not one reason why I worked so many (for me) stations, but since working DX is not so easy with 25 watts and an attic antenna it was nice to be heard. And no , it did not make me a contester. Not even close!
I like to keep a very detailed log. Why, when time, mode and band Is all that is needed? BECAUSE! Detail about the other station is of interest to me and I am also better prepared if I hear a prior logged station on the air once again. The advantage of a log with a good number of user defined fields is ideal for me. DXLab was great and although MacloggerDX is a very well done program I miss the flexibility afforded me before. My mistake!
Disclaimer: I believe if you don’t like what a group is doing, either get involved or take it for what it is. Said another way, use it as is or move on. After all it is not yours to change and most likely as for a ham radio the group is run by unpaid individuals who truly believe it what they are doing.
As for POTA and me. I am only a hunter, but often thought it would be fun to activate a park. My activity, thoughts and goals (if I truly had goals) for POTA are forever changing as the following list shows:
- My first step was to work 1,000 parks. Once that level was reached the number of parks logged slipped to the background. I hear the same park and often activated by the same operator. It appears pointless to get in a pileup to work the same op/park for the fifteenth time. Unless it is with one of my one and a half to five watt radios
- Working a park in all states was the next logical milestone. As of this post I am missing a park in Hawaii. I was surprised when after working a park in Alaska (at that point one of the two states I needed for Parks WAS) a WAS certificate was issued. An e-mail exchange told me that Washington DC is a wild card so therefore I received the WAS certificate. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING! How does that make any sense?
- Currently I mostly work parks with low power. That is 1.5 to 5 watts. (Unless I hear a park in Hawaii and then I go QRO – 25 watts).
Final note: I cannot understand why the group went from identifying parks using DXCC Entities to the use of country names. Again, it is none of my business what they do as it is not my organization. It does affect how I view and patriciate in the program. But I am sure that my opinion means nothing to the POTA team.