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Congratulations from the low power, low profile shack to Scott Robbins, W4PA who acquired SpiderBeam, USA according to a recent email from the company. Scott also owns Vibroplex as well. One might say there is something fascinating going on in Knoxville, Tennessee and a ham radio entrepreneur is leading the way.

I want to send all the best success to Scott, W4PA as he leads the way into ham radio's future.

73 from the shack relaxation zone.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

Continuing my series of posts from my Droid mobile device while watching Garbage Moguls on National Geographic this evening.

My first attempt at docking the Droid failed. Why so? Accessories are as important to the bottomline as the device itself. I bought one of those nifty protective shells, hip, slick, and cool. The red casing dressed up the Droid however someone in engineering obviously did not dress their device to the nines.

The red casing was an eighth inch to big for the dock. Yes, Houston, no go on docking the Droid.

Gene Kranz would never tolerate such a situation even though we fly missions to space based on the bottom line of the lowest bidder. Well, I made a command decision that is, remove one part of the case and continue the mission.

Success, if only partial, because mission critical software was not installed on the mothership. I fired up my wireless connection and contacted Motorola for a device driver. They delivered bits and bytes of required code necessary for docking.

Mission success as Droid spoke with mothership and downloaded essential life support software such as R34P and SolderSmoke recordings. My ear buds hummed with dual channel CW/SSB from WRTC 2010 and SolderSmoke. There is yet one more piece of mothership software missing to complete my mission portfolio.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

It's not writer's block well may it is writer's block? It's not hobby burn out because I'm totally into traditional QSL cards while getting after core shack awards. Recent confirmations include KL8DX, AL1G, FS5KA, and HC8GR. Additionally, I'm into data compiling inside the log database as I'm adding grid squares, counties, propagation numbers, verifying three different QSL channels like eQSL, LoTW, and traditional.

The fall/winter RadioSport schedule spells improved long skip conditions from the shack relaxation zone. I'm listening for DX signals during the weekend on multiple spectrum spaces as 10, 15, and 20m yet faint, ever so faint, are those signals.

I added 6m into my quiver of ham radio activities but it was too late as the e season faded into the summer sunset. There is magic band opportunity later in the year and, hopefully, Cycle 24 will cooperate with an epic weekend. I logged one -Q related to sporadic e propagation before this space went silent.

There is antenna lab and we are nearing completion of K6MM's No Excuses 160m Vertical. We have the upper section to wind and the final touches on the capacitance hat. My fiberglass push-up mast needs replaced because it wore out sooner than expected. My Kenwood TS850S will arrive later next month and the TS830S which powered my /DV2 activity and /0 South Dakota season, remains in storage.

On the other hand, I'm experimenting with mobile blogging using my Motorola Droid, and the results are changing my computing behavior. Seriously, I'm spending less time in front of the personal computer during the week using instead my mobile device to access the net. I purchased the last docking station just today.

The final days of summer are at hand and the shack relaxation zone enjoyed several changes this season. I'm looking forward to the 2010 - 2011 RadioSport schedule!

Contest on.

As the August 2010 NAQP SSB Contest arrives this weekend, contesters in North America don't want to see a repeat of the start of the NAQP CW from earlier this month, as the sun decided to throw out a decent-sized solar flare just as that test was getting underway. It didn't ruin the contest, but it once again helped to hold down high band numbers.

All 95 counties will be activated for the 2010 Tennessee QSO Party, giving you nine hours to try to put together a sweep of the Volunteer State. Bob Harder W0BH is the defending out of state Single Op champ, while Bob Edmondson N4VV was the 2009 Single Op High Power champ inside Tennessee. Helping make things more interesting will be at least a dozen mobiles on the roads as well.

After his entry in the 2009 CQ WW SSB Contest was reclassified from Low Power to Assisted, Teddy Jiminez HI3TEJ has dropped out of the lead in the radio-sport.net Single Operator World Standings, clearing the way for Yuri Kurinyi UA9AM to grab the top spot, with a narrow lead over Yuri Onipko VE3DZ.

Who rode the storm to destinations unknown? I was surprised when Cycle
24 decided to awaken its fury for benefit of some and the
consternation of a few. The coronal mass ejection was enough of a
sensation that it snatched a few brief minutes on the nightly news.

However, ham radio operators surfed some of the best VHF conditions
yet seen much like a powerful southern hemi arriving along the central
coast of California.

I called Fred, KI6QDH and he was stoked because 10m delivered point
break like surf with strong signals arriving from the midwest. VHFDX
was lit up east of the great propagation divide and why so? I wonder
what factors contribute to this difference between west and east coast
propagation? The 'e' MUF map intensified across the south while barely
a flicker was seen in the south west.

The storm raged above yet I could only look at the map while the magic
band went aggro for a day. It was one to remember for riders on the
storm.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

Thanks to Randy, K5ZD and his Internet team for providing the hottest
playlist in RadioSport. One receives the full range of excitement and
intensity as heard in the cans of WRTC competitors. Their rate is an
education for those who want to dare the challenge of the Box. I
downloaded the entire collection of recordings to begin the pump prior
to NAQP CW weekend.

I spent the greater portion of the weekend working my logbook and
updating my award endeavors. My inventory of traditional cards arrived
earlier in the week prompting several SASE envelopes to stateside
managers.

Six meters needs a flare because the magic band remained quiet through
the weekend. It makes the Q all that sweeter when all the elements
converge for a whole lot of ham radio fun.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

The heart of ham radio beats strong and the next level awaits. The
North American QSO Party CW is less than 24 hours away when operators
will compete for Box positions. Our high frequency spectrum will
ignite with signals juiced by the awesome power of solar Cycle Twenty
Four. The competive spirit of RadioSport underpinned by good
sportsmanship will certainly drive the beginning of our fall and
winter season.

There is something to be said about being in the right place at the right time.

I logged a station in Mexico this afternoon on 10m and it is a first
since my re-entry into ham radio. The numbers are steadily improving
with glimpses of epic high frequency conditions. I'd like at least one
of those memorable events worthy of three cups of Starbucks and better
than the best fish story. Perhaps?

Strategy is straightforward that is be in the right place at the right
time. I'm looking forward to moving to the next level and having a lot
of ham radio fun through Saturday evening. Also, the biggest secret in
RadioSport that does not require a non-disclosure statement is, call
CQ a lot.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

I downloaded the complete Radio Three Four Papa set at K5ZD's website
as a learning tool. Athletes watch hours of video in order to gain an
understanding of their opponent's skill and strategy. I lost a lot of
points last weekend when I failed to search for additional
multipliers. My Q count was sufficient however I did not log enough
mults when 15m opened to the east and midwest.

When do I shift from a calling CQ strategy to a search for multiplier strategy?

My NAQP rate was a thrill beyond 50 watts into a ground mounted
vertical. I blissfully called CQ while I heard in the corner of my
competitive mind, "Search for multipliers."

I continued calling CQ instead of bagging a few 15m rhinos for the
long haul score. I'm listening intently to Radio Three Four Papa as
the team moves between CQ and hunting for multipliers. Rate is nearly
everything in RadioSport however an extra section or zone usually
decides a top ten finish.

73 from the anywhere, anytime shack.

My weekend is wrapping itself up and NAQP CW delivered a lot of ham
radio fun. I'm also grateful for the friendships that follow our
hobby. Whatever one's passion there is another who shares the same
albeit RadioSport or chasing DX or logging grid squares on 2 meters
when the 'e' goes plasmic on very high frequency.

I had fun this weekend sitting in front of a high frequency
transceiver pumping radio frequency toward destinations unknown. A
local ham opened his station for guest operation and my cans jumped to
the next level when monoband antennas surfed some serious radio waves.
It felt tubular and hang ten like while Q after Q went into N1MM
Logger.

Sometimes I wonder if ham radio forgets to emphasize friendship from
across the miles. I enjoyed making new friends this weekend especially
when a QRP operator in Texas mentions in his e-QSL, "Good ears. I
enjoy reading your blog."

I want to say you are welcome and it is my pleasure sharing a personal
journal about ham radio. Our hobby is not for everyone that is okay. I
would like one Texan QRP operator committed to their passion instead
of ten Paris Hilton types committed to nothing other than nothing.
What will those new numbers translate into over the next five years?

Last Sunday I drove to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to a hamfest. Some of my earliest ham radio memories are going with my dad to the hamfest in Cedar Rapids in the 1970s.  In those days, the hamfest was a huge event... I vaguely recall table after table of boat anchors and ...

While flipping through the July 2010 issue of QST I stumbled on the Vintage Radio column titles "From Dits to Bits".  In this article, John (K2TQN) describes his long held fascination with computers and connections to some some early computer magazines, clubs and kits. I would imagine many hams would ...

The Story County Amateur Radio Club (SCARC) held field day at the 4H building on the Iowa State University campus again this year. This building is considered an EOC for the campus which allows us to "compete" in "F" category. We have been using two transmitters plus a "Get on ...

Field Day 2010 is in the books. The antennas have been plucked from the trees, the BBQ has been finished and the generators have been unplugged. Field Day is always entertaining and it's a great way to try a new aspect of the hobby. This year, I spent time with ...

PowerFilm Solar will have it's first booth at Dayton Hamvention 2010. This will mark an entry into the ham radio market for the thin-film solar panel company. Last fall, I joined PowerFilm Solar. At PowerFilm Solar we make thin film solar panel products for a wide variety of products. PowerFilm ...

I managed to spend some time in the ARRL SSB International/DX contest a few weeks ago. Although it was a very casual effort for me (I started about an hour late and took many big breaks) - I still had fun. This contest was a good chance for me to give ...

As I write this, it’s the middle of a fairly nasty winter. We have had near record snowfall and the temperature is currently 5°F (-15° C). What better time to reflect upon a warm/sunny Field Day 2009? The Story County Amateur Radio Club (SCARC) and Iowa State University ...

It's been far too long since I've updated the blog.  I hadn't intended to go so long without a post, but the chaos of life simply got in the way. I'm now planning to get back into the routine of posting from time to time on this blog. I'm going to ...