W2LJ QRP - When you care to send the very least!

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The bands were not the greatest today

Posted: 06 Jun 2021 06:27 PM PDT
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I set up for the Cookie Crumble Contest in the backyard this afternoon. I
lashed the Jackite pole to a support and used the PAR ENDFEDZ 10-20-40. I
set the KX3, battery and Bulldog key on the patio table under the umbrella.
After filling a stainless steel travel tumbler with ice cold water, I got
down to business.
The bands I chose to operate on, 40 and 20 Meters, were less than stellar.
I called CQ to no effect, so the stations I did work were gotten via "hunt
and pounce". In all, I worked four Cookie stations and four POTA stations.
I spent a little under 4 hours behind the key with frequent indoor breaks
to cool off. The loudest station I heard all day was Rick NK9G on 20
Meters. When I first heard him and worked him, he was 559. But wouldn't you
know it? ...... about an hour later, he was 599 +++++ !
The bright side of the day was that I found out there's a POTA Spotter app
for Android phones. I downloaded it and sure enough, it led me to the four
POTA station that I worked. I also discovered that I can set up CW POTA
stations as a trigger on the HamAlert app as well. So any time a CW POTA
station is spotted on the DX Clusters, it will trigger an SMS message and
let me know the Call and Frequency. Neat!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!