36 Hour Storm

The 36 hour storm has started here in New Jersey at 8AM. Snow started sticking and suppose to stop sometime tomorrow, with some lingering snow into Saturday. When its all said and done calling for about 1 foot.

If I did not have to work it would be a great time to play radio, no keys will be clicked until the weekend. Kids will be happy, I am sure school will be closed tomorrow. Also have a charge going on an old scanner and a dual band FM transceiver just it case power goes out.

Days like this make me appreciate hot summer beach days with my feet in the sand and checking out the nice ocean views.

Around The Dial

Just spending the afternoon cruising the bands in search for QRP SSB action. I tried breaking into a few dx pile ups with my small 10W signal, no luck. A few stations run serious power, one guy was cranking out a kilowatt and said it was setting off the alarms in his house. Wonder what the neighbors are saying if he is coming over the TV. I have nothing against power but sometimes its over done.

I decided to park it on the QRP calling frequencies and see what happens. The beverage of choice is an Amstel Light, the weekend wrap up beer. I am thinking about running a cable upstairs and setting up an 857D in the family room and watching some Olympic hockey, tonight is USA vs Canada, should be good.

Now if I can only just make a few contacts, I would be set.

Portable Ideas

On a cold snow covered Sunday afternoon in February, I am started to put together some ideas for future portable radio fun. My state of New Jersey and the surrounding areas have the Ramapo Mountains to the north and the Jersey Shore to the south. I admit having a pair or ear buds working CW in the woods could be cool, but not to fond of the bears. The beach and back bays are also a possibility.

Without spending any additional cash the only purchase would be for a battery and charger. My radio is a Yaesu 857D and antenna is a Buddipole, if I set up in close distance to the car this will work. I could also put together an end fed or crappie pole with zip cord for hiking. Power levels would be qrp to save on the battery and for the challenge of it all. The 817ND sounds perfect but will see how cash flow looks as the weather gets warmer.

Would also have to pick up a backpack to cart my goodies around. I love watching the videos on the net showing the portable qrp fun. I want to get in on that.

This is work in progress so please feel free send me your ideas.

Calm Before The Storm

With the forecast calling for 12-18 inches tomorrow its going to be a mess. Blizzard warnings are out for blowing and drifting snow.

Shovels are ready, snow blower is gassed up. Sounds like a great day to take cover and build something, anything. Just start soldering!

The plan is just keep up and clean the side walks and driveway every few hours.

Fun stuff for skiers but I want spring already.

Those Old Circuits

The call is for snow starting later tonight until Saturday, 3-6 inches, more to the south. (1-2 feet yikes) Sounds like a good time to spend on the radio, after shoveling of course.

Just spending sometime putting together a list of components for a Doug DeMaw 1 watt QRP circuit I found online from 1981. I can spend hours surfing the web for the cool circuits just waiting to be brought back to life. Maybe its the history behind them from the builders and operators of long ago, but there is something about those old circuits.

In the background I have playing a mellow classic jazz station from the web. Perfect for winding down on a Friday night.

Maybe 1-2 more sites to visit before I shut it down for the night.