See you now...calling you...

QRT for a while...

20m WSJT-X JT65/JT9 14.076 USB

20m JT65 is dead out here.  I;m barely getting to Cali.

I can hear you guys in NY, but I don't have jt-65.  Just fyi

PS, have a fun trip. Going backpacking tomorrow with the kx1

Listening again for a few minutes.

Hiked 14.3 miles so far today.  Over 20 for the 2 days.  This is cutting  into  my ham time.  Did a little  pedestrian  mobile with the KX2.

Looks like you got it.

 

Got ya!  

That's my first digital contact, since ecope's one day contest, last year.

I'm glad we made it happen, Kekoa!  

It's been so long, that it took me a little while yesterday, to figure out how to do this digital stuff again.  I was running 15 watts to the attic dipole.

40m 7.065 usb WSJT-X JT65/JT9.

I'm back on, gonna try JT9 on 7.078.

Back home now.  It was a fun trip and a great chance to try out portable radio gear in the Charles Deam Wilderness area.  Will post AAR details and pics a little later.  

AAR details :  I tried to stay on the posted sked, but it wasn't that easy when I couldn't hear anyone answering.  The Arfcom Digital Guard freqs on both 20 and 40m yielded zero contacts.  A bit disappointing, there.  That's one area I'll try to concentrate on more next time out.  When I sent out a half dozen unanswered CQ ARFCOMS on the guard channels, I switched to WSJT-X.  Using JT65 and JT9 on 20 and 40m I managed to log 24 contacts, mostly continental U.S. and a few DX. (Spain and Canada)

The KX3 performed very well as usual, and pairing it with the QRP Ranger and SignaLink USB was a potent match for running WSJT-X and Fldigi on my Asus notebook running Win10.  The QRP Ranger was called on several times to recharge my cell phone, which was running as a hotspot for Arfcom and PSKReporter updates, and to recharge the notebook 1X.  If there was no cellular coverage, it would have outlasted the whole weekend.  It finally reached it's 10vdc cutoff late Saturday night when I was about to go QRT anyway.  Never did get around to using the 30w Powerfilm solar panel on the trip, but did use it to fully recharge the QRP Ranger Sunday after getting back home around noon.  Left it out for about 4-5 hours in direct sunlight and the volt meter now reads 13.2vdc. I really like the QRP Ranger, but as others have said, it's more expensive than it should be and it's heavy.  The advertised weight for the 100WH version is 2lb, 5oz.  I received the updated 125WH version which weighs 3lb, 9.7oz.

The antenna I used was an LNR EF-10/20/40 Trail Friendly supported by a 6m crappie pole in an inverted L config. Worked great with the KX3's internal tuner.

I REALLY would like to see and Android version of WSJT-X so JT65/JT9 could be run on an Android phone or tablet, like AndFlmsg can.

Also next time out will make use of APRS Droid that km was running on his phone.  What a cool tracking program that is!  I've nearly bought one of those Byonics Micro-Trak AIO (All In One), but didn't want another HT sized box and antenna to carry.


Kekoa was the only Arfcom member to make it in the log. I did see HansohnBrothers, but couldn't quite make the contact.

Still looking for you guys. I tied a string to the tower and am searching in ever expanding circles. Don't worry, I'll find you eventually.

You had it tied to the wrong tower.  We were at this tower.



https://youtu.be/O0_LvMLQ1lE

Not a great video but a 360 degree view from the tower. BD is eating his breakfast by the back of my truck.



 

View while hiking on one of the trails.

Operating 20m WSJT-X  in the tent during a thunderstorm.  

km relaxing between 20+(!) miles hiking.  

I look lazy.  Weighed myself this morning.  I lost 7 lbs over the weekend.  I need more like this one.



 

km ascending tower 2nd time.

I now have a new backpack.  I must do more of these trips to make it worth spending $300 on the way home yesterday.  BD, you are a bad influence on me. You live too close to REI.

BD working Kekoa  on JT65

tower looks much better with the vandalism photoshopped out.



 

That was a quick and dirty photo edit with my note 4 phone.  

I can see the edit. Color doesn't quite match but still much better than the orange penis.  Damn vandals.





 

Operating in style.


Glad we were finally able to make it work, BigDaddy!

That's pretty ambitious, km.  I hiked to the refrigerator and back several times, over the weekend.

I think I would have had to hike a lot further for a refrigerator.  I guess I was lazy.  Or does the big cooler in the back of my truck count?  That was  only a half mile.





 

Here's the tower I was looking for you guys at...I've been looking for 3 days now:

So how many contacts did you guys make, total?

Direct Link to AAR post


I think km had 8 phone contacts, most of which while hiking!  

I would have been laying in the water around that tower, cooling off!  It was super hot and humid Friday afternoon and evening before thunderstorms rolled thru the area.