Ham Radio Is Fun

Turn On The Commentary

Ham radio blogging is not a lecture. Ham radio blogging is conversation. The rise of quasi-blogs within the walled gardens of ham radio is noted. And the premise, the fuel, the grist that grinds in ham radio's blogosphere is conversation. One's comment is important and any organization who denies commentary is not blogging. Commentary is the cement that binds the blogosphere. The blogger is relatively new for ham radio. But I'm dismayed. Ham radio's leading sponsors despite good intentions missed the point. One does not cut off the conversation in doing so it comes off as dated. What is there too fear? One can moderate posted comments. I do. But too deny any conversation? That is not the spirit of blogging. I say, "Turn on the commentary."

Calling CQ, CQ

Just Operate

I converted an old photograph using befunky (Web2.0) cartoonizer and published directly too my blog from the website. More ham radio fun to follow. 73.

My del.icio.us Social Bookmarking Project and Web 2.0

Noticed anything different on KA3DRR's really simple syndication (RSS) feed? Not much in terms of ham radio bookmarks. Instead Web 2.0 has absorbed my attention through this week. Why?

I have noticed the value of a landscape without fences with a blue sky of floating cotton clouds. And Web 2.0 is a landscape that is neither closed or fenced. Everyone is sharing their life stream couple that with a strong sense of community and something really special is happening. It is, for me, an exodus from boredom into the real power of the Internet.

My bookmarks are an open source no longer closed off in the walled garden of my browser. I'm busy migrating them over too del.icio.us while abandoning fences and walls. Everyone is sharing their little discoveries and opening themselves to the greater venue of ideas, innovation, progress, and productivity.

For me, Web 2.0 is innovation, progress, productivity, and ideation.

My bookmarking project is the first step. And I plan on integrating more Web 2.0 into my blog as well. There is a bright future waiting just over the walls and fences. And a few ham radio operators are already there. FriendFeed. Twitter.

Currently 223 bookmarks and growing. Jump the fence. Leave the walled garden. The cloud is waiting.

73 from the shack.

RadioSport Gets RoboRef?

Read more. 73.

Anonymous said, "Err.. Some of us have been decoding HEX for years."

Read comment here.

I like the anonymous touch and your comment was too cool. It was not jibberish but Morse code, for me, is the Father of digital darlings now populating our ham band.

However, I'm baffled by your CW Skimmer sentence, and perhaps anonymous might care too expand? My blog is all about the ham radio conversation especially RadioSport.

Contest on.

Viekko, OH2MCN on OH8X said "...They are serious guys with big setups."

Read comment here.

Undoubtedly one of the finest Finnish stations and a top notch, globally competitive operation as well. Thank you Viekko for the link too 150 photographs of the NexGen station, OH8X.

Determination and focus come to mind. And, by the photographs, it looks like the crew is having ham radio fun on those monster towers. I especially liked the sunset photographs as the pair descended from a hard day of work in no less than sub-zero temperatures.

My best and hope to see OH8X in the log in the near future.

Contest on.

CW Skimmer Reverse Beacon Project

0002 UTC Day 1

2319 UTC Day 1
1558 UTC Day 2

2359 UTC Day 2

Radio Dawg, King Tazo, & KA3DRR

I'm reading Wired Magazine on a break from the action. Radio Dawg and King Tazo [a.k.a. Radio Byrd] join me on the couch.

2008 CQ World Wide WPX CW Raw Results

Call: KA3DRR
Operator(s): KA3DRR
Station: KA3DRR
Class: SO(A)AB LP
QTH: Ca
Operating Time (hrs): 35

Summary.

Band QSOs
160:--0
80:--5
40: --50
20: --79
15: --13
10:--0
Total: 147

Prefixes = 92

Total Score = 22,172

Club: Northern California Contest Club

CQ WPX CW packed a lot ham radio fun this weekend.

Friday night conditions really got me started in a positive direction despite lackluster propagation. Luckily both the A- and K-index moved downward throughout the game. And 20M reflected the bulk of my QSO total as well as 40M throughout the weekend.

Oceania made a 'big' point difference Friday evening as those King Henry Sixs like KH7B, KH7X, KH6NF, NH6V, and KH6MB drove my FT100 s-meter deep into the blue. After sunset on 20M, the New Zealand contingent populated my log like, ZM1A and ZM2M. On the other hand, Australia followed and I scored my only VK QSO for the entire contest. I heard but did not work much of South America on 20M this year. Likewise the Caribbean was shut down from my location. Heard those P40's battling it out but not enough punch in 50-watts through the east coast wall. Heard Asia late Saturday evening however I probably missed the brief JA-opening because of activity on forty.

Forty meters pumped. Propagation numbers supported the long haul QSO and 40M lived up to its reputation. I worked several Central and South American stations on this band. Thank you gentlemen for the much needed '6' that drove my best ever score. Likewise, everyone in North America was loud and that was a pleasurable contesting experience while in the SP mode.

Eighty meters, on the other hand, surprised me producing only five contacts. The band, in my estimation, was not in great shape because of the noise. But The Locust, K6VVA, brought out a smile in the early morning hour on Sunday. Thanks Rick!

The great solar engine put the kibosh on 15M but I managed at least 13 QSOs and thanks for those points from Oceania. N5RM was everywhere and it was fun working NX5M as well. I closed out the game on 20M and what an exceptional Sporadic E surprise going into the closing hours.

Worked several of the NCCC team like W6OAT [a first for my contest log] and K9YC that was a big hoot as well. Overall, I'm exhausted and that's RadioSport at its best.

I hope everyone enjoyed KA3DRR's micro-blogging. It kept me company during the long, tireless hours while adding another dimension to the meaning of ham radio fun. Overall, I broke last year's score by a quantum difference and posted my best ever results. Everything came together in CQ WPX CW 2008.

73 from the shack.