Announcements from NE1RD
Website major overhaul
The website has been given a major overhaul and reorganization. There may be some broken links or other problems. I hope to have everything polished up by the end of January 2012. Thanks for visiting!
Website updated with Latest Fun Thing
I added a page to this website that talks about the Latest Fun Thing. For now, this is the Lantern Battery Challenge. Check it out here.
KP2/NE1RD wins SO 10 QRP category of 2011 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
For the second year running I have won my category in the CQ WPX contest (phone). In March of 2011 I returned to the little rented villa on St. Thomas, USVI, and worked QRP. My 10m QRP entry was the top score in the world. The US Virgin Islands (KP2) did not have a 10m SOSB QRP record so I'll hold that when the contest results are released (along with the 15m SOSB QRP record I set in 2010).
QSL cards for my new home have arrived -- All QSL requests have been answered
As of today I have completely caught up on QSLing. If you have been waiting for a card from me you should expect it soon. Of course, the easiest way to QSL with me is through Logbook of the World and eQSL. You can check to see if you are in my log by using ClubLog.
I Earned Worked All States (WAS) from my new home in Pelham
I worked all 50 states from my new home in Pelham, NH. The confirmations were all through Logbook of the World. Though talking with folks in 50 states is relatively easily (I worked 49 of 50 in the ARRL SS in November 2011) getting all those QSOs confirmed is the trick. MT came through this morning giving me the last in the set. My certificate is ordered.
Presentation to PART Radio club
Rich (AB1HD) and I will give a presentation to our local club PART highlighting ham radio software for the Macintosh on Tuesday 18 October 2011.
Presentation to Quannapowitt Radio Association Banquet
I will present my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the Quannapowitt Radio Association Annual Banquet on 17 June 2011 at the Hillview Country Club in North Reading, Massachusetts.
Presentation to Montachusset Amateur Radio Club
I will present my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the Montachusset Amateur Radio Club on 8 June 2011 at the Lunenburg, Massachusetts Public Library.
Presentation to PART Radio Club in Westford, Massachusetts
I will present my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the PART of Westford radio club on 17 May 2011 in the Westford, Massachusetts police station training room.
I earned Worked all States (WAS) from KP2!
I had 48 states confirmed via Logbook of the World (LoTW) from the 2010 trip (all on 15m) and was short just two states (ND and WY) coming into the 2011 trip. I was able to snag ND in the 2011 CQ WPX SSB contest but still lacked WY with just days left on my vacation. Thankfully, Rich (AB1HD) pointed me to the K3UK LoTW Sked Page which offers a bulletin board for coordinating scheduled QSOs. After only a couple of posts
KP2/NE1RD SOSB 10 QRP in 2011 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
I had a (claimed) score of 135,540 from 364 QSOs and 180 prefix/multipliers. The actual score will be computed by the contest sponsor CQ Magazine and published in their January 2012 issue. The US Virgin Islands (KP2) did not have a 10m SOSB QRP record so I'll hold that when the contest results are released (along with the 15m SOSB QRP record I set last year). This year's score was only good enough to put me in the top 20 all-time for North America. (Last year I set the record for North America!)
KP2/NE1RD to be SO 10 QRP for 2011 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
I returned to the Virgin Islands for the 2011 CQ WW WPX SSB contest. Sunspots permitting I will be SOSB 10M QRP for the contest operating from the same location as last year.
KP2/NE1RD wins SO 15 QRP category of 2010 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
My efforts from the US Virgin Islands paid off. I had the highest QRP single operator score in the contest with 639,086 points [778 QSOs and 382 prefixes]. This is a new North American record and puts me 3rd all-time for this band-mode-power category.
Presentation to Hampden County Radio Association
I presented my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the Hampden County Radio Association on 7 January 2011. This fine group of hams had a club kit building project where the group built a bunch of RockMite transceivers using the manual I had written a couple of years ago. It was a snowy night but lots of good folks came out for the show!
Presentation to the North Shore Radio Association in Peabody, MA.
I presented my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the North Shore Radio Association on 18 October 2010. We had a nice pre-talk dinner at a restaurant I had not visited since 1991! The food was still great! The turnout was one of the biggest club meetings I've seen in a while. This is a very active club!
Presentation to the Candlewood ARA in Bethel, CT.
I presented my 100 Pound DXpedition talk to the Candlewood ARA on 12 November 2010. This was a great group that really treated me right: dinner, a place to sleep, and even a new fancy CARA T-shirt. They're looking to celebrate their 80th anniversary next year. Woot! Congratulations!
Presentation to the Framingham ARA in Framingham, MA
I will be presenting to FARA on 4 November 2010 about the Joy of QRP. This isn't a formal presentation; it is just a fun review of a collection of QRP rigs and accessories along with some stories about the joy of operating a very low power.
Make Magazine video from the Massachusetts QRP Convention
I added an embedded YouTube video from Diana Eng of Make Magazine to the Gallery page. MassCon sure was fun!
QSL cards for the recent St. Thomas trip have arrived!
15 April 2010. I have just opened the box and the cards look gorgeous! I will respond to all QSL card direct requests this weekend and probably do a big BURO drop within the week. Look for your card soon!
Log searching is now provided by Club Log
You can now search my logs using the Club Log web site. Additional details may be found on my QSL information page.
2011 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest plan
We had such a great time on St. Thomas that we have reserved the Seabright Villa again for 2011's contest! My current thinking is to do a single band QRP effort on 10m. We will see if conditions permit it.
CQ WW WPX SSB Contest after-contest report
I was 15m single band in the CQ WPX contest and had a great time. I also turned in a great score! We'll see if I survive contest adjudication after they ding me for dups and goofs but I sent in a claimed score of 676,039--which is over 100K points higher than the current North American record for this category! Final results are to be published in the January issue of CQ Magazine.
Buddipole in the FIeld is published! [updated]
A book written by me entitled Buddipole in the Field was published at Masscon. The book is available under a very generous Creative Commons license as a download and as a paperback book from Buddipole, Inc. The book is intended as a field guide for Buddipole antenna system users and has antenna configurations, modeling results, analysis, and a set of "cookbook" instructions that should help everyone with a Buddipole get the most out of that fantastic product. You can find the free PDF version of the book on the Buddipole. Documentation webpage, or you can purchase a paperback copy of the book for $15 from the Buddipole Accessories page.
100 Pound DXpedition blog now available in PDF book form
My 100 Pound DXpedition blog was suspended after about 400 entries. I have rendered it as a single PDF file for convenient download and perusal. You can find it in my public download area under the name 100_Pound_DXpedition_Blog.pdf (select that file and then click the "Download" button). There are a couple of lost images and a couple of places where the formatting is ugly. But, it is as complete a view as you'll get of these entries that were posted from June 2006 to November 2007. It is free (of course)!
The Massachusetts QRP Convention is over
The Massachusetts QRP Convention (Masscon) is now just a scribble in the history books. A couple of photos from the event are available in the gallery here.
RSGB IOTA Contest DXpedition to Lovells Island (NA-148) July 2010
I will set up camp on Lovells Island outside Boston Harbor for the RSGB IOTA Contest 24-25 July 2010. Lovells Island is little more than a sandy spot in the Atlantic with no fresh water, no electricity, and limited ferry service. I'll have only what I can carry including food, water, shelters, radios, antennas, batteries, solar panels, and other personal gear. This will be a QRP effort (12 hour category).
NE1RD to travel to St. Thomas, USVI (NA-106) for CQ WW WPX SSB Contest.
The deadlines that scuttled my J6 DXpedition should be well behind me by late March 2010. As a reward, Sandy and I will travel to the beautiful island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands for a week of fun in the sun, and the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest. Additional details can be found on the USVI DXpedition page.
NE1RD drops out of Caribbean Buddies Buddipole DXpedition to St. Lucia (J6).
It is with deep regret that I must drop out of the Buddipole DXpedition to St. Lucia. The other eight fellows are going and I'm hoping they'll get great propagation and lots of QSOs in the log. 73 and GUD DX to the entire team!
Colonial Wireless Association, Concord (Massachusetts) 27 January 2010.
I spoke to the CWA on the Joy of QRP. It was a show-and-tell session where I will passed around a bunch of great gizmos and talked about MassCon.
Tickets now on sale for the Massachusetts QRP Convention.
Tickets are on sale for the Massachusetts QRP Convention. PayPal or any major credit card is accepted. Follow the link below for more information!
Four Days in May (FDIM) 2010
I have just accepted an invitation to speak at Four Days in May (FDIM) in 2010. FDIM is the QRP convention held in conjunction with the national convention in Dayton, Ohio. The event is run by the QRP Amateur Radio Club International (QRP ARCI) and usually draws about 300 for its Thursday seminars. My presentation will be a variant of my 100 Pound DXpedition talk, obviously adjusted slightly to emphasize the low/QRP power and portable aspects. QRP ARCI is a terrific organization and I'm honored to be a part of next year's event.
Algonquin Amateur Radio Club - November 12, 2009
I gave my 100 Pound DXpedition talk at the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club meeting in Marlborough, MA on November 12, 2009 at 7:30 PM. This is a great group! My talk covered the latest planned DXpedition to St. Lucia (J6).
Massachusetts QRP Convention - March 2010
This is going to be huge! The first ever Massachusetts QRP Convention will be held March 12-13, 2010 at the Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center in Westford, Massachusetts. I am the Principal Organizer--though I am getting lots of help from my friends! We have an amazing slate of speakers scheduled to appear including three members of the QRP Hall of Fame and one Nobel Prize winner. If you love ham radio, if you are interested in the technical aspects of the hobby, if you just love to hear interesting people who are passionate about their interests, then I believe you'll have a wonderful time at MassCon. Click on the link to learn more.
Hawaii 2008 DXpedition recap - December 2008
The DXpedition to Hawaii in November 2008 was really a great family vacation. I only played with the radio a little bit, but I had a great time. I also got to meet NH7Y and his wife, and W6TWA and his wife while on Kauai. Bonus!
New audio and video added to the DXpedition area
I have added some audio and video to the DXpedition pages. A movie, hosted on YouTube, now appears on the Montserrat page. Audio has been added to the Boston Harbor Islands and St. Kitts page.
New DXpedition resources page added to the web site
A new page has been added to the DXpeditions area to provide a home for resources like white papers and URLs helpful for anyone planning a lightweight DXpedition. The white paper Antennas for 100 Pound DXpeditions Volume 1 and the accompanying ZIP file full of EZNEC models is now available. To just take a glimpse, you can still find the paper on issuu.