Do You Still Believe Trump?

Sometimes you have to ask yourself the hard questions especially if you voted for Trump.

1. 1. Do you still believe in Trump?

It is a simple binary answer and needs no further explanation.

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Chick Magnets

POTA, The new Chick Magnet (Dream Version)!

POTA, The new Chick Magnet (Reality Version)!

It is all about Contests and Operating.

(Images AI Generated ~ Copilot)

Really Over!

 Blog Content will not be deleted.

End of the Line.

Life is too short and the Blog of late has consumed a lot of my energy and time. But no more.

Thanks for riding along and hopefully we will all survive 2026.

I will leave the past posts on the blog for about two weeks and then all will be removed. 

Pat Boone, early in his career shared some advice given to him by Bing Crosby. The story goes Crosby said to Boone, Kid don't stay on too long. I have stayed on too long.

Them that know, survive.

Pete N6QW

The new face of the Ham Radio Operator

 

The Melding of Ham Radio & Social Media

A blog reader sent me this video, and I thought the proud, the few and the brave N6QW blog readers would like to see this. The "Glam Ham" is out here on the left coast and is the new face of a ham radio operator. 

She is an Extra and has some very nice higher end station equipment. This video is live streamed, and the call signs mentioned are DX calls and quite a following. I surmise she has a lot of stick time behind the mic as she mentions at one time being a commercial disc jockey. 

There did not appear to be any home-grown rigs in her shack and certainly in line with the very large majority of today's hams. But with certainty a good ambassador for our beloved hobby.

Them that know, survive. Tomorrow is Easter and I pray for the safety of our troops who are in harm's way.

73's

Pete N6QW

Consistent Performance with the new PNP CW Transmitter

Let me put in a context easily understood... You get dates with good looking YLs all the time not just one time with one good looking YL.

More data as I just took a look with the RBN at 6AM on April 3, transmitting on 7013 kHz. I was heard in the 400-to-900-mile range running 300 milliwatts. That tells me two things as the PNP CW transmitter can yield consistent contacts and the need for a solid design with appropriate harmonic filters. Low power out of ham band signals can be heard at great distances.

I have run QRP for many years but at the watt level not milliwatts. The solid acid test of course is real contacts not the RBN. But the Reverse Beacon Network is a strong indicator of performance especially if it is consistent. 

The two crystals (7030 and 7055 kHz) I have coming are frequencies considered as watering holes and lots of activity and so that should set us up for the real acid test. (I really splurged and paid $10 including shipping for the two rocks. I stole money from my grocery budget.)

I will stop posting on this subject in deference to those who do not do home grown radios. Guess this being a holiday weekend the bands will be choked with contests and POTA/SOTA crap. So maybe a good time to work on the T/R sequencer.

Them that know, survive. I had a near cardiac arrest experience yesterday when I bought 6 gallons of gas and that took two $20 bills. I have a 20-year-old car and get about 23 mpg. So that comes to 23 * 6 = 138 mile range. That means two weeks of visits to the cemetery to visit the XYL (60 miles) and a doctor visit on Monday (28 miles) and three trips for groceries, banking and miscellaneous (30 miles). That leaves me 20 miles for a buffer. Thank You, Donald Trump for starting a war!

73's

Pete N6QW

PNP CW QRP Rig now on 40M

 

The home-grown rig has been moved to 40M on 7013 kHz and gets 12 Volts PTP out of the W3NQN LPF. That is 360 milliwatts. At 7 AM my signal was heard in the 600-to-800-mile range. 

I have ordered "rocks" for 7030 and 7055 kHz. (The original MC1496 DCR was built for 40M.) The additional power output can be traced to the crystal itself and that the circuit components in the driver stage favor 40M versus 20M. The emitter bypass cap in the driver plays a big part in the frequency spread.

Them that know, survive. Of note do you believe only a couple of more weeks in the Iran war. Reminds me of when I went to Vietnam... like 10 years. Survival depends on trusting your gut and the actions you personally take.

73's

Pete N6QW