Reminder: Wednesday Evening 40 and 80 meter Nets

When: Wednesday, 3 July 2019, 8:00pm to 9:00pm, (GMT-05:00) America/Chicago

Where:40 and 80 Meters

View Event

Organizer: jomatlock@...

Description: The 40 Meter Net will be at 8:00 pm DST central time  on 7.122 +-. QRM
NCS is to be announced.

Wednesday evening 80 Meter CW Net. will be at  (8:30PM Central DST Time Wednesday). 
The 80 meter net will be called on 3.564 MHz +/- QRM.
Net control operators are Johnny AC0BQ or Paul N0NBD.

* NEW *  Wednesday evening DMR Voice Net will be at (Thursday) 0300 UTC (9:00PM Central Time Wednesday/)
Four States QRP has a Brandmeister DMR Talk Group (TG31654). Join us to discuss QRP, ask questions, or just ragchew. The Wednesday net is a directed net  but any other time you may use the Talk Group to chat with other QRPers.
Net Control operator is Bert NØYJ.

Any frequencies for 13 Colonies? Now that siding crew is finishing my "bungalow" will be on the air more often. N1KWW

On Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 11:24 AM Jeff Collins <w7grv@...> wrote:

Dear Dan,

    Thanks for the reply.  I got a couple of stations last year from 13 Colonies. This year I am busy getting my house ready to sell. But I will be caught up by the end of July and will more time to get on the air. I have only been a Ham about 2 years and really on air a little over a year.

        For my 100 watt base station I have a Kenwood TS-520S station (first HF rig) and ICOM 706 MKIIG (will go in my truck once I work out antenna issues) and an ICOM 718 (which will become my field day rig). All of these use a 37 foot End Fed Antenna at 30 feet to the East in a tree and 15 foot to the West on a pole hooked up to a little MFJ tuner.

    I was at the 4 State QRP Conference this year and came away with a better appreciation for QRP work. Really wish CW would stick in my brain. I picked up a nice FT-817ND for a very good price to play with, so I am building a backpack QRP rig to work with. Going to try some Parks On The Air and Peaks On The Air things later in the year. I have also signed up for the NJQRP Skeeter Hunt in August.

Thank you,

Jeffrey R. Collins - W7GRV
FCC(SW) USN, Ret.
BS, EMT-P, FF I/II

On 7/3/2019 9:31 AM, Dan Reynolds wrote:

I've never found anything. Seems mostly QRP & SSB are not good partners. But I've had a lot of fun with it. When things were better I would prowl around contests and pick up some DX. Seems everybody has better ears in a contest. LOL! I think, too it's hard to depend on propagation to schedule a regular net. 
This week is one of my favorite events - 13 Colonies. You should give it a try. They often will ask for QRP stations. http://www.13colonies.net/
Hang in there. You can still QRP & SSB and have fun. I've actually gotten (3) 1000 miles per watt QRP-ARCI awards (the ones I turned in). And that was with my old radio a FT-817 and wire antennas. 
One more thing, and I will state up front that this is me, I don't advertise that I'm QRP unless someone specifically asks or like in the 13 colonies event they want QRP stations to answer. At least for US amateurs-- they get awfully deaf once you tell them you're QRP. Some are even insulting. Personally I view it as fishing with light tackle. I like the challenge and I like to think I'm accomplishing something. 
Have fun. 
--
Dan Reynolds -- KB9JLO

Dear Dan,

    Thanks for the reply.  I got a couple of stations last year from 13 Colonies. This year I am busy getting my house ready to sell. But I will be caught up by the end of July and will more time to get on the air. I have only been a Ham about 2 years and really on air a little over a year.

        For my 100 watt base station I have a Kenwood TS-520S station (first HF rig) and ICOM 706 MKIIG (will go in my truck once I work out antenna issues) and an ICOM 718 (which will become my field day rig). All of these use a 37 foot End Fed Antenna at 30 feet to the East in a tree and 15 foot to the West on a pole hooked up to a little MFJ tuner.

    I was at the 4 State QRP Conference this year and came away with a better appreciation for QRP work. Really wish CW would stick in my brain. I picked up a nice FT-817ND for a very good price to play with, so I am building a backpack QRP rig to work with. Going to try some Parks On The Air and Peaks On The Air things later in the year. I have also signed up for the NJQRP Skeeter Hunt in August.

Thank you,

Jeffrey R. Collins - W7GRV
FCC(SW) USN, Ret.
BS, EMT-P, FF I/II

On 7/3/2019 9:31 AM, Dan Reynolds wrote:

I've never found anything. Seems mostly QRP & SSB are not good partners. But I've had a lot of fun with it. When things were better I would prowl around contests and pick up some DX. Seems everybody has better ears in a contest. LOL! I think, too it's hard to depend on propagation to schedule a regular net. 
This week is one of my favorite events - 13 Colonies. You should give it a try. They often will ask for QRP stations. http://www.13colonies.net/
Hang in there. You can still QRP & SSB and have fun. I've actually gotten (3) 1000 miles per watt QRP-ARCI awards (the ones I turned in). And that was with my old radio a FT-817 and wire antennas. 
One more thing, and I will state up front that this is me, I don't advertise that I'm QRP unless someone specifically asks or like in the 13 colonies event they want QRP stations to answer. At least for US amateurs-- they get awfully deaf once you tell them you're QRP. Some are even insulting. Personally I view it as fishing with light tackle. I like the challenge and I like to think I'm accomplishing something. 
Have fun. 
--
Dan Reynolds -- KB9JLO

Looking at the parent message my email client, neomutt, reports a bad
signature.  Apparently, this is not unique to this list but I get the
same result from other groups.io lists as well.  Sigh...

72, Nate

Gm guys 

I tried one the imported electronic USB

Magnifiers and didn’t care for it.

The focal length was really close, and I had trouble adjusting it on a Linux computer.

I couldn’t find any Linux drivers, so that may have been a issue?

I went back to my magnified work light and a magnified head set, lots better!!

That’s my 2 cents worth.

72

Johnny AC0BQ 

On Sun, Jun 30, 2019 at 7:36 AM Paul Goemans <wa9pwp@...> wrote:

We used a stereo “dissecting” microscope with above and below stage lighting in the electronics repair shop I worked in. I liked it!

de WA9PWP

Sent from Paul’s iPhone 

On Jun 30, 2019, at 6:44 AM, J.K. Wright <wrightjk@...> wrote:

The problem with low end $ usb microscopes is depth of field focusing. It is very narrow. Also depending on lenses, the lens tip may be very close to the work surface.

Magnified head gear may well be better, but if you want something else look at 3x-10x stereo scopes on a stand. They are comparatively pricey, but show up on craigslist and hamfests every so often.

Jerry, NK2C

On Sat, Jun 29, 2019, 6:12 PM jleahy00 via Groups.Io <jleahy00=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Hi Bob,

I purchased a head mag setup from 
https://www.allelectronics.com/index.php?page=seek&id%5Bm%5D=pattern&id%5Bq%5D=Magnify

And found it to be outstanding for $10.95.  This unit has a built in light that is adjustable so you don’t miss anything.  I have used it to assemble the Cricket 30, 40 and currently working on the audio filter.  I can’t believe the difference, now I need something to steady my hands !

None of my work has been SMD but this should work for you.

John

KK4ITX 

If you need a parachute and don't have one you probably won't need one again.

On Jun 29, 2019, at 18:46, wa2cky <bob.groh@...> wrote:

With a constant shift to building with SMD components (and with my 'aging' eyes), I have been looking at getting one of those USB electronic microscopes for working on SMD boards. Anyone else done any work on this topic and have any recommendations, thoughts, etc to pass on?

Bob Groh, WA2CKY

--

Check out the 4SQRP website at 4sqrp.com

Gm guys 

I tried one the imported electronic USB

Magnifiers and didn’t care for it.

The focal length was really close, and I had trouble adjusting it on a Linux computer.

I couldn’t find any Linux drivers, so that may have been a issue?

I went back to my magnified work light and a magnified head set, lots better!!

That’s my 2 cents worth.

72

Johnny AC0BQ 

On Sun, Jun 30, 2019 at 7:36 AM Paul Goemans <wa9pwp@...> wrote:

We used a stereo “dissecting” microscope with above and below stage lighting in the electronics repair shop I worked in. I liked it!

de WA9PWP

Sent from Paul’s iPhone 

On Jun 30, 2019, at 6:44 AM, J.K. Wright <wrightjk@...> wrote:

The problem with low end $ usb microscopes is depth of field focusing. It is very narrow. Also depending on lenses, the lens tip may be very close to the work surface.

Magnified head gear may well be better, but if you want something else look at 3x-10x stereo scopes on a stand. They are comparatively pricey, but show up on craigslist and hamfests every so often.

Jerry, NK2C

On Sat, Jun 29, 2019, 6:12 PM jleahy00 via Groups.Io <jleahy00=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Hi Bob,

I purchased a head mag setup from 
https://www.allelectronics.com/index.php?page=seek&id%5Bm%5D=pattern&id%5Bq%5D=Magnify

And found it to be outstanding for $10.95.  This unit has a built in light that is adjustable so you don’t miss anything.  I have used it to assemble the Cricket 30, 40 and currently working on the audio filter.  I can’t believe the difference, now I need something to steady my hands !

None of my work has been SMD but this should work for you.

John

KK4ITX 

If you need a parachute and don't have one you probably won't need one again.

On Jun 29, 2019, at 18:46, wa2cky <bob.groh@...> wrote:

With a constant shift to building with SMD components (and with my 'aging' eyes), I have been looking at getting one of those USB electronic microscopes for working on SMD boards. Anyone else done any work on this topic and have any recommendations, thoughts, etc to pass on?

Bob Groh, WA2CKY

--

Check out the 4SQRP website at 4sqrp.com