Several of the bloggers that I follow are prolific in their postings. Although I only blog occasionally about my particular ham radio activities, I do enjoy reading the blogs of my fellow radio amateurs who post about subjects other than amateur radio. As few and far between as my blog posts are, it looks like they will be pretty non-existent for the next few months.
I will be moving to San Diego in a month or two to live with an elderly family member who needs the company and help in order to be able to stay in her house. It will be quite a big life change. Most of my belongings will be going into storage but of course, I’ll be taking the ham radio gear. Besides – there are a few tall trees on the property that I’ll be living on and while I don’t know if visible feedlines will be too welcome, a nice high longwire that can be loaded up on 80 (and perhaps even 160) should be very achievable. Going from an apartment to an acre of land with tall trees will be great from an amateur radio point of view. (It will also be fun from a “mowing the lawn” point of view too!)
So not much radio for me until I get settled in the new place, but I am really looking forward to seeing how QRP CW will work when I am able to hang a nice high sky-wire.
Dave, I hope you’ll be able to get something up for an antenna. What rig will you be using?
John AE5X
I’ll be using a Norcal 2N2/40, an FT-817, and a Fort Tuthill 80m DC TX/RX, assuming I get one of the 100 kits when they go on sale. There are some very tall eucalyptus trees on the property, and although they move a lot in the wind, a pulley and weight system that gives enough slack should allow me to put up a nice high long wire antenna. It’s going to be fun.
Dave, sounds like it will be an interesting way to spend some time. The tall trees and the ocean breezes can’t possibly be a bad thing and I look forward to reading of your southern California adventures once you get there!
By the way, there is a wicked good FM repeater system in that area — the WinSystem — that is linked via IRLP. Fire up there some day and give me a call.
73, Jeff