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 Previous: FCC Tells Vermont Ham that Fine is Next Step |  Next: Dayton Hamvention Names 2005 Award Winners |
By Anthony A.
Luscre, K8ZT
Contributing Editor
March 10, 2005
Although there still may be a little snow in your area, it is time to think of spring and QRP.
Spring Rites
When spring approaches, four things begin to stir in the hearts of QRPers and many other hams. They are the beginning of hamfest season in the northern part of the U.S., QRP Forums/Get Togethers, antenna repairs and portable operations.
 The Dayton Amateur Radio Association, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, sponsors the Dayton Hamvention. |
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Hamvention, ARRL National Convention and FDIM
One big blip on the hamfest radar screen is the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s Hamvention is made even more special by two associated events, the ARRL National Convention and QRP ARCI “Four Days in May” (FDIM). If you have never been to Dayton, this is a great year to attend. This year marks the tenth annual FDIM, and the QRP Amateur Radio Club International (QRP ARCI) has pulled out all the stops with a dynamite line-up of speakers for Thursday’s seminar.
Thursday’s all-day session precedes the first day of the Hamvention, but that is not the end of the FDIM fun. Evening activities Friday and Saturday include a Vendor’s Night and informal QRP gatherings to trade stories, show off homebrew equipment and more. Saturday night is the annual Banquet. Along with a good meal and good company, there is the induction of hams into the QRP Hall of Fame and numerous great QRP related prizes.
Hamfests
As the hamfest season kicks off in the north, here are a few ideas for QRPers:
 The New Jersey QRP Club sponsors Atlanticon |
QRP Get Togethers and Forums
Leading off the QRP events is Atlanticon, sponsored by the New Jersey QRP Club. Atlanticon takes place on April 1-2 in the Baltimore, Maryland, area.
Next on the schedule is Ozarkcon, sponsored by The Four States QRP Group. Ozarkcon takes place April 29-30 in Joplin Missouri.
As mentioned, Four Days In May occurs May 19-22--wrapped around the Dayton Hamvention.
For information on QRP events scheduled later in the year, check the QRP Get Together Calendar on my Web page. If you belong to a group that hosts a QRP gathering or convention, be sure to e-mail me the details to update my calendar.
Reader Feedback and Author’s Comments
One correction from last column’s description of the BLT kit comes from Max McCoy, KC0MAX. He points out, “the new PCB for the BLT tuner is ‘Pittsburg’ style and not ‘Pittsburgh’ style; that's because it is named after Pittsburgh, Kansas, and not the one in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburg style was developed by our own 4SQRP Group guru (and my Elmer) Joe Porter, W0MQY, who lives here in Pittsburg, Kansas.”
A few e-mails over the last few months reminded me of a valuable resource for kit builders. “Gary's Top Ten List of Kit Failures” by Gary Surrency, AB7MY, is aimed primarily at Elecraft K2 kitbuilders, but its advice also applies to other kits and even homebrew projects.
The QRP ARCI publishes a fine
newsletter, the QRP Quarterly (although I might be slightly
prejudiced since I also write a column for it.) The last 25 years of
issues now are available on four CD-ROMs or one DVD. Visit the QRP
ARCI Toy Store for ordering information. There is a
wealth of information for both old and new QRPers. Even though I
personally have at least 80 of the 100 issues stored around the
house, I plan to purchase a digital copy. Unlike my home-stored paper
copies, the electronic version is computer searchable!
 The banner for Flying Pigs QRP Club BBQ, the publication of the Flying Pigs QRP Club. |
Another fine QRP publication has recently undergone a name change and facelift (or, in this case, perhaps a snout lift). The Flying Pigs QRP Club’s Bacon Bits is now called Flying Pigs QRP Club BBQ (Bacon Bits Quarterly). Current issues and all past issues are available free of charge on the News Section of the FQRP Web site. Issues are in the form of PDFs, and the latest issue is also available in MP3 format for your listening pleasure.
As part of my real job, I recently gave a presentation at the Ohio SchoolNet State Technology Convention. I mention this, since the topic may be of interest to my fellow QRPers who comb the Web for information. Titled “Beyond Searching--Guerrilla Tactics to Get the Information You Want & Know What You're Getting,” it gives helpful hints for all Web searchers.
Print your own free copy of the 16-page searching booklet. Visit the searching exercise page on my school’s Web site and click the link labeled “Workbook as PDF.”
Thanks for all your e-mails. I really enjoy the feedback and welcome your comments and suggestions. I hope to meet many of you in person at FDIM and/or at a hamfest in my area.
| Previous: FCC Tells Vermont Ham that Fine is Next Step | Next: Dayton Hamvention Names 2005 Award Winners |
