Rusty Ring

Just letting you know that I just worked Sweden from Olympia WA on CW (Morse code) using a homemade radio from the 90s at 5 big watts to a longwire antenna up 40 feet in a tree.

Bear in mind that at this power level you could run 8 stations like mine off the light socket in your refrigerator. _Not_ the fridge itself. Just the light socket. (That's a 40W bulb.)

Because CW rules and sideband drools.

#hamradio
#brasspounder
#whathathGodwrought
#Idtapthat

Jun 2, 2023 at 4:56amWeb
Show threadUrsidinoj/The BjornsdottirsJun 2, 2023
@RustyRing The same horsepowers concentrated over a shorter bandwidth?
Show threadRusty RingJun 2, 2023
@ellenor2000 That's a technical advantage, yes. Also, the angels push CW signals a little farther as well.
Show threadUrsidinoj/The BjornsdottirsJun 2, 2023

@RustyRing Have you ever mucked about with the modes implemented by the WSJT-X programme?

(full disclosure, I have not. I also have not mucked about with basically anything electromagnetic, beyond connecting an antenna to an 802.11 card.)

Show threadRusty RingJun 2, 2023
@ellenor2000 I've never done anything but CW, but have been interested in the digital modes for years. As a fulltime QRPer and longwire user, their efficiency at low power is intriguing. But I've never had the proper mix of equipment and willing mentors to actually take it on the air.
Show threadSteveJun 3, 2023
@RustyRing Which band? I forgot to ask earlier.
Show threadRusty RingJun 3, 2023
@sclower 20. It's starting to do that summer thing where you can sometimes get amazing DX in the greyline. Tonight I heard another Swede, a Brazilian, and a Pole. Tried to reach the Polish OM twice, but I guess he couldn't copy.
Show threadSteveJun 8, 2023
@RustyRing Nice! So far I’ve only been able to hear Sweden and Polland on 15 or 10.
Show threadRusty RingJun 9, 2023
@sclower Yeah, you start to get good DX on 20 after sunset, like half-hour to an hour in. Last night I got New Zealand, and a few nights ago Finland. Copied but couldn't work Croatia, Hungary, and Belarus. (Could definitely have logged 'em if I still had 100W forward! Ops at 5W are a challenge, no doubt.)