WB3GCK

Unsettled Conditions at Evansburg State Park

I had some spare time this morning, so I made a trip to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) for some radio time. Before I left, I took a quick peek at the band conditions and saw that we had some unsettled geomagnetic conditions. Despite the less-than-optimal conditions, I had a pretty good morning.

When I rolled into the parking lot, I was the only one there. That’s not too surprising for early in the day on a Wednesday, I suppose. I kept things simple and operated from the truck with my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and a 12-foot base loaded whip. I was also using a set of paddles I purchased recently. (More about those in a future post.)

The new paddles I was trying out. I do a separate post on them soon. — The new paddles I was trying out. They’ll be the subject of a future post.

As is my usual practice, I started out on 40M. As I was tuning across the band, I heard N1BS in Rhode Island and had a quick park-to-park QSO with him. After that, I found a clear frequency and started calling CQ. Even though the band conditions app showed poor daytime conditions on 40M, I had my first ten contacts in about 15 minutes. Not too bad, actually.

Band conditions this morning. The 40M was pretty good, despite the predicted poor conditions.

After logging 20 contacts on 40M, I gave 20M a go. That band was good for another 22 contacts, including three European hunters. I moved up to 17M and made six more contacts, five of which were European stations. I seemed to have a pipeline into Poland this morning on 17M.

After 90 minutes of operating, I had 48 in the log. The DX stations included:

20M: Sweden, Belgium, and Denmark
17M: Finland, Poland (3), and Switzerland

Even with an unsettled geomagnetic field, I was pleased with my results. Of course, a QRP-portable outing with questionable band conditions is better than not getting out at all.

72, Craig WB3GCK

The Ashi Paddle 45

After my inexpensive QU-21C paddles started acting up again during a recent activation, I went on a paddle binge, ordering some new, reasonably-priced paddles to try out. First up was the CWMouse paddles, which I really like. Next was the Ashi Paddle 45 purchased from N6ARA Electronics.

The paddles are designed and built by 7L4WVU in Japan and imported by N6ARA. I’ve had my eye on these paddles for a while, so I thought I’d buy them and give them a go.

After using the Ashi paddles on a few POTA/WWFF activations, I thought I’d document my impressions.

General: I was looking for small paddles to keep in my Elecraft KH1 kit, and the Ashi Paddle 45 fits the bill. They measure approximately 1-1/16″ x 2-1/8″ x 1″ (27mm x 54mm x 25.4mm) and weigh just 1.1 ounce (32g) with the magnetic mount attached. They are constructed from high quality 3D printing, and come with two mounting options: a magnetic mount and a leg strap. Two screws are provided for attaching the paddles to the mount you choose.

The Ashi Paddle 45 leg mount (left), the paddles with the magnetic mount attached (upper right), and the protective case for the paddles.

Overall Feel: Like the CWMouse paddles, the Ashi Paddle 45 uses microswitches for the contacts. Thus, the tension and throw are not adjustable. Of course, paddle spacing and tension are matters of personal preference. Being an Iambic Mode B user, timing is critical, so I prefer narrow spacing and light tension. The Ashi paddles’ spacing seems slightly wider than the CWMouse paddles, and the tension feels just a bit heavier.

When I first started using the Ashi paddles, I would occasionally get an extraneous “dit” when forming characters with a single squeeze, like the letter K. My guess is the microswitches are a little slow breaking contact after releasing the paddles. I have to send more deliberately and remove my fingers completely from the paddles after each character. Fortunately, it didn’t take long to get used to the feel, and I had no issues sending with the paddles. Of course, this is all based on my personal preferences, so your mileage may—and probably will—vary.

The Ashi paddles attached magnetically to my clipboard

Mounting: My preferred method of sending is with the paddles attached magnetically to my little clipboard or a kneeboard for my KH1. So, naturally, I tried the magnetic mount first. Like my QU-21C paddles, the body of the key is small relative to the paddles. This makes magnetic mounting problematic. When I attach the paddles to a steel surface (like on my clipboard), they have a tendency to move side to side when keying. I have to use my hand to keep them steady. Not a huge thing, but I’d prefer they didn’t move at all. I have an idea in mind for an improved magnetic mount. If that works out, I’ll do a separate post on it.

Using the Ashi paddles on a KH1 kneeboard

I haven’t used the leg mount in the field, but it worked great in the shack. That would probably be a great mounting option in some situations. The leg mount is cleverly designed so that you can angle the paddles to the left or right, if you like.

Overall, I like these paddles. Once I adapted to the feel, they worked reliably in the field. So, the Ashi paddles definitely replaced my quirky QU-21C paddles in my backpack.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Operating a QRP Classic: The Tuna Tin 2

I learned recently that Ed Hare, W1RFI, passed away. Ed was a long-time lab engineer at ARRL. I didn’t really know him, but I had the pleasure of meeting him at a QRP gathering 25 years ago. The post below originally appeared on my old website, but I thought I’d share it over here in Ed’s memory. – WB3GCK

During the 2000 Atlanticon QRP convention at Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, I had the distinct honor of operating a bit of QRP history. Ed Hare, W1RFI, brought the original Tuna Tin 2 transmitter and put it on the air as a special event station operating as W1FB/3.

For those unaware of the significance, the Tuna Tin 2 was built by famed QRPer, Doug DeMaw, W1FB, and featured in QST back in the 70s [1][2]. It was stored at ARRL headquarters for many years until it mysteriously disappeared. It was later discovered by Ed Hare in a hamfest junk box 100 miles away. Ed bought it back for a dollar and has been putting this classic rig on the air on a regular basis. The fact that it still exists at all makes it a very special piece of equipment. The design has been updated over the years and QRPers still continue to build versions of this venerable classic.

Technically speaking, it’s not much of a transmitter. A couple of 2N2222s in a simple, crystal-controlled circuit putting out about a half-watt or so (or about 800mW with the two 9-volt batteries shown). Using a toggle switch to switch from transmit to receive brought back memories of my Novice days. My only QSO was with another QRPer on the 4th floor of the hotel. Still, I was thrilled to be able to briefly operate this famous little transmitter. Especially, under Doug DeMaw’s callsign, W1FB. That really made it special.

WB3GCK operating W1FB's famous Tuna Tin 2 transmitter at Atlanticon in 2000.

[1] DeMaw, Doug. “Build a Tuna Tin 2.” QST, May 1976, pp. 14–16. Available in the QST archives at ARRL.org.
[2] Hare, Ed. “The Tuna Tin 2 Today.” QST, Mar. 2000, pp. 37–40. Available in the QST archives at ARRL.org.

The KH1 Meets the 19-Foot Vertical

For several years my homebrew 19-foot vertical was my go-to portable antenna. Over the past two years, I’ve been using a variety of other antennas, relegating my trusty vertical to backup status under the backseat of my truck. I dusted it off recently to see how well the Elecraft KH1 would work with it.

I designed the antenna to be resonant on the 40 and 30 meter bands. On the 20M band and higher, it functions as a random wire, so a tuner is required. I was sure the KH1 would easily find a match on 40M and 30M, but I was curious to see how well it would fare on 20M through 15M.

The matching unit for my 19-foot vertical. There's a small, red jumper on the top that is used for band changes. — The matching unit for my 19-foot vertical. The red jumper is used for changing bands.

To test this out, I drove to Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414). I had been to an ARES-RACES get-together that morning, so I swung into the park for a quick activation on my way home.

I set up at the edge of ‌a field away from other park visitors. Since it was a weekday, the park wasn’t very busy, anyway. I supported the antenna on a cheap telescopic pole using my homebrew ground mount and spread out four 12.5-foot radials. From there, I ran 20-feet of RG-213 over to my camping chair, where I used the KH1 on a Tufteln KH1 knee board.

KH1 and Ashi Paddle 45 on a Tufteln KH1 kneeboard

Before I got started, I tried the KH1’s internal tuner from 40M through 15M. It easily found a decent match on each of the five bands. The SWR on 15M was 2:1, which is certainly usable for the KH1.

The 19-foot vertical on a slightly-leaning pole

Despite some unsettled geomagnetic conditions, I made contacts on each band except 15M. (I didn’t hear any activity there this morning.) The antenna really worked well on 17M, where I had back-to-back contacts with F4ILH and F5MQU. Even with the geomagnetic wackiness afoot, I managed to log 16 QSOs. Five of those were park-to-park contacts.

It was good to get the old vertical out in the field again. I’ve been thinking about re-packaging it to reduce the size of the matching unit and eliminate the jumper used for band changes. That might be a good project for over the winter.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Trying Out a KH1 Kneeboard

I ordered a KH1 kneeboard from Tufteln, and it arrived in the mail earlier this week. I was out of town for most of the week, so today was my first opportunity to try it out.

I drove down to Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414) and headed up to one of the picnic areas. This area is one of the highest elevations in the park. My original plan was to set up in an out-of-the-way clearing in the woods, but with rain in the forecast I thought it would be smarter to stay close to my truck. (Spoiler alert: It was.)

I backed my truck into a parking space away from everyone else and set up a 12-foot whip and my homebrew loading coil on the back of the truck. Next, I ran 18 feet of RG-8x coax over to my camping chair.

My 12-foot loaded whip mounted on my truck

I ordered the kneeboard version with a metal plate for magnetic mount paddles. Mike KE8PTX, designer of the kneeboard, recommends using a short audio cable with right-angle connectors for connecting your paddles to the KH1. I bought a couple but neglected to bring them along this morning. Instead, I used a 3-foot cable. It was a little awkward, but worked just fine.

The leg strap provided with the kneeboard was easy to adjust and comfortable to use. I used my CWMouse paddles, and the magnets I glued onto them held on to the kneeboard’s metal plate with no issues. For logging, I used a 3” x 5” weatherproof notebook, which I balanced on my leg by the kneeboard.

The KH1 and CWMouse paddles mounted on the Tufteln KH1 Knee Board

Settled comfortably into my chair, I got started on 40M. After logging a quick eight contacts, the hunters thinned out. I eventually made my required 10 contacts plus a few more before moving to 30M. After logging eight contacts on 30M, I moved to 20M for five more.

After an hour on the air, I felt a few raindrops and figured I had better pack up. That was an excellent decision, as it started raining as soon as I put the KH1 in the truck. I quickly took down my antenna and tossed my chair in the back of the truck.

Although the rain interrupted my activation, I ended up with 27 contacts. Some highlights included:

I got a call from F1BLL on 20M. He was an honest 599 into southeastern Pennsylvania this morning.
I worked fellow Polar Bear QRP member VE3DN on 40M and 30M.
W9DP and W9GTA each hunted me on two bands.

I have to say that I really enjoyed using the kneeboard. In fact, this might be my new favorite way to operate with the KH1.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Another Short but Successful POTA Activation

Lately, I’ve had to squeeze in my ham radio opportunities whenever I can. (That seems to be a common theme for this blog these days.) This past weekend was a perfect example. While spending the weekend with family in central Pennsylvania, I got in a very short activation and still made it back in time for breakfast with the family.

Always the early riser, I was up on Sunday morning before the rest of the family. After grabbing a quick cup of coffee, I threw my backpack in the car and headed out just after sunrise.

I activated the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567) from a boat launch in Lancaster County. Equipment-wise, this activation was a carbon copy of my last visit—minus the paddle issues. I used my Elecraft KH1 in my (far) better half’s compact SUV. Once again, I used my Gabil GRA-7350TC vertical and magnetic mount on the roof of the car. The paddles I used this time out were the Ashi Paddle 45 from N6ARA Electronics. (More on those in a future post.)

After parking in my usual spot, I placed the antenna on the roof of the car and roughly adjusted the coil slider for 40M. I got out my antenna analyzer and conected the coax to fine-tune the antenna. However, when I turned on the antenna analyzer, it showed a 1.26:1 SWR—no adjustment needed! I couldn’t do that again if I tried.

After hunting for a few park-to-park contacts, I found a vacant frequency and started calling CQ. Like on my last visit, the 40M band was so productive I spent my whole activation there. I operated for about 30 minutes, logging 19 contacts—not too bad for about 4.5 watts into an eight-foot vertical on a mag mount, I guess. Once again, I connected with N4JAW (aka Ham on a Bike). Jim was out doing his usual bike-portable activation at US-7956 in Kentucky.

Some morning fog on the Susquehanna River

I packed up in a couple of minutes and was back at the house about 15 minutes later. My time on the air was a little shorter than I would have liked, but at least I had no paddle issues this time.

72, Craig WB3GCK

KH1 Picnic Table Ops

My (far) better half and I had plans to go watch our grandson’s soccer game yesterday, but I still squeezed in a short, early morning activation. I headed over to nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park (US-0761, KFF-0761) and allotted myself an hour of operating time. While I was there, I tried out a few things with my Elecraft KH1.

I set up the KH1 at a picnic table and used the whip antenna and AXE1 extender coil. I supported the antenna with a right-angle adapter from Tufteln. This was the first opportunity I had to use the adapter, so I was anxious to try it out. For my counterpoise, I used a homebrew setup with a 13-ft wire and a 20-foot extension for 40M.

The KH1 with the AXE1 loading coil for 40M/30M and the Tufteln right-angle adapter.

I also gave my CWMouse paddles another go. I glued four small magnets to them the night before, so I wanted to see how they worked with my clipboard. KE8PTX had a Facebook post recently in which he mentioned using painter’s tape on the metal surface of his knee board to give his paddles a little extra traction. As luck would have it, I was doing some painting this week and had some tape handy. I put some on the steel strips on my clipboard right before I left the house.

I glued some magnets to my CWMouse paddles. The blue painter's tape helps the magnets get a better grip. You can see the notation I made in my log for my 10th contact. — I glued some magnets to my CWMouse paddles. The blue painter’s tape helps the magnets get a better grip on the steel strips glued to the clipboard. You can also see the notation I made in my log for my 10th contact.

With everything set up, I tuned up the KH1 and got started. My results on 40M really surprised me. Although my signal reports were on the low side, I was getting some decent spots on the Reverse Beacon Network. It took only 13 minutes to log my first 10 contacts. I continued making contacts for 30 minutes, while brushing ants off of my log. (I think there was an anthill under the picnic table. Doh!)

I spent the rest of my hour-long activation on 30M and 20M. There was less activity there, but I picked up a few more contacts on each band.

When my hour was up, I packed up and gave the ants exclusive use of the picnic table. I finished up with 25 contacts in my log; I’ve done much worse with much better antennas. The KH1 did an amazing job with just the whip antenna, and my modified CWMouse paddles worked great attached to my clipboard.

As you can probably tell, I’m having fun with my new rig.

72, Craig WB3GCK

POTA with the CWMouse Paddles

I did a POTA/WWFF activation this morning and used it as an opportunity to try out a new set of paddles. During a recent activation, I encountered a recurring problem with the cheap QU-21C paddles I keep in my backpack as a backup. As a result, the finicky paddles have lost out on their role as my backup.

Always a sucker for unusual paddles, I came across an interesting offering I couldn’t resist. I fired off an order for the CWMouse paddles and had them in my hot little hands two days later. Mike KN6FQM designed the CWMouse paddles, which are currently selling on Amazon for $39.00 (US).

The CWMouse paddles are made from 3D-printed parts and include sealed ball bearing races, two sealed microswitches, and an ⅛-inch stereo jack. One thing that drew me to these paddles was the small size: 74mm/2.9in L x 36mm/1.4in W x 28mm/1.1in H. They weigh a mere 1.5oz/45g, making them ideal for portable use. See the CWMouse website for the complete specifications.

The CWMouse paddles. For size reference, they are on a 3"x5" notepad. — The CWMouse paddles. For size reference, they are on a 3″x5″ notepad.

My destination this morning was Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380). I usually operate near one of the boat launches, which can sometimes get crowded during the summer. Given that it was a weekday in September, there was plenty of room in the parking lot.

My rig today was my Elecraft KH1 into a 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil. Starting out on 40M, I found lots of strong signals. I made a couple of quick park-to-park contacts before settling on a frequency and calling CQ. I quickly achieved the required 10 contacts and then some.

My KH1 fit nicely on the center console of my truck.

After 20 minutes, the activity on 40M tapered off, so I moved up to 20M. The action wasn’t as busy on 20M, but I made 11 contacts. One of those was with a station in California—I like when that happens. The 17M band produced three more before I called it quits. After a bit more than an hour, I had logged 32 contacts with six park-to-park contacts.

The CWMouse paddles performed flawlessly. Because of the microswitches, there are no adjustments for throw or tension. However, they felt great right out of the box. They have a nice, light touch, which is what I prefer.

One potential issue is the plastic used for the 3D printing. The website is very clear that the paddles should not be stored at temperatures above 100F. This could easily happen in a closed vehicle, so I’ll have to keep that in mind.

I used the “two-handed” technique with the paddles this morning, which is not my preferred way of operating. I’ll probably glue on some magnets, so I can attach the paddles to my clipboard.

Overall, however, I really like these paddles. It was a pleasure operating with them this morning.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Paddle Problems & POTA

My (far) better half and I spent the past weekend with family out in central Pennsylvania. During the weekend, I squeezed in a quick, early morning POTA activation. The great band conditions made for a fun activation, but paddle problems made it challenging at one point.

On Saturday morning, I was up before everyone else. After downing a cup of coffee, I took a short drive to a boat launch on the Susquehanna River to activate the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567).

We drove out in my (far) better half’s car, so I used a simple antenna setup that produced decent results in the past. I used my Gabil GRA-7350TC on a small magnetic mount. Like the last time I used it on my (far) better half’s car, I easily adjusted it for a 1.3:1 SWR on 40M. I fed the coax through the passenger side window.

Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna on a magnetic mount

Inside the car, I set my Elecraft KH1 on the center console. I used my cheap QU-21C paddles attached to a clipboard with a homebrew magnetic mount I made for them.

The 40M band was hot with no trace of the QRM I experienced the last time I was there. It only took 14 minutes to log my first 10 contacts, the contacts came in steadily for the next 45 minutes.

I was cruising right along for about 30 minutes until my cheap paddles decided to start dropping “dits” here and there. Based on my crazy sending, I’m sure some folks thought I was experiencing some sort of medical emergency.

I frantically searched for my N6ARA Tiny Paddle that I always carry as a backup. Of course, they were nowhere to be found. I ended up using the stock KH1 paddles attached to the radio, with the KH1 on the center armrest. This setup was an ergonomic nightmare, with my elbow in the backseat area. Despite the awkward position I was in, I was able to finish up my activation.

My setup after my paddle problems started. On hindsight, I could have arranged things better to make my operating position a little less awkward.

After an hour, I had 39 contacts in my log. I was so occupied on 40M, I never got around to trying the higher bands. My log included 7 park-to-park contacts. One of those was with N4JAW (aka Ham on a Bike). It’s always fun working Jim down in Kentucky.

I also heard from my friend, Greg WA3GM. It had been a while since our last QSO, so it was great to hear him again.

The Gabil antenna and mag mount setup once again proved to be a great antenna when using my (far) better half’s car. With about 4.5 watts out on 40M, I worked stations up and down eastern U.S. and Canada and out to several mid-west states.

The QU-21C paddles, however, are a different story. This is the second time I have had issues with them. A squirt or two of contact cleaner will usually fix the problem—for a while, anyway. As they say: You buy cheap, you get cheap.

And, of course, I found my N6ARA paddles as I was packing up. Doh!

72, Craig WB3GCK

Going with Plan C

I set off this morning to activate Norristown Farm State Park (US-4363, KFF-4363) with a specific plan in mind. We’re talking about me, of course; so things don’t always go as planned. Today was a good example of that.

If a specific parking space was available, I planned to use a loaded whip on my truck and operate from a nearby park bench. Failing that, I figured I would set up at one of the picnic pavilions with a vertical of some sort. When I rolled in, however, the parking lot was crowded and people were setting up for an event under the pavilions. So, I was off to come up with a Plan C.

I drove back up the road a bit and pulled into a mostly empty trailhead parking lot. Off to one side, I found a secluded picnic table tucked away in a wooded area. About five minutes later, I was on the air.

My Elecraft KH1 with the antenna off in the distance

I sometimes think that my 50+ years of ham radio have been an ongoing quest to simplify my operations. My recently acquired KH1 is definitely a giant step in that direction. Everything I need (except for my earbuds) is attached to the radio.

Looking at the propagation forecast, I opted to forego the KH1’s whip antenna and go with something larger. So, I went with the 9:1 end-fed random wire from AD8HK Antenna Systems mounted on a cheap 19-foot telescopic pole. The ground was a little soft, so it took me a few tries with my homebrew ground mount to get the antenna reasonably vertical.

Even with a vertical just under 18 feet, the 40M band was productive today. After eight quick‌ contacts, things slowed down, and I changed bands. The 30M band produced one contact, while 20M was good for a half-dozen more. I went back down to 40M to pick up a few more before calling it quits. After about an hour, I ended up with 18 contacts, five of which were park-to-park.

My Elecraft KH1 at Norristown Farm State Park (US-4353, KFF-4363)

I have to say I’m really having fun with the KH1. It’s ideal for the short activations I tend to do. The battery life is nothing short of exceptional. This was the second activation since I last charged it, and I could probably do four or five more.

72, Craig WB3GCK