boschveldt – WB3GCK QRP Amateur Radio

Boschveldt Winter Outing 2023

The Boschveldt QRP Club once again descended on the historic Daniel Boone Homestead in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, for our annual winter get-together. Like last year’s trip, it was a cold but fun weekend spent socializing and getting on the air.

We spent the weekend in the Wayside Lodge, a large, rustic—and drafty—log cabin. The attendees this year included: Ed K3YTR, Glen NK1N, Ed WA3WSJ, Ed K3BVQ, John NU3E, Ron WA8YIH, Rob KE3TI, and yours truly.

The Wayside Lodge at the Daniel Boone Homestead. This was the Boschveldt QRP Club’s home for the weekend.
NU3E operating digital modes
NK1N operating in the NA QSO Party
WA8YIH operating with NU3E looking on
K3BVQ hunkering down and listening to CW
K3YTR’s Elecraft KX2
WB3GCK operating QRP-portable from a picnic area
The bridge across the creek behind the lodge
The dam near the Wayside Lodge
Another view of the dam
The rear of the Wayside Lodge viewed from across the creek
WA3WSJ keeping warm by the fire
The fireplace in the “Great Room.” This was the only source of heat in the main area of the Lodge.

A few folks arrived on Thursday, so by the time I showed up on Friday, there were three stations set up. By Saturday there were four stations on the air from the lodge.

K3YTR brought a DVD player and a projector, so we watched a movie after a lasagna dinner. The only source of heat in the main room—also known as the “Great Room”—was a large, stone fireplace. Unfortunately, most of the heat was going up the chimney. The temperature in the Great Room was down in the 40s F during the movie. After that, everyone turned in for the night. Fortunately, the two bunk rooms had electric heaters, so they were slightly warmer than the Great Room.

After breakfast, I explored some trails and buildings around the lodge and took some pictures. In particular, there’s an interesting dam very close to the lodge, and I got some pictures of it from both sides of the creek.

After lunch, I headed out for some QRP-portable operation. Like last year, I set up in my truck in the North Picnic Area. I made nine contacts while I was out there. Six of those were POTA stations, including one in Puerto Rico. I also worked SKCC Straight Key Month special event stations in Puerto Rico and Portugal. Like last year, I had a brief CW QSO with K3BVQ who was back at the lodge. After an hour, my fingers were getting cold, so I packed up and headed back.

On Saturday night, we all went out to a nearby restaurant for a delicious dinner, some drinks, and some warmth. By the time we returned to the lodge, it was too late to start another movie, so we all called it a day and headed off to our bunks for the night.

On Sunday morning, the temperature in the Great Room was down to 37°F (2.8°C) before we got the fire restarted. After breakfast sandwiches prepared by NU3E, it was time to pack up our gear and clean up the cabin before leaving for home.

It’s always a fun time getting together with the Boschveldt crew. The weekend ended too soon, but it sure felt good to get back to a warm house and a hot shower.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt Field Day 2022

Our new W3BQC banner (Photo credit: NK1N)

Another fun Field Day with the Boschveldt QRP Club is in the books. As in recent years, we spent the weekend camping on private property as the guests of a gracious local business owner. We had four members in attendance this year: Ed K3YTR, Glen NK1N, Ed WA3WSJ, and me.

When I arrived Friday afternoon, NK1N was already onsite. As I was setting up my tent, the others rolled in and got settled in for the weekend. Later, we headed out to a local restaurant for dinner and finished off the night around the campfire.

After breakfast, I set up my antenna and radio equipment. We had three HF stations this year, all running CW. I operated on 40 meters, NK1N covered 20 and 80 meters, while WA3WSJ took care of the higher bands. K3YTR operated phone on 6 and 2 meters. We operated in Category 3A, running QRP on battery power and using our club callsign, W3BQC. Our three HF stations all used inverted L antennas, our weapon of choice for Field Day.

Yours truly operating CW from my tent (Photo credit: NK1N)
As in previous years, I slept and operated in my tent.
WA3WSJ operating on 15M (Photo credit: NK1N)
NK1N operating under his new canopy
NK1N generated most of our points this year (Photo credit: NK1N)
K3YTR operating 6 and 2 meters from his car

This year we tried networking our logging computers together. Glen set up a small battery-powered Wi-Fi access point and used his laptop as the server. It was a simple task to configure the N3FJP logging software on the other laptops, and the network worked great.

After a dinner of brats and hotdogs, we again convened around the campfire. Before turning in, Glen jumped on 80M and I got back on 40M to make a few more contacts.

Glen was our most productive point generator this year. Besides making the most contacts, he also copied the Field Day bulletin, transmitted our radiogram to the Section manager, and filled in as the Boschveldt Safety Officer this year.

After breakfast on Sunday morning, we got back on our radios for a few more hours before packing up. By mid-day, we had all cleared out and headed home.

Although we don’t run the most serious Field Day operation, we always have a good time getting together. Besides our annual winter outing, we talked about doing another camping trip sometime this summer.

I hope everyone who took part had a fun and safe Field Day weekend.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt Winter Outing 2022

The Boschveldt QRP Club has a long-standing tradition of getting together each January for a winter get-together. For years, we rented a cabin at the Mohican Outdoor Center in northern New Jersey. This time we tried a different location: the Daniel Boone Homestead in southeastern Pennsylvania. We weren’t able to make this trip last year, because of the pandemic, so we were all excited to try this new (to us) location.

This site in Berks County, Pennsylvania, is the birthplace of Daniel Boone, the legendary American frontiersman. The Wayside Lodge is one of several buildings on this 579 acre historic site. Our intrepid band of QRPers rented the lodge for the weekend to use as our base of operations.

During the wee hours on Friday, Mother Nature provide some wintertime ambiance for the weekend. She replaced the moderate temperatures we have been having with temperatures near freezing and a few inches of snow. It was enough snow to make everything look nice, but not so much to complicate my drive later in the day.

I arrived at the lodge mid-afternoon on Friday. Wayside Lodge is a large, rustic log cabin. There are two separate bunking areas and a large “great room” between the two. Despite its rustic nature, it has some modern amenities. There’s a small kitchen with a refrigerator and stove, and there are three bathrooms.

The Wayside Lodge at the Daniel Boone Homestead

A few Boschveldt members arrived the day before, and there were radios and antennas up and running when I got there. The attendees this year included Ed K3YTR, John NU3E, Walt KB3SBC, Ed K3BVQ, Rob KE3TI, and me. After settling in and catching up with old friends, we enjoyed a lasagne dinner courtesy of Ed K3YTR. Walt brought a projector and screen, so we had some movies for entertainment.

It quickly became apparent that we were in for a cold weekend. On Friday night, my thermometer showed that the great room was around 45° F (7° C). There was some heat in the bunk rooms, but it was only about 55° F (13° C) where I was staying. A fireplace provided some warmth in the great room, and we went through quite a bit of firewood over the weekend.

John set up his 20M QRP rig in one of the bunk rooms and ran his end-fed half wave wire out to a tree behind the lodge. Ed K3BVQ ran a 40M half wave wire up and over some beams in the great room. The far end of his antenna ended in one of the bunk rooms. His unusual antenna configuration worked great for him with his QRP rig.

Walt brought his military shelter trailer and parked it in the parking lot near the lodge. This little trailer contains a complete ham shack—with heat—and room for sleeping. He was on the air from there hunting some Parks on the Air (POTA) stations.

Saturday morning, the temperature in the great room was only 35° F (1.7° C). Stoking the fire, along with plenty of hot coffee (courtesy of Walt), helped warm things up. We also had an outstanding French toast breakfast, courtesy of Rob.

Later on Saturday, I drove to a picnic area about a mile away from the lodge. I wanted to take part in the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) Weekend Sprintathon (WES) contest, while avoiding interference to the other stations back at the lodge. Operating from my truck, I made 20 contacts, including two K3Y stations. I also contacted K3BVQ back in the lodge.

WB3GCK at the North Picnic Area at the Daniel Boone Homestead

Bill KA3RMM and Chris W3CJW stopped by to visit on Saturday. Chris was kind enough to drop off a load of firewood for us. We certainly appreciated that!

Saturday night, five of us went out for dinner—and some warmth—at a local restaurant. After dinner, we went back to the lodge to watch another movie before turning in for the night.

John’s Belgian waffles have become a Sunday morning tradition at our winter outings. As always, John didn’t disappoint. The waffles were incredible.

We spent the rest of the morning packing up and cleaning up the cabin. Before heading out, we posed for a group picture.

Boschveldt QRP Club members at the Wayside Lodge. L-R standing: KE3TI, NU3E, WB3GCK, K3YTR, KB3SBC. Seated: K3BVQ.

Despite the cold temperatures, it was a fun weekend. We’re already planning to return to the Daniel Boone Homestead next year. It’s always great to spend time with some old friends and get on the air with our radios.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt QRP Field Day 2021

Once again, our loosely organized group of QRPers got together for Field Day. We only get together a few times each year, so our Field Day tends to be a laid-back social affair.

This year marked our 5th year operating from the property of a local business owner. We certainly appreciate him allowing us to set up camp in his field again this year. We ran as category 4A EPA using the club’s callsign, W3BQC.

Yours truly, WB3GCK, operating CW from my tent

This year’s Boschveldt crew included:

Ed WA3WSJ
Ed K3YTR
Glen NK1N
Ron WA8YIH and his son, Cole
John NU3E
Rob KE3TI
Craig WB3GCK

Ron WA8YIH operated phone and ran CW on 80M

I spent most of the weekend hobbling around on a bum knee, so I didn’t get pictures of everyone there. WA3WSJ will likely post more on the Boschveldt QRP Club website.

I operated on 40M only with a 53-ft inverted L. I gave my new K1EL WKmini CW interface its first real workout. I have to say it performed flawlessly for me. One of the highlights for me was working W1AW.

KE3TI operating CW. Rob joined us for the first time this year.

I think it’s safe to say that none of our group are hardcore contesters. We just enjoy camping together and playing some radio. I haven’t received everyone’s logs yet, but I’m sure we won’t be leading our category. Nonetheless, it was a good time.

Weather-wise, it has a hot and humid weekend. We had some rain Saturday afternoon; thankfully, it didn’t last long. Overall, it was far from the worst weather we’ve endured for Field Day.

Fueling up for the day at the Boschveldt QRP Club Field Day

Our next major group outing will be in January 2022. We’re planning to have our annual Winter get-together at the Daniel Boone Homestead.

I hope everyone had a successful and safe Field Day.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt Summer Camp 2020

A few of the Boschveldt QRP Club members descended upon Pine Grove Furnace State Park over the weekend for some camping, hiking, and radio. Although the weather was hot, we had a rain-free weekend and a good time hanging out with old friends.

Located in Cumberland County in south-central Pennsylvania, Pine Grove Furnace is a beautiful park with a wooded campground. For this trip, there were four of us occupying two campsites: Ed WA3WSJ, Glen NK1N, John NU3E, and me, WB3GCK.

(L-R) WB3GCK, WA3WSJ, NK1N, and NU3E at Pine Grove Furnace State Park

On Saturday, Ed, Glen, and John set out to hike the Pole Steeple Trail, a short but steep trail leading to a scenic overlook. NK1N was planning to operate in the CQ Worldwide VHF Contest as a Hilltopper station, and the others went for the view. Ron WA8YIH and his family also came out for the day to join them for the hike.

I decided not to challenge my knees with the steep climb and opted to stay back at the campsite for a POTA activation. (Pine Grove Furnace is K-1398 for POTA and KFF-1398 for WWFF.) I set up my 19-foot vertical on the back of my truck and fired up my KX3 at 5 watts.

WB3GCK set-up for a POTA/WWFF activation at Pine Grove Furnance State Park.

Despite my low power, I managed to put 27 CW contacts in the log, including one park-to-park contact. At one point, I took a break from my activation to work NK1N on 6M SSB and 2M FM, along with NU3E on 2M FM. I was happy with the 30 contacts, given that this was a short, impromptu activation. Due to the lousy cell phone coverage in the campground, I was unable to spot myself. So, I’m grateful to the kind folks who stumbled upon my QRP signal and spotted me.

NK1N operating in the CQ Worldwide VHF Contest from the Pole Steeple Trail. (Photo by NU3E)

Following the hike, the other guys stopped for well-deserved ice cream before returning to the campsite. Their tales of hiking the steep trail in the high heat confirmed that I was right in opting out. With my knee issues, that hike would have been risky for me.

After breakfast on Sunday, we started packing up before the temperatures heated up again. On my two-hour drive home, I was able to talk to WA3WSJ and NU3E at various times on 2M, and that helped to make the drive seem shorter.

It was great hanging out with the Boschveldt crew again, but it’s also great to be back in air conditioning again.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt Field Day 2020

This year has presented some challenges, but the members of the Boschveldt QRP Club were up for those challenges. We adapted to the current situation and held our annual Field Day outing—with suitable precautions, of course.

The sign at the entrance to the Boschveld QRP Club (W3BQC) Field Day site

We convened at the same location we’ve used for the past few years. A local businessman graciously allows us to camp on a section of his property for the weekend. We had the following members in attendance this year: Ed WA3WSJ, Glen NK1N, Ed K3YTR, Ron WA8YIH, John NU3E, and me.

Now, here’s where things changed a bit. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented some guidelines:

Tents had to be at least 10 feet apart—no problem, given the large field we were on.
No central food preparation area. Each member was responsible for providing and cooking their food.
No sharing of radio equipment
Maintain social distancing, especially around the campfire.
No outside visitors

This year we operated in the 4A Battery category—using QRP, of course. We ran 4 HF stations, plus a satellite station and a VHF/UHF station.

As usual, I ran CW on 40M and 80M, with my tent serving as both my sleeping quarters and radio shack. I ran my KX3 into a 53 foot inverted L. I used a 17-AHr gel cell for my rig and a deep cycle battery to charge my laptop.

Yours truly, WB3GCK, operating CW from my tent. (Photo by WA3WSJ)

Glen NK1N worked the satellites and had a slick setup for his Jeep. The Jeep also served as his sleeping quarters. There’s a lot of tree cover at this site, so Glen set up in an open spot near the entrance to the property. As a result, he had his best year ever from this site.

Glen NK1N took a break from the satellites to tune into the W1AW digital broadcasts to copy the Field Day Bulletin. He also checked into the paNBEMS on Sunday morning to pass our Field Day radiogram to the EPA Section Manager.

Not far from the satellite station, Ed K3YTR operated the VHF/UHF station from his car. Like last year, Ed slept in a slick, little teardrop trailer he rented for the weekend.

Ron WA8YIH operated both digital modes and phone from his tent/sleeping quarters. He also used a KX3 with an inverted L. Ron supplied the firewood for our evening campfires, which is a traditional feature of a Boschveldt Field Day.

John NU3E has been a member of this group for a long time, but this was his first Field Day with us. John operated CW on 15M and 10M using a KX2 with a dipole. John used his backpacking tent for lodging.

NU3E operating CW. This was John's first Field Day with the Boschveldt QRP Club. — NU3E operating CW. This was John’s first Field Day with the Boschveldt QRP Club.

Ed WA3WSJ operated CW on 20M, using his KX2 and an inverted L. Ed spent the first night on a cot underneath a tarp. He also had a neat sleeping setup in his car. He used that on Saturday night, due to the weather forecast.

WA3WSJ taking a break. Ed's station is in the background. — WA3WSJ taking a break. Ed’s station is in the background.

Field Day for the Boschveldt QRP Club is by and large a social event; we aren’t in it for the score. Sure, we operate, but there are lots of breaks and plenty of socializing. We had a campfire each night and exercised our tradition of roasting marshmallow Peeps®. (If you haven’t tried roasting Peeps®, you haven’t lived!)

The initial weather forecast for Saturday looked dire. We were under a severe thunderstorm watch for Saturday afternoon and evening. Instead, we only had some light rain on Saturday morning. The rest of the weekend was dry and storm-free.

Despite our social distancing protocols, we had a fun weekend. It sure was great to be out of our homes and camping with old friends again.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Mohican Outdoor Center 2020

The Boschveldt QRP Club convened for our Winter trip to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in northern New Jersey. We all enjoyed a fun weekend of ham radio in a scenic setting.

As in past years, we rented a cabin at the Mohican Outdoor Center (MOC) near Blairstown, New Jersey. This year’s crew included Ed K3YTR, Glen NK1N, Ed K3BVQ, John NU3E, Ed WA3WSJ, Walt KB3SBC, and me.

Ed WA3WSJ (L) and Walt KB3SBC outside the cabin

On Friday, some of the early arrivals headed out to Crater Lake to do some operating. The road down to the lake was closed, so they operated from the nearby Blue Mountain Lakes Trailhead instead. I arrived mid-afternoon as NK1N and NU3E were putting up an inverted L antenna outside the cabin. Glen had already set up a station inside the cabin. After settling in and catching up with old friends, we all drove into Blairstown for dinner at Buck Hill Brewery and Restaurant.

Ed K3YTR (L) trying his loop antenna inside the cabin with Ed K3BVQ observing

I volunteered to provide breakfast on Saturday, so I made breakfast sandwiches for everyone. (I refer to them as Craig McMuffins—with apologies to a certain fast-food restaurant chain.)

Glen NK1N making some satellite contacts outside the cabin

After breakfast, everyone took off in different directions. NK1N and NU3E hiked up to Raccoon Ridge on the Appalachian Trail. WA3WSJ went over to the Pennsylvania side to operate from some scenic overlooks. K3YTR did some experimenting with antennas back at the cabin.

I operated stationary-mobile at the Blue Mountain Lakes Trailhead to make some contacts in the SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (WES). I did a National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) activation from this spot back in 2016. K3BVQ and KB3SBC were parked about a half-mile down the road from me doing a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation of Delaware Water Gap.

Ed K3BVQ (L) and Walt KB3SBC doing a POTA activation of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

I made about a dozen SKCC contacts, including K3BVQ down the road. (Ed was a solid 599, of course.) Later, while tuning around on 20M, I heard WA3WSJ calling CQ with the club’s callsign, W3BQC. Ed was across the river in Pennsylvania at a site overlooking Delaware Water Gap. We had some heavy QRM during our short contact, but we managed to complete the QSO.

My location at the Blue Mountain Lakes Trailhead

Later that night, we went back into town for our customary Saturday night dinner at the Blairstown Inn. We had a few beers, great food, lots of tall stories, and plenty of laughter. That was a great way to end the day.

NU3E made his incredible Belgian waffles for breakfast on Sunday. John’s amazing waffles have become a Sunday morning tradition on these trips. After breakfast, it was time to pack up and clean up the cabin.

John NU3E making his amazing Belgian waffles for breakfast on Sunday morning

I always look forward to these Winter trips with my old QRP buddies. I think it’s fair to say everyone had a great time again this year.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Boschveldt QRP Field Day 2019

Well, another Boschveldt QRP Club Field Day is in the books. We had a much smaller crew this year but a good time was had by all.

Once again, we were graciously hosted by a local businessman who allowed us to use his private property. Pennsylvania has had a lot of rain lately, so parts of our Field Day site were soggy, to say the least. (My poor truck needs a bath!) We adapted nicely, keeping our equipment on the higher parts of the property.

This year, we ran 2A (QRP and battery-powered) in the Eastern Pennsylvania section. We used the club’s callsign, W3BQC. A few of our regular attendees had other obligations this year. So, this was a scaled-back Field Day for us. The main participants were Ed K3YTR, Ed WA3WSJ and me. On Saturday, Paul KB3ZOH and Diane KC3AOA stopped by for a visit.

I operated CW on 40M and below from my tent. I was running my KX3 at 5 watts with a 53-foot inverted L antenna fed through a 9:1 unun. I used a tree to secure the far end of the horizontal part of the antenna. It only took me 3 tries to hit my target branch. That’s pretty good for me.

WB3GCK - running CW from my tent — WB3GCK – running CW from my tent

WA3WSJ operated CW on 20M and above using a minimalist set up under an umbrella. He was running his KX2 into a 50-foot inverted L. He also camped out in his hammock under a tarp.

WA3WSJ operating CW with his minimalist setup

K3YTR worked SSB on 6M, 2M and 440 from his car and slept in a slick little teardrop camper. We used the trailer’s rear kitchen for our cooking.

The kitchen area of K3YTR's teardrop camper — The kitchen area of K3YTR’s teardrop camper

On the air, the bands were up and down. WA3WSJ and I both noted some deep fading on the HF bands. Nonetheless, we had no trouble making contacts. I had good luck on 40M, working stations all over the East Coast and out to the mid-West. WA3WSJ was working stations coast-to-coast, including the U.S. Virgin Islands. K3YTR, unfortunately, was plagued with equipment problems, so he didn’t have much luck on the VHF/UHF bands.

As always, the Boschveldt crew takes a lot of breaks for food and socializing. After dark, we gather around the campfire to roast marshmallow Peeps® and swap tall tales. We definitely are not hardcore contesters.

As always, no records were broken over the weekend. Still, it’s always a good time when our little band of QRPers gets together.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Mohican Outdoor Center 2019

Each January, the Boschveldt QRP Club makes its pilgrimage to the Delaware Water Gap. Each year has presented unique challenges. Over the years we’ve had to contend with rain, snow, fog, bitter cold, and power outages. This year, it was snow and ice.

The Boschveldt QRP Club's base of operations at the Mohican Outdoor Center. This picture was taken before the weekend snow and ice arrived. — The Boschveldt QRP Club’s base of operations at the Mohican Outdoor Center. This picture was taken before the weekend snow and ice arrived.

For the 16th year, our small band of QRPers has rented a cabin at the Mohican Outdoor Center (MOC) in northern New Jersey. (This was my 5th year making the trip.) We always look forward to doing some socializing and doing some QRP operating. We had the following QRPers on hand: WA3WSJ, KB3SBC, NK1N, WA8YIH, WB3GCK, K3YTR, K3BVQ, W3CJW, and NU3E.

The forecast for the weekend looked dire. Initial predictions called for up to a foot of snow with a layer of ice. Regardless, the weather forecast didn’t deter the Boschveldt crew.

By the time I arrived at the cabin on Friday, some of our crew had already installed three antennas and stations. After settling in, our activities included socializing, dinner, and operating. We had folks operating CW, SSB, and FT8, some going late into the night.

On Saturday, several members operated from the cabin. WA3WSJ and NK1N headed up to High Point State Park to do some pedestrian-mobile operating.

Two of the stations in the cabin. (l-r) NK1N, WA8YIH, and K3YTR.

My plan was to operate from the Blue Mountain Lakes trailhead. But, I found the road to the trailhead snow-covered and closed to traffic. I returned to the cabin to make some contacts from there.

WB3GCK operating CW at the cabin — WB3GCK operating CW from the cabin

On Saturday night, we headed into town for dinner at a local inn. We were happy to learn that we would be getting less snow than initially predicted. After dinner, some of our stalwart operators again took to the airwaves.

On Sunday morning, NU3E made his amazing waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. John’s waffles are a traditional Sunday breakfast at our MOC gatherings.

K3YTR relaxing at MOC (with WA8YIH in the background)

Outside, we had 3-4 inches of snow overnight with a thin layer of ice on top. After packing up and cleaning off our vehicles, we all headed out and went our separate ways.

It was another fun weekend with the Boschveldt crew. The radio stuff is fun but it’s especially nice spending time with some old friends. This annual gathering always goes by too fast.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Heads Up: Boschveldt QRP Club on the Air

Boschveldt QRP Club patch This weekend (January 18-20, 2019), the Boschveldt QRP Club will be holding our annual Winter get together. We’ll be converging on a cabin at the Mohican Outdoor Center in northern New Jersey for a weekend of QRP fun.

This year, our group will be resurrecting the Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Event (PBMME). We’ll be using our club’s callsign, W3BQC. Some operators will be in the cabin and others will be out portable and pedestrian-mobile. Operations will be CW/SSB/Digital on various bands, 80M through 70cm. Times, modes, and frequencies are at the discretion of the individual operators. Your best bet is to watch for W3BQC on the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) or QRPSPOTS.com.

The Mohican Outdoor Center in northern New Jersey is a popular stop along the Appalachian Trail.

Everyone who works W3BQC over the weekend will receive a PBMME certificate. See the Boschveldt QRP Club website for full details.

If you hear us, give us a call!

72, Craig WB3GCK