As those of you who know me will confirm … I’m not much of a DXer… When theres a bunch of us out in the park with the QRP Portable rigs I am the guy who is checking into the local or not so local 40m or 80m Net. The guys on the 2nd region net got a big kick when last year I checked in to a NTS Net while operating in the Winter Field Day event and actually checked in from a Picnic Table in a park when the temps were so cold in Janurary…
So now that the bands are starting to go longer sooner I am hearing station I could not work in the warmer weather. The 2nd region Net is one that comes to mind. They meet several times a day on 3.925 as a NTS Regional Net. When I was the Net Manager of the Ontario Phone Net I was a regular there… Over the summer time the band conditions just were not good enough for me on 80m with the setup here at home but now…. I’m getting in on the first try and its enjoyable again…
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I also heard some activity on 3.750 around 2015 hours est which by my net list would be the North West Ontario Net. Most of the participants of this net are (as the name implies) in NW Ontario. For those of you with questions to a google maps thing of Thunder Bay and that should get you into the general area or just look below…
Then go North and West from there and you see the area we are talking about. So even hearing them from Ottawa on 80m is good for me with my setup…
The same can be said for 40m with me listening quite a bit on 7.055 which before anyone starts screaming… 7.055 is in the Canadian Voice Band and the home of the Trans Provincal Net along with several sessions of the Aurora Net. I just keep the rig on 7.055 when doing other stuff in the shack and its amazing what I can hear that I could not hear before…
I do plan to get a multi band vertical up for 10-12-15-17-20m in the near future cuz I figure that if the bands are good lower they might be good higher and this could be my chance to get the elusive Yukon Territories (VY1) in the log to complete my worked all Provinces and Territories along with the worked all Canadian Prefixes…. Got all the others (including Sable Island ) and just need VY1…
Just my luck that the band will be open to VY1 during the RAC Canada Winter Contest when I’m the operator at VE3JW and I’ll miss them in my log…
Anyhow…. Erika has ordered my new Android based smart phone for me and today I am going out to get a Belt Loop Style case as compared to the belt clip case which we have proven can fall off my belt when my belly gets in the way… At over $200.00 a shot I can’t really afford to keep on replacing these things… So for now if your trying to reach me email is still the best way…
73bob
