Radio Is Good This Year (and other news)

Posted by Sparrow on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 10:41 pm

I've been trying very hard this year to make at least a couple of contacts a day on HF. So far so good...

There are 3 dxpeditions out there right now. I've worked them all! 2 of them on 5 or more bands and one on 2 bands. I spent hours in the shack for my first VP6T contact, but the other bands came much easier (CW is my preferred mode)

My new goat Joy-Joy, who replaced NIck who died in November is settling in very well. She is the same age as Molly, 1/2 sister but was raised by other goats not people so she was a little on the wild side when we got her. 2 months later, we've mellowed her out and she's become a very loyal pet just like her sister.

We started our yearly through the Bible studies the first of the year. We read through completely together each year. It's one of the reasons we're still married and happy with each other 30 years on...

10 Meter DXCC

Posted by Sparrow on Thursday, December 15, 2011 01:40 pm

The final confirmation I needed for DXCC on 10 meters has finally come through. Thanks to UA2FR who uploaded his logs a couple of days ago. This will be my 6th DXCC award.

Still trying hard to finish Honor Roll before 2015. I think it's possible, but I need 35 more to make it, and those are some hard ones to find!

Spend 99% of my time on CW. I only use phone if there's a station I need and that's all they're using.

Filling In the Holes

Posted by Sparrow on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 10:41 pm

While I wait for new DX to find its way into my log, I've been working on finishing off DXCC on 10 meters. With the recent sunspot activity, 10 has been on fire. 3 weeks ago I only had 20 confirmed on 10 meters. Today I have 76 confirmed on 10. Not too bad for 3 weeks work for an hour or so a day.

Need 25 more for 17 meter DXCC and 21 more for 40 meters.

As winter draws closer, I'll put my 160 inverted V back up and work on that band as well. (My 80 V is up right now) 

Hoping to finish off 5 band DXCC by the end of next year, and Honor Roll soon after, depending on the needed dxpedition schedules.

Most of all, I'm just having fun!

Steve Jobs Death

Posted by Sparrow on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 08:33 pm

As I read all the tweets and news reports of Steve Jobs' death I keep seeing references to all the great stuff he brought to the world, but nothing about the man himself. Personally, I do not own any Apple products and likely never will. Thus, I was not one of those touched by Steve Jobs.

But what is greatness?

The measure of a man is not what he invents or sells to the world. That's capitalism, something our great country does better than anyone else. Capitalism let him build a huge company worth billions. Fine, but does that make him great?

A man's true greatness is measured in how he treats his fellow man, and most of all by his relationship to God the father and His son, Jesus, who died for all of our sins. 

In my job working in the media for 30 years, I met many men who were considered great. Only one or two of them actually were. Most of the truely great men I have known had no fame or fortune, but did have such a strong relationship with Christ that it could be seen and understood even by unbelievers.

Take Mr. Jobs early death from cancer as a reminder that life is short, and that before your own death you should accept Christ as your savior and build for yourself a certain furture even after your mortal flesh passes away.

- Just say'n

Great Radio Week

Posted by Sparrow on Saturday, September 24, 2011 07:27 pm

Been making an effort to spend some more time on HF this last week or so. I've programmed my spotting software to give me everything I haven't worked on a new band who uses Logbook of the World. Watching the spots, I've been working absolutly everyone who fits the above criteria.

I've picked up 50 new countries on 10 meters and 25 new countries on 12 meters. Those two bands have been really hopping the past 3 days and I've spent hours in the shack taking advantage of that fact. I just wish I had the energy to stay awake past sunset so I could finish DXCC on 40 meters, but at least I'm catching up on 10 and 12!

Good DX everyone, and if you haven't yet, please consider joining Logbook of the World!

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