This is what I think Ham Radio is all about....

[W1GUH]

Sincerely...

Yea, I took a getaway to Syracuse to go to the hamfest up there. Briefly, it was small, but the people were wonderful. No, I didn't find that lusted for BA, but I saw and talked to a bunch of great hams, and people. But this post isn't about that.

Yea, I mobiled up and back. Most of the time I was hanging out on 40...had a few great QSO's with Q5 reports (What more do you need to hear than you've got a Q5 signal?) But then, when driving home on Saturday, when I switched over to 20, that the magic happened.

That band was wide open then. The first thing I heard as I tuned across the band was, "Enjoy this great band opening." Yep...20 was wide open to Europe, from anywhere in the US.

So I'm listening and hearing bunches of great European stations working stateside hams as fast as they could. Every station...reapeat...every station was operating with A1 operating skills with their courtesy. Wow!!!! So eventually, I jumped in and called from the mobile.

Resuts...

Worked: Croatia, Austria, The Netherlands, and Belgium. ALL of those contacts were 2xQ5, and if there weren't a lot of people who wanted to work them, they could've been great rag chews. Wish that could've happened, but the situation was that, out of courtesy, I had to be quick. This is from my quick, cheap, and easy mobile installatin. And in ALL cases, the report was 58 and "Good signal for a mobile!" You gotta know that I'm STILL "flying" from these great contacts. One of them specifically asked me about my mobile setup 'cuz he was thinging of going mobile. I sure wish I could've just hung out with those great operators longer...but...you know that courtesy dictates that that couldn't happen then. Pity. :(

It's true that every time I heard these stations say my call the TRILL I felt was in every way as good as the first time I heard my call come back to me as a novice. No shit, down and dirty. There were NO assholes that day. Warms my heart.

Yep...that's the story. But there's more...

Usually, when I run mobile, working Europe is an excersize of patience...gotta wait til I'm the only one calling. Not so on Saturday. I was holding my own (nobody else will hold if for me!!! ;) ) with FIXED stations. WOW!!! I didn't have to wait "forever" to hear my call come back...it was pretty quick. Needless to say, that was a THRILL! It also motivates me to be an even greater evangelist about operating mobile. It's quick, cheap, and easy!!!! Even the minimum installation will yield outstanding performance. Thinking about going mobile? DO IT!!!! You'll be glad you did.

I'm very, very happy and proud to be a ham.

73!!!

[K7SGJ]

Good show OM. I'm looking forward to getting the rollup on the Tundra bed installed so I can get the antenna situated. I hope to use a custom bracket I got from Breedlove with an ATAS 120 antenna. It is super heavy duty and should get the job done nicely. I also need to finish up the APRS in the truck, too. Heading for Austin over Thanksgiving to take a bunch of my daughters teaching stuff to her, and would hate to go all that way and back sans HF. By then then xyl should have her ticket I hope.

[KG4CGC]

[K7SGJ]

First time I've seen that many people in the same place with the clap.

[W1GUH]

You freakin' guy!!!!

Have a shot on my tab!

[KG4CGC]

Should you
drink this?



Congrats!

[NQ6U]

Sounds like a good time, Paul! Cool beans.

[W1GUH]

Should you
drink this?



Congrats!

Can't quite make out what that is, I'm guessing it's a really good tequila. Yep, that's appropriate, but this is what I've been drinking...




Old No. 7 brand!!!

[KG4CGC]

FB OM! A lot of people drink that :)

[KJ3N]

Thinking about going mobile? DO IT!!!! You'll be glad you did.

Been doing it for quite some time. See this post, second paragraph.

I've even work a couple of EU stations on 75m, mobile. Now THAT'S exciting!