Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
Same thing on many (not all!) of those SOTA peaks. I keep giving 599's to stations that I know would only be 339's to me at home. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Jul 29, 2018 at 11:25 AM Christopher Hoover wrote: > I did much the same with my KX2 on Santa Cruz Island (part of Channel > Islands, 20 miles off the coast of Ventura) two weeks ago. Definitely > recommended. > > 73 de AI6KG > > > On Sat, Jul 28, 2018 at 10:21 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote: > > > Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast > > of southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal > > tourist paradise in another country, except that it’s just 26 miles from > > Long Beach. Definitely a bucket-list item. > > > > To recover from two days of gawking at beach scenery and tapping generous > > libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to take in the view from 1500 > > feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. > > > > From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up > > the Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista > to > > the north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I > > picked up the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending > even > > further to a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. > (The > > trail down from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, I’ll go the > > opposite direction.) > > > > This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out of its tiny ES40 > bag > > and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. > > > > Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running > > 10 watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both > > acoustic and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor > tinnitus > > condition. No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and > the > > radio equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that > > were merely thinking about transmitting. > > > > It would be tempting to weave a tall tale about DX worked from this > > idyllic overlook. Truth is I just listened for awhile, marveling at how > > sparkling clean everything sounded without the usual three coats of RF > > grunge we often suffer at home. The noise drops with any trip away from > > civilization, of course, but this was exceptional. > > > > It’s yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we keep > designing > > rigs like the KX2. > > > > 73, > > Wayne > > N6KR > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to c...@murgatroid.com > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to lightdazz...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
I did much the same with my KX2 on Santa Cruz Island (part of Channel Islands, 20 miles off the coast of Ventura) two weeks ago. Definitely recommended. 73 de AI6KG On Sat, Jul 28, 2018 at 10:21 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote: > Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast > of southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal > tourist paradise in another country, except that it’s just 26 miles from > Long Beach. Definitely a bucket-list item. > > To recover from two days of gawking at beach scenery and tapping generous > libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to take in the view from 1500 > feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. > > From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up > the Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista to > the north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I > picked up the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending even > further to a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. (The > trail down from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, I’ll go the > opposite direction.) > > This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out of its tiny ES40 bag > and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. > > Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running > 10 watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both > acoustic and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor tinnitus > condition. No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and the > radio equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that > were merely thinking about transmitting. > > It would be tempting to weave a tall tale about DX worked from this > idyllic overlook. Truth is I just listened for awhile, marveling at how > sparkling clean everything sounded without the usual three coats of RF > grunge we often suffer at home. The noise drops with any trip away from > civilization, of course, but this was exceptional. > > It’s yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we keep designing > rigs like the KX2. > > 73, > Wayne > N6KR > > > > > > > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to c...@murgatroid.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
A group of us activated Alpine County for the Cal QSO Party for 10+ years. We gave up when we realized we were way too old to be that isolated, and we were tired of getting beat up by the weather. Our camp was about 2 km south of the summit of Monitor Pass, at about 8,500 ft. The noise was S0 [except for precip static when it snowed], and it seemed we could hear folks as it began to cross their minds to turn on the rig! It's truly amazing how quiet it can be when there is no grid or other stations or SMPS around you for what seems like forever. 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County On 7/28/2018 4:54 PM, Joan via Elecraft wrote: “I could hear stations that were merely thinking about transmitting” Yes <3 This is what it was like when living off the grid in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula years ago. Now, living in Seattle, it is only during occasional off-grid campouts that my KX2 gets to do this as well! Tnx fer the story = FB es 73 de KX2CW Joane e __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
“I could hear stations that were merely thinking about transmitting” Yes <3 This is what it was like when living off the grid in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula years ago. Now, living in Seattle, it is only during occasional off-grid campouts that my KX2 gets to do this as well! Tnx fer the story = FB es 73 de KX2CW Joane e Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra, said Piglet. Shaka, when the walls fell, said Pooh. > On Jul 28, 2018, at 10:27, Ken Arck wrote: > > When we lived in SoCal, we used to spend just about every summer weekend at > the Isthmus or Emerald Bay (we had a Catalina 36 sailboat and did the > backstay antenna thing). > > Wish Elecraft was around back then > > Ken > > > At 10:21 AM 7/28/2018, Wayne Burdick wrote: >> Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast of >> southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal tourist >> paradise in another country, except that it’s just 26 miles from Long Beach. >> Definitely a bucket-list item. To recover from two days of gawking at beach >> scenery and tapping generous libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to >> take in the view from 1500 feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. >> From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up >> the Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista to >> the north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I >> picked up the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending even >> further to a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. (The >> trail down from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, I’ll go the >> opposite direction.) This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out >> of its tiny ES40 bag and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. >> Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running 10 >> watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both >> acoustic and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor tinnitus >> condition. No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and the >> radio equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that >> were merely thinking about transmitting. It would be tempting to weave a >> tall tale about DX worked from this idyllic overlook. Truth is I just >> listened for awhile, marveling at how sparkling clean everything sounded >> without the usual three coats of RF grunge we often suffer at home. The >> noise drops with any trip away from civilization, of course, but this was >> exceptional. It’s yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we >> keep designing rigs like the KX2. 73, Wayne N6KR >> __ Elecraft >> mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: >> http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This >> list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: >> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k...@arcomcontrollers.com > > -- > President and CTO - Arcom Communications > Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. > http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ > Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and > we offer complete repeater packages! > AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 > http://www.irlp.net > "We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!" > > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
Bravo Wayne - great story with a great moral. Thanks for reminding us to get out of the shack and enjoy this great country! Catalina is a great place to do so ... Bill K4YJJ ex Huntington Beach resident > On Jul 28, 2018, at 3:49 PM, Joseph Reed wrote: > > Sounds awesome, a great solo expedition. But what did you work? > > Joe N9JR > >> On Jul 28, 2018, at 12:21 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: >> >> Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast of >> southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal tourist >> paradise in another country, except that it’s just 26 miles from Long Beach. >> Definitely a bucket-list item. >> >> To recover from two days of gawking at beach scenery and tapping generous >> libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to take in the view from 1500 >> feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. >> >> From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up >> the Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista to >> the north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I >> picked up the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending even >> further to a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. (The >> trail down from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, I’ll go the >> opposite direction.) >> >> This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out of its tiny ES40 bag >> and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. >> >> Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running 10 >> watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both >> acoustic and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor tinnitus >> condition. No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and the >> radio equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that >> were merely thinking about transmitting. >> >> It would be tempting to weave a tall tale about DX worked from this idyllic >> overlook. Truth is I just listened for awhile, marveling at how sparkling >> clean everything sounded without the usual three coats of RF grunge we often >> suffer at home. The noise drops with any trip away from civilization, of >> course, but this was exceptional. >> >> It’s yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we keep designing >> rigs like the KX2. >> >> 73, >> Wayne >> N6KR >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> __ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> Message delivered to jer...@ameritech.net > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to bcobb...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
Sounds awesome, a great solo expedition. But what did you work? Joe N9JR > On Jul 28, 2018, at 12:21 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: > > Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast of > southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal tourist > paradise in another country, except that it’s just 26 miles from Long Beach. > Definitely a bucket-list item. > > To recover from two days of gawking at beach scenery and tapping generous > libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to take in the view from 1500 > feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. > > From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up the > Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista to the > north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I picked up > the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending even further to > a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. (The trail down > from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, I’ll go the opposite > direction.) > > This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out of its tiny ES40 bag > and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. > > Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running 10 > watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both acoustic > and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor tinnitus condition. > No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and the radio > equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that were > merely thinking about transmitting. > > It would be tempting to weave a tall tale about DX worked from this idyllic > overlook. Truth is I just listened for awhile, marveling at how sparkling > clean everything sounded without the usual three coats of RF grunge we often > suffer at home. The noise drops with any trip away from civilization, of > course, but this was exceptional. > > It’s yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we keep designing > rigs like the KX2. > > 73, > Wayne > N6KR > > > > > > > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to jer...@ameritech.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor
When we lived in SoCal, we used to spend just about every summer weekend at the Isthmus or Emerald Bay (we had a Catalina 36 sailboat and did the backstay antenna thing). Wish Elecraft was around back then Ken At 10:21 AM 7/28/2018, Wayne Burdick wrote: Last week my family and I went to Avalon, Catalina Island, off the coast of southern California. What an awesome place! It feels like a coastal tourist paradise in another country, except that itâs just 26 miles from Long Beach. Definitely a bucket-list item. To recover from two days of gawking at beach scenery and tapping generous libations, I set off on a 6 mile solo hike to take in the view from 1500 feet. And to sneak in a little stealth radio op. From downtown Avalon I walked to the Wrigley Memorial, then zig-zagged up the Garden to Sky trail for 1.2 miles, where I was rewarded with a vista to the north that includes another of the Channel Islands. At this point I picked up the jeep road for another half mile, heading east, ascending even further to a gazebo overlooking the Hermit Gulch campground far below. (The trail down from here is very steep; if I ever do it again, Iâll go the opposite direction.) This gazebo was the perfect spot to break the KX2 out of its tiny ES40 bag and deploy the whip, which took all of 30 seconds. Aside from the obvious (gorgeous WX, killer view, and the joy of running 10 watts hand-held to an AX1 whip on 15/17/20), I was blessed with both acoustic and RF noise floors so low that I was reminded of a minor tinnitus condition. No wind, no other humans, the occasional cry of a hawk, and the radio equivalent of a peaceful, easy feeling. I could hear stations that were merely thinking about transmitting. It would be tempting to weave a tall tale about DX worked from this idyllic overlook. Truth is I just listened for awhile, marveling at how sparkling clean everything sounded without the usual three coats of RF grunge we often suffer at home. The noise drops with any trip away from civilization, of course, but this was exceptional. Itâs yet another reason to get out of the shack. And why we keep designing rigs like the KX2. 73, Wayne N6KR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k...@arcomcontrollers.com -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net "We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!" __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
