Tuning through some CW using my QRP rig in the truck.

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My Rigs

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My KD1JV Tri-Bander and Heathkit Electronic Keyer

Having the keyer is redundant with this radio,
but when these pics were taken, I didn't yet have a straight key.

Russian Morse code key that I have yet to clean up and get attached to the KD1JV.

Baofeng GT-3TP 2m / 70cm HT


UPDATE: November 10th, 2015:

YouKits HB-1B 4-Band QRP Transceiver




Update: December 2nd, 2015:

DJG-K4 Straight Key

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Amateur Radio Log

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20150815

Monitoring CW from Grand Junction, Colorado using a

KD1JV Tri-Bander with a 100ft  18guage wire attached to the MFJ Deluxe Versa Tuner II

0647hrs - 7.035MHz - heard KG0RD calling VE3TP - couldn't hear VE3TP

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20150814

0630hrs MT - listening to the Colorado Weather Net on 146.940MHz.

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20150809 Sunday 1930hrs UTC

Today I read on a Facebook QRP page that the NJQRP 4th Annual "Skeeter Hunt" was happening and so decided to try out my KD1JV with my old, rusting MFJ Deluxe Versa Tuner II and a 100ft longwire antenna.

I'm planning to trim this wire down to either 86ft or 56ft - based on some articles that I've seen on successful QRP antennas, but for now, I just wanted to give the radio a whirl with a random-length bit of wire to see how that worked out.

Using this long-wire, (#22) simply laid out on the grass in the front yard, I was able to hear CW better than I've been able to in the past with other antennas I've had plugged into the same rig in the past.

At the moment I only have a paddle for CW, and I have not practiced with it at all, so I'm not transmitting today, but it is good to know that the long wire works for listening at least, even when it's just lying down on the ground.

Today I only heard Morse on 20 meters, although I tried listening on 40m and 15m as well. No joy there, but I'll look forward to trying out the Tri-Bander when I'm able to hike up to a higher elevation and actually transmit.

While listening around 14.060 I heard the call "CQ WES" (which I had never noticed before) and, upon looking it up, discovered the SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, which I was also new to me. So now I am aware of another venue to start using CW as soon as I get my straight key up and running.