All Things HF

August 2018

Change is good. If it weren’t for change we would be wearing loin cloth whilst sleeping in a cave. I don’t always adapt to change quickly, sometimes only when I’m forced to. Changes in our great hobby of Amateur Radio are occurring at warp speed all the while I’m advancing at a snails pace.

The digital modes…they’re here to stay so adapting to SDR radio along with ‘waterfalls’ is not just going to happen someday. Someday is now!! The art of QSLing has changed. The ARRL’s LOTW has redefined the QSL card by going digital. Not me, not me. I want my QSL card for the proof I worked Mongolia or other rather exotic places.

Club Log along with the OQRS system is changing the way Bill Plum is modeling his foreign stamp business which for 35 years has been the resource for those of us that are DXCC operating Hams that have used for foreign stamps to obtain our QSL cards. As his foreign stamp inventory is depleted, it will not be replaced according to Bill Plum. This is all part of change. Just imagine sitting in your luxury condo in a high-rise building operating your remote system with a huge antenna, big amplifier, fancy radio a thousand miles away from CC&R’s that you’re operating from a laptop computer. Its all part of change. (its mind boggling too).

How about those FLEX SDR’s ? Is there no end to change in our hobby or are you like me going along at a snails pace using a mic to talk into along with knobs to turn, buttons to push with a CW paddle at the ready and…perhaps a boat anchor. Like it or not, change is coming, are you ready for change or are you like me chugging along at a snails pace enjoying a good rag chew or perhaps working an ATNO at some exotic place in this wild world of ours. I

n the meantime, sit down at your station to start calling CQ because someone somewhere is listening for your call…don’t disappoint them. So long for now from my station in Huntersville to your station wherever it my be.

Best 73 es gud DX from Bob/WØZPE