QRP at PINEY Campground

The Grand Son, Michael wanted to go fishing for a few days before he had to go back to school. You guessed it again. Another chance to do some QRP in the field. We arrived at PINEY Camp ground in Dover, TN and looked up Al Mc Irvin, K4RRO for the scoop on what was being caught in the area. After getting all the low down on the fishing we started talking radio. The Grand Son was waiting in the motor home and was chomping at the bit to wet a line. But as it happened his Grand Pa was talking radio so he just had to wait. After a short discussion about PSK 31 and Slow Scan TV, I was off to the camp site to set up my 40 meter antenna. I also made a 6 meter dipole just in case an opening came about. With the antennas up and the Grand Son in the wind fishing I was off and running on the old Icom 706.

I checked 6 meters and was not surprised to find no opening. Next on to 40 meters and I was hearing QSO's from a lot of 2's and 8's with a few 5's thrown in. Most were weak but a few were coming in good. I heard AA5KV in QSO with someone I just could not hear. I waited a while for the end of the QSO and I gave AA5KV a call. No deal he just can not hear me. I roll off and hear KF8SQ calling CQ. He is not real strong but I gave him a call anyway. No dice again.

I am feeling a little low but I have great hopes as I hear AA5KV calling CQ again. He seems a lot stronger now and I tuned him in a little better. A call goes out and he comes back giving me a 569, ALL RIGHT. John is in Shreveport, LA and gives me a FB on my QRP in the field. Now I am off and running.

I hear AE0G, Larry and K0MCR, Jim talking but they have a lot of QSB and QRM on them. Too much for me to get in a call. Then I hear WA3VYP calling CQ and I set up on him to call. Next go around he was GONE. I don't know what happened but he was not around. I hear W4PM with NN8N and they are hooking it on the band. Way to fast for me to send. Being an old Army Security Agency radio intercept operator I can copy fast but my sending speed is not as good.

I hear KS3S calling. I get off a call and he comes back with my RST as 329. Wow, that is neat. Ray is in Newark, DE and he is having a hard time coping me because of a set of thunderstorms going through his area. He is on an Icom 756 Pro, running 80 watts into a wire in his attic. He comes back with a good luck on the QRP and have fun. Boy I sure am doing just that. Next I hear KM4LT calling. I give him a quick shout and great day in the morning he comes back to me with a report of 559, from Ed in Richmond, VA. Ed is working an FT 840 running 90 watts into a vertical, FB. The Grand Son comes up and wants to know if I am going to go fishing? I thought that was what I was doing on the radio. Ha.... Oh well I guess it is time to go for now. Take care and take QRP into the field the first chance you get. 72 I want to thank Al, K4RRO and the PINEY CAMP STAFF for being such fine hosts during my stay at their camp ground. What a great place to work QRP.