Ever Have One of Those Days?

I got home at the usual time, and fired up the rig at 4:30PM (20:30Z) and started scanning 40m for a station to QSO with.  I was hearing virtually nothing.  The indexes were once again, not in my favor.  (SSN:0 SFI:70 A:4 K:1) I gave it about 40 mins, and called CQ  and got skunked.  So I watched TV with my wife for a bit and came back around 8PM (00:00Z) and tried it again. 

I was greeted with a shortwave radio broadcast that originates about 40 miles north of me in a town called Noblesville IN.  Now that we're on DST that means this program fires up at 8PM instead of 7PM. I need to build a filter for this as it coats the entire 40m band with programming..for almost 40 minutes. 

I tried ignoring it and tuned down to where the SKCC guys hang out (7048-7060) and I was able to HEAR Arkansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska...all states I need for WAS.  Unfortunately, try as I might, the 2w wasn't getting to them.  It was horrible....my key was smoking, my knuckles were sore...and no matter how hard I tried, nothing was working.

I was monitoring my signal on the Reverse Beacon Network.  My signal strength was up and down like a roller coaster.  The atmosphere and solar conditions are not being QRP friendly to me tonight.  I was getting frustrated. 

LOOK at the wide range of SNRs being reported...WOW

So I shut down at about 8:50PM and checked the mail box.  JOY oh JOY!! I love getting QSL cards in the mail...as I have explained numerous times. It's kind of weird, I know, but it's EXCITING!

N0AIE QSL Card

Ev was my South Dakota contact back on the 20th of February.  Very glad to receive his card! 

KD0DK QSL Card

Next up is this nice one from Dave out in Iowa. Are you seeing a common theme starting to unfold? All these CW operators are SKCC and/or FISTS members.  If you are a serious CW operator, I urge you to join the SKCC and FISTS.  Lot's of great fun events and a good bunch of guys to QSO with when you just need to QSO. 

Well that's it for today.  I'm shutting down and calling it a day....KB9BVN is QRT for now. 

73 de KB9BVN