August 13, 2023 World's Largest Teapot Special Event Certificate (W2T)

I received a really fun electronic certificate for working W2T on August 13, 2023 for the World's Largest Teapot Special Event Chester, West Virginia.

The World's Largest Teapot Special Event Certificate

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Maine QSO Party 2024

It is time for the Maine QSO Party 2024!  Check out www.ws1sm.com/MEQP.html for all the details.

Contest Period: 1200 UTC Saturday, September 23 to 1200 UTC Sunday, September 24, 2023.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

2000 US Counties Confirmed on QRZ.com

A big THANK YOU to Jay (K4JND) in Webster County, Kentucky for confirming my 2000th United States unique County contact on QRZ.com.

2000 is a major milestone toward completing contacts with all 3007 US Counties (66%).  I have noticed that hunting counties has become more difficult as I approach the goal line.  My Q-rate with new counties has dropped off noticeably since I reached 1900 Counties on May 27, 2023.  Fortunately, the fun is in the hunt and not in the destination.  The more challenging each new US County contact becomes, the more I enjoy it.

  

I have noticed an increase in county contacts that do not use LoTW.  I use LoTW as my primary logbook and contact confirmations.  It is a bit of a disappointment to make contact with a rare-DX US County and then discover that the radio amateur does not use LoTW.  It does help knowing that many hams eventually find their way to LoTW after having operating without it for awhile.  If you are not using LoTW, I highly recommend it.  LoTW adds a new dimension to the hobby and makes it much easier to go after challenging awards.

Interestingly, I have managed to confirm contacts with all the counties of a given state, with four states (8%). It seems to me this can be explained by the unequal distribution of radio amateurs. There will be more people (and hams operating) in counties with metropolitan areas and less in more rural areas.  For example, Greenlee Arizona is my final missing AZ County (named after Mason Greenlee, early prospector).  Greenlee County, AZ shows 39 licensed amateur radio operators on the QRZ.com county search.  Do you live in or operate in Greenlee County, AZ?  If yes, please contact me so we can set up a sked.

Are you a US County hunter?  If yes, how do you find and confirm those rare-DX US Counties?  Please leave a comment below.

Are you a US County hunter in need of Santa Cruz County, California?  If yes, be sure to let me know if you would like to set up a sked.

Onward to 2100!

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card HP1CDW April 7, 2022

Thank you, Henry (HP1CDW) for the contact with Panama and the beautiful digital QSL card.  Hope to work you again in the future.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Eight Applications of Diodes in Circuits

Started my day with an excellent 20-minute overview of diodes.  The Electronic Wizard introduces 3 types of diodes with 8 applications. In the video, he builds each application and demonstrates how the diode affects the circuit using an oscilloscope.  This video is highly recommended.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from W2CP for a contact on May 23, 2022

A big thank you to Frederick, W2CP, in Union, New Jersey for the May 23, 2022 contact and the nice digital QSL card.  I do miss the beautiful NYC skyline view from good old New Jersey.  Hope to work you again in the future.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from Ersoy (3C3CA) for a February 12, 2023 contact

Thank you to Ersoy, 3C3CA, in Equatorial Guinea-Malabo for the contact and nice digital QSL card.  I hope to work you again in the future.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from Matthew, N9YBK for a contact on August 18, 2023

I received a nice digital QSL card today from Matthew, N9YBK, in Lake Village, Indiana, USA (population 536 in 2023).  Thank you, Matthew I hope to work you again in the future.

N9YBK Digital QSL Card

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from LW2EIY for a contact on August 12, 2023

I received a nice digital QSL card today from Pedro, LW2EIY in Cordoba Argentina.  Thank you Pedro.  Hope to work you again in the future.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from Trent, K04ZML for a contact on February 15, 2023

Thank you to Trent, KO4ZML, in Altamont, Tennessee for sending a nice digital QSL card for our 15m contact on February 15, 2023.  Hope to work you again.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

100th Anniversary of the MacMillan Arctic Expedition

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the MacMillan Arctic expedition setting sail from Wiscasset, Maine, on the schooner "Bowdoin".  MacMillan named his vessel "Bowdoin," to honor his alma mater.  MacMillan taught school for a few years before being recruited as an assistant by Admiral Robert E. Peary to sail on a 1908 Arctic expedition.

Onboard the Bowdoin was a complete 200-meter amateur station donated by the Zenith Radio corporation and an amateur radio operator, Donald H. Mix (1TS) provided by the ARRL.

Zenith station aboard the Bowdoin. Left to right are Fred Schnell, Donald H. Mix, Kenneth Warner, M. B. West, and Donald MacMillan

As a member of the seven-man crew, Mix transmitted a weekly five hundred word message to the North American newspaper Alliance.  The expedition was in contact with home until its return in September 1924.

“No polar expedition will attempt to go north again without radio equipment,” predicted Captain MacMillan.


Good DX and 73, NJ2X

NJ2X.COM Kindle edition is now available.

ARRL June VHF Contest

The 2023 ARRL June VHF Contest is in full swing this weekend with the aid of sunspots.  6m has been great fun with stations heard on FT8 into the Central Coast of California from all over the US and Canada.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

1900 US Counties Confirmed on QRZ.com

A BIG thank you to Richard, N7WFK, located in Canadian County, Oklahoma, for being my 1900th United States County contact confirmed on LoTW and QRZ.com (1900 out of 3,007).

I noticed that it took me much longer to complete the last 100 Counties than it did to go from 1700 to 1800 Counties.  My q-rate for making contacts with new US Counties has noticeably decreased.  All the same, I am undeterred as completing contacts with all 3,007 US Counties is a long-term goal.  One thing that I have learned in life is to enjoy the journey more than the arriving at the destination.

Chasing US Counties is great fun and if you are looking for a new challenge in amateur radio, I encourage you to dive in.  You may be surprised how far you have progressed already.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X