We're Back!

For all of you that heard certain rumors concerning me - they are true.  KDØMCV is back on the air!

After a dismal few years in my personal life - which still are not all back to bliss - I have taken the rig out of storage, dusted it off, thrown up a G5RV Jr. and flipped on the filament switch.

The magic smoke works and I have been able to get on the air for both the Skywarn Recognition Day as well as the North American QSO Party, in addition to a little bit of working the bands.  Boy, I sure missed this.

Here are my QSO's from the Skywarn Recognigion Day:

2014 SKYWARNTM Recognition Day KD0MCV QSO's

Call Sign Location Band WX5AMA Amarillo, TX 20m WX4RNK Blacksburg, VA 20m WX0DEN Boulder, CO 20m WX2BUF Buffalo, NY 20m WX7LKN Elko, NV 10m W5W Fort Worth, TX 20m WX0GLD Goodland, KS 20m WX8GRR Grand Rapids, MI 40m KC0NWS Kansas City, MO 20m K5LCW Lake Charles, LA 20m WX9ILX Lincoln, IL 40m WX5LZK Little Rock, AR 20m WX4MLB Melbourne, FL 20m WX7MSO Missoula, MT 20m K4OHX Nashville, TN 20m & 40m NE0NP North Platte, NE 20m WX6LOX Oxnard, CA 10m WX4PTC Peachtree City, GA 20m WX0PUB Pueblo, CO 20m WX5TUL Tulsa, OK 20m

I was fortunate enough to work 72 stations in four countries (US, Canada, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic)  on 3 bands (10m, 20m and 40m).  While I was able to work the first hour of the contest, I had to leave and missed the next four hours - thus was limited to only the 40m band for most of the contest.

I truly am glad to be back on the air, heating up the ethereal and I sincerely hope to catch many more QSO's on the bands.

73's de KDØMCV

My First Ham Fest

Went to my first Ham Fest today.  Had one heck of a good time, even though Mama Bear didn't go with.  I overspent what I had planned, but came away with some good deals.

I also joined the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) today.  I have been interested in joining and even received an invitation to join yesterday, but I figured that there was no time better than the present to sign up, so my first purchase made today was for the ARRL.

Some of the stuff I bought today were Skywarn stickers for the truck, Skywarn license plate frame, call sign hat and name badge, Skywarn hat pin, used Kenwood TM-732A, dual-band antenna with NMO mount, duplexer and the study guide for the General License.  Also ended up walking out with a Log book (getting ready for those HF bands early), a Repeater Directory and the FCC rules. 

I was like as wide-eyed as a kid in a candy store, but I think next time I will take cash only and leave the wallet in the truck.  :o

I really want to thank the Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club in Cedar Rapids for the wonderful experience at Summerfest.  They were awesome hosts and I look forward to next year.