Florida/Nebraska QSO Parties

So this weekend we decided we would go camping and enjoy the great outdoors. Now I know what you are thinking, this is a HAM radio blog not an outdoors blog. And you are thinking correct. If you want more on our camping trip you can check our Robin and Tim's Grand Adventures. Once you get back to here then you will see why it was worth going over there. Anyway, we did go camping but cut the trip short and came home.
So yesterday I decided to turn the HF on and see what the bands were doing and how bad our AC noise problem was. Surprisingly the power line noise was not affecting 20 meters at all. So I scrolled up and down the band and heard several Florida stations working the Florida QSO Party. I figured what the heck, and I worked a few stations before the first period ended within the hour I started. Once that was done I heard one station from Nebraska on 20 working the Nebraska QSO party. Considering I do not have Nebraska confirmed yet I figured what the heck and worked him too. Since that was the only Nebraska QSO party contact I made, hopefully I gave the OM an edge over everyone else and he will reward me by confirming Nebraska Hi Hi. Of course with a call like K0BLT who wouldn't want to confirm that one. That has got to be the tastiest callsign I've heard yet.
So today I thought, before we get into anything major, I would check the bands out again to see how they were doing and whether or not the AC noise was going to be a problem. I turned the rig on and it sounded promising. I to take care of a little business prior to sitting down and by the time I called my first station, the noise was starting to affect things. I made about 3 or 4 more Florida contacts before 20 was taken over completely by the noise. Grrr.

Oh well, it was a good day regardless. I got to make a few contacts and even a PSK-31 contact with Jim (N1BCL) this evening. Thanks for confirming VT so quickly Jim.

To all those I worked this weekend, thanks for the QSO's and 73.

Catch ya on the Bands,
Tim - AJ4JD