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September garden progress

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Etherkit Goodies

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SC QSO Party 2024 results

Just saw that the SC QSO Party 2024 results are available. According to the results, W4BXC had 115 QSOs, 58 multipliers, 29 counties, scoring 21498 points (including 850 bonus points). Looks like 4 QSOs got busted or something. That got us to 13th place in the Phone only category. This year’s SCQP had a total of 406 logs submitted and 27468 QSOs this year. Next edition of the SC QSO party is…

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Tobacco hornworm

Found a bunch of these big fat green caterpillars monching away on the jalapeno plants. Google image search identified them as tobacco hornworms (manduca sexta). Plucked about 6 of hornworms off the jalapeno plants (they have a pretty good grip for something so squishy) and flung them out into the road where at least 3 of them ended up getting squashed by passing traffic. The caterpillars…

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CW key collection: Begali Camelback

The Begali Camelback is the newest addition to my straight key collection. I had been wanting to get a Begali straight key for a while and finally got one at Hamcation last year. Begali Camelback straight key If any company can lay claim to being the Cadillac of CW key makers, I’d say it would be Begali. The Camelback isn’t their most expensive key, but it’s still beautifully made and crafted.…

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CW key collection: Vibroplex Vibrokeyer Standard

I don’t remember how I ended up with this Vibroplex Vibrokeyer Standard, but it’s been part of the collection for a few years. The Vibrokeyer is a nice paddle and doesn’t take a lot of effort to use. It’s built on a solid weighty metal base and has a pretty nice, smooth action. The feet on the bottom have become hard and slick from age so it tends to slide around on the table a bit. I have to…

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CW key collection: Hi-Mound BK-100

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CW key collection: The Key key

One of the more unique straight keys in my collection is one I acquired from an ARRL Auction a few years ago. Yay, @arrl auction items arrived! Love this CW key made from a…key #hamradio pic.twitter.com/J3i4DJ3Hi1— imabug (@imabug) October 30, 2020 It’s a metal (brass I think) decorative (I presume) old fashioned key mounted on a simple plywood base. The two spring terminals on the left side of…

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CW key collection: J-38

I’ve managed to accumulate a small (5) collection of CW keys over the years, starting with the J-38 straight key, and most recently the Begali Camelback. After I got my amateur radio license, I knew I wanted to learn Morse code (still working on it), and I knew I wanted a straight key. I love the simplicity and the imagery of and connection to telegraphers of old hammering out CW. When it comes…

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A new straight key base

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A Hammarlund collection

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TS Debby

Looks like the week ahead is going to be pretty wet and soggy thanks to TS Debby. Current forecast has it slowing down as it goes through FL and GA and dumping a lot of rain on the area in the process. Tropical Storm Debby forecast 04-Aug-2024 5 day total rainfall forecast from Tropical Storm Debby 04-Aug-2024 From the 11AM 04-Aug-2024 forecast discussion After the system makes landfall, the…

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July Garden Progress

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First butternut squash harvest

This morning, I decided to harvest one of the first butternut squashes to start growing. First butternut squash harvested. Bananas for scale. Might be a bit on the early side, but it looked pretty ready. It’s a pretty decent size and weight. This one came out on the oblong side and not very butternut squash shaped. The other ones still in the garden are much more butternut squashed shape,…

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Tropical Storm Beryl

The second tropical storm of the season, Beryl, looks like one to keep an eye on starting the middle of next week. The forecasts show it becoming a hurricane in another day or so. The initial motion is 280/18 kt. Beryl is on the south side of a strong subtropical ridge, and this feature should steer the cyclone quickly westward or west-northwestward toward and through the Windward Islands during…

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First blog post + 21

First blog post was 21 years ago! Old enough to go out to the bar for a drink most everywhere now. Post volume hasn’t gone up like I planned or thought it might a few years ago. I’ve definitely got more projects to ramble on about, but the free time thing is lacking. I’ll just keep posting when I can I suppose.

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June garden update