Ham On A Bike

  As many of you know, most of my portable operating is done via a bicycle.  When I discovered the QRP Labs QCX Mini series it was like the heavens opened up for my QRP portable operating. For years I've used my Yaesu FT-817 for portable operating especially while doing my bike touring activities.  The FT-817 provided multi-mode options but during my bike tours the unit and accessories took up a lot of space in my panniers.  So the QCX Mini rigs are the perfect portable rigs for my CW and bike touring activities. I opted to order a 40 meter QCX Mini kit. The backlog for an assembled units was too long for my liking so why not put my ham radio skills to work and build this unit. I completed my unit in a couple of weeks without any major flaws. Made so minor adjustments for power output and I was off to the races.   Those first few weeks of operating only wetted my appetite to purchase another unit. Just before ordering another kit, I came upon an operator wh...

  If  any of you follow "LIVE" broadcast of American Football you may have heard the announcers refer to a defense scheme called "Cover Two".  It is a defensive setup that uses two deep safeties to protect the two deep halves of the field.   This is what I use to describe the "CW MOUSE COVER" for the QRP LABS QCX Mini and QMX QRP Transceivers.  Why do I call it the "COVER TWO"?  Because it protects the two knobs and two buttons on top of these two QRP radios, The developer of the CW Mouse Paddle and now this cover asked me to test ride his CW Mouse Cover. There are a few of these covers out within our community but this is the only one I've had an opportunity to use.  I am not able to compare it with any of the others so the opinions I give are strictly based on my use and how it works for me.  The first thing I observed with my test model was it is made from 3D PLA printed material. (PETG material is available upon request).  My cover i...

  Renowned Golfer Jack Nicklaus made this quote about fishing.  "There are always places to go fishing. For any fisherman there's always a new place, a new horizon".   I equate that quote to my portable Amateur Radio activities. There are always places to go operate Ham Radio.  There are always NEW Parks on the Air, Summits on the Air, Islands on the Air and other places to operate portable and another day or opportunity to make a QSO. During my daily Early Bird Parks on the Air activation on August 13, 2025, I decided to operate QRPp ( less than 1 Watt ) with my QRP Labs QCX 40 Meter Mini with a 9 Volt / 200 mAH battery.  Due to the excessive heat in the Ohio River Valley in Kentucky, U.S.;  I try to get out around dawn to "Beat the Heat" and recently take advantage of the morning greyline over my QTH. I don't operate QRPp often but I looked back at my previous QRPp operating and found I seem to do this when HF band conditions are questionable.  ...

If you look at the above photo, it may depict a lonely road. That is far from the truth.    BEHOLD!  I Am Not Alone. There Are Many Of Us. Its just another day in how I've done my portable ham radio activities for years. For various reasons I became Car-Free more than 10 years ago.  Bicycle transportation is widely more prevalent in countries outside of the U.S. However, that doesn't negate some of the U.S. Amateur Radio operators who participate in Parks on the Air, Summit of the Air,  World Wide Flora Fauna activities and others who provide VHf/UHF Public Service communications from using cycling to enjoy portable ham radio activities. For those Amateur Radio operators  outside of the U.S.  who use cycling in their portable operating, it seems to be second nature.  I get replies to social media posts and comments about my Ham on a Bike activities. All the comments have been positive. A lot of inquisitive questions about rigs, antennas, keys, bat...

With a few years of Parks on the Air (POTA) activations under my belt, I now look back to 2014 and realize I was totally oblivious what the future would hold for this first time bike tourist and the Ham Radio equipment I was carrying as it relates to the current Parks on the Air phenomenon. In 2011 after recovering from a 2008 pancreatic surgery and treatment, I started training for triathlons. I incorporated bike commuting to and from work as part of the my tri training with twice weekly before work swimming then biking 12 miles to work and treadmill running several times a week.  The triathlons were easy and fun; but the training was grueling.  In December 2013 I decided the tri training was not fun anymore and hang up my Tri Suits.  What Next? I wasn't ready to give up cycling as I found solace in bike commuting to and from work and weekend rides with a local bike club was equally fulfilling. I felt a need to fill the void of participating in triathlons. In early 2014 ...