DitWit Portable Radio

Amateur Radio

  • 241005@US-3005 Eisenhower State Park and GCARC Fall Campout

    Well, I just stepped into a steaming file of horse apples of my own making.  I write these things, these blog posts, in Windows OneNote.  Everything I’ve written to date is in my OneNote, including the two hours I’ve written… Continue reading

    241005@US-3005 Eisenhower State Park and GCARC Fall Campout

  • 240927@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

    A friend and Elmer Mark, AA2MA, picked up an IC-706Mk2G for me from the Huntsville Hamfest.  He found me a good deal and arranged all of the mailing.  Here’s the backstory. I wanted an all mode, all band radio. I… Continue reading

    240927@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

  • 240921 The Great Oklahoma Raid

    I woke Saturday morning with the urge to make a quick raid across the Red River to steal some parks – unexplored territory and parks I’ve never activated.  A recovering Oklahoman himself, there’s no better guide and interpreter than W5DRT,… Continue reading

    240921 The Great Oklahoma Raid

  • 240905 Queen Wilhelmina Rove

    I like to Rove.  I like the challenge and I like the sense of accomplishment.  I feel like a “real” portable operator – all the planning, the packing and unpacking, the setting up and tearing down, the making solid contacts… Continue reading

    240905 Queen Wilhelmina Rove

  • Unlicensed Preppers

    “Just get the ham equipment so you have it.  You don’t need a license to use it in an emergency.” Hmmm.  I regularly read this on the Facebook feed for “Radio Preppers”.  Gil Grusen founded and administers the feed where… Continue reading

    Unlicensed Preppers

  • 240816 @ US-6553 Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site

    Not a bad day in the park.  I’m trying to maintain my two-activations per week tempo, so any chance for a Friday feels like a bonus.  I had work meetings scheduled into the afternoon but by 0800, they started to… Continue reading

    240816 @ US-6553 Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site

  • 280810 Hometown Rove

    I’ve found myself taking for granted the collection of close parks at home. Looking at the dots on the POTA map, I daydream about Air BnBs and clusters of dots in exotic lands like….. Arkansas. I think about the East… Continue reading

    280810 Hometown Rove

  • 240720@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

    Whew, what a great day for radio. The birds were chirping, the bees were buzzing, and the thermometer stayed  under a hundred.  I had some things to take care of yesterday after work, namely sleep, so I was on fire… Continue reading

    240720@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

  • 240707@US-6591 Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area

    New Park!  Now, last time I went to Paris, TX, I came home with a brand new Yaesu FT-991A so I avoided that side of town.  The town has a population of about 25,000 and boasts both a Brookshire’s AND… Continue reading

    240707@US-6591 Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area

  • 240704@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

    Happy Independence Day!  Full disclosure, I’m more Texan than American.  My values and priorities are seldom aligned with those of our government, and apparently, are not aligned with the visible voting Americans.  I definitely have more in common with Ham… Continue reading

    240704@US-0548 Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge