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KQ7L

Joel Block

24433 109th Place SE Kent, WA 98030

Click for Friday Harbor, Washington Forecast

Star Rt Stuart Island Friday Harbor, WA 98250

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From n3kl.org
Check out the latest NOAA solar report for current propagation conditions.

The World of KQ7L

Constant motion best describes my life. As a pilot for SkyWest Airlines, I find myself on the road (and in the air) from coast to coast on any given day. In fact, I've just finished 2 months of training in Salt Lake City and I am now Captain Joel!!! I'm also now based in Chicago! I seem to keep getting farthur away from the west coast. But as this has been a lifelong goal, I do feel it's worth it! When I do get to return to the Pacific Northwest, I split my time between my home in the Seattle area, my cabin on Stuart Island in the San Juans, and onboard OCEAN ALLIANCE, my sailboat in Friday Harbor, WA. Fortunately, I have HF ham antennas at all locations so my Icom 706 gets moved around alot! On the road, I'm playing with my 2-meter stuff as well.

My hideout on Stuart Island!

KQ7L/qrp

I've always tinkered in QRP projects and I'm now back on the air with a kit built transciever called the Rock-Mite from Small Wonder Labs. I spent only a couple of hours putting it together and it worked great the first time I powered it up! (that says more about the kit than my abilities!) It puts out a reported 1/2 watt although I don't have the equipment to verify that. My first QSO was with WB7AEI who lives just over 2 miles away! Not exactly DX, but I do know it works! Phil is to be commended for his patience as well. It was my first CW QSO in almost 8 years so to say my fist is rusty would be a gross understatement! I promise to stick with it, but bear with me for a few months! N0RC has put together a webpage called The Rock-Mite Files if you would like more information. Support QRP and CW!

KQ7L/MM

As I mentioned above, I have a 36-foot, steel hulled, ocean capable sailboat called the OCEAN ALLIANCE. I have email capability onboard using my Icom 706, a KamPlus TNC and the world of Winlink 2000. It's really handy. If you have any interest in Winlink 2000 or the methods used, check out the Winlink website. It is very informative. I used this page and several of the links to put my station together and it worked the first time I tried it! Also, thanks to K5RL for the article he wrote in OCEAN NAVIGATOR for the initial inspiration.

Here are a few links to my favorite HOT SPOTS on the web!

Air Seattle Inc presents Joel Block
A direct link to my Voiceover business. HIRE ME!
AC6V
Virtually every Ham Radio link known to man!!
W5WWW
Another kewl ham radio website. Lots of links.
DXer.Com
An Amateur Radio website by K0OK, one of my fellow SkyWest pilots. Even more links!
DX Summit
Not only DX info, but WWV reports, too!
ARRL
This will provide all you need about ham radio!
The AM Window
Nice jumping off spot if you like radios that glow in the dark!
AOPA
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn. Great for aviation information.
Latitudes and Attitudes
A fun sailing magazine for people on the move.
Web Page Graphics
Check out these Bells'n'Whistles for your web page.

Good DX and 73!
Joel

I have now checked my own web page