​Aloha from Honolulu, Hawai'i on the island of O'ahu!

"Rocky" monk seal RH58 had a new pup 29 June 2017 on the beach in Waikiki--an extremely rare event. This is thought to be Rocky's 10th pup. She usually swims to Kaua'i to deliver her pups but ended up on Kaimana Beach this time. This is a very popular beach in Waikiki--not too far from the Waikiki Aquarium and Natatorium. On 4 July, "Kaiwi" RK96 paid "Rocky" and her new pup a visit. "Rocky" barked a little at "Kaiwi" and then did not seem to mind her presence, though "Kaiwi" kept her distance. Usually, mom seals are very protective of their young. "Kaiwi" had her first pup almost a year ago on Sandy Beach (south Oahu).  Despite suspicions that "Kaiwi" may have been pregnant, she was not as she molted (shed her fur) the second week of July. 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/35784989/in-a-rare-sight-hawaiian-monk-seal-and-her-pup-make-waikiki-beach-home

 

"Rocky" (RH58) and her pup "Kaimana" (PO3) July 23, 2017. "Kaimana" is now about 25 days old. "Kaimana" is also a female and already has demonstrated an amazing affinity for the ocean including night swims with mom.

 

"Kaiwi"---just hauled out 25 June 2017. 

 

Nagaoka Fireworks over Waikiki-Honolulu Festival March 13, 2016

 

 QSL via LoTW, direct, eQSL, Club Log (OQRS), QRZ.com, or bureau.

LoTW is the fastest and easiest if you do not want a paper card. I upload my log regularly.

If you choose to QSL direct, a self addressed envelope is appreciated. Stamp/IRC/$ not required for U.S., DX stations, or SWL reports. I will pay return postage.

QSL cards are still a fun part of amateur radio and you can expect a prompt reply to your card.

QSL via Bureau is slow and not preferred. I do make a strong effort reply to bureau cards, but be prepared to wait.

I can also QSL via Online QSL Request (OQRS) through ClubLog.

JAアマチュア無線仲間の皆様へ

私はこの２年間で１０００以上のJA(JARL)　のQSLに返信をしてまいりました。多くのカードは、コンテスト後、自動的にコンピュータにて作成されている様です。全てのカードに返信する努力を続けてきましたが、大変な時間がかかってしまいます。そこで、申し訳ありませんが、あなたがDX局で返信を望まれるなら、あなたのQSLを直接私のQRZ.comアドレスへ送って頂けませんでしょうか。お金やIRCは送って頂かなくて結構ですが、返信先の住所と宛名を書いた封筒を同封していただければ幸いです。返信用の切手はこちらで用意させて頂きますし、直接送られてきたQSLは、受け取った４８時間以内に返信させていただきます。JA局から送られてきた手書きのQSLにはこれまで通り返信させていただきますが、コンピューターにて自動作成されたQSLには返信を控えさせていただこうと思いますので、どうぞご了承ください。

 

 

If never seen, please consider a visit to the DX Code of Conduct website. Worth the time and quick read. Every sport/hobby has etiquette. Sportsmanship and integrity do matter.

http://www.dx-code.org/

 

Operating Position 

Elecraft K3--> IF out to an RFSpace NetSDR+.  Panadapter software is Spectravue (RFSpace) as it interfaces well with the K3. Custom touch keyer and 900 MHz Digimesh XBee remote antenna switching hardware/software package all from KH6MB (now AI5IN). Station configuration is/was a near mirror of KH6MB to support internet remote operation. Solid state amplifier completed May 2016 with majority of components from W6PQL.

Amplifier uses (2) BLF188xr LDMOS transistors. The 50 VDC supply is a retired HP 3KW server power supply. I spent approximately 2.5 months of evenings and weekends building the "kit". Heatsink does get hot while contesting and while amp does fine with RTTY, I would have to cut back power to operate a RTTY contest. There is no air conditioning at my QTH--ambient air temperature can get up to 86F/30C--does not help the cooling situation. The ferrite beads on the red wire (Vdd) were extras that found a home on the ~14" piece of #6 wire which acts as my 0.5 milliohm shunt for the front panel current meter. I do not think they were necessary, but no harm. Virtually all DC/control lines have a ferrite bead. I added a pair of USB relays to remotely turn amp Off/On and from Standby/Operate. Automatic band switching accomplished via Unified Microsystems BCD-14. Complete detailed amplifier write-up at http://www.w6pql.com.

 

**Images from Hawaii**

Hawaiian monk seal sunning on the beach in Waikiki. Life is good in Hawai'i. Not a bad way to spend the day. Note that the monk seal is endangered. More at these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_monk_seal

https://pifsc-www.irc.noaa.gov/hawaiian_monk_seal/natural_history.php

 

This monk seal has decided to take a nearly 4 week vacation on a beach near my QTH. In the first photo, her fur appears to be peeling off or that she was attacked. In fact nothing is wrong. Monk seals molt (shed skin/fur) once a year. In the second and third photos below, her skin is now light gray and smoother as she has finished molting. She has been hanging out here for so long, her daily routine includes a morning swim along the reef foraging for food, then sunning on the beach for the rest of the day. As sun sets, she wiggles her way higher up away from the water on the dry sand. Volunteers from NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammals set up signs around the seal to keep people from getting too close since they are protected.

This seal's name is "Kaiwi" according to the volunteers who have been watching her. She does have an ID tag on her tail. She had her first pup this June 2016. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-i39x0R_L4

 

 

Diamond Head/Waikiki Panorama--distorted view.

 

Honolulu-Waikiki city lights.

 

King Kamehameha I (in front of Ali'iolani Hale). This photo is a few days after Kamehameha Day (11 June) so there are lots of leis draped over the statue. Kamehameha I is also known as Kamehameha the Great and is credited with the unification of the Hawaiian Islands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamehameha_I

 

The Duke Kahanamoku statue in Waikiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Kahanamoku

 

Previous QSL cards.

 

Panoramic view from Diamond Head Lookout (distorted as you can see East to West and illusion that center of the island is narrow--it is not.)

 

Another view from Diamond Head Lookout.

 

It was a wetter than usual summer 2014--> Diamond Head is usually brown until winter rainy season. HDR (high dynamic range) photo.

 

Cool retro HDR photo of Diamond Head from Tantalus Lookout (Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park).

 

Late afternoon.

 

10 minutes after sunset. Original unretouched photo.

 

HDR image of Honolulu as sun rising.

 

Mobile near Sandy Beach, O'ahu.

 

 

Passing morning shower with frequently seen rainbow.

 

The largest swell in a decade arrived from a storm below New Zealand and hit south shores of the Hawaiian Islands August 30, 2011. Waikiki almost looked like the North Shore in Winter.

 

Another awesome summer swell from 2009. Wanted to surf that day, but had accepted offer to go out sailing. Leaving the Ala Wai Boat Harbor, we all knew that getting back in was going to be a trick. That is me, second from the left, heading to the back of the catamaran to keep the hull from "pearling" (and secretly to consider options to bail out). We made it without incident but numerous photos made their way around the internet/print media including Surfer Magazine. I suspect the face of the wave was about 12-15 feet. How did I get this photo? When the waves are good, there are many photographers both in the water and on land. The surf community is fairly well connected so it was not difficult to get numerous photos including video. As far I know, it was not our intent to catch a wave into the harbor!

 

First attempt at a sunset panorama of Honolulu. Needs some work but not bad without tripod and exposure on AUTO.

 

iPhone panorama at 'Ehukai Beach Park on North Shore of O'ahu. Photo is looking directly out at the "Banzai Pipeline". The beach is linear--the image is distorted. Wind was onshore with a building swell. Not too many surfers out due to poor conditions. Still was a beautiful winter day in Hawai'i.

 

Portion of double rainbow over Diamondhead.

 

Interesting lighting, clouds, and ocean conditions with another morning shower.

 

Moonrise over Diamondhead.

Honolulu from cell phone.

 

Directly abeam the HNL "Reef Runway" 26L.

 

**Initiation into Astrophotography**

Just getting started in astrophotography. First attempt at well known and one of the most imaged targets, the Orion Nebula (M42). This image is a result of 10-thirty second exposures at ISO 1600, 15 darks frames and 15 bias frames with an unmodified Canon 5DMkII. Telescope is an Astro-Physics 105mm Traveler f/6 on AP Mach1 GTO mount guided with PHD2. The 40 images were stacked and processed (very basically) in PixInsight. More to come......

 

My QTH on O'ahu. Image from http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/.