Hopefully someone or some other business will buy them. Hate to see them go.
For POTA contacts I'd just fix it.
In a contest that would be cheating.
Some clubs meet in person and on zoom simultaneously, does your local one? I'd get in contact with them anyway, someone might have a loaner rig you can use to get on the air and see what interests you the most.
Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air are popular an a lot of fun, but you'd need a radio first.
With some basic tools you could build your own radio from a kit.
My reading of the state park map is that the park is on the ocean side of route 1, so that'll eliminate going up any real hills. I'm not really familiar with that section of the coast, though.
It also sounds like you want an excuse to expand your antenna collection. Go for it! Antenna experimenting is fun. Set up two, and try some A/B testing, or use WSPR or RBN.
Its an interesting problem you've found. As a frequent SOTA op, its not one I encounter :D
To get NVIS just use your regular 40m antenna, but set it up closer to the ground. Depending on your mast height, it might be NVIS already.
What park is it? Maybe there's a spot off the beach you could operate from?
I'd get an SSB capable radio unless you're only interested in FSK modes.
I'm excited to see the new digital modes people bring to ham radio, or invent.
Do you really want to run JS8call? JS8Call and the Fundamental Problem with EmComm in Amateur Radio: Why I stopped using JS8 and why I think you should too.
What laptop do you take into the field?
The weird connectors are a big turn off for me. I don't want to need to remember even more cables and adaptors.
I always forget how connected the fediverse is
I was inspired to copy W1GHZ's power meter from April QST (pg 52). Seemed like it would be nice to know if my 10GHz rig (or any of them!) was putting out power. Got some bargraph boards from him, the rest of the parts from the internet, and finally built it today.
I had a bit of trouble cutting a square hole with only a hand drill, but I can see the bars. (If anyone likes designing and printing cases, let me know!)
Turns out I don't have any 9v batteries, so testing will have to wait until I go to the store. I don't expect to have any problems though, since the bargraph circuit is pretty simple, and the AD8317 board had everyone on it already.
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I let my membership expire after they unilaterally cancelled my paper QST. I'm still mad about that, and the steady trickle of other news doesn't make me want to go back.