Looks like summer is drawing to a close. Not the season or the heat, just the fun parts. School gets underway here next week and my grandchildren are all gearing up for another round. When I was a kid summer vacation from school lasted from Memorial Day until Labor Day, but it seems the restart has been getting pushed back with each passing summer.

So kids will be in school and the 90F heat will resume. At least for the next six weeks or so. I’ve read that El Niño will make summer longer and the winter season milder this year. And between here and there the hurricane season might be more intense. I don’t view that as good news, but there’s not much to be done about it other than witness the climate changes.

I never thought I’d see John, K3WWP migrate from the Elecraft KX3 to the ICOM IC-705, but looks like that may really happen. John mentioned a few times in his diary that he was thinking about that transition as his KX3 is showing the effects from a dozen years of heavy use. Who knows if Elecraft has a continuing interest in producing QRP transceivers? They’re still doing well with the KX3 and the KX2, both have long wait times to get them. Still, you have to wonder if Wayne has one more low-power miracle up his sleeve before he rides off into a comfy retirement sunset? Maybe a KX4…

Lots of blog chatter about the US National Lighthouse-Lightship event this weekend (August 5-6). Later in the month is the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend 2023 (ILLW) (August 19-20). This all seems like a BIG deal and might be the perfect time for me to test HF operations from the new house. Think I’ll jump in when I can and see how it goes.

Oh, I mentioned wanting to get a Skeeter number for the upcoming hunt. Got it! I’ll be Skeeter #187 this year. Bzzz!