Merry New Year and 73 for ‘26 from amateur radio station KL2R in Two Rivers, Alaska. The key is a GHD-309FA fully automatic bug.

As #SKCC Straight Key Month kicks off soon, it’s easy to see I will have plenty of incentive to stay inside and do CW.

The social media break was good. Recommended. We had a quiet Christmas with a delicious turkey dinner by my wife. I had three helpings. The highlight of my birthday was hearing from friends all over the world. Thank you! Also, I took a nap midday. We had Wagner’s Pizza Bus pizza to celebrate.

Finally some good news.

I will take a social media holiday starting Christmas Eve through the weekend. Best of the season to you! I’ll be back on Monday.

The winter solstice in 2025 occured today, December 21, at 10:03 EST (06:03 local). The sun will rise in Fairbanks at 10:57 and set 3 hrs 42 min later at 14:40 this afternoon. 🌅 Currently we have clear skies, calm winds, temperature -30F/-34.4C at home. It’s -42F/-41.1C at the airport.

Are WWV and WWVB ok?

All I want is peace in my lifetime. I’m running out of runway. I keep fighting in my way. The oxymoron is to fight for peace. Humans are such dumbasses.

Yes, I am grilling kielbasa at 28 degrees below f-ing zero Fahrenheit (-33C). Propane doesn’t really slush up until you get below -40. Good evening from Two Rivers, Alaska.

Greetings from BP64. Don’t forget about Winlink Wednesday check-ins. Use ICS-213 form if possible. winlinkwednesday.net/reminder.html

I do most of the cooking around here. My wife is a phenomenal cook, but she appreciates the results of my kitchen therapy. Honestly, I can focus on the sustenance in front of me and forget the rest. Christmas dinner turkey is on her this year. I’m obligated to deliver my special cranberry sauce.

Morse code is a passion with me. Good evening from amateur radio station KL2R in Two Rivers, Alaska. Current conditions clear skies, calm winds, and -30F/-34C. No wonder I’m in the warm shack.

The ARRL 10m Contest is going gangbusters. Best conditions I’ve seen from KL2R in a long time. Look at all those CW signals!

A HAPPY ANNOUNCEMENT! During the past 20 years, I've been advocating for vulnerable children: their health, safety, welfare & future. An award-winning documentary producer is making a film about my volunteer advocacy & invites your support. Please visit: www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/... Thanks :-)}

Texas ham radio operator arrested for bogus charge after clearing his yard for antenna radials. 😡 youtu.be/tQLwxSbvP9I?...

Hi, gang. Promoting this fundraiser for Miss Holly’s Finishing School for Wayward Sled Dogs aka Ft. Husky. Olaf, Elsa, Cypress, Hawk, and Sita all came to us from Ft. Husky. Holly does fabulous work with the fosters at her place near Wasilla, but it’s extraordinarily expensive. Her b’day wish. ❤️

Good evening from amateur radio station KL2R in Two Rivers, Alaska. I never tire of the velvety blue skies as a bright moon rises.

You know what to do as responsible citizens against lies in the media.

I finished cleaning off the cars with 7” of new snow this afternoon. I took one of the dogs for a walk before sitting down at the radio. It was after dark. I wasn’t optimistic given and relatively poor space weather conditions. By golly 20m provided some FB SKCC contacts, aurora flutter be darned!

I’m glad I don’t have to commute today. Light freezing drizzle has started at 17 mile Chena Hot Springs Rd. as of ~11 AM. Ugh. It’s that time of the month to test the generator anyway. #Fairbanks #Alaskawx

Paella from Two Rivers, Alaska, with an amazing flan to finish. 🤤

If any of you are looking for a good time on film set in Alaska (for real), check out one or two hilarious indie creations by G. Logan Dellinger: “Moose" and “Sudsy Slim Rides Again.” Plan to bust a gut.

Here's a serving of earthquake science about this morning's magnitude 6.0 to go with your holiday meal:

Even I felt that earthquake, epicenter 256 miles SSW. My couch swayed side to side.

Good evening from Two Rivers, Alaska.

I have a weakness for satellite ground stations.

No matter how long I live after we get through this dark chapter, I will never get over the immorality, the amorality, the corruption, the criminality and the cruelty in service to one of the worst humans to ever walk the earth.

Some say that Lindsey Halligan is a wildly incompetent lawyer. Others say she gets her cases resolved incredibly quickly.

Old Cold Warrior here. None of this is surprising, nor is the disinformation approach new. Only the platforms are different. Thank goodness (?) virtually everyone leaves a digital trail which focused efforts can investigate in this age. We need more activists shouting loudly about these connections.

This world carries darkness in abundance, shadows that stretch long and cold. Joy is the medicine that mends what breaks, the balm that soothes what aches, the light that refuses to be extinguished. Seek joy in each dawn that breaks—let it be your daily practice, your ritual. Gurdeep.ca/magazine

Several weeks ago I received an email from Linda W1MP asking if I could confirm a QSO from 1997. I thought she might be hoping for an Alaska QSL. Sure enough that was it. (I moved up in 1998.) We have had several false starts on skeds, and finally completed on 20m tonight! CW and FT8 for her WAS! 🎆

The day started by sending a Winlink Wednesday check-in via HF. I decided to see how propagation was on 40 and 30m around 1800 UTC. A nice run to EU on 30m FT8 for a good hour. I even managed 9U1RU (Burundi) for ATNO. Next popped them on 20 CW. Big signal. Concluded day with W2BX in NC QRPp CW 30m.

NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen. Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.

Way past time to de-Google.

Hello again.

It’s Winlink Wednesday. It’s a good day to check your emergency communications links. Get those check-ins to KN4LQN. HF may be a challenge, so it’s good to have a VHF packet setup. I alternate between HF and VHF. winlinkwednesday.net

Currently at KL2R in Two Rivers, Alaska. The funny thing is I am slightly red-green color blind. I usually don’t see the red. I only have a “sense” of it, like the shades and tones in a B&W photo. When I stepped out and looked south I actually SAW the red. I knew it was intense. 6:15 PM. Temp -5F.

Good evening from amateur radio station KL2R in Two Rivers, Alaska. 5:43 PM. A modest frost predicted by morning. Clear skies. Chance of aurora very good. Radio propagation forecast poor. Bring a sweater to outdoor activities just in case. 😂

every single week they're throwing this guy a special oval office love-in that appears to be the presidential equivalent of letting your dog scarf an entire big mac and fries before that last trip to the vet

Monte Mader @montemader.bsky.social

This is really good to see: Miki Sherrill just put out a statement sharply criticizing the Senate Dems' pending cave in the government shutdown, ripping it as "malpractice" and a betrayal of the people who are "counting on us to fight for them." Sherrill knows what drove her victory. Wake up, Dems.

Good evening from Two Rivers, Alaska.

Hope I see a few of you at the Anchorage Museum tonight for my movie theater history talk!

Hey SWL friends! What software tool(s) do you use to receive and listen to digital radio mondiale (DRM) transmissions with an SDR under Win? I’m looking for an alternative to DREAM, which won’t run on my W10 PC. It throws an error that some module’s missing. So tired of crap failures like this.

Please do! Details about the fellowship and the link to apply can be found here: thenarwhal.ca/2026-indigen...

It’s Winlink Wednesday! Get your check-in messages to KN4LQN. winlinkwednesday.net/docs/All_Abo...

I cannot agree more! The cost of making all vaccines free will be completely offset by lives saved and all the morbidity & hospical costs averted Why All Vaccines Should Be Free @crof.bsky.social thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...

Seems to me ARRL Sweepstakes was not as well advertised this year compared to the past. CW weekend used to be one of my favorites. I haven’t been as dedicated for a few years. Nevertheless, I did get KL2R on a little bit. I spent much of Sat afternoon replacing the 2x6 antenna switch at the tower.