Clams+broth+cream+QRP Afield=Chowdercon!

Ah, a bowl of chowder, Four Tree Island, and thou, oh CW paddle!*

It’s b-a-a-ck! Chowdercon 2011 is 11 days away, and I can smell the ocean now. It sure beats musty socks!

To recap: Chowdercon is a breakfast-to-dinner affair with a heaping helping of QRP operating in between. This year, the date is Sept. 17. The event coincides with QRP Afield, a 12-hour operating event organized by the New England QRP Club. That’s where the operating comes in.

Chowdercon is about as sure a sign that fall is around the corner up here in New England as just about anything this side of migrating geese. You can pick up one ham’s recap of last year’s event here. This year promises to be even better. Why? Who knows? But it’s hard to beat the combination of friends and acquaintances, some fresh-air operating, and great eats.

And after last year’s sartorial surprise (one club member showed up in a kilt, aye, but nae pipes), you never quite know what you’re going to see.

The gig starts with breakfast at  8 a.m. EDT at the Golden Egg restaurant in Portsmouth. From there, folks meander to Four Tree Island in the Piscataqua River to set up and begin operating about 11, when QRP Afield starts, then break for lunch at Geno’s Chowder & Sandwich Shop, a short walk from the island.

And just where is that island? (in case you want to skip breakfast)?

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Four Tree Island, a municipal park, shuts down around 5 p.m., so folks typically pack up and head for the Kittery, Maine, side of the river for dinner at Warren’s Lobster House. For additional details, you can get in touch with Carl Achin, WA1ZCQ.

It’s a great way to spend a late-summer Saturday. And who knows? With all these smart phones proliferating, it should be easy to call up QRPSPOTS.com (no relation to Pete Spotts), and see who’s operating Summits and Parks on the Air that weekend. Snag some QRP Afield points and some SOTA points at the same time!

Sweet!

* Photo courtesy of PDPhoto.org.