tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39805211825544979702024-03-05T22:55:37.055+00:00The margins of radioA blog about amateur radio - particularly data/qrp/digital Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-16661049916119854912017-04-30T17:16:00.002+01:002017-04-30T17:16:11.829+01:00Signal reporting<p dir="auto">From an old, “experienced” ham, talking about signal reporting. He had earlier suggested that contacts giving him less than 59 were trying to annoy him :</p><p dir="auto"><em>After over 20 years of HF contesting, I prefer to believe my ears.<br></em></p><p dir="ltr">Boggle.</p>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-34430860172115895782014-02-09T17:41:00.001+00:002014-02-09T17:41:30.193+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TCyzBGsZexfnELc2EW021IGeEoyrgU9588GoW6mRhKp0AVuJfcRFB7APGtEcUPaxFTwsU_DU9tx2ElRzSstfVLNLLKlizExHY0FBFSR_5oJHWZy0W3v1EdiQ_ZwuhFcwa_2-s8fF3YHs/s1600/wspr2014-02-09+at+17.39.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TCyzBGsZexfnELc2EW021IGeEoyrgU9588GoW6mRhKp0AVuJfcRFB7APGtEcUPaxFTwsU_DU9tx2ElRzSstfVLNLLKlizExHY0FBFSR_5oJHWZy0W3v1EdiQ_ZwuhFcwa_2-s8fF3YHs/s320/wspr2014-02-09+at+17.39.03.png" /></a></div>
An afternoon on 10m WSPR. With an appalling antenna.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-87490837667290298542014-01-27T19:28:00.002+00:002014-01-27T19:28:09.061+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF_p7eqdPWK_u8v4RcoaiyBz9WCMkTL6cUKC2mxXDFqxzV0b9MlxHnpR_oZSg22LHvCqabXINNHdL4pxkv6vyNiGGBgi_L0ZpHjmPO3Al_XXxIT12rjk4TABz7rP041fdHM6qHx_cje6f/s1600/80m-eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF_p7eqdPWK_u8v4RcoaiyBz9WCMkTL6cUKC2mxXDFqxzV0b9MlxHnpR_oZSg22LHvCqabXINNHdL4pxkv6vyNiGGBgi_L0ZpHjmPO3Al_XXxIT12rjk4TABz7rP041fdHM6qHx_cje6f/s400/80m-eve.jpg" /></a></div>
80metres on a bit of wire.
The VK heard me on 5W.
RTTY users, eat yer heart out.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-9287998566847208702014-01-17T19:47:00.001+00:002014-01-17T19:47:34.903+00:00The next challenge...
I'vemoved out of the shack for Winter. It's too cold and heating it costs an arm and a leg. I need to make the shack work remotely from the house (don't ask...!)
RDP is a good start. I have the shack computer working on an RDP connection, minus sound. I can conrtol the rig, see the SWR, and faff around with WSPR, which is pretty much where my ham inclinations are these days.
But sound would be nice.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-83608076918705356212013-07-26T21:05:00.003+01:002013-07-26T21:05:33.799+01:00Torrid day on 10m wspr. 10m has been just awful (it does say "disturbed" in the forecast) and my simple kit was, well, rubbish.
sigh
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-21474718962856139192013-01-07T21:39:00.001+00:002013-01-07T21:39:33.825+00:00PWI haven't bought a copy in years. I'd like to try it...again<p>
From the PW webpage:<p>
<i>Practical Wireless magazine is available from UK High Street newsagents such as WHSmith or postal copies can be purchased direct from the publisher using a Debit or Credit card by ringing 0845 803 1979 (Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 4.00pm) – the cost is the same because there is no postage to pay for delivery to addresses in the UK.</i><p>
Dear PW:<br>
1) I haven't got time to get to WHS in the next week<br>
2) Ringing? rnging? Why can't I buy a PDF copy online and read it NOW!<br>
<p>
Practically Witless.....<br>
Rant over......
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-17955925194176040202013-01-07T18:18:00.000+00:002013-01-07T20:18:23.972+00:00Comparing antennas on RXI have three HF antennas - and three rigs: The trusty 817, and a couple of shack rigs. I've been "testing" the setup on RX by running three copies of WSPR 2.0 in parallel, on the same band, one connected to each radio (I use SignaLink boxes as interfaces)<p>
The antennas are a couple of long wires, running similar but not identical routes, and an inductively loaded vertical I bought many years ago from <a href="http://www.sandpiperaerials.co.uk/">sandpiper aerials</a> - it's been lying behind the garage where it was placed when we moved house a few years ago, and everything is seized. I set it up on a fence at the bottom of the garden. It has now grown its own earth stake. I can't tune it for resonance because of the corrosion so the setup I made when it was new is stuck in place. Two or three of the bands - 12,15 and 17 metres - tune reasonably well directly. 40m is a complete no-go, and the others needed tuning.<p>
A few months ago the winner, on most bands, was a LW/earth stake, tuned through an SGC Mac-200 to my Icom 756 ProIII. <p>
Now, things are very different. I have spent the day with this trio, moving down the bands. So far, I've played with 21MHz,14 MHz, 17MHz and 10MHz. The 817 / LW appears to be deaf. It's generally around 12dB down on the winner. The Winner is the corroded Sandpiper which is, as I write, capturing some Stateside stuff on 30m which neither of the others sniff at. The 756 is pretty effective on the LW, generally turning in about 3-6dB down on the vertical<p>
So what has changed? I'm guessing saturated ground probably has a fair bit to do with it. The earth on the vertical must be pretty effective at the moment, since the ground is sodden.<p>
I'm trying to work out why I now find the 817 deaf. I'm sure I remember being pleasantly surprised by it....<p>
I hope to move down to 3.5 and 1.8 this evening. I am confidently predicting that the vertical, with an immense loading coil on it, will not out-perform a long wire. And, of course, on 160m there is no choice.<p>
[Later]<p>
The situation on 80m is surprisingly even. All three systems perform around the same level - in each case, one is a few dB up or down on the others, and all three have good and bad moments. I'm surprised the Sandpiper does so well. Or, maybe, to put it another way, are the long wires doing badly?<p>
the next step is to rotate the antennas around the rigs<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-9964133432694656722013-01-06T19:56:00.001+00:002013-01-07T08:17:38.199+00:002m record - almostBest 2m WSPR I've had for ever, today. G8MCU bidirectionally (a distance of 137 miles) and G4SMX/FCD (what *does* FCD mean?) one way - he wasn't transmitting.203 miles. He heard me.<p>
And decent antenna systems. I'm now using a 3 element delta, horizontally polarised about 18 feet up, with a reasonably good take-off to the south-east. That's about as good as it's going to get round here.<p>
I distinctly remember, in SOTA days, a session from the High Willhays, Dartmoor. In those days, we drove down overnight. I'd left the family sleeping in the car to go for a walk with the dog: <p>
<div id="Panel1" style="border-style:None;width:100%;text-align:center;">
<span><br/><B>Date:</B>31/Jul/2004 <B>Summit:</B>G/DC-001 (High Willhays) <B>Call Used:</B>M0DEV/P <B>Points:</B> 4 <B>Bonus:</B> 0 </span><br/><table class="gridtable" align="Center" border="0" style="width:500px;">
<tr class="logheader">
<th class="gridheader" style="width:10%;">Time</th><th class="gridheader" style="width:20%;">Call</th><th class="gridheader" style="width:15%;">Band</th><th class="gridheader" style="width:10%;">Mode</th><th class="gridheader" style="width:45%;">Notes</th>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:10z</td><td class="gridcell">G0FGW</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Chippenham</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:12z</td><td class="gridcell">G4NRG</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Wayne, Kidderminster</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:20z</td><td class="gridcell">M3GLF</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Burnham on Crouch</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:25z</td><td class="gridcell">M3RBU</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Winchester</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:27z</td><td class="gridcell">G7RRQ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Salisbury</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:28z</td><td class="gridcell">M3PBS</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Weymouth</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:30z</td><td class="gridcell">G0IMM</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">IOW</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:31z</td><td class="gridcell">G4TKF</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Devizes</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:35z</td><td class="gridcell">GW1MCD</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Cwmbran</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:39z</td><td class="gridcell">G0DUQ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Cannock</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:42z</td><td class="gridcell">MW0AIE</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Pembrokeshire</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:43z</td><td class="gridcell">M3FHI</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Essex</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:45z</td><td class="gridcell">M3RSF</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Dudley, W Mids</td>
</tr><tr>
<td class="gridcell" align="center">07:50z</td><td class="gridcell">M3VXR</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">144MHZ</td><td class="gridcell" align="center">FM</td><td class="gridcell" align="left">Northampton</td>
</tr>
</table><span><br/> <br/></span>
</div>
At least one of these (I can't remember who) nearly lost his eggs and B in his rush to get to the mic. I was on a handheld. Ah, the power of lifts. <p>
So, I'm expecting rather better than this, sometime.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-1663160492644911322013-01-05T17:06:00.001+00:002013-01-05T17:07:30.355+00:00The aridity of 2mWhen you're a data aficionado who doesn't own a mic, 2m can be a bit of a desert. We propeller-heads inhabit the bottom 500KHz or so of this band. In the wilds of the borders, this can be a long and lonely existence, punctuated only by SOTA calling from the local hilltops<p>
Anyway, to cut a long and common story short, Santa bought me a 6m portable mast for Christmas. The aged Sandpiper 3 element delta beam sits beautifully on it, and I made up a westflex cable some time ago for 23cms (currently no antenna...)<p>
So, it all fits together. What to listen for? There was the excitement of the Quadrantids. I capured these on a collinear:<p>
<code>
160200 13.6 4230 12 37 -197 EA3AXV CQ EA3AXV CQ EA3AXV CQ EA3AXV C<br>
</code>
<p>And, a little later,<p>
<code>
232400 14.4 400 10 26 -20 S!CQ 352 OK2PMS CQ 352 OK2PMS CQ 352 OK2 <br>
</code>
<p>
Both of which are quite gratifying on simple kit. No chance of replying, of course.<p>
Anyway, back to the beamlet. It's been pointing towards London today. Been trawling down in the 144.135 ish region with PSK31 - no takers there, nor, indeed, anything on JT65B which is, if you read the internet, flavour of the month digitally for 2m - though I suspect all the activitiy occurs either as EME or during openings<p>
But I did manage to pick up GB3VHF. This is located SE of London and, rather sweetly, beacons in JT65B if you set your QRG to 144.42850 USB. Today, in Shropshire, this has been a lovely -6dB, easily audible and well above the noise floor<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kPLFNrEQf73SiVmrV8iv01wEUb0Vb7tGW0T6aM93S4GDU0nt6aIW_cUvfGX5rLeAlnq1nmUXB_4G1RSrlipTyzt8NaOqj8u0DblCmtoI0eT8D6nWVwppWlCq45ah5ctHSNXyCuGZeSgk/s1600/gb3vhf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kPLFNrEQf73SiVmrV8iv01wEUb0Vb7tGW0T6aM93S4GDU0nt6aIW_cUvfGX5rLeAlnq1nmUXB_4G1RSrlipTyzt8NaOqj8u0DblCmtoI0eT8D6nWVwppWlCq45ah5ctHSNXyCuGZeSgk/s400/gb3vhf.jpg" /></a></div>
So, still no QSOs, but at least I know I can reach to Kent.<p>
I did try F5ZAM after that. It's a 10W beacon, probably CW, on 144.425. Pas un saucisson on that one...
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-89413543732234034492013-01-02T19:15:00.002+00:002013-01-02T19:15:28.933+00:00472KHz WSPRI'd read around of people using Icom 706s, which apparently transmit a peep on 472KHz, and thought I'd polish the 756 ProIII and see what I could do. No possibility of transmitting - I haven't a NoV, and I suspect I don't have an antenna suitable.So I thought I'd try listening.<p>
No preamp (the Icom Pre-Amp doesn't turn on in this frequency range) but connected it up to the usual LW. The tuner doesn't seem to do very much either, but there was a ripple of activity on the spectrum display<p>
Started up WSPR, and left it for half an hour, and here's the result.<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdNE96nydIikXl-bqt21_AZmycJuL-w7qqtY-xcLvjQX99L1R4QbAggRZ0w1uka_gBwHumoOULNA0dj6IEIsqN7sLfQjUWfYKhAO2O4dhZv6yokLnXwnQL8uO2qg_GQ_4hL1SDRXFaKyN/s1600/472MHz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="197" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdNE96nydIikXl-bqt21_AZmycJuL-w7qqtY-xcLvjQX99L1R4QbAggRZ0w1uka_gBwHumoOULNA0dj6IEIsqN7sLfQjUWfYKhAO2O4dhZv6yokLnXwnQL8uO2qg_GQ_4hL1SDRXFaKyN/s400/472MHz.jpg" /></a></div><p>
Much better than I expected. The received wisdom was that an external preamp is needed. Well, it would undoubtedly make a difference, but I'm hearing these two guys at about -13dB, so it's "comfortable" (for WSPR).<p>
And a nice way to open playtime with 630metres.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-17186894749691861642012-12-24T20:44:00.002+00:002012-12-24T22:05:26.951+00:00This is what happens when......I let a half decent long wire play with my 756proIII for the day on 30m.<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18LQcMdMRVBqtx46y_TxRPBp8QXsGUiucF1t5ly7AR7yYPxo5njAU-mZBd9Rbdce_nje2YDiSlTdirtAhPBsqqKtvFDfJMweD_hbC8p6n7x96nZHYdoxHjQTL4JneFXZPWr13SBfJcuFV/s1600/30m_20121224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18LQcMdMRVBqtx46y_TxRPBp8QXsGUiucF1t5ly7AR7yYPxo5njAU-mZBd9Rbdce_nje2YDiSlTdirtAhPBsqqKtvFDfJMweD_hbC8p6n7x96nZHYdoxHjQTL4JneFXZPWr13SBfJcuFV/s400/30m_20121224.jpg" /></a></div><p>
Unfortunately, again, all of the tasty dx hears me but I can't hear them. I think the best reciprocal contact (i.e. close to proper QSO) here is Israel.<p>
This is 30m, 5 watts, long wire. More than I normally use with the 817. But there isn't THAT much difference with the <a href=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_NPj4iSY0fA7aytlUeL75s7iFE3JWMG_BwO2cPW_JRvJyoqY2tq_mJRCZM1vdFxw4CRwvf31KbfbkX5e0aiLDW3_3-V5-425UAhcJwFv9Th3vai-LGvKfVX2PnVqVvHTcofgavk7B3h_/s400/30m2012-12-21.jpg>an 817 on 2.5W with no preamp</a>, is there? That's 817,2.5W, poor LW, this one is a considerably more expensive Icom 756ProIII, sloghtly better LW and 5W<p>
And a Happy Christmas to All<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-5227026313084148802012-12-22T09:27:00.002+00:002012-12-22T09:27:33.709+00:0030mIt's easy to forget 30m. It's neither to long, nor too short, not too wide, and it's one of those suspicious WARC bands. For me, yesterday, it was the Goldilocks band. I couldn't get much out of 10m, and I didn't want to spend the day on 160m (I tend to drop down there at dusk), so 30m it was.<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_NPj4iSY0fA7aytlUeL75s7iFE3JWMG_BwO2cPW_JRvJyoqY2tq_mJRCZM1vdFxw4CRwvf31KbfbkX5e0aiLDW3_3-V5-425UAhcJwFv9Th3vai-LGvKfVX2PnVqVvHTcofgavk7B3h_/s1600/30m2012-12-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_NPj4iSY0fA7aytlUeL75s7iFE3JWMG_BwO2cPW_JRvJyoqY2tq_mJRCZM1vdFxw4CRwvf31KbfbkX5e0aiLDW3_3-V5-425UAhcJwFv9Th3vai-LGvKfVX2PnVqVvHTcofgavk7B3h_/s400/30m2012-12-21.jpg" /></a></div><p>
This is the whole day - from about 9AM until about 9PM 21st December. Operating at 2.5W. Most of the DX heard me, but I didn't hear them (usual poor antenna problems at M0DEV)- but I am perpetually surprised at how well I get out.<p>
I'm running on 30m again today, but this time with 500mW. Clearly, a direct comparison doesn't mean a great deal, but it will be interesting. <a href=http://qrz.com/db/KK5MR>KK5MR</a> has already spotted me from what appears from his station notes to be a relatively modest setup.<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-16504879380470641282012-12-17T11:30:00.001+00:002012-12-17T11:30:19.682+00:00Meteor ScatterThe recent Geminid meteor shower got me wondering whether I could hear anything with my current, rather lowly setup, having pretty much failed with satellites (that's another story...) so I set to to discover information on where the action is<p>
It is not that easy to find, of course! <a href=http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-meteor-scatter.htm>http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-meteor-scatter.htm</a> is quite informative on gear if not frequencies. So, having read and digested that I then went looking for where the skeds are arranged<p>
Every web page points you to <a href=http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk/>pingjockey</a>, but as far as I can see nearly everything, if not everything, is US based. Then there's <a href=http://www.on4kst.com/index.php>on4kst</a>'s pages. These are used by Europeans. Once logged in you'll find pages with QRGs on.<p>
But in the end, I heard activity using the good old fashioned route of rotating the large knob on the front and listening. 144.370 seems to be used as a calling channel, certainly in Europe. Indeed, activity seems to be so sparse that the two calls I have heard so far have all opted to carry out the QSO on the channel, which certainly makes life easier<p>
Then there's the mode. ISCAT seems to be the flavour used for 6m MS, because the bursts are longer. A slower mode is preferable. However, for 2m, FSK441 seems to be the mode of choice: it gets the entire message in several times in a short space of time.<p>
So, I'm listening using FSK441 on 144.370. Fortunately, it's all recording what it hears and, much to my surprise, I have managed to capture a couple of CQ calls from foreign stations on my collinear.<p>
The best so far is one from EA3AXV, captured at 16:02 on the 16th. Here's what I saw:<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1Z27WXZTvmj4BcVEz4rxt8pHappd6bGvxApz_gYoOpK-eFbEW5XGLixzy6BlgExNTfxG2qKQwADeSrNMxnYVmEYpR7n1HKX-Wsr901IOK0AQbFGpxUtObc22P6W1GqkXUjsuCJcFT7Ae/s1600/ea3axv-fsk441-collinear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="331" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1Z27WXZTvmj4BcVEz4rxt8pHappd6bGvxApz_gYoOpK-eFbEW5XGLixzy6BlgExNTfxG2qKQwADeSrNMxnYVmEYpR7n1HKX-Wsr901IOK0AQbFGpxUtObc22P6W1GqkXUjsuCJcFT7Ae/s400/ea3axv-fsk441-collinear.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
I wonder what power and antenna system he was using. he's about 1300km from me, so the capture is a good one<p>
There is, according to the experts, no point in even trying a QSO without substantially more than 100W and a beam. The beam must be a mixed blessing, and I imagine one doesn't want too much directivity.<p>
<a href=http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors>http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors</a> is a useful reference for when showers occur. But there is always activity.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-41535922006125095122012-12-15T13:12:00.001+00:002012-12-15T13:16:36.856+00:00JT65 encapsulated<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Tob6EupGa8onQuYKtReJHELGJeD1hJltvhqfp_Uy38T7gHfK3GjSllAAcIgbi-CBjSmBvxBI0ZKqOfIpujq8HqCFqwaknSzi_fWO9_HD6MOkf14jhZLpcXqwYRK4zyAx1msRGDMYIe2/s1600/jt65-3d-spectrum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="307" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Tob6EupGa8onQuYKtReJHELGJeD1hJltvhqfp_Uy38T7gHfK3GjSllAAcIgbi-CBjSmBvxBI0ZKqOfIpujq8HqCFqwaknSzi_fWO9_HD6MOkf14jhZLpcXqwYRK4zyAx1msRGDMYIe2/s400/jt65-3d-spectrum.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
JT65 transmissions in the 30m band plotted in three dimensions. To the right is time, to the left is frequency and up is "energy"<p>
I do like representations like this.<p>
Plotted with <a href=http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html>speclab</a> - which is wonderful. And free.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-91994272448087983972012-12-14T11:02:00.000+00:002012-12-14T11:04:25.069+00:00Using WSPRI thought I'd try using WSPR to work out where to expend my loggable efforts this morning (the WX being fit for nothing else)<p>
Five minutes on <a href=http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/map>WSPRnet maps</a> followed by a quick hour on 40m WSPR convinced me that 40m was a band worth trying. Here is the result of an hour or so this morning, on the 817 at 1W to a LW:<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9LphzCK32J7yIdKFnFLW64jo9x0L4ftLB_53-od7mX1sUdM3PrphI7nVc1dpmhkAVRwJP3uf7QLbqU1xJOQdEY9GsgoD0ZVZv-Zsemft8OeO0MwmYK1bLs4ZoNHan0Un-j_rihHOJFgF/s1600/40m-20121214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="251" width="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9LphzCK32J7yIdKFnFLW64jo9x0L4ftLB_53-od7mX1sUdM3PrphI7nVc1dpmhkAVRwJP3uf7QLbqU1xJOQdEY9GsgoD0ZVZv-Zsemft8OeO0MwmYK1bLs4ZoNHan0Un-j_rihHOJFgF/s400/40m-20121214.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
So, I get the better rig out, power about 20W, tune to 7.039MHz (I looked it up on <a href=http://hflink.com/jt65/>http://hflink.com/jt65/</a> - I don't often try 40m JT65) and set up a JT65 CQ. Twenty minutes later, I have heard absolutely nothing. Eventually, I fetch up the <a href=http://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html>PSKReporter map</a> and discover three monitors on 40m, but they are all on 7.076MHz.<p>
My bandplan says 7.076 is all modes but excludes digimodes.<p>
Confused.<p>
Anyway, I migrate up to 7.076 and, of course, it's knee deep in SSB. I've got one decode, but I can't see anything clear to TX into.<p>
40m is a mess!<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-22981690571813028412012-12-12T11:15:00.001+00:002012-12-12T11:19:25.094+00:00DX-ingOne of the more annoying features of propagation is that our signals get weaker the further they travel. This adds to the general frisson of working DX and nowhere is this more apparent than with JT65 and the "weak" modes.<p>
Let's talk hypothetically. I see a nice tasty piece of DX pop up on the decode list - let's say it's Hawaii or somewhere quite difficult to get from the UK. I'm running about 10W which, as far as I am concerned is about the reasonable limit (I might occasionally go up to 20W on 160m when it's silent and I know I am not getting out). What almost invariably happens is that a station nearer to the "dx" will call at the same time, and our friend only gets one decode - the stronger one. So I wait till next time. And so on<p>
This makes working pile-ups in JT65 (an odd concept, I know, but it does happen) almost impossible. I've watched one or two and, what happens often is an arms race. The combatants are blissfully unaware of each others existence. All they know is that they are on frequency and the guy isn't responding. So it's a little tweak on the power. After two or three goes the power is quite clearly, shall we say, large, and neither party has got through. Progress is only made when one of the pair gives up.<p>
Compare this with CW, where one can work split, and the callers can (and do...) smear out along a portion of spectrum so that the DX can pick them off one by one.<p>
Now I have a low boredom threshold. I listen to CW pileups and maybe have a halfhearted go, but I don't stand much chance with 50W and a LW. I *can* work DX in JT65, but it's frustrating because there are unscrupulous players with large power knobs.<p>
So, make it your New Year Resolution to support the DX Code of Conduct<p>
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<a href="http://dx-code.org/images/DXCode_Logo_small.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="196" width="200" src="http://dx-code.org/images/DXCode_Logo_small.png" /></a></div>
<a href=http://dx-code.org/index.html>The DX Code of Conduct</a><p>
And, if you want a sad and slightly different tale, try reading Randy Johnson's piece <a href=http://dx-code.org/op-ed.pdf>here</a><p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-14015141543155363472012-12-11T21:25:00.000+00:002012-12-11T21:26:41.364+00:00I wish...This was not bidirectional. I heard him. He didn't hear me.
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Nuuk and Greenland would be utterly great for me. But that's the frustration of WSPR - it's amazing to see what you can pick up using simple wire antennas (in my case, frozen to a height of 2m) but these aren't QSOs. I'm using 500mW, and he hasn't spotted me.
Sometimes, they aren't *really* QSOs - but in this case it's nowhere near. He hasn't heard me.
But there's still a draw here. I've spend the last hour footling around on 160m and have managed a DL. I get far more buzz from hearing an XP...<p>
This particular screenshot is 80m.<p>
The other WSPR frustration is that I have no really neat way of logging this.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-56244294552705321332012-12-03T21:52:00.002+00:002012-12-03T21:56:40.837+00:0030m by accident<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthHAWdWStnbReg1NDWYtn1s5hJ9YgBBSvUq6D0w-oVC2q6UldTtcvkwty05C1myl-3uFJY8hLXlPOl-MbzJUt4AjgL35taqagyFQcQX5hPPvzo0sipIC1LvPZTwnxN29_9WS9IyRcJypU/s1600/20120103-30m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="247" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthHAWdWStnbReg1NDWYtn1s5hJ9YgBBSvUq6D0w-oVC2q6UldTtcvkwty05C1myl-3uFJY8hLXlPOl-MbzJUt4AjgL35taqagyFQcQX5hPPvzo0sipIC1LvPZTwnxN29_9WS9IyRcJypU/s400/20120103-30m.jpg" /></a></div><br>
I ended up on 30m by accident. The 817 on 80m and the 756 on 160m didn't get on - desensing wasn't the word. The antennas were "coupled" in every sense of the word. So I stuck the 817 on 30m and 5W and left it to it.<p>
This is a couple of hours this evening on my usual unsophisticated antenna system ( a bit of wire).<p>
I must get a real mode out on 30m in the evening.<p>
The interesting thing here is that this particular piece of wire runs pretty much east-west. So how does this work?
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-5575563510591143832012-12-02T21:25:00.002+00:002012-12-02T21:38:15.979+00:00160m JT9-1I've been trying 500mW. It is a weak signal mode after all. No joy.<p>
Eventually, I switch to a rig wit a bit more oomph, and go 10W QRO<p>
Get a QSO first call. Here's the far half of the exchange:<p>
<code>
2117 10 -3 -0.1 1401. 0 M0DEV OEXXX (maidenhead)<br>
I send his report<br>
2119 10 -4 -0.1 1401. 0 M0DEV OEXXX RRR<br>
I send RRR<br>
2121 10 -3 -0.1 1401. 0 50W INV-L 73<br>
</code>
I admit I should not have sent RRR<br>
<ul>
<li>No report for me :-(
<li>50W ??!!!
</ul>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-74806697705290189562012-12-02T15:09:00.004+00:002012-12-02T15:12:52.717+00:00Antennas- properly.There's an object lesson for you. Do it properly.<p>
I spent an hour this morning re-arranging a long wire antenna - it's now insulated, is not (now) lying on anything, and I connected the other side to an earth stake instead of a flimsy counterpoise ending on the (admittedly metal) washing line post.<p>
The signals I'm seeing on 80m WSPR now are awesome, even though I am still only up about 4m. G8JNJ/A (I assume it was him) came in at +9, and in the last 10 mins of operation I haven't seen a negative dB<p>
TX seems better too - I'm using my usual 500mW, and DK4XI is hearing me.<p>
I'd better re-fettle the "main" LW at M0DEV, methinks. It's got the good earth, but the route runs through trees, in a zig-zag. There must be points where some RF escapes to earth...<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-44439507984578422792012-12-01T19:50:00.000+00:002012-12-01T19:56:28.053+00:00Radio Is OddI'm perpetually surprised by what keeps me coming back to this curious pastime of ours. I've blown hot and cold about it for years, but today has been an interesting day. Not because of the log - five or so entries, and no great DX - a CW with G3SES in Chester on 80m being memorably because we had a chat. And an attempt at 70cm WSPR with G4VXE being memorably because we didn't.<p>
Working with cheap wires means what whilst I'm playing with CW on 80 and WSPR on 70cm I can leave the 817 (ex-SOTA, battered...) with the Very Long Wire Across End Of Garden running on 160m.<p>
I had thought that 10m would be interesting today. It looked that way about 09:40z, when the continent had an opening to VK land. That didn't metamorphose over to the UK and, byt he time I got home from work at 1PM, 10m was dead.<p>
160m yielded this this afternoon:<p>
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I've been on my usual 500mW, and the two DX contacts are "heard me" and, in the case of OZ7IT, it worked both ways - almost a QSO.<p>
What's really interesting is that I have started to use WSPR to look at propagation. Instead of the International Beacon Project. It looks to me as if 10m prop, for example, is much more granular. The opening to VK this morning was quite a small footprint on the map. And the key thing was, there were enough of the WSPR dummies doing all the legwork to produce the map.<p>
Utterly brilliant. Thanks Joe! And the JT9-1 QSO on 17m with OM5NA was a nice catch. He was buried under QRO RTTY. Didn't stop JT9-1 working.<p>
And today's log contains 6 entries. Content!<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-37488490151110983912012-11-29T20:22:00.000+00:002012-11-29T20:23:13.451+00:00JT9-1 successI downloaded v0.5 of the JT9-1 experience from <a href=http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjt.html>Joe Taylor's Website</a> - you want WSJT-X - and it's a MUCH better experience. It all seems to work nicely. <p>
I've tried it relatively low power (around 10W) on 160 metres, and have worked my way up to middle europe on it. The QSOs are reliable, it tunes well, and it's acquired some of the enhancements that HT65-HF has - the red and green bars, the click to continue the QSO. And it is MUCH more spectrum frugal than JT65 - and yes, it even gives positive reports sometimes<p>
All good. I look forward to working you :-)
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-26780140269643612552012-11-29T16:39:00.004+00:002012-11-29T20:17:57.694+00:00The 9:1 Un-un, and the Long WireI have just had a quick play with the antenna setup for my 817 WSPR rig. It has been running via the Elecraft T1, to a BNC bindingpost, with the LW and the earth connected directly to it. The T1 doesn't tune up perfectly on 80m (or 160).<p>
I've run the 817/T1/Un-un in parallel with a TS2000, connected to another LW, run through an SGC Mac-200 tuner, which specifically copes with random wire antennas very well. I've had it for years.<p>
I am running two copies of WSPR. One connected to the 817, one to the TS-2000, both through identical SignalLink interfaces, on the same PC. The windows are side by side. Both are set RX only for this test. One of them is uploading<p>
Both rigs on 3.592.600, both RX. The 817 (without the Un-un) is consistently level or 1 dB down on the TS-2000. They hear practically identically (even though the TS-2000 has the preamp switched in). With the un-un on the 817, between the T1 and the wire, the antenna tunes nicely, but I am 7-8dB down from the RX on the TS-2000<p>
Hmmm.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-36088874346624282632012-11-27T20:22:00.000+00:002012-11-27T22:08:23.008+00:00Pushing WSPRI'm sitting on 40 metres tonight. It's been a good afternoon - I have had a 2-way with VK7BO in Hobart, Tasmania, and several 2-ways across to the States. But the band has done its usual metamorphosis as the sun sets, and I am now looking at a solitary U-shaped plot.<p>
His frequency is varying.There are three on the plot. The first looks like an abort. The second curls up at the end, and the third is much more U-shaped. All three are quite strong. It looks as if the power could be decreased to help with the frequency stability. WSPR is an incredibly low power mode - it will decode very weak signals. But they do need to be stable, with next to no drift.<p>
But, all said, I am pleased with 40m/5W/LW tonight:<p>
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And even 80m has one or two interesting facets:<br>
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A real QSO with 5Z4/VK1UN would be rather tasty. That plot isn't as good as it seems. I heard him, he didn't hear me.
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980521182554497970.post-44278427407640287462012-11-23T19:45:00.001+00:002012-11-23T21:32:14.644+00:00Tuning up...I'm sat, for some odd reason, on 3.516.7 right now (Ok, I've been listening to CW). And I cannot believe how many of us are tuning up down there.<p>
It's quite clearly THE place to go tune up. Heaven help any QSOs going on down there.<P>
The Elecraft T1 needs no tuning up - it remembers what it did several days ago. Bt my 500mW isn't cutting the ice on 80m<p>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11177551015994688147noreply@blogger.com0