tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36769834521442540882024-03-17T14:02:47.886+01:00PE4BAS Amateur Radio WeblogAmateur radio weblog. All about my radio adventures and more.<p>
Amateur radio weblog. All about my radio adventures and more</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.comBlogger1670125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-66749272135204373582024-03-14T22:09:00.002+01:002024-03-14T22:09:31.316+01:00#6m season opener<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTBEJsu7f6lYi3gyuA5ZhiaXOFifsRGQkgKs1IyHtg_BG4jCgbOeCwO7k2YEvpmlO9CsdwPDT7OwfJ_tPyL-FIQ8d4940EjRLiSLnmS_HHcSAeCnqOPv68HWcr5hmMY8qfxRLnkp-iOwuPXjH9kLEU2Rjhy1GeklCEOP3qlrhe7m_3lLYVgE2IifOYz3Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="1116" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTBEJsu7f6lYi3gyuA5ZhiaXOFifsRGQkgKs1IyHtg_BG4jCgbOeCwO7k2YEvpmlO9CsdwPDT7OwfJ_tPyL-FIQ8d4940EjRLiSLnmS_HHcSAeCnqOPv68HWcr5hmMY8qfxRLnkp-iOwuPXjH9kLEU2Rjhy1GeklCEOP3qlrhe7m_3lLYVgE2IifOYz3Y=w640-h122" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>During the NAC VHF contest PA0O spotted ZD7MY with strong signals. Moments later he was in the log again. I've worked ZD7MY before but it is still magic... is the season starting today. Who knows...</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-74159891059795705922024-03-11T21:29:00.000+01:002024-03-11T21:29:46.329+01:00New CB antenna into the tower<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKBSIFmYkmgljaft6PxMCvFCwdm35rgX_MAjD1z6kP0QJpwCRiLDVqArfA41uD22Y9OJVZEjJrkWxmLFoQjpai3YH19I5yCDcqXujFEGdhh1bHrp7I-mrJGnkpdp0CweUe6B3tLoBdJVdXcWJ_v75S3V4v5XHCAnMUd31IjzKV0ozYvcWhq6MHjvcrTY/s4032/IMG_8442.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKBSIFmYkmgljaft6PxMCvFCwdm35rgX_MAjD1z6kP0QJpwCRiLDVqArfA41uD22Y9OJVZEjJrkWxmLFoQjpai3YH19I5yCDcqXujFEGdhh1bHrp7I-mrJGnkpdp0CweUe6B3tLoBdJVdXcWJ_v75S3V4v5XHCAnMUd31IjzKV0ozYvcWhq6MHjvcrTY/s320/IMG_8442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> PD8HW Herman donated me an almost new Sirio Gainmaster HW CB/10m antenna. It has been replacing the old half wave GP on top of the tower. The Gainmaster has a somewhat other design, it is not an endfed like the GP. This one is actually a vertical dipole. Not a new design, it is originally called a T2LT antenna. Detailed info on this antenna can be found here:<p></p><p><a href="https://www.egimoto.com/a/12fda40c330126d0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The mystery of Gainmaster</a><br /></p><p>The antenna will be used for local CB communication. Although SWR is below 1:2 on 12m and 10m as well. I already had very good results DXing on 12m FT modes yesterday, although it is absolutely not ment for DX. Fellow blogger Tom M7MCQ already made a mini review partly about this antenna:</p><p><a href="https://tommcquiggan.blogspot.com/2022/11/alinco-dx-10-dx-135-uk-mini-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ALINCO DX-10 & SIRIO GAIN-MASTER HW</a><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVwKo6_6x2FzxHeI_FsY_CKj-S8inzV93GCHgtyYRGDI19naviRXaza7xiM8YvNnMyYnKotPcYq1teu7nh4-okU4yotIzHEfUZNXL1-TFBNQ3T_pGjV-sWjIo0RifdtKznZDgnmzOgdSyyF7zACClRgQt8fYVGlGgG2QVxzTF8PZIcmQ3pJGKdxq6BNo/s4032/IMG_8443.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVwKo6_6x2FzxHeI_FsY_CKj-S8inzV93GCHgtyYRGDI19naviRXaza7xiM8YvNnMyYnKotPcYq1teu7nh4-okU4yotIzHEfUZNXL1-TFBNQ3T_pGjV-sWjIo0RifdtKznZDgnmzOgdSyyF7zACClRgQt8fYVGlGgG2QVxzTF8PZIcmQ3pJGKdxq6BNo/w200-h150/IMG_8443.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Alu GP, not very sturdy.</td></tr></tbody></table><p> To compare antennas I used a webSDR about 25km away. On the GP I barely had a S-meter reading of S5. With the Gainmaster the meter showed well over S5, sometimes S6. There is clearly a difference. To me this antenna looks sturdier as previous used Antron A-99 CB antennas. SWR is below 1:2 between 24-29 MHz here, of course best SWR is at 27MHz.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8QgBQ2wq8USojFLF1NC36vmT5moY7VVsC0Vuw_ALxx2-frzV9djJtlYBdP1Fvml8pe00e1HUFfFLM-d6nrefgG5RYf69ird8GhA9CDXUIyLDx7PeGy4VJ_kbrm5uDvorZ9Ii-jcbhpxF3ih5039M8iIrh65kihe58hcPI2vOj98Snw_a4uZg0R0pdTs/s4032/IMG_8444.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8QgBQ2wq8USojFLF1NC36vmT5moY7VVsC0Vuw_ALxx2-frzV9djJtlYBdP1Fvml8pe00e1HUFfFLM-d6nrefgG5RYf69ird8GhA9CDXUIyLDx7PeGy4VJ_kbrm5uDvorZ9Ii-jcbhpxF3ih5039M8iIrh65kihe58hcPI2vOj98Snw_a4uZg0R0pdTs/w480-h640/IMG_8444.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gainmaster HW on top of the tower, can be barely seen with white clouds in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Oh yes, I have to admit. I still love CB. Why not? It is different from HAMradio although not that different. We are all amateurradio operators...<br /><p><br /></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-24983695545099927382024-03-07T21:47:00.001+01:002024-03-07T21:47:17.129+01:00#60m EP4HR Iran worked<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrcywcsNSbvdBLcu6am57mKJ7sewBSuW2A5E7BznQXWoCOCAIwNmfw8pTNbnMwlbVIM2WAr_MJFhVmQ8_ZHYLmCk3SCWnYw67iZ3ekg4Azm94YNKD_dpWmsWzwry6OiobfKOO1wD7tgm2W4q-ZJtVNDCZdhPFFb_s1ZNm27U4ZDQh8DKaPK5OtK9mBPz4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="404" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrcywcsNSbvdBLcu6am57mKJ7sewBSuW2A5E7BznQXWoCOCAIwNmfw8pTNbnMwlbVIM2WAr_MJFhVmQ8_ZHYLmCk3SCWnYw67iZ3ekg4Azm94YNKD_dpWmsWzwry6OiobfKOO1wD7tgm2W4q-ZJtVNDCZdhPFFb_s1ZNm27U4ZDQh8DKaPK5OtK9mBPz4=w400-h285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Earlier this evening I also worked TY5C from Benin. The strange thing is that JTDX tells me I already worked Benin on 60. But when I analyze my log there is no TY on 60m in there...strange...</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-12394552683104640742024-02-29T22:17:00.002+01:002024-03-01T21:46:30.242+01:00On the edge<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmcVadtOSAHFEmoVRJaS-7R0_JfpN1hiWIZSO66xXYuP206MZgF8p4E_1uvR1tMLqXgjxZvampQGCo-D1VEANfScNCAZtClP66QPTHzAc1BZoNVX0UlxL9fsx20CfXTmIK8WrMnos1eIEUkJEf50bc5dD4jNUZmXt5MBuezcamyPtg6dmDuiwoT0lbvII" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1198" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmcVadtOSAHFEmoVRJaS-7R0_JfpN1hiWIZSO66xXYuP206MZgF8p4E_1uvR1tMLqXgjxZvampQGCo-D1VEANfScNCAZtClP66QPTHzAc1BZoNVX0UlxL9fsx20CfXTmIK8WrMnos1eIEUkJEf50bc5dD4jNUZmXt5MBuezcamyPtg6dmDuiwoT0lbvII" width="320" /></a></div> A blogpost just on the edge of winter/springtime. At a special date today, a once in a 4 year opportunity to make a blogpost on the 29th of February. During the (work)week I've less time for radio. But this evening I thought of giving it a try to work 2 new ones. XU7GNY from Cambodia and H40WA from Temotu province. If FT8 would not be existing I don't think I would ever work these entities at all just because my time is limited. With FT8 you can let the computer call, it does the job for you. This evening again I was called away from the shack several times. But in between the computer managed to work XU7GNY on 30m and 40m quite fast. Later on, H40WA was worked on 20m after about 10 minutes of calling. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinFRo0-XhBg-E8C0acOCgv6BNWvF93qiGU_qvSy4HAmZfQMmNfYTbnr6TDN7tPKusKs4R7HPu5iQQs8eAuPNBOOCcbx41SOYUSOAJoGOLd-jHITsG-TxagNHYtns5Sr0Ql4Hc8zUwhpmV8wspsy6LRAFptX2zq_wIgt1S2-NFTmmRJp-k_xn9KqukXtmY" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="563" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinFRo0-XhBg-E8C0acOCgv6BNWvF93qiGU_qvSy4HAmZfQMmNfYTbnr6TDN7tPKusKs4R7HPu5iQQs8eAuPNBOOCcbx41SOYUSOAJoGOLd-jHITsG-TxagNHYtns5Sr0Ql4Hc8zUwhpmV8wspsy6LRAFptX2zq_wIgt1S2-NFTmmRJp-k_xn9KqukXtmY" width="320" /></a></div>The DX purists will probably find this disgusting. DX should be hard work. Finding the right split frequency and find out which direction the DX operator goes. Oh yes, I've experienced this a lot of times in the past. And yes, that is the way we did DX which takes a lot of time to contact the DX at all if you can even hear it. We are now in the future of HAMradio. Working DX will take less time and less good equipment so you have time and money for other things of interest. After all, who cares if you have worked 340 DXCC in the last 50 years? We all collect DXCC for our own interest.PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-55465003437907005862024-02-27T22:06:00.000+01:002024-02-27T22:06:32.166+01:00My quest to learn CW (3)<p> This is my monthly update about my quest to learn CW. I got to the point that I'm stuck. It took me 35 times at lesson 27 on LCWO to learn that I have to lower my expectations. The speed of 28wpm with effective speed on 8wpm is too much for me. I've lowered the speed to 7wpm effective. I really need more time between the letters. It is not only to understand them but I need to find the right key on the keyboard as well. I'm shure I could write the letters down a lot faster but it is what it is. After I lowered the speed the 36th time I was over 90% which is enough to go on the lesson 28.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkUeAYeKjuFenRC_hVSHKw9Ib03B-fwKzzHq9qXT6aCaXveJKKfrBMAbka6yB7UvSoZOS1lvI3hyphenhyphenZTBTFwAfYN-FtFR0LIy8Y_1otPRyD7GsFPKnOkqggES1vdvGGeVM5wnLDFrdDShzTD7obGIUden4EW74VxF2UL-JeQ37dAz-6vA8R9qgT4ovy-4U/s607/pe4bas27cw.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkUeAYeKjuFenRC_hVSHKw9Ib03B-fwKzzHq9qXT6aCaXveJKKfrBMAbka6yB7UvSoZOS1lvI3hyphenhyphenZTBTFwAfYN-FtFR0LIy8Y_1otPRyD7GsFPKnOkqggES1vdvGGeVM5wnLDFrdDShzTD7obGIUden4EW74VxF2UL-JeQ37dAz-6vA8R9qgT4ovy-4U/s16000/pe4bas27cw.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graph from lesson 27. I almost gave up at the end, then at 7wpm effective it took me 1 try.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Writing the letters down is what I did during the ARRL DX CW contest this month. And I was surprised by the amount of stations I could decode. Although sometimes it took me listening a few times before I could complete the call and the state abbreviation. It was fun to do the decoding without the computer. S&P that way is certainly possible. However this is not "instant" decoding like in a QSO or when running. I have the feeling that it will take me a few years before I manage to do that. We will see how things will work out.</span></div><p>In the mean time I rehearse at least 15 minutes every day. Hopefully I can tell I have improved next month.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-58444327914077475122024-02-26T10:05:00.003+01:002024-02-26T10:05:53.300+01:00#60m Wallis & Futuna Isl. worked<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO8EEjuqMPpvXIcJyzi0vcGr61XbH4-4VGRkNHQTrHcmCQu9Xfde2fFDMOescQpvuiApd5Jp9Q3TIE9T6N3-mgow9nDI8vDkx9jTdJ5KunBqP0VBA_rs8SM9x-W09CRTANSHDSbJ4HsANRp-0QfxU5rnjjBgrcef-0zCDMLz0ncHKO9YEv3wnnUteK9vs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO8EEjuqMPpvXIcJyzi0vcGr61XbH4-4VGRkNHQTrHcmCQu9Xfde2fFDMOescQpvuiApd5Jp9Q3TIE9T6N3-mgow9nDI8vDkx9jTdJ5KunBqP0VBA_rs8SM9x-W09CRTANSHDSbJ4HsANRp-0QfxU5rnjjBgrcef-0zCDMLz0ncHKO9YEv3wnnUteK9vs" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>For those that don't know where these islands are. It is roughly between Samoa and Fiji in the Pacific. It is french territory. Quite difficult to reach by travel and by radio. There are a few radioamateurs on the islands but I never heard them. Right now there is a Bulgarian DXpedition going on. Worked TX8GC before on 30m for a ATNO. FW8GC was worked on 17m a few days ago. I was up early sunday morning and saw a few very nice DX stations. The problem is that I'm not the only one, so it is difficult to get a QSO. I made it to FW8GC at the end of the morning greyline and just on the edge (-21dB on FT8). It took me some transmissions before I decoded the RR73. Very glad I managed to work this one. Unfortunately something happened with the QSO screenshot and I lost it. So I had to wait for the confirmation in clublog to prove things.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRewj60CsLTc2NOA0VUrnibczIkJFDmGy3jI_ZPAZjgL5mfxRUZv5OxaWNwGN3sGs67aenO3RDZmJib2zqIWx7vPwJWrIb4zw-KW2DEizRAzJXaUp31wa5xbvsxSIVJgCoYtWTS5QUWImbyU3JO34zNtuThlXfcmV20_DZG59azBnThqvKZNpZDFKcEQA/s554/fw8gc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="554" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRewj60CsLTc2NOA0VUrnibczIkJFDmGy3jI_ZPAZjgL5mfxRUZv5OxaWNwGN3sGs67aenO3RDZmJib2zqIWx7vPwJWrIb4zw-KW2DEizRAzJXaUp31wa5xbvsxSIVJgCoYtWTS5QUWImbyU3JO34zNtuThlXfcmV20_DZG59azBnThqvKZNpZDFKcEQA/s320/fw8gc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-57723694815231377342024-02-25T17:35:00.001+01:002024-02-25T18:26:27.512+01:00New update VarAC<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_-F8YgXTD4v6mJzXvcfhod2cSuXdIHiK5p-umqkZRe-Seevaaeyio-ZXRgossOpAjJRfGjmfewN-CeTx4eyjyuRl0MRRJPXTokmEsE2A-jKvIdVGfUGTuq7_u4jCuyyw1rPHwrgRAqD2foJBuHdKecyJJ-E2IaI0Yzr5U3nuzR3Ddh7nylQAkEHtvAk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1664" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_-F8YgXTD4v6mJzXvcfhod2cSuXdIHiK5p-umqkZRe-Seevaaeyio-ZXRgossOpAjJRfGjmfewN-CeTx4eyjyuRl0MRRJPXTokmEsE2A-jKvIdVGfUGTuq7_u4jCuyyw1rPHwrgRAqD2foJBuHdKecyJJ-E2IaI0Yzr5U3nuzR3Ddh7nylQAkEHtvAk=w640-h398" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>VarAC is one of the coolest digimode programs around. It is getting more populair everyday. It is important you keep the software updated as new versions most times do not work with old versions of the software. Latest update is V8.6.2. It requires VARA-HF v4.8.5. Since I had less time for radio today I left it on 10m to monitor. When I returned at the end of the day my first QSO was with J69DS Frans from St.Lucia in the west-indies.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-86146183770445889702024-02-23T21:50:00.004+01:002024-02-23T21:54:31.705+01:00#60m EK/RX3DPK Armenia worked<p>Second new one on 60m this year. If this one is legal is always the question. But work first worry later!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEtsPqELP4AJ6gki1gPJD5--K-IVZfGB9KXr-RNb1yz_TzO1_v626dWRDbjkQVgEvTLdN_ljFpXaQFG6qcrHR1ogd-gWF26ZsTcjziB2ehS04ZdLtNGP8wWcz78fiaSA3WOjIpDLquiMgfLSSzdcTXWT8tZ6PsTg5iq6zZSQQdIYANy_aUbIVQUSnAqOY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEtsPqELP4AJ6gki1gPJD5--K-IVZfGB9KXr-RNb1yz_TzO1_v626dWRDbjkQVgEvTLdN_ljFpXaQFG6qcrHR1ogd-gWF26ZsTcjziB2ehS04ZdLtNGP8wWcz78fiaSA3WOjIpDLquiMgfLSSzdcTXWT8tZ6PsTg5iq6zZSQQdIYANy_aUbIVQUSnAqOY=w377-h400" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More 60m new ones are reported in the morning. I only am too early or too late. It might happen this weekend?</div><br /></div><br /><p></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-29193899523344983012024-02-18T19:45:00.002+01:002024-02-18T20:41:01.023+01:00ARRL DX CW contest exercise<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qonyhe1Jjxp87ww5EPr-Ur6BIAG43OhUEXrKXeKvRtk1CZxBqHXdhrb7fkKLulE0RhJD1Jj7A-C9gmgjFMVhHPZRuJPf3tTjhDZ6Na2lueWk_U1TsCacZncNwiq3f8ebKghr4TCgCY2Kv8Lio_Sr7eBkL2ijqhYqQC8b_byIYk552_3Cxsnh-vUV0Sk/s4032/IMG_8405.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qonyhe1Jjxp87ww5EPr-Ur6BIAG43OhUEXrKXeKvRtk1CZxBqHXdhrb7fkKLulE0RhJD1Jj7A-C9gmgjFMVhHPZRuJPf3tTjhDZ6Na2lueWk_U1TsCacZncNwiq3f8ebKghr4TCgCY2Kv8Lio_Sr7eBkL2ijqhYqQC8b_byIYk552_3Cxsnh-vUV0Sk/w300-h400/IMG_8405.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> As a matter of fact fellow blogger VE9KK Mike gave me an idea to practise my CW skills (!). He invited me for this CW contest. An excellent idea.<p></p><p>The plan:</p><p>Try to decode as many CW stations with call and exchange as possible on Saturday. Try to make at least 25 contacts headcopy only. Bonus: try to work VE9KK.</p><p>I had less time Saturday due to other obligations. So I wrote down some calls I decoded, mostly on 10m. It was an excellent rehearsal for Sunday. Computer was off, I only listened to the radio. I was surprised how many I could decode.</p><p>On Sunday I switched on the computer and did run N1MM logger. But did not use any CW decoder. Yes, I did make use of the cluster but that doesn't give any exhange and you have to verify the call yourself. Actually I was just doing S&P and turning the dail. It was really satisfying to find stations that were not spotted yet and decode both call and state. Not always easy because some are using speeds beyond my abilities to decode. But till 30 wpm is not a big problem. Sometimes it took me a minute to figure out a call, but overall it just took a few seconds after hearing the call a few times. I wrote it down on paper including the exchange to be shure I wouldn't make mistakes. I then put it in the log and made the contact. It's not really the fastest way but I'm just starting doing this. If you take a closer look at the papers on the photo you'll see that I made mistakes and correct it afterwards. In the end I made 77 contacts on 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz. Transmitting was done with the keyer of course, I don't have a key or paddle connected.</p><p>It was a pleasure to give K1ZZ some points. He was active in the PACC as well so he was most deserving the points in my opinion ;-)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Ah2BWft63eQwIEdrNWtlN3TWotiAK-yd054s9b-zF4r0eeu8Hf0Il8fdPVoINNowmsGfK-9RGPrqLm3h6qW28DnuKy0GjXf6LaP93_eQhZ1lZ0MDarSh5e7pACJYoLX-z1rSEuhWRZ32lH08D-F96g0WwT05-fpjFhTCVyW0zFuVuQmiw-Q_XXUiHOI" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="152" data-original-width="210" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Ah2BWft63eQwIEdrNWtlN3TWotiAK-yd054s9b-zF4r0eeu8Hf0Il8fdPVoINNowmsGfK-9RGPrqLm3h6qW28DnuKy0GjXf6LaP93_eQhZ1lZ0MDarSh5e7pACJYoLX-z1rSEuhWRZ32lH08D-F96g0WwT05-fpjFhTCVyW0zFuVuQmiw-Q_XXUiHOI=w200-h145" width="200" /></a></div><br /> Chasing VE9KK was not easy this time. Via RBN I was checking his frequency regularly but unable to hear him on 14 MHz and 28 MHz. Mike finally got to 21 MHz, but still no signal at all. Then I checked my multiband halo.... oh my that was not good, the rain was really having a bad effect on it. SWR was sky high. So I tried to tune the inverted-L, got it down to 1,8:1. Mike's signal was starting to get in now, very weak though. This was going to be hard! When I was finally hearing a reasonable signal I was just trying a few times and luckely able to get into the log. Tnx Mike.<p></p><p>This was a great CW exercise. It really gives me the feeling that I make progress. </p><p><br /></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-6453045884411823002024-02-11T21:46:00.003+01:002024-02-11T23:10:27.891+01:00PACC contest 2024 review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoAs0kxTk4i1JZsnBw7i7G0UubOOhojeeQR5XTfxtmfo0QHs9tEFe6CXm7cj1L4pk3trujAIQU6SHbhRkHsQSO-NuesLAFr1yUZerK53M622YkcnNt4C-Jb-gqjBgZ0cZhIGiTvmSme04DZuSZMJ7Id08lR-f4rOYmgNIvUDQuFJ95mFMBKes1ybLOa7w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="281" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoAs0kxTk4i1JZsnBw7i7G0UubOOhojeeQR5XTfxtmfo0QHs9tEFe6CXm7cj1L4pk3trujAIQU6SHbhRkHsQSO-NuesLAFr1yUZerK53M622YkcnNt4C-Jb-gqjBgZ0cZhIGiTvmSme04DZuSZMJ7Id08lR-f4rOYmgNIvUDQuFJ95mFMBKes1ybLOa7w" width="226" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Event: PACC 2024</span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Section: QRP mixed</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Logger: N1MM+ </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Station: Icom IC-7300 at 5% (5W)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Antenna 1: Experimental multiband halo</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Antenna 2: 10m LFA @14m</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Antenna 3: 2x20m inverted-V doublet</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This years goal was to beat the score from last year. Beside that I wanted to do more CW and try to headcopy instead doing it all with CWskimmer. Well, I can tell decoding with my own brain is hard. Yes, some easy calls are no problem like SN5O or K1ZZ but others are really really hard like II5I and others, I got really confused sometimes. So if any of those CW callers are reading this I'm sorry if I left the frequency without working you all. The amount of stations calling on my CW CQ was most times overwhelming. 4-5 stations together at the same time gives one long beeeeep. And most stations keep on repeating while I struggled to decode and find the correct keys on my keyboard. In the end I think it is just a matter of rehearsal :-).</p><p>So here they are, the statistics:</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUbtczu67n3MQe208yDQQGT-AZB0-VV2E9zXJEF2h7L9Up94BDxkt3g_hMwULMN2UVqyCIflVzOPyz9MP07bdpAt0kTFssf4y1jjryMs07c--wg4VAJX7Z5jQrWp-heHChMRkKeeeL6ueAk12tS1AaTDDMwdCX_kQqu7VdBnyJzIO6xrOfXh6i1ffTEiE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1525" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUbtczu67n3MQe208yDQQGT-AZB0-VV2E9zXJEF2h7L9Up94BDxkt3g_hMwULMN2UVqyCIflVzOPyz9MP07bdpAt0kTFssf4y1jjryMs07c--wg4VAJX7Z5jQrWp-heHChMRkKeeeL6ueAk12tS1AaTDDMwdCX_kQqu7VdBnyJzIO6xrOfXh6i1ffTEiE=w640-h358" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green dots = SSB -- Red dots = CW</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLn3MsnqSguae30MpOvCUVdPBXiY8MKZ6LejRXVSYKm04Cl-isaO1W8fYa_Co3ouXKKv3SYvEvzDuwb4SqYnzkhelufgoa4gs4mnBuHeot_3eZ8TvdfFB9lwBBPEysXexkgeU1P6-pRFDDKgnkia1c-DN-6JOYEyyShgsG-H4oJMi3BpL76nWLEIOHGIg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLn3MsnqSguae30MpOvCUVdPBXiY8MKZ6LejRXVSYKm04Cl-isaO1W8fYa_Co3ouXKKv3SYvEvzDuwb4SqYnzkhelufgoa4gs4mnBuHeot_3eZ8TvdfFB9lwBBPEysXexkgeU1P6-pRFDDKgnkia1c-DN-6JOYEyyShgsG-H4oJMi3BpL76nWLEIOHGIg=s16000" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yes, I ended early. I had enough when I reached 425 contacts. It is 50 more as last year. I see that I worked 2 dupes. I worked more in CW mode compared to SSB, that was one of my goals. The 10m band disappointed me on SSB. Just a few Russian stations and worked one JA. The money band was 40m SSB. 40m Propagation inside Europe and especially inside the Netherlands was excellent this year. I even managed to have a few (tiny) pile-ups on that band which isn't easy with only 5W. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwZW-nJxi3WMsftN6KFP-uT97LmJuUoKP2m4eVsmTStUKONaxyHOLYirwb4xVdELKVLUTaN3D9zw32du6HqOFjlQV2RUXumMBVd7P6M83ZB8HqNrBFUZGC3UC2-I7bZiNDAoCt1isPJ8RSg1MI5jqRRpo4wBtoQHt-BjRDqAupXGTX9-kjKPkuzmSbZwA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwZW-nJxi3WMsftN6KFP-uT97LmJuUoKP2m4eVsmTStUKONaxyHOLYirwb4xVdELKVLUTaN3D9zw32du6HqOFjlQV2RUXumMBVd7P6M83ZB8HqNrBFUZGC3UC2-I7bZiNDAoCt1isPJ8RSg1MI5jqRRpo4wBtoQHt-BjRDqAupXGTX9-kjKPkuzmSbZwA=s16000" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DXCC worked</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Congratulations to K1ZZ who worked me on 5 bands CW. Last year he did it on 4 bands, so this is a new record! Another remarkable contact was with PA0Q/OE3JRC Hans who is one of the organisation members of this contest. Hans is living in Austria near Vienna and I worked him on 80m when he worked remote from the Noord Brabant province on Saturday. I know that Hans is working with a magnetic loop from his home and would be QRV on Sunday on 20m. It was a surprise if I could hear him and the other way around. But we managed to make a good CW QSO, signal was really good actually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well after all it was an interesting contest with good propagation as expected. I had the feeling propagation was better on Sunday. For next year I hope to improve my CW because it is the only way to improve the score in the QRP section.</div></div><p></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-39054306309298903142024-02-07T22:20:00.002+01:002024-02-07T22:20:20.606+01:00Upcoming weekend Dutch PACC contest<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNibXvaByd9RojzAeo32IKOOqAvAHmZZLNIPSOy1siTS-2xIbZnuj198Td7sBL1uIhbo30EwvlbuFK1nNL3TdlCKeCuzglhKbTDvd8egNOuIXtxYc4dXxrLljHWDY7UmbPA2wOYNdKbOdnkA9d61IO5YeRFoSWFtrFgQO824t7o22udgp50kNaxQE1WiU" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="156" data-original-width="297" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNibXvaByd9RojzAeo32IKOOqAvAHmZZLNIPSOy1siTS-2xIbZnuj198Td7sBL1uIhbo30EwvlbuFK1nNL3TdlCKeCuzglhKbTDvd8egNOuIXtxYc4dXxrLljHWDY7UmbPA2wOYNdKbOdnkA9d61IO5YeRFoSWFtrFgQO824t7o22udgp50kNaxQE1WiU" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p> This upcoming weekend I will participate in the PACC contest again. This contest will be 10-11 Feb. from 12-12 UTC (24h). I will participate in the QRP (mixed) section. </p><p>A few years ago I was really fanatic about this contest. This resulted in a win of the SSB low power section, which is the biggest section, in 2020. After that I decided to do the QRP section only because it is the most difficult section and a large challenge. Of course in the end I would like to win this section. But to win it there is only one way.....learn to master the code...that's the biggest challenge of all.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX4Zi89YwJukUXKaK1YI2Q-DqQ4Rf5e4RkX6bj73FdO3adEf2egiVWaT90XJW2x69O0DLyqx1qpaQP6QXC9a2jLFkcc87qFndcJH5AzF6MU9NY05gKwu8YHiTDGs7T6OdEfVp5Ii9FTBRSa8rJJ7wGMcVtAlNRKq7kI5NUbbmAQ550V0jBG9moyxM1o_4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="277" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX4Zi89YwJukUXKaK1YI2Q-DqQ4Rf5e4RkX6bj73FdO3adEf2egiVWaT90XJW2x69O0DLyqx1qpaQP6QXC9a2jLFkcc87qFndcJH5AzF6MU9NY05gKwu8YHiTDGs7T6OdEfVp5Ii9FTBRSa8rJJ7wGMcVtAlNRKq7kI5NUbbmAQ550V0jBG9moyxM1o_4=w320-h203" width="320" /></a></div><p> Propagation willl be reasonable according to the forecast. Hopefully I can do some more CW this time. I wish I could do the decoding without the help of the computer but unfortunatly I'm not that far. I will try to copy as much headcopy as possible though. Hopefully I will meet some of you bloggers and readers in this contest. </p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-9813471106797273032024-02-02T22:44:00.000+01:002024-02-02T22:44:12.522+01:00#CQWW PA6AA 1st in explorer multi section<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6tD88oI5ZaO4lo1jxxaAyuSnQcNpHDpyUpN-Ug9xDaN5yjgNDTL3EzyoTaqi0or8Z13twirdYgchP2oD2aDaXpyIKWwcZawgmDfxYeRJbZy5hjBDEynGK0uSmsD4JnDagVyuk6UG8ow7XlP_9eW-C_nHjfCtfQgb5EOmbLLEN_l7Ze27MICTnSABCy0s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6tD88oI5ZaO4lo1jxxaAyuSnQcNpHDpyUpN-Ug9xDaN5yjgNDTL3EzyoTaqi0or8Z13twirdYgchP2oD2aDaXpyIKWwcZawgmDfxYeRJbZy5hjBDEynGK0uSmsD4JnDagVyuk6UG8ow7XlP_9eW-C_nHjfCtfQgb5EOmbLLEN_l7Ze27MICTnSABCy0s=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Well, this certificate is quite unique. For those that didn't read the previous posts about our experiment. It was first confirmed by the authorities to be legal. Then, after all, thoughts changed and it became illigal afterwards. Hopefully there will be a change of rules in the future here in the Netherlands. This is a very nice opportunity to contest together if you are not able to join together at one (contest) station.<p></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-36509226765822320962024-01-30T13:05:00.002+01:002024-01-30T13:05:29.437+01:00My quest to learn CW (2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y_6eGvHuQ9714sJ3L7_YO0LK5w93DiUd6sJoFTChRxj4uWOHIpVRF_heqfyGM60uWBoAG3aOnQp0axXh1rRnCvm8X9Nv1TKDGkiNdUx4bGQws9Q1ALAW4ebTczNJBIxFcgLmjF7q4WJxAhn-l12sXlxBBMp1O1b3V8IW-CHfL7W2MxvSHZUXm7anFXI/s174/cw%20lol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="174" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y_6eGvHuQ9714sJ3L7_YO0LK5w93DiUd6sJoFTChRxj4uWOHIpVRF_heqfyGM60uWBoAG3aOnQp0axXh1rRnCvm8X9Nv1TKDGkiNdUx4bGQws9Q1ALAW4ebTczNJBIxFcgLmjF7q4WJxAhn-l12sXlxBBMp1O1b3V8IW-CHfL7W2MxvSHZUXm7anFXI/s1600/cw%20lol.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><p> This is my second blogpost about my quest to learn CW. Not that I'm against the use of a computer decoder but because I just want to decode morse with my own brain. So I continue the quest and will try to update my blog with the progress I make every month.</p><p>In my previous blogpost about the subject I wrote I was not able to learn from <a href="http://LCWO.net" target="_blank">LCWO.net</a>. I continued to use morsemania on my phone and did an every day 1-15 minute practice with morsemachine on 28 wpm. The problem is that I got a bit bored with morsemachine only, I wanted to take it a step further. So I went back to the Learn CW Online website and changed settings. The original settings were way too fast for me and despite LCWO gives the advice to not learn below 15 wpm effective I now learn with a speed of 28 wpm and 8 wpm effective speed. 28 wpm because you only learn the sound of each letter above a speed of 27 wpm. 8 wpm effective speed because above this speed it is way too fast for me, I also need to find the letter on my keyboard. The plan is now to finish all 40 lessons and then increase the effective speed by one and do all 40 lesson again etc. etc. Yes, this takes time....but I was already counting on that. In between I will try to do the word/numbers training and hopefully in the future the text and callsign training.</p><p>Find my progress here: <a href="https://lcwo.net/profile/PE4BAS" target="_blank">https://lcwo.net/profile/PE4BAS</a></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-9804224401636890442024-01-24T21:43:00.003+01:002024-01-25T09:18:57.174+01:00#60m Clipperton Island worked<p>Worked the first ATNO for 2024 on 60m this morning. I already did read a posting on facebook that their signal was incredible on that band. So this morning just before I left for the job I just tried and within a few minutes I was in the log. I also worked them on 17m this evening. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDyO0xZQ_ccxHWU1qGBqnV_ICfQ-6D2zkqAbBLtsxGLuyXxcJdorXdTWgMmUtdegjyB_kUxR30bQT-l2syzbcN67w9qJ5avyPBJHwvkdxbNDtaHN_-e6_z0ncjgxWmn1VMNxl3APG82dGpqwynQQy3PGz4ms_RvZIQWTvNqH6lXzzkUx4ydLDwZ5sx_tg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="391" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDyO0xZQ_ccxHWU1qGBqnV_ICfQ-6D2zkqAbBLtsxGLuyXxcJdorXdTWgMmUtdegjyB_kUxR30bQT-l2syzbcN67w9qJ5avyPBJHwvkdxbNDtaHN_-e6_z0ncjgxWmn1VMNxl3APG82dGpqwynQQy3PGz4ms_RvZIQWTvNqH6lXzzkUx4ydLDwZ5sx_tg=w308-h400" width="308" /></a></div><p></p><p>Although the JTDX software doesn't know where <a href="https://www.qrz.com/db/?callsign=TX5S" target="_blank">TX5S</a> is located, most of us know. Just look it up in QRZ.com and you got all the info.</p><p>An interesting read is the wiki page of Clipperton: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipperton_Island" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipperton_Island</a></p><p>TX5S is not the first DXpedition on Clipperton, most of the DXpeditions also in the past include scientific research on the island. TX5S is already mentioned on the wiki page.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-78344096152449764642024-01-22T21:13:00.000+01:002024-01-22T21:13:20.461+01:00VCXO-AXE 30m WSPR transmissions with MLA last 24 hours<p>Not really planned but had to retract the tower. The forecast showed large wind gusts here on the coast and I didn't trust it at all. So I tried the experimental halo which is actually for 20m and up. It didn't work at all. My last escape was setting up the MLA in the shack and at least be on 30m WSPR for the night and the day till my battery would die.</p><p>Things to keep in mind, for myself in the future:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The antenna switch needs power otherwise all inputs are switched to earth. </li><li>The gymboss timer doesn't have to be on 2 minutes, the transmitter does have its own WSPR cycle.</li></ul><div>I really didn't know what to expect. It has been a long time ago that I experimented with this transmitter. It still does its job. Actually it has been a long time ago I experimented with WSPR anyway. I noticed things are changed. The <a href="http://wspr.vk7jj.com/" target="_blank">VK7JJ WSPR Rocks</a> site is expanded and PE1ITR's WSPR challenge site is gone! There are probably more interesting sites featuring WSPR analysis, can anyone give me some tips?</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1v_ZYID7CZ5-nco0PqHObmtmmC2zKPXNnmmsKU_NUUl3fKhY_giKwLroi2ga-dc2yWF8noAbLUrjJaV_AgGyUwQLE4ECv3cLnrXii0mIeG9WpQN_D52QLTOQgsBJmODgYKMDINHXiQ02H3_Fa9i8jUldNy_aozDbENXdivscTra31jkLkYmECZVS6Vk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1227" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1v_ZYID7CZ5-nco0PqHObmtmmC2zKPXNnmmsKU_NUUl3fKhY_giKwLroi2ga-dc2yWF8noAbLUrjJaV_AgGyUwQLE4ECv3cLnrXii0mIeG9WpQN_D52QLTOQgsBJmODgYKMDINHXiQ02H3_Fa9i8jUldNy_aozDbENXdivscTra31jkLkYmECZVS6Vk=w640-h292" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div>942 spots! Isn't that incredible? And 132 uniques. ODX K9AN over 6830km. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aFNB5a0DI17NCPnpyTzeil0VrIceNVJDpVi1hO41YtLlpDPWgJFXM1ydypZXNqjlmR9yJWnhN6IlE8mIdhsJ4e9XoQ9K3iw23atlXzqGribwG_dj4oi7HeX9zTw-rjouvFsfouCVcuo17ZhDqha_Da1tV8JOjgs84VNUrXHr8R0ytxmajpFvRlC1KEw/s950/IMG_8379.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aFNB5a0DI17NCPnpyTzeil0VrIceNVJDpVi1hO41YtLlpDPWgJFXM1ydypZXNqjlmR9yJWnhN6IlE8mIdhsJ4e9XoQ9K3iw23atlXzqGribwG_dj4oi7HeX9zTw-rjouvFsfouCVcuo17ZhDqha_Da1tV8JOjgs84VNUrXHr8R0ytxmajpFvRlC1KEw/w426-h640/IMG_8379.PNG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div>I mean, this is with 1W in a tiny magnetic loop inside my shack! Isn't this amazing?</div><div>I will think about another 24h run with my inverted-V in one of the next days.</div><p></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-77869088983940207622024-01-21T16:51:00.009+01:002024-01-22T09:56:15.926+01:00VarAC QSOs & digging up the VCXO AXE WSPR transmitter<p> Sorry I'm not posting much lately. I have to admit that most of my available time is spend on practising CW. Am I making progress? Yes, but that is for another post ;-).</p><p>I'm spending quite a lot of time in VarAC digimode chat software these days. Some days it is hard to make an actual QSO. Some stations are using it just like they would make their QSOs, in other words: give name, location and report and end with 73 that's it. I prefer real QSOs however. And luckely there are stations that you can chat for shure. Sometimes it is getting really interesting. Sometimes you cannot finish the QSO because the signal is suddenly gone. But overall the software is able to pick out very tiny signals. I even worked someone from NY who used a MLA in his appartment with only 9W.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPZ464MGxGlJfpy826kkLIKDa5YWcqauxgHT38g3eNZqfMgISQMPaIe7vl-ithaqfbXsPD7I3QGDLskN4ZJvAmnu37yozSckL3ZO1QnudcwX7TKLAGoklse1dx7_MJwqRtPA5VH_exdiYI5ZyWaJPznhd18CAvGMcDo__Kd__HsiETXQhB-B-e9uR9z-M" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="623" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPZ464MGxGlJfpy826kkLIKDa5YWcqauxgHT38g3eNZqfMgISQMPaIe7vl-ithaqfbXsPD7I3QGDLskN4ZJvAmnu37yozSckL3ZO1QnudcwX7TKLAGoklse1dx7_MJwqRtPA5VH_exdiYI5ZyWaJPznhd18CAvGMcDo__Kd__HsiETXQhB-B-e9uR9z-M" width="180" /></a></div>Yesterday I made a 20m VarAC contact with <a href="https://www.qrz.com/db/KM4UDX" target="_blank">KM4UDX Don</a> who was using only 20W. Unfortunately not from his FrankenRadio which is really a piece of art. Have you ever see such a cool radio? Don uses a lot of AliExpress gadgets to build his stuff. I hope he doesn't mind I publish his picture here. The FrankenRadio was currently in the hospital for surgery ;-(.<p></p><p>Viewing the voltmeters it reminded me of my VCXO AXE WSPR transmitter which also features an AliExpress voltmeter. Nothing wrong with those by the way. But I showed Don the picture and then I realized I didn't use it for a long time... I recently replaced the battery of the Gymboss timer and cleaned the timer as wel because it got very sticky because of aging.</p><p><br /></p><p>So I gave it a try yesterday evening assuming everything was still programmed like it was years ago. Unfortunately I didn't get much reports...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPxHH-veLBxWwsGXKZLizEbvLH1m4sMl83VVPadYYs1TsvpxaXt-xHyNoIYBoZrc1EJh1Py_gCwOom9OtDwljfvhmA0Rr46BH-9y1WJUBliJVTBA16lpp9M9Rz3rt_G2XIDGK7-3i-S5rFYjbFuRxfp3ORW6F8jY7psxNdR0Bm-mXUpoQNnudrI5PyWMw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="1117" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPxHH-veLBxWwsGXKZLizEbvLH1m4sMl83VVPadYYs1TsvpxaXt-xHyNoIYBoZrc1EJh1Py_gCwOom9OtDwljfvhmA0Rr46BH-9y1WJUBliJVTBA16lpp9M9Rz3rt_G2XIDGK7-3i-S5rFYjbFuRxfp3ORW6F8jY7psxNdR0Bm-mXUpoQNnudrI5PyWMw=w640-h336" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cKYGwFAahkDhDVGCZ54vWOdQ0hFSaamCHNzZZ54yf7Gz8SrkVhLxw_rkwHnZzv0Z0g5cf3uOwTcrboJVfpFgBChIMFEYv2jXY_lHrKxlP3jTc1nrEFHpyu6GP7WYAt9v40TZDjS1r1cG2w2eHZioAtm5g3BxSuajTMGU9XsAZZxCH2VXU8ixtZzi2Qo/s1136/IMG_8375.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cKYGwFAahkDhDVGCZ54vWOdQ0hFSaamCHNzZZ54yf7Gz8SrkVhLxw_rkwHnZzv0Z0g5cf3uOwTcrboJVfpFgBChIMFEYv2jXY_lHrKxlP3jTc1nrEFHpyu6GP7WYAt9v40TZDjS1r1cG2w2eHZioAtm5g3BxSuajTMGU9XsAZZxCH2VXU8ixtZzi2Qo/s320/IMG_8375.PNG" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p>But at least the spots I got were real DX. I let the thing go for the entire night but only 8 spots were made. Something was obviously wrong? And yes it was, the Gymboss timer was totally out of program. It transmitted 1 minute (!) WSPR in 3 minute intervals. No wonder it went wrong. But even so it is remarkable these spots were made anyway...</p><p>So, I'm going to give it a try again. With 2 minute transmissions like it should be and an interval of 12 minutes. 99 x 12 minutes will make a cycle of 1188 minutes / 60 = 19,8 hours. I'll use my portable battery as power supply, so when it dies it will be over. Don't know exacly how long it is able to hold it.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoyN0idGV5RH12oCIwBwvHhUkXwxP2pew_ARXoz6QOFQDMoN4GhOxmrz2vgtEj1qC8QIgl9Zh-b_E56IuCK1-NK2xvbokmFbD_KTbjHbuMv1VSy54baW0ch1vvimsoX8fyjCB5WzpVCJE5HV_sWUsPP0uzfTirhDw-Y8Jk8C2t2gIQVtUzx6zFWUUitA/s4032/IMG_8370.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoyN0idGV5RH12oCIwBwvHhUkXwxP2pew_ARXoz6QOFQDMoN4GhOxmrz2vgtEj1qC8QIgl9Zh-b_E56IuCK1-NK2xvbokmFbD_KTbjHbuMv1VSy54baW0ch1vvimsoX8fyjCB5WzpVCJE5HV_sWUsPP0uzfTirhDw-Y8Jk8C2t2gIQVtUzx6zFWUUitA/w400-h300/IMG_8370.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The equipent VCXO AXE WSPR transmitter<a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2015/01/30m-w5olf-wspr-vcxo-axe-beacon-kit-3.html" target="_blank"> built in 2015</a>. Output 1W, or 990mW like it shows above. It is on 30m WSPR tonight using my<strike> doublet inverted-V</strike> <strike>experimental halo</strike>. Will try to report tomorrow if everything went well. A storm is approaching and can have some effect on the whole experiment, makes it fun anyway.</p><p><b>Update: 21:00 UTC</b> still no spots. I now realize the (new) antennaswitch is not working without power supply. Stupid me. I will have to switch on the shack power supply. </p><p><b>Update: 21:50 UTC</b> the halo has good SWR on 30m but seems not be radiating as expected. It does not receive anything either. I can't use the inverted-V since the tower is retracted. I now try the magnetic loop inside the shack. If this doesn't work I will have to experiment another day.</p><p><b>Update: 21:58 UTC</b> first spot from PD0OHW, he is 39km from my QTH. Not bad for a MLA inside the house and only 1W output. Hopefully there will be some more spots later.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-61069136609566528442024-01-05T22:17:00.002+01:002024-01-06T17:03:30.882+01:002023 statistics<p> Here are my 2023 statistics.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7jRF_U6QmoroxlPZX55tFPst2EefT_wVjaZqp6qHxPiuK_F5N3qRnH2dIQ-X5Vg4vDFcj5-g2mY5-Bq-ufOYn23fR9erm2swXIvx_lmfYgFHZOwDhitfskW-gySU6bIq8WhVU-mAf3LSopHEcoc6WUegGN07scyyLQe0e7ftqW33h9uMSi3Ez6npRY44" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7jRF_U6QmoroxlPZX55tFPst2EefT_wVjaZqp6qHxPiuK_F5N3qRnH2dIQ-X5Vg4vDFcj5-g2mY5-Bq-ufOYn23fR9erm2swXIvx_lmfYgFHZOwDhitfskW-gySU6bIq8WhVU-mAf3LSopHEcoc6WUegGN07scyyLQe0e7ftqW33h9uMSi3Ez6npRY44=s16000" /></a></div><br />Not the first year I got more digital contacts as phone or cw contacts, I had this as well in 2019. It is a bit controversial since I took part in the CQWW SSB contest as member of PA6AA. Not shure about the numbers but I believe I made about 1000 SSB QSOs in that contest. I you count that for 2023 the phone percentage will probably be higher compared to data. I never made such a high percentage of CW contacts in a year though, I hope this will increase in this year.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBml-15985HQqNakaOGqSKCStgql28T1WwZUI9Rg7BRmrVnwa6Drd-0FOKhuRRYZk9w97EiJpsosyJFkytxn_75ciEP1PEm1H7hfMepLTZk7wzyWEk2XTKVRbyQ9wePW23jgevGKetcpsZz6nOPuUM67QPlx6Mrw5YJxNhJg2W3BKK_HVghrupIB7yjZI/s1600/QSOs%20per%20month%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBml-15985HQqNakaOGqSKCStgql28T1WwZUI9Rg7BRmrVnwa6Drd-0FOKhuRRYZk9w97EiJpsosyJFkytxn_75ciEP1PEm1H7hfMepLTZk7wzyWEk2XTKVRbyQ9wePW23jgevGKetcpsZz6nOPuUM67QPlx6Mrw5YJxNhJg2W3BKK_HVghrupIB7yjZI/w640-h360/QSOs%20per%20month%202023.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>My monthly QSO statistics. February and March are generally the contest months. CQWW SSB is in oktober, actually you can add 1000 QSOs to those 244. They are not in my own log due to participation in the PA6AA contest group. It actually surprises me that I made that much QSOs in summer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nlr3YqghNkRKpx_q3inwbbPbe1HWIfqYdD25JY-94XFK3VZm13gkzdW5vqnNohyphenhyphengZVfA0mX5R7_EZStjSXRpiQd_GBnhTnO8BLEcejOf1STn-wORqLS75PHAQynbxYT5StVT_Y4Zjf712xT8lMmW1gNSiEq4Qh58IKGtGJxyIfJv4UAAG2NjaBvRzR0/s1600/QSOs%20per%20mode%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nlr3YqghNkRKpx_q3inwbbPbe1HWIfqYdD25JY-94XFK3VZm13gkzdW5vqnNohyphenhyphengZVfA0mX5R7_EZStjSXRpiQd_GBnhTnO8BLEcejOf1STn-wORqLS75PHAQynbxYT5StVT_Y4Zjf712xT8lMmW1gNSiEq4Qh58IKGtGJxyIfJv4UAAG2NjaBvRzR0/w640-h360/QSOs%20per%20mode%202023.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Not surprising is the increased number of digimode contacts. Lets face it, it's todays way of making QSOs. DXing on 6m and 4m is 99% with FT8. Other bands follow. Did a lot of SSB as well and don't forget to add another 1000 to the 1224, you know why if you read this post well. My CW contacts are almost doubled compared to last year. And last but not least I made 4 FM contacts, 2 of them with stations in Africa!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA8oVHTS8c2sJ5IOVY7tSiNlutfyYBB77s8zZaR15At0Uy-Bm56c6oJFpC6EmMVE9gbB-7g3L5F-g17w88GStM0Q2rkPa4qrYdzLUherrMZCB7qAOCxxTqIA6TC5hvrTMWT7jO9V_mvkia-UqZad7mQ7o2aiCdmsEPfjuNdHwtjgjsv5n1NvP_pqjmNE/s1600/QSOs%20per%20band%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA8oVHTS8c2sJ5IOVY7tSiNlutfyYBB77s8zZaR15At0Uy-Bm56c6oJFpC6EmMVE9gbB-7g3L5F-g17w88GStM0Q2rkPa4qrYdzLUherrMZCB7qAOCxxTqIA6TC5hvrTMWT7jO9V_mvkia-UqZad7mQ7o2aiCdmsEPfjuNdHwtjgjsv5n1NvP_pqjmNE/w640-h360/QSOs%20per%20band%202023.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Interesting the 30m and 12m are left behind. I really tried to be on those bands more often but from the number of contacts I'm not shure I managed to do that. I think that, although the numbers are lower, those are mostly DX contacts with DXCC I did not work before on those bands. The 4m band looks if I didn't spend a lot of time there but that is not true, I check it often. The band is not really open for DX that much. Local contacts can be made there, I did....2 of them :-)</p><p>My DXCC numbers at the end of 2023:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6297Erm7cX10wrXqD_vOVOYBb8GYMafJ30_qItMzmeKJXS6V6_PwAFkaYhqYjK7j-B1D35rMVuKJ5IfjRjrcDesH_jVMLAX5TfIBllRzVYakRHTLroyogNtD0P_JPhyphenhyphengGlEzLwiLjLp_SWuh7zXV5vP1N7Bkdle7vU71dMvBs-UiWqdRrb8v4lj_jHg/s831/dxcc2023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="831" height="49" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6297Erm7cX10wrXqD_vOVOYBb8GYMafJ30_qItMzmeKJXS6V6_PwAFkaYhqYjK7j-B1D35rMVuKJ5IfjRjrcDesH_jVMLAX5TfIBllRzVYakRHTLroyogNtD0P_JPhyphenhyphengGlEzLwiLjLp_SWuh7zXV5vP1N7Bkdle7vU71dMvBs-UiWqdRrb8v4lj_jHg/w640-h49/dxcc2023.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Just for archive purposes...</span></div><p></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-77373365415760783292024-01-05T21:32:00.002+01:002024-01-05T21:32:45.576+01:002024 contest agenda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVl2Z72kNeQ7DyEtCcnnaMVTUl1jQqr15iogVlmARN8orECXjF9HSZb2yh-hCxiZ_mLja4A_cejLt8W3tC528HOm2mWQinHOB-pwH_Vs6kvcWp7H9nHpJHasDBimnhnsu1YslqfwxBvcEG7nuTc4D6AZx2HN5Shm9xMuCtgVrdyw-jlmCfZ6YqqQY3" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="482" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVl2Z72kNeQ7DyEtCcnnaMVTUl1jQqr15iogVlmARN8orECXjF9HSZb2yh-hCxiZ_mLja4A_cejLt8W3tC528HOm2mWQinHOB-pwH_Vs6kvcWp7H9nHpJHasDBimnhnsu1YslqfwxBvcEG7nuTc4D6AZx2HN5Shm9xMuCtgVrdyw-jlmCfZ6YqqQY3" width="242" /></a></div><p></p><p>As always for archive purposes...</p><p>My radiohobby agenda for 2024. </p><p>Feel free to copy.</p><p>I always have to balance my time between my family and hobby. With a agenda and planning I want to prevent conflicts if possible.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>10/11 Feb. 12-12 UTC 24 hrs PACC 2024 contest (SOAB QRP)</p><p>30/31 Mar. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW WPX SSB 2024 contest</p><p>26/27 Okt. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW DX SSB 2024 contest</p><p>10 Nov. 10-12:30 local time PA-beker contest SSB section 2024</p><p>17 Nov. 11-14 local time Friese 11 steden contest 2024</p><p>23/24 Nov. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW DX CW 2024 contest</p><p>14/15 Dec. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs 10m ARRL 2024 contest</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-7499808273762993952023-12-31T09:54:00.003+01:002024-01-05T09:49:34.703+01:002023 highlights, 2024 goals<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK-dIMeWMJ66rsNpv2mV58fUK22nyUbNDEWIkZSGTu4BuTaP7RMNS8QEXc3ZWO1WSMYoFakUzFTTTNeIIhSkc6NfQB56Xfv7nkJTTrzYvjrvvn11ooxU6PP5O764lRYDZb8czmm_an5Gryy-ldct3PH9w6e5APZCVudXtg1FUYtRju4m7-SggLnoMkPE/s355/zandloper%20goud.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK-dIMeWMJ66rsNpv2mV58fUK22nyUbNDEWIkZSGTu4BuTaP7RMNS8QEXc3ZWO1WSMYoFakUzFTTTNeIIhSkc6NfQB56Xfv7nkJTTrzYvjrvvn11ooxU6PP5O764lRYDZb8czmm_an5Gryy-ldct3PH9w6e5APZCVudXtg1FUYtRju4m7-SggLnoMkPE/s320/zandloper%20goud.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><p> Like every year traditionally I post the highlights of this year and try to make some goals for next year. </p><p><b>DX</b></p><p>This was an interesting year DX wise. I can't remember I ever worked this much new ones on HF. I count 17 ATNOs featuring many from the Pacific. And I worked 14 new ones on the 6m band which is incredible. Actually I thought I would have less radio time but overall I don't think I spend more or less radio time compared to last year. However I did make less blogposts? Could I have less inspiration or did I spend more time working DX instead of typing stories. I really don't know. This year was the long awaited DXpedition from Bouvet island, but unfortunately it didn't happen for me. I have been chasing them but only saw them once too weak to work them. I believe I was not the only one and from what I read on the internet several people are trying to do another effort to transmit from Bouvet. Hopefully I will have that second chance. </p><p><b>VarAC</b></p><p>I wrote a few postings about VarAC, the digimode communication program. It is really an interesting piece of software but not for everyday use for me. When using VarAC you can meet some interesting stations, at least that is possible. The other side is that most of the stations on VarAC are just monitoring. I have mixed feelings about the use of this kind of software and think that it is still missing something, only I cannot think of what? Besides that there is one setback which is the use of VARA. VARA-HF is made by someone else and VarAC is build using this digimode software. A kind of signal provider. It is like the phone company that uses 4G transmitters and antennas from someone else. VARA-HF can be used free but has a speed limit in that case. You can also buy the VARA software package and speed will be increased. In that case it is possible to send photos to other VarAC users. It would be far better if VarAC had its own digimode protocol.</p><p><b>6m/4m</b></p><p> Well, I seem to have some skills as I<a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/05/building-another-yu7ef-duoband-antenna-4.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> build a nice duoband beam for PB7Z Bernard</a>, including installation on his tower. It worked out well and also Bernard worked some great DX this year on 6m and 4m. Talking about the magic 6m band, one of the true highlights of this year was certainly <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/11/6m-australia-worked.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">working 3 VK6 (Australia) stations on 6m</a>. This might happen again or never again? We will only know in time. You know how it is on the 6m band, magic just happens... I never thought I would work 14 new ones on 6m after I passed the 100 DXCC mark last year. My total DXCC count on 6 is now 123. 4m was also open at times, but since only a few DXCC are allowed on this band I only worked 2 new ones. Next year I probably work Italy as new one since they obtained access to the 4m band as well this year.</p><p><b>Antennas</b></p><p>Probably my biggest interest within the hobby. Always looking for better designs, experimenting. The experimental square multiband halo (kind of variation on the cobwebb design) is doing great. It is not a directional antenna but seems to get out well on DX. I recently tested it using a webSDR in New Zealand to review signal difference between my inverted-V and the halo on 20m. So far there was not much difference. Sometimes the inverted-V was stronger while a few moments later the halo seems to be stronger. I still plan to do a proper test with WSPR and simultaneous transmissions. I also made an <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/10/inverted-l-with-autotuner.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">inverted-L antenna </a>which I still have to really test. Unfortunately at the moment I've so many antennas but only 2 cables to the tower and only one 2-way switch at the base of the tower. So far I can only switch 3 antennas max. I have some multi antenna switches ready to fit at the bottom of the tower though so I can switch more antennas from the shack. In the mean time my colleague PD8HW gave me his Sirio gain keeper HW, he is installing the 5/8 wave version. I'll replace the 1/2 wave GP on top of the tower in the new year, the new Sirio is probabely not giving me a bigger signal but it looks a lot better on my tower hi. And yes I'm also active on CB, not a lot but I like to listen out for some local stations and have a chat once and a while. Antennas installed in and at the tower at the moment: CB GP, multiband halo, duoband 4m/6m beam, 10m LFA, Inverted-V doublet, Inverted-L with CG3000 autotuner, I am able to transmit/receive from 1,8-70MHz with these.</p><p><b>2023 Projects</b></p><p>One of the highlights certainly was building a new YU7EF duoband 6m/4m beam for PB7Z. It was my second build of this antenna and certainly a success. I also build in a long wanted item in my rotor control box, the <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/07/erc-v4-usb-rotorcontrol-build-into.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ERC V4 USB rotorcontroller</a>. It is now possible to control the rotor with the computer. Giving me the opportunity to remote control it as well via the internet. I have some other projects waiting but still time is an issue of course.</p><p><b>CW</b></p><p>My goal for a long time actually.<a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/11/my-quest-to-learn-cw-1.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Learning CW</a>. I started learning before a few times but didn't come far. You really need to practice everyday. I started a few months ago and try to learn 10-15 minutes each day. So far I see a slow progress. The problem still is to automate, I need too long to think what letter it should be. Besides that the usual problems are encountered. The difference between H and 5 and B and 6 are the most common faults I make. Oh well, we keep going in 2024. I'll let you readers know how I progress.</p><p><b>Personal</b></p><p>A personal highlight was <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/09/visiting-satellite-communication-ground.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visiting the Burum Inmarsat groundstation</a> open day together with my dad. I don't think he will be around for a long time so I try to do things together we like to do. He is and was always interested in my radio hobby even though he has nothing to do with technology at all. Another highlight was our family vacation to <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/08/qrp-from-winterberg-dl.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Winterberg from were I operated QRP digital </a>with some surprising contacts.</p><p><b>2024 goals</b></p><p>I had no real goals for 2023 except may be starting learning CW seriously. My goal for 2024....might be making my first CW QSO without the use of a computer decoder? No other goals actually, I'm planning to have fun only. </p><p>Well my dear blogreaders, I wish you all a very good, prosperous and healthy 2024.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-60341799975305026562023-12-28T23:23:00.001+01:002023-12-29T20:57:46.763+01:00Eastern Kiribati 3 times in a row - how to fund DXpeditions<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihN6tqcNWuIR1_HVNxsn8Bx_7aIH3uNdfPuvafI3RLy_Egahqjqa47ZppHqv-cj7P15pWyxFPqAcQm4PKQbxD3aQpOPOlLEuQr8CkYt5cE8DmmY5mwfAeQuNRhf0P5EgNRTb2TriUYdvtr0QRCR48F80UtB3xZ-_rjhM8vmk54Uq0FACHI_klNuLrn0rw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="500" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihN6tqcNWuIR1_HVNxsn8Bx_7aIH3uNdfPuvafI3RLy_Egahqjqa47ZppHqv-cj7P15pWyxFPqAcQm4PKQbxD3aQpOPOlLEuQr8CkYt5cE8DmmY5mwfAeQuNRhf0P5EgNRTb2TriUYdvtr0QRCR48F80UtB3xZ-_rjhM8vmk54Uq0FACHI_klNuLrn0rw" width="320" /></a></div>After trying for some days in the last weeks I was getting really disappointed I could barely hear this station or work them at all. It seems propagation is not that good or this is some radio blackhole for me in the Pacific. Really.....I worked VK, ZL, KH6 with no problems at all but working T32, no way. Now I took 2 days off the job to do things around and in the house and of course have some time to try for T32 for the last time. Unfortunately I haven't got all the time of the world for just my hobby.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikLnFngOeDTuGq3ezAZGfApO8N20-SunG0znga6TryAY0Lg2hRzbzJRWQSbglNkex3E2EphM17FRiSYpoaHJ4v3gH0usvTvU-fNu4d8aNtAdlaZ07gdbaQ7i4J2vWQzfda8Jq0cVQu0-ONO9-dETwYX9XHJ0JDNA_09SRdZRAFLIjwPaQP3dznMb1GJx0" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="848" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikLnFngOeDTuGq3ezAZGfApO8N20-SunG0znga6TryAY0Lg2hRzbzJRWQSbglNkex3E2EphM17FRiSYpoaHJ4v3gH0usvTvU-fNu4d8aNtAdlaZ07gdbaQ7i4J2vWQzfda8Jq0cVQu0-ONO9-dETwYX9XHJ0JDNA_09SRdZRAFLIjwPaQP3dznMb1GJx0" width="320" /></a></div>Then today I was up early. I decided to work some on 20m FT8. Within moments I worked 3D2AG Antoine from Fiji and some ZL an VK stations. This would be an excellent time for T32. And yes, I discovered their great signal this time on 14091. Within about 10 minutes of calling I was able to make the contact finally! An ATNO for me. Later on I did the trick again on 15m, calling just once I was in the log. And later in the morning a third contact was made on 10m longpath. Not a bad day today.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlMM4KEDGEMg4fScLeEAMY1s6ROJG_QdMdEIBBSZWCQhY4YU7Munqp9w-aCekbExI85x8Lxz5w7tB-h2779zOFFI73qNRRUfPZ-0zfHJuWagLT2SUuw1FFVwuxdt9-wtEYe4WMck_wLuyh5gRV8vj2aNU0L3PkOF0gOlYzJNkZFNsRRawGMS6wB4ywrjQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="496" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlMM4KEDGEMg4fScLeEAMY1s6ROJG_QdMdEIBBSZWCQhY4YU7Munqp9w-aCekbExI85x8Lxz5w7tB-h2779zOFFI73qNRRUfPZ-0zfHJuWagLT2SUuw1FFVwuxdt9-wtEYe4WMck_wLuyh5gRV8vj2aNU0L3PkOF0gOlYzJNkZFNsRRawGMS6wB4ywrjQ=w200-h120" width="200" /></a></div><br />So, how does this Rebel DX group fund their DXpeditions? They tell everyone they pay everything from their own pockets. Are they multi millionaires? No, although their language is a bit rough they are just very smart. Everyone can do it. You only need to have the guts to do it and of course you need some money to start. These guys just charge €6,- for any of their DXpedition confirmations (LotW/QSL) , not per QSO but pay once get all. Not a bad price except if you only made 1 QSO it will be expensive. How many DXers will buy the confirmation? I believe the T32TT DXpedition already hits over 200K QSOs, that includes dupes of course, Many will try to work them on many bands. How many unique calls will be in the log? A wild guess estimated 200K/7=28K?? I really don't know and this will probably remain a mystery. But let's say half of these stations seriously want to have the confirmation. 14000 x 6 = 84000 euro. This looks like a large amount of money, but of course they need to live and need to buy expensive fuel for the next DXpedition. Don't forget you need all kind of permits, they are not free. You need to buy some new equipment as well once and a while. If you don't want to get rich but just want to do it as a lifestyle (job!) I think this can be managed, I might be wrong about the numbers though. Could be more or less,,,<p></p><p>Personally I'm strongly against buying a QSL or confirmation. This is just a hobby not a commercial business. But the Rebel DX group does not lie about this, they clearly communicate to everyone that if you want to have the confirmation you need to pay. When the money is in their own pockets.....they fund the DXpedition from their own pockets. That's not difficult to understand is it?</p><p>What do you think about this way to fund DXpeditions from rare DXCC?</p><p>Related posts: </p><p><a href="https://qslcodeofconduct.blogspot.com/2020/01/qsl-for-sale.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://qslcodeofconduct.blogspot.com/2020/01/qsl-for-sale.html</a></p><p><a href="https://www.n0un.net/the-big-ft8-money-grab/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.n0un.net/the-big-ft8-money-grab/</a><br /></p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-6342932380296843152023-12-22T21:42:00.001+01:002023-12-22T21:43:00.469+01:00The ultimate portable setup with bluetooth<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWNWTSFY0NwpdqjVGBzL39mSPTzRkKaCFwW58VmBCMf8ZRmdz928D4s_7AvlkQbrQN8RjbZGIi3l1SUwNJvu_BN3TCBcVDc5lduIcOm0TkKaJqRNTF7hrqfZzKVo8G8wW1Wrj2lWywj9M7CIIjItBYas5tCR6JoJIzZQB0gzStSWkMj92GuwcE03ZP38E" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWNWTSFY0NwpdqjVGBzL39mSPTzRkKaCFwW58VmBCMf8ZRmdz928D4s_7AvlkQbrQN8RjbZGIi3l1SUwNJvu_BN3TCBcVDc5lduIcOm0TkKaJqRNTF7hrqfZzKVo8G8wW1Wrj2lWywj9M7CIIjItBYas5tCR6JoJIzZQB0gzStSWkMj92GuwcE03ZP38E" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My prototype still has wires...</td></tr></tbody></table><p> If you follow this blog you know my greatest wish to build an ultimate portable station is to get rid of all the cables between the radio and computer when working digimode. This all should be wireless so you can leave your battery and radio in a bag and just place it anywhere. Connect an antenna, switch on your phone/tablet or laptop connect with the radio and get on the air. I've been <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2020/01/ultimate-digital-portable-station.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">experimenting with this a few years ago</a>. The prototype is still working but can have some upgrades like a better bluetooth module and power supply directly from the radio. I have skills but am not that gifted in electronics. I wished someone would pick up my ideas and fabricate something decent. The recently I found this post:</p><p><a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2020/01/ultimate-digital-portable-station.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://qrper.com/2023/10/bg6lh-designs-an-board-for-integrated-ft8-operation-on-the-yaesu-ft-817-818</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs2P30-xY0OYdU5Cuxfzp5PEV42Bf7GRZm0bjAH5l-TZlgiU09bTrCsAQF3Wixi_v12lZFpFnLFOukdGVbnX0Ok4PZnqaoIsVQmkm3eWiKyPvw3wzd3P9u_EmKWUz6xqUWjQl-AZ4BEL-ZCqZZg3qiWwUUy3xpVVF2Vg3U8q23jnJdzVaM7t_gVTJ2f7w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs2P30-xY0OYdU5Cuxfzp5PEV42Bf7GRZm0bjAH5l-TZlgiU09bTrCsAQF3Wixi_v12lZFpFnLFOukdGVbnX0Ok4PZnqaoIsVQmkm3eWiKyPvw3wzd3P9u_EmKWUz6xqUWjQl-AZ4BEL-ZCqZZg3qiWwUUy3xpVVF2Vg3U8q23jnJdzVaM7t_gVTJ2f7w" width="320" /></a></div><br /> The design BG6LH made is roughly the bluetooth modem I am looking for. He made a working prototype which is far more sophisticated compared to my idea and it does get power from the radio. Unfortunately he doesn't sell a complete kit, only the idea. You can find it on BG6LH's github page:<p></p><p><a href="https://github.com/BG6LH/FT-81x-BT-DIGI-Adaptor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://github.com/BG6LH/FT-81x-BT-DIGI-Adaptor</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk0Kv91vBGmqWf_we44OVmyWXIuQbZNHXgJNwCXR-ORhvasE7f3a4-GMS5kEMGpvOSFkj2lsU8wc_dDqMb8_O7Ogq_4QQjwrk_n4nviScboN2NQNaqjsn13oekPMWoCVx0ee-d1Fe6_OQU08GaidRL51rM8RwMDuW2VLY--9zemUp1CZ_fvJBzKfjEv8Y" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk0Kv91vBGmqWf_we44OVmyWXIuQbZNHXgJNwCXR-ORhvasE7f3a4-GMS5kEMGpvOSFkj2lsU8wc_dDqMb8_O7Ogq_4QQjwrk_n4nviScboN2NQNaqjsn13oekPMWoCVx0ee-d1Fe6_OQU08GaidRL51rM8RwMDuW2VLY--9zemUp1CZ_fvJBzKfjEv8Y" width="320" /></a></div><br /> There are 2 things in this design that I would call setbacks. First this digimodem will always consume power from the radio even when it is off. So a switchable battery is recommended. Although I see in the lastest update that there is an automatic power off build in I'm not shure this solves this problem. I would install a manual miniswitch to switch off power that is obviously coming from the ACC jack. Second is the JDY-67 bluetooth module. It should have a firmware above 1.3 and you need to program it first. From the github page it is not really clear to me how this is done.<p></p><p>Please bare in mind that BG6LH does notice that this is a kind of prototype with work in progress. Personally I really think this is a very interesting device that hopefully will be in production somewhere in the future. You never know if this is appearing on Aliexpress or any other Chinese site soon...</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-34230702199851662372023-12-19T22:12:00.001+01:002023-12-20T07:55:52.753+01:00#CQWW explorer / multi distributed first legal, now illigal in the Netherlands<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb36Uk1pZxuKIdBBKzCKPMGZnnVIAxOyssMm_DJB-X04IGMbQT5BfCsepEqFj4QnqXy70QRxMxB4v3ted-s-UGoC6V34T6-RwLuyQ9H3bv0FQXbq_UsRMRlb2lONVsowdJY6D-PMhVCQM36JO5viC8Yt9P07t2q2UD3Y0t7xsDlC8JYmX25r-iNtWy37o/s868/nederland%20cq%20loc.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb36Uk1pZxuKIdBBKzCKPMGZnnVIAxOyssMm_DJB-X04IGMbQT5BfCsepEqFj4QnqXy70QRxMxB4v3ted-s-UGoC6V34T6-RwLuyQ9H3bv0FQXbq_UsRMRlb2lONVsowdJY6D-PMhVCQM36JO5viC8Yt9P07t2q2UD3Y0t7xsDlC8JYmX25r-iNtWy37o/s320/nederland%20cq%20loc.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map with locations used for PA6AA during WW</td></tr></tbody></table><p> The PA6AA contestgroup was taking part in the CQ WPX SSB and WW SSB contests in the multi distributed / explorer section this year. You can read about the last efforts in a <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2023/10/cqww-ssb-contest-pa6aa-explorer-section.html" target="_blank">previous post from october here</a>. Just to be shure after the experiment in the multi distributed section of the WPX, PB7Z asked for permission at the Dutch FCC (RDI). He had a written permission that it was allright, so taking part with one contest callsign from different locations within the Netherlands was assumed legal. Was...</p><p>After publishing the Dutch language story (most same as my blogpost) on social media and in some amateur radio magazines in the Netherlands and Belgium the RDI noticed the license holder today that after all this was not allowed following the Dutch rules. Probabely the first permission was given by someone that didn't understand what we would do, or doesn't have any affinity with our hobby.</p><p>So we did a kind of unique thing here within the hobby it seems, the PA6AA contest group was the first to take part in these sections. Our amateur radio law here isn't yet ready for these kind of experiments. Hopefully the rules will change in the future because it was a very successful experiment which we wanted to extend. Unfortunately at this time it will not be possible.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-23086397398077173512023-12-17T21:56:00.002+01:002023-12-17T22:45:10.595+01:0010m LFA beam repaired<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-M5tX_MjecLIt6Gihlf2nhxw0fZQeFBauw96K-j_O7Rkz7POc1f7z72-EEPYQQAkQN9OmNMYHRpHZBThYdI6dpQiQg6noSwhBFGpvxvCWAwAwhFM8as7ArwvtVMPe12fz7cs6kV8D4UzhIJrshJ_NuQfOLTM3NDkBelCbKDxI8lQRJ6G_GUXVhSABPY/s830/LFA%20defect.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="623" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-M5tX_MjecLIt6Gihlf2nhxw0fZQeFBauw96K-j_O7Rkz7POc1f7z72-EEPYQQAkQN9OmNMYHRpHZBThYdI6dpQiQg6noSwhBFGpvxvCWAwAwhFM8as7ArwvtVMPe12fz7cs6kV8D4UzhIJrshJ_NuQfOLTM3NDkBelCbKDxI8lQRJ6G_GUXVhSABPY/s320/LFA%20defect.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p> I had some issues with the 10m LFA beam last contest. I noticed the SWR was quite high but the antenna was still working. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, it has been raining almost every day for weeks now. But today we have seen the sun this afternoon, temperature was reasonable. Time to lower the tower to see what was actually wrong. Well, it wasn't that difficult. For some unknown reason an element of the first director went loose. It almost fell off the antenna since there was only 1 cm of the tube still in the center tube. I removed the director tube, cleaned it and slide it in place again. I made shure it doesn't come loose this time. I put the tower back up and tested SWR. Long time I had such a good SWR over 1 MHz bandwidth.</p><p>It might be a good idea to give this antenna some big maintance in summer. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfZQH4oeULdtH1IL0MXGgs073aes9xZ76tiEcsOV-p-d9V6762tEJf3-ei14uHvVCqyGQITuFQWbauMvGOD8HJawm006rOByctW5iGAX0xF1M-ogQC0NGkRWqhihYFntsuVqQLuFx7p1c7MrEJl1axNYh_aO08f96mYxLK4VyuOuQa7ll7bg4n0Q9RHg/s4032/IMG_8326.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfZQH4oeULdtH1IL0MXGgs073aes9xZ76tiEcsOV-p-d9V6762tEJf3-ei14uHvVCqyGQITuFQWbauMvGOD8HJawm006rOByctW5iGAX0xF1M-ogQC0NGkRWqhihYFntsuVqQLuFx7p1c7MrEJl1axNYh_aO08f96mYxLK4VyuOuQa7ll7bg4n0Q9RHg/w400-h300/IMG_8326.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I took the opportunity to make some QSOs on the band. Did have some nice contacts in to the US, all with good signals. I broke a pile-up to KP2B on Virgin Islands. Besides that I made some nice QSOs on FT4. The 4 element LFA is a very good performer.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-38617965540614604242023-12-14T09:44:00.001+01:002023-12-14T21:52:23.213+01:00HAM meets Miltitary today<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG1bYAstiI-MxIeqRmJrXYM4iaJhi0V0Vlg5Ji9WsWg-DGEtHgZ1JBErtIwjSeP9hLkxw-_sntZGc1AilJTQ-noA066q_e0d_cMnSc7r7eu9Srt7dxAZMP4jHpBZAcoFVB1psOSxLNb64L0MrAoaNtvlT6W_zP6zPJ5ahj87kRI_3RD9zyCyg2IPqLJ04" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG1bYAstiI-MxIeqRmJrXYM4iaJhi0V0Vlg5Ji9WsWg-DGEtHgZ1JBErtIwjSeP9hLkxw-_sntZGc1AilJTQ-noA066q_e0d_cMnSc7r7eu9Srt7dxAZMP4jHpBZAcoFVB1psOSxLNb64L0MrAoaNtvlT6W_zP6zPJ5ahj87kRI_3RD9zyCyg2IPqLJ04=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>See my <a href="https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2022/04/ham-meets-military.html" target="_blank">post about the first event last year</a>. There will be at least 22 stations active with calls PA01MIL till PA22MIL. Good luck hunting!</p><p><i><b>Update:</b></i> Worked 8 Military stations in an hour spare time I had for radio this evening. PA1,2,8,10,13,16,17 and 21MIL. The last station had YL Naomi as operator which obviously attracted a lot of stations ;-) All stations worked on 80m. I've listened on other bands but was not able to hear any there.</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676983452144254088.post-83182340437829045142023-12-10T22:38:00.003+01:002023-12-11T12:44:48.081+01:00#ARRL 10m contest<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcDP0Uwb1WfW4anCL5bPwK8kKKPmsN3f9bwoM2MIV2-aiGYeVbwAS5sSMoStWbVaSO5pI1l-lOPsf2VDVvuCZEdK9aSEFos_MRmjAeJRzLaKgQfa7Im8kcKv1NSgoen1yHugY3mqVHA0D8XysP1Pmsmo5FWY9TaKOlqQpTNi2GGbI-I-8L1gJ3OlbEYRk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1005" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcDP0Uwb1WfW4anCL5bPwK8kKKPmsN3f9bwoM2MIV2-aiGYeVbwAS5sSMoStWbVaSO5pI1l-lOPsf2VDVvuCZEdK9aSEFos_MRmjAeJRzLaKgQfa7Im8kcKv1NSgoen1yHugY3mqVHA0D8XysP1Pmsmo5FWY9TaKOlqQpTNi2GGbI-I-8L1gJ3OlbEYRk=w640-h386" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red=CW green=SSB</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>In the past I was always looking forward to this 10m contest. Investigating the 10m band days before the contest and analyzing my chances to work great DX. However it looks like I have less time for the hobby now. At least I didn't have much time Saturday which resulted in only 30 contacts in the log. There was some more time Sunday. First QSO in the morning today was with 3W9A (Vietnam) when it was still dark here. The propagation was not the best, signals not really strong but stations were workable.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBjE4lWPDpRyEohKnhf1_HVivXR_tnayRdSAjhB9A7AYCSftgmXnrecxx_PD1nNOjeaKNl-908mYosuoIcvxZthOK5drfzX_Ssi47ZS9Mid5L8wFhQ5xIYs-bkU4Q_FEEnfwKYUzlnzapXtK11F0HasBFquUo8cBQFUPxHrJUckI9cKiKQt7c23P7rWz0" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="344" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBjE4lWPDpRyEohKnhf1_HVivXR_tnayRdSAjhB9A7AYCSftgmXnrecxx_PD1nNOjeaKNl-908mYosuoIcvxZthOK5drfzX_Ssi47ZS9Mid5L8wFhQ5xIYs-bkU4Q_FEEnfwKYUzlnzapXtK11F0HasBFquUo8cBQFUPxHrJUckI9cKiKQt7c23P7rWz0=w245-h400" width="245" /></a></div><br />Unfortunately I discovered something is wrong with my 4 element LFA antenna. Normally I have a good SWR at 28.500 MHz with a bandwidth of about 1 Mhz. But now the SWR was 1,5 at 28.035 MHz and rising fast beyond that frequency. Actually on 28,500 MHz the SWR was 1:3. But still it is working... So I'm not shure what is wrong? We'll see in spring, it is too cold now for antenna work. <p></p><p>With "only" 40 DXCC worked this weekend this was not my best ARRL 10 contest but certainly not the worst also. Propagation was a lot better last year...</p><p>Of course I was tracking fellow <a href="https://ve9kk.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blogger VE9KK</a> again. He has unbelievable good ears in my opinion. I could barely copy him through all the signals but it seems he had no problem with me. I remember years ago Mike was living in another part of Canada with antenna restrictions, he had a mobile antenna just outside the house to make some contacts. At that time my antenna situation was not the best as well. I never imagined I would contact Mike almost every contest 10 years later. So whenever I get the chance I will try to make the contact.</p><p>In the end I made 150 QSO in total. Most of it with stations from the USA. Of course it is an ARRL thing so it's obvious that this contest is most populair in the US. As always I had fun and worked some nice but not new DX. In a few years the 10m band will be closed often. The fun is that I think it is more of a challenge to participate in this contest in the solar minimum. </p><p>Just an interesting note: I worked more CW contacts as SSB this year! And again I imagine I recognize more and more CW...</p>PE4BAS, Bashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958141238330445285noreply@blogger.com4