Thursday, July 16, 2020

First 6m Japan contact 2020

I know the morning propagation on 6m with Japan/Korea is very good lately. Problem only is that it is always through the week and not in the weekend. So, I'm not at the radio when propagation occurs. Bernard PB7Z made some incredible QSOs to Japan/Korea yesterday and convinced me to try and work remote. I don't like to leave the radio/computer on while I'm not at home but for once I've let it go since I want at least one QSO with Japan this year. Unfortunately it is very busy on the job at the moment so I actually forgot till Bernard sent me a app that Japan was on. So I checked in on remote and gave a CQ. I made a screenshot what happened next :-). First 2020 Japan QSO on 6m with JE1GAP. And many others callling....but it didn't happen again. Propagation is there and next timeslot it is gone!

Discussing earthing the tower lately. Some HAMs do think it is the solution against static. Not shure about that although it probabely helps. I remember I always had a lot of static in winter on my glasfiber antenna (A-99). But since I installed a HF RF transformer in the cabinet below the tower I can't remember of any static at all. Can't prove it of course...
Here some photos from the cabinet with the transformer and the lightning protectors.


The big block at the middle in front between the protectors is a antenna relay so I can remotely choose between the 6m/4m yagi and the HF vertical. The transformer is connected to the 10m LFA. It should actually be connected to the vertical, need to change that (only found out now :-) ).


I really can't remember how I got this transformer. Probabely bought it on a radio rally. What it does basically is to isolate the antenna from the transceiver. There is no galvanic connection between the antenna and the radio.

Ok, one last picture...


(Click on the pictures to view larger ones)

4 comments:

Paul Stam PAØK said...

Hallo Bas, je 6 meter antenna doet erg goed. Van zulke afstanden op 6 meter kan ik alleen maar dromen. ;-) 73 Paul

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hallo Paul, ja en toch kan het gewoon met een V2000 antenne ook. Er waren vorig jaar diverse station in Nederland die met een V2000 Japan hebben gewerkt. Maar ik moet zeggen dat het met zo een antenne zeker makkelijker gaat. Je ziet wel in de screenshot hoeveel Japan er terugkomt op 1x CQ roepen....73, Bas

stu neslig said...

hi Bas, congrats on the JA 6m contact, always nice on a homebrew antenna.
73 stu

stu neslig said...

Hi Bas, just an update to the 6m quad i said i was going to have a go at building. most parts are here just need some RG11 75ohm coax for the transformer stub. this is the progress so far.
https://www.qrz.com/db/2E0XXO