GPS timing for JT modes

After my last post about the Denmark holiday experimental radio activity I got a lot of e-mail if the GPS timing I wanted to make is already working. Strange not many amateurs use GPS timing instead of a NTP internet timing. It is very common with for example the WSPR kits from Hans Summers G0UPL. If you are in the field without a internet connection GPS might do the trick and you get some extras as well. I know many blog readers are eagerly waiting for this post I even got a e-mail from HS0ZBS Kurt who only has a internet connection through his phone. He likes JT modes but has to pay lots of money only to keep his laptop on time, a GPS timing would be perfect for him.

So, I bought a cheap small bluetooth keyring GPS receiver for this task. I researched the minimum requirements for this task and think it is important to have a Sirf3 GPS module chip inside the receiver to have best receiving capabilities. I payed 25 euro for it but I'm certain there are cheaper ones with or without bluetooth. For instance this one on Aliexpress for 15 USD only. Unfortenately I had bad luck as the Li-ion 3,7V 450mAh battery inside was broken. I considered to send it back but that would mean it would take several more weeks to continue experimenting. So I decided to hook it up to an old tablet battery I had on my desk. The GPS was starting now and made connection with sats and with my laptop. Unfortenately my old Windows XP laptop didn't assign COM ports to the bluetooth communication ports automatically, but I solved that manually. Still it didn't show location and didn't sync time. Even a test tool couldn't make a connection. Finally as a last solution I restarted the computer and magically the GPS coms came alive...

I use a time sync program from IZ2BKT which is doing both synchronisation via internet and GPS. The extras and proof it is working are the exact coordinates and WW locator you are in together with the altitude. This is great info for those that are working in fieldday, RaDAR or portable configuration.

Prize giving and Jutberg 2017 radio rally

I had the opportunity to do the prize giving myself as Hans PE1BVQ did invite me to travel with him to the Jutberg radio rally. Hans did win the book "The complete DXer" when he finally found my location in the little give away contest I did last month. We had a great time at the radio rally searching for items we can use in our experiments and during the travel we talked a lot about the hobby and other things. If I never started this blog back in 2008 I would never have met Hans I guess. One of the great things that happened through writing about my radio experiments and adventures on the internet.

I made a small video with a impression of the radio rally and included some photos from items I found interesting.

Some solutions...

Sorry for not updating the blog for a few weeks. Other things besides the hobby occupied my time. Not that I was completely absent from the hobby. I removed the 10m HB9CV again and it was replaced with the Watson W2000 6/2/70 antenna for 6m mainly. Unfortanely so far I did not see much sporadic E coming this way. Although I was spotted in the Ukraine when the band seems to be closed! I've also been on MSK144 but only spotted a German and a English station. I probabely expect too much from this mode or I have to wait for ES or meteors.

Some solutions came up for the problems I encountered when operating portable in Denmark. First of all one of my colleagues on the job modified my tripod to mount the MP-1 directly on top just like the tripods superantenna is selling. Normally a tripod is provided with a plastic mount on which you can screw your camera, you can turn your camera then in several angles. Nice, but not strong enough to hold a long antenna in the wind. Now I just have a single 1/4" bolt on top of the tripod...

Another problem was how to handle a QSO on JT65/JT9 digimode with a extra prefix? The software is limited to just your call and when you're in another country you have a problem in handling a complete QSO as it just ignores for example OZ/. The solution came last week in a QSO with 5Z4/DL2RMC from Kenya. As you can see in the picture I tried to send 5Z4/DL2RMC TNX 73 but the software/mode is limited, confused as I was I clicked the wrong report message and quickly changed that to DL2RMC PE4BAS RR73. DL2RMC came back with his full call. So I assume not completely correct but when abroad you better send CQ OZ/PE4BAS (no locator as that is too long), in response there is no other possebility to send only your call without the extra prefix. For the opposite station it is important to finish with the full call like DE OZ/PE4BAS 73. Will think of that next time...

At the 4th day we were in Denmark the laptop lost his internet connection and since the internal clock from this old laptop has a 10 sec. delay every 5 minutes it completely lost it's time resulting in no decodes on WSPR anymore. I've thinking about this and this is also a problem when you want to do WSPR or JT modes in the field without a internet connection. As known these modes need exact timing from a highly accurate clock. So I was thinking about a small USB or bluetooth GPS receiver for this task. Together with IZ2BKT's BktTimeSync it should work. I will order a cheap keyring GPS receiver to test if it does and report about this later.


I finally combined PSK, JT and SSB logs and come till a total of 10 QSO from Denmark. That doesn't sound much but considering the setup and my holiday style operating I think it is well done.