My PL259 plugs have arrived. The 50 ohm coax and everything needed to replace my 8m dipole is at hand. Erection should really be trivial, but ladder work is far harder these days.
Until my TX permit expires early next month I hope to use 2.5W. After that I may try 10mW ERP 8m WSPR which does not require an 8m TX permit in the UK. As long as people are monitoring, much of Europe should be possible. Tests at similar powers have reached the USA on 10m WSPR. One of the issues on 8m is there are far fewer monitors than on 10m.
This would be an interesting test. Sadly, the attenuator would also be in circuit on RX too making the RX deafer.
I guess some local tests would be useful to ensure all is well. At the moment I am unsure what callsign to use for these 10mW 8m tests.
3 comments:
Hi Roger -
On the version of WSJT that I run, for both FT-8 and WSPR there is a power “slider” on the extreme right of the screen that is calibrated in dB of Tx power reduction. This should enable you to reduce the transmit power without affecting reception.
I have used this approach successfully to run 5mW WSPR on 10m with my 817.
Regards,
Keith G0RQQ
Hi Keith - As I use a SignaLink USB interface which seems to be VOX controlled turning the audio very low will stop transmission. This was what drove me to an external attenuator.
Hmm - I use a SignaLink as well but it controls the PTT line in my 817 so seems to work ok….??
Post a Comment