Look at those sunspots!!!

This morning the sunspot count is at 84 with a solar flux level 107, the first time I've seen these figures in very many years. Already PA0O is being spotted by VK2KRR on the 10m band using WSPR. If numbers like these start to become more common, as they should  during the climb up cycle 24, then 10m will be back to its old form with worldwide DX almost every day. Yippee!

Simple Sideband QRP 10m transceiver started

A long overdue project of mine is a QRP 10m simple sideband (DSB) transceiver. Having got the 4m transverter working (circuit to follow) I'm now starting work on this project in time for the summer sporadic-E season. A website to track progress on this has been started. See a Simple Sideband 10m Transceiver. With any luck this will be breadboarded by mid-March. I have included lots of links to other 10m designs from which ideas will be (or have already been) gleaned.

New record on 30m WSPR

For a change this evening I put my 5W WSPR beacon on 30m (10MHz). To my surprise I got a report from VK7DIK at a distance of 17169km. This is a new distance record for my WSPR exploits. Others have, I know, managed this sort of DX with mW powers, something that I will have to try at some point.

4m transverter boxed and finished (for now)

G3XBM 4m transverter - finished (for now) with 2-3W pep

Another good day today saw the 4m transverter completed and even boxed. I also did the FT817 DC switching mod  to put 5V DC on the antenna pins when on TX. It was easy to do, with care, and made the transverter switching so much easier. Don't understand why it was not there as standard for the sake of 1 capacitor and 1 resistor. The limitations with the current design are:

• IF breakthrough rejection at 28MHz is not brilliant, as one would expect from a single tuned circuit on the NE602 input. I can change the input to a top coupled pair to help, but will see how it behaves on-air first.
  
• LPF on the PA is just a single 3 component Butterworth. At some point I should add another section, but as the drivers/PA are linear all the way through, the 2nd/3rd harmonics should be reasonable already.



GB3BAA 4m as received

• The TX strip has DC power on it even on RX. I need to arrange to switch this off later, but I am not worried that there is another 50mA or so when on RX at the moment.

This evening I have rigged up a horizontal dipole for 70MHz in the loft and am ready to find some locals to work. So far just the 70.016MHz GB3BAA beacon 89km away visible well with Spectran (20dB S/N).

4m QRP transverter progressing well

4m QRP transverter (so far)

Today I got on with the 4m transverter build adding the TX LO buffer, the TX mixer, drivers and PA. Output power is around 2-3W pep from an MRF237 PA device (SD1127 equivalent) I had in the junk box. All seems stable and well. All that now remains is to add the TX-RX switching circuit and put it in a box. At the current rate of progress, and barring disasters (like blowing up the PA - my last MRF237) the project could be completed next week.

DK7FC's report on his 10th VLF test

This is an extract of the note from Stefan to the LF-reflector about his tests last weekend:

"Dear LF/VLF group and further VLF watchers :-)

After another very successful, exciting and fascinating /p VLF experiment i want, as usual, thank all the many (>=24) receiving stations who took the time to arrange a suitable antenna/receiver, PC and to watch the experiment and take some interesting captures. The transmissions took place on 2 VLF bands, 33km (8970 Hz) and 58km (5170 Hz).

So, thanks to TF3HZ, SQ5BPF, G4WGT, G3KEV, Daniele Tincani, G3WCD, G3XDV,M0BMU, G3XBM, OK2BVG, OE3GHB, G4AYT, IK1QFK, DL3ZID, F4DTL, OE5ODL, PA3CPM, PA3FNY, DL4YHF, DF6NM, DJ2LF, DD7PC (bold = 1st positive reception on VLF).

Special thanks to Halldor/TF3HZ who wasn't member of this group before but set up a very sensitive VLF receiver and even a most intersting grabber just by my email request. This is the first VLF detection between DL and TF. My signal appeared at up to 15 dB SNR in 4.5 mHz in 2404 km. This helps a bit to get some imagination how far a transatlantic detection is away.

Sorry to those who tried without success this time, like 4X1RF. The next experiment will come soon, maybe in about one month.

So, see you in the 11th experiment. :-)

Vy 73, Stefan/DK7FC'

HamSphere internet ham radio system

How HamSphere works

When band conditions are poor or you feel like a change, you may like to have a go at a different sort of amateur radio experience by trying HamSphere, which is a virtual ham radio service using the internet to replicate HF bands and operation.

User interface is via a simulated HF transceiver presented on the computer screen. The "feel" of the transceiver is remarkably good. Of course, being an internet based virtual amateur radio system, no amateur radio equipment is needed and no RF is radiated, yet the experience is very close to that of operating a real HF radio on the HF bands. For those unable to operate real radios because of planning restrictions or other problems, this system offers some of the fun of amateur radio again. It is like CQ100, but in my opinion better.

The transceiver uses Java technology and simulates all amateur radio bands from 160 to 6 meters. The software, plus a lot more information about this service, is available from http://www.hamsphere.com/ .  The software works in Windows, Mac and Linux.

Using the system I just had a QSO with ZS4CCM in South Africa. It felt like a real "on air" HF QSO. It's no substitute for the real thing, but fun to use on occasions and when HF conditions are appalling.

DK7FC copied well here on 8.97kHz

After a few false starts and faulty kit, I managed good copy of Stefan DK7FC's signals on 8.97kHz this afternoon with my loop in the garden and this simple preamp into Spectrum Lab running on the PC. S/N was around 5-7dB in a 4.52mHz bandwidth. He was also copied in Iceland at over 2400kms.

JT65A on HF

Having seen the article on how to do this in the latest edition of Practical Wireless, I have installed the software and taken a listen/look. Main issue seems to be that the AGC in the FT817 is fierce and with close-by PSK31 signals it kills the gain of weak JT65A signals nearby. Anyway, it looks a useful mode. For HF use, download the HF tailored version at http://jt65-hf.sourceforge.net/. Not yet had a 2-way QSO but will soon when I've got the hang of this.

DK7FC/P active on VLF this Sunday

Stefan plans to be out with his kite antenna and around 100mW ERP on the VLF bands this weekend from 0700-1630utc transmitting on 3 frequencies starting with 8.970000kHz.  Progress can be monitored on his grabber located 40km from the /P location. I am hoping to copy Stefan on 8.97kHz again as I managed it back in December.

These grabbers will show when he is active:
8.97kHz http://www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/schaefer_vlf/DK7FC_VLF_Grabber.html .
6.47kHz/5.17kHz  http://www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/schaefer_vlf/DK7FC_VLF_Grabber2.html