More VLF earth mode tests

Tomorrow morning, all being well, I hope to do a further test on VLF earth mode at 8.97kHz using my new Asus X101ch netbook using Spectran software and a simpler loop preamp on RX. Initially I'll test locally to check results are as expected before venturing further with the new (simpler and smaller) RX system.

Also, I want later to try TXing with a large, single turn, horizontal loop on the ground around the garden rather than the earth electrodes. On the basis that I am coupling into the ground and utilities, a horizontal loop might be as effective at coupling as the earth electrode antenna. A straight comparison of one against the other will be worth trying.

I also want to try WSPR at VLF using both my PCs.

2m UKAC contest

The few stations worked this evening on 2m SSB

Just for a bit of fun I went on the 2m UKAC contest this evening with the FT817 to the vertical colinear from home, not the most ideal of antennas when everyone is running horizontal beams. Nonetheless, I managed 6 QSOs in just over an hour of operating. No great DX - the best QSO was just 47km tonight - but a bit of fun. The better stations were exchanging serial numbers in the 70s (at least) and I was hearing stations working GM, GW and F. The map shows my (meagre!) QSOs. Maybe in a month's time I'll erect that big wheel here at this QTH and we can compare results v. the vertical antenna.

iPhone and iPod Touch

My iPod Touch 4g battery, not easily replaceable, is now suffering from low capacity after being used daily for over 2.5 years quite intensively.

Of all the technology kit I have owned over the years, my iPod Touch 4g must rank as the very best. It gets used to surf the net over wi-fi, to communicate with our children and grandchildren when on holiday as well as for BBC iPlayer, music, videos, games, amateur radio applications and much more. Mine is the 8GB version but I see Amazon is now selling the 16GB 4th generation version for just £129, which is a bargain. I am sorely tempted to replace my aged unit.

For amateur radio apps that run on the iOS kit like iPhones and iPods, see http://www.g0hwc.com/iphone.html.

4m/6m SSB/CW transceiver from Noble Radio

http://www.nobleradio.eu/files/NOBLE_RADIO_6N4_FRONTPANEL_BRANDED_small.jpg

This was news to me, but I just spotted a new, European made, high spec 20W SSB/CW 4m/6m transceiver from a company called Noble Radio on the 4m website at www.70mhz.org. To my eyes this is an ugly beast which resembles an old PMR radio, but what a good idea for a new VHF transceiver. Certainly in Europe a 6m/4m transceiver has some attraction for those interested in the lower VHF spectrum, if the price is sensible.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a 4 band (10, 6, 4 and 2m) all-mode rig from Japan or China too sometime soon. There would be a market.

Does anyone know who Noble Radio is and in which country they are located? I have no idea about price or availability.  Perhaps this is a "test the interest" concept model, rather like the Tokyo Hi-Power QRP radio of a few years ago. This was shown at a ham fair but never made it to market.

472kHz WSPR

After a few weeks break, I fired up the 472kHz kit this evening with about 5mW ERP (or less) from the 20m spaced earth electrodes in the ground. Not a lot of activity but exchanged WSPR reports with G7NKS (46km) and got a few reports from PA3ABK/2 (306km) and PA0RDT (243km). PA0A is always copyable when on WSPR as he rides above the local noise floor, unlike many others. Otherwise not a lot doing so far tonight. I guess everyone is watching football. I shall leave the kit running until later this evening to see what else appears.

One thing I MUST do is improve the 472kHz RX system as these days the noise pick-up on the earth electrode antenna is too great from local noise sources. For the new QTH I think I'll be installing a tuned RX loop and pre-amp at the far end of the garden as far from noise sources as possible. Even though directional, I suspect this will be better than the E-field probe, with the advantage that the loop may be rotated to null particularly bad noise sources locally.

1040z update: I shall leave the 472kHz running overnight but don't expect many more reports. These were the unique reports so far.

A new 23cm transverter kit from Australia

http://www.minikits.com.au/image/data/eme171_1200_files/eme23-trva.jpg

Mini-Kits in Australia has just announced a new transverter for 23cms. Based on a number of modules, it allows a complete, high performance transverter to be built. This transverter replaces earlier designs that used parts no longer available. At the time of writing there is no price shown. See http://www.minikits.com.au/eme23-trv.htm .

I am very impressed when people release kits for 23cms and higher. Designing a kit that is easy to reproduce is not an easy task, although using SMA components and printed inductors/striplines makes the initial modelling easier and less subject to variations than when leaded parts are used.

Travel masts and SOTA accessories

When out portable it is often useful to have a small mast that can be erected to get a wire antenna up in the clear. SOTAbeams are now selling a 10m long fibre glass collapsable mast that is just 67cm long when collapsed, so easy to put in the boot of a car or even in luggage.  I see they are also selling a newer Mk 2 version of the FG02 antenna analyser which now covers 4m and has 62 memories.

I am wondering if SOTAbeams are intending to sell the YouKits TJ2B SSB handheld? This would be an ideal SOTA item.

FT817 replacement

Unless anyone has better data, there is still no news from Yaesu on the development of a replacement to the FT817. The most recent information I have is this (extract) from a posting on the FT817 Yahoo group 15 months ago by KE6ZGP. If development has started I would have expected some leaks by now. The FT817 remains a great QRP radio, but even a partial upgrade (adding internal ATU, speech processor, LiIon battery and maybe 4m) but keeping the same basic case/form factor would be welcomed. Such a kaizen development need not take that long.

"Not sure how many of you were watching the W5KUB Dayton stream this morning, but...

Tom interviewed the Yaesu rep about their new FT-DX3000 and the FT-1D, when all was said and done he started taking questions, I went ahead and asked about a possible replacement for the FT-817. The rep then stated - due to some parts (like the LCD screen) either being no longer available or extremely hard to find, they will likely replace the FT-817 in a couple years. He wasn't sure when exactly, R&D hasn't started onanything, but the earliest we can expect to hear any solid talk is two years from now.

Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP"

Any better news anyone?

No new solar maximum?

The latest summary for May 2013 on the Solar Terrestrial Activity Report at http://www.solen.info/solar/ shows that the (smoothed) international sunspot number (SIDC) reached 78.7 in May, some way below the last peak 96.7 back in Nov 2011. There is still a chance that another few months could raise the smoothed sunspot numbers above the Nov 2011 peak. Whatever, if these numbers remain at similar levels into the autumn we will have decent conditions on the higher HF bands.

http://www.solen.info/solar/images/solar.png

 

Back in action after 2 weeks out

Well, the Swiss train holiday is over, the grandchildren have gone home to mums and dads after a week with us, and we have our house back. For the last week I forgot we had carpets on the floor as they were strewn with toys. We love our grandchildren so much - they really are what life is all about - but the house was more like a war zone during their stay! The youngest staying with us was just 2 and the eldest 5. You get the picture.

Now that we are back to normal, amateur radio experiments can resume. I'll probably resume 472kHz and 28MHz WSPR tomorrow and hope to do some further VLF earth mode tests during the week. I may also enter the 2m UKAC contest on Tuesday evening.