Progress

About a week ago, I outlined the projects that I hoped to tackle in the next 4 weeks. So far, I am making progress. 

• My FT-710 now works with FT8 .
• I have had a QSO on 4m FT8, albeit with my 2m big-wheel and coax via the auto-ATU in the FT-710.

Next week, I hope to re set up my optical gear and do some local tests and arrange a 23cm SSB sked with G4BAO. 

Progress!

Future projects

These are the projects I want to do in the coming weeks:

• 23cm SSB QSO with G4BAO.
• Local 481 THz QRSS tests bouncing off local things like the windmill and church.
• NLOS optical test at 481 THz with G4HJW.
• FT8 with the FT-710. 
• Continued 8m tests, probably with WSPR near 40.680 MHz USB dial.
• Write another article ( I have an idea).
• Erect a 4m band halo.

I wonder how many I shall actually do? Ask me in 4 weeks!

That projects book

Several people have suggested that I do a book of all my projects. I started it, but have not got too far! It is a lot of hard work, but might be a good idea. What do you think? 

Looking back, I have done several projects and it might be a "good thing" to have them all together. These cover VLF to light (1 kHz to 481 THz) plus some antennas.

Someone in the comments suggested a PDF version, which is not a bad idea. Maybe I should consider this? 

I am not really after money for this, so maybe I should do it and add it as a free download from my website? If anyone wants to give a charity donation, they would be free to do so. If they just want the PDF book, that is their choice.

Hopefully, Practical Wireless, RadCom and QST (maybe others too?) could give the link.

Projects for the autumn/winter

For several years I have had an E-field probe that needs erecting in a nearby tree.  This should be a good RX antenna on 137, 472 and 1800kHz. It might also be effective on higher bands too. The antenna is very small.

I also want to erect either a wire dipole or inverted V for 10m, which is my favourite band and which should be better next year.

My problem is ladders. Since my stroke in 2013 I feel very wobbly on ladders! I have not ventured into my floored loft since 2013! I have a box of amateur gear up there waiting to be explored, HI. I have forgotten what it is in it.

I shall try to do these projects before the end of 2020.

Build project?

Although my health is less than brilliant, my XYL insists that building something would be good for me. Now you know how it is! These commands have to be obeyed!

Somewhere in a drawer, I have an unbuilt 20m Rockmite kit, although I do not have a very good 20m antenna. A few years ago (after my 2013 stroke) I managed to build a 40m Pixie transceiver kit and it worked.

The Rockmite really does not enthuse me. If you have any ideas for simple projects I could build, let me know. At one time almost anything was possible. These days even simple things are hard.

New projects

Someone recently asked me if I had any plans for new projects. Well, at the moment, I have not given this too much thought.

I fancy trying 136 and 472kHz RX with a decent antenna in the form of an E-field probe in the garden in a quiet spot. Up to now I have only tried these bands with compromise antennas and it would be good to find out what I can copy with an EFP in a quiet spot in the garden. Maybe I shall not transmit on MF/LF this autumn and winter?

I also fancy a better try on 4m. This means erecting an antenna for the band as presently I have none. At this QTH I have never been on 4m. 4m FT8 and WSPR could be good.

It is years since I tried 23cm reception.

In the end it will probably be none of these!

G3XBM Projects

Yesterday, Steve G1KQH mentioned in a comment how he missed my projects. I do too!

As many will be aware I suffered a stroke 2.5 years ago. I expected to make a full recovery, but it has not worked out that way. Even now, although people tell me how well I look, I still feel giddy most of my waking hours and I tire easily.  My voice is poor and I have trouble with drinks. My fine motor skills are not good. Basically, I have struggled with things that were easy in the past. I really miss just fiddling and building. Life is much harder.

Winter projects

At this time of the year I like to set out some project objectives for the months ahead. Sadly, my poor health means I cannot do that much without getting very exhausted. The only project I can possibly manage is the erection of a MF loop antenna at some point. Even this will really tire me but I shall have to try. Maybe my son can help me with the ladder work?

Autumn projects

I am afraid my still poor health is still getting in the way of experiments in the field.  At the moment then, my main aims for this autumn (all depend on help of others sadly) are:

• Erect my 2m big wheel on the side of the house as high as I can.
• Erect a long-wire for LF/MF use.

This autumn I'd like to put out a decent 2m SSB signal and a decent signal on 472kHz WSPR. My earth-electrode "antenna" on MF is very much a compromise and another 10dB ERP would be great. This would still be low ERP, but I'd be in with a better chance.

Autumn projects

OK, it is only just summer according to the Met Office and already I am thinking about autumn projects. A lot depends on my health - particularly my stamina and giddiness. Some antenna work will need help from local friends unless I make some dramatic improvements. Things on the list include:

• A stacked big wheel antenna for 2m SSB/CW/WSPR, This would be instead of the hand-rotated 3 el yagi. About the same horizontal gain but omni, so better for beacons and contests?
• A decent antenna and ground for LF/MF.
• Some field tests on VLF/136kHz/optical (currently unlikely because of health).
• A better dedicated antenna for 10m WSPR (possibly a magnetic loop).

Overall, I want to make my home set-up as effective as I can before the winter. My health is still my biggest drawback, preventing much practical constructional work.

Ultimate 3 Beacon

The Hans Summers kit(s) for this are about to be dispatched so I can build a 10m WSPR TX beacon. In my current state of health I may wait a few months before attempting the build. At present even the smallest project tires me out completely. My building skills are at best clumsy. Winding a 472kHz loading coil, a simple task, really took it out of me a few days ago.

Projects update

It is some time since I summarised my projects list and progress. This is the current "ideas list" for the coming months. As we are in the middle of a house renovation/move project over the next 3-6 months it is quite likely that my amateur building work will have to go slow.

• VLF earth-mode - optimising the E-field probe and loop antennas for mobile coverage tests
• 481THz Optical NLOS tests - testing new RX and then trying the 10dB higher powered PhlatLED TX and seeing how far over the horizon I can reach.
• WISPY 10m WSPR beacon - combining the TX and RX boards into a full WSPR/PSK31 transceiver. Separate modules made and tested but yet to combine.
• Tenbox - I still need to finish either the AM transceiver or modify the design to a DSB transceiver.
• 2m horizontal omni antenna - I need a simple horizontally polarised omni antenna for the new QTH. I'm tempted to organise a pair of stacked big-wheels with around 5dBd gain.
• Simple test equipment for the shack at the new QTH - I want to build a number of pieces of simple test gear such as a frequency counter and simple spectrum analyser 
• Rebuild of the 10m Homebase-10 halo - the wooden frame structure is showing signs of age, so a fibre-glass support may be less visible and more durable 

Now, knowing the way things work with me, I 'll wake up one morning and think of something completely different to work on. That is the fun of simple homebrew amateur radio experimentation: no-one tells you what to do, unlike when at work, and each day is one filled with opportunities.

Grandchildren time and new projects

We've all 4 grandchildren coming to stay at different times over the next couple of weeks. As usual, this means that amateur radio activity will decrease somewhat as the upstairs shack gets used as a real bedroom again. It will still be possible to run WSPR on LF and MF and some of the HF bands from time-to-time, but not in the evenings.

Whilst this "interlude" is going on, it will be a good time to take stock and think of the next projects. The early part of 2013 has seen a burst of activity related to the earth-electrode antenna and the ferrite rod TX antenna, neither of which was planned. I also did some more work on a 136kHz transverter Several projects, including the 136kHz transverter, are still unfinished:

Tenbox 10m AM transceiver
Although most of this has been breadboarded and is working, it still has to be boxed and properly documented. I quite fancy a PCB for this simple design and that needs to be created.

471THz over-the-horizon tests
My PhlatLED very high power LEDs have yet to be switched on and I still have to build a more sensitive detector.

De-cluttering and Test equipment
With a move to a new QTH later this summer I really ought to think about de-cluttering and sell some lesser-used radio equipment. At the same time I could do with building some more pieces of simple test equipment such as a proper QRP power meter, a resistive SWR bridge, a better ATU, and a very basic spectrum analyser.

Other projects
There is a list as long as my arm of other projects I'd like to tackle, but it takes me all my time to do the ones I do! 

Autumn projects - an update

Well, I don't seem to be getting on too well with my autumn project list! The 472kHz transverter got finished, as did the WSPR beacon rig for 10m. I also managed some VLF earth-mode work. However, I've still to get back to the 481THz (lightbeam) over-the-horizon tests using the new higher power Phlatlight 5W LEDs. Neither have I rebuilt my 10m halo or erected a proper RX antenna for LF and MF. Mind you, I've added a new project, the Tenbox 10m AM transceiver, which is progressing quite well so far.  In the end it doesn't matter what gets done and when as long as I'm enjoying the hobby and experimenting with simple ideas.

Burwell Steven's Mill © Copyright Rodney Burton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Around the middle of 2013, if things go to plan, we are moving home to a bungalow in the same village which is located on the "hill" (this is a relative term in East Anglia!) next to Burwell windmill and museum. The windmill has just received a National Lottery grant and should be fully restored to full working order with 4 sails. This will be about 20m from our front door! I'll expect to be asked to do a "windmills on the air" weekend, HI. Burwell Museum is really something quite special and well worth a visit.

With what will be a much better VHF and UHF take-off I will be tempted to get much more active DXing on 2m, 70cm and 23cm from the new QTH. This is likely to bring a whole new set of challenges.

Building requests

In the last 24 hours I've had a couple of requests from people asking me if I'd build some of my projects for them. One person asked if I'd build them a Pipit 15m transceiver and another a 472kHz transverter. Regretfully I had to say sorry that I could not.

It is not that I don't want to. Rather, it is because I don't have enough spare time! I've so many projects on the go currently, and a stack more in my head waiting to get started, as well as trying to live a normal family life doing the usual chores. Then we have the grandchildren who take time, not that we mind this at all.  So, please do not ask if I can build projects for you. I always try to help with advice and suggestions when asked - I try to respond within 24 hours unless I am away -  but I do not want to do building.

Quite a few of my projects would benefit from a small PCB. This is also something that I rarely get around to because I've already moved on to something else. There is probably a small business possible, if I was inclined, designing projects, making a PCB and selling kits. This is unlikely ever to make me rich though and I'd prefer to be a source of ideas instead.

Projects pause

This week I am having a bit of a rest from amateur radio. We have two of our little grandchildren staying with us until Sunday and they take top priority. Anyway, one sleeps in my bedroom shack!  So it is off to ride on toy tractors, eating some cakes in a cafe and help Grampy deliver poppies.

With the XYL and grandchildren

There are some geomagnetic storms around so HF conditions are unlikely to be very good for operating.

Next week should see me back in action. My first task is to make some changes to the 472/500kHz transverter - adding an additional filter as shown in the Rev H schematic on my website so that it meets FCC requirements before an article on the small transverter appears in QST magazine next year all being well. It has been accepted. I've also got to update the schematic and parts list.

Next on the list is probably to get my 10m halo down for its rebuild that didn't get done last week. Then I am in to several possibilities including getting "Lesser Chirpy" going on air (the chirp free version of Chirpy) and casing it up. Also, there is the 481THz NLOS beacon with those BIG powerful LEDs I bought a month or so ago. There is also a new 136kHz transverter (like the 472kHz design but for 136kHz instead). And then there are all sorts of other ideas floating around in my head which probably won't get done for another year. These include a simple Fredbox version for 10m AM, an ultra-stable GPS locked frequency source to use on VLF and maybe microwaves later,  my permanent E-field probe and grabber for VLF/LF/MF,  an improved 136kHz stand-alone receiver, etc, etc. Hey ho!

Autumn Projects Update

About 6 weeks ago I listed a number of projects that I wanted to do this autumn. Here is a progress report.

1. Finish the 472kHz transverter and write this up. DONE
2. Simple 28MHz QRP WSPR transceiver to use with a netbook. DONE (but the TX only beacon is boxed)
3. Stand alone 137kHz receiver (for use with PC).
4. Semi-permanent E-field probe antenna and on-line 137kHz/472kHz grabbers
5. More non line-of-sight light beam experiments (get better distances). 12W Phlatlight LEDs and more sensitive SRF213 detectors ordered
6. Semi-permanent 481THz QRSS beacon for NLOS light beam tests.
7. Alternative HF antennas - maybe re-erect my Par Electronics 40/20/10 end-fed.
8. Further earth-mode (ground conduction) experiments - tests at around 30 and 73kHz as well as more tests at VLF aiming to improve best though ground DX (currently 6km with 5W). More permanent earth-mode "antenna" erected.
9. Experiment with horizontal loop antenna on TX at VLF (maximising coupling into ground).
10. Build some better LF/MF test gear such as resistive SWR bridge, 50W dummy load and a noise bridge.

So, the next project is probably going to be (3) a stand-alone 137kHz receiver combined with some E-field probe development. What I am hoping to do is make a 137kHz RX that can be run from home uploading to an on-line grabber and that can also be used in the car with a roof mounted E-field probe antenna. This will allow me to do some fairly accurate field strength measurements with various TX antennas. With a bit of care I should be able to make this work on various bands from 8.97kHz through to 500kHz.  What I am hoping to be able to do is have a car-mounted receiver with PC that can be used for "drive around" tests although this will depend a lot on the LF noise in the car when the engine is running. I may have to limit tests to static ones with the car electrics not running.

On with the projects.....

Back home now, so it is on with the autumn projects list.

Several people have been contacting me about the latest 472/500kHz 10W transverter. Someone in OK-land is designing a PCB and I hear a "dead bug" version has been successfully built in the USA - not sure whether an exact copy or "based on" - but it has already been used on MF WSPR with a report from over 2000km up the USA east coast. So, I will continue with refining this design first and then get on with the "WIPSY" 28MHz simple WSPR transceiver next.

The non line-of-sight optical beaconing tests will resume a little later when the evenings start to draw in. I want to set up a more powerful, semi-fixed 481THz optical beacon so that I can do a series of DX tests under various degrees of cloud cover. Tests last winter suggest much further will be possible than the 9km NLOS ranges achieved with clear air scatter when signals were audible by ear. By using much lower sub-carrier frequencies the optical detector sensitivity will be very much greater allowing even weaker signals to be detected on QRSS3 and QRSS30.

Autumn project list

My wife often calls me a "fireside fusilier" as I am always gunner (going to) do this or gunner do that.

Well here is my current projects ideas list, some of which I hope to address in the coming weeks and months. How many will be replaced with other ideas first?

1. Finish the 472kHz transverter and write this up.
2. Simple 28MHz QRP WSPR transceiver to use with a netbook.
3. Stand alone 137kHz receiver (for use with PC).
4. Semi-permanent E-field probe antenna and on-line 137kHz/472kHz grabbers
5. More non line-of-sight light beam experiments (get better distances).
6. Semi-permanent 481THz QRSS beacon for NLOS light beam tests.
7. Alternative HF antennas - maybe re-erect my Par Electronics 40/20/10 end-fed.
8. Further earth-mode (ground conduction) experiments - tests at around 30 and 73kHz as well as more tests at VLF aiming to improve best though ground DX (currently 6km with 5W).
9. Experiment with horizontal loop antenna on TX at VLF (maximising coupling into ground).
10. Build some better LF/MF test gear such as resistive SWR bridge, 50W dummy load and a noise bridge.

I'll give you all a progress update in about 6 weeks time!

Winter projects review

Back on Jan 4th this year I put a list of projects that were on my "to do" list on the blog. As winter is now over it is time to review progress (or rather lack of it):

Lightbeam RX. The aim is to detect the GB3CAM 481THz optical beacon at a distance of 32km from my nearest highspot.

Well, the RX has been improved considerably and is now very sensitive and is capable of NLOS reception, but I have still to make a successful reception of this beacon.

Light beam transceiver. Following on from (1), this will either be a transceive head with a transverter or an FM transceiver that I can duplicate so I can talk to others who can borrow the second unit.

This has not progressed at all. It is still my intention to do this.

Rebuilt VLF earth mode beacon transmitter. In a few weeks time I will be able to put out a stable signal on 8.97kHz  (the usual VLF test frequency) rather than 8.76kHz. My intention is to rebuild the whole beacon TX so I can run 10wpm CW, QRSS3, 30 and 60 modes as well as WSPR.

 I have recrystalled and tested the existing beacon for 8.970kHz but the full rebuild has not happened.

Improved LF loop and E-field probe antennas. I want to erect a more permanent external antenna for VLF and LF grabber work and mount these away from the house.
Improved E-field probes have been tested but I have not erected these externally.

Case up the 137kHz transverter. This has been a rat's nest on a piece of copper laminate for too long!

Still to be done.Not started.

28MHz WSPR transceiver based on a 14.060MHz crystal doubled in a DSB direct conversion transceiver circuit.
Not started and now unlikely to be done.

In my defence, I  have done a few other projects including some 160m transmitter and 160m loft antenna work and quite a bit of experimentation on the 481THz kit although few products at the end of this. I want to do one more thing very shortly and that is to erect a 50MHz (Homebase-10 style) wire halo either in the loft space or on the mast outside in time for the Es season.

In summary, I think one can say I am what my mother-in-law called a "fireside fusilier": I'm always gunner (going to) do this and gunner do that!