40m Pixie: a tip I was given

Andy Cutland in the Channel Islands has reminded me that it is well worth checking the Reverse Beacon Network to see if the signal from the Pixie is getting out, even if no replies are received. I must admit I've not yet been doing this. From now on I'll check the RBN although I usually reply to CQs rather than call CQ when using QRP (search and pounce).

Reverse beacon Network

7MHz QRP RBN spots this evening

The Reverse Beacon Network is an extremely useful resource. This evening, in addition to several QRP QSOs on CW, I got quite a few RBN "spots" proving just where my signal was reaching and at what strength. This is a bit like the WSPR database but for CW. As such signals have to be stronger to be copied than for WSPR but it is helpful.

Selling my Elecraft K1

For some years I've had the Elecraft K1 transceiver that I made. It covers 40, 30, 20 and 15m with a built-in auto ATU.  This is a nice little CW radio, but I rarely use it, preferring to use home designed kit on MF and 10m these days. It has always been used at home and is in as-new condition.

This afternoon I fired it up, using the coax feeder to my 10m halo as a vertical and tuned this against my central heating ground using the internal ATU. It is a far from optimum antenna and suffers from QRM from my central heating controller's SMPSU right next to the feeder on RX.

RBN spots with my K1 today (intermittent operation)

Conditions were not great but several reports were seen on the Reverse Beacon Network (see above) and half a dozen QSOs are in the logbook on 7MHz and 10MHz (in DL, I, EI and LX) in not a lot of actual operating time: we had neighbours around for Christmas nibbles and drinks most of the day!

I really ought to think about selling the K1 as I don't use it enough to justify keeping it.  Ahead of my move next year I should be doing more de-cluttering as well, HI.

More DX on Lesser Chirpy

Another report via the Reverse Beacon Network from 5B4AGN in Cyprus this morning, but no QSOs and no further RBN spots. A brief outing this afternoon in which I'd hoped to get across the Atlantic proved to be a disappointment. There is always tomorrow....