Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- The Urban Fringe
I may have accidentally ordered a Sangean ATS-909 X2 receiver for the shack.
HAM (Amateur) Radio
- Thread starter Scottish Scrutineer
- Start date
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Bobby Mhor
Legendary Member
- Location
- Behind You
Impressed,
I got my GM7 in 1988 and spent the next 10 months at Glasgow Nautical College doing (learning) CW on Wed evenings, got proficient around 14 to 15 WPM, sending and receiving then like most things in my life just threw in the towel, access to HF then was via the full licence and you needed 12 WPM CW
I threw out a couple of SWL logbooks of the ham bands where I'd logged in morse...stupid move but VHF had been my go to with SOTA kicking in around 2009, now located in a VHF and upwards desert but still do the odd session of FT8 using plane scatter..
Good on the QRP, big fan of it, use mostly up to 10 watts on HF data and voice..
Been a member of G-QRP for yonks, worth the paltry sum for membership
Too many 'OTAs available but with my age etc, POTA is a possiblity..
I now have a 'key' with a microbit attached so who knows, maybe I'll try to learn it again and no, I can't remember none of it
Been playing with Meshtastic and Meshcore,
I've another couple of side projects running but it is a great hobby to get in to, if you are swithering just google Foundation Licence or go to the RSGB website or PM anyone active on this thread for more information.
Bobby Mhor
Legendary Member
- Location
- Behind You
I'm on daily anywhere between 40m and 10m during the day, gimme a blast if you see my call. I've actually got quite a few Drago and Dragomir in my logbook but none from G land.
ktmbiker58
Über Member
Geomagnetic storm today so, as much as I like the challenge of QRP sometimes I just feel the need to smoke up the airwaves with my trusty ACOM 1000 linear! Worked 7Z1DH on 12m this morning which was definitely pushing the MUF, solid 5 and 8 both ways on SSB. Was going to have a bash on the key but conditions have worsened judging by the signal strength of the FT8 signals so QSY'd to 15m, the SteppIR vertical can run in 3/4 wave mode on 15 and higher which gives more gain and a lower take off angle than 1/4 wave, it's mounted over a huge radial field and is very effective - plus being American can take 3kW!
IT9ATQ/B beacon on 21.149MHz is just audible so 15m not too good today, theres often a Ukraine SSB net on 21.360MHz in the morning but nothing heard today.
IT9ATQ/B beacon on 21.149MHz is just audible so 15m not too good today, theres often a Ukraine SSB net on 21.360MHz in the morning but nothing heard today.
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- The Urban Fringe
Not done much listening or Tx this last week due to my nacked back making it uncomfortable to sit in a chair for long.
ktmbiker58
Über Member
We must be twins - my back is killing me !!!
15m seemed quiet this afternoon but what I have found is the strength of FT8 stations gives a good indication of whether or not a particular band is open and there was reasonable FT8 activity but no SSB or CW activity - I put out a call using SSB and just had a nice chat with Mark, VE2HCT in Montreal
ktmbiker58
Über Member
I love the challenge of making QRP contacts and to take the challenge to the next level I sometimes use my vintage gear - Eddystone S504 from 1946 and Codar AT5 from 1960s.
I use one of the excellent WebSDRs to monitor my transmission so imagine my surprise when setting up the Codar for 80m CW I could see my signal on a receiver in West Sussex about 100 miles away - with the key UP! The AT5 uses cathode keying of the RF amplifier but with the key UP the parasitic coupling through the valve (6BW6) produces a tiny signal at the transmitter output which was being received 100 miles away at S7 which would've made a very comfortable CW QSO!
I love the smell of hot valves !!
I use one of the excellent WebSDRs to monitor my transmission so imagine my surprise when setting up the Codar for 80m CW I could see my signal on a receiver in West Sussex about 100 miles away - with the key UP! The AT5 uses cathode keying of the RF amplifier but with the key UP the parasitic coupling through the valve (6BW6) produces a tiny signal at the transmitter output which was being received 100 miles away at S7 which would've made a very comfortable CW QSO!
I love the smell of hot valves !!
ktmbiker58
Über Member
Fired up my old Heathkit HW7 QRP transceiver that I assembled back in the 70's this evening on 40m , put out a couple of CQs no response but when I checked the Reverse Beacon Network there I was received loud and clear - not bad for 1W of RF
