Hand held antenna comparison

[Video is removed] A Hand held antenna comparison. A 5/8 quarter wave is the best for your hand held. I need one for next summer, to take it with me when I go biking or go with holidays. Today only contest stations on air, and I had to do a lot of other things, so the rig stays off.

This afternoon we get a storm, so this a a test to see if the dipole will not break. Both ends are connected to trees. I did place some elastic wires on both end. We'll see.

First Sporadic E on 10 meter

Today, I had my first sporadic E QSO on 10 meter with PSK31 (10 watt) with EA8CDJ Tomas from Yaiza, Lanzarote - Canary Islands. Distance 3038 km.

On V-UHF Real Time logs I read that there was a multi-hop sporadic E opening on 10 meters. On 15 meter I heard VK3AMA with a 599 signal PSK31. I worked RZ3BQ and RX6BH with PSK31.

On 40 meter I had a qso with MMØEAX Dave from Orney Island, Scotland with 5 watt SSB. With 5 watt CW I had a qso with UT5SA Vlad from IVANOFRANKIVSK, Ukraine. I installed the new version of JT65-HF 1041. I made a JT65A qso with UA3ICN near Moscow. On 15 m I worked with PSK31 UX1MW and UX5IQ. I heard a lot of nice call signs, but could not work them, such as 6V7T - 9K2YM/NLD - VU2SWS - EB3JT - UN7JOT - TA1HZ - HZ5AN - RV9WF.

The sun comes alive

Without no doubt the sun comes alive. Since 29 October last year I keep up the records daily for making a graphic. As you can see, the linear line is going upwards. Slowly the higher bands comes alive too. I can't wait for a crowded 10 meter and 6 meter with nice DX, just to work with QRP.

PSK31 is the winner. The most DXCC is achieved with PSK31. CW is a good second with close behind SSB. The other modes are in the minority. Maybe I am a bit old fashion, all the new modes I like to try sometimes, but after all only a transceiver should be needed with a keyer. Nothing more. OK, PSK31 is the only real popular digi mode. And it is not necessary to work with only macros, you can chat also with using the keyboard. I have noticed that a lot of USA stations work that way. Maybe for foreigners the language is an obstacle.

On 20 meter I worked E77YZ Adis from Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina with 10 watt SSB. On 30 meter I worked YL2UZ Tur from Smiltene, Latvia with 10 watts CW.

Two new DXCC countries

Today I just hang around on 15 meter. Sometimes there were good signals. I heard YC1LA and YC1FWO [Indonesia] with SSB very loud. 59 signals. But the pile up was too big for me. Also heard Cuba CO8LY and several USA stations (with KW's) I started on 40 meter and worked TM7WAP with 5 watt SSB and DL6MGR with PSK31. Then I moved to 15 meter. I worked the following stations with 5 watt PSK31: SV1EOS - RN6BA - LZ1MEM - RN3KL - 1B1AB [see photo - Cyprus NEW DXCC]- RV9WF - UT2MA - EK5KE. With 10 watt SSB I worked OD5NH from Lebanon, new DXCC for me. I started August 2009 with DXCC QRP in the pit of the sunspot cycle, now I worked 74 DXCC countries with QRP.

Ros

I read by Julian G4ILO about a new digi mode Ros. Today I installed the software and tried on 20 meter. It was very busy on the Ros frequency 14.101 KHz. And I noticed two problems already: nobody used the proposed way to communicate. They do it the PSK way, but it is not handy with the 'macro' buttons. And of course they use too much power, 50 watts or up. Why? With this software QRP is the designated way to make contact. Just like WSPR, not more then 5 watts. The QRO users screw it up for QRPers. By the way, it is no love on first sight for me. I will try a little more, but for now I am not convinced. My first QSO with Ros was IW8WSR on 14.101 KHz.
With WSPR this afternoon I was transmitting with 1 watt on 20 meter. The best DX was RN9AOM from MO02el 3669 km. With 500 milliwatt on 40 meter best DX was LA9JO from JP99gb 1967 km.

ARRL int. DX Contest

My parents in law were visiting us today, after they were gone I checked 15 meter for CW contest activity. I read the good news that Roger G3XBM made a few contacts yesterday over the big pond with 5 watt. So I thought: I must check 15 meter today. I was running only 5 watt QRP. I worked the following stations: NR5M George from Houston, TX; W1GD Gerald from Wall, NJ; W1HQ contest station from Newington, CT - he replied with FB QRP TU. K1TR Edward from Windham, NH; VX3AT Ron van der Kraats (a very Dutch name) from Islington, Ontario. (New DXCC, because I never worked Canada before!) WO4O Richard from Ridgetop, TN; WE3C John from Fleetwood, PA; W6XR Natan from Freeville, NY; N5PO Marion from Weatherford, TX; W2FU Jeffrey from Webster, NY; W3LPL Francis from Glenwood, MD; W1WEF Jack from Glastonbury, CT; AA1K Jon from Felton, DE; K3LR Timothy from West Middlesex, PA; K1IM Thomas from Union, CT and on 20 meter: KB1H Richard from East Killingly, CT USA. It was great to work so easy with the USA with only 5 watt CW on 15 meter. Wow.

Guess what

Guess what? Yes, snow again this morning. I am really fed up with this mess. When I see this video, I long for good weather, beaches and outside QRP-ing.

Japan with WSPR

Finally I got Japan with WSPR. This morning on 20 meter. 7L4IOU from Tokyo. I also forced my ATU to tune 30 meter, 15 meter and 10 meter. I have an acceptable SWR on 10.106 QRP frequency, higher is not possible. I got a good SWR on the whole 15 meter band. And on 10 meter only the first 150 KHz. So I can work CW, PSK and WSPR on 10 meter now with the dipole. I was too careful with the MFJ automatic tuner 925. It made a lot of noise, so I thought 'maybe I damaged the tuner' but after a few seconds the antenna was tuned. I worked on 15 meter RN3ZHV Mike from Stary Oskol, Russia with 5 watt SSB. When the weather is really good I put up the vertical. No hurry is needed, because I can work on most of the HF bands with the dipole now. I did hear on 40 meter Adam M6RDP working with 2EØAYQ which I worked yesterday with 2 watt PSK31. Now is a PSK31 contest going on, and I don't like to participate in this contest. There are also PSK31 stations in the JT65A part of the band. And last weekend RTTY. So its impossible to do JT65A in the weekends. I like to work at weekdays, it's quieter then. Have a nice weekend, 73 Paul

My physical state is not optimal. A virus got me down. Still I am feverish. The only perfect mode in this condition is BPSK31. I made a few QSO's this afternoon. On 40 meter with 5 watts: 2EØAYQ Martin from Bromley, UK. He was running 2 watt. M6KLO Bob from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. He was running 10 watts. DL2LBO Rainer from Wahlstedt, Germany; and F6HSJ Patrick from Wattrelos, France. The last part of the QSO was lost because of QSB.

40 meter at night / morning

I catch a cold and couldn't sleep, afraid I kept the YL awake and she have to rise early for work, so I was all night up. Coughing and sneezing and best mode to work with is PSK31 in such a case. 40 meter was busy all night/morning. I worked with low power: 40 watts and worked a new DXCC Venezuela YV5KQA, Jose Manuel from Miranda. 7863 km. Also worked AC2AD Ron from Penn Yan, NY USA; RA3XI Victor from Kaluga, Russia; RV3SEU Sergey from Ryazan, Russia; UY8VO Valeryan from Znamenka, Ukraine; K2WOP Curtis from Syracuse, NY USA. RZ6BS Sergey from Shabel'sk, Russia. On 80 meter was very quiet, only a few Russian Stations.

A very lively 40 meter

Did everybody take a day off? So many amateurs on the band, just on a Wednesday morning. I heard a very lively 40 meter band. The weekend had started earlier? I started calling CQ with PSK31 (with 5 watt) and had a few QSO's. 2EØWJC/QRP (see photo) Billy from Pudsey, England he was running 5 watt. F4ARB/QRP Jean-Pierre from Lys-Lez-Lannoy, France; DK1IO Reinhard from Neustadt, Germany; F4GBW Mickael from Roubaix, France; DB3PR Reinhard from Mainz, Germany; and F1UMO Jean-Pierre from Wasquehal, France.

JT65A

On 20 meter I worked a special event station from Finland with CW: OF5ØRR from Raahe, Finland. I was also listening on 14.076 KHz JT65A and it was very busy there. A heard a lot of JA stations with good signals. Unfortunately, I couldn't work them.

Yesterday I was heard by W4CQZ from Florida, USA with JT65A. I was using 5 watt.

Cabrillo Log is ready

I worked today RA9MP Yuri on 20 meter with CW. Distance 4350 km (2703 miles) and YU1LM/QRP at 14.060 KHz with CW, a nice 2-way QRP QSO. Both with 5 watt. I made a Cabrillo log (PACC contest) Yes, I finally succeeded to make one. I think that the results will be known at the end of June. I realized that is is possible to work all provinces with 5 watt QRP on 80 meter, so why a overkill of power?

My Inverted V dipole

The antenna I use is rather simple. It's an inverted V dipole, 2x13 meter for 40 and 80 meter. I do not have more space for a longer antenna. I thought that it maybe good for 20 meter too. I tried once but the SWR was unacceptable. Now I tried again this weekend during the PACC contest, and yes, I had a good SWR with the ATU. Only a small part of the 20 meter band. It's good from 14.060 till 14.175 KHz. The best part, so I can work QRP on 14.060, and PSK on 14.070, and JT65A on 14.076, and RTTY on 14.080 and SSB from 125 - 175 KHz. What can I want more? The dipole is much more better then the Miracle Whip + 10 meter wire. Yesterday I heard a station from Norway with no S-meter reading with the MW+wire and FT817, but on the FT450 with the dipole I had a S5. So I am in no hurry to put up the vertical. 73 Paul

PACC Contest #2

Pfffff... the contest is finished. 18 hours of contest, single operator, category QRP < 5 watt. I worked all 12 Dutch provinces and 27 DXCC countries. Best DX Asiatic Russia. Total 144 QSO's. I thought I could work more in '24 hours' but I forgot that I was working QRP. A lot of stations don't hear me with all that stations noise and QRM. It funny that when 40 meter was clossing down, after 2100 UTC, that 2 hours later the band opens up again but for DX stations. I heard JA stations very good. (But they don't hear me :-() and VK and very loud signals from Greece on 40 meter. I worked also PE4BAS on 80 meter in the contest. Now I will take a rest for today. Enough is enough.

PACC contest

This picture has nothing to do with the PACC contest. But it is such a nice picture I want to share it. I am ready for the contest which start at 12.00 UTC. I go for category F which is the QRP section < 5 watt. I start on 20 meter, if conditions are OK. After 17.00 UTC I'll go to 40 meter, and later this evening I'll go to 80 meter. Because of cold weather conditions I was not been able to put up the broadband vertical. So I can't work on 15 meter or higher.

Dutch 80 meter net

This morning I have been notified for the Dutch 80 meter net on 3692 KHz. (Between 8.00 - 9.00 UTC) Net control by PAØA Albert. This is the first time I took part of this net. I wonder if they could hear me with 5 watt QRP. Even for local work on 80 meter I keep using 5 watt and I am not been tempted to use QRO. Hi. But they all could copy me with signals between 57-59. Other stations on the net: PAØAM Cor; PAØVYL Cor; PAØHTT Henk; en PAØLCE Louis. Thanks guys, for the nice chat on 80 meter.

With PSK31 I worked on 40 meter F5TFI Rene from Wittenheim, France and F1JFR Daniel from Strasbourg, France. With JT65A on 20 meter I worked EU6AF -13 db.

DX with JT65A

I was taking pictures of some birds in the garden. After a while I thought, lets see if there is something on 20 meter JT65A. There was a lot of activity. I gave a CQ and UAØAET came back for me. I get a -10db report. I was working with 5 watt. Distance 5335 km (3315 miles) Not bad at all. With WSPR DX on 30 meter was reported by KB3VR (6160km) and W3CSW.

One of the pictures I took from the birds.

I started PSK-ing on 80 meter this morning and on 40 meter. I worked the following stations, all with 5 watt: DF4WQ Ernie from Sprendlingen, Germany; F5TTI Rene from Vermelles, France; both on 8o meter. On 40 meter: OK1HI Alois from Lisov, Czech Republic; MM3YUY Dave from Kilwinning, Scotland; DL9GR Harry from Leverkusen, Germany; OK1KM Karel from Kraslice, Czech Republic; PA2GP Geert from Tynaarlo, Netherlands. I could and this QSO properly because someone put a carrier on the frequency. On 20 meter with 5 watt CW: UT7UJ Dim from Kiev, Ukraine; and YT4ØE from Serbia.

New wire for 20 meter

Today I made some QSO's on 20 meter. I worked E73E Igor from Bosnia Herzegovina, with 5 watt SSB. And YO8RAA Mircea from Campulung, Romania with 5 watt RTTY. I replaced my wire for the Miracle Whip, it was almost burned up. Even with 5 watt. I replaced it with thicker and solid copper wire. The SWR is 1:1 Now I am also ready for 20 meter with the FT817 for the PACC contest, this weekend. In the category QRP I will be QRV on 20, 40 and 80 meter. And the Solarflux is 94 today and SSN 71.

Let the radio-virus infect you completely

Wow, the Solar Flux is 90! And Sunspot number is 51, it has been a very long time we had such a high number. Big sunspots are emerging on the surface of our sun. I hope it will hold for the PACC contest next weekend. So radio amateurs, don't waste your time reading or writing blogs, go for HF and make that fantastic QSO you're waiting for such a long time. Blow the dust from you microphone, hit the straight key, lets swing your paddles. Let the radio-virus infect you completely. Jump into the bands noise, search and find. The real connection is to find your fellow radio amateur somewhere on the HF waiting for your call... Maybe the forecast for a HF blackout can spoil the party.

BIG SUNSPOT: The sudden emergence of big sunspot 1045 over the weekend has caused a sharp uptick in solar activity. The active region has produced three M-class and almost a dozen C-class solar flares since it appeared on Saturday. The strongest blast, an M6-class eruption on Feb. 7th, may have hurled a coronal mass ejection toward Earth. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead as a result of this activity. Also, ham radio operators are picking up strong solar radio bursts using shortwave receivers. Sample sounds and images may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

At 10.00 o'clock UTC I heard calling PE4BAS, I was just taking my coffee, and was about calling Adam M6RDP. I didn't hear Adam but Bas was very strong 59+10db. Suddenly a strong QSB came up, so we lost each other. Signals were dropping into the noise. Bas was at home because he was not feeling well today. I worked on 20 meter EA3DUM Pere from Granollers, Spain with PSK31 and with 5 watt SSB GØUUT Elan from England. With CW I worked Z3ØV Zoran from Macedonia on 40 meter.

Not too much time for working on HF, but I made two QSO's on 40 meter with PSK31 and 5 watt. I worked I1LEP (see photo) Luigi from Ivrea, Italy and LX2FC Claude from Differdange, Luxembourg. Now I have found how I can make a Cabrillo log for the PACC contest (thanks to PA3BTT Wally from Den Helder) Finally, I downloaded the PACC software from PB2GT web site, and I read the manual carefully, and now I understand. So next weekend will be my first contest. I can't belief it, after so many years of being a radio amateur.

Antenna launcher

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New version JT65-HF103

Because of problems with the rig control in previous versions, it is necessary to download or update your older version of JT65-HF.

http://groups.google.com/group/jt65-hf/web/setupJT65-HF103.zip

Here you see Bill MM3RTH from Stevenston North Ayrshire, Scotland. (Photo from www.qrz.com) I worked him with PSK31 on 40 meter. Other stations I worked with 5 watt PSK31 on 40 meter: DL5GBP Peter from Lauffen (Black Forrest) Germany; IK2YVA Giuseppe from Saltrio, Italy; DL3KOG Sigi from Wittenberg, Germany; DM1AOK Otto from Jena, Germany; and LA8FJ Per from Moss, Norway (Best distance today 844 km) Average distance 665 km. With Fldigi I set the program on repeat CQ-ing with an interval of 15 seconds (I become lazy) and when someone come back for me I turned it off. Makes it very easy. I have been reported by: F5RRS - SM6FMB - SA7AGE (911 KM) - SM7SJR - DF5FF - F1APY - F1JFR - IK1MTX - G7PAF. Have a nice day, 73 Paul

Finally a sked with PE4BAS

I had a sked planned with Bas PE4BAS on 80 meter. We tried before but because of my poor antenna for 80 meter we were not successful. So first JT65A on 80 meter. It was very crowded on the frequency. I heard VE9DX and TF3HZ and a lot of European stations. The JT65-HF software is pretty cool to work with, thanks to W6CQZ! Well, I heard PE4BAS, only he did not copy me. So we decided to do PSK31 on 80 meter.

And yes, we made a qso, and first with 30 watt both sides. Our distance is 167 km, very very strong signals, so we lower our power output. Finally my output was 5 watt, but signals stayed very strong. Bas tried finally less than 1 watt and I could still copy him with good signals. See photo with less than 1 watt on the waterfall display. Isn't great? Long live QRP! (Sorry, the QSO was in Dutch)

(Click on photo to enlarge) I saw the planet Mars for several nights, so I decided to photograph the planet. The most bright spot is Mars. I just used my digital camera with a 480 mm lens. There were clouds in the sky and it was not totally clear, and to much city lights. I have no experience at all for photographing sky objects at night. For neat pictures you have to go to M6RDP and G4ILO.

So far only two QSO's today: a sked with M6RDP on 40 meter and a JT65A QSO 0n 20 meter with U1NZ from Petrozavodsk, Russia.

Stats and thoughts

Visitors from more than 100 countries visited my blog. The counter is now 101. I got almost 20.000 page-views since February 9th 2009. I wonder why people are visiting my blog? I hope they will find what they are looking for. There are no technical highlights on my blog, only I try to make other radio amateurs enthusiastic for what can be achieved with QRP. More with less.

First, the majority came from the Netherlands, now the USA is on top.
This morning I had a QSO (40 meter CW) with a real old timer G3HCO Alan (80) from Stroud, UK and radio-amateur since 1950. I feel a youngster, but when I was 25, I consider people above 60 as old. Do I feel old? Well, not really. When my father was 75, I asked him: 'Do you feel old?' He said: 'No, I don't feel old, I am who I am.' I can remember the kid in me. That's important, I think. Enjoy life here and now.

PSK on 80 meter

This morning I had a nice qso with G6CSY Tom (see photo) from London, UK on 80 meter with PSK63. Also worked DO9FR Frank from Lubeck, Germany on 80 meter PSK31. Last night I worked 9A1CCB Ivan from Garesnica, Croatia and F1HSY Bernard from Limas, France; both with PSK31 on 80 meter. On 40 meter F2FY Paul from Arras, France and SN85IARU Gen from Suwalki, Poland. I made all qso's with 5 watt. /// Today it's a windy and rainy day. All the snow melted away.

QRP forever

Weekends are always busy. In the spare time a made a few QSO's. Saturday: RV3LE Igor from Gagarin, Russia with 10 watt PSK31 on 40 meter. G4MIB Stuart from Taunton, UK with 10 watt PSK31 on 80 meter. Sunday: MW6DUL Dulyn from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales (see photo) with 5 watt PSK31 on 80 meter and RN3ZDD Yuri from Valuyki, Russia (2309 km) with 5 watt CW on 40 meter.

Now I have my FT450, instead of the IC703 which was not available anymore, now with an QRO rig I could be tempted to work up to 100 watt. And I did, why? To see if I can work stations which I cannot work normally with QRP. Was I satisfied when I accomplished a QSO with 100 watt? No, absolutely not. I get the real fun and satisfaction when I work 2000 km or more with 5 watt. I am a QRP operator. That's for sure. I leave the FT450 standard at 5 watt output. That's enough for me.

But why a FT450, why not only the great little devil FT817? The FT450 was a present of the YL, and I like a base station because the display is larger, the controls (VFO) are larger, much more easy to handle than the FT817. The wonderful DSP and the narrow 500 Hz CW filter, makes it worthwhile.

I got my first complaint about LFI. My neighbor got a little cheap transisor radio on his bureau desk, and he works sometimes from his home in the morning hours. He said he heard me on his radio. Aaargh, oh no, I thought. Perhaps at the moment I had skeds with Adam while I was using 30 or more watts SSB. This week I check if he got also problems when I use QRP. It's a friendly neighbor and we can solve the problem.

This morning I worked with 5 watt PSK31 on 40 meter IZ2QDG Angelo from Pian Camuno, Italy and OK2BQX Karel from Albrechtice, Czech Republic. This afternoon I worked GM1INK/P with 5 watt SSB on 40 meter.