Monday 31 May 2010

A new day with Es on 6 meter!

On Monday I have my part-time day and a little bit more leisure time. In the afternoon I have only one hour sports to do.
When I turn on my set this morning I heard already signals on 6 meters. Between 10:30 to 11:30 local time there was considerable activity and I worked the following stations: YO5PLD in KN34CK. YL2CZ in KO06XW, new square. And YU2MMA in KN04HG, also a new square.I heard the signals of E4X but his cw speed was very quickly. In combination with split working it was hard to follow his transmission.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Thursday 27 May 2010

Es opening on 6M, again!

Es season has really started. Today, after 16:00 UTC, I worked 4 stations (cw) from Finland, Estonia and Lithuania.
Distances between 1500 and 1800 km.








Via the mailman I received a QSL from MM0CAE today. I'm a member of the GQRP club and this club has a own QSL service between members.
This was from a 2 way QRP QSO in 2006.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Big Es opening on 6M

Today there was a big Es opening for hours, not only on 6M but also on 10 and 4 meters. I was only active on 6 meter, I have no equipment for 4M.

From 4:15 p.m. UTC I worked with:
SP8DWI - KO10ND
SP8LXE - KO10WT
IK6FXP - JN62PI
SP7HKK - JO91QIAll QSO's where made with SSB, the last one with just 5 watts, the others with 20 watts.
The Es was still going on but I had to take care for my diner and other priorities.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Sunday 23 May 2010

Portable experiment for today.

During this Sunday, I had the goal to go into the field with my FT817nd and mobile whip for 20M. I had the mobile whip for 6M also taken with me. With the internal battery the output is 2.5 watts.

When arrived on location in JO21QW I parked the car on the side of the road and put the ground wire of about 5 meters rolled out across the grass. With the rig in the hand this way I got a good SWR. In terms of reception I was very pleased. In about 2 hours I worked to my great surprise, 3 stations.
RW1CW, who was working in a contest.
IV3NVD, they always called with a reference of UD128 (What is this mean?).
Finally I worked with Rick, TK5/F2PI/M. This station was mobile in Corsica with 100 watts from the car and mobile antenna.

I have also called to several other stations, including OH0/PA3BAG. Jack heard me but it was not a complete QSO.
On 6 meters I heard some weak signals, calls had no effect. In the beaconband I heard SV3BSF.

The experiment was successfull for this day. It is possible to use a very small antenna, even if it takes more effort.
Last week I found this site about this way of operating made by Roger G3XBM.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Saturday 22 May 2010

Worked new DXCC country on 6M

When I getting out of bed this morning, around 08:30 local time, I turned my rig on to hear if there was something to do on 6M.
According to the DX cluster much activity but I heard not too much. Around 7:15 UTC, I worked with ER1SS in Moldova (KN46JX).
This is a new DXCC country for me on 6M and also a new square.

The rest of the day remained silent on 6M, and I've done other things.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Friday 21 May 2010

Again Es on 6 meter

When I came home of my work I switched on my Yaesu FT950 and heard several signals on 6M. This signals were stronger then earlier this week.

Worked with: UR5URW in KO50FF (ssb) and UX1BZ in KN29VA (cw). KN29 is a new square for me.

Heard also other stations but it was crowded and there was a lot of fading on the signals.

Enjoy your Whitsun weekend.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Thursday 20 May 2010

Es on 6M

When I came home from my work I switched on my radio. Worked 1 station on 6M, EA1EDU in JN01WK (ssb). JN01 is a new square for me, the third for this season.
Heard a few other signals from Spain but they were to weak for me to work.

After this I take time for household and a visitor.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Saturday 15 May 2010

WSPR 17M

When I was on the local meeting last Wednesday someone told me that 17M is in a good shape the last days. Special at the end of the day till late in the evening.
Yesterday I tuned my magnetic-loop for 17M to find out what was possible on this band. On that moment (21:00 UTC) I heard one weak ssb signal but didn't copy the callsign.
When I woke up this morning I saw on my laptop the results.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Friday 14 May 2010

First Es on 6M for 2010

Today I made the first qso's on 6M via Es for this season. I saw on the internet that there were weak signals for the last few days but I didn't hear nothing until today.

The picture shows the 2 qso's I made. Around 15:00 utc I heard IK7FPU with cw and I answer him with 20 watts. This station is in JN71SU, a new squaere for me.
Around 15:30 I heard IK8OFO calling in SSB. After a few calls I worked him from JN70HR, also a new square.
2 qso's and both a new square. I'm waithing for the next Es opening on 6M, I hope signals will be stronger then today.



A beacon list for 6M.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

WSPR & DXCC (qrp)

On Wednesday I had the whole day WSPR on 10M running. During this time I heard no signals from other WSPR stations. My signal was heard by 2 stations for a period.
PAøO heard my signal over a distance of 172km. What kind of propegation was this?

Every second Wednesday of the month we have a meeting with local radio amateurs in this area. During this evening the QSL manager of R30 is also present.
This time there where some QSL for me to. The card of UA9CSA jumped out for me.
This is a qso I made with my homemade Rockmite with a power of approximately 300mW. The confirmation of this QSO made the confirmed DXCC countries with QRP on 52.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Buddy Keyer/Speaker Console building & Lighthouses

Yesterday I started this project, unfortunately I can not finish today.This morning I saw that J3 + J4 is not in the box I received. I wrote a email with the request to send the missing parts.

Last week I toke some new pictures of lighthouses in the Netherlands and today I updated the page about this subject.
The captions on this page is in Dutch








73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Saturday 8 May 2010

With 1 watts via WSPR to VK!

Yesterday my WSPR station listen and transmit on 40M. A lot of stations received my signals from 1 watts down to 50mW. VK6BN received my 1 watts more then one period.In the begin of the evening (May 7) I made my first qso on 10M for this season. S58P gave me a 55 with my 5 watts in SSB.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Friday 7 May 2010

With 1 watts to VK via WSPR!

Yesterday in the evening I setup my station for WSPR on 30M. Around 19:00 UTC 2 VK stations heard my 1 watts signal, VK2/VK6DI and VK2DAP. Distances around 16500 km.Later in the evening I made 2 CW qso's on 30M. Worked with OM30CAQ and a longer qso with SP7HOV, Zbig in Skierniewice. Both qso's with only 1 watts.

On my laptop I don't have the possibility to make graphics for my Blog. When I'm back home I update the Blog with pictures.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Thursday 6 May 2010

QRV again!

After a holiday of a few days in the province of Friesland I'm in Zuidlaren (JO33IC).

Yesterday in the afternoon I start up the station for WSPR. The best DX was K1JT, he heard my 500mW signal.Today my WSPR station is running on 10M and OY1OF heard my 1 Watts signal for one period. PE4BAS and PC1CP heard my signal serveral times. from 5 watts to 50mW.

On 40M I made 1 CW qso with DF3MI in QTH Oberammergau. A 2way QRP QSO.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Friday 30 April 2010

QRV with WSPR & antenna for 6M

Today I have modified a 2M 5/8 mobile antenna for use on 6M. The antenna is extended and there is a reasonable SWR on 6M.
Later this week, I make the final modification.

Next week I will do some WSPR experiments (from JO33IC). This means that I'm active with a power of 100mW or 50mW. This is mainly on 30M but maybe also 6M, when there is propegation.

Keep an eye on this site.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Thursday 22 April 2010

WSPR on 30M, heard in Australia

Today I was around 16:00 UTC at home and switch on the WSPR program. This means that with an interval of about 12 minutes there is a broadcast of almost 2 minutes.
Almost every broadcast of my signal is heard in Australia. It seems that the propegation is going up.I'm using my FT950 with 5 watts and the magnetic-loop inside my house.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Wednesday 21 April 2010

EZ Tele XL mast

Last year I bought in Germany a AZ Tele XL mast with a length of 12 meters. This mast landed in my shed until today.











Along with Eric, PE1FES, I gone a few km outside of Tiel and went on a quiet road, where we have the mast setup in the grass.
Despite the weather, with occasional clouds and some rain also it blew hard. This was immediately noticed when we had the mast extended. The top curve somewhat by the wind.
Our conclusion was that one set of 3 guy wires, such as the mast is supplied isn’t enough.
The idea is now to make a point about halfway to where another 3 guy wires coming.

Who has already experience with this mast? What should I do to make it stronger?

Sunday 18 April 2010

Meeting, KP4AO and WSPR

Yesterday I was at the annual meeting of the SRS/BQC. The program included 2 lectures:


Henk Vrolijk, PA0HPV, told about his visit to Bletchley Park.
Christian Roselaar, PA3FUN, talked about his experiences with various QRP kits. It is fun because I've built myself a Rockmite for 40M.
With all due respect to the real "Old men", I had the idea that I (age 41) was one of the youngest ham's during this meeting.
Photo's made by PA1AT

In the evening via the website Camras I listened to the signals of KP4AO. Too bad that I had no 70cm Yagi.

I connected the equipment for WSPR, after a break of almost 2 weeks. First on 30M and 40M now. Propegation is poor.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Saturday 10 April 2010

Bezoek vuurtoren Noordwijk aan Zee

De Nederlandse Vuurtoren Vereniging heeft eens per jaar haar ALV, steeds op een andere locatie in Nederland. Vandaag was dit in Noordwijk aan Zee waarbij de vuurtoren in deze plaats beklommen kon worden.
Een unieke kans omdat deze normaal niet voor publiek geopend is.



Toen ik vanmorgen opstond was de wereld aardig in mist gehuld en ging me al zorgen maken of er vandaag mooie foto's gemaakt konden worden. Hoe dichter ik bij de kust kwam hoe helderder het werd. Eenmaal in Noordwijk aan Zee werd ik verrast door een blauwe lucht met stralende zon. Ondanks dit was de temperatuur kil, er stond een frisse wind.

Na een klim van 108 treden (verdeeld over 6 verdiepingen) kwam ik bij het optiek op ongeveer 30 meter hoogte en kon dit plaatje schieten.Boven het optiek zit een glazen koepel/kap. Deze wilde ik ook fotograferen en moest hiervoor op de trap gaan staan en vervolgens zo recht mogelijk naar boven fotograferen.

Op mijn site zijn nog meerdere foto's van deze vuurtoren te zien.

Tuesday 6 April 2010

WSPR from JO33ic (the village of Zuidlaren)

During the Easter weekend (Saturday April 3 to Monday April 5) I did some WSPR experiments from JO33IC (Zuidlaren) and made a 2 way QRP QSO on 40M.

My station is a Yaesu FT817 with a 10dB attenuator. The antenna I used is a ZEPP for 30M.



On this band I had all the WSPR experiments. This antenna is on the attic and a part outside.
The CW QSO, I made was with Will, GM0HKS. The nice thing about this QSO was that Will worked with a homemade transceiver of Howes. I builded this transceiver about 10 years ago but my transceiver is for 20m. At that time I had several qso's with it. Will has a sidetone in use, he goes for me to find the schematic.

The experiments with WSPR had only played on 30M. I felt that the propagation was not good and was afraid that they didn’t heard my 50mW signal. First I switched to 100mW and it went. Later in the day my 50mW signal was heard. Distances were between 600 and 1200 km.
Saturdayevenening was the longest distance when I saw on the WSPR site that 4X1RF in KM72LS heard my signal for 2 periods. A distance of 3186 km, and this with only 50mW!


73, Tjeerd - PA3GNZ