My homebrew corner.

This week I walked around in my house with my camera and came up with the idea of yet another new picture of my homebrew corner. This is the result. On the desk are the components of the Limerick Sudden receiver project I'm doing.

As the manual shows I started assembling the IC holders for the LM386 and NE612.



I haven't found more time in the past week for this project.

Wednesday afternoon I had a qso with SM3YQX/4. Lars Erik, 30 km west of the town Mora. He worked with 100W in a dipole, I with 2.5 W in the ATX-1080.

Good weekend all.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QSO on 20M & Limerick Sudden receiver

Today I have made a cw qso on 20M with HA8LTQ. It was a "normal" qso where we both could share our details, like: name, name of the town and the equipment we used. This was on my side the FT817nd with 2.5 watts and the ATX-1080 antenna on the back of the set mounted.

Today I prepare the sides of the print and enclosure for the Limerick Sudden receiver with a neat file. Next week I can start soldering, as there is time.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

My activity of this day.

Today during the IOTA contest, I had the opportunity to try my ATX-1080 antenna on 15M. I'm getting a good swr with the following settings:
15M
10 segments of the telescope extended, counterpoise for 17M in use.

Then I made connections with: Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, unfortunately, no stations on an island. My conclusion is that this antenna on 15M will work. On 20M I worked 2 stations in Romania and Sweden, all with SSB and 2,5 Watts.

Today I did nothing with the Limerick Sudden receiver project. Yesterday I only snapped the front and back panels from the mainboard. Tomorrow I smooth the snapped edges with emery paper.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Limerick Sudden receiver

Yesterday I opened the envelope of this kit to verify that all components are in the packaging.





In the manual there is a list of components and I soon found out that all these components are present.This weekend I read the manual and make a plan how I going to start the building.
My idea is to make the wiring to the antenna connector with RG174 coax and not with the twisted wire which is written in the manual. For the antenna connector, I like to use a BNC chassis instead of a RCA chassis.

I'll keep you posted about this project.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Experiments with the ATX-1080 antenna

Last weekend I took the time to experiment with the ATX-1080 antenna. My expectations of this type of antennas have never been high. Now I have a somewhat different view.

In the limited manual of this antenna is discussed by making a counterpoise for them as possible to function. This manual is a guideline given for each band. After some soldering,cut and try, I came to the following lengths:
A counterpoise for 20M, length approximately 3.9M
A counterpoise for 17M, length approximately 3M
A counterpoise for 10M, length approximately 2M

30M
Almost 3 segments of the telescope extended, counterpoise for 20M in use.
20M
10 segments of the telescope extended, counterpoise for 20M in use.
17M
5 segments of the telescope extended, counterpoise for 17M in use.
12M
8 extended segments of the telescope, counterpoise for 10M in use.
10M
10 segments of the telescope extended, counterpoise for 10M in use.

During these experiments, I made a few QSO's:
9A2YM (20M cw)
OK1AUZ (20M cw)
UA1CE (20M cw)
SV2HJQ (20M ssb)
On the Friday before I made 2 QSO's with Lithuania on 30M.

At all QSO's I had an output of 2.5 Watts. My FT817nd was on the dining table (see) with rear mounted antenna. The counterpoise lying on the ground.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

First qso with ATX-1080 antenna and 2,5 watts

Last week I bought a second hand ATX-1080 antenna for my FT817nd. Yesterday I received it by the mail and today I had the time to try this antenna.









With a cup of coffee I sat quietly at my diningroom table and listened to 20 meters, swr reasonable. I heard the special call SI9AM, this time with ON5RZ as a guest operator. A lot of stations called him and it seemed that he not heard my QRP signal. Nevertheless, my patience was rewarded. Raf said my call with an error and I answered to it. He corrected my call and we could made a nice QSO. Details of my setup passed and I told my name.

Who knows what for fun this antenna gives me even more.













73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Limerick Sudden receiver, by GQRP club

This week, no radio activities. The weather is too hot for hanging over the soldering iron and I am home with a painful ear infection.

By post was the latest Journal of the club GQRP 'Sprat'. A Magazine with always interesting articles. By this time the announcement of a kit what the GQRP club is sold. The Limerick Sudden Receiver.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Contest on 6 meter

Saturday afternoon, I was listening on 6M because there were conditions. I heard that there was a contest and on the internet I found out what kind of contest this was. I came to the following information. In this contest you change a report, serial number and locator.
Among the other activities, see previous posting, I have made a total of 20 QSO's.In this picture are the lines through the various contacts visible. Clearly the most possibilities were to eastern Europe. The farthest distance was with UU9A in KN64SM, over 2000km.
I made the qso's with cw/ssb and the most with 20 watts, 2 with 10 watts. From the 20 qso's there were also a few new squares: JM68, JN94, KN44, KN64, JO91 and KO14.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Genesis Q5 (30M) transmitter repaired and modified

Today I repaired my Genesis Q5 transmitter.
First I had to remove transistor T2 and then I could remove the IC. Then I placed the new IC and I measured that the oscillator was working, yes!
Now I could replace transistor T2 and the transmitter was working again, the frequency 10.11574, it's too low. (When you've read my previous article about the Q5, you could see that with the value of 33pF (C7) the frequency was nearly 10.117 Mhz. The 33pF which I installed today was another.
I received the advice to change capacitor C7. First I replaced this by one with a value of 22pf. I measured that the frequency was 10.12012, much too high. The next step was placing a capacitor with a value of 27pF.
The transmit frequency is 10.11595. This deviation from 10.116 Mhz is acceptable for me.



I finally placed the 27pF capacitor.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

J-pole antenna for 2M

Last week I made a J-pole antenna for 2M. This antenna is made of 300 Ohm ladder-line I found in my junkbox. Yesterday evening I used the antenna indoors, hanging from the curtain rail, and could reach PI3AMF, a repeater in Amersfoort. A distance of 28 km. I used my FT817nd with 2,5 watts output.
This weekend I want to measure the swr with an external SWR meter.

The rest of this week I had no time for the hobby.

18:30 UTC. I saw that my swr meter is not suitable for 2m, stupid of me. Now I should just borrow one from a colleague in the neighborhood.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

How long does a computer live?

Yesterday I came home after a weekend in Utrecht. When all things were cleaned up I started my computer. There appeared some reports that I made me not optimistic. After a restart everything seemed to function normally.
This morning started the computer again but this time the monitor was just on and off again, the situation remained so. Checked all cables but this did not solved the problem. Luckily I have a spare monitor and it works simply. Unfortunately, this screen is smaller and the resolution has to get used to.

My computer is almost worn out after 5,5 years loyal service.

After my weekly sports I came home and heard on 6 meters different beacons, there was again sporadic E. Among other activities, I worked through some stations.
OY1CT in IP62LC, In the past I worked this station also on 30M.
IK5GQK in JN53OS (Florence)
And finally for this day in UX2SB in KN28IX, a new square.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Paper cards (QSL)

Yesterday evening I visited the monthly meeting in this area where the QSL manager of R30 is always present.
The last time I made a lot of qso's on 6 meters and gave this cards to the manager. What I got back was not much, only 2 cards.
A card of IK5ACO. Last year I worked this station on 6 meters.




With this card the square JN52 is now confirmed.

The other is a qsl of OH5B.







This is a confirmation of the first qso I made with the new digital mode ROS. I wrote about this for the first time on February 22 this year. After a few contacts, this mode is no longer used by me.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

a great day with Es on 6 meters.

Today was a day with almost the entire day Es on 6 meters. I made my first qso at 7:20 UTC with Poland. The last QSO for this day was at 10:24 UTC with 2M0DDS in Scotland. In the meantime I have made a total of 8 QSO's and did some other things in the house. I made the qso's with ssb/cw. My conclusion is that I make the most qso's with cw.
This afternoon I had my weekly sport.

At present there is still Es on 6 meters but there are also other things in life than just this hobby.



73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Do I'm a square hunter?

This day began sunny, although the sky was overcast.
Readers of my blog will sometimes wonder if I'm square hunter on 6 meters. No, not really. This is something left over from the days when I was a DX'er on 2 meters. I am not specifically looking for new squares but it's always nice when a new square can be worked.

Today I worked around 10:30 UTC with IK5ZWU in JN53VB, a new square. Then it was quiet again for a while and on 12:00 UTC I was able to work with EI2JD in IO63VS. Not only a new square, Ireland is also a new country for me on 6 meters.

The rest of the afternoon I visited family and did some homebrew. The 2 meters fox transmitter has another crystal obtained. The transmit frequency is now 144.930 (AM) Mhz. From my 30 meters transmitter kit, I wanted to try move the frequency closer to 10.116 Mhz. The transmitter was first OK and suddenly nothing. Perhaps somewhere in the circuit a short circuit. I have yet to find out where. The stabilizer for 5V works well in any case, I have this measure.

At 17:41 UTC suddenly I heard the signal from OH4KA in KP31WN. It was easy to work him. Furthermore, I heard some beacons but no other stations.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

6M and my own fieldday.

This morning I was out of bed early and first listened to 6M. The band was quiet but around 7:30 UTC I could work with IK4AUY in JN54QM (SSB), a new square.
The rest of the morning remained rather quiet here on 6M and have other things in the house. On the balcony with a cup of coffee and magazine I enjoyed the sunshine.

By 15:00 UTC I went into the field, the same location as on May 23 Today the conditions were not so good as that day and it was this time not so successful. I worked with II0CC who was working in a contest and later with IQ8MO/3 who was active from Punta Tagliamento lighthouse with reference ITA-148. A nice qso because lighthouses are another hobby of mine.
The rest of the time I had the idea that I was returned to my SWL period. While listening I heard Mongolia, Japan and Taiwan on 20M.
I started this hobby as a listening amateur with number NL-9514.
6 meters was completely silent, I almost had the idea that the antenna was not working. I've heard no beeps and whistles on 6 meters in that area.

By 2:30 p.m. UTC I went home. At 5:00 p.m. UTC there was a revival of 6M and worked with 2 station from Sweden. JO88 is another new square for me.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Small signals on 6M & Q5 transmitter

All day there were Es clouds over Europe but not so good for the Netherlands.
In the evening I often listened and heard weak signals. Around 7:15 p.m. UTC the signals were louder and I could work via cw with YO7LCB in KN15OA and YU7AU in KN04HU. The qso with YO7LCB gave me a new square.

With good Es propegatie the last days it seemed a good idea to try WSPR on this band.
Through the WSPR site I saw a few station was QRV but despite this I wanted to try. Result: I have no station heard at times that I transmit no one heard my my signal.
I was active with WSPR from Thursday evening till Friday afternoon.

Kees PA3DEB, wrote me this afternoon in response to my earlier post about the Genesis Q5 transmitter.

The oscillator is not on 10.116 MHz, which wele desirable. Kees advised me to change the value of C7 in order to be more close to this frequency.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Active on 6M with QRP.

Today there are again conditions on 6 meters. My goal for today is to make qso's with QRP (5 watts maximum).


I made 3 qso's with a power of 5 watts.
2 stations from Latvia and one from Estonia. 2 of the 3 qso's made with cw the other with ssb. It was more difficult then yesterday and on the moments that I listen there where not so many signals like yesterday.
I listen also in the beacon part of the band and heard a few signals. I put the different frequenties into the memories.

I previously wrote about this project. During the construction there were two parts in the package down. I've emailed the supplier from the USA but has so far not responded.
Fortunately, there is a Dutch amateur that I could offer a helping hand. Today I received by mail the two missing parts. Thanks Frans.
I can go on with this project.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

A day with strong signals on 6 meter.

It seems that the signals are getting stronger each day on 6 meter this Es season. Today there were a lot of strong signals heard on SSB / CW.
In about one hour time I worked the following stations.
SM7FJE - JO65ML, ssb (new square).
LY2X/P - KO15ID, cw
SF4J - JO79NC, with 10 watts cw.

I wonder what tomorrow brings us on 6 meters, I have a day off.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

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

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