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