Experience with the FuncubeDongle

I have the FuncubeDongle for 3 weeks at home. In these 3 weeks I've listen several moments to different frequencies. All this with my GP 2M on the balcony.

Different signals on 2M, this morning for the first time downlink signals of the VO-52 satellite. In this orbit I heard UA9FFF.
Furthermore, some signals on 70cm, 119,050 (AM) aircraft and digital signals of the C2000 communication.
During the Es season it is intended to receive signals on 70MHz. For this band I plan to make a wire dipole.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

(Radio)vlooienmarkt in Rosmalen

Afgelopen zaterdag een bezoek gebracht aan deze vlooienmarkt in Rosmalen.
Rond 09:15 waren wij hier en konden relatief dichtbij de ingang parkeren. Problemen zoals door andere gemeld hadden wij dan ook niet.

Het was weer een drukke markt waarbij het mij opvalt dat er steeds meer handel komt waarbij ik de relatie tot onze mooie hobby niet zie. Of is dit meer bedoeld om je partner tevreden te houden?

Ik had geen boodschappen lijst maar ben toch om 15:00 uur met wat spullen naar huis gegaan. De 2 getoonde boeken, de rechtse is 2de hands. Een 4Gb USB stick, verloop van SMA naar PL259 en een MP4 speler, deze is inderdaad voor mijn YL.

This is a local event, so I have written this article in Dutch.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Goodbye to the Kenwood TS700S

Last week I said goodbye, after almost 25 years, to my Kenwood TS700S, a allmode 2 meter transceiver.
In 1987 I bought this transceiver and made many ssb qso's via tropo, Es and Aurora. I made 1 cw qso via Aurora.
This was a period of several years that I was very active with 2 meter DX, until I got my B license in 1991. In the last period as PE1MDM and the beginning of the period as PB0ALS I was also active on the RS10/11 satellite. The TS700S was used for the uplink.
I made the most qso's with 12 watts from the bare transceiver. Later I had a small 30 watts amplifier.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

The back of my "Limerick sudden receiver"

On my camera I found some pictures that I've made in December 2010. These are some shots from the back of the Limerick Sudden receiver.

On the left is the on/off switch, underneath the chassis to the 9 volt battery to charge.
Originally there was an RCA chassis in the kit for the antenna connection. I replaced this with a BNC chassis.


73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Listening with the Limerick Sudden receiver (30M)

Among the other activities of this weekend, I listened to the "Limerick Sudden receiver". I had a wire antenna of no more than 5 meters. Despite this short length for this frequency signals were heard.
I heard Sweden, United Kingdom, Italy and Belarus (EW8O).

This last station had a way of qso's which seemed more like a contest. Something I think this is not needed on this band and in my eyes undesirable.

I felt again the early years, I started as a SWL (NL-9514).







73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QSL & Limerick Sudden receiver

Wednesday, December 8th, there was a local meeting where the ability is to get the QSL cards from the buro. Through other activities, I was not able to go. The cards are taken by an amateur friend and I received it today.
There were some nice QSL's from QSO's made with the ATX1080 antenna at home and from the field activity in Maurik, last summer.
The project "Sudden Limerick receiver" has stagnated for several months but now the receiver is ready.
Making the case was a precise job and fortunately, I had some help. The description for the casing to assemble seemed easier than practice.

I have a few minor details changed. The RCA chassis for the antenna changed into a BNC.



The connection of the print to the BNC, is made with RG174 coax.

Next week I will try to publish some listening experiences.


73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Lighthouses in Portugal

During our stay in the Algarve, Portugal, we saw some lighthouses.

"Farol da ponta da piedade"


The highlight was the lighthouse "Farol de S. Vicente". It was open to the public, a unique.
"Farol de S. Vicente"

QSL received

a few days before my trip to Portugal, I was at the monthly meeting where I can bring and get the QSL.
There were a fair number of QSL's for me, including some remarkable.
There were QSL's of the QSO's with OK1AUZ and 8S0C. Both QSO's are made with my FT817 + ATX1080 antenna and 2.5 watts output. My setup was on the dinertable.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

WSPR & Homebrew

From Friday night my FT950 was running with WSPR on 40M. Given the results, I think that the conditions are not so good.
My 5 watts signal is heard by 4X1RF several times, a distance of over 3000km. 4X1RF was also my longest distance I received.

In 2 newsletters of the Benelux QRP Club is an article by Albert PA3EKN about an universal cw transmitter. The crystal, some capacitors and inductors are the determining factor for the hamband used.
Albert described this project in newsletter 64 and 96.In the junkbox I found the PCB of this project with the crystal 3.582 MHz, not very useful for QRP. I ordered crystals for different QRP frequencies, including 3.560 MHz, by Genesis Radio in Australia. This past week I have installed. The transmitter works for the first time very close to the desired frequency. With tuning C1, transmit frequency is 3.560 MHz.

To be continued ......









73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QRV from Zuidlaren, JO33IC

Last weekend I was in Zuidlaren for a few days, JO33IC. On Friday I setup my station, FT817 + 10dB attenuator. And the 30M ZEPP on the topfloor and a few meters outside. With WSPR I used only 50mW.
I made also a few cw/qqb qso's on 30 and 40 meters.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

WSPR on 30M

After a long time I'm qrv again on 30M with WSPR.

This time with my FT817nd with battery power and the ATX1080 antenna mounted on the back of the set. Mostly just listen, otherwise the battery is empty very soon.








Visit this link to see the results

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Heritage Day

This weekend is Heritage Day in the Netherlands. This means that many old buildings opened to visit, for free.

Yesterday I was one of the volunteers at the lighthouse in Noordwijk. In the afternoon I made some cw qso's, with the call PG6N, on 20 and 40M. The rest of this afternoon I guided the visitors at the entrance.

At the end of this afternoon there was for me the ability to take some pictures of the lenses with lamp. During the NVV lighthouse day on April 10 of this year was this not good possible.

Thanks to the crew of PG6N.














73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

My own fieldday ( PA3GNZ/P )

Yesterday I started installing the capacitors on the board of the "Sudden Limerick receiver" project. All capacitors (18) are mounted, now all components on the PCB.
The next step is to build the enclosure. The PCB with components is the bottom of the enclosure. When attaching the front and back, the connection to the antenna connector and dial must make. This also applies to the on/off switch and volume control.

The on/off switch, switches the powersupply between the print and the 9 volt battery.




During the field activities of August 15, we learned that it's beter to move the additional support from 6 tot 7 meters.
The additional support is now on 7 meters and the antenna is mounted on 9 meters. With these changes it's a strong construction. The mast is not crooked anymore.
Today, in the last 30 minutes of the fieldday contest, I made on 40M 8 QSO's: Czech Republic, England (4x), Denmark (2x) and Germany.
After the contest ended I responded to a CQ of GB4AC, on the Isle of Wight, and made a "normal" qso. On 20M I heard many Japanese in the AA contest, but unfortunately I could not work them with 2.5 watts. On 20M I worked one station in the AA contest, RA9AE. All qso's made with ssb.

My setup for this day:
Yaesu FT817nd,
2,5 watts, powered by car battery.
Antenna: modified G5RV.
ATU: homemade from a Howes kit.








Thanks to Eric, PE1FES, for support.


73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

35 anniversary Benelux QRP Club.

The Benelux QRP Club celebrates his 35 anniversary. To celebrate this there is a special call active from September 5 to October 2 2010.
Several members of the club are active with this call around the QRP frequencies on HF.

More information is available at: PA35BQC. QSL manager is PA1AT.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Limerick Sudden receiver

This weekend I continued with the "Sudden Limerick receiver" project. I do this in a leisurely pace and spend my free time also with other things.
So I have watched a DVD of Michael Pailin, "The circkel around". From the 3 DVD's in the box I have now seen 2 episodes of the first DVD.

Yesterday I soldered until all resistors were mounted. At that time, the 2 IC feet, 3 coils and resistors mounted on the PCB.

Today I have some capacitors soldered. When I soldered the rest of the capacitors all components on the PCB.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Visit to the Zoo.

The last 1,5 weeks I have nothing done with the radio hobby. After the experiments in the field, I filled my leisure time with other pursuits. My 2 meters transceiver was sometimes standby in the evening but made no qso's.

Last Saturday I was with my girlfriend in the Zoo of Arnhem.






For me it was more than 15 years ago that I had been here. The pictures are a little compilation. After buying a new charger + batteries, a few weeks ago, I can shoot longer with the same batteries.

Saturday, I'm going to spend time to the Limerick Sudden receiver project.

QRV from the Field

Last Wednesday, the predictions for the weather where not so good and we decided to do this activity yesterday. We were lucky: sunshine and good temperatures.

The purpose of this event was to build up the portable mast and see if the additional support is good enough. At about 6 meters height, we made an extra point with 3 ropes. It looked good and solid but from this upper point of the mast was pretty crooked.





The idea is to make the support more higher to obtain a better stability.The upper part have Eric, (PE1FES) and I let down, there was now about 6 meters mast on. The mast was now stable, without curves. The suspension point for the variation of the G5RV/ZS6BKW (2 times 7.77 meters) is here by also lower.


In both situations, I made some qso's. On 20M a cw qso with I6WJB in Pescara. This was my first cw qso while I was standing, we forgot the seats.
On 40M, I made qso's with: F/PH2CV/P (cw), SP9KAT (ssb) and SP9WZS (cw).
TRX: FT817nd with internal battery + later a external battery. The output power was only 2.5 watts.

We have had a lot of fun!

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

6 meters & J-pole for 2 meters

Yesterday morning around 8:00 local time, I heard during my breakfast signals from the beacon I0JX/B on 6 meters. Unfortunately, no further action was heard and gone outdoors for other activities that day.

Today I borrowed a swr meter to see what the swr is of my homemade 2 meters J-pole antenna made of 300 Ohm ribbon cable. The swr was reasonable, 1:1.4.





The J-pole antenna hung in the doorway to the balcony.

I made a qso via the repeater of Amersfoort (PI3AMF) without problems, 5 watts output. The other station told me that the swr is improving by an RF choke. I got a phonecall and the qso was abruptly ended. Google gave me no answer for an RF choke for this situation. Any ideas?


73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

6 meter antenna

It's almost a week ago since I put my last post on this blog. This means that there was't to much time for the radio hobby.

Last week there was a chance of Aurora Borealis by an eruption on the sun. Unfortunately, the Aurora was to weak for me in JO21RV to hear signals on 6 meters via this propagation.








The antenna for 6 meters has not stood on the balcony for a few weeks. This antenna is a 5/8 wave for 2 meters. With a piece of extended it's now a fourth wave for 6 meters. The extension has now made a final.
This year I made a lot of qso's via Es with this antenna.




Thanks to Eric, PE1FES, for the mechanical work.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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