My own fieldday, PA3GNZ/P

Last Saturday I had my own fieldday. My intention was to make more qso's then last year (8).

Between 13:00 and 15:30 UTC I made 31 qso's. This with only 2,5 watts from my Yaesu FT817nd with a small battery.
The additional support of the pole was now on 3 and 9 meters. The variant off the ZS6BKW/G5RV antenna was mounted in the middle about 10 meters high. I used the antenna as an inverted V.

Nice weather and a lot of fun.









73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

New DXCC certificate

Last week I wrote about the certificate I received. It was folded in the envelope.
Yesterday the post ring the bell with the announcement that there was an envelope to big for my mailbox. So, she gave it personal to me. This time the certificate was between 2 pieces of cardboard. A very good & quick service from the ARRL.
The only thing I have to do is put it into a frame. Until now I did find a frame from size 28 x 35 cm. It's 11 x 14 inch.

Yesterday evening I finished with the upload of my PB0ALS log to LOTW. All HF qso's I made are manual uploaded to the LOTW server.
Today (August 25) there are 5851 qso's in LOTW and 651 are confirmed by qsl.Write me if you worked me in the past but there is no qsl match on LOTW.

Callssign in LOTW:
PA3GNZ, PA3GNZ/P, PA3GNZ/LH, PA53GNZ and PB0ALS.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

DXCC certificate

Last week, via the LOTW site, I made a request for the DXCC mixed certificate. Yesterday I received the certificate in the mailbox.
Unfortunately, the envelope is so large that it was folded into the mailbox. Despite the board, there was a big crease in the certificate
After an email exchange with the ARRL helpdesk, they promised me a new certificate. This time it is shipped in a tube at no additional cost.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

You can find me on LOTW

Last week I import the certificate I received from the LOTW administration and upload my log to the LOTW website. I separate the qso's made as: PA3GNZ, PA3GNZ/P and PA3GNZ/LH. The summary on the LOTW page tell me that I made 4337 qso's until yesterday. 556 of them are confirmed by LOTW.

When I request for the DXCC results I saw this summary.
2011-08-14







I have more countries confirmed via paper cards. I use logger16 and switched to Logger 32. In this version I can import the lotw file and make a merge of the paper and LOTW cards. Will be continued.

Maybe you know that the last few days we had the peak of the Perseids meteor shower. Yesterday I build up my 6M station and connect my laptop to receive JT6M signals on 50.230. Yesterday and this morning I received signals from all over Europe. OY6FRA is one of the stations I saw.
Communication via the computer is not my way of this hobby. So, this was a very short experiment and for me closed.
In spite of this I was surprised that I can pick up MS signals with my GP for 6M.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

SOTA activation PA-005 PA7ZEE/P & PA3GNZ/P

A few weeks ago there was the plan, together with Geert, PA7ZEE who had been here before, to activate SOTA PA-005 "The Galgenberg".
Last Saturday, August 6, we decided to go. According to the expectations it could remain dry until around noon. To protect us for some rain we had a fish-umbrella with us.

First we have to set-up the DX-wire pole for the delta loop, then my FT817nd connected. Currently, we discovered that the Elecraft T1 tuner did not work, so first I tried only 20 m. I made 5 qso’s in SSB with only 5 watts output.
Meanwhile, Geert set-up the 30 m long wire for the KX1, a tree throw, which succeeded already the second time! The counterpoise of 3 times 10 meters was disheveled and we accepted that as a fact.
Once called on 7032 kHz and Geert made within 6 minutes 5 qso's, a little pile up!





Our objective for a SOTA point, at least 4 qso's per person, had already met.

Around 8:45 UTC, we switched from place and I made 3 QSOs with the KX1. What an experience to work with this set!
Meanwhile Geert tried to solve the problem with the T1, and he succeed at the end. The procedure is first 'power' button and then follow the instructions on the box.
Then I could make a CW QSO on 40 m with my FT817nd.







Almost on the end of our activation, I switch to 30 m and made a QSO with LA9RY. Knut was on his holiday address on an island with IOTA reference EU-055.

The forecast for later in the day was thunderstorms and heavy showers and around 10 hours UTC we managed to get everything dry in the car.
After some food and a drink in the 'Termiekbel’, we drove to Tiel. Geert had very heavy rains on his way to Amstelveen. Just luck and a little weather knowledge, helped to look back on a successfull SOTA activation.

Thanks to Geert. With his support this expedition was physically possible for me.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Baofeng UV-3R

Since a few months I've the Baofeng UV-3R portable transceiver in use.
It works very well and is very handy to take anywhere. The shock was great when I heard that the second harmonic of the 2M signal is far below the allowable requirement. But what do you want for this money?

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to connect the portable transceiver to a spectrum analyzer. And what was wrote is true.

The second harmonic of the 2M signal is only 22 dB lower.






The suppression of the second harmonic of the 70cm signal is within the requirements.A modification to the suppression of the second harmonic of the 2M signal improvement is in the planning.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Faces in my house

Last week I was busy with other activities and there was almost no time for the radio hobby.
Besides my work, I started repeating the course of "medical terminology". I registered for the exam in October.
Faces in my house.















2 weeks ago I started a little photo project. With my camera, I walked through my apartment and all the faces photographed. A gave this project the name "Faces in my house". The photos on my Flickr page.
Via Facebook and Twitter I met Ivan Wolffers, his photos are my inspiration.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Es on 6M.

Currently, it's bad weather in Tiel and it seems a good time to write on my blog.
Before I started this post I read on Twitter the sad news of G4ILO. At that moment I was without words.
I realize again that we have no influence on the duration of our lives.

Last weekend I tried something to do with WSPR on 6 meters. On my FT817nd I had the wrong antenna connector set and therefore no results. Sunday, after I have switched this to the right connector my signal was heard by PAØO. Yesterday I heard also some signals but not spectacular.

Meanwhile I saw that there was a large Es cloud hanging over Europe and there were many opportunities for qso's on 6M.
At 16:01 UTC I made my first qso with LZ1QI. Then I had some other activities to do.
At 18:57 UTC I discovered that there was still Es, now I toke te time to made a few qso's.
Between approximately 19:00 and 19:30 UTC I worked with 6 different stations. 2 from Estonia, Hungary, Romania and 2 from Ukraine.All qso's made ​​with SSB or CW. 5 watts from my FT817nd with 1/4 GP on the balcony.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QSL and Lighthouses.

Wednesday, June 8, was the monthly evening at the regional meeting of radio amateurs in Tricht to go.
In addition to (social) discussions there is the possibility to receive qsl's and submitting via the QSL bureau.

The number of cards for me was modest. Besides some squares on 6 meters confirmed there were also 2 QSL's of a liighthouse and lightship.
These were confirmations of QSO's made ​​in 2008 during my stay at the lighthouse of Vlieland.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

WSPR on 6 meter

Almost three weeks long I have been QRV with WSPR on 6 meters. Not the full 24 hours but still fairly frequent.
At the moments I was not at home my system was only listen. At home, I switched on the transmit mode.The overview shows which stations heard my signal and what I heard. To made the list not to long I used the "unique" tick on the website to generate this.

The greatest distance is CN8LI, he heard me once with 1 watts output, SNR -23.As antenna I still use the 1/4 wave on my balcony.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Certificate & new antenna

Last year I was a few hours QRV in the IARU Region 1 Field Day (SSB) contest. Despite the short time, I was in the QRP section finished at the first place (the only one in this section).
Through a misunderstanding, I received a certificate that I was finished at the second place.

Last week I received the certificate with the correct classi-fication.




Today, Ascension Day, there was a radio-market in Laag-Soeren (The Jutberg). It's been several years since I had been here. Earlier this week we came up with the idea to go here. This just only with good weather.

The weather was good, sunshine and good temperature ...
There was a lot of things not related to our hobby. In spite of this I found some nice items. For my this week purchased UV3-R I now have a real duoband antenna. Also found some adapters from female UHF to male BNC.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Baofeng UV3-R

Some weeks ago I came across an announcement on the internet about this 2 band pocketradio. Given the price and the possibilities it seems to me a nice gadget. Therefore I toke the step and place an order in Hong Kong.

Yesterday I picked up the package at a collection point of our national mail carrier. What I noticed was that the box is very small. At home, I found everything in the box to which this order belongs.

Meanwhile, the battery is charged and I programmed different frequencies. This is very simple.


More experiences of this gadget will follows.
An awkwardness I already mention. It's a radio for 2M and 70CM. For each band, a separate antenna included. So, no 1 antenna for 2 bands.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Legacy Boudewijn Büch

Last weekend we were in The Hague to visit the Tong Tong Fair at the Malieveld.
A successful trip with an overnight stay at the Parkhotel. On Sunday there was at "Lange Voorhout" a book-, antique- and curio-market.

Despite the baggage, we brought with us, we are just walking along. The weather was dry.
In one of the book stalls, I found this auction guide of the collection of Boudewijn Büch. A gadget that I wanted. This book includes a DVD with a little tour of his house. Boudewijn collected a lot of books about different countries, celebrities and (almost) extinct animals, like the Dodo.The picture is made by myself.

WSPR with 50mW

Last week it was a holiday week for me.
I planned a few days to Bolsward (Friesland) and the other days I was in the village of Zuidlaren in JO33IC. On this location I wanted do some wspr experiments, it’s the village where my mother lives.
Mondayevening I switch on my equipment for WSPR, start on 30M. In combination with the attenuator I wanted to transmit with 50mW, but………….
I saw lines on my screen but no decodes. Very strange, I saw a kind of delay in the start on the screen. I was searching on the internet to see if this is a problem in combination with Windows 7, I found nothing. I never had this on my Laptop with XP.
In a Dutch forum I found something about the time synchronisation. I changed this to time.kpn.net .
On this tuesday I made a few cw qso’s, the most on 30M, with different stations in Europe.

During my stay in Friesland, we also visited the city of Harlingen. I toke a photo of the lighthouse in this place. The lighthouse is no longer in use but at a hefty price you can sleep here for a night.On Friday I came back from Bolsward and start up the equipment for WSPR. This time I saw decodes on my screen and stations saw also my transmissions.
Was “time.kpn.net” the solution? I’m not sure but it can be.
Saturday May 21, 14 different stations received my 50mW signals.

Saturdayevening it was time to go home.
It was a good feeling that I solved the problem to work WSPR on my new Laptop with Windows 7. Does anyone else have this experience?

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Es on 6 meter

Last week I received a few QSL's via the buro. One of the cards is from SP3JMZ. With this card square JO82 is confirmed on 6 meter.The sporadic E season is started but the signals in my QTH are very weak, maybe they will be stronger in the next weeks.

Yesterday, I worked (cw) with DK3EE in JO41, a new square. I think this was via Tropo.
Today I worked (cw) with 9H1XT in JM75GV, a new DXCC country & square on 6 meter.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Es on 6 meter starts

Today the Es season on 6 meters began for me.

The first signals where very weak, I could hardly take the stations. Around 14:30 UTC the signals were stronger and could I work via morse code with HA8CE in KN06EN. Almost half hours later I worked with YO6XK (SSB) in KN25BS, a new square.

For this season I will use my Yaesu FT817nd, 5 watts and a modified 5/8 for 2M to a 1/4 GP for 6M.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QRV from the field.

Today (queens day) was a beautiful sunny day. It seemed a good idea, for the first time this season, to be active from the field.
I put the suitcase with the FT817nd and ATX-1080 antenna in the car. A folding table + chair was already packed.
I unpacked everything in the field near Maurik. On 20M was not to much activity and the strength of the signals was also disappointing. I made ​​1 (ssb) qso with E75MC. This operator was amazed about the strength of my signal. I worked with 5 watts.

I took this photo with my mobile phone.

Last year it strucks me that I couldn't make 5 watts from the car battery, the voltage was too low. This time I had the engine running and the voltage from the cigarette lighter point was enough to made 5 watts output with the FT817nd.

Despite the sun, I did not stay long, it was very windy.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

Q5 in a peppermint can.

In my previous post I forgot to publish a picture of the Q5 30M transmitter.
Built into a peppermint can, including the filter.







73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

QRP with Easter.

During Easter I visited my mother in the northern part of the Netherlands. In her house is a ZEPP for 30M hanging, on the topfloor. Normally I span the last few meters via the window to the end of the garden. This time I put the last few meters to the floor in the attic.

I brought my Q5 30M transmitter and wanted to see whether the signal would be heard by someone.
The next project is a switchbox to connect a seperate tx and rx to an antenna.
I gave a CQ several times on 10.116 MHz and saw that my signal was heard in Slovenia. A distance of almost 1000 km with about 250mW output. This experiment was successful.

Then I wanted to try my Rockmite 40M transceiver. On Easter Sunday there was a contest in HB9 and impossible for me to make a qso. After the contest, I made ​​a new attempt, without success.
Always difficult with a crystal that you can not move.
I had a few successful qso's with this trx made​​ in the past.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

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