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