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

(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

2011 coming, programming my Yaesu FT7800

As regular readers may have noticed I was not actively in recent weeks. Busy with other things, including my study.

My "new" desktop computer has no serial connector anymore. The cables I have for my Yaesu FT817 and FT7800 are not directly used on this computer.
A serial-to-USB cable that I had did not solve this problem.
In the Far East I bought 2 new programming cables with a USB connector. After installing the driver, I could program my FT7800.

I wish everyone a good 2011 with: Health, happiness and fun with the things you do in your leisure time.

In 2011 you see me again with regular messages. This is a project for 2011.


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

WSPR on 40M/30M

Yesterday I started with WSPR on 40M. This morning I saw that my laptop was restarted last night.
With my sleepy head I restart WSPR and don't saw that the program was on 30M. All received data is passed as spots on 30M, while 40M it should be. My apologies for this mistake!

Now it is restored.

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