First qso's from my new desk.

Last Monday the desks for the radio corner and home brew corner are assembled and put on the right place in my apartment.

Yesterday I thought that there would be a Dutch contest on 6M and had therefore set-up my rig + antenna. After a few minutes I heard Es signals and made over a period of 1.5 hours 5 qso's. This qso's made with ssb/cw and only 5 watts output into a 1/4 wave antenna on the balcony, approximately 13 meters above street level.
I worked:
Spain 2 times, Baleares 1 time, Italy 1 time and Portugal. This last country is a new one for me.

Regarding the Dutch contest I have been mistaken. This is next week on Tuesday, August 14.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

First 6M qso's from JO22NB

Last Saturday I built up my 6 meter station for the first time. This means the mobile 1/4 whip on the balcony, put on a metal table and the coax connected to my FT817nd.
The balcony is about 13 meters above street level

With 5 watts SSB I worked with YL2IP & IS0BSR/P. 2 qso's about 1400 km away from JO22NB.

Not bad for the first qso's from this new location.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

APRS and DXCC with QRP

Since I have a TNC, see earlier post, I am QRV with APRS. Mainly on 144,800 as a digipeater for a part of the Betuwe. Despite this I notice a black hole on the A15 highway along Tiel. This by altitude.

Meanwhile I have also some rides with APRS in the car. First I had the interval of the beacon at 3 minutes, which I have now been reduced to 2 minutes. This is pretty close, depending on the available digipeaters.

Last week I received the QSL of my contact with JY5HX. With this card I have confirmed 54 countries with QRP power.

The next time I will do almost nothing to the hobby.
About 2 months well I leave this house, I'm looking for another.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

APRS from my car

A few weeks ago I was thinking about an old wish to do anything with APRS from the mobile. I have this working from home and in my opinion it’s static

Searching on the internet for a tracker, I came through ebay on the following APRS tracker + GPS receiver inside.

I ordered and within a week it was neatly delivered. The idea was to use it in combination with the ICOM IC-228H. I bought a serial 1:1 cable and cut one plug. On this side I soldered a 8-pin microphone plug, what a hassle.
From the beginning it worked almost equal. Reception is not yet fully functional, with a C of 4.7nF in the audio line it would also be good to go.

Today I planned a trip. First to Hillegom. Then via Leiden to The Hague. From there, via Rotterdam to Tiel.
My trip.
On my way to Hillegom I used only 5 watts, more was not possible from the cigarette lighter. In Hillegom I received a battery that is ideally suited for this purpose. The full power of the set can be use without problems.

I will not be qrv with APRS every time I drive my care. This will be incidental.


73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

New DXCC with QRP

Last week I was qrv, for a few days, from the village of Zuidlaren. My set-up was the Yaesu FT817nd and a ZEPP for 30M.
This antenna is on the top floor and when I'm there I span the last few meters via the window on the top floor to the end of the garden behind the house.

Conditions where reasonable and I work different station on 30, 17 and 10M.
On this last band I made a nice qso with JY5HX. I heard him calling in cw with the remarks that he listening 2 up. After a few tries he came back for my qrp signal, it was easy to work him. I worked Jordan several times but until now not with qrp. Today I send a qsl direct a hope to receive his confirmation. Via email he told me that I'm in his log.

On the photo you see the Norcal keyer. It works fine for a automatic CQ from the memory.


I toke this photo with my mobile phone.

I also tried to contact PE4BAS on 70cm via a repeater but this was not really success full.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ