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

(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

Limerick Sudden receiver & Magazines

This morning I began with the further building of the "Sudden Limerick receiver. Meanwhile, all (6) resistors soldered. It's tougher than I thought to get everything straight on the board. It will be my limited experience. Tomorrow publish a photo on the blog.

Yesterday, I received the Electron magazine of the VERON, the September issue. Today I received also the "Nieuwsbrief" of the Benelux Qrp Club. Both magazines are in Dutch.

So enough to read this weekend.

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

QRP on 20M

This morning I setup my portable situation on the dining table. This means the FT817nd with internal battery and on the back of the transceiver the ATX-1080 antenna.

First it seemed very quiet on 20M but during the morning I heard a few signals. While I had other activities in the house, I leave the transceiver on 14.060. Suddenly I heard HB9DAX CQ'íng. After one reply Man(fred) came back for me. We made a nice qso, the transmit speed of Man(fred) was a little bit to high for me. So, I have to concentrate me more than normal.

When I removed my setup from the table I wanted to move in the telescope. This is always stiff and one of the thinner parts nodded. It can still be moved in and out but it is not pretty.

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

QSO on 20M & Limerick Sudden receiver

Today I have made a cw qso on 20M with HA8LTQ. It was a "normal" qso where we both could share our details, like: name, name of the town and the equipment we used. This was on my side the FT817nd with 2.5 watts and the ATX-1080 antenna on the back of the set mounted.

Today I prepare the sides of the print and enclosure for the Limerick Sudden receiver with a neat file. Next week I can start soldering, as there is time.

73, Tjeerd (Gose) - PA3GNZ

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