Antennas for QRP Operation
Operating Modes/QRP
Antennas for low-power operation resemble those for 100W use. Minor adjustments, like capacitor voltage ratings, may apply, but basic principles persist. Portable antennas, notably Backpack Antennas for weight-conscious setups, hold relevance beyond QRP. While some antennas function acceptably at higher power, efficiency issues arise at QRP levels. Testing antennas at 100W exposes weaknesses, particularly in tuners, crucial for efficient QRP operation.
Adapting Standard Headset Mic for Yaesu FT-8900
Technical Reference/Mic wiring
Explore the process of creating a custom adapter for the Yaesu FT-8900 radio with a non-standard mic port. The article guides users through understanding the reversed pin-out of the RJ-12 connector on the 8900, providing a detailed circuit for adapting the voltage for electret-based mics. With a list of required parts and construction tips, this DIY project ensures seamless compatibility with standard electric headset mics.
Budget-Friendly 5-Element Quad Antenna Design
Antennas/2M
Constructing a 5-element quad antenna, the author aimed for low cost and simplicity, resulting in an effective design with 11 dBi gain and SWR of 2:1 or better across the 2-meter band. Using wood and dowels, the antenna costs under $8 and takes less than two hours to build with basic tools.
The model predicts excellent performance, confirmed by ARRL Lab measurements. Practical field results demonstrate improved communication, even in simplex mode.
Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2405
ARRL Audio News February 2, 2024
ARRL Audio News February 2, 2024
Heil Ham Radio Donates Equipment to W1AW
The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, has received a generous donation of equipment from the Heil Ham Radio division of Heil Sound. The company's founder, Bob Heil, K9EID, is a pioneering audio engineer and avid radio amateur. At his direction, the company donated four Heil Pro Set Elite HC-6 headsets, three Heil Pro Set 3 stereo headphones...
ARRL Midwest Division Convention, Winterfest
Newly licensed ham Charlie Hartley, KF0OOP, 18, is one of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® newest members. He's majoring in sound engineering at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and is an accomplished musician, playing both bass guitar and the upright string bass. Ham radio, live sound, and music run in his blood; he's the grandson of Bob Heil, K9EID. Charlie had been ...
The First Amateur Radio Station on the Moon, JS1YMG, is Now Transmitting
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully landed their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on January 19, 2024. Just before touchdown, SLIM released two small lunar surface probes, LEV-1 and LEV-2. LEV-2 collects data while moving on the lunar surface, and LEV-1 receives the data. The JAXA Ham Radio Club (JHRC), JQ1ZVI, secured amateur radio license JS1YMG for LEV-1, which...
GMA Maps
Operating Aids/Maps
GMA provides an on-line google-map based map with overlays for sota, iota, wwff, lighthouse, mills
Portable Efficiency: Building a KX3 Go-Box
Technical Reference/Ham Radio Go Kits
A Go-box streamlines radio setup for temporary operations. Detailed guidance is provided on constructing a KX3 Go-box based on Radioset-go products. Emphasizing cooling, it incorporates silent fans and a temperature-controlled system. Wiring complexities, power considerations, and battery installation are covered. The Go-box offers a neat solution for field days and temporary setups, improving the efficiency and portability of the Elecraft KX3.
Budget-Friendly QRP T-Tuner and SWR Bridge
Antennas/Tuners
In the pursuit of an affordable matching and SWR indication solution for the Pixie-based transceiver system this T-Tuner and SWR bridge unit, while not groundbreaking, proves to be a cost-effective performer. With real-world impedance testing yielding a worst-case loss below 0.9 dB, the unit efficiently matches all bands on 80 M to 10 M ham bands, making it a valuable addition to the QRP system.
A Guide for Seamless FT8 Operation - Time Sync
Software/Time
N6CTA provides a comprehensive tutorial on manually configuring NTP synchronization for Debian Linux, ensuring accurate system time for FT8 and other amateur radio modes. The guide covers updating the system, installing and enabling NTP, verifying the timezone, and using the iputils-clockdiff tool for precise time comparison. A script is included to check and sync system time, enhancing the performance of synchronous modes like FT8.
Emergency ham radio frequencies
Operating Aids/Radio Spectrum
These frequencies have been adopted into the bandplans of each IARU region to be a focus for emergency communications in their areas. They are not absolute frequencies but instead are centres of activity and emergency communications may be found around 20kHz from these centres. Some countries may maintain other emergency frequencies in their own bandplans due to local requirements, QRM etc
Building a Robust PL519 Tube HF Amplifier
Technical Reference/Amplifiers/HF Amplifiers
his article explores the construction of a PL519 tube amplifier, utilizing Ulrich L. Rohde N1UL's insights. Focusing on a modest 25W continuous output, the design ensures robustness with forced air cooling. The detailed breakdown covers input matching, screen grid voltage generation, bias adjustment, anode power supply, heater power supply, and monitoring circuitry, providing valuable guidance for ham radio enthusiasts.
Ham Radio Frequencies
Amateur radio enthusiasts utilize specific frequency bands allocated globally for communication. From Low Frequency (LF) to Very-High Frequencies (VHF), each band has distinct characteristics and propagation conditions. Frequency allocations vary by country and ITU region. Understanding band usage and regulations is crucial for effective communication among ham radio operators worldwide.
Mapping the Australian Radio Landscape
Ham Radio/Demographics
Discover a comprehensive solution for mapping Australian ham radio entities using data from the ACMA Public Register. This tool, developed in Delphi 7, generates KML files for Google Earth, showcasing repeaters, beacons, and operators across different prefixes. While respecting privacy regulations, the files provide valuable insights into the amateur radio landscape.
Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2404
Build an Arduino CW Decoder, Enhancing Icom IC-7300 RX Antenna, Understanding Impacts of 75-ohm Devices in 50-ohm Systems, A Compact and Stealthy Field Portable Antenna, Arduino QRP Transceiver: DIY Success on HF Bands, IC705 GoBox: A Portable Windows-Based Solution for All-Digital Modes, Enhancing Frontend Performance with Optimized Band Pass Filters, PR0T Log Online, Yaesu FT-817 Audio Enhancement: Heathkit-inspired Homebrew Project, RF-Quiet Solar PV for Ham Radio
Yaesu ATAS-120A Portable Tripod: Enhancing Efficiency
Antennas/Portable
In this post by N6CTA, discover the conversion of the Yaesu ATAS-120A screwdriver antenna for portable use. The author details the creation of two sets of radials, 16 and 32 in 16ft lengths, aiming to optimize the efficiency of ground-mounted antennas. Additionally, insights are shared on attaching male quick disconnect blade tabs, with potential plans for a radial plate kit.
AAN-2024-01-26
ARRL Audio News January 26, 2024
Dr. Philip Erickson, W1PJE, New Director of MIT Haystack Observatory
ARRL Member and active radio amateur Dr. Philip Erickson, W1PJE, is the new director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Haystack Observatory. The prestigious scientific appointment is the continuation of a radio interest that began in his youth. "I started as a shortwave listener in the mid-1970's as a middle school student. So, in some sense, I was always fooling with antennas i...
YLISSB Celebrates 61 Years On the Air
February 8, 2024, marks the 61st anniversary of the YL System, now known as the YL International Single Side-band System (YLISSB), founded by Vera Mayree Tallman, K4ICA (SK), in 1963. Tallman received her first license in 1956 and later earned her General-class license. Though the system's name includes "YL," the amateur radio term for "young lady," membership is open to both women and men. YL...
FT 1000MP MK V and Keyclicks
Technical Reference/Key Clicks
YaesuFT1000MK V stands out with improved close-spaced SSB transmit performance, reversing a trend seen in other modern radios. Featuring a class-A mode, it offers clean HV finals when kept out of ALC. However, two significant flaws persist: the noise blanker causes receiver IM distortion, and the transmitter lacks wave-shaping on CW, resulting in pronounced keyclicks. Preliminary tests reveal strong keyclicks +1kHz and -1kHz, prompting a combined modification to address both issues.
AI Projections for Ham Radio Modes in 2023-2025
Technical Reference/AI Ham Radio
In an innovative analysis, Michael G7VJR employs NeuralProphet to predict ham radio modes' usage trends. The AI model, leveraging deep learning, forecasts a steady FT8 dominance, with slight declines in CW and Phone activities. This approach simplifies statistical predictions, showcasing the power of AI in understanding complex patterns and facilitating insightful time series projections. Access the freely available Club Log data for continuous exploration.
Tennessee Valley DX Association
The TVDXA is a general interest and DX Amateur Radio Club serving the Chattanooga, TN and North Georgia area of the Tennessee Valley
WSJT-X Controller
Software/Weak Signal
Streamlining FT8 Operations with Automation.
The WSJT-X Controller simplifies FT8 operations by automating repetitive tasks in conjunction with WSJT-X. Designed to enhance efficiency, it facilitates tasks like responding to CQs, managing late 73 decodes, and seamlessly integrating with JTAlert and other add-ons. The program allows users to focus on productive QSO tasks while optimizing FT8 performance.
Introduction to HF Packeteering in the Modern Age
Operating Modes/Packet Radio
A brief overview of the current state of packet radio on the HF bands.
In this comprehensive guide, the author navigates through HF packet radio, providing insights on the required equipment, protocols like Fx.25 and IL2P, and preferred ACDS segments. The post covers decoding and sending traffic, delving into optimal settings, recommended software, and common SSIDs. The author concludes by encouraging further exploration through additional reading and a Linux Packeteering series.
W4GBR DeKalb County Amateur Radio Club
Active for over 25 years, providing amateur radio service to Northeast Alabama
Space-Efficient Excellence: Inverted L Multi-Band HF Antenna
Antennas/Multiband
Discovering a solution for limited space, the inverted L HF antenna emerges as a stellar performer. Half the size of a dipole, it ensures optimal installation in restricted areas, maintaining superb transmission (TX) and reception (RX) characteristics. Spectrum Communications' multi-band version, featuring traps, proves even more space-friendly without compromising performance. A fiberglass pole offers sturdy support, while proper grounding, an RF choke, and occasional tuning contribute to a high-performing and reliable antenna system.
Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2403
Delta Loop vs End Fed Half Wave on 20m , The CW Typewriter: A Morse Code to ASCII Converter, Comparing Mobile whip versus EF HW Vertical , FT-817 Audio Speech Compressor: Boosting Signal Power with SSM2165, Yaesu FT-857 Repair: Tackling a Sense Wire Issue, Antenna Manufacturing: How to Prevent Galvanic Corrosion, A mobile radio installation,
TX5S Log Online
DX Resources/Logs
On-line log for TX5S Clipperton Island DX Pedition 2024 via ClubLog
The Squid Pole Wire Antenna Re-visited
Antennas/Wire
The author explores enhancing the performance of a 7-meter fiberglass squid pole wire antenna for amateur radio. The wire, resonant at 10MHz, poses impedance challenges on various bands. Experimenting with direct coax feed and UN-UN transformers, the LDG Z11-Pro2 auto-tuner is found effective but may show deceptive SWR readings. The author employs adjustable UN-UN ratios and introduces a custom "porcupine" coil to optimize the antenna's efficiency.
ZD7Z Log Online
DX Resources/Logs
Online Log for ZD7Z DX Pedtion to St Helena
LZ QSL Printing Service
Shopping and Services/QSL Printing
LZ QSL printing serivice have more than 25 years experience with QSL printing.
First started as Gold Print Service in 1997 presented by LZ3HI. It provides other printed products for commercial or personal use such as Amateur Radio World Map, Eyeball cards, Business cards, Calendars, Posters, Flyers, Pens etc
ARRL Audio News January 19, 2024
ARRL Audio News January 19, 2024
Georgia State Parks on the Air 2024
The second annual Georgia State Parks on the Air will be held April 6 - 7, 2024. ARRL member and event coordinator Claude Ray, AC4SH, said that the first event was a success and that participants insisted on having another one. "For both activators and hunters, the event went far beyond our expectations. Of the 50 listed parks, 48 were activated, with 109 activators making nearly 20,000 contacts...
|
