2003

News

In the past couple of weeks, I've been getting the shack tidied up a bit, and the operating position is much more comfortable now, but there's still a lot to do! Click on the image for a closer look.

There has also been some nice propagation along the way, with 50MHz ES on Nov. 25th, and the OZ7IGY beacon was heard on 4m, but unfortunately no QSOs. 6m QSOs included OZ4LP (JO55), SP1MFG (JO73), OZ5AGJ/m (JO56) and DL9YG (JO43).

On 144MHz, FSK441 has brought more new countries and squares, including OH6ZZ (KP12), SM7DLZ (JO86), ES6RQ (KO28) and IW4EHZ (JN54).

Troposhperic ducting over 4-6th December brought a few new ones, though conditions were very selective geographically and by altitude. HB9RDE (JN37) was a new country, and other new locators were: DK1FG (JN59), OZ6TY (JO55) and DK8SG (JN48). Conditions to the west (one of the worst directions from here) brought nice QSOs with EI3GE and EI7IW (IO63). My 2m squares total is now at 90 - I hope to make the 100th before New Year!

Currently I have antennas for 144MHz and 1296MHz in place.

The NEXT Big Aurora..

The aurora on 20th November was another excellent event! Again I was QRV on 6m and 2m, but no AuE QSOs this time. Another very southerly opening, with most 2m QSOs takiong place at QTF 070-090 degrees. On 6m the QTF was mostly at 045 degrees.

In all 13 countries and 24 squares were worked on 144MHz, using 25w + 10 ele. On 6m, 7 countries plus 11 squares with 50-100W + 5 ele. I concentrated on 144MHz, as most of what was available on 6m is much more easily worked via Es from here. 2m ODX was SP5XMU (KO02) at 1496km, and others over 1000km were: S54M (JN86), IV3DXW (JN65) and IW2NOR (JN45) worked on SSB. GJ0JSY (IN89) was a new country.

Meteorscatter and the Leonids

The Leonid shower was generally pretty poor by most accounts, but the increased FSK441 activity still enables a few nice QSOs. On November 9th using JT6m mode on 50MHz, I made Cassiopeid contacts with: SM5LE (JO99), OE5MPL (JN78) and OK1DDO (JO60). After a number of tests, I also finally managed to work EH2KP (IN83) by this mode on November 19th.

Activity on 144MHz FSK441 has also brought some good results, including ES6DO (KO29), at 1799km a new ODX for 2m. Stations worked during the Leonids include: IW2HAJ (JN45), IW1BCV (JN44), YU7KB (JN94), HA6ZB (JN97), IK0BZY (JN61) and CT1DYX (IN51) between 0355 and 2007utc on 19th Nov. Full log on WSJT page.

The Big Aurora..

When it finally arrived, the big aurora of 29/30th October proved to be quite some event! I was QRV on 50 and 144MHz, and made 30 QSOs between the two bands, including two via Auroral E on 6m, to OH0RJ (JP90) and ES2RW (KO29). On 6m, the most southerly station worked was F6FHP (IN94), whilst on 2m I worked as far south as F5LRL (JN26). ODX (and a new country) on 2m was HA0HO (KN07), at 1688km, who answered my CQ whilst I was at a QTF of approx. 60 degrees. Heard, but not worked, on 144MHz: 9A6WW, ES5DO, LY3OD, LY2BJ and SM0KAK.

Conditions continued the following day, when I worked SP7ASQ (JO91) for another new country, at 1406km, plus G, GM, 5xPA and 10xDL. Many contacts were made at QTF 090 deg, as the aurora had moved well to the south. Also heard IK2YKX (SSB) and an IZ4???. In all 14 squares were worked in the second day on 2m, whilst 6m produced AuE to OH6YF (KP02), and AU to SP6GWB (JO80).

Due to popular demand, my BeaconManager spreadsheet can be downloaded here.

The 50MHz 5 element is now out of the box, and back on a short mast in time for AuE opening on 21st when I worked LA1NG, LA4SI (JP66) and SM3NRY (JP82). Nearly worked ZS6WB on 6m JT44 (TEP+Es, 23rd October), but was one letter short! Maybe next time...

I am making good progress with 2m meteorscatter, now having completed 10 FSK441 QSOs, latest being TM5CRO (JN32). Current 2m ODX is OM5UM (JN98) at 1445km.

First QSO on 144MHz JT44 EME was with S52LM, using 4x17, 1500W and 0.24dB NF, worked using 30W and the new moonbounce antenna, a 17 element 5.8WL DK7ZB Yagi. Follow links from 2m page to take a look.

Another station, RN6BN, has been heard off the moon, the smallest yet (16 antennas + 600W). Hopefully my eme capability has improved with a better feeder (0.5dB less loss) and cleaned up antenna!

Tropo tests on JT44 are being conducted with PE1AHX, and anyone else interested is welcome to join us in exploring this incredible mode. We are currently working on a test procedure, see the link to the left.

I intend to be QRV on 1296MHz for the contest on 4th/5th October, and meanwhile will be listening to the moon and trying to make an impossible, QRP EME QSO!

For the past week, I have mostly been operating on 144MHz with WSJT modes, and am becoming increasingly impressed with their performance. On JT44, I was able to work PE1AHX (JO21) with 50mW either way, 460+km on a flat band. EA3AXV (JN01) has provided me with my first FSK441 MS contact on two, plus a new square and ODX. The incredible weak-signal capabilites of JT44 have also prompted me to listen off the moon, and so far I have heard W5UN, KB8RQ, and I2FAK, using my single, unelevated, 10 el. Yagi. In an extreme test of QRP optimism, KB8RQ did obtain a partial decode on my signal.

I will shortly add a page to this site specifically for WSJT modes. Latest JT44 tropo contact was F1EBK (JN18), worked with 8W, but our test on 1296MHz produced no signals.

From 11th to 17th September I was visiting Guernsey, and was able to operate as MU5MUF/p from IN89RM on both 2m and 4m. See the link to the left for more details.

The good tropo conditions lasted until I was home, and the old 144MHz 10 ele Yagi is now mounted on the mast. On the 18th, signals from northern Spain were very strong on 2m, the EA1VHF beacon being 599+20dB for hours on end. EA1DDO (IN53) was a new square, and others worked were EA1TA (IN53) and EA1DDU and EB1CTQ (both IN73). GI6ATZ (IO74) was a new country on 144MHz. The good conditions also allowed me to make my long-awaited first QSO on 1296MHz, with F6CCH (IN96) at 600+km.

There was no huge opening on 1296MHz, and conditions on 2m for the Trophy contest were pretty grim. Even so, a total of 57 QSOs were made using the 2 ele, with best DX being DK0LT (JO31) at 554km.

Deep QSB meant that a lot of QSOs were lost, especially into DL, where only the one was completed. Signals from GM were consistently strong throughout, and GM4ZUK/p (IO86) was S9 for hours.

In all, ten new locators were worked, so the effort was worthwhile. The low point of the contest was discovering that roosting starlings had turned the driven element of the 2 ele into an inverted V. I would have taken a photo, but wanted to get straight back on air.

The incidence of Es has dropped dramatically in the past couple of weeks, with the last QSOs by that mode being on the 20th and 23rd of August. New ones on six include IS0/F6IRF (JM48), EH7BYM (IM66) and SP8AWL (KO11). On 4m, S57LM (JN76) was worked on cw.

Meanwhile, the new 23cms antenna - a 44 ele Yagi from Wimo - has gone up. See 1296MHz page.

That means that the 2m antenna is down again! But using the 6m quad once more, I managed 10 QSOs in the 144MHz Activity contest this evening, including a few new squares. ODX was ON1AEN (JO10) at 393km, and no contact was below 100km. GW5NF/p (IO81) was a new country. I will put the 2m antenna back up for the Trophy weekend, unless there is a huge opening on 1296MHz...

More ES, more MS, more tropo - which meant activity on six, four and two. Es on 14 - 18 August brought a lot of Italian contacts and OE, 9A, S5, YU etc, swinging towards Scandinavia later. Highlights included UR5TW (KN39), LY2BH (KO25), EH2CAR/p (IM69), OH8GEA (KP34) and OY4TN (IP62) for a new country.

The aurora of August 18th provided a few G/GM QSOs on 6m, plus EI3IO (IO63) for a new country, and GW3HWR (IO71) on 4m. ES on 4m netted S51DI on FM and S52AU on CW (both JN76).

On 2m, new ones were GB2SCA (IO94) and GM4IFC/p (IO85) for country no. 8. Nothing worked by aurora, but many stations heard.

The 2m antenna is coming down again today, so the 23cms double quad can go back up, in time for tonight's activity contest. A 44 el Wimo Yagi has been ordered and should be on air by the weekend!

Four further JT6M contacts brought OZ2M (JO65) and S51DI (JN76) on 4m, making my total a round 20 squares on that band. S51DI also becomes my new ODX on 70MHz at 1399km. On 6m there were two more QSOs on that mode, IS0/F6IRF (JN41), and HB0/HB9QQ (JN47), both new countries, and both worked on random and taking about 10 minutes each.

Mid-Perseids, and JT6M QSOs have been completed with F1JG (JN23), OM3BH (KN18), SM6CMU (JO57) on 50MHz MS, and with I0WTD via ES. Logs, maps etc will be updated at the end of the week.

The 70MHz Trophy netted 24 QSOs, ODX being GM4SIV/p (IO75). Log updated on 70MHz section of the site. New locators were: IO70, 71, 75, 84, and JO00, with GD0EMG providing a new country.

23cms gets closer to being QRV, but the trials and tribulations continue. Now the 23cms antenna is back up, the 2m 2 ele is down again!

A busy few days, with tropo on 2m, MS on 4m and Es on 6m, but most time has been spent on 2m tropo this time around, using the 2 el yagi and IC202 with 25W on tx and BF981 on rx.

ON7ZO was a new country and square this morning, worked off the back of the beam. So the 2 ele only has 8dB F/B, but it was still off the back!

As of this afternoon, I am having another try at 1296MHz, and have the double quad back on top of the mast instead of the 2m antenna, awaiting the return of tropo enhancements as the air cools again tonight (if it ever does...) This was prompted by hearing PI7QHN (JO22) at 53C on the 2m antenna, also a PE1 station, but I was so surprised to hear a voice on the band I forgot to write down the full call...

The only new country on 6m for this period is OM3BH (KN19), worked via Es. A 70MHz JT6m sked with GM6VXB (IO97) started well with two pings in the first five minutes, then nothing. I will be QRV tomorrow (Sunday) in the 70MHz Trophy, then concentrating on the Perseids. Check individual band pages for logs, maps etc.

It seems I was so busy updating this site yesterday that I didn't notice the tropo conditions improving, but I woke this morning to the sound of DLs booming in at 59 on 144MHz. A few new squares and countries were worked on 2 - still using the 6m Delta loop - and the GB3MHL beacon was again present on 23cm. No stations heard or worked on the higher band, but a dodgy connector in the feeder may have been open circuit! I hope to have it connected up again tonight. See the 2m pages for more news.

A mixed bag of news this time - something for every band. The sharp-eyed will notice the 2m and 23cms links are now unlocked, which means the two higher bands haven't been totally neglected.

Since the last update, 6m Es activity has dropped off, but I still managed to catch EH9IB, plus LZ2CM and LZ3RX on CW. I've also been getting WSJT modes running, and MS QSOs on JT6m have netted GM4WJA (IO87), EI5IX (IO53) and OZ2M (JO65). The 50MHz DXCC/squares total are now 37 and 113.

JT6m has also been used on 4m to good effect, with completed QSOs with OZ1DJJ (JO65) for a new country and G8TOK (JO01) on backscatter. I usually run 30-40W on 4m JT6m mode due to the high duty cycle. Tests with OZ2M on 4m had to be halted due to a cheap PL259/BNC adapter failing when the linear got (very) hot, but hopefully more success will be had in the Perseids, the reason I want to get all the bugs out of the MS set-up... Meanwhile, I've been using a spectrogram to watch the MS-assisted signals from the 48.250MHz TV transmitters, and to look for amateur beacons by the same mode. The results really demonstrate the importance of ERP for MS work!

The 144MHz pages have now been added to the site as I managed a couple of quick tropo QSOs during the contest over the first weekend of August. F6IFR (JN09) and F6FLB (JO00) were both worked with 10W to the 6m Delta loop.

On 23cms, the first signal has been received! Using a double-quad at 11m agl, I have now heard the GB3MHL beacon (JO02PB), at good readabilty during the recent tropo opening. Unfortunately no stations heard or worked, but this is hardly surprising as the system is still a long way from complete. See the 1296MHz page for more details.

Three days since the last update, and I have already passed the 100 squares mark on 6m. The 21st and 22nd saw excellent Es conditions into Scandinavia, and the Nordic Activity Contest on the Tuesday helped spice things up with high activity and some rare squares. The 22nd also brought a transatlantic opening, and QSOs with K1SG and K1IM, using 10w to the delta loop (yes, TVI avoidance...)

Other highlights of the period were: OH8K (KP44), UX0IB (KN88), SM2GCQ (KP15), OH0RJ (JP90), ES0MC (KO18), SM3/LA8G/m (JP63), many SM and LA in JP20, 32, 43, 50, 63, 66, 74, 76, 81, 82, 83 and 92, 4X0IS (KM72), 4U1ITU (JN36), and T77GO (JN63). These last two were both worked at 5W, and I cracked the pile on the first call. The secret - being in the right spot at the right time. Signals from northern Italy were S9+ even with the IC706's internal attenuator in line!

I'm still waiting to work OZ on 4m - despite all that Scandinavian propagation, no OZs were heard on 4m, and actually very few on 6m.

More equipment is coming out of boxes, and the 1296MHz station is nearly ready to run, all I lack is a reliable antenna, and a strong enough signal to test the receiver. The 6m and 4m stations now both have delta-loop antennas, and WSJT modes are available on 4m. The sporadic E has kept me busy on 6m, with a few more new countries and squares (but they're all new from this QTH!) Still nothing across to North America, but am finding DX to the east a lot easier than my GU QTH. ODX is now 4Z4LA, and I have caught my first S5 opening on 4m. Now looking for OZ.

After the surprise of the old 6m and 4m dipoles loading up on 144MHz, I have also discovered that the 6m Delta loop also works on that band. At first I was puzzled, as 144 is not strictly harmonically related, but a closer inspection of the Delta loop shows its 2:1 vswr bandwidth to be 47 to 54MHz. This makes it great for TV signal monitoring, and also explains the 2m thing: 144MHz = 3 x 48MHz, so it is operating in harmonic mode after all. I'm not complaining - it's another antenna for no extra cost or effort! I have yet to test its properties on 144MHz, but early impressions suggest it is directional and has two lobes in either direction.

I think I have now recovered all of the QSO data lost when my last laptop died. All logs and maps for GU6AJE and /mm operations are up to date. Now that I'm back in England, all my GU scores become "final" - no more will be worked, but there are still a few QSLs I need! Ah, yes, QSLs... there are still BIG envelopes arriving from Guernsey, and I'm working through what's left. The cards for 6m /mm have all been sent.

The QSLs just keep piling up!

Following the chaos of moving back to England and getting to grips with some much neglected DIY, I finally discovered the radio in the loft on July 5th. A quick glance at RadCom told me it was VHF NFD weekend!

What timing... all I needed was an antenna or two. My favourite "5 minute, junk-box antenna" - the inverted V dipole - leapt to the rescue. With the materials to hand the best I could manage was a dipole each for 6m and 4m, fed from the same feeder. Luckily there was plenty of spare length to wind a choke in the feeder, and within minutes they were installed on the stub pole at the end of the roof.

The beauty of wire antennas is that such elements come very close to free space wavelengths, and it is a simple matter to get it right first time, even feeding two bands from one feeder. The one unexpected result was that this combination actually matched at 144MHz too, showing a VSWR of approx. 1.5:1 (but I didn't try making QSOs on that band). With these simple antennas and the IC706 for 50MHz and MM Transverter and TE Systems 100W linear, a good few contacts were made in the contest.

Another wire antenna, a 50MHz Delta loop at 6m agl has now replaced the dipoles, with the extra height and directivity making a noticeable improvement on 6m, with 19 DXCC and 45 locators in the first week.

The links on the left lead to logs, DXCC lists and maps of squares worked to date on each band.

73 de Mike