Signal to Noise - KQ2RP

Comparative Antenna Analysis with WSPR

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:30:23 -0400

Comparative Antenna Analysis with WSPR:

kQ2RP Mid-Year Report Card

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:01:21 -0400

Already well into June. Time to measure myself against my New Year goal list for 2013:

Complete 10-20m Top Loaded Vertical (before the cycle fades) — Soon… really...
Experiment with weak signal modes WSPR, QRSS etc — Indeed. Having fun!!
Operate more digital modes — A little bit. Some PSK and RTTY, but not as much as I’d hoped. CW man at heart….
Build QRP-O-Meter (Xmas gift!) — DONE!
Get my main HF antenna - G0FAH multiband dipole - back up where it should be (Thanks a lot Sandy!) — YUP!!
Build portable 6m Moxon — Yessir! Morning of the June VHF Contest. Just in time for crappy conditions that weekend.
Set up shack computer (properly) with rig interface(s), live digi-logging, clusters, etc. — zzzzz….. not yet. Lame.
Commit to on ONE logging program. — Insert sad smiley
Play around with some SDR ( Chinese dongle & Softrock) and software — half n half. Played with dongle <did i just say that?> and software, but Softrock still in its bag.
Do more SOTA activations & chases — Did my second activation and achieved Shack Sloth chaser status. Huzzah!!
Continued portable ops. — Always looking to get out. No prob.
Build a HF Mag Loop — Seems like a good early winter project.
More kits/more homebrewing — Built some antennas and three kits. Not bad.
Fix my QRO rigs (Swan 350 suddenly squealing) — Who has time for QRO???
Help local CW newbies with live QSO practice (NVIS antenna? internet?…) — Mostly their fault. Have to push more.

And I bought a KX3…. that must count for something……

WSPR to a Scream! (just in case anyone didn’t get the...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:01:00 -0400

WSPR to a Scream! (just in case anyone didn’t get the reference click here) 150mW heard down under!

07:44

KQ2RP

14.097100 -22 FN20 0.2 VK4GC QG62mj 15421km

Buddies in the Caribbean-2010 on the island St Lucia -J6 (by...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:01:09 -0400

Buddies in the Caribbean-2010 on the island St Lucia -J6 (by goathiker)

Initial WSPRs Heard! (using Hans Summers G0UPL’s Ultimate...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:09:20 -0400

Initial WSPRs Heard! (using Hans Summers G0UPL’s Ultimate 2 QRSS Kit)

First grab of my 150 mW Ultimate 2 QRSS Kit FSKCW sigs from...

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:22:39 -0400

First grab of my 150 mW Ultimate 2 QRSS Kit FSKCW sigs from Nova Scotia.

Ultimate 2 QRSS Kit On The Air. A little tidying up left to do...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:01:08 -0400

Boxing it up. Notice the two small pieces of copper waveguide as oscillator heat sink.

First transmissions on 20m

Side view

Ultimate 2 QRSS Kit On The Air. A little tidying up left to do (wire routing and mounting the LCD in the case), but the beacon is functioning.

QRP ARCI - QRP Shoot Out This Weekend

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:57:10 -0400

QRP ARCI - QRP Shoot Out This Weekend:

All Choked Up

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:01:23 -0400

All Choked Up

My new portable 6m Moxon. Assembled in the basement Saturday...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:42:04 -0400

My new portable 6m Moxon. Assembled in the basement Saturday morning and tested on the deck prior to the June VHF contest.

Spreaders - 4 Fiberglass driveway markers (48”)
16 gauge wire - 20’ or so
Two pieces of 1/2” copper pipe for hub- flattened in center, ends bent out 20 deg from centerline.
U-bolt - attaches two copper pipe pieces back to back and holds antenna to mast
Gap Spacers - Two pieces roughly 4.5” each, wire zip tied along top
Paracord - four small loops to thread wire through, zip tied to ends of spreaders
Zip ties - many, as needed
Coax - RG8X

Aside from the coax, mast and hub, entire antenna collapses down into about 2” x 48”. Hub is about 12” x 5” x 1/2”.

Crossing the pond with 100 milliwatts » NYC Resistor

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:00:58 -0400

Crossing the pond with 100 milliwatts » NYC Resistor:

Might Come in Handy for Portable Ops

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:01:08 -0400

Might Come in Handy for Portable Ops:

Vortex - Vortex 7-1/2 in. Bladed Plastic Ground Anchors-4-Pack - Spiral design makes anchor relocation and removal easy and ensures stability. Contains glass-filled nylon. Green finish to blend into grassy areas. - THD SKU# 288475at The Home Depot

Palm Radio Germany

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:58:00 -0400

Palm Radio Germany:

Updated info on the new Palm Pico Paddle

Available here from Morsex.

Pearls Before Swine - Oh Dear (Miss Morse) DECODE THIS! LOL!

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:05:59 -0400

Pearls Before Swine - Oh Dear (Miss Morse)

DECODE THIS! LOL!

Wire - Dot Dash (by 40milliondaggers)

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:01:34 -0400

Wire - Dot Dash (by 40milliondaggers)

"Of all the G5RV antenna system cousins, the ZS6BKW antenna system has come closest to achieving the..."

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:01:12 -0400

““Of all the G5RV antenna system cousins, the ZS6BKW antenna system has come closest to achieving the goal that is part of the G5RV mythology: a multi-band HF antenna consisting of a single wire and simple matching system to cover as many of the amateur HF bands as possible. From 80 to 10 meters, Austin’s system provides an acceptable match on 5 out of the 8 bands under most conditions without an antenna tuner. This is the best result that has been achieved of any of the systems that has come to my attention.””

- L.B. Cebik

SOTA Activation: W7U/SU-004 (Manns Pk.) and W7U/SU-005 (Mt....

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:35:30 -0400

SOTA Activation: W7U/SU-004 (Manns Pk.) and W7U/SU-005 (Mt. Tomasaki) Utah (Summits on the Air) (by k0mos)

The Big Grabowski

Fri, 31 May 2013 08:16:21 -0400

The Big Grabowski:

I2NDT’s QRSS Knights Grabber Compendium

Museum Ships Weekend Event

Thu, 30 May 2013 10:00:57 -0400

Museum Ships Weekend Event:

Or as I like to call it, Battleships On The Air. Over 100 Ships On The Air This Weekend. Always a fun event.

Q R S S

Wed, 29 May 2013 09:30:37 -0400

Q R S S