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This was the battery I purchased just over a year ago, it was for the Elecraft KX3 as a back up battery for the times my internal batteries gave up the ghost. Unfortunately the battery will no longer hold a charge and it's only after a year and maybe 3 uses. I am now in the market for an external battery that I hope will not let me down after only being called on 3 times. Any ideas out there??

The digi setup

For some time now I have been thinking of getting back into the digi modes, I do have a setup that offers QRP power levels and a narrow bandwidth antenna which can be perfect for digi modes such as JT65 just for starters. In the past I had the Signalink USB interface but ended up selling it when my mode of choice seemed to be CW. I came across a used Signalink USB unit for a great price so I scooped it up. I am planning on setting up my Elecraft KX3 for digi operations and leaving the Elecraft K3 setup for CW. Last I wanted to make use of a Toshiba net book I have had collecting dust for some time now. The net book runs Windows 7 home addition and after loading a fresh instal of

Discovery soldered jumpers

Windows 7 on the net book it's ready to go. The used Signalink did provide a surprise once I opened it up. Inside the unit you will find some jumper wires that have to be moved around depending on the rig you are using with the interface unit. The unit I purchased was not being used with the Elecraft KX3 so some jumper swapping  was in order. To my surprise the jumper wires were soldered in place! Signalink had designed the jumper positioning as a non solder setup using a 16 pin IC socket, this way you could remove the jumpers and reconfigure just in case you changed out your rig. My plan was to see if I could remove the wires and see the damage to the IC socket. After the wires had been removed, solder sucked out and some melted plastic on the socket removed I decided to just add some fresh jumper wires. It's now time to set up the net book and get it communicating with the Elecraft KX3.

IC socket cleaned up, wires removed

 

MX0CCE Bob

Not much going on

I was able to get some time on the radio Sunday afternoon, there were some contests going on but did not seem much other than that. At the same time I was able to get my radio control program (N4PY software) to work along with my logging program (N3FJP's AClog) and I found out that there is a cluster program that is offered with the N4PY program. It also has been integrated very nicely. Back to my on air time……I did run into two very strong signals calling CQ and giving signal reports. The first was MX0AAA It's a club station that was founded in 1934 and according to the map on QRZ.COM the station is located in London England. The contact was made on 20m with 5 watts and my signal report was 559. I then saw another strong signal on my P3 again on 20m. The call was MD0CCE and Bob was located on the Isle of Man and my signal report was 579. That was it for the contacts for the weekend. I was very pleased with these two contact for QRP and the MFJ Loop antenna. 

The antenna

Overall I have been very pleased with the purchase of the MFJ 1788 loop antenna. Considering the location I am in and the restrictions of a condo such as.....concrete all around you, other buildings blocking your signal, very small space to put an antenna and power level must be kept low as to not affect the neighbors. After doing considerable searching for the right antenna for this location it boiled down to this antenna. The power I run is 5 watts max and this is not new for me as I have been a QRP op for years now. Below are the reasons why I am pleased with this antenna to be followed by some of the not pleasing things about the antenna.
1. Very small foot print for an antenna that will give you 15m to 40m.
2. The antenna can be used mounted horizontally or vertically.
3. Once you get used to the tuning it's very fast and easy to tune.
4. I covered my antenna with as to keep it low profile and it works no problem with the cover.
5. The antenna remote control can operate either on AC or batteries.
6. Can be mounted on a simple tri-pod.

Some of the draw backs
1. The quality of the antenna is low, I had to make some adjustments to make it work as it should.
2. The band width is narrow and retuning has to be down often.
3. The SWR meter in the remote control unit is not very reliable.
4. Buzzer used to tell you the coarse tuning has finished is VERY hard to hear.

Repairing Cap spacing

On air results with this antenna have been good, with regards to receiving I have been able to hear the Middle East, South Pacific, Europe, South America and of coarse North America. Now hearing a station and contacting the station is another ball of wax. With my power restrictions I have made some very satisfying contacts. My modest signal has made it into South America, all parts of Europe, Iceland and Africa so far. There are two Loop antennas that MFJ makes and if I was to make the choice again I would had gone with the MFJ 1786 as it covers 10m to 30m. I have found with this antenna there is no way to tune it below 15m. The characteristic of the tuning capacitor will not allow it. I have read the MFJ 1788 is like a wet noodle on 40m and it's true I have not been able to make it into the U.S. The MFJ 1786 would had been a better choice with more band opportunities.   

I have a Hotmail email account and have had it for some time now but over the past 6 months or so I am continually asked about security codes and it makes logging into my account a real problem. I really don' t want to delete this account as there are so many who email me to this account as well most if not all of my ham radio messages are handled via this Hotmail account. This evening I was once again logging into my email account and now Microsoft is demanding I have them send a "code" to me and it has to be done through a different email account. I do have another account that I use now and then (Gmail) but what about those who do not! What…….you have to open another email account just so Microsoft can email a "code" that you cut and past into you hotmail account so you can prove you are who you say you are!!!
I had the Hotmail cop's send me a "code" to my Gmail account and was told it was sent, well when I opened up my Gmail there was no "code" just a link so I clicked on the link. I was taken to a page that asked me to enter my Hotmail account that I was trying to verify. I thought I am in the home stretch so I entered my long time Hotmail account and was told "We're not ready for you yet, your account is still in the waiting period."  WAITING PERIOD FOR WHAT!!!
When you move to a new address you can get the post office to forward your mail is there anything out there that allows my Hotmail emails to be forwarded to my Gmail account.?I have had it with Microsoft and the "code" they want to send me so I can let them know I am who I say I am!!

I read the report on Southgate Amateur radio news that the Yaesu FT-897 is coming to an end. This is a great rig for both portable, mobile and home use. You can have up to 20 watts on battery power and up to 100 watts from  your DC power supply. Not only do you get HF but VHF and UHF as well. This rig being an all in one was just great to the new ham who can't afford the large price tag with some of the larger rigs but with features that this radio comes with. There is no news from Yaesu as of yet of a replacement or even if there is going to be one.

Me and my son 22 years ago

We have our relatives over from jolly old England so it has been very little radio (until today) and all showing the sights of Toronto. It has been a blast showing off our city and seeing and hearing the excitement about places we take for granted. Today we had a "rest" day so once the house chores were done it was RADIO TIME!!! I flipped the switch on around 1pm local time and the bands were dead out this way. I checked the solar data and it was not good but that did not stop me from checking the bands! In the past I have found that even when they say the conditions are poor I have still been able to make some decent contacts. This time around it was not the case at all so I did get the thrill of spinning the the VFO as for a contact.....not so much. It was then time to blog about my none contact day.