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I rode my bike along the Pemigewasset River today and made eight QSOs in the CWT sprint with a new lightweight dipole antenna.

It’s been raining for three days, so it’s a relief to have some sunshine! AND… the mosquitoes are out. They’re pretty prolific at home, but they weren’t too bad along the river today. There were some puddles along the trail and the river is high, but it was beautiful on the bike.

I stopped about a mile down the trail at a corner along the riverside. I thought there would be a breeze to keep the mosquitoes away, and I was right.

Yesterday I built a new antenna because I saw a note from Steve WG0AT that he had been testing it out. I bought 50 feet of twisted pair with #22 wire and teflon insulation. I untwisted 22 feet and built a 44 foot dipole. I had about 30 feet of feed line left. I didn’t use a center insulator, but instead put an inch of heat shrink at the feed point with an underwriters knot.

I set the dipole up between two giant pine trees. The antenna was up about 25 feet. I started out on 15 meters because I could hear lots of activity from the CWT sprint there. The antenna tuned right up with the KX3 and the internal tuner. Later, I switched to 20 meters.
Here’s my log:

3 Jun-15 1913 21.031 K9QVB CW 599 599 Ill
3 Jun-15 1914 21.028 K5OT CW 599 599 TX
3 Jun-15 1915 21.027 N4ZZ CW 599 599 TN
3 Jun-15 1917 21.028 K7SV CW 599 599 VA
3 Jun-15 1919 21.030 W7SW CW 599 599 AZ
3 Jun-15 1925 14.029 K9QVB CW 599 599 Ill
3 Jun-15 1929 14.033 K4LTA CW 599 599 TN
3 Jun-15 1930 14.027 NW2K CW 599 599 NY

I only operated for about 20 minutes, but the antenna seemed to do pretty well. I packed up and headed back. On the way, I stopped to watch two Canada geese and 5 chicks swimming in the cove. I was too late to catch them on camera.

When I was young (that is now a very long time ago!) I coveted the Eddystone EC10 all transistor receiver. When I first had my call I had one on loan from a local SWL. I used it on 160m AM and CW.  A few years later a friend at work managed to get me one from his dad who worked for Eddystone. This was a pre-production unit. I used it as a tunable IF for several years.

Looking back it was rubbish!  On 10m the whole band was about 0.5 inches on the dial. On MW and bands up to about 6MHz it was OK. It had a low IF and germanium transistors (OC171s). It was mechanically a nice radio, but almost all modern receivers are a lot better.

Prices on the second hand market for EC10s are very high. Even though a far from great radio they are still sought after receivers.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ec10 .

Some years ago, I was in need of a 70cms antenna for portable use and had to improvise by raiding my XYL’s wardrobe!  The result was a 2 el Moxon antenna made in about 30 minutes which worked some impressive QRP (2.5W) DX into France on 70cms. Gain is quite low but all you need is a wire coat hanger and a few bits for insulation and to attach the coax feed. Simplicity! It does not look pretty, but it works. The mast was made from a short length of PVC pipe.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/70cm_moxon .

This was a rig I built and used a few years ago for 10m CW.  As you can see, the design is simple but it worked across the Atlantic many times. Pull the crystal too much and the RX-TX offset becomes too great. Ideal as a simple rig for 10m CW.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10m_tenner .

Stories you’ll find in our June, 2015 issue:

Keeping the Ships Moving on Canada’s Welland Canal
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Radio communications plays a vital role as up to 32 vessels each day navigate Canada’s Welland Canal. And, with over 24 miles of locks, routing each one through in 11 hours is a study in efficiency. That is particularly important in December when cold weather and the closing of navigation for the winter can make such transits urgent. TSM Maritime Monitoring columnist, Ron Walsh, get a rare inside view.

The Challenge of Over-the-Air TV DX
By Danny Oglethorpe
With the FCC’s spectrum auction and TV-band repacking looming, is Over-the-Air TV DX still possible? The answer is, “Yes!” according to long-time TV and FM DXer, Danny Oglethorpe, who has logged more than 1,100 TV stations since the 1960s. Danny explains the differences between Tropospheric Bending and Sporadic E-skip; the two paths for TVDX to your antenna.

Add CW and SSB to Your Portable SW Receiver the Easy Way
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
One of the serious shortcomings of a large portion of portable, multi-band shortwave receivers and many vintage shortwave radios is their inability to decipher SSB or CW signals. For some SWLers it isn’t that big of a deal. For others, it can put a real damper on the enjoyment of the full spectrum the radio covers. But, there’s a way to add an outboard BFO to any radio on which you would like to copy CW or SSB signals. Richards shows us how.

Digitally Speaking: System Fusion – “The Roar of the Crowd”
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
After using digital voice for an extended period of time, most find analog FM to be “muddy,” “noisy,” and of a lower quality than they previously thought. And, whether you find favor with DMR, D-STAR, NXDN, P25 or System Fusion, Cory urges you to try digital voice for yourself and see what you think, after using it regularly for a few weeks. He believes you’ll be amazed at how your perceptions change. Cory also takes a peek at Yaesu’s new digital 2-meter/70-cm 50-watt mobile transceiver and scanning receiver.

SDRplay RSP Shortwave Receiver
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL
He’s back! And, with yet another software defined shortwave receiver; this time it’s the UK-based SDRplay. But, at a fraction of the price of his previously reviewed SDR, could the SDRplay come even close in operation? Find out why Thomas is so impressed by this new SDR.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Scanner Update from Dayton

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Washington, DC—Scanner Dreamland or Nightmare?

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
US Coast Guard Plans Big HF Comm Changes

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Decoding the MIL-STD 188-110B 2400 bd HF Modem

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Two Meters: The “No Magic” Band?

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Meet the New 20-Meter Band (Hint: it’s on VHF)

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
The 10.7-cm Radio Flux

The World of Shortwave Listening By Andrew Yoder
Corsette-Building Project

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Shortwave’s Continuing Impact

Amateur Radio Satellites By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
From Famine to Feast

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
An Easy-to-Build Natural Radio Receiver

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
First Look at a Zenith 5K037 “Farm” Set

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
FCC Fines, Interference and Pot-Talk Flop

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Round and Round: Loop Antennas

Radio Horizons
International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Summer 2015

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription (12 issues, beginning with the January 2015 issue) is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Some years ago, QST had an article on a crystal set based on a zero bias MOSFET.  Although I have yet to try this sort of design I have no doubt they will work well.  Crystal sets derive all their power from the TX and in the past I have achieved some remarkable (well for me!) results.  Best was receiving Radio Australia (from Australia) as well as some amateur Gs on 80m and 160m at a considerable distance. In the USA some 75m AM amateur stations are regularly heard at great distances.

See http://makearadio.com/visitorsprojects/ralf-mosfet.php .