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Today my main rig has spent even more time on other things than WSPR. Besides trying to work some PSK31 DX I have also been testing a beta release of K3 firmware. This new version has an improved CW decoder that is a bit less finicky about settings. It works very well but is still beaten by the Windows program MRP40 which I regard as the gold standard for CW decoders. As Wayne N6KR says, the MRP40 algorithm is probably ten times more sophisticated and the K3 MCU doesn’t have enough code space for it.

I’ve been interested in Morse decoders since the first home computers and can remember keying in a program listing in BASIC from a QST article in the late 70s. Later I wrote a decoder in Hisoft Pascal which ran on my ZX Spectrum. It actually decoded strong, perfectly sent Morse but it was not reliable enough to be useful. More recently I tried implementing a Morse decoder in KComm but it was a total failure.

I didn’t have a lot of success with PSK31 DXing on 10m either. I only made two contacts but I heard what would have been two new South American countries: HC7AE in Ecuador and CE4BRO in Chile. I didn’t need to look up HC in a book as I remember from my teenage SWLing days hearing HCJB Quito, the Voice of the Andes!

I think band conditions were better today but they supported more propagation from Europe so there were higher QRM levels (and lower operating standards 😉 ) I moved up the band to try and get away from all the IMD products but hardly anyone was listening up there so it was a bit futile.

Someone who did hear my CQ calls was Vito IZ7DMT. He was a whopping signal but was signing IZ7DMT/QRP. He told me he was running 5 watts from an FT-817 and was rather indignant that I wouldn’t use the illegal /QRP suffix during handovers. Nice QSL though!

Here is the result of today’s WSPRing:

10m WSPR spots @ G4ILO 20 November 2012

My “permanently installed” home HF station in my cursed covenant protected neighborhood employs a stealthy pine tree-mounted fan dipole to radiate nicely on 10m, 20m, and 40m.  But I’ve been missing out on a lot of fun on some of those other higher HF bands…  until recently.  I’ve found another way around the CCR Nazis with a temporarily erected portable ¼ wave vertical set up in my driveway.  I used it today to make contacts from Minnesota to Switzerland with 100 watts on 10m and 17m bands, but it works just as fantastically on 12m, 15m, and 20m bands.  Here’s the setup.

Radiating Element:  The radiating element I’m using is the MFJ-1979 stainless telescopic whip [~ $60].  It’s a pretty solid large extendable element that pulls out to 17 feet, so it’s effective down to 20m band without a tuner.  It collapses down to just 27 inches, so it can also be used for everything up to 50 MHz and it stows away nicely.  I tune it to a given band by simply extending or contracting it while measuring SWR with an analyzer, and I have marked the telescoping segments with permanent ink so I can zip quickly from one band extension to another without the analyzer hassle.  Yes, it’s a little extra trouble compared to using a true multiband antenna or a tuner, but I can usually obtain 1.2:1 SWR or better with only a few seconds of finagling.  Plus, I like to set up a station outdoors, either in the shade of the pines or just inside the garage within a few step of the well-stocked refrigerator, so it’s not too inconvenient to stroll over to the antenna to adjust it when I’m ready to switch bands.

Mounting Arrangement:  The telescopic element fits into a High Sierra Jaws Antenna Mount [~ $35 ].  This is a really nicely designed antenna mount with an adjustable clamp that’ll hold firmly onto almost anything.  It has a standard 3/8 – 24 thread female mount into which the MFJ-1979 fits and an SO-239 “UHF” connector on the opposite side.  It also has a convenient hole drilled into the clamp body on the electrical ground side through which a screw can be used to attach ground radials.  I like to have the Jaws clamp chomp down onto the wooden handle of a common dirt tamper.  The tamper has a heavy, flat metal base that is more than sufficient to support the fully extended vertical element, and the Jaws clamp works nicely with the wooden handle.  Plus it’s usually just hanging out in my garage and is conveniently portable.  A fat stake driven into the earth will do just as well with the Jaws clamp.

Ground Radials:  I constructed four bundles of ground radial wires, each bundle comprised of six wires soldered into a #10 ring terminal.  Each of the four bundles spreads out into a quadrant of radials under the telescopic element, 24 radials total.  The four ring terminals are stacked over the Jaws clamp hole and attached with a small stainless screw and nut.  Each radial wire is about 16 feet long.  I calculated the perimeter chord distance between evenly spaced radials for the 15 degree angle subtended between radials (about 49 inches), and I cut a stick to that length to make it easy to evenly space the radial wires when spreading them along the ground.  Since I store the wires in coiled bundles, I use a rock or a small tent stake to keep them held straight.

Set Up & Take Down:  It usually requires about 10 – 15 minutes to set up the entire antenna, with the bulk of that time dedicated to unfurling, spreading, and anchoring the ground radial wires.  I route about 40 feet of coax to the radio, typically outdoors as previously noted, or through a window to a comfortable operating location on cold days.  Antenna deconstruction is even quicker – kick the rocks aside, collect the quadrant ground radial bundles at the antenna and roll them up, securing each with a zip tie.  I leave them attached to the Jaws clamp ready to go for next time.  Scrunching up the telescopic element and detaching it from the clamp is a breeze, and it all tucks away in moments.

Results:  I’ve used this antenna several times in recent weeks at my home and with a portable station for Boy Scout Jamboree On The Air (JOTA), each time with fantastic results.  Today with nice F2 and sporadic E conditions I made many contacts into Europe and across North America with the 100 watts of a barefoot Yaesu FT-897D.  This simple antenna gets me onto those “other bands” that I’ve been missing out on, 12m, 15m, and 17m, as well as the familiar 10m and 20m bands that my fan dipole also delivers.  In particular, I have really come to enjoy 17m band’s more relaxed and gentlemanly character.  Maybe I’ll catch you there sometime soon!

This antenna can well serve the ham in a CCR protected neighborhood with a quick and easy temporary installation that won’t attract a lot of attention.  It also offers the convenience of portability, so it can be readily hauled to the local park, camp, forest or mountain location for relaxing outdoor operation.  Look for a feature article and video about this antenna set up coming soon to HamRadioSchool.com.

This afternoon Hanz, W1JSB and I made a quick trip to Knox Mountain. We operated for less than 10 minutes and made one QSO each… with Spain and West Virginia. Then we headed home. Hanz caught a shot of me on the bridge. You’ve got to be careful where you step because there are some large holes that go straight through.

We didn’t get started until after two and already the sun was low. The temperature was in the mid-40s. We hiked along the brook toward the north and east.

About a quarter of a mile from the cabin, we jumped across some rocks because the old bridge at that end is gone. It’s always a treat to catch a glimpse of the pond and the cabin on the opposite shore.

We arrived a little before 3:00 pm. I tossed a line over a 40 foot branch on the old cherry tree at the edge of the pond. I hauled up a 33 foot wire to use on 20 meters. I sat right under the branch so the wire would be vertical. I used the Elecraft T-1 tuner and connected the ATS-4. I powered the rig with 8 AA cells. We were putting out about 4 watts. As soon as I turned on the rig I heard EA3DD calling CQ. Manu in Spain came right back to me. We completed a quick exchange. I was 559, he was 599. I was ecstatic at such a quick contact. Then I handed the Palm Paddle and the earphones to Hanz.

In less than a minute he answered a CQ sent by W8PBO in West Virginia. Art gave Hanz a 569 and he was 599. They chatted for a couple of minutes and signed. We packed up. Already the temperature had dropped almost 5 degrees.

Today was a surprise… 65F. I hiked to the ledges and worked Russia, the Netherlands, Czech Rep and Tennessee.

The woods were gorgeous… but wait ’til you see the view from the top! Judy and I drove up Wadleigh Road until it turned into Class 6… basically an unmaintained logging road. From there we drove into the boonies until we couldn’t go any farther. Then we started hiking.

I haven’t been here for a few years… and was even uncertain about the trail. Several times I thought we were lost only to find a trace of the trail once again. We hiked about a mile and a half up some steep slopes and soon we were at the top. The view is perfect.

We had lunch in the glorious sunshine. It’s been in the 40s for the last couple of weeks, so this was a real treat. The quiet was stunning. Except for the sound of a lone crow soaring over the valley, there was only the sound of the wind in the evergreens.

After lunch I heaved my water bottle into a dead pine tree at the edge of a rock cliff. I missed the first time, and the water bottle came crashing down onto the ledge and cracked. Darn! I made the second throw before all the water leaked out… and it was right on target. I pulled up about 25 feet of wire and used the Elecraft T-1 tuner and the ATS-4 on 20 meters.

There wasn’t a lot of activity on 20 meters, but the signals that were there, were strong. I called PD1DX, Erik in the Netherlands, after he finished a QSO. We exchanged 599 reports and signed. Next, I called Dan OK1DIG in the Czech Republic. Dan gave me a 589 and he was a good 599. I’ve
worked Dan several times before.

Then I had a 10 minute QSO with Bunky, K4EJQ in Tennessee. He was using an Icom 706 with a tri-band beam and was just booming in. “UR GUD CPY 599 PLUS,” he sent. When I told him I was hiking and had a beautiful mountain view, he sent, ” I envy you being able to take your rig with you. I used to mountain top with VHF/UHF, but old age caught up with me X Enjoy your hike.” With that we signed and I made one more quick QSO…. this time with Russia. RU1ZC was calling CQ on 14.017. Wally was a 569 and he gave me a 559. He lives near the Barents Sea not far from Finland.

We were careful on the hike back. It was a bit slippery under foot  with the heavy covering  of leaves on the hillside. We found our way easily this time and returned just as the woods were growing dark.

This may be the last good outing before the snow flies.

I monitored a QSO between W2LJ and W1JSB this evening. Then I had a QSO with Larry myself. He has been out of power in South Plainfield, NJ since Monday night around 8:00 pm. He is using his KX3 at 5 watts on 3560 with a doublet. He says his antennas all survived the storm. The power came back on briefly Wednesday but went out again and has been off ever since. He’s OK but says the house is getting chilly. I hope to work him again tomorrow evening. 73 Jim W1PID

Prince Edward Island, in Eastern Canada, is a popular vacation destination for New Englanders. Just about 11 hours by car from Boston, it’s within easy range and offers immense beauty and a special kind of charm.

I’ve been going there since I was a child and have many great memories. The red sand beaches are unforgettable and despite it’s northern location, the ocean water is the warmest on the east coast north of the Carolinas.

Well, needless to say as I was browsing vacation accommodations, this place caught my attention! Purchased in 2002 by California attorney Ken Widelitz, K6LA / VY2TT, the ham radio shack at the 4-bedroom, 3,000 square foot PEI DX Lodge features some amazing amenities including an Elecraft K3, ICOM 7800, and ICOM IC-756 PRO III.

Oh, and did you notice the antenna farm?  There are five towers: 30 feet, 84 feet, 140 feet, 145 feet and 150 feet.

They’re all yours for the duration of your stay. Amazing!

If you’re interested, check out the reservations page for rental rates or contact Ken at [email protected].

I hiked again on Shute Hill today. It was a glorious, warm day with a brilliant blue sky. Once again I worked GM0HCQ/MM, the Royal Research Vessel, James Clark Ross. The vessel is on its way to the Falkland Islands and today was a bit north of the Equator… at about the same latitude as Equatorial Guinea in Africa. I also worked California, NC and TN.

It was nearly 70F on the ground where I sat beneath an oak tree. I set up on 15 meters with a 22 foot wire and the ATS-4. I tuned the wire with an Elecraft T-1. First I heard Andy, KN6ZA calling CQ and answered. My report was only 449 but he copied most of the exchange. “Enjoy UR hike X UR 4W is working,” he sent.  Going up the band a bit I heard Mike, GM0HCQ/MM  finishing up a QSO, and I called him. I had worked him the other day, and I was excited to hear him once again.

     -Mike, GM0HCQ in the radio room of the James Clark Ross-

Mike gave me a 449 and gave his QTH at 5N/20W. He was about a 579. It’s always thrilling for me to work a ship at sea. Here’s a photo of the vessel.

-The James Clark Ross entering the harbor at Uruguay-

After contacting the ship, I moved to 20 meters and worked two stations in the CW Ops sprint. The first was N4AF in NC; the second was N4ZZ in TN. These were quick exchanges with name and number.

Shute Hill  is a beautiful area to hike and operate. It’s absolutely quiet and the afternoon sun is a welcome as the days get cooler.