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A not inverted Vee

6 May 2013 | by Larry W2LJ | Leave a Comment (2)

And I’m not talking about antennas …….

I’m talking about signal paths.

I managed two new accomplishments while waiting for the ARS Spartan Sprint tonight. Tuning around on 17 Meters, I heard SU9AF in Egypt. Not a new DXCC entity, as you might remember a blog post from back in early March where I worked SU9VB for my very first Egyptian QSO. But this time I managed to work Andy SU9AF with just 5 Watts – so a new DXCC entity via QRP.

In the other direction of the Vee, I heard Ed KH2L in Guam. Guam would be a totally new one for me. Ed was kind of loud and I thought I might have stood a chance with 5 Watts, so I tried – a lot! The pile up was not big, but he wasn’t hearing me, even when I was the only one calling. Then a W3 station started calling along with me and he was signing /QRP (that’s something I never do). He wasn’t being heard, either. It didn’t look good for QRP signals from the 2nd and 3rd call districts. As Ed was starting to fade, I figured that it was going to be now or never for this chance to work Guam, so I bumped up the power to 85 Watts. Bingo – in the log – first call!

So one totally new DXCC entity and one new one via QRP. I’ll take it!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP – When you care to send the very least!

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

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Max says it’s time to look at 50MHz again

6 May 2013 | by Tim G4VXE | Leave a Comment (1)

The 50MHz and higher Es season seems to have taken a while to get started this year. For the last week or so, there have been some openings, but I’ve missed them.

This weekend, I’ve at least managed a couple of contacts. The first, yesterday, with Max the cat’s help was a local one; M0RSE. A special call to promote morse code operated by members of FOC. Yesterday afternoon and evening there was some Es, but I didn’t get on until later. I was pleased to work CT1BXT for my first Es of the year.

You may remember that MW0IAN very kindly gave me a portable whip to work with the Palstar 50MHz handheld. It occurred to me this morning that it should work very well with the FT817, so I will try that on bike portable expeditions this summer. Thanks Ian!

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

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SMD Project

6 May 2013 | by Mike AD5A | Leave a Comment (0)

I finally took the plunge. I am just getting back into building my own radio gear after a few years off the wagon operating primarily QRO commercial gear. As I have built gear in the past, I found it very satisfying to put something together that works and then use it to make QSO's. However, while I was away from the kit building scene there was a step change in the technology of radio components and the methodology to build them, that is SMD, (surface mount devices). These are very small capacitors, resistors, diodes, etc... that greatly reduce the size of whatever you are building. Let me repeat, very small. They are tweezers and magnifying glass kind of small. I would say simply, that I was very intimidated by this change. However I wanted to learn.

When Steve, KD1JV, kitted another run of his MTR (Mountain Top Rig), I wanted one. It is however an SMD kit, but I thought why not take the plunge. However when the kit arrived with its cool looking case and I looked at the components I thought maybe I should have someone else build this kit. I didn't want to ruin such a cool radio with my learning mistakes. So I outsourced that one. However, I still wanted to learn SMD construction. Somehow I felt like a QRP wimp because I couldn't build SMD projects. So, what to do?

As I searched the QRP kit world, I found the perfect project. The SMK-2, a kit from Doug Hendricks, www.qrpkits.com, is a 300mw, 40m crystal controlled transceiver. It is specifically designed for SMD training. So I ordered the kit.

SMK-2 SMD Kit

There are a couple of methods to build SMD projects that I wanted to try. The first is the solder paste, hot plate method. To be brief, you put small amounts of solder paste on the component solder pads and then place the components on the pads. You should use a syringe to apply the paste. You can do this with as many components as you feel you can keep in place. It is a delicate operation but when done properly can save a lot of time. You should only have one "cooking' if you will, so put as many components on the board this way, if not all, as you can. I chose to do a few of the capacitors. After applying the paste and placing the components you put the board on a cooking griddle set at 200 degrees F. When the solder paste starts to smoke you use a hot air gun, (available at hobby stores or with commercial SMD soldering stations), and direct the hot air at the components. Before your very eyes the solder adheres and makes a very nice looking solder joint. When completed, let the plate cool before removing the board.

After I let the board cool, I wished I had set more components in this manner as the joints looking almost professionally done. However, I wanted to learn to hand solder these small SMD as well, so I would have plenty of small parts to practice on.

Hand soldering requires some magnification device. I use a relatively cheap, lighted magnifying lamp like the one below. It is a 2X glass with a small 5X circle that you will need to identify parts.

You will also need some tweezers to hold the components during the soldering operations. The hand soldering process is as you would suspect, tin one pad, set the component and then tin the second pad. So far, with the right tools, the hand soldering has been much easier than I suspected.

I haven't finished the project yet, but have put down the capacitors, resistors and diodes, so the bulk of the work is done. One thing to be aware of, try to do the work where you can find dropped parts. I dropped a resistor onto the carpet in my shack and had to use a nylon trap on a vacuum cleaner to find it.

I will let you know when I pass the smoke test.

Mike Crownover, AD5A, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

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Alexloop on the deck calling CQ

5 May 2013 | by Mike VE9KK | Leave a Comment (0)


RBN spots (click to enlarge)

The weather once again was great and I wanted to take the Alexloop out onto my back deck to see how it would do once again. The other day I had no spots at all but this day was a complete different story. I was operating my KX3 at 3 watts. The antenna as was already mention is the Alexloop mounted on a tripod. I called CQ on 20m,30m and 40m it was the late afternoon and nothing could be heard at my end at all. I was spotted only in the States but conditions have not been all that great. I did hear some American stations on 30m but they were just at the noise level. By the spots on the Reverse Beacon Network my signal is getting out! I am excited to see how this antenna does once the condition improve.

Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

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ICQ Podcast S06 E09 – International Amateur / Ham Radio Beacon Project (5 May 2013)

5 May 2013 | by Colin M6BOY | Leave a Comment (0)

Series Six Episode Nine of the ICQ Podcast has been released. News Stories include :-

The P5 Project
RILGES East Sussex Repeater Group
New Amateur Radio Club for Bath
New QRSS/WSPR ham radio kit
Free WARD certificate
South African Hams to get 472 kHz license
ZB2TEN beacon is now fully operational
Ham Radio 50 MHz operation in New Zealand
MB7IDA - Danbury Echolink frequency change
Taxi drivers fined for using GPS Jammers
Norfolk Island
Isle of Skye activation
Queen's Award for Wood & Douglas

Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) joins us to discuss International Amateur / Ham Radio Beacon Project plus Austalian report from Ed Durrant (VK2JI) and our new north American correspondent Frank Howell (K4FMH)

Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].

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ICQ Podcast S06 E09 – International Amateur / Ham Radio Beacon Project (5 May 2013)

5 May 2013 | by Colin M6BOY | Leave a Comment (0)

Series Six Episode Nine of the ICQ Podcast has been released. News Stories include :-

The P5 Project
RILGES East Sussex Repeater Group
New Amateur Radio Club for Bath
New QRSS/WSPR ham radio kit
Free WARD certificate
South African Hams to get 472 kHz license
ZB2TEN beacon is now fully operational
Ham Radio 50 MHz operation in New Zealand
MB7IDA - Danbury Echolink frequency change
Taxi drivers fined for using GPS Jammers
Norfolk Island
Isle of Skye activation
Queen's Award for Wood & Douglas

Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].

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Series Six Episode Nine – International Amateur / Ham Radio Beacon Project

5 May 2013 | by Colin M6BOY | Leave a Comment (0)

Series Six Episode Nine of the ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast has been released. The latest news, Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) joins us to discuss International Amateur / Ham Radio Beacon Project plus Austalian report from Ed Durrant (VK2JI) and our new north American correspondent Frank Howell (K4FMH)

Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].

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