Welcome to Episode 215 of Linux in the Ham Shack. In this episode, we take an in-depth look at APRS, the Automatic Packet Reporting System. This is a digital mode, frequently used on the VHF/UHF bands for propagating location information, weather data, message traffic and more from one station to another using packet TNCs and digipeaters for RF communication and I-Gates for connectivity via the Internet. Join us as we look at how you can participate in APRS using Linux and Open Source in your ham shack. Thanks for listening!

73 de The LHS Crew

Operating from countries outside the US can be a lot of fun. I just completed another another Slacker DXpedition, this time to the Cayman Islands. The formula for this type of operation is simple: identify an interesting vacation spot that is also considered DX, travel there with friends & family, take along some compact radio gear and get on the air. A key point is to not overdo the radio operating or the friends & family will veto any radio activity on future trips.

Licensing for the Cayman Islands is relatively easy if you hold a US FCC amateur radio license. Complete info can be found on the Ofreq web site. Licensing for the Caymans is typical of many Caribbean countries: fill out the application form, send it to Ofreq by email along with a copy of your US license, passport and $25US. Visitor call signs have the prefix ZF2 and you can request your favorite two-letter suffix. That’s how I got ZF2NR.

I was issued a Class A license which has all operating privileges. My spouse Joyce/K0JJW holds a US General Class license and was issued a Cayman Class B license, which has limited HF privileges (no phone on 40m, 20m, or 17m). So keep that in mind if you have a General Class license.

Grand Cayman is in grid EK-99 and is IOTA NA-016.

My equipment strategy was the same as my V29RW operation on Antigua (see V29RW: Slacker DXpedition to Antigua).  The basic kit is a Yaesu FT-991 driving a  end-fed halfwave (EFHW) wire antenna for the band of interest. Never underestimate the power of getting a halfwave antenna up into the air. The FT-991 fits in my carry-on bag and it covers all bands from HF through 70cm.

There is a 2m repeater (146.76 MHz) on Grand Cayman that works quite well. We received a friendly welcome on the repeater from Phil ZF1PB and several other Cayman hams.

Vacation Home

Our group rented a nice vacation home near Rum Point on the north side of Grand Cayman. This place is right on the water with an excellent sand beach. Denny KB9PDF/ZF2PF and I put up the EFHW 20m antenna supported by my SOTAbeams pole strapped to a palm tree. This setup worked quite well and we soon had a nice pileup of stations calling us on 20m. We did have some issues with local noise sources, the worst of which was traced to some dimmer switches in the house. This is one of the problems with a portable setup like this…you never know what RFI problems you’ll encounter. Later in the week, we put up a 40m EFHW and made a few contacts on that band, too.

ZF1A

Bruce/K0BJ suggested that I check into using the Cayman Amateur Radio Society club station (ZF1A) which they make available to visiting hams. I connected with Eden/ZF1EJ who confirmed that the station was available later in the week. Again, I did not want to overdo the radio thing, so we settled on operating at ZF1A during the middle of the day on Wednesday.

This turned out to be a great move. ZF1A has multiple towers with some very capable antennas. Like I always say: Never underestimate the power of using a large directional antenna on top of a big tower.  Eden/ZF1EJ met us at the station (it is literally in his backyard) and helped us get situated. Our operating strategy was simple: use the highest HF phone band that had good propagation and work as many stations as possible. We were also prepared to use FT8 if things were really bad but that was not needed. It turned out that 15m was dead but 17m was open into North America and Europe, so we did most of our operating there.

Here’s a short video to give you a taste of the pileup.

I did work some of the folks back home, which was a treat: K0AV, W0CP, K0BJ, W0RLY, W0GAS, WG0AT, KD0RQU. I had noticed that Steve/WG0AT was doing a Summits On The Air (SOTA) activation on Crooked Top Mountain (W0C/SP-090) and I gave him a call. Being QRP, his signal was very weak at my location but he could hear me with no problem.

Here’s the QSO audio that Steve recorded on his end:

Satellites

We worked two OSCAR satellite passes (AO-91, AO-92) using a pair of handheld radios and an Arrow 2m/70cm yagi antenna. The pair of handhelds gave us full-duplex capability: I ran the 70cm uplink on my HT while Denny ran the downlink on 2m. No surprise to find the FM satellites quite busy and a bit frustrating to work. I logged these stations from ZF2NR: KI0G, K3SV, TI2CDA, TI4DJ, HP2VX.

Results

My ZF2NR log shows 376 HF QSOs, most of them made by me. Joyce K0JJW/ZF2JW braved the pileup to make a few contacts. Denny/KB9DPF had some additional contacts as ZF2PF.  QSL to our home callsigns.

I’ve loaded the ZF2NR log into Logbook of The World.

Band Mode QSOs
   7 LSB    5 
  14 USB   65
  18 USB  306
 Total    376

In retrospect, I realized that we had the antenna pointed north most of the time and we probably should have looked in other directions. In particular, we only worked a few South American stations.

Most important is that a good time was had by all. Thanks to everyone that worked us while we were in the Cayman Islands.

73, Bob K0NR/ZF2NR

The post ZF2NR: Another Slacker DXpedition appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2018 Mar 19 0555 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 – 18 March 2018

Solar activity was very low throughout the period. The only numbered regions were 2701 (S12, L=99, class/area=Axx/10 on 15 March) and 2702 (N22, L=109, class/area=Bxo/5 on 17 March). Neither region managed any flare activity. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed during the period.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 16-18 March. Normal levels were observed on 12-15 March.

Geomagnetic field activity reached G2-Moderate storm levels on 18 March and active levels on 14-17 March due to the influence of a negative polarity CH HSS. Quiet to unsettled levels were observed throughout the rest of the week.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 19 March – 14 April 2018

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be high levels on 19-20, 22-26 March, and 12-14 April. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the rest of the period.

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to be at G1 (Minor) storm levels on 19 March and 12 April with active periods likely on 20-24 March and 11, 13-14 April, due to effects of multiple recurrent CH HSSs. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Don’t forget to visit our live space weather and radio propagation web site, at: http://SunSpotWatch.com/

Live Aurora mapping is at http://aurora.sunspotwatch.com/

If you are on Twitter, please follow these two users: 1. https://Twitter.com/NW7US 2. https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

Check out the stunning view of our Sun in action, as seen during the last five years with the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXN-MdoGM9g

= = = = =

BOOK SALE: Space Weather and Sun Science – get these from Amazon, and help us stay online!

NOTICE: When you buy this (or any item after starting with this link), you are helping us keep our SunSpotWatch.com and other resources “on the air” (up and running!). In other words, you are helping the entire community. So, check out this book:

Here is the link to Amazon: http://g.nw7us.us/fbssw-aSWSC

We’re on Facebook: http://NW7US.us/swhfr

In this episode, Martin is joined by Chris Howard M0TCH, Dan Romanchik KB6NU, and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief, and this episode’s feature is - Upgrading to your next radio by Chris Howard M0TCH

ICQ Amateur/Ham Radio Podcast Donors We would like to thank our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

PR Mention Bill Barnes N3JIX sponsored a Pennsylvania QSO Award in the name of ICQ Amateur/Ham Radio Podcast - http://www.nittany-arc.net/paqsosponsor.html

• Nigeria Next to Get 60GHz
• 2018 State of Ham Radio Survey
• 2m Radio Support for Long Distance Walker
• Irish Ham Radio Examination Report
• Trevor Baylis, Wind-up Radio Inventor Passes
• Reduced Power for Swedish Amateur Radio Operators
• Radio Drone Makes KH6JF/MM Accessible Using FT8
• Auction of Former Amateur Radio Spectrum
• First Tunisian Individual Ham Radio Licenses Issued
• D-STAR Repeater GB7IC Nears 2000 Registrations

It's time for The Weekender again! And this weekend is St. Patrick's Day. So make sure to wear green, lest you be pinched unmercifully. And while you're at it, check out some of the Open Source and amateur radio-related events going on this weekend. You might also want to try our recommendations for Scotch, Irish-themed food and much more. Thank you so much for listening.

73 de The LHS Crew

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 115 is now available for download.

Tommy, George and Emile visit the 2018 Acadiana Hamfest in Rayne, LA. Good food, good friends and good times in South Louisiana. We visit with vendors and attendees to find out what makes this event so special. Emile teaches Tommy and George the proper way to eat Crawfish.

1:14:21 of a Hamfest unlike any other.

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