AmateurRadio.com

WC - 332KHz White Rock, B.C.

The recent three-night NDB listening event (covering 320-335KHz) was dominated with very high noise levels from the numerous thunderstorms across North America. Although propagation was good, all participants struggled with the lightning noise, as is usually the case when listening on LF during the summer monhts.

source:http://www.spc.noaa.gov

One of the beacons in my log this weekend is pictured above - 'WC' in White Rock, B.C. The beacon is located in a residential neighborhood, with homes on both sides...not a typical NDB location.

Here is my short log, all captured using Perseus:


If you are planning a 630m station, listening for NDB's is a good way to test your system's receive capability as there are hundreds of signals to be heard, many of them very close to our new 472KHz band.

An informative Introduction To Beacon DXing by Alan Gale may be found here. To find the location of any NDB's that have been heard in North America, check the always accurate RNA database by Martin Francis.

Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

In this episode, we gathered together a small round table to talk about some Linux and ham radio news items, and then discuss the upcoming Field Day, Elmering, and the general joy of amateur radio. Much fun was had by all, and there’s even a cameo appearance by The Richard himself.

73 de The LHS Guys

Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].

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

 

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

Ever since the dawn of time coding has been a foreign language to me. I pick up bits and pieces but largely it gets forgotten or lost.

Tonights issue is about interrupts and debouncing buttons. What better thing to do whilst listening to the 6m white noise contest (also known as vhf from my qth).

The idea is simple. I made a shack clock from a gps and an arduino. I made it tell the time, tell me the position I’m in (no I don’t mean like that) an calculate the locator square. Now then all I want to do is link these together with a simple button press. Press the button and it changes from one function to the next.

Holy arduino, this isn’t straightforward at all. Buttons need debouncing and interrupts don’t like this or that. I feel a long development time in my future…still there’s not much on 6m and 2 contacts in the first hour isn’t going to win me any awards.

Alex Hill, G7KSE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cumbria, UK. Contact him at [email protected].

Today’s sunspot count is 65 with “normal” 20-30MHz conditions. It looks to me as if the solar activity is now on the slide downwards. This does not mean an end to good conditions. This autumn 15, 12 and 10m should still be in very good shape and it will be a few years before we really see the changes.

There are all sorts of predictions about the next few cycles. The consensus is the next few cycles will be ones with low solar activity. It is still too soon to say if we are really entering another Maunder minimum. Don’t worry: this is a chance to explore HF in different times. There is unlikely to be good (any) E-W F-layer propagation on 12,10 and 6m but N-S propagation will be possible some of the time and openings on Es can be surprisingly distant in all directions at the optimum times of the year.

And there are always VHF, UHF, microwaves and nanowaves to explore!

See the coming months and years as a challenge. We may never see really good conditions again in our lifetimes but there will still be interesting propagation and DX to be worked and heard.

Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cambridge, England.

I cannot remember the supposed link between Es and thunderstorms (something to do with sprites going upwards from thunder clouds?) but with plenty of thunderstorms in the Alps, I wonder how Es will be tomorrow? Maybe conditions to southern Europe will be good on 6m Es?

Although I probably could safely reconnect antennas this evening now the storms have passed, I think it will be better to wait until the morning.

Knowing my luck, the 6m band will open transatlantic tonight and I shall miss it all! That would not be the end of the world.

Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cambridge, England.

'29 Style Card

After becoming interested in building and operating '29 style transmitters, I worked with Dennis (VE7DK), a local QSL printer, to design a 1929 style QSL card. Dennis is now in his 56th year of printing cards and is still going strong! I was very happy with the finished results and have used the card to verify all contacts made with the early style rigs.

When I next became interested in mid-30's style construction, I decided it was time for another 'era-appropriate' card to match the transmitters. I began searching the web for vintage cards from the mid-30's and soon zeroed in on a card that I found particularly attractive...and from Canada as well.



Once again, Dennis came to the rescue and worked enthusiastically with me to try and duplicate the features and look of the VE4 card that I wanted.



'35 Style Card

I think he did a super job once again and this past winter the new cards have gone out at a furious pace as I worked many new stations, all on 10m CW with my 6L6 Tri-Tet-Ten.

6L6 Tri-Tet-Ten

If you or anyone you know might be interested in a vintage style card (or any type of card) please get in touch with Dennis. I cannot speak highly enough about him and the quality of his work. You won't be disappointed.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].