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Hello fellow hams,

Based on the amount of emails I’ve received with both questions and encouragement, I know many have been inspired by my blog updates on my own progress to better health.  Since my amateur radio blog is picked up by a few different blog sites I don’t want to post material which is off-topic to amateur radio.  If you are interested in learning more about my quest for better health through diet and exercise, please follow my personal blog.   You can subscribe to the RSS feed via this link. 

Now I return you to your normal amateur radio blog content already in progress.

73 de KDØBIK (Jerry)

We all have to make compromises and mine is likely to be outside the shack and in the garden. I’d love to get a full size Steppir into the back garden and whilst it’ll fit, it won’t fit if you get what I mean.

My geeky hobby is tolerated by the XYL, but only to a certain point and when planning for a new antenna I’ve looked at loads, from Quads to Wires to Beams and Moxon’s. They are all a change from the vertical I do have, which has performed well but is something I want to move away from in search of a couple of dB in gain.

I’m very keen on my Cobwebb because its compact and works well. But. A beam would be slightly better. Something I’ve not quite got my head round is if a mini beam is worth it. Ask 10 people and you’ll get 10 different answers. We all know they aren’t as good as a dedicated monobander but we all know we need to make sacrifices.

I’ve had a look at a Moseley one that comes complete with lossy traps but hey ho. We all have to make sacrifices.

Manufacturers claims show its not much more than a short dipole on 12m and 17m but may be useful on the others

The turning radius is what I’m most interested in as I need to fit it against the side of the new room but obviously not too close to windows. 3-4m looks ok but I’ll need to check / adjust dims accordingly. Its a lot of money for what it is at around 750 Euro’s from Wimo so its quite an investment.

Only another month or so until the planning application decision comes back. It may not be on the shopping list if the application gets bounced but I’ve no control on that. So for now its all in the planning stages

This should have been a piece about my adventurous adventures in radio land. But alas, last week during the reception of a Wefax image the display of my not-very-trusty TS-440S went completely blank. It is not the first time this 23 year old rig is going cold on me and – yes, I know – if I want reliability I should buy myself a new rig. No problemo! I have money in the bank and could buy the new IC-7100 right away. But that is money we put in the bank for our first house, the kids tuition, a new second hand car and what not. It’s not easy being a poor ham, but I won’t bother you with my misery. Time for ACTION! If I really want that new rig then I have to make some extra money on the side. So I dug out my investment portfolio details, but…..no win, no loss. So, I took an extra hour of teaching English, but that is only making me 10 dollars per week. By the time I have enough money for a new rig the next solar maximum is already upon us.

Then I stumbled onto this video by VK3YE, Peter Parker in Melbourne, Australia. If you never seen any of his videos, then it is heartily recommended you check them out. His unique presenting style, clever video editing and outdoor QRP operations make them very entertaining and interesting. And this video is especially unique in that he is wearing a suit! You don’t see hams in suits often, so grab the opportunity.

But….making money with ham radio? I don’t think it is for me. So, after a deep sigh I dug out my TS-130V and also put the FRG-7 back on my desk. The TS-130V is only putting out 15 Watts so it feels like I am working QRP right now. But….but….I don’t want to be a QRPer! I want my 440 back!! MOMMY!!!!!

This afternoon Judy and I hiked on Shute Hill. I worked Italy, France, Russia, Slovenia and Sardinia.

It was a cool but beautiful day. The trail is lined with wildflowers… asters, goldenrod, and jewel weed. We stop to enjoy the brook that flows out of the beaver pond.

About a mile up the trail there is a rich fragrance permeating everywhere. It is a vast field of goldenrod.

At the top of the hill there is a clearing. We will stop here. I heave a wire in an old butternut tree. Judy finishes up some knitting in the warm sun.

I have brought the KX3. I pull up 33 feet of wire and begin operating on 17 meters. The band is excellent. I make six contacts in about 25 minutes. Here is my log.

8 Sep-13 1948 18.075 IK2CIO CW 599 599 Italy
8 Sep-13 1950 14.011 F8DGY CW 549 599 France
8 Sep-13 1956 14.060 W9PP CW 569 599 Ind
8 Sep-13 2008 14.037 UA0IT/6 CW 559 599 Russia
8 Sep-13 2011 18.072 S51WO CW 589 599 Slovenia
8 Sep-13 2016 18.074 IS0GQX CW 599 599 Sardinia

Now I pack up the gear. It is a perfect afternoon. I glance behind before starting the hike back.

Series Six Episode Eighteen of the ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast has been released. The latest news, Listener Mailbag, Propogation Report from Steve Nicholls (G0KYA) and Martin (M1MRB) answers questions.

• Ham Radio: Helping to Build a Fast and Free Internet
• US Vanity Call Sign fee goes up
• SDR Zone
• APRS destination address for ham radio satellites
• Noise Floor Study
• Radio museum loses premises
• SOTA now active in VK2
• Ham video transmitter onboard Columbus

Series

Six Episode Eighteen of the ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast has been
released. The latest news, Listener Mailbag, Propogation Report from Steve Nicholls (G0KYA) and Martin (M1MRB) answers questions.

• Ham Radio: Helping to Build a Fast and Free Internet
• US Vanity Call Sign fee goes up
• SDR Zone
• APRS destination address for ham radio satellites
• Noise Floor Study
• Radio museum loses premises
• SOTA now active in VK2
• Ham video transmitter onboard Columbus

W4P is on the air, as a Special Event station, commemorating the Battle of Lake Erie.