AmateurRadio.com

Special Event Week: Dec 24-Dec 31, 2023

The 1st annual Olivia Digital Mode on HF Winter QSO Party, celebrating 20 years of Olivia.

The Olivia Digital DXers Club (we’re on ClubLog!) is holding the first annual Winter Olivia Digital Mode on HF QSO Party, starting at 00:00 UTC, 24 December 2023, and ending at 23:59 UTC, 31 December, 2023.

Minimum logging requirements:  Callsign worked, Band (or Frequency), Mode (I.e., Olivia 8/250, or other variations), Time QSO Started.  You can log more than that, but for the sake of the certificate, please send at least the minimum information per QSO, to NW7US (email is on QRZ profile).  Logs can be any common method, from an .ADI file, to a screen shot.

Full details are on our website:
https://OliviaDigitalMode.org

Olivia, a Multi-Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK) radioteletype digital mode, is an amateur radioteletype protocol designed to work in difficult (low signal-to-noise ratio plus multipath) propagation conditions on shortwave radio (i.e., high-frequency, or HF) bands. The typical Olivia signal is decoded when the amplitude of the noise is over ten times that of the digital signal!

Here is an introduction to the Olivia digital mode:

73 de NW7US

Announcement:

OLIVIA DIGITAL MODE AUGUST 2023 QSO PARTY

Dates: August 11, 12, 13, 14 UTC
These are UTC dates,
starting at 00:00 UTC on first date, and,
ending at 23:59:59 UTC on last date

Our August Olivia QSO Party Weekend is published in QST!

On Facebook, the event link is: https://www.facebook.com/events/1332228534167891/

For full information about using Olivia, please visit our Groups dot io Olivia Group:

http://OliviaDigitalMode.org

What is unique about THIS particular QSO party?

Olivia is the digital (HF) protocol developed at the end of 2003 by Pawel Jalocha. This is the 20th Year Anniversary QSO party by the Olivia Digital DXers Club (we’re on Clublog).

Using UTC (GMT), starting at 00:00 UTC, August 11, through 23:59:59 UTC, August 14, 2023 – Olivia on the HF bands. Chat is encouraged, not the number of contacts, but the quality…

We will issue PDF certificates, after you send your ADIF log to NW7US (see QRZ dot com for email address for NW7US).

Those of you interested in the Olivia Digital Mode on HF (Amateur Radio Chat mode), we have a live Discord server for live spotting, etc. Here is the Discord chat: https://discord.gg/yktw8vC3HX

Our email reflector is: http://OliviaDigitalMode.org

ABOUT OLIVIA DIGITAL MODE ON HF

Below are suggested frequencies on which can be found Olivia signals (note: Olivia is a weak-signal mode, NOT a low-power mode). While it is easy to spot a STRONG Olivia signal anywhere on the waterfall, by using these suggested calling frequencies at least once and a while, you will enable us to find your signal when the signal is too weak to hear and too faint to see on the waterfall.

Olivia can do well with weak signals. Yes, our suggested 8 tone with 250 Hz bandwidth results in slow transmissions. But it is one of the better settings when attempting to decode very weak signals. Once you make contact, you can move up or down a bit, away from the calling frequency, and then change to 16/500 to make the conversation go faster. But, on a calling frequency, it is advisable to configure operations in such a way as to increase the likelihood that you will find and decode that weak signal.

In the following list, CENTER is where you place the center of the software’s cursor, and click to select that center frequency on the waterfall. If you use the DIAL frequency from this list, then click 1500 Hz offset up the waterfall (1500 Hz to the RIGHT of the LEFT side of the waterfall, if your waterfall is oriented horizontally with the lowest frequency on the left). This results in the software and transceiver being correctly tuned for the CENTER frequency.

The listing shows CENTER, then DIAL, then the number of tones and the bandwidth.

 CENTER        DIAL         Tones/Bandwidth (Notes)

1.8390 MHz    1.8375 MHz   8/250 (ITU Region 1, etc.; Primary International)
1.8270 MHz    1.8255 MHz   8/250 (ITU Region 2; Secondary)
3.5830 MHz    3.5815 MHz   8/250
7.0400 MHz    7.0385 MHz   8/250 (ITU Region 2, etc., Primary International)
7.0730 MHz    7.0715 MHz   8/250 (Secondary)
10.1430 MHz   10.1415 MHz   8/250
10.1440 MHz   10.1425 MHz  16/1000 (Potential - be mindful of other stations)
14.0730 MHz   14.0715 MHz   8/250
14.1075 MHz   14.1060 MHz  32/1000
18.0990 MHz   18.0975 MHz   8/250
21.0730 MHz   21.0715 MHz   8/250
24.9230 MHz   24.9215 MHz   8/250
28.1230 MHz   28.1215 MHz   8/250

REMEMBER THAT IF YOU USE THE DIAL FREQUENCY (THE SECOND FREQUENCY PER ROW), SET YOUR WATERFALL CENTER AT 1500 Hz)

Join us on Facebook at https://www.Facebook.com/groups/olivia.hf
Join us on Groups.io via http://OliviaDigitalMode.net

ALSO: If your software is able to decode/encode the Reed-Solomon Identification signals (RSID), please turn on both received and transmit RSID. An example is shown in the following video, which demonstrates enabling RSID in a popular software suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBIacwD9nNM

Please share this everywhere possible, as part of our effort to rekindle the love for our conversational mode, Olivia.

73 de NW7US

..

Announcement: Special Event Weekend, 02/11/2023

THE 1ST EVER OLIVIA DIGITAL MODE WEEKEND QSO PARTY

When is this special QSO party?

Valentine’s Day Weekend.  This event is held this year on February 11, 1400 UTC, through February 13, 0200 UTC

First Ever Valentine’s Day Special QSO Weekend Event: The Olivia Digital Mode on HF

Join our mailing group for live interaction with other Olivia users:
http://OliviaDigitalMode.net

Sponsored by the Olivia Digital DXers Club (on Clublog, and on Facebook: Olivia Digital Mode on HF Radio (Contestia included))

Example frequencies:

Olivia Digital Mode Suggested Calling Frequencies on HF

Certificate for participants, and more.  Organizer: Tomas Hood (NW7US), PO Box 110, Fayetteville, OH 45118.

This is the FIRST ever weekend QSO party for Olivia.

  As the long, dog-days of summer begin to come to an end it marks one of my favorite operating activities and that is the Colorado QSO Party.  While I’m not a native to the Centennial State, I am always proud to represent Colorado and this year marks the 140th anniversary of statehood.

The 2016 Colorado QSO Party takes place on  Saturday, 3 September beginning at 0400 UTC (7 AM to 10 PM MDT).  I have a few mid morning commitments which I need to take care of, but KDØBIK should be on the air shortly after the lunch hour. 

Perhaps it is naïve to anticipate better band conditions for next Saturday.  After all…..

But I for one will be giving it a solid effort from the basement ham shack located in grid square DM79np.  I hope to work you in the 2016 Colorado QSO Party. 

Until then…

73 de KDØBIK

P.S.  Episode 71 of the Practical Amateur Radio Podcast will release Saturday, 27 August.  Thank you for listening!

  As the long, dog-days of summer begin to come to an end it marks one of my favorite operating activities and that is the Colorado QSO Party.  While I’m not a native to the Centennial State, I am always proud to represent Colorado and this year marks the 140th anniversary of statehood.

The 2016 Colorado QSO Party takes place on  Saturday, 3 September beginning at 0400 UTC (7 AM to 10 PM MDT).  I have a few mid morning commitments which I need to take care of, but KDØBIK should be on the air shortly after the lunch hour. 

Perhaps it is naïve to anticipate better band conditions for next Saturday.  After all…..

But I for one will be giving it a solid effort from the basement ham shack located in grid square DM79np.  I hope to work you in the 2016 Colorado QSO Party. 

Until then…

73 de KDØBIK

P.S.  Episode 71 of the Practical Amateur Radio Podcast will release Saturday, 27 August.  Thank you for listening!

I posted my planned intentions of operating W1AW/Ø from Colorado last week.  Unfortunately I’ve had to make a slight change to my on-air schedule to accommodate a scheduling conflict which will allow me to speak to a local amateur radio club about SOTA or Summits on the Air.

As it stands today, I will operate W1AW/Ø on the following dates/times/bands/modes:

23 May 0000z – 0300z – 20m – phone

25 May 1500z – 1800z – 20m – phone 

I may sign up for additional time slots if needed.  I’ll post an update the week before Colorado will be on the air.  In the mean time, I’m getting on the air as much as possible and working as many stations as I can for the ARRL Centennial QSO Party.  I hope to work you either during my time operating W1AW/Ø or as KDØBIK.  Either way, ain’t this hobby great?

Until next time…

73 de KDØBIK

I truly had a blast this past weekend working 20m SSB contacts and giving away 5 points as a VE during the year long ARRL Centennial QSO Party.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog posting, I will be representing the Centennial State of Colorado when the W1AW/Ø portable operations schedule makes a stop in Colorado.  W1AW/Ø will be on the air from Colorado 21-27 May.  My contest operating is typically limited to Field Day and the Colorado QSO Party, so I wanted to spend some time on the air over the next few weeks brushing up on my “operating a pile-up” skills. 

I spent about 3 hours “on the air” over the Easter weekend and managed to add about 180 SSB contacts to  my log.  If you’ve done any operating the past few days you are well aware that band conditions have been up and down.  I was surprised at the feedback I received regarding my audio quality.  I think fellow hams are surprised to know that I’m running just 100w into a hamstick dipole mounted just above my roofline.  But this is the way for those of us living in HOA-hell.

Of course, I also have some weird issue going on with my Yaesu FT-950.  I promise I didn’t let the magic smoke out, but something is seriously wrong with my SSB workhorse.  You can read more about some of the testing I’ve done here.  As I stated in that blog posting, I do plan to try another power supply.  I’ll be pleasantly surprised if the issue is with my current power supply.  But I’m also prepared to quickly send my 950 to Yaesu California.  I need to get it back in time for when I operate W1AW/Ø.

If I had the privilege to work you over the past weekend, thank you for answering my CQ and I most certainly look forward to working you again soon.

Until next time…

73 de KDØBIK