Friday 29 November 2013

Our Local Chapel collapsed

Not a radio post in any way shape or form (sorry)

At about 12:20am on Thursday morning a chapel in my local town collapsed. It had been closed for some time  and was up for sale.

I have posted a few pictures that I took on a visit on Thursday morning when the dust had settled and the emergency services had gone home.

Nobody was hurt in the collapse as the building was boarded up. The fire brigade searched the site with a dog in case of rough sleepers etc, but nothing was found.

 Side view from the road.

Front view from the lower steps.

side view from the upper steps.















Ok I lied about no radio.

On the radio front I will be out and about /P this evening cw 40m.. Just to test the swr on the vertical before saturday night when I will be operating full on, until the wee hours...see you on the bands..

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Become a Radio Amateur. (Space)


Become a radio Amateur. (Space)


If you think radio is a thing of the past. Think again. More than ever Radio Amateurs are helping in space exploration and all manner of scientific research.

Just recently several cubesats were launched in to space and with the help of Amateurs around the world their telemetry was beamed back to earth, decoded and passed on to the various mission control centres around the globe via the internet.

When the satellites are fitted with transponders then two way contact is possible as it passes overhead.
There are several satellites available for communication at the moment. One is a so called "easy sat" This transmitts on FM and is the one many start with.
Then there are the SSB/CW sats these are a bit more of a challenge, but very rewarding to work through when you do..

 The ISS (International space station) is contactable several times a year via radio, usually a school is selected to contact the astronauts and ask questions as it passes over head. But on occasion normal radio amateurs manage to talk to the ISS direct.

This is just one facet of this amazing hobby.

I could list off all the interesting stuff that you could join in with in this Blogg but I think it would probably be better if you visited the RSGB site. And check out all the information available there.

For all things space check out AMSAT UK

Google search for your local club, go along and see what it is all about. They won't bite. (Honest)

  Amsat on the BBC.





Tuesday 26 November 2013

ICQ Podcast



I downloaded an App to my tablet the other day that lets me listen to podcasts from the public as well as the BBC etc.
While trawling through the many podcasts available I came across a really interesting podcast called ICQPODCAST 

This is a free weekly talk style podcast for anybody interested in all things radio.

Hosted by Martin Butler (M1MRB & W9ICQ) and Colin Butler M6BOY they seem to cover every imaginable radio topic in a very user friendly style. 



ICQPODCAST boys working 2012L                           


What is the Reverse Beacon Network

Trawling through Twitter the other day and I came across someone moaning that he couldn't be heard by the Reverse Beacon Network when he was working QRP.

My first thought was..."What the hell is that"... so thanks to good old google I looked them up.

As far as I can make out The Reverse Beacon Network  is a network of receivng stations that decode CW transmisions as they arrive, report what stations they hear, when and how well. . Then the results of what was heard is posted online.

This seems like a great idea to me, as when I am out and about QRP I always wonder if anyone is actually hearing me. Until I have my first QSO that is.

Of course not just QRP stations like mine benefit. I think the main point of the network is to alert of propogation openings around the world.

When I checked while writing this Blogg there were 102 receiving stations online.

Feel free to comment on this post as I have only just found out about this, and thought I would Blogg it to get the word out to people like me who have recently got back in to radio after a long break..

I havn't tryed it out yet, but next time out I will take a look.

So many new modes, so much new radio stuff to learn about.




Monday 25 November 2013

My favourite satellite SO50

Working SO50   (A quick overview of the satellite and how to work it)


SO50 in an amateur radio satellite that can be worked by anyone with an amateur radio licence.

It was launched on 20 December, 2002 and has given many years service so far, being used by amateurs around the world on a daily basis.

If you are new to satellites then to work S050 you will need either a dual band radio with  semi duplex operation. Or two separate radios, one to receive and one to transmit.

I use an FT817 with a whopping 5 watts output in to an Elk handheld antenna.

If you are not sure about if you can receive the satellite, why not just listen for the first few passes to get to grips with the doppler shift and the speed of the pass at different heights. as a rule the higher the pass the quicker it whips through the sky. But of course it is closer to you so reception should be easier 



ELK LOG PERIODIC
 
The satellites frequencies are.. Downlink:436.800 fm
                                              Uplink: 145.850  fm

You will also need to programme in a 67.0 Hz PL tone on the uplink, to activate the satellite.
SO-50 also has a 10 minute timer that must be armed before use. Transmit a 2 second carrier with a PL tone of 74.4 to arm the timer.







SO50

The Uplink should be fixed at 145.850. While the downlink is adjusted for Doppler as the satellite passes overhead.

It all sounds a lot harder than it is. It shouldn't take to long to get in to a routine of what you need, and what hands need to do what.
As you may think you need to be an octopus to adjust the frequency, aim the antenna, talk to the satellite and make a note of who you just called. All at the same time.

GOOD LUCK...


Sunday 24 November 2013

Lots of lovely bits i (need)

This is a stand that I have my eye on.


Available from sotabeams At the moment it is on offer at £11.00.

They also produce stands for other radios that desperately need them. Elecraft KX3 etc

These last two posts do sound like adverts don't they. But I'm nothing to do with sotabeams. I just like their stuff.

I am also looking at a kit for an audio filter. The NEScaf switched capacitive filter available from the www.newenglandqrp.org in the USA. This is priced at $42.00 including an accesories kit and postage.

This seems like a good deal when you think that the filter made for the FT817 is hovering aroud the £100 mark. And it is interchangable between rigs.. 


Speeding up the cw.

Just lately I have been trying to speed up my cw speed. It has been quite a while since I passed my cw exam (20 years) So the first thing that I noticed was the mountain of morse training Apps, web sites and programmes that are now available to help..

My speed is hovering around 12-14 wpm but even at this speed I still need lots of practice.

I recently joined FISTS. This is a UK based club that have loads of resources and events to keep you happy all year long. There is a membership charge, but is is so low for the year that it is just there to cover admin etc.
I also joined SKCC  This is a free club based in the USA also with loads of good stuff. Just send them a request via their web site and they will send you a membership number valid for life.


Training programmes that I am using at the moment include LCWO  and a Koch method App for my tablet.

If you live in and around North Cornwall give me a shout via twitter or here and perhaps we can arrange a sked. @G0UFV.
I mainly use 2m, 70cm and 40m

Or my WEBSITE


I spent a little time adjustimg my vertical antenna for best SWR this morning as I had messed about with it a few weeks ago to work SSB.


This evening (Sun 24th Nov) I am hoping to take part in the FISTS ladder. This is an event that takes place twice a month for fists members, although anyone is welcome to join in.

Maybe see you there..

Friday 22 November 2013

santa

Well christmas is coming and top of my list to santa is the Bandhopper 2 linked dipole from sotabeams

At a glance Bands 20, 40 (other bands possible) Power rating 125 Watts ATU needed? No. Connects direct to your radio SSB, CW, data? Yes. Fine for all modes
(Ripped from the sotabeams site)




If this appears in my stocking then I will post a review after its first outing.

Of course I could make one much cheaper myself but  I have RA so working with components or anything fiddly is a bit of a problem..  :-(  Its just as well this is available..

It is worth checking out the sotabeams website as they seem to be expanding their range everytime I look them up. They also seem to be doing a new FT817 mount that I have my eye on.

FT817

Hello and welcome to my blogg.

To start let me introduce myself. My name is Paul and I am a licenced radio amateur. I was licenced in 1993 with the call G7OSI followed shortly after by my currant call of G0UFV.

After a long absence from the radio hobby I returned about two years ago when I purchased a Yaesu  FT817.
This was a revelation as I had been away for so long things had moved on at a great pace. Apart from this little radio doing everything that I needed in one box there were all these new modes to think about.. Digital modes, loads of great computer programmes available Apps for the tables, the list was seemingly endless.

After a little time getting to know the radio I started to play with Satellites, cw and sota activations, although the latter is very dependant on being able to drive to the summit and work from close to the car.

I have started this blogg to document my activities in the radio world and to pass on information about my equipment, new products etc etc.