Morgain Antenna 40/80
Here a plan for a Morgain Antenna for 40 and 80 meters band.
This dualband antenna similar to a folded dipole permit to operate low bands by using a very limted space.
Morgain Antenna 40/80
My very first QRP on the Air
Today has been the first time for my new Yaesu FT-817.I’ve taken the opportunity of a sunny, and sunny winter Sunday , to test my on-the-go shack frommy parents’s terrace.
This setup, that is not completed yet, since I’m wating for some Buddistick components alreay ordered at Wimo, is the one I will bring with me for some SOTA next summer and in March when I will be on Dolomites.
Setup is composed by:
- Yaesu FT-817 5 watt HF VHF trasnceiver purchased by second hand last autums.
- LDG z-100 Antenna Tuner
- Proxel PROX-1 HF multiband mobile antenna
- Uni-715 Single paddel for Yaesu FT-817
- 12v 7A battery
Everything packed in a Shimano fishing bag.
I’ve operated 20 15 and 12 meters bands for almost one hours making some CW contacts with OM3LL, YO2BBX RM22WG TC10SWAT and heard but could not make contact VP9/M0BLF.
Tried also to break into some other stations calling but the battery drained to 10,8 volts and decreased to 1-2 W the total output, so with a such antenna, it was really hard.
Well, lesson learned from this experience is that working QRP in portable is really a great compromise, and Antenna efficiency is the most important factor in making DX.
Another important aspect is that working in portable means not having all those facilities that we are used to have in our home QTH and that outdoor operations means taking care of wind noise, and Sun light along to a not perfect temperature.
IC-7700 new Firmware
Icom Inc has announced a firmware upgrade for the IC-7700 HF/50MHz
ICOM 7700
The new upgrade, available for download from ICOM firmware page in March 2014, will provide the same additional features as made available to the IC-7800.
- Waterfall display function that allows a more complete understanding of the status of the band.
- Mouse operation of band scope.
- Audio scope function that enables analysis of audio transmissions.
- Remote power control
- Enhanced recording function and corresponding recording up to 18 hours
All these new features are almost equivalent to the latest 7800 new implementations.
Latest firmware 1.21 was publishes in march 2011.
Link to Icom Japan Announce
Icom ID-5100
Icom Japan just announced the release of a new D-Star DualBand Mobile Transceiver.
ICOM ID-5100 /D
Icom ID-5100
The new ID-5100 is a dual band mobile transceiver 144 / 430 MHz that will be released in the market (Japanese) in February 2014 in two versions ID-5100 20W and ID-5100D 50W.
As far as I’ve understood from the japanese translation, some ID-5100 features include:
- A touch panel to allows intuitive operation.
- Nearest repeater search function in analog mode.
- Usage of the D-STAR function by using Android apps
- Support for Bluetooth with optional unit
At time writing only the Japanese Icom website is publishing the Icom ID-5100 release
FT5ZM Log now Online!
FT5ZM clublog log db has been updated right now!
So it means they have an internet connection
Are you in the log ?
FT5ZM log
FT5ZM source TAAF
During these first days of the long-time awaited Amsterdam Island dx pedition FT5ZM, lot’s of us are looking for the FT5ZM log search in order to verify if that 599 TU was really address to our call.
Well, looks like the crew at FT5ZM have no internet connection, since the announced Club Log upload is still showing that sad message “FT5ZM has not uploaded any QSOs yet.”
You can easily check the FT5ZM Online log for your call or you can have an interesting overview of dx cluster spot stats for FT5ZM on the responsive DXHeat dx cluster.
In the mean while the only pictures coming from the South Indian Ocean island are from the TAAF, meaing that the dx team are lacking of a suitable internet connection.
Well, we can certainly understand that difficulties on being online from a such far place.
GL guys enjoy DX !
Google Glass Ham Radio app
Google glass are wearable computer, with a built-in Android OS on it, and in this movie N3WG Nick Garner show us a sample application of a ham radio related application written for the Google Glass platform.
Practically Nick is able to remote control an Elecraft KX3 radio via the Pigremote connected via Wi-Fi, of simply give commands to the Android OS to display latest dx spots, or show GMT time.
I already wrote a post some months ago about the first ham radio app for google glass, QSL query by AE5DY, but this app is a real example of a practical implementation of this new google interface.
Well done Nick !
Tokyo Hy-Power out of business.
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Tokyo Hy-Power, world famous Japanes amateur radio equipment manufacturer filed for bankruptcy on 24th December 2013.
Tokyo Hy-Power, founded by JA1DJW Nobuki Wakabayashi, since 1975 has been an industry leader in military, medical, commercial and amateur product market, and is particularly famous in the ham radio market for their HF and VHF RF power amplifiers.
Several news about Tokyo Hy-Power bankruptcy has been published on the net during last days, and major regional dealers are already taking actions, including HRO that announced is already working to assure technical support and replacement parts in the US marked for the Japanese products.
Japanese web site has been taken down and is no more available, while the US site is still responding.
As it’s easy to immagine, all purchased products will have no manufacturer warranty.
Read more about Tokyo Hy-Power on the web:
-  Tokyo hy-power files-for-bankruptcy ARRL web site Site
- Tokyo Hy-Power Ceases Trading
Ham Radio and Arduino
Looks like the Arduino platform is getting popular and popular among amateur radio community.
I’ve been reading a lot’s of interesting projects based on the Arduino, from CW Players, to antenna tuners, beacons, keyers, and rotor controllers, magnetic loops controllers and more.
The Arduino looks is so popular that the ARRL is also publishing a book dedicated to application in the amateur radio use.
Well, honestly I’m not so inclined to microprocessors programming and related subjects, and I believe I will feel more confortable with the other misterious device named Raspberry Pi, since is much more closer to my daily work that what the Arduino is.
In any case i will attend to a meeting dedicated to the Arduino and the Ham Radio applications that will be held at my local ham radio club in Firenze in the coming January.
Radio Arcala Antenna Collapsed
Web rumors, and some social network postings, says that the largest 160 meters band antenna, setup in Finland, collapsed during a recent storm.
I can confirm that all Europe has been touched by violent winds and storms during last weeks.
At time writing the Radio Arcala website did not mention anything related to OH8X antenna crash, but it’s also true that the website does not look very up to date with it’s content.
However, in a recent ARRL Contest update is reported the followwing statement
“It has been reported and confirmed that the world’s largest amateur antenna, the 3-element 160 meter Yagi at OH8X, has collapsed in a recent storm. The Radio Arcala team is preparing a report that will be available in a few days.”
We’ ll monitor the OH8X web site for further updates.