Amateur Radio news from Italy

IW5EDI Simone – Ham-Radio

Your QRZ on Facebook profile page

Posted in Featured, Ham Radio 2.0 5 Comments

Thanks to an online petition made via change.org  promoted by NW7OR,  starting from today facebook  allow to add your own ham radio  call-sign as altenate name and have it displayed in your public profile page
This should allow others to look for your your by using  your QRZ.

This is how appears now my Facebook profile page… you can notice my callsing IW5EDI just below my name.

ham radio call in facebook

My ham radio call sign in Facebook profile

How I did it ?

Simply by editing my profile page and adding my QRZ as Alternate Name

My QRZ on Facebook as Alternate Name

QRZ on Facebook

What’s new ?

Well, the true is that an alternate name was  possible and accepted in Facebook also before today, but looks like at Facebook someone changed the rules

Yes because those rules since yesterday where quite strict, not allowing to add numbers or all capital letters.

Here you can read a snapshot of the on-line help, that evidently need to be updated by the folks at facebook.

Facebook Alternate Name Policies

QRZ on Facebook

Searching

As a short note, i can tell you that at time writing, if you look for me on facebook by typing my call, you will not find me right now.

I belive the cause is that Facebook need to reindex their data and this may take time… Will try to update this post with latest news.

in the mean time, if you want, you can add me as friend in Facebook.

Update:

Starting from mid august, is now possible to lookup call-sing within facebook.

Just select from the top facebook search field the People Named prefix and type the call sign !

 

Lookup of my call sign

Facebook Lookup of my call sign

 

QST November 2001

Posted in Articles Leave a comment

QST November 2001

QST November 2001


This evening at our local club, we were sorting old QST in our club library.
I just found this historical issue, dated November 2001.. with a hard-to-forget cover page.

Florence HamFest 2014

Posted in Ham Radio Events 1 Comment

Florence HamFest 2014

On Saturday 12 April 2014, my local ARI Section, will organize the fourth edition of the Florentine Ham Radio Flea Market.

Also for this edition, as name of the event has been choosen the popular “Florence HamFest” term.

almost 60 between , private OM, and dealers will be present, includin the most popular Ham Radio shops dealers, like DAE, Marcucci SPA, Ham Radio Shop, Magic Phone, Bianconi but also many manufacturers, like Antenna Dinamica, Begaly Keys, ProSisTel, and others. At the end all the major ham radio brands will be present, including, OM Power Aplifiers, Diamond Antennas, Innovantennas, Yaesu , Elecraft, ICOM, Kenwood, Antenna Dinamica, Liri Falls and many many more….

Don’t really know how many people we could expect, probably a number from 500 to 800 but, stating from the companies that have already booked a space, we can already consider this hamfest a success.

Will probable post some pictures next month, but in the mean time if you are curious, you can have a look at the web site www.florencehamfest.com

Buddistick tuning tests

Posted in Antenna, Equipment Leave a comment
Tuning the buddistick

Tuning the buddistick

Today I’ve taken some time to test my latest portable antenna, the Buddistick.

By using an MFJ-269 antenna analyzer I’ve tried to find the main tuning keys for this small multiband antenna.

I’ve been able to find an excellent SWR and Impedance setting for the 20 meters band, but I’ve also learned that tuning this antenna is a mix of settings.

First of all the Coil, as stated in the official documentation, the coil can be tuned by simply moving the clip till  you hear the highest noise.

The antenna analyzer confirmed this.

Another determinant factor is the counterpoise. The lenght and the presence of metal close to the wire can significantly impact on impedance and SWR readings.
Whip lenght, can also influence  but not as much as coil or counterpoise position.

I’ve taken some notes for coming outdoor operations, and they are almost similar to the ones published by FK8DD in his web site.

Another important trick I’ve learned is the 1/3 coil / clip position. By simply placing a clip at 1/3 right or left of the coil can surely tune the coil lowering or shortening the antenna.

FK8DD settings

After having properly setup the antenna for the 20 meters band and having called CQ for a couple of minutes (with no answers) I’ve decided to approach the 40 meters band using the Higher Noise method. I’ve found in fact that setting the clip at the third turn from bottom, and leaving the couterpoise as was set for 20 m, the SWR reading on the FT 817 was showing 3 dots…. By sliding down the Whip the SWR reading become excellent. So I made a few calls even here.

I’ve not been able to make any contacts due to the very low time remained, but i’ve been certainly enjoyed plaing with antenna tuning, one of the most popular sports among hams 😉

Reverse Beacon Spots

Reverse Beacon Spots

 

 

 

Kenwood MC-60A vs TS- 590S Dynamic Microphone

Posted in Equipment 4 Comments
Kenwood MC-60A

Kenwood MC-60A

I’ve just published an article on a recent comparison between MC-60A and handheld microphone.

While trying to improve Kenwood TS-590S SSB performances, I recently purchased an used MC-60A microphone.
After a couple of weeks in which I’ve been testing this preamplified desk microphone, I’ve sorted out by making a final on the air comparison.

According to my tests, the original handheld dynamic microphone works better that the desktop one.

Read my article and listen to the audio recording.

 

MC-60A vs Dynamic

MC-60A vs 590 S Dynamic microphone

My very first QRP on the Air

Posted in DXing 2 Comments

IW5EDI / QRPToday 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:

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.

 

 

IW5EDI portable