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NanoVNA

Experiments to try (mainly antennas)

  • KE4PT OCEF Dipole

  • From a massive thread on the SKCC mailing list:

    • Linked dipole as inverted V, fishing pole as mast
    • 132 feet of wire, up only 12 feet; it's a half wave NVIS on 80m, full wave on 40m with prop off ends about 60 degrees, and 2 wavelengths on 20m, with low angle propagation off the ends.
    • Measure SWR for an EFRW
    • Random wire, end fed, directly attached to antenna post; attach counterpoise to ground post.
    • 66 foot dipole (so 33 feet on each leg), fed with ladder line.
    • Slinktenna!
    • Homebrew Silver Bullet Coil
    • W3EDP antenna - EFRW fed with ladder line
    • KE4PT Off-centre-end-fed dipole
    • No-stick buddy-stick antenna

  • Getting wire up tree:

    • 1oz egg-shaped fishing weight, 20lb test mono, pulling up copper. Use a slingshot.
    • Arborist's throw, with slick line.
    • Teflon fishing line.

QRM

CW

Listening

WSPR

Elecraft K2 and digital modes

Pixie

Transceivers

Arduino

Altoids Tin

Antennas

Earchi antennas, EFRWs and EFHWs

Tuners

Inductors

Capacitors

Homebrew variable capacitors:

Nets & Frequencies

Propagation

Contests / Memberships / Clubs

Neat

Blogs

HF on Mars

Tools

Maidenhead grids

  • New West: CN89nf
  • Burnaby (Xtofaros): CN89lg

Satellite runthrough

From K8BL on the AMSAT mailing list:

When you hear someone announce their Call or Call & Grid (Nobody calls CQ), and there is no other QSO in progress, give their and from your Call or Call & Grid. Always use standard phonetics and individual numbers.

Example:

(RX) Whiskey One Alpha Bravo, Fox November Two Zero

(TX) Whiskey One Alpha Bravo from Kilo Six Yankee Zulu

(RX) Kilo Six Yankee Zulu here is Whiskey One Alpha Bravo, Fox November Two Zero, over

(TX) Whiskey One Alpha Bravo, QSL from Kilo Six Yankee Zulu, Delta Mike One Four

(RX) QSL Seven Three from Whiskey One Alpha Bravo

Try to be quick before some else calls W1AB. If they do, wait for the sequence to finish and call. If someone else announces their Call, you can call them or W1AB. Or, you could announce your Call and see if someone calls you. In any event, do not make any call if there is a QSO already in progress. Remember, the FM birds are a shared resource and there may be a number of Hams anxiously waiting to use it. Be fast and brief.

Lilacsat images

Cheat Sheet

Remember

  • Begin every exchange with "xxxxx de va7unx"
  • Finish with "ar xxxxx de va7unx kn"

(Source: http://k4kpk.com/cw-cheat-sheet)

Me calling CQ:

    cq cq cq de va7unx va7unx va7unx k

    va7unx de xxxxx kn (ar)

    xxxxx de va7unx gm (ga/ge) tnx call ur 599 599 in new westminster bc new westminster bc =
    name hugh hugh hw? ar xxxxx de va7unx kn

    va7unx de xxxxx r r gm hugh ur 599 599 in chico ca chico ca =
    name alan alan  hw? ar va7unx de xxxxx kn

    qth is New Westminster, BC =
    rig is K2 at 12 watts =
    ant is end fed 25 foot wire =
    job is systems engineer for cisco =
    wx is ( sunny / rain / windy / cloudy / hot / cold ) =
    been ham since 2018 = new to cw =

    mostly i do portable at parks = what is ur fav ham specialty? = xxxxx de va7unx kn

    CW is tiring to a newb = 73 es tnx =
    (must go to work) / (oops, kids quarrel) =
    (back to u) / (73 es tnx) =
    xxxxx de va7unx ( kn / sk)

Tunable for CW (includes 500 Hz safety margin):

    40M: 7.025.5 - 7.124.5
        SKCC elmering: 7.114
            every Friday is SKCC “novice day” on the frequencies near 7114
        QRP calling: 7.030
        QRZ forum suggests:
            7.120-7.125
            7050-7060.
            Try between 7050-7125
            Try 7100 to 7150
            Join SKCC
            Do a google search for Texas Slow Net, Oklahoma Training Net, Georgia Slow Net, slow CW net, etc
        FISTS calling: 7.058 and 7.028
    30M: 10.100.5 - 10.149.5
        FISTS calling: 10.118
    20M: 14.025.5 - 14.149.5
        QRP calling: 14.060
        FISTS calling: 14.058
    17M: 18.068.5 - 18.109.5
        FISTS calling: 18.085
    15M: 21.025.5 - 21.199.5
        FISTS calling: 21.058
        Old Novice band: 21.1-21.199.5
    12M: 24.890.5 - 24.929.5
        FISTS calling: 24.908

MUF chart from A7TI and UMass Lowell Space Science Lab and Lowell Global Ionospheric Radio Observatory (GIRO) Data Center (LGDC)

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