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eHam Forums / Software Defined Radio / RE: PowerSDR 2.6.4 - Huge Disappointment
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on: May 06, 2013, 02:49:26 AM
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.... Post a photo of a project and not mention equipment use to make it and you'll get all kinds of positive comments. But, add that you did it with a low cost table saw, then you'll be told how your work would be better if you used a top of the line cabinet saw....
I have built some very nice furniture using only 18th century hand tools... I guess I will need to stick with my Ten-Tec Century 21 to avoid any bashing... (it is the 21st century, after all.... 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI  |
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eHam Forums / CW / RE: nuther new guy
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on: April 17, 2013, 04:11:52 AM
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I am going to learn it..lol..I found the learnmorsecode site, and find the audio for each letter is a great way to learn, I was wondering if any of you know of a audio download like those that I can load to my android or mp3 type player with it all on it..something to listen to while working etc, and not actually practicing.
Here you go: http://www.arrl.org/5-wpm-code-archive73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / CW / RE: Does anybody zero beat a QSO anymore?
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on: March 28, 2013, 03:56:37 AM
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The refferences to the Novice requirement for crystal control are nostalgic for me - yes, but, have little to do with the equipment one 99% of contacts today being significantly off frequency. .... And not just Novice equipment -- some of my QRP radios, such as the Rockmite transceiver and the Hendricks TwoFer transmitter, are rock-bound or just allow a slight frequency movement. Regardless, I will point my half watt to any CQs I can hear in my very wide passband! Amazingly, a lot of folks find me for a solid QRP QSO. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / CW / RE: Does anybody zero beat a QSO anymore?
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on: March 26, 2013, 04:50:27 AM
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As a fledgling CW Op, I spend a lot of time attempting to copy live QSOs as practice.
My receiver BW is about 500Hz in CW. Even so, some operators are so far off that I have to re-tune to hear the responding station who may be on the top or bottom edge ( or beyond) the BW!
What's up with that? BTW, I'm not talking about splits here, just a normal QSO.
Is it considered impolite to ask the responding station to zero beat your frequency? The ops I've heard just seem to ignore it.
Yes, 500Hz is a bit much, but generally it is my job to accommodate the op who is returning my CQ. I will leave my bandwidth wide while listening and then use my RIT and filters to make copy as easy as I need. I would never even consider asking someone who just paid me the compliment of replying to my CQ to change his transmit frequency so I will not need to do any work! And although zero beating is the topic here, the same concept could be applied to my caller's buggy fist, use of QRP, or abbreviations. It would be rude for me to ask the caller to switch to a keyer, increase power, or spell out their words! In a fishing analogy, would I get upset when a five-pound bass hits my crankbait on the other side of a stump? No -- the fun is in the challenge! 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / CW / RE: Zen and the Art of Radiotelegraphy
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on: March 18, 2013, 03:09:38 PM
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Best advice is to stay with it. I recall distinctly after I struggled to learn the minimal 5 WPM needed to get my ticket 10 years ago that I was ready to give in when it seemed I would never get it. My XYL encouraged me to stick with it and I did. At about 10 WPM, bonafide QSOs are possible -- critical mass! I also downloaded scores of the W1AW practice files to my .MP3 player and listened all the time, going from fast to slow. The payoff is that I am a CW-only op now and very comfortable with rag chewing at 30 WPM or even more. Think about how nice it would be if you heard someone just speaking the letters -- and amazingly it gets better -- like you hear words, not just letters. I am convinced that, without CW, I would have abandoned this great hobby long ago... So -- keep going! It is worth the effort. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: Is the KX3 all it's cracked up to be or fake?
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on: March 05, 2013, 05:29:10 AM
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Yup!! I'm one of those KX-3 SSB guys.
I had a blast in the contest over the weekend..especially on 40. A couple shy of 60 countries worked in the contest at 5 watts.
SSB is my main mode now and I really enjoy the KX-3's features on SSB.
Best regards and many 72/73 to all.
Don sr. --WA2TPU --
SSB must bring out the warts on my attic dipole.... Congratulations! 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: Is the KX3 all it's cracked up to be or fake?
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on: March 03, 2013, 05:04:13 PM
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Re: GILGSN Reply #103
[...] I am considering a KX3 for the SSB capability. Although I have no interest in or using SSB I can see the advantage of it being available in certain situations.
I am a CW-only op, but I do knock the dust off of the mic once in a while. I have an attic dipole and choose to limit my SSB output power to about 50 watts due to RFI. I rarely make any SSB contacts at all and DX is almost nil. On the other hand, with CW I seem to work DX at will (about 200 countries confirmed), even at QRP levels. Does anyone really use QRP SSB consistently? I must be missing something here... 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Amplifiers / RE: AL-1500 Low Power 15M
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on: March 02, 2013, 02:02:26 PM
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[...] If one is to own a high power amp (or any amp for that matter) a decenct dummy load is a necessity!!
A high-power dummy load should also be a necessity for even low-power shacks. When troubleshooting, the last thing anyone wants to do (or will do) is let a low-power dummy load cool between tests... But if that is not the norm, the cause of all that tuning up on the air is becoming more and more clear.... 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Software Defined Radio / RE: Flex 1500 Amplifier Recommendations ?
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on: March 02, 2013, 03:47:51 AM
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Hi Ken,
I see a reason why someone would use a QRP rig and put a amp behind it:
His main activity is outdoors QRP where you don't want to carry a cement block, a brick is heavy enough, and neither does he want to carry a car battery (these 100W rig when run at 5W still use the same huge amount of power on RX).
And once in a while he wants to use a little more power at home like Michael doing a contest. This without having to invest in a 100W rig.
At the end of last year I decided to enter the 10m ARRL contest in the QRP category (using my 100W rig) just to see. I did it very casually but let me tell you: it's tough and I made a lot less contacts than expected.
Jean-Claude PJ2BVU
Hey Jean-Claude! Yes -- you are singing to the choir here! I view QRP NOT as "life is too short for QRP," but "life is too short for me to give all my QRP rigs the play they deserve." I have a K1, a pair of Small Wonder Labs DSW-IIs and a Rockmite now, and am in the process of building the little Hendricks TwoFer transmitter. Most fun is using the QRP rigs on a small gel cell battery with a lightweight dipole suspended from trees and fishing poles. I guess I never really thought of the Flex1500 in an outdoor QRP operation because of the need for a computer. But then there are laptops... QRP is a hoot, regardless! Cheers and hope to see you on the CW sub-bands!d 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Software Defined Radio / RE: Flex 1500 Amplifier Recommendations ?
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on: March 01, 2013, 11:24:11 AM
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[...] someone did me the unfortunate pleasure of quoting his question, [...]
Sorry about that!
Some of us have realities in life that don't allow us to go out and drop a few thousand on a radio anytime we feel like it. If fact we are lucky if we can muster up the sixteen hundred that it cost to get one of the bottom line Japanese rigs or a nice Flex 3000.[...]
Michael, W4HIJ
I apologize if my comment implied anyone was illogical for making any personal decision, and especially if it is consistent with good financial stewardship! When I read Stan's question, I actually was thinking about my old TenTec OMNI-D that I just purchased with a matching power supply for much less than 300 bucks. It has a "Drive" pot that I can just dial back from 100 watts to QRP... And I really like that old radio for its nice QSK and quiet receiver. Obviously, that approach will not float your boat! Again, I apologize for any misunderstanding. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Software Defined Radio / RE: Flex 1500 Amplifier Recommendations ?
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on: March 01, 2013, 05:04:51 AM
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Here is what never has made sense to me and I wish someone would explain the reasoning to me. Why would any ham buy a QRP rig and then put a 50/100 watt amp behind it? Does it not make more sense to buy a 100 watt radio and turn it down to 5 watts for those QRP moments? And less IMD to boot.....
Stan K9IUQ
Now that is an excellent question! Although the new little TenTec amp is pretty cool.... 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Software Defined Radio / RE: Interesting new vido from Ham Radio Now
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on: February 26, 2013, 04:51:05 AM
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I watched the video and understand that the new technology Flex6000 series allows a broadband view of HF spectrum, within limitations of antennas and tuners. And I see the virtual multiple Internet-accessible receiver capabilities... But I am still unclear about the expected perceivable benefits for the CW-only op around signal to noise ratio, dynamic range, etc. Will this radio be significantly better in those areas than the current high-end, more limited bandwidth receivers (e.g., K3/KX3, FT-5000, Flex 5000a, Orion II, Eagle...)? Please clarify. Thanks! 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: WSPR on 7040 QRP freq.
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on: February 23, 2013, 07:30:14 AM
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...WSPR'ing for 24/7 a day makes them 1) a beacon or 2) one way transmission, and not permitted on these frequencies (read the regs). Even on the wspr.net many chastise anyone using the word "Beacon" as they don't what the "FCC to look at it that way" If they mention "one way transmission" this almost creates hate mail on those forums. I don't see how this can be interpreted any other way.
...Fred
97.3 Definitions. (6) Automatic control. The use of devices and procedures for control of a station when it is transmitting so that compliance with the FCC Rules is achieved without the control operator being present at a control point. (9) Beacon. An amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observation of propagation and reception or other related experimental activities. 97.203 Beacon station. (d) A beacon may be automatically controlled while it is transmitting on the 28.20–28.30 MHz, 50.06–50.08 MHz, 144.275–144.300 MHz, 222.05–222.06 MHz or 432.300–432.400 MHz segments, or on the 33 cm and shorter wavelength bands. I am sure all WSPR stations on 40 meters have a licensed operator present during transmissions... otherwise they could be out of compliance. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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eHam Forums / Amplifiers / RE: Tube Amp "Component" Kit
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on: February 23, 2013, 06:42:06 AM
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Ameritron offers several amp kits -- they happen to be assembled, but you will still enjoy the "building experience" while you work out the initial bugs. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS DE KEN N4OI |
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