I Did “Radio” Stuff All Day!

And enjoyed the heck out of it.

Finally got over my trepidation about actually transmitting (kind of afraid my transmit signal would walk all over someone else trying to transmit/receive) on 14.070.5 in PSK-31 and sent out a few CQ’s. Answered a few also. "Talked" to N4NUI in Sandy, Utah – WT6X in Livermore, Ca – W8TTY in Cleveland, Oh and KF7ELU in Fort Bridger, Wyoming today. A couple of days ago I "talked" to JH9CHL in Japan and UA0ZAY in Russia. Too Cool! PSK-31 works great!

Found a site that tracks PSK-31 transmissions where you can monitor your call to see where your signal goes. Or how far away someone could tune you in. I was really hitting Southern California and the East Coast. Even hit Japan a couple of times. Didn’t manage to get to my friend in Pa though.

However, tried a few CQ’s on voice/ssb on 14.230 (or there abouts) and my radio didn’t seem to be putting out much in watts. Had the radio set at 75 watts output but my Radio Shack meter (which has been pretty accurate) indicated only about 35 watts output. Didn’t check at the time but now I wonder if my ALC had anything to do with that. I’ll be checking it out tomorrow. I’d like to do some voice contacts.

Spent about an hour trying to set up the hand held I bought. Putting in all the local repeaters I can. Had a heck of a time getting the 70 cm offset straight in my head. It’s +/- .005! So if the frequency is 442.125+ then the offset is 442.130. Then you have whatever the PL tone is. Don’t know why it was so hard to drill into my brain.

Got out and worked on my long wire antenna the other day. Cut 15 feet off it, cut 20 feet off the feedline, soldered them together and got it out of the way. Not nearly as much RF back into the shack now. Nice to be able to run all my computers and transmit/receive at the same time. And I don’t do too bad on distance either!

Antenna/RF Woes…

Last week went pretty much as usual. At least I don’t remember anything of great importance happening.

I *did* pass my test for General yesterday. Woo Woo! Now I can get on the 20-meter band. CQ CQ CQ KF7LTT temporary AG CQ CQ CQ. Woo Woo! I even took the Advanced Class test. Got 50% right even though I knew only 2 questions for sure.

Re-built my long wire antenna today. Sorta. I been having trouble with lots of RF interference in my "shack" and haven’t been able to do anything about it. When I transmitted with greater than 5 watts or so my laptop would freeze. I couldn’t have my desktop computer on if I wanted to listen or transmit on the radio. So, I was thinking about the problem when "the light went off" in my head. It’s probably that 12 inches of wire coming in the window and into the tuner that’s causing all the problem. Duh! So I cut the radials off the 10-meter dipole, soldered the long wire to the center lead and ran the ’58 cable in the window to the tuner; and viola, it works. Mostly.

I spent some time transmitting PSK31 at 75 watts (trying to contact my friend in Pa) and the computer didn’t lock up once. I’m even able to leave my desktop computer on. Cool! The "mostly" part is that, for some unknown (as of yet) reason *sometimes* when I transmit the SWR starts out almost too faint to see on the SWR meter; but suddenly jumps up so high the radio turns itself off. (And it’s a damned good thing it does that!) I haven’t found the cause of that problem, yet, but I will. I almost think it’s the Balun I left on the cable from the 10-meter dipole. If I still have the problem tomorrow I’ll take the Balun off and see how that goes.

And my soldering skills suck!

Still, I should start saving up for a better antenna.

Tried 10-meters today…

Friend of mine that live in Port Orchard, about 15 miles by air, called me and wanted to get on the radio and try contacting each other on 10-meters. So we both tuned to 28.400 and I tried contacting him. He could kinda sorta hear me but I could not hear him. Hmmmm…

So we got on 2-meters (146.520 or so) and we could hear each other just fine. As we were talking KE7FKN (Rick) from down Long View, Oregon way contacted us. We could hear him just fine. That’s about 100 miles on 2-meters! Cool.

Not much else going on. Getting back into studying for my General. Test is the 12th…

PSK31, Contessa & Digipan

Ok, for some reason I like setting my radio to 14.070.5, starting up Digital Master 780 and watching people type to each other (long distance) using PSK31. Now, I can’t tell you the particulars, but, I have watched folks from as far away as Russia, Japan & Florida ’type’ back and forth to each other. I’ll be glad when I can join in on 20-meters as the 10-meter band is DEAD for this kind of stuff.

Digital Master 780 comes with Ham Radio Deluxe. I also use HRD to control my radio (through the CAT cable) and the HRD Log Book function to keep track of my contacts. Lately, I’ve been logging only NEW contacts at some distance from me. I was logging the 10-meter "Chat Net" participants we have on Tuesday’s, but was entering the same people over and over and over. Not that it was boring; just redundant.

Several of the "older" Hams have told me I need to use Digipan for PSK31 but I found that I like the Digital Master 780 program better. They probably work almost the same but I like the look of DM780.

I also use EasyPal for trying to get pictures on 14.233 but it’s worked only twice so far. Was watching it today and all the indicators would turn green only occasionally. I think I need a new (better) antenna.

I sometimes try SSTV on 14.230 using DM780 also but haven’t received any decent pictures. Decent meaning nice and clear and sharp. Those I have received are all grainy. I think I need a new (better) antenna.

Ah Well…

Thought I’d document my experiences with Ham Radio here.

As I’m relatively new to Ham radio.

My Dad (AB5IW) was into it for years and tried to get me involved. I was always too busy or didn’t want to re-learn Morse Code (CW). Well, he died in 2000, left me his old Yaesu FT-7 radio (which set in my garage these past 10 years).

Pulled it out one day, hooked up a long wire, turned it on and I’ve been listening since. Started studying last June and got my “ticket” in September (I think). It really wasn’t that hard since learning CW isn’t required now.

Turned out Dad’s old radio could listen great; but only transmitted about 3 watts. Not good. Darn thing was made in the 70′s though so it was cool that it even worked at all. Anywho, we came into some bucks so I bought a Yaesu FT-857d and that is my radio. It works pretty good and is fun to listen to. Made my own 10-meter dipole & 2-meter J-pole that work great. Switched the dipole for a long wire that I have above my roof and it works pretty good. I’ve talked to middle-Mexico and Louisiana on it!

Joined a couple of “nets.” The Mason County 10-meter Rag Chew Chat Net is on tuesday evenings at 1930 on 28.450. Then there are the 2-meter “Chat Nets” on Sunday’s & Wednesday’s @ 1930 on 146.720 (I think). Also getting into “Echolink” on my computer and have talked to Japan and Australia on that. Cool!

More later. I have lots of observations and questions that I want to post for anyone that’s thinking they might like to get into Ham Radio.

My Dad's Old Radio