My Week in Radio

• replaced my RG-58 cable with KMR-400
  • $90 for 100ft, terminated
  • tested individual cables and combinations
  • nanoVNA “through measurement”
  • Wayne suggested
  • improved my 6.5dB loss to 3dB loss total
  • doubled power!
• Radtel RT-880G HT got a firmware upgrade
  • APRS beacons “just work” now.
  • still likes to show scrambled chinese for packets it doesn’t read well
  • might next look into using it for a personal digipeating APRS.
• this weekend
  • 3D printing show in Belair MD
  • WW RTTY contest - lots of fun previous years

Others

• W1RC, Mike:
  • learning a new radio and its menus with the manual
• W8CRW, CR:
  • 985 and local nets
  • flying drone to hang some ropes for another ham
• WA3VEE, Ron:
  • attended Antique Radio Show in Kutztown: vintage broadcast radio and audio
  • Joe emailed photos
  • get on Joe’s email list
• WA3KFT, John:
  • running 6m and 2m nets
  • 700+ QSOs so far this year
• AB3AP, Mike:
  • attended breakfast
  • expecting to be at WFD doing 20-25wpm
• NA3CW, Chuck:
  • PMAM net sunday night, good conditions.
  • working on a transciever for James, a new member
    • replacing a memory battery
  • tower at Joe’s is basically finished.
• KB3ILS, Keith:
  • picked up a nice small Elekraft radio
  • 5w, EF wire, 50 QSOs on CW
• AF3Z, Jim:
  • W3GMS website can send event reminders too, in addition to Joe’s emails.
    • good reminder for hosts of nets
  • some CW
  • Saturday, tried working some other people besides his normal sked.
  • finally finished up photos for Longs Park festivals
• KC3OOK, Bill:
  • 985 nets, Simplex Net on Saturday, Welfare Net on Sunday
  • Joe’s tower
  • vhf.dxview.com said VHF was open to Canada and east coast
• KD3AIS, Tim:
  • progress on radio in the truck
  • had the wrong mounting bracket
  • help from KC3NZT, Harvey
• KD3APR, Paxton:
  • operating in a house without power

Questions

• AB3AP, Mike:
  • Winter Field Day sounds like it is 20-25WPM, and that’ll be comfortable. Faster requires lots of extra listens. What are others’ comfortable speeds?
  • W3DIB: 0
  • AF3Z:
    • keyers set to 35wpm, spacing is usually wider.
    • 20-25wpm is more comfortable
    • try to get contact info before the call
  • W3DIB, Greg: N2HM, Bob is amazing to watch
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • don’t worry about speed on WFD. people will slow if you need.
    • just skip people who go too fast.
    • working closer to 20wpm will get you more contacts
    • managed first straight key contact at about 6wpm at last field day
    • “we’ll help you copy, just try”
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • passed test with 13wpm for advanced
    • no longer that fast, out of practice
    • taught code in classes
    • first learned it in boy scouts
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • slower, took 2 attempts to pass 13wpm
    • 15-18 today
  • KD3EE, John:
    • morsle.fun: 25-30wpm if i can hear it multiple times
    • keyer at 20wpm, but leaving some space
    • I’ll hope to get help copying at field day
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • flags in boy scouts
    • passed 13wpm in 1967
    • barely passed 20wpm in 1979
    • practicing with a sked qso
    • 35wpm seems impossible, but he’s getting there
    • being retired gives him time to practice
  • W3DIB, Greg:
    • https://lcwo.net/
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • use computer programs
    • also just listen to others’ QSOs on 40m
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • use a websdr to listen
  • KD3EE, John:
    • ARRL code practice files and podcast
  • KB3ZIM, Bob:
    • hearing signals from south pacific right now on HF
    • practiced and learned at 59 years
    • always intended to use it
    • bought the CW paddle before a transceiver
    • doesn’t want to inconvenience others
    • prosigns are baffling
    • practice sites don’t necessarily demonstrate prosigns
    • seeing dots and dashes slowed us all down
  • KD3EE, John:
    • chase POTA to practice CW
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • relayed my message, and recommended spotting from pota.app.
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • SKCC hangs out on +50khz and events, so good to listen there
    • simple exchanges
    • don’t do CW if you don’t like it.
• KD3APR, Paxton:
  • Seeing some repeaters offering “auto-patch”. How’s that work, and how’s it sound?
  • W3DIB, Greg:
    • Univ Del had an autopatch.
    • you’d need to get permission and get the code to be able to use it.
    • it would place the phone call.
    • it would leave the TX up the whole time the phone was on.
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • it’s been years.
    • other person would need to know to say “over” since the carrier stayed up even when remote is transmitting, and on one would otherwise know when the other person stops
    • got to use it once in the 70s to call for road help
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • needed to remind the phone side that the communication is being transmitted
    • don’t do business.
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • you just can’t use the radio for your boss, “under ordrers”.
    • running a business vs doing a transaction.
• KB3ZIM, Bob:
  • Is autopatch still used and offered?
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • repeater book lists autopatch as a service on some repeaters
  • W3DIB, Greg:
    • it’s probably easy in the time of VOIP.

I upgraded all 3 nodes to 2.7.9. The 3EEj node was running warm.

I’ve been thinking of ways to get more power to W3GMS, and coax might be the weakest link. I have about 75ft of RG-58 outside and maybe 8 ft of RG-174 inside. I took down the flag pole Yagi to replace the coax.

I learned how to measure loss with a “through measurement” on the nanoVNA watching Youtube:

• The old coax run measured at least -6.5dB loss total
  • -4.5dB for the RG-58 by itself
  • -2.0dB for the RG-174 by itself
• The new coax, 100ft of KMR-400, by itself measured -1.5dB, and -3.3dB with the patch of RG-174
• SWR sweep of antenna on old coax showed lots of wiggles and hung generally low, because of all the loss.
• SWR sweep of the antenna with the new coax runs much higher on the 100MHz side, and takes a nice dip at the resonant frequency.
• Incoming signals look good and strong by the S-meter on the TYT-9800

The Radtel RT-880G got new firmware yesterday: 1.16. I had to run the upgrade software in WINE.

• APRS occasionally receives a message that PASSES the FCS check, but still mostly failed, and some are completely garbled chinese characters.
• TX APRS looks pretty good now. I’ve seen on BTech UV-PRO and on https://aprs.fi/.
• Listening to “Radio” mode is cool: 20M CW, FT8, and a little voice.
• The menus are pretty confusing, and it’s hard to remember the controls, especially in “Radio”.
• I was using the radio in “Full Band Tuning”, but it causes problems in spectrum mode, so I went back to normal mode.

My Week in Radio

• seeing more “alternate” FT8 traffic on the waterfall: dxpeditions and contests!
• tempted to replace my old cheap coax with something lower-loss for my 50W VHF to compare.
  • bust out the attenuators and the tinySA or maybe just the little digital power meter I have to measure at the antenna feed point.
• bring a wire and a whip to demo the Nano VNA before or after breakfast.

Others

• WA3CRW, CR:
  • working with W1RC to do some WIRES-X
• W3JAM, Jeff:
  • Simplex Net
  • Central PA Skywarn Net
  • Heathkit 102 on the workbench for refurbishment
  • amplifier and odds and ends to fix and sell
  • looking at antennas to mount on the barn
  • rebuilding a 16 element yagi for more convenient deployment/tuning
• WA3VEE, Ron:
  • won’t be at breakfast, but Antique Radio Show instead in Kutztown
  • Red Rose Repeater Hamfest coming up on Oct 4.
  • has some gear from some other people to unload
• KB3ZIM, Bob:
  • wondering about 160m antennas:
    • been meaning to launch an antenna every year this time of year.
    • maybe inverted L.
  • IC-7100: radio in 2 pieces, so you don’t need so much at the control head.
    • using a 75-foot cat8 cable for a really long run between TCVR and head.
    • run to the gazebo to operate outside but high power if he wants.
    • lots of fun chasing on all bands.
• KC3YSM, Steve:
  • building a go-box
• WA3KFT, John:
  • 6m SSB nets
  • antique wireless net on sunday
• W3MFB, Mike:
  • VHF contest. spoke to someone randomly.
  • working some special events and pota stations
• KC3OOK, Bill:
  • working at Joe’s on antenna
• KC3SQI, Wayne:
  • moving antennas to the new mast
    • 2m operational
• KD3AIS, Tim:
  • collecting equipment to put radio in truck
• KD3APR, Paxton:
  • coming in on an HT
• AA3LH, Leon:
  • feeling better today
• AF3Z, Jim:
  • normal CW sked

Questions

• KD3EE, John:
  • I have my 50W mobile radio, home-built YAGI, 75ft cheap coax in a couple connected sections. How should I evaluate this system?
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • check that the antenna is matched with the nanoVNA: SWR
    • have people on the repeater talk, so I can point for maximum signal
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • with nanoVNA, calibrate at the nanoVNA, then move calibration load to end and use a through-measurement to see loss in coax.
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • bury-flex is a good deal
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • if you’re going to an LMR type cable, should good with bury-flex, since the outside doesn’t allow moisture. they use glue between outside braid and the seal. bury-flex will need heated a little to force the crimp end underneath the braid
    • buryflex is available at ham radio outlet.
• KB3ZIM, Bob:
  • What are some 160m antenna options?
  • height and length is a challenge.
  • aiming for an inverted L, but the radials will be a challenge.
  • W3GMS, Joe:
    • 240-foot wire, 60ft in the air, fed by open wire line
    • 3/8-wave would need less radials
      • could be end-fed or inverted L
      • not balanced, so noisy
      • will need a tuner to match
    • 1/4 wave would need extensive radials
  • KC3NZT, Harvey:
    • $150 automatic tuner outside. tunes anything.

My Week in Radio

• KC3WWC changed to KD3EE
  • nice for CW
  • start over with a whole new log book
  • days to find and update everywhere
• packet radio for Winlink and BBSes including KA3TKW
  • like my old modem BBS days
  • phone + btech HT as TNC
• POTA, FT8 + CW
  • new Gabil whip with the sliding coil is very convenient
  • learning value of chokes in the right places: computer interference from RF
  • chasing CW POTA from home
• working a little more 10M now as we near autumn
• have a google calendar feed from https://contestcalendar.com/ keeping my calendar very full should the mood to do some contesting strikes

Others

• KA3TKW, Tom:
  • trivia net has new format: 5 digital
  • digipeaters
    • 145.010
    • 28.105
• K3EA, Greg:
  • heard hamsci presentation:
    • study from eclipse
    • upcoming study on meteor scatter
  • training session on the local club station
  • contests:
    • AARL Sept VHF this past weekend
    • WAE SSB contest
    • next weekend: QSO parties
    • following weekend: CQ WW RTTY
    • https://contestcalendar.com/ for more details
  • solar flux index and sunspots down this past week
  • normal/average propagation
  • some disruptions coming up: increased K index
  • minor storms coming tomorrow.
  • check clusters for current DXpeditions
    • Palestine/West Bank on the air for about a week, FT8+CW
  • no QSL cards this week
• WB3LNY, George:
  • local hamfest in Indiana
    • sold some LMR-400 + other things
  • new tower in place
• VE3HOH, Pete:
  • recovering from back injury
  • cleaning up radios
  • working on some amplifiers
  • getting some HF wires up
• KA3TKW, Tom:
  • Owen Garriott, W5LFL, was the first person to operate ham radio from space in 1983
  • easy sats:
    • ISS
    • SO-50: tues + wed 7:30pm
    • SO-124: tues + friday 12:25pm
    • SO-125: tues 11:25, wed 12pm, thurs 10:30am
  • looking for a presentation for next luncheon
• K3DMM, Denny:
  • worked PO-101 earlier in the week
  • Route 66 on the air: 12 of 19 cities, and 2 of 5 rovers
    • request a cert with even 1 contact
  • met fellow ham at RV show, recognizing antenna
• KC3ZBI, Ron:
  • had someone try to cut his coax
  • wondering about periodically reprogramming the keps in his OpenGD77 HT
  • Tom: every 10 days or so
• W3MW, Don:
  • VHF contest, but not participating
  • antenna work in nice weather
  • looking forward to december contest
• KC3NWN, Jim:
  • new alinco rig, 60m monoband, beam pointed to repeater
  • watched recent ISS pass
  • SO-50 often works for him
  • east stroudsburg hamfest
  • there’s AM on 17m
  • lots of simplex 2m and other VHF
  • QSL card from oklahoma on 17m

Swap and Shop

• VE3HOH, Pete:
  • rohn tower with guy cable, 8 sections

My Week in Radio

• I tried to get in with RF, but couldn’t make it, so on AllStar
• packet radio for Winlink and BBSes
  • like my old modem BBS days
  • phone + btech HT
• POTA, FT8 + CW
• learning value of chokes in the right places: computer interference from RF
• chasing CW POTA from home
• saw more FT8 this afternoon on 10M after a summer of quiet
• not ready to consider Winter Field Day and cold temps

Others

• KC3SCY, Luke:
  • hamfests
  • check out Kutztown Hamfest coming up
  • 1929 hardware
  • practicing with CW on vinyl
• W1RC, Mike:
  • hamfest in the rain is good for deals
  • Nearfest is coming up in MA
• W8CRW, CR:
  • Mullica Hill Hamfest
• WA3VEE, Ron:
  • acquired some rare Dimac gear, which preceded HP
  • clearing out more stuff.
  • breakfast coming up
• KC3RFG, Jim:
  • antenna maintenance
• KB3ZIM, Bob:
  • talked to W3GMS mobile a bit
• KB3ILS, Keith:
  • Mullica Hill Hamfest in the rain
  • planning for Winter Field Day
  • got some parts for the parts box
    • power supply boards with heatsinks
    • some air variable capacitors
• AB3AP, Mike:
  • looking forward to Winter Field Day
  • traveling with army spouse: Orlando, Hawaii
• KC3SQI, Wayne:
  • antenna mast work, but not much
• KC3OOK, Bill:
  • net control for Simplex Net on Saturday and Welfare Net on Sunday
  • got an HP spectrum analyzer from Ron
  • tower work coming up at Joe’s

Questions

• KB3ILS, Keith:
  • Comment: POTA is great practice for CW, and KD3EE sounds easier to send than KB3ILS.
  • How do you clean up and make variable capacitors turn easily?
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • there’s an electronics-friendly lube from the same people who make deoxit
    • oxidation may not have any effect on capacitance.
• KD3AIS, Tim:
  • He has a new vehicle with blanks in the dash. Can he add switches to the dash to switch on the radio? Should he use a relay instead of plain switch? What’s the difference?
  • KB3ZIM, Bob:
    • some equipment demands more current than a switch (and wiring to it) will allow, so then you need a relay.
    • avoid heating of the switch, too.
  • W8CRW, CR:
    • relay for higher-current hardware.
    • maybe avoid connecting the radio to the vehicle power considering warranty.
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • check with Harvey
• KC3SQI, Wayne:
  • consider using a dedicated battery to avoid noise from the car electrical system
    • also keeps it from draining the car battery
• KC3YSM, Steve:
  • second the idea of a small dedicated battery
• WA3VEE, Ron:
  • 4 radios in the van, and none of them are connected to vehicle power system.
• KC3NZT, Harvey:
  • a relay is popular, because the connections on the back of a switch are often too small to handle the current without heat.
  • use low current to control high current
  • low current to the switch also makes it safe to pick anything handy as a ground, so you only need to run one wire.
• KC3YSM, Steve:
  • Dabbling in HF, and feeling like he may no longer be getting out like he had been. How should he evaluate his antenna? He doesn’t have an antenna analyzer yet.
  • Can we do an antenna day at the field day site?
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • excellent idea.
    • remember it could be the bands.
      • check solar weather
    • come to the Thursday roundtable to discuss.
    • dxmaps, dxheat, dxsummit
    • hf propagation maps on google
    • watch SWR on the 991.
    • analyzers: rigexpert, mfj, bird, etc
  • KD3EE, John:
    • let’s play at the next breakfast.
    • watch for solar storms
    • check that colorful chart on QRZ

I have the new Pixel 10 Pro XL, so I needed to setup Winlink again. I purchased WOAD this time from Play store, and signed up for access to the beta. Previously, I had installed the downloaded APK. One can export sessions from old WOAD, but there’s no way to import it into my new phone.

I’m having trouble getting a node that reliably does Winlink. K3IR seems to fail to connect and complete the transaction. I could use the BBS nodes at KA3TKW and W3CRS. Just watching packets on 145.010 shows some advertisements of services on nodes: Winlink, BBS, and mail

Uploading to http://pota.app/ from a phone can be difficult sometimes, but I found a way to do it.

• Export from POLO to Google Drive
• In the mobile browser, zoom out just a little and turn the phone sideways to get pota.app to allow you to upload.
  • make the zoom adjustment in chrome.
  • alternatively, switch to desktop mode, but then you need to adjust back
• Download the ADI file from Google Drive to local Downloads folder, then upload to pota.app. If you don’t download it, you’ll see a network error in pota.app.

US-9719 Susquehanna Riverlands.

• 40m mostly, 10m, 2W, FT8
• 40m CW, 5W
• KD3EE is very nice for CW
• Gabil whip with sliding coil is great
• CA, MX, VA, NC, OH, etc
• I was seeing interference on the touchpad, so reintroduced the choke at the feed point, and that fixed it.
• I had removed the choke, thinking I could use the coax as another counterpoise.