WinPsk 2.13

I have downloaded WinPsk 2.13 and I am using it for 2 days. I like this program. Pros: small size, it's free, display is nice better than Digipan, CW ID at the end. Cons: a little text in macros, no log. This morning I worked with PSK31: OK1NE second part of qso lost because of qrm, DM5OKR on 40 meter and IW5AUD on 20 meter.

Goodbye Twitter

On photo F4ARB/QRP Jean-Pierre from Lys-Lez-Lannoy, France which I worked with PSK31 on 40 meter this morning. This afternoon 20 meter was very vivid. With PSK31 I worked F1PKH Serge from Josse, France; UA1CAS Victor from Piorzersk, Russia; EW1AD Nick from Minsk, Belarus; and RN1CT Aleks from Pudomjagy, Russia, he was not on www.qrz.com or Ham callbook.

I was reported by 4X6HF Avinoam Albo from Mazkeret Batya, Israel [info PSKreporter] Further, I said goodbye to my Twitter account. Is is not really my thing, sorry folks for who are following me. Thank you for reading my few tweets.

PSK reporter

I found this website: psk reporter. Now when I am calling CQ without success, I can check this website if anyone reported me. And yes, I was reported. Only the last 24 hours is visible. But never mind, it's a nice tool. I couldn't make a successful contact on 20 meter, but my CQ call was reported in Portugal and Spain. Other reports:

On 40 meter PSK31 I had more success: OT4B, F6EAO/P and ON3WP/QRP 5 watt. This afternoon I had a qso with MØKGV/P Clive from Highworth, England on 40 meter SSB with a very strong signal 59++. He gave me a 59+ also.

With WSPR on 20 meter I was reported by DP1POL Felix from Atka Bay, Antarctica; 13.749 km. Also EA8BVP from Canary Islands. That makes a total of 33 DXCC countries on WSPR.

DXWATCH.com

Sometimes I try to work DX, though it is not easy with QRP. I avoid too big pile ups. But it is not always busy. I use DXWATCH.com and make a filter for e.g. 20 meter CW. It very useful because I know which dx station is calling. And sometimes I try my luck and it works. On the photo you can see that I reported OY2J, I will not be childish even when he refuses to work EU. I will help other hams outside Europe, that he is calling. I wont bother him with a call. I respect his outside Europe call. What should you do? UA4NFQ Boris from Kirov, Russia was willing to work me. With PSK31 on 20 meter. 2914 km, so not bad. Even while the solar flux is 82, conditions are poor on 20 meter. 40 meter sounds alright. I read that Dick N2UGB is QRV on 20 meter, so I will check out 14.060 KHz to see if I can hear or work him.

This morning I worked RL3KQ Gena from Voronezh, Russia [photo] with CW on 20 meter. Also worked YU7SAD Dada from Novi Sad, Serbia. Last night I was WSPR-ing on 40 meter, best DX was VK6POP.

I was reported earlier by VK6POP, but now for the first time I received him too.

Silent again

After a busy weekend on the HF bands, now it's quiet. I was listing on the cw part of 20 meter this morning. I heard a JA1 station very clear, he was working SI9AM from Sweden which I worked after him. I heard I5OWT Piero from Lucca, Italy calling CQ with 15 wpm on 20 meter. We had a nice qso and he had a Ten Tec Transceiver with 20 watt output. On photo his antenna, which is much better than mine.

CQWW Contest 2009

Contesting is not my favorite thing to do, but it is also a change to see how far my signal will come. As Bas PE4BAS said: they are willing to work anybody, especially when the contest is almost over. I worked for over 1,5 hour this morning and worked 26 DXCC countries over 48 contacts mostly on 40 meter. DX RL3A on 40 meter 2157 km. [VIEW LOG] We were a few days with holidays and I spent some time with the family.

40 meter activity

This is the shack of YU1RP Dragan from Belgrade, Serbia. I worked him on 40 meter BPSK31. Other stations I worked with BPSK31 on 40 meter this morning: RV3DB Alexander from Podolsk, Russia [2151 km]; DLØMC Peter from Oberhausen, Germany; 9A3ZC Zoran from Zagreb, Croatia; IZØMQN Ivo from Perugia, Italy and II8IYA Special call sign of International Year of Astronomy. Also did some WSPR-ing on 80 meter, I was reported by PE4BAS, DF6MK, G7JVN, DH5RAE, G4ENZ, G0KTN, PE1DCD, LA3JJ, G4SMX, DL2ZQ, PCØC, LA2XPA, and G3WPD.
This afternoon I worked GW3NYY/P Walt from Wales with CW on 40 meter. And with SSB MJ/W6XD Art from the island of Jersey.

17 meter WSPR

I have never worked on 17 meter (WARC) and today I tried with WSPR. Bingo! I was reported by TF3HZ from Reykjavik, Iceland; 1990 km. Also by OY3JE Faeroe islands. So I do have 30 countries WSPR so far. I used only my Miracle Whip Antenna indoors. My clip on wire is useless on 17, 15, 10 meter. I can only use my MW indoors for those bands. This afternoon a new US state with WSPR on 30 meter KL1X from Houston, Texas on 30 meter; 7106 km.

On photo 4O8A Bosko from Kotor, Montenegro, which I worked with CW on 20 meter this morning. Also YT3AA Zivota from Cicevac, Serbia. With PSK31 on 40 meter G4FQW Brian from Accrington, UK; and on 30 meter S59F Ivo from Nova Gorica, Slovenia.

PSK31

When the kids are in bed, then I can put on the rig. I heard a lot of stations on 40 meter. Very strong ssb stations from the USA, such as W3JK from New York. Or Russia RN3ZDD or EW1MM from Belarus. The last one heard me, he gave me 55 but another strong Russian station was upon us. So I lost him. I moved to a quiet 30 meter, I give a CQ and UX1MW came back for me. Victor from Krasnodon, Ukraine. Back to 40 meter: I called EA6BH, Teo from Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands. [photo] He heard me, and it was a pleasure working him. Friday I worked LY2BH Rimas from Panevezys, Lithuania with CW on 20 meter. No need to say that my WSPR-ing on 30 meter was successful to the USA this afternoon. Lithuania was my 29th country with WSPR.

CW

I came across this nice video about CW. Nowadays people is still interested in CW and learn the code for another way to communicate. This week my kids having holidays and so I will spend time with them and leave the radio for what it is. Maybe a lost hour late at night. Hi.

Family electrocuted

Putting up an antenna is not without danger. Three people are dead after being electrocuted while trying to erect a ham radio antenna. It happened off of Alaska Avenue near Interstate 95 in Palm Bay. Read more >>> I am glad I have a semi-stealth antenna not too high.

Pile Up

The 2 meter band seems to be abandoned. No signals at all. Even the repeaters are silent. When there is any activity then it is on a repeater used by mobile stations to or from work to home. OK, my antenna isn't great for VHF but I can work stations for 30 km. So, for any contact I am designated to HF. But boy oh boy, conditions are poor, and a lack of sunspots. The XYL is at work and the kids are at school. help, I want to speak with anybody, neighbors are at work too, family is always busy with their own thing. OK I try 20 meter. A bunch of noise comes through my speaker. But what the hack... a pile up, and another one. Many stations are crawling over each other, shouting, tuning and whistling on that same frequency. I was pondering. Why don't they spread all over the band? Are ham radio amateurs only watching for DX? When I call CQ it's in vain. Nobody is there. My signal is too weak from my QRP station? Maybe. But the only station I heard and who was calling CQ was EW8A and I was 59+ in Belarus. So nothing wrong with my signal. I think many (European) stations are not interested in other European stations or a station from the Netherlands. They worked probably thousands of them. Or they are lazy to pick up a weak station from the noise. Only listening for the super DX. Was that the reason for me to stop ham radio after 10 years of QRV? I was fed up with ham radio. I listen sometimes on 80 meter, but that is the ragchew band. I cannot talk for a hour about a coil, or whatever. Boring. That is not my piece of cake. And my English is not good enough to regchew, so a normal qso is long enough. Conclusion: there are enough ham radio amateurs on 20 meter, but they must spread on the band and they should be willing to work each other. Otherwise the band could be shortened to 2 times 3,5 KHz.

OK, I stop complaining. I don't wanna be a grumpy old man. I am very happy with my QRP contacts and semi-stealth antennas. I love ham radio in the way I do. And certainly I love the contacts I have on the Internet. Hi.

I was listening on 20 meter and I heard EW8A calling CQ with SSB. He heard me, my first QSO in 2 days. He gave me a 59+, Igor from Belarus. I heard several stations with pile ups on 20 meter SSB such as JY4CI, TF4M and 9K2MU with CW. Conditions on 40 meter are quite good. Several pile ups at the end of the band.

CQ100 Voip Ham Radio

Is this still ham radio? Yes and no. Yes, when you can have contacts with other hams all over the world, it's in a way ham radio, only by Internet. You can use phone, CW and PSK31. No problems with the lack of sunspots, or other bad propagations. You like to chat with fellow hams, then try CQ100. No, when you think radio should be only wireless transmission. You probably considered this as fake ham radio. You didn't have your license for chit chat on the Internet, do you? Read more >>>
Though, I am a bit curious. There is a free trial for 3 months, but then you have to pay 32$. What do you think about it?

Nothing much today on 40 and 20 meter. So I was WSPR-ing on 40 meter this afternoon. With best DX VK6POP. Now I am listening on 500 KHz WSPR. I heard OR7T from Belgium in JO20IX, 181 km, with 200 milliwatt.

SSB Tuesday

This morning I worked EG7NL Claudio from Almeria, Spain with SSB. He was one of the few stations I heard on 20 meter. I got a 59 report. Not bad from the South of Spain. Another Dutch station after me got a 57 report. So I trust his 59. Hi. Back to 40 meter SSB I called DL2KBY/P Werner from the German/Austrian border with a 59. We had a nice QSO. I checked both bands for CW stations, and heard not that much, so I am still convinced that I can work SSB with the same success as CW or PSK31. Maybe CW and PSK31 are slightly better. Werner was running 100 watt into a long wire. I got a 55 report from Werner. In the afternoon I worked with SSB on 40 meter SP3VBF Michal from Chodziez, and I admire his patience for picking my signal out of the QSB, in the peak 55. Also worked DL3CH Werner from Erlangen near Munich, Germany.

CW education

CW should be part of every education, because when kids learn CW its a piece of cake. It is like biking and skating: once learned you'll never forget how to do it. I will not blame my old folks (have mercy on their souls) that they didn't. Now I stumble at 'old age' with my fist keying, but I will not give up.

A Bencher straight key

I bought a new straight key (a Bencher), because I sold my old one many years ago. I don't want to unlearn to work with a straight key. It has been 25 years ago I worked with a straight key for the last time. Boy oh boy, it is not easy. All those years working with a electronic keyer... OK, starting with 15 wpm. Faster is not yet possible with a straight key. This nice video is not mine but comes from WA2JSG. In the early hours of Sunday I worked on 40 meter with CW LZ1NP Lubo from Sofia, Bulgaria. With PSK31 YO8CGR Eugen from Campulung, Romania. I was reported with WSPR on 40 meter by UA3BZ from Moscow. Have a nice Sunday.

Kazakhstan with PSK31

Last night I worked UN1L Gennady from Rudny, Kazakhstan on 40 meter, 3836 km. [screen photo] Also worked UA3SLN Dmitry from Ryazhsk, Russia. With CW on 40 meter: LZ44WFF a contest club from Karlovo, Bulgaria.

PSK31 40 meter

Last night I was working with PSK31 on 40 meter. I made a short movie of my PSK31 screen. This morning I was working OK1DIB, Adolf from Tyn Nad Vltavou, Czech Republic and OL5DIG Stepan from Chodov, Czech Republic. I've been there once. Very nice city.

This morning I had a CW QSO on 40 meter with SM5COP Rune from Strangnas, Sweden (see photo). On 20 meter a two way QRP CW QSO with EV6DX Victor from Vitebsk, Belarus. 1650 km. I worked on 20 meter this afternoon with CW LZ4ØATSA, Special Event Station from Sofia, Bulgaria; Z3ØV, Zoran from Kocani, Macedonia; and UA1OOX Igor from Arkhangelsk, Russia, 2420 km. The last one for today is IZØKBA Lorenzo from Castel Madama Roma, Italy with PSK31 on 40 meter.

First I thought, I will make a qso with cw on 20 meter. I heard some stations, but I was not successful. They didn't hear me. Suddenly I heard on 14.058 probably qrp stations working. Though very weak. Suddenly I could copy 'my name is Dick' but the signal went down after this. I believed I heard SP5ANY [?] station on the frequency. Now I thought I hear maybe N2UGB Dick on 20 meter and we can make finally the qso we are waiting for. I went to 14.070 for PSK31 hoping for more luck. And yes, there were a lot of stations active. I worked: UA3PI Vladimir from Tula, Russia; HA1ZW Josef from Zalaegerszeg, Hungary; IK5FKB Adelio from Arezzo, Italy; LY1NM Nick from Vilnius, Lithuania; and RN3DFN Ilya Dubna, Russia. On 20 meter (14.010) I heard a SSB station calling CQ DX on the wrong part of the band. It was YL2DZ. [listen to audio clip] Today it's a rainy day. Weather for staying at home. This afternoon I had a two way QRP CW qso on 40 meter with HE8DAX/QRP Fred, he runs 5 watt into a dipole antenna.

Liechtenstein

This morning I worked Liechtenstein HBØ/OE9SDV Dietmar from Masescha, Liechtenstein with BPSK31 on 40 meter. First I thought it was Switzerland but when I was searching for the QTH on a map I realized it was Liechtenstein. It was on my wish list for Europe countries number 67. Also on 40 meter PSK31 SO7ØO Wieslaw from Czestochowa, Poland, Special Event Station 'No More War'
Unfortunately, both stations don't have eQSL.

Kristiansund, Norway. Tonight I was running WSPR on 80 meter for 2 cycles of 4 minutes transmission. DX: LA2XPA 1215 km. Average distance on 80 meter: 552 km. One cycle on 30 meter, average distance: 4632 km. DX: W1XP.

New Zealand

With WSPR my signal is received at the other end of the world. I was reported with a 0,5 watt on 30 meter by ZL2RX, Nelson, New Zealand. 18.490 km. Not bad. [view log]

APRS

The first time I read something about APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System) was on the web site of Julian, G4ILO. I found on the Internet (Twitter) that Google Maps can show positions radio amateurs with APRS. Also I followed yesterday PA3CSX in the near of Amsterdam. More information about APRS can be found here.