13 USA States

UA6CET (see photo) was my DX (2754 km) for today with PSK31 on 15 meter. On 40 meter I worked IK4LHD, LA5AKA and MMØHMM.

I was also WSPR-ing on 2 meter this morning and I was reported by DL1DBC.

On 17 meter WSPR I was reported by W8LIW (6358 km) and K9AN (6754 km) from Illinois which is my 13th US State. And today there is a tiny sunspot on the surface of the sun, that gives hope.

WSPR 2 meter

The sunspot activity is dramatically low since 16 days. We had a promising peak in January /February but now we reach the point of end November last year.

Now conditions are poor on HF I went to 10 meter and 2 meter for WSPR on those two bands. The Sporadic-E season is here. The months May, June and July are the best months for Sporadic-E refection. Yesterday I WSPR-ing on 2 meter but I get two emails that I was using the wrong dial frequency. I was using 144.488 MHz, but this is only the dial frequency in the USA. I change the dial frequency in the WSPR ini file to 144.489 MHz.

I was reported on 2 meter by PE1NWL, distance 65 km. I received the WSPR signal of DL1DBC, distance 218 km. I check daily the Tropospheric Ducting Forecast for Western Europe and VHFdx.info for possible conditions.

An overview, summary or tutorial about the basics of Sporadic E or Es radio signal propagation as it is used by radio hams or radio amateurs on the amateur radio bands.

Last night I worked on 30 meter with PSK31 SM3CER Jan from Sundsbruk, Sweden.

Busy weekend

It was a busy weekend. My mother-in-law was having her birthday, My son and his soccer team became champion for the season 2009-2010, friends from France came over, I had to fix the dipole because I had replaced the 80 meter coils. I also placed a new coaxial switch for VHF and UHF and now the SWR on 430 MHz is very good. I had a old Hansen SWR meter which was not good for UHF. On video the Quansheng hand held which works very good and I am very happy with it. I was for a short period QRV on 10 meter with WSPR, but there was nothing. First I watched this site if there is any propagation on 10 meter. When there is Sporadic-E Prop., WSPR doesn't give me the results I expected. Why is that?

Power Outage

This morning we had a major power outage. Suddenly all the equipment was dead. A part of North Holland was without electricity. Also the repeater in Alkmaar was dead and also the mobile phone net. I could make a qso with my FT817 (with Batteries) and a repeater in the southern part of North Holland. The power outage took a half an hour or so. I spoke with PDØFSB former QSL Manager in our region, PA3EQC who demonstrating ham radio for pupils in the last class of the elementary school via repeater PI3ALK. Via PI3ZDM I spoke with PA1EJ/M, PE7EB, PA1KC and PE1OAC/M. All on 2 meter.

I don't know what happens, but several replies on comments suddenly are gone. Huh? Also the counting of comments are very slow.

Higher

You know, I am afraid to go upon the roof. When I was young it was no problem, but nowadays, my neighbor put up the Diamond X-30 on top of the roof. I can hear more repeaters now on 2 meter and 70 cm. On the video you can see my dipole also.

With WSPR on 30 meter I was reported by VK2/VK6DI 16.682 km with 5 watt. On the empty pole I will place in September a 160 meter EH antenna for experimenting. I know the antenna is very controversial, but I like to try it myself.

For Adam a picture of one of my power suplies the MyDel MP-8230 - 13,8 V and max. cumulative current 23 A [click here]

New situation

I removed the Falcon Out 250B from the pole, because neighbors complained about the length, lightning etc. So I put the Diamond X-30 on the pole, my 2 meter and 70 cm antenna for local chats. Today I was playing with my new hand held, the Quansheng TG-UV dual band hand held. I can work indoors all local repeaters in Noord-Holland on 2 meter and I can work a 70 cm repeater in Hoorn, about 24 km distance. I get a good audio report because of a clear audio sound. Not all Chinese hand helds are clear in audio. So I am very satisfied what it does. On HF I worked this afternoon with BPSK31 and 10 watt on 20 meter UT2RI, RW3PU and YO9GSB.

I worked on 30 meter with CW EA6NB Jim from Palmanyola, Balearic Islands. With BPSK31 on 20 meter EU8CV Vlad from Gomel, Belarus. I had some QSB and could not copy all perfect. The Solar flux today is 74. No sunspots, though I heard on 40 meter this morning a station from Brazil. Have a nice Sunday! 73 Paul

Barrel

Wolf is a friend of mine. He lives in France for 4 years now and want to return to the Netherlands. He bought a Buick from 1966, a very old car. I called it a 'barrel' what means in Dutch wreck. It's a converted hearse. Now he has troubles with his brakes. When the discs getting warm they got stuck. After 30 km the car gives serious troubles. Oh boy. Today he must leave for France. I don't know... Yesterday he (the car) was spotted by a radio amateur who was on PI3ZDM repeater, he saw the car while he was mobile.

Diamond X-30 antenna

I ordered today a Diamond X-30 antenna for 2 meter and 70 cm. On eHam the reviews are good. A 5 out of 5. Specications: Description: 2m/70cm Dual Band Vertical, Gain 3.0db(2m)/5.5db(70cm), Max Power 150 watts, Wind 135 (mph), 1/2 wave element(2m),5/8 wave two element(70cm), v.swr is less than 1.5:1
I like the local chats on 2 meter, especially those on PI3ZDM, repeater located in Zaandam.


There is a live audio stream of the repeater, so you can listen if you like to this repeater.
[Click here]

This morning I had a QSO on 2 meter with PE1BRV/M Joop from Koog aan de Zaan and with PA1KC Joop the site owner of PI3ZDM.

Will it ever happen?

“The Sun erupted with one of the biggest prominences in years. This shot from the SOHO spacecraft on April 13, 2010 at 13:13 UT shows a Coronal Mass Ejection from the Sun's northeastern limb. The massive plasma-filled structure rose up and burst during a ~2 hour period around 0900 UT.” Read more >>>
This afternoon I worked 7X2ARA club station from Alger Gare, Algeria. With 10 watt CW on 20 meter. With BPSK31 I worked RZ3DC Valeri from Lyubertsy, Russia. Also on 20 meter.

This morning I worked TM5EL Iota station from Sein Island, France with BPSK31 on 40 meter. Also worked with BPSK31 on 20 meter UX7IW Sege from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. I got a very nice QSL card from PE4BAS by mail. Thanks Bas, when I have one in the future I send you one also. On 40 meter I heard a very strange call on 40 meter. They worked with CW on 7126 KHz at 7.49 UTC. The call sign: E1YI and was calling C4Z5. Does anyone know what it is? Pirates?

Low low low

A coronal mass ejection hit Earth's magnetic field at approximately 12:30 UT on April 11th. No sunspots and a noise level of S9. So HF conditions are very poor. I'm going to prune trees in my garden, the forecast is good for today. Last night I spoke a old colleague who is radio amateur PDØBEL Bob from IJmuiden. He was with qrv with echolink on PI3ZDM on 2 meter. After so many years i recognized his voice. Now I am more on 2 meter I will meet more old radio amateurs from many years ago.

Now conditions are so low I enjoy the qso's on 2 meter. I had a qso with PA7GB, PD2HPE, PE1REA, PA1FP/M, PA3DEU and PD2TJK.

PI3ZDM

Yesterday was very quiet on HF. So I went to 2 meter and heard a call on PI3ZDM repeater located in Zaandam. It was PA3HGP André, we had a nice talk, soon was calling in PE1OUD Gerard, PA1KC Joop who put a video of mine on the website of PI3ZDM (A QSO with a UK station last year) others I spoke to: PA1ØØSCOUT/JOTA from Kijkduin, PD2HPE Piet from Utrecht, PE7EB from Alkmaar and PDØWFS/M Fred. I was working with the FT817 and the Miracle Whip antenna indoors.

This is the shack of F4EZD Jean-Pierre from Bedarrides, France, I worked him on 20 meter with BPSK31 10 watt. On 40 meter I worked F8CHM John from Tours with 10 watt SSB. With my FT817 I worked EM2ØUCC a club station from Kiev, Ukraine on 20 meter with 5 watt SSB.

And again

I loose another wisdom tooth. Since Easter I had again a lot of pain. The female dentist extracted the wisdom tooth. That's my second extraction in one week. It has to stop now. This afternoon I checked HF and yes, there was some more activity then yesterday. I worked with CW SP85IARU on 20 meter. On 10 meter I worked with CW YO5OHO Sporadic-E propagation. With PSK31 I worked on 15 meter: OE3EV and OK2PST.

As you see, there was a Sporadic-E propagation on 10 meter.

After the geomagnetic storm 2 days ago band conditions are rather poor. Above 20 meter is almost nothing to hear. There was a lot of European short skip on 20 meter. On 40 meter I worked G6LUG and on 20 meter MM3WYM and RN6HDX (Lili) with PSK31. I had to check my vertical so it was down for a few days. Now I have tightened the bolts, and because the weather was very nice, with almost no wind, I put the vertical up again.

Quansheng TG-UV

I ordered a Quansheng TG-UV handie for 2 meter and 70 cm. Now the weather is improving and when I go biking or walking I can take my hand held with me. Blow a little more life into 2 meter. Also ideal for holidays, we go to Germany this summer. And when there are no radio amateurs qrv I can listen to the build in FM radio. There is enough choice on the Chinese market to buy those radios. So there is Linton, Max, Puxing, Quansheng, TYT, Weierwei, Wouxun, Feidaxin, JingTong and many more. OK, is doesn't have the quality like Yaesu or Icom, but for the reasonable price it's fun to play with. Today we have friends visiting us. Then we go for biking and walking at the beach. No radio today. Have a nice day!

Really small

We are just back from a family visit in Noord-Brabant. I saw this tiny QR transmitter on the site of PA2OHH. “This is a real low power transmitter, so do not expect that you can do everything with it but... When conditions are normal, you can easily make many QSO's during one afternoon with stations with distances up to 2000 km with a simple inverted V wire dipole antenna! From Europe, I did even make QSO's across the Ocean!” Read more on the site of PA2OHH >>> Look at the Junker Straight key at the picture. I used to have one in the seventies. A really nice straight key.

Happy Easter

A Happy Easter to you all! Enjoy the weather, enjoy the hobby, enjoy the love ones, and for the Christians among us: He Lives! 73 Paul

A decision less

“There is not complete agreement on what constitutes QRP power. While most QRP enthusiasts agree that for CW; AM; FM; and data modes, the transmitter output power should be 5 watts (or less)” read more >>>

Band conditions are poor. In March the average sunspot number is for the first time in months not in upward progression but lower this time. Today the Solar Flux is under 80. I lowered my vertical because one part came loose after a few stormy days. Now I am only qrv with the inverted V dipole which works OK. Now I have fewer decisions to make. Hi.

On 10 meter I worked with CW 4X6HP Yuli from Herzliya, Israel.

Fixing a hole

There is a hole in my tooth. So I have an appointment today with my dentist. Though, it’s a female doctor, I don’t like to go. She has 50 minutes scheduled for fixing the hole. I demand an anesthetic, that’s for sure. It is no small QRP hole. Oh, my…

This is a nice Distance Calculator (thanks Paul M6PCZ) I do have worked a lot of the guys I meet here. But the guys beyond the big pond are on my wish list to work. So is Dick N2UGB on the list. We'll have to bridge a distance of 5698 km or 1193 km/watt at 5 watt. One day we will succeed.