New version of JT65-HF

JT65 is one of my favourite modes. Still it becomes more popular, by and by I see more new stations appear on the JT65 frequencies. I was working with the version 1070 for a long time now and it is stable. I noticed a new version 1093 on the web site of Peter G4NKX, so I downloaded the new one. What’s new in the 1093 version?

1093 Changes: CW ID Enabled again. Please report any issues with CW ID (truncated CW ID is the bug). Changed TX code such that there is a somewhat longer tail out (silence) period after data and/or CW ID. Attempting to correct issue where PTT is dropped a bit too soon. Corrected TX watchdog code such that TX will be halted after selected count -- not selected count + 1.

You can download JT65-HF1093 here. Since November 14th I put all the QSO’s with JT65 in an Excel file. Since then I worked 30 DXCC and 19 US states.

Update: my JT65-HF1093 has crashed. So I use now JT65-HF1070 again, because it is proved to be stable.

MV-5+3 vs End Fed Wire

"When the bands are open any goofy antenna will make contacts. People will think this makes a goofy little antenna a good antenna. Not so."[K3NG]

That statement makes me think. How about the small Sandpiper MV-5+3? What is best method to test this little light weighted antenna? First, run QRP. Today I compared the MV-5+3 with my End Fed Wire. Both have a flat SWR. I choose for 20 meter with JT65 running 5 watts. First round with the MV-5+3. I was reported by a lot stations from Europe, Asiatic Russia, New Zealand and USA. Second round with the End Fed Wire: I was only reported by PE1ODO. Huh? Then I switched back to the Sandpiper. Again a lot of stations. Well, the little Sandpiper is a real ‘goofy’ antenna.

Happy Thanksgiving

This holiday in the US and Canada speaks to my imagination. Thanksgiving is original coming from Europe immigrants. But we in Europe don’t celebrate thanksgiving, while we should. I am thankful for a successful surgery (Breast Cancer) of the XYL yesterday. I am happy we are still together here and now.

Yesterday I worked ON3TA with psk-31 on 40 meter. He was working QRP 5 watt with an indoor antenna. See photo. That’s a nice stealth antenna.

Reliable?

How reliable are the HF conditions predictions shown on Solar Terrestrial Data by N0NBH? When I took a look this morning HF conditions would be ‘Good’ at night for 30-20-17-15 meter. But the MUF at 8 hour UTC was 11 MHz. Only on 30 meter I could hear weak signals, but higher no propagations at all. Anyway, below my activities for the last few days. Today, on 10 meter I worked RU4PH with JT65 and PY3ED with 20 watt JT65.

MFSK16

Now something else (new). For the first time I tried MFSK16 with MMVARI beta ver 0.45 I never did MFSK16 before. With JT65 the band is very crowded, more and more hams discover JT65A. So the 2 KHz bandwidth is becoming too small for so many people. That's why I moved to the noiseless MFSK16 frequencies. I called on 10 meter (28.080 MHz) and after a few CQ calls, UA4FPW/QRP came back for me. We had a nice qso. On 20 meter I worked OK2TB with MFSK16.

No takers

Impressive isn't it? Results of calling CQ with 5 watt on 20 meter CW, and JT65A on 20 m and 10 meter. Strange enough no takers. They do hear me, that's for sure. But no one came back for me. I know that with CW they are only reverse beacon stations with Skimmer software.

Only one station OE6HAD was calling CQ on 14060 KHz and made a qso with 100 watt on a QRP calling frequency. The most of the JT65A users are active. Maybe they are only looking for nice DX. Or they are just polite when they reply when I call them for a QSO.

The same with Twitter. I post a message, but it is very rare someone will reply. I do not have high expectations about it.

What about blogging? I don't know. What I do know is, that I will spend more time with the XYL (no metastatis, so that's a big relief) with my children, take a walk in the country, read more books (there is a pile of 10 books I will read) and spend time more meaningful.

PA Beker Contest

Today I joined the PA Beker Contest, it's a Dutch contest on 80 and 40 meter band. But only today in the D section (SSB & QRP) and... oops, I forgot yesterday's CW part of the contest. How stupid can one be. No high ranking this time... nevertheless, It was fun to hear a lot of Dutch stations on 40 meter. I didn't have a 80 meter antenna, so I was active for 2,5 hours on 40 meter. My score was 1128 points (47 QSO's and 24 multipliers) Next contest will be the PACC contest in February 2012.

This was the score in 2010. Click on photo to enlarge. I was number 5 last year. Without 80 meter it will be much lower, I think. I didn't hear Bas PE4BAS this time. I received a lot of stations from Friesland R14.

Worked provinces, big white star my QTH, blank spots: north west part of the Netherlands, South Limburg, and Zeeland.

WSPR on 2 and 10 meter

My results with WSPR running 1 watt on 10 meter. I do not have much time lately for ham radio. Today the XYL had several examinations such as a PET-scan. But I can run WSPR in the meantime.

I noticed tropo conditions on 2 meter this morning, so I tried WSPR on 2 meter with my inefficient vertical. It's better to have horizontal polarization for 2 meter. But I received DJ9AE, that was nice to see, he was running 1 watt.

QRP contact

Not so much time for radio today, but I was listening on 10 meter FM for a short while, I heard CO8LY calling QRZ. I could not work him with my 5 watts. Lower in the band I heard SV1JGX/QRP (see photo) calling CQ with SSB. Manos and I made a nice 2-way QRP QSO on 10 meter. Sunspot 1339 is doing his job.

10 meter was great again

It was great on 10 meter again with 5 watt WSPR. Reported by 63 unique calls, 18 DXCC, 19 US states, best DX VK5LA 15.997 km.

As most of you know by now, my wife suffers from breast cancer. She got a sentinel node procedure last week and and we got good news from the hospital: there is no metastasis. She still needs surgery in about a few weeks. But there is a good chance for recovery. We are grateful for all the support on my blog and e-mail. Thanks again!

PSK31 and QRP

I need some distraction these days. Ham radio is a good thing to chase away unwanted thoughts. Just going /QRP with bpsk31 today. I started on 10 meter with 5 watt. I worked RD3AMP/QRP, RA3YRA, UN7TW (see photo) and ER1RY. On 30 meter: S51DX, SP5MXW and UR2MZ. On 30 meter I used my MV-5+2 vertical antenna and on 10 meter the end fed wire. Yesterday I worked VK4BDJ again with 25 watt JT65 on 20 meter.