A Nice Weekend!

Weather was great here this weekend. Older I get the more I dislike temperature extrememes, either below zero or too hot. I did not operate one bit of the CQ WPX , only checked how busy some of the bands were using HRD Bandscope and My Kenwood Ts-850. 20m was incredible and comparing it to 17m really made how full it was standout. Bandscope is a neat tool and I know at least one Ham who has used it to help alleviate noise by saving and sending the results by email,but thats a whole other story!
I had wanted to give My trusty Kenwood one last spin during a contest and before My new Yaesu arrives but that's the way it goes! I did have fun this weekend and spent lots of it with My family. We enjoyed Movie night, family Basketball where I realized walking Our dog is good but I'm still out of shape! Weekend was filled with many hours spent with My Wife and Kids doing all those activities We should do more often together.Basically an enjoyable time even though had a few pangs about WPX and the contest adrenaline rush....well,weekends like this will be remembered long after the contest is a fuzzy memory!!
73-- Tim

Ft-950 and WPX Weekend

My new Radio should arrive early next week . I was hoping it would be here before WPX weekend,but that's Ok. I've downloaded the manual and browsed thru it and checked eHam reviews and also several blogs with setup and reviews. A very good explanation and review of the Yaesu FT-950 is Dean Barnes' blog. I have also been thinking about minor modifications and layout of My shack. I think it's time to have My new HF rig closer to My computer instead of the Yaesu 857. I tend to ragchew on HF more than VHF lately and HF-6m versus 2m means I'll not be using the 857 as much!
This is also CQ WPX SSB weekend, started several hours ago and I still haven't jumped in. I setup the Kenwood 850, hooked the headset and footswitch up ,checked ALC and processor levels , made sure N1MM was set-up too. That was right before the contest started and then it was supper time, walk the dog and play some ball with My Girls. Chickens needed tending and just general chatting about the day and week with My wife till finally now down in the shack-- its another " jeez am I tired Friday night" . Much,much prefer contests that start on Saturdays! Maybe thats why I enjoy the State QSO parties so much.
Oh well, contest does run all weekend......
73--Tim

New Radio on the way!!

Photo from Rigpix Database until I can take a picture of My own Radio!

Yes, I have to decided to upgrade to a newer Radio- a Yaesu Ft-950 which will be 20 years newer than the radio it will replace. Time for My trusty Kenwood TS-850s to go. Tough decision since this radio has performed flawlessly since I bought it 8 years ago from a Ham buddy of mine who was the original owner. I had seen pictures of the 850 when it first was being sold and always wanted one. Now that its 20 years old,with part availability unknown and before any problems arise , time for the Yaesu. I did this with several Radios about 5 years ago- sold them ,some other gear and bought My Ft-857D. I always need to offset the price and sell equipment to justify the expense.

Thanks to My Wife who supports this hobby and this new addition- love You!!

73-- Tim

Computer Aided Transciever Operation-part 2

So I located the proper CAT interface for My Yaesu ft 857D on Ebay. Simple 8 pin mini-din to DB-9 with about six feet of cable. Level conversion was built into the DB9 connector. The price was around $25 which is pricy but they need to make a profit and I needed to control my radio!
I received it several days later and hooked it to My radio and first tried it with Ham Radio Delux. I set up HRD for the Yaesu Ft-857 and the recommended speed of 38400. I also needed to change the Radio menu-20 to "CAT" and menu-19 to 38400. It worked great with HRD and also with N1MM but needed to be set to 4800 bps for both the Radio and logger to work together. N1MM wasn't the only Contest logger I use and several other programs also liked the speed to be set for 4800bps.
In several previous posts I mentioned the issues with the Yaesu Ft-857 and contesting. Nice radio,works for most operating but really wanted to also have the option of using my other radio,a Kenwood TS-850s. This radio uses a CAT IF-232 type of Data transfer. My understanding is it not only needs level conversion but also inverts the data. Well just so happens several Internet Suppliers of this type of interface are available. Price again is the factor and eham reviews steered Me towards a Manufacturer from the United Kingdom. Delivery was again speedy and the price was reasonable.
Hooked the 6 pin din to the radio and the DB-9 with the level converter/inverter built into the connector to the PC. I have heard Kenwood plays best with 4800bps and HRD defaulted to this speed . Worked first time- Alright!! With the CQ WPX contest approaching next weekend, I hope to have time to try the new interface out during contest conditions.
I do have to change the connector to the PC depending on Radio I want to interface so next I will probably aquire a DB9 switch box for a neater,easier install. I have used a CAT interface for RTTY and it works great too.
73-Tim

Computer Aided Transciever Operation-part 1

When i first started contesting I actually used paper logs and a plain old desk microphone. The few times I tried "running" a frequency I soon realized how difficult it was to not be hands-free. I built interfaces for Electet microphone and foot switch operation and of course started logging all contests on My PC, even general logging. I joined eQSL and LOTW and always sent every Log no matter how small to the contest robot each time I participated in a contest. I tried to aotumate My contesting as much as possible. What does this have to do with "CAT" control? Simple-- I was tired of keeping track of Frequency and band by manual entry and not being able to utilize band mapping and other features. Up to this point in time ,I have built all My interfaces and was planning on building the reqired CAT interface for both My Yaesu FT-857D and Kenwood TS-850S. It would reqire a Max232 level converter and a inverter for the Kenwood. I also wanted to incorporate sound card interface, level control,footswitch,different microphone and speaker connections. All interfaces I have but in mostly separate boxes. Organization was end game! Wow-- aquired some parts and even stripped a box I figured would work. The problem was the "time" factor. I have built most of these over the last several years and have during this time drawn a basic new schmatic, the the ultimate interface! Probably should have bought one from anyone of a dozen makers . Lots to chose from, but since I now only need a basic CAT for two radios,I decided to finally break down and buy one for the Yaesu and found it on EBAY.
More tomorrow........

Wisconsin QSO Party

After the ARRL DX contest, I wasn't planning on contesting for some time but then this QSO Party pops up on the radar and I enjoy this one so here I am! It was an absolutely beautiful day in Northern Minnesota so I spent alot less time operating than planned. I spent several hours on 40m and 80m , checking the upper bands but hardly any action heard up higher. 40m was busy in the General part and later did have to compete with some BC stations from 7.2 on up. Towards the end of the contest the action shifted to 80m and thats were I found more QSO's and was able to double QSO count and total score from last year. Surprisingly I only gained one County more from last Years amount.
QSO- 70 Mults- 30 PTS -105 total score 3150

Not a huge score but again I had fun!
73--Tim

ARRL International DX Contest 2010

Friday night did not go well for Me in this contest so I occupied My time with other pursuits. Saturday at 1515 UTC was My official start in this contest and I had My first QSO's on 15m. For the next several hours , I bounced between 15m and 20m and was very frustrated with My equipment. The QRM was bad on 20m, but 15m was not bad. The problem being stations just were not hearing Me. I realize I'm not a big gun station but after many attempts to contact a station I'm usually successful. During this whole time I tried many different fixes-- switched Radios,antennas, of course checked power and SWR and used My MFJ antenna analyzer to find the problem or problems.

Both radios exhibited the same "not hearing Me problem '" till I found a suspicious jumper which only appeared to be bad with power passing thru it. Now My Kenwood TS850 seemed good, although I noticed My vertical antenna was not tuning as well as earlier in the week. That was going to be a problem for My other radio, a Yaesu ft-857D with no Auto tuner. It is also the only Radio hooked to the PC for logging to N1MM. My 260' dipole always needs a tuner to match it and really only has good "DX" ears from 20m on up.Below that its a "cloud Burner".

I came up with a unique solution-- I'd use the Kenwood and unhook the Yaesu and put it on a dummy load and manually track the frequency to the Kenwood . This way N1MM would log frequency and change bands and also show correct band mapping. Tedious but at least now I was making contacts.My vertical was still acting strange-- working some bands ,but not as well on others. I did go out and visually inspect it but with three feet of slushy snow 75' between it and Myself, decided to just head back to the basement and return to the contest.

Later I was able to hook up the Yaesu and use it for 40 and 20m but 15m was still acting strange and the Kenwood was more convenient with its Auto tuner. All these issues did slow Me down and I only tried S & P mode and tried to stay away from the really busy 20m and only attempted 40m later in the evening. Sad to say the much hoped for 10m opening never happened up here. I watched it open on Sunday SE and SW but never reaching up here. 15m ended up being the most enjoyable band and I'd like to personally thank all the South American and Carribbean stations I was able to log. I did have some success to Europe and Africa but had an absolute wall to Italy!! Different from last Year when the Italians were logged many times.

With a small station luck sometimes comes into play. I was able to log an Aruba station when hearing someone tuning up and -bingo they called CQ and I was ready and waiting. Long before they were spotted. Once spotted the , mayhem begins!!

I was hoping for better totals but feel fortunate to have participated considering the "issues" I had with My station. Dx is always fun to log!

Final score was 12,636-- can only hope to improve next time!

73--Tim

What a Difference A Day makes!

Last night while checking the bands in preparation for the ARRL DX contest, Made several contacts on both 15m and 20m. Each time I heard a CQ and stations returning, the returning stations were just not strong enough for the calling station to hear. I throw out My call and hear those sweet words" N0UJJ, nice signal in...." . Yes! My Vertical does the job with 100w again.
Then tonight, trying to contest, I'm reminded of the Friday night of the 160m contest. Signals to Me are great-- hello, can anybody hear ME?? Nobody hears ME. Switched rigs to My trusty
Kenwood 850 ,still no replies. The blackhole has swallowed Me again. Maybe tomorrow-- time nfor the nine o'clock news and its been a long week again- I'm beat!!
73-- Tim