Merry Christmas...!!!

Geminids...

Last night I make few QSOs on 2m (144.363) Meteor Scatter during the Geminids shower. 

The big surprise for me was the 2 Greek stations that I manage to work (SV6KRV and SV6KRW).

Conditions on band it's ideal the last 3 days with no QRN at all. Even the -audible only- weak signals was decoded. 

My setup is ICOM IC-7000 +13B2 Cushcraft 13 elements Yagi + MGF1302 ultra low noise preamplifier.

SV5KKR Experimental Remote Base...

As my FT-817 staying without any activity during winter time I decide to put it work on a remote base project.

 After my succesfull efforts last decade on remote stations (See on http://www.5-9report.gr/59report/5-9%20REPORT%20vol88.pdf  and  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhsbNUBG938  and also  http://sv5byr.blogspot.gr/2011/10/remote-rig-second-installation.html ) the time for a public receiver comes.

I choose Remote Hams and make a request on my son's call after downloading  the neccessery Server software. All goes well and the system works just fine from the very first moment.  

Now the only thing you need is to download the Client Software from Remotehams and to play with receiver.....!!! (the register mail comes very fast)

Pse feel free to send me you comments and suggestions.

CQWW CW Contest...

QRV 

on 

10m band 

SB LP

at 

CQWW CW Contest

ISS over SV5BYR's QTH....!!!

Commander of ISS Astronaut Sunita L. Williams answer to a school students that have sced with International Space Station on orbit 79899.

CQ WW Contest...

Usally Im operate on CW.  

But this weekend without any plan I decide to run CQ WW SSB Contest on 10m band. 

I make 2000 QSOs and for one more time I confirm that ..."you can't beat the idiot". 

Anyway is an "open game" and you take part on your own risk....!!!

Thanks all my hams friends allover Greece for the support. Also thanks all that hams that never learn what is the real man's behavior. In Greece this is named: "filotimo"... (don't search in any other country dictionary, it doesn's exist)

I'll do it again for shure.

PSK-31 Activity...

Last days Im QRV on PSK-31 mode just to remember again everything...hi hi
You can find me mostly on 15m band...!!!

IK2ECC make me suprise....!!!

Carlo IK2ECC and his wife make us a suprise today. They pass from our house this afternoon right when I was on air at 15m band working USA on CW. He knock the door but nobody answers.... (my hamshack is in backyard) So, he decide to leave a QSL card on window and right when he leave my wife comes from QRL....!!!  So meeting him at the exit ask in Italian something pointing my antenna.....

- Mike a ham looking for you...!!!

We exchange QSLs and Carlo leave the last two issues of Radio Rivista magazine.

He plans to make a small DXpedition next year at Rhodes island and ofcourse I tell him that he is welcome.

Visitor...

At my village people says that bug brings luck and good news. 

I really need some....

Holidays are over....

Icom's new baby....

It's the ICOM IC-7100 new revulotionary radio

A nice opening both 6 and 4m...

My holidays at KM36vc (South Rhodes) are continued. This morning checking my favor band (over coffee), I heard I0JX/b with 559. Starting my CQ on 50.100 many stations (mainly Italians) answered to my CQ...

Short skip on 6m with SV2 land give me the oportunity to work SV2CXW George and my good friend Leo SV2DCD. Leo comes with a 59 later on my FT-847's answered my CQ on 4m...!!!!

Next days I'll be QRV from my alternative QTH on 2m MS.

Stay tuned....

OK5MM pass to say hello...

Vit (OK5MM) and his wife pass from my house today to see us. We have a nice ham conversation and ofcourse we stay for while at my shack. He runs at previous weekend the IOTA Contest from his hotel and as he said manage to make 1300 QSOs.

Welldone Vit....!! 73s

Working SV7GBR on 6m...

Manolis testing his new antenna on 6m.

Another 139 QSLs gone....

Due to bad conditions on 6m is good chance for QSLing working with my QSL manager SV5QND (YL Toula) So another 139 QSLs gone today most of them for Europe
Some people still sendining QSL cards without any SAE and fee for returning. That is no fair for someone who have to handle some 100s QSL every month....

PA3FXO on KM36VC...

Yesterday Cees PA3FXO visit us on south Rhodes.  Cees spend the holidays with his family at Faliraki Rhodes and as promished his passing to say hello. He is an interesting person with a wide spectrum of knowledge and a real Amateur Radio man. We have a nice talk for about 2 hours under shadow with about 36 Celcius around....hi hi

Unfortunately no any propagation on 6m to work from my station but the eyeball qso with him was beatiful....

Thanks for visit us Cees and we look forward to see you soon on island.

My 2m transverter....

Searching the Ebay I show this auction:

Up for sale the 144 to 28 mhz No-Tune transverter board. It had been invented and built by one of our Ukrainean HAMs. The transverter has been tested and it works very good. And I can assure you it does. With this transverter you can operate on the 144-146 mhz band useing any type of HF radio at 28 to 30 mhz. You should apply only 100 mWt (0.1 Watts) to it on 10m band to get 10-12 W output power on 2m band. There is no antenna relay required. This auction is included the completely built and tested transverter board and the schematic diagram of the transverter. I made a translation from Russian to English and printed the text there on the back side of the sheet. There is No-Tune transverter. You should only place the board onto the radiator get necessary connection and it's ready to operate. This transverter so small that you can even place it inside your HF radio! Below the basic information about this transverter: The power voltage is 12 V. The Input RF power on 28mhz is about 100mWt (0.1 Watts). Output power on 144 mhz is 10-12 W LO freq is 116 mhz and the crystal it already installed on the board. TX Output transistor is RD15HVF1 RX Input transistor is BF998 PTT to ground. The size of the board is 7cm x 3.5cm The lot does not include the heatsink , power and RF connectors, wires or cables. To get the transverter worked you have to do some soldering works with a cables , wires and connectors. Probably some instruments would be required. I ship Worldwide from the Ukraine by Airmail with insurance and provide a tracking number that can be easily tracked through the Internet here. Usually shipping takes up to two weeks but it can be more or less delivery time depending on how quickly the package goes through Customs Thanks for watching my auction.

 

Knowing that Spyros SV8CS is looking for something like this for his remote station I call and inform him about the transverter....  Few minutes later Spyros make an order for the last two items. I thought that "is to cheap to be good" but the price (50 $) was too low for a second think. 

After 10 days the transverters arrives and last night (due to bad propagation on 6 and 4m) I decide to put it in a box.

My good friend George SV5KJO find and unusual but finally very ergonomic box from an old B/W CCD camera. I put out the junk and I have a nice box and guess what ...with PWR plug and a BNC for the IF input!!!

A spare hole filled with an RCA plug that is necessary for PPT and a new hole for the antenna PL connector. Before the metal work I make the wire work carefully as you can see on pictures ....

I disconect my ME4T 4m transverter from my FT-2000 and just put the plugs to the new 2m transverter. A short breath and fired up the Yaesu. I tuned directly to SV5VHF/b frequency at 144.850 (well is on 144.847 excactly...) and the keying from beacon comes clear and loud to my headphones with S-4. Unpluging the antenna from transverter and out it to FT-817 a see S-5....  Thats good news...

Tune to local repeater on FM the signal comes +40.   Also good news. The RX part is fine. No birdies no unusual sounds and signals.  And all functions and filters of FT-2000 is available....!!!

I make my tests on transmit also. Starting with CW the crispy clear sound of my keying comes out on my IC-7000 receiver and the frequency is also stable. No drifts so far. 

QSYing to local repeater again and optimizing the FM Mic Gain on FT-2000 menu I meet again on random George SV5KJO going to work.... The first thing that noticed is the " FB Audio" He comment also the clear signal. I explain to him that his box is filled with the small transverter .... "I nedd one of this too"....   

I think this small transverter is a diamond.  The price is too low and I don't know why the guy who make them decide to stop his pruduct.

Again thanks to my good friend Spyros SV8CS and George SV5KJO for their help ...

Sporadic is back again.....!!!!

Conditions the last 3-4 days was very bad.... Also my shack was a mesh. My PC burned and thanks god I manage to save my disks. It takes me 3 days to put everything again into my computer and when I equalize the situation I decide to call CQ again on 6m.  Good opening and signals on my S-meter.

Later I decide to move on 4m and the coditions was cool too.... 

 

Big suprise the QSO on 4m with my good friend Leo SV2DCD. 

 Watch the video:

and here from Leo's shack....

But the best comes at the end...!!! Listening on 2m on 15:40 I hear the first station on 144.300  ...IZ4AIK !!!

About 30 QSOs mostly with I, and some with 9A and S5.

...and the map

Click on map for larger picture.

SV5KKR on AEGEAN VHF Contest 2012...

This year I decide to stay out of competition on any band at AEGEAN VHF Contest and for first time my son Manos try on 6m band after his upgrade from SW (category 2) to SV (Category 1) prefix due the low for Radiomateurs change.

Yet another time we use our alternative QTH for AEGEAN Contest at KM36vc. At Saturday propagation goes just fine and he manage to make 180 QSOs. Sunday was a propagation disaster. No propagation at all and only 10 stations. A small opening to SP, OM for all day !!! Total 190 QSOs for Manos and hopes for a good rank...

Late the night on Sunday a good friend send me a link from YouTube about Manos:

Aegean VHF Contest 2012...

THIS WEEKEND (7 AND 8 of JULY)

WE RUN THE AEGEAN VHF Contest.

MORE INFO HERE

July 1st Sporadic E opening on 2m...

Incredible opening on 2m. On 1st part I miss lot of fun (a good friend come to see me) But at the afternoon was coool... I spend lot of time (about 2 hours) at 4m and the rest time  at 6m band.

More info about the opening and reports to:

http://www.mmmonvhf.de/es.php?year=2012&month=07&day=01

pictures are curtesy of http://www.mmmonvhf.de

Big Opening....!!!

What a day. First the opening to North America....  States and Canada passing for 10 minutes. Then the band get flat again. Worked:  K2AXX, VA3DX, VE3BW, K2ERG.

Here is the QSO with K2AXX

Then the 4m open and guess...  OY3JE again on my radio. Easy QSO with a nice 599 but my camera wasn't around...

3.726 Km  on 4m isn't easy work...!!!

 

Here is the QSOs list.....

And here is the QSO with OZ8ZS.....!!!

Around 19:00 another suprise..... !!!

K1MS send me a message to try on 50.158 CW.... and easy I copy him 539 QSB. QSO made under heavy SSB QRM and then K1CP follows. Few minutes later K1SIX comes with a real 599...!!!

TNX all guys.

FT-2000 transverter split frequency (SOLUTION)

Gredits goes to G0UWK and many thanks to 

G4ASR for his Ham Spirit.

Here is his reply to my request and the clever solution:

Sent: Thursday, 4 August, 2011 17:24:07
Subject: de G0UWK

Bit long winded David but bear with the instructions,

Hope they make sense to you, it only takes a few mins to sort but took me 45 mins to write up!

Step 1- enabling the rig’s transverter mode

Switch the radio on

Press the menu button and use the main VFO dial to navigate to menu number 124

(This is the menu that allows band skipping and you need to turn on the “my band” if it is not already enabled)

Turn the SUB vfo dial until you see either AU  E   or   AU d in the green display area

If AU E comes up then that parameter is set correctly if AU d comes up then

Press the ENT key once and AU d should change to AU E

Press and hold the menu key to save the changes.

Step 2- enabling ptt ground jack

Navigate to menu 146 if the green display reads EnA this function is already enabled if it reads dis

rotate the sub VFO until the display changes to EnA.

Press and hold the menu key to save the changes.

Step 3 – offset frequency display

Navigate to menu 36

Rotate the sub VFO to the desired offset, the choice is only between 30-49mhz (mine is set to 44)

You could perhaps set yours to read 40 or 30.

Press and hold the menu key to save the changes.

Navigating around.

To bring up transverter operation you will need to use the sub VFO dial as a band selector as there is no direct input key like there is for all the other bands

This rig has its own “my Band” for transverter operation, do not use the standard 28mhz key ! and this is how you can guarantee not to blow the transverter it’s really neat.

This will only work when its selected to do so, this is where things can get confusing.

The sub VFO can be programmed to do many different things and if its set in the wrong mode you will either be stuck in transverter mode, or stuck on H.F. wondering how to get to transverter mode.

First of all if the large orange semi circle is lit up to the right of the sub VFO dial it means the SUB VFO is active as a secondary VFO and not a band selector (which you need)

Press the bottom right hand button at the far right of the rig labelled A/B, the orange light should go out and one of the four buttons to the left of the sub VFO will light up, press the top one labelled BAND

It should light up red.

Now use the sub VFO dial to navigate through all the H.F. bands until you get to 50mhz, the next band up should be your desired transverter mode and it will read 30.?????? Or 40.?????? Whatever you decided to put in the offset.

That’s it, once it’s in that mode ANT A and ANT B will not produce any RF, so you can leave your 28mhz ant connected to either and connect  RX ANT for 28mhz I.F. to your transverter and the TVR port for 28mhz I.F. Transmit

(remember to switch on RX Antenna on the front panel when in transverter mode)

Hope it makes sense,

It works a treat, the Sub VFO then works as a band selector, you just turn it to whatever band you desire.

If you want to use 70mhz dual rx put the rig in transverter mode press the A/B button press the green LED on the sub VFO marked RX turn up both volume controls and away you go, remembering to press A/B when you have finished otherwise the Sub VFO can’t be used to band select again.

73’s

Ian

G0UWK

My scribbled notes ... (probably doesnt anything to you)

Enable gen cov rx

Select when on sub-vfo

In gen coverage set vfo-b to 27.950

set tnvtr mode - left hand 'band'

but if i make A=B it stops at 40MHz so (top right) band, select 28mhz (27.950)

deselect (top right) band).

 de G4ASR

 Sorry for my English but Im sure that you will undestund ....

Back to "regular" Es conditions...

After couple days of  "unstable" propagation, conditions are back both on 6m and 4m....!!!

Here with IK0VAQ   and  IK0BZY with nice signals on 70 MHz...!!! 

Open to Canada on 6m today...!

SV5BYR/5 AND VE1YX CW QSO.

Worked also VE1DX on CW and VY2ZM on SSB...!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

U P D A T E

Late the afternoon a good opening to 4m  again.

Season's 1st 2m SporadicE opening...!!!

Incredible opening on 2m today.

June 9 Sporadic E  maps

Countries worked:  HA, OK, OM, OE, DL, SP and with tropo 5B, 4X and SV9.

Total durarion:  3 hours  (10:00 to 13:00 UTC)

Number of QSOs:  187.

More info about todays opening HERE.

------------------------------------------------------------------


Erlier the opening on 4m was nice. I manage to work 26 stations
and as always OK1TEH record my transmission. (TNX Matej)
You can hear the recording   HERE. 

 The 70 MHz Es map.