KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

CW

Dayton 2006: Day One

By Leave a Comment

Dayton has lost some of its luster over the years, but it’s still the coolest gathering of amateur radio operators in the world. For the second year in a row, I took some time off so I could be down in Dayton for more than just a single day.

My Dayton started at 5 am Thursday morning, when I pulled out of my driveway, hoping to get to the Fairborn Holiday Inn by 8:30 am. Why so early? Well, that’s when QRP Amateur Radio Club International‘s Four Days in May (FDIM) started.

I drove it in on swell foop and actually made it just in time. I pulled into the parking lot right about 8:15 am, and by the time I got out of my truck, stretched, and got myself registered, it was 8:30 am. How’s that for timing!

The sessions were all really great, and I came away with a lot of good advice and great ideas:

  1. Antennas – the Practical Aspects, Bill Kelsey, N8ET. “Don’t think too much. Throw up some wire and make contacts.”
  2. High-Density Design and the KX-1 Transceiver, Wayne Burdick, N6KR. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” (I’m referring, of course to how they shoehorned yet another band into the extremely small box of the KX-1.)
  3. A Regenerative Receiver Primer: A Little History and Some Practical Ideas, George Dobbs G3RJV. “Non multa sed multum” or “Not quantity, but quality.” This was a wonderful talk on how to build regen receivers, and George included a bunch of circuits to play with. I’m going to get my middle school kids to try some of these.
  4. K7QO’s Mark IV Transceiver, Chuck Adams K7QO. I don’t think I came away with any specific idea from this particular session, but certainly a lot of little ones as they relate to homebrewing your own radios.
  5. Making Antennas With Fiberglass Poles, Gary Breed K9AY. “It’s more fun to use these things to make antennas than it is to go fishing with them.”

I’m probably the most geeked about building the regenerative receivers. The circuits are relatively simple, and George showed one project that bore a striking resemblance to the no-solder code practice oscillator that I had the kids build. You first print out the circuit diagram and then paste it to a chunk of wood. Then, you pound in some copper finishing nails at all the circuit nodes and solder the components to them. No circuit board required!

In fact, George advised against doing a printed circuit board for these projects. I can see why. Doing so would add a level of complexity that isn’t really needed. These circuits are simple enough that using copper nails–or perhaps terminal strips–is the way to go. These construction techniques would certainly make experimentation easier.

That evening, there was a “Meet the Authors” gathering, and I got to meet both G3RJV and K9AY. Both are great guys, and it was a very enjoyable time. George was selling a CD with all of the circuits he described in his talk, and I bought that from him for $10. In fact, I was advised to buy one of everything that George was selling, but I only bit on the one item.

In the hallway outside the meeting room, Lloyd K3ESE had set up a small station consisting of his KX-1 and a Buddipole (or some such antenna) just outside the door. They were using the callsign K6JSS, the QRP ARCI club call. For some reason, just as I approached, Lloyd had to step away.

Since none of the other guys were familiar with operating a KX-1, I got pressed into service, and over the next half hour or so, I made about ten contacts with other QRPers operating their QRP rigs in the Holiday Inn and adjoining hotels. That was a blast.

Perhaps the coolest QSO was with AB1AV, who I found out afterwards, was standing right behind me. He was operating a little rig in an Altoid tin feeding a dummy load! We had to quit when he reported that the dummy load was getting too hot to hold on to. :)

Well, that’s all for Day One. Stay tuned for my report on Day Two at Dayton 2006.

This Weekend on the Radio at KB6NU

By Leave a Comment

I had a great time on the radio this last weekend here at KB6NU.

First off, was the Fists Spring Sprint. The Fists Sprint is a relatively low-key contest, and it’s a lot of fun.

One reason I like it is that it’s pretty short, It’s called a “sprint” because it only lasts four hours from 1300Z to 1700Z. So, right about the time I’m getting tired of operating, it’s over. :)

This time, I scored 10,556 points (74 QSOs, 364 QSO points, 29 multipliers). While not as good as my score of 11,500 in the Winter Sprint, I’m hoping that it will be good enough for a top ten finish.

Later that evening, I was kind of burned out on CW, so I actually tuned around the 40m phone band for a while and heard K3LBQ calling CQ. We got to talking about how very few people seem to call CQ on 75m anymore. In the middle of our chat, K3DOS broke in and joined us. He agreed that 75m operators seemed to be a cliquish lot.

Somehow–probably because I mentioned that I had just passed the Extra Class test–we got talking about the licensing process. That, of course, led to my rant on how we don’t do a very good job of Elmering Technicians up the ladder, and that my Op-Ed piece on this topic is due to be published in the July QST. We ranted and raved on this topic for about an hour before I pulled the plug, and it was a heckuva QSO.

WWII Era Q-Signals

By 2 Comments

This from Scott KD7PJQ, via the SolidCpyCW mailing list in response to a thread on the reasoning behind Q signals:

Although this doesn’t explain a rhyme or reason to the Q signals, I thought the following was very intersting. From Bill Neutzling’s B-24 Liberator Site. The site includes training manual for radio operators–the Radio Operators’ Information File (ROIF). It has two pages explaining Q signals. (To view the pages, you have to go to the website by clicking on the link above, click on the link to the “Radio Operator’s Information File,” the page down to “Page 15-1” and “Page 15-2,” and click on those links….Dan)

There are a few I recognize. I’m going to see if I can dig up an old copy of FM 24-13.

This list is missing a few that are common in amateur use, such as QRP and QRO, but there are others that are useful for use in aviation. For example, QAA means, “I expect to arrrive at …..(time).” QAL means, “I am going to land at ……… (or …………).”

There’s even a QLF! According to this manual, QLF does not mean, “I’m sending with my left foot,” but rather, “Your frequency is slightly (or ………. kcs) low.”

I did a Google search for “FM 24-13,” and found a reference to The Able Baker Story. This page noted the full name, “Basic Field Manual FM 24-13.” When I plugged that into Google, I got a second reference to the Travis Air Museum, aka the Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Museum. On their book references page, they list FM 24-13 as being in their library. Perhaps we could get them to photocopy the Q signals pages from the manual.

Filed Under: CW

This Weekend on the Radio at KB6NU

By Leave a Comment

First off – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This weekend started out with the monthly ARROW breakfast. As it was on a holiday weekend, I wasn’t expecting much of a turnout, but there were at least 20 of us. Jack, AB8RK, and I were “encouraging” one of our members who got her General license last spring to get on HF. We even offered to come over and drill some holes in her house for her (so that she can run some coax into her shack).

Every club should have social events like this. It helps build camaraderie, and it’s just plain fun.

I didn’t get a lot of time to operate this weekend, but I was able to put in a couple of hours working Straight Key Night.. As I did last year, I used my J-37 with leg clamp. Man, that clamp is tight! My leg gave out just about the time my arm did. :)

I made seven contacts, all on 40m, including a nice one with Sam W5WAX. I hope to add his card to my collection soon.

A New Year’s Resolution for CW Ops

By Leave a Comment

I don’t normally make New Year’s resolutions, nor do I suggest that others make them, but with the imminent change in licensing requirements (i.e. the elimination of the Morse Code test), here’s one suggestion that I will make. I would like to suggest that every Fist member find a ham in their club or community with even a remote interest in CW and Elmer him or her, the goal being to make him or her into a proficient, active CW operator by the end of the year. 

If you can’t find anyone right off, don’t get discouraged. Talk up CW at club meetings, rig up your 2m FM rig to send modulated CW over your repeater, invite people over to your house to watch you work CW. Do these things consistently and pretty soon someone will come out of the woodwork.

You gotta work at it, but in the end, we’ll have more active CW bands and better operators, and isn’t that a worthwhile goal?

Free Software for the Advanced CW Operator

By Leave a Comment

From Hank K8DD, via the Fists mailing list:

RUFZ 3.2 – The ultimate free training software for the advanced CW-operator

Just saw this on the CQ-Contest reflector. This has always been a DOS program – Now there is a Windows version that works very well! It is new and may have some bugs, but I have not found any so far! Great way to see how fast you can copy CW!

Filed Under: CW

More Morse Code Madness

By Leave a Comment

Thanks to Steve W3HF via the SolidCpyCW mailling list, here are two pointers to Morse Code fonts:

  1. This one has just the dits and dahs.
  2. This one has both the dits and dahs as well as the letter they represent.

They’re .ttf files, so they should install on both Macs and PCs.

Filed Under: CW

QMN Celebrates 70th Anniversary

By Leave a Comment

In his latest Michigan Section News, our Section Manager, Dale WA8EFK writes:

The Michigan Net, QMN, celebrated its 70th Anniversary this autumn. Founded in late 1935 by members of the Detroit Amateur Radio Association, QMN is the nation’s oldest spot frequency traffic net and is responsible for a number of innovations in public service communications.

Before QMN, message traffic was handled through individual schedules between stations. Radio Amateurs who were not part of the ARRL Trunk Line system would typically maintain a schedule with stations to the North, South, East and West. When traffic was destined for a location in a particular direction, it was transferred on schedule to the station closest to the addressee. The non-systematic nature of these methods often resulted in delays in delivery.

A Committee of the Detroit Amateur Radio Association, with an eye toward improving public service communications, took advantage of a number of improvements in radio technology in the 1930s, such as stable crystal controlled transmitters and calibrated receivers, to implement a single-frequency traffic net. This new method permitted stations throughout a state or region to meet on a specific frequency, at specific times each day to exchange traffic, resulting in more reliable traffic flow and consistent message originations and delivery. This concept of the spot-frequency traffic net would become and has served as the predominant model for all traffic nets to this day.

At a QMN meeting in Detroit in 1939 a Committee developed the well-known QN-Signals, which were eventually adopted by the ARRL for all CW traffic net use. QN-Signals are widely distributed in ARRL publications and continue to be used throughout North America. QMN also pioneered in the field of disaster response, deploying QMN emergency response teams in an era before the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps (predecessor to today’s ARES) was a commonplace fixture.

Previously, QMN constructed and maintained a VHF packet radio network, which covered a large portion of Lower Michigan. For a time QMN also operated HF PACTOR gateways for use as a public service communications tool. Today QMN continues to serve as Michigan’s Section CW Traffic Net. In addition to handling NTS message traffic, QMN operates a statewide rain gauge network in support of the National Weather Service, having implemented innovative methods for automated message delivery and interface with NOAA computer networks.

QMN members take great pride in the efficiency and reliability of their CW traffic net. In recognition of its long-time role in public service communications, QMN wishes to announce the creation of a new operating award in honor of its 70th year: The QMN Emergency Preparedness Award. The award is open to any licensed radio amateur who meets the following requirements:

  1. He/she must deploy a portable HF station at least five times in a calendar year.
  2. Each time his station is deployed, he must check-in to one of the QMN CW Nets and originate a message to the QMN General Manager (WB8SIW).
  3. This message must be properly transmitted in standard NTS message format and should indicate that he is operating portable or on emergency power and where the station is deployed. Stations participating in NREN functions, emergency exercises, and similar activities may also qualify for this award, provided they are deployed in a portable configuration, check-in to a NTS CW net, and originate the required radiogram to the QMN General Manager.

A sample of the required radiogram message might be:
21 R K8QMN 12 GRAND RAPIDS MI JUN 27
WB8SIW BK
K8QMN OPERATING PORTABLE FROM US
COAST GUARD GROUP GRAND HAVEN
X 73 BK
MEYER

Upon completion of the necessary requirements, the participant will receive a handsome certificate suitable for framing, which attests to his level of emergency preparedness and operating skill.

With the nice weather just a few months away, this award may provide just the incentive to get away from the TV and computer on a warm spring or summer evening.

I had no idea that QMN was such a trailblazer. All those involved deserve a hearty congratulations for their hard work.

Egg on My Face

By 2 Comments

I recently bought a Begali Simplex paddle. I was excited because it’s a really beautiful paddle, and it got glowing reviews on eHam.

Right from the start, though, I had problems with it. The contacts seemed to be flakey, and at times, seemed to make no contact at all. I e-mailed Begali, and he said he’d send me a new one and to send the one I had to Lloyd, K3ESE, who is (sort of) his agent here in the U.S.

When I emailed K3ESE, he noted that this is sometimes a problem with Begalis and advised me to try polishing the contacts first. To do this, he sent me four little pieces of very fine sandpaper: 400, 600, 800, and 1000 grit. He said to use them on the contacts from coarsest (400) to finest (1000).

When I put the contacts under the magnifying glass, you could see that it wasn’t a smooth surface. Using the sandpaper, I was able to get the contacts smooth, but when I hooked it back up to my keyer, the paddle still acted intermittent. This was very frustrating. I had a paddle that looked great, but worked lousy.

I put the paddle aside for a couple of days while trying to decide what to do. I had just about decided to send it back when I thought I’d give it another chance last night. This time, however, instead of connecting it to my Heathkit keyer, I plugged it into my KX-1.

This time, it worked like a charm! I plugged it into my IC-746PRO, and again, it worked flawlessly. So, I guess all along the problem was with my keyer–or probably more likely the cable that runs from the keyer’s printed circuit board to the phone jack.

This is really embarassing, but I really had no reason to suspect the keyer. It worked just fine while the Bencher was connected to it, and I haven’t had any problems at all with it since I started using it over four years ago. I guess the moral of the story is that to avoid getting egg on your face check EVERYTHING that could possibly cause a problem.

————————————————————

After choosing the titile for this blog entry, I thought to myself, “getting egg on one’s face” is a great saying, isn’t it? I did a quick Google search and came up with the following explanations on www.phrases.org.uk:

  1. This expression possibly alludes to dissatisfied audiences pelting performers with raw eggs. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]. From _The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms_ (1997).
  2. Origin: From the embarrassment suffered if the yellow yolk is on ones lips or beard after eating a soft boiled egg in one of those egg cups, a favorite breakfast of the upper crust… Yellow egg shows up especially well on a beard or mustache. From Origin of Phrases: Chapter 9.

Cool, eh?

Filed Under: CW