One night last week, I set up my new FT-857D (yes, that's what I said). When I got the radio, I also bought one of those dual band whips with the mini mag-mount just to try it out, and now it's clinging to a shelf bracket. I've not rustled up anything for 6m, yet, but as this rig replaces the FT-690R, I'd better do something about it. I played around with the menus to get the correct channel spacing on VHF, and to turn the power down to 5 Watts on all bands. I'll tell you about that next time, as I'll need to set up repeater shifts, too, though I have no idea why I would want to. That evening, I heard two stations through a local repeater. Not noteworthy, you might think, but their conversation was a good example of the worst operating you are likely to hear. Not content to break licence conditions with a lack of frequent station identification, the short snippet I had the misfortune to hear encompassed a discussion on the criminal activity of someone known to them, the benefits system, politics and the troubles of a local (named) personality. One of them was then drowned out by someone shouting abuse. I blame the education system.
I didn't have a lot of time last weekend, so I missed most of the SSB Field Day contest. Whilst eating breakfast on Sunday, I had a tune round 15m. I didn't hear many Field Day stations, but I was amazed to hear a number of JAs. I don't recall ever hearing any since I moved to this QTH over twenty years ago. There was a lot of QRM and, as I've said before, this room is rather 'hot', so I couldn't work any of them with my TS-590S running 30W to an indoor dipole. I did, however, manage to make my first contact using it, a Russian station. Conditions deteriorated rapidly after that.
I got the 857 in Glenrothes during the Jaycee Open Day. It wasn't the most exciting of events, but it will surely have brought a lot of business to the shop. There were a few talks, but they appeared to be sales pitches by Waters and Stanton. I only attended one, a (fairly poor) presentation on Software Defined Radio. Oh, if only. I wasn't too impressed with the presenter (Jeff Stanton?), who either didn't know, or didn't care, that some of those attending the event, or his talk, were women with Amateur Radio licences (I've also experienced that from Mark Francis, too, in the past). He also didn't convince me that SDR is necessarily a good thing, or that spending ludicrous amounts of money on something designed and made by an unknown Indian company would be the best use of one's hard-earned cash. It's still in its infancy, so I'll think about it when I retire. I'll be attending the RSGB Convention next month, an event from which W&S are banned (no idea why). Their rivals, Martin Lynch & Sons, sponsor the convention, so it will be interesting to see what they are like. No, I didn't take any photos.
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Friday, 23 August 2013
Latest news
It goes without saying that not much has happened in the last month.
1. I've had one attempt so far at setting up the UV-5R, but it really can't be done efficiently without the software, a program called CHIRP. This software appears to be updated on a daily basis, so I will have to download the current version at the time I intend to programme the rig. By the looks of it, I have to take an image of the (default?) setup (Radio --> Download From Radio), then edit the data, which looks like it is displayed in a spreadsheet format. What could possibly go wrong?
2. I am famous for doing one thing when I'm supposed to be doing another. Instead of working on programming the UV-5R, I decided to set up memories on the FT-60. It's not that difficult to do:
- You select the frequency you want by direct entry on the keypad or by using the tuning dial.
- Once the frequency is displayed, you press the F/W key (bottom right-hand corner of the keypad) and hold until a row of dots appears on the display, and a number flashes in the top left of the display.
- This is the next available memory channel, and you can change this to the one you want by using the tuning dial. Press and hold F/W again, and MEM-IN will be displayed.
- The leftmost dot flashes, so now turn the dial to display the desired character of the name.
- Use the Up arrow key to advance to the next title character to be entered.
- Pressing F/W for the final time stores the title.
- If you want to check that it has been stored, press the V/M key (bottom left-hand corner) to go from VFO to Memory, and use the tuning dial to scroll through the memory channels until you reach the one you seek.
- You can also scan by pressing and holding either the Up or Down arrow keys. Guess which key makes it scan up or down.
- Repeat until
funnyall your desired frequencies have been stored.
Next time, I may mention repeaters. May.
3. I have a new HF/50MHz rig. I have switched it on three times since I brought it home two weeks ago.
4. If I'm still here, I'll be going to the RSGB (Centenary) Convention in October. I have decided to go by train via London. How I'm going to get from Milton Keynes Central to Horwood House I don't know. How I'm going to get back to London for 5pm on the Sunday is anyone's guess.
Tune in next week/month/year (delete as applicable) for the next exciting episode. With photos.
p.s. I hate this layout. Bear with me.
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Holidays in the sun
Ten years ago, I went on holiday to Llandudno in North Wales for the first time. I was so enthusiastic, I took my FT-817 and a number of mobile whips. It was the weekend of the RSGB IOTA contest, and I thought I'd make tons of contacts. Sadly, but not surprisingly, my little 5 Watt rig and whatever vertical I was using failed to get me much beyond the end of my nose. I made three contacts on 40m: EU-122 (Northern Irish coastal islands); EU-008 (Inner Hebrides) and EU-124 (Welsh coastal islands). I had two contacts on 15m, one of which was Anglesey, and the other Puffin Island, I think. West Shore in Llandudno wasn't great for VHF or UHF, and I made my only 70cm contact to date, with a station in Rhyl through the GB3LL repeater. The remainder (i.e., 2) of my contacts were on 80m, a band I am unable to work at the home QTH. That particular weekend also saw celebrations for the 90th Anniversary of the RSGB. I attended an event in Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay on the Saturday and worked their Special Event Station on the Sunday. I also had a proper QSO with a station in South Wales. I have never taken my radio on holiday since.
Yesterday was my last day in Llandudno for this year, and I took a trip up the Great Orme on the tram. When I got there, I spotted a car in the corner of the car park with a huge vertical on the roof. This was Robert GW6STK, who is the repeater keeper for Llandudno's 2m repeater, GB3GO. I had packed my FT-60 for the return journey, so wasn't able to have a QSO. I hadn't heard any activity on 2m or 70cm throughout my entire holiday, so I didn't expect there to be an Amateur at the top of the Orme. It pays to have a radio, and some QSL cards, to hand.
Yesterday was my last day in Llandudno for this year, and I took a trip up the Great Orme on the tram. When I got there, I spotted a car in the corner of the car park with a huge vertical on the roof. This was Robert GW6STK, who is the repeater keeper for Llandudno's 2m repeater, GB3GO. I had packed my FT-60 for the return journey, so wasn't able to have a QSO. I hadn't heard any activity on 2m or 70cm throughout my entire holiday, so I didn't expect there to be an Amateur at the top of the Orme. It pays to have a radio, and some QSL cards, to hand.
This morning, I had a listen round 40m, and heard a few UK stations in the IOTA contest. By the time I had returned from the supermarket, the band was all but dead, and 20m was going the same way. It has been raining heavily since last night, and the electricity cables outside are zinging. It's not a good day for radio.
Finally, I actually bought a Baofeng UV-5R, but have yet to attempt to programme it. I hope to have something to report soon.
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Nothing heard
I looked at my Logbook recently and was shocked to find that I had last transmitted during the IARU HF Championship (hereafter referred to as the IARU Contest, for brevity, and because that's what I always call it) in.....2008! As you, my loyal followers, already know, this blog has been about my exploits, or the lack of them, over the last 6 years. That Logbook (number 2, as I like to call it) had been frozen in time on 07:46 GMT on Sunday 13 June 2008, when I swapped reports with TM0HQ, the French headquarters station. Where have I been? Erm...erm...it's complicated.
When your only antennae are dipoles pinned on the wall, you don't exactly pack a punch. You don't hear much either. A nearby pylon and an even closer cordless telephone base station/charger were my main sources of noise until later in 2008, when I had Sky+ installed. My decoder is a few feet away from my radio, and my aerials. The Buzzcocks were correct; noise annoys. Solar Cycle 24 isn't helping.
In the intervening years, the QRM has become oppressive. I have added, in no particular order, a BT Home Hub 2; a CD player on standby; a DAB radio/alarm on standby; a Freeview+ HD box (don't ask), and two mobile phones. Oh, and I suffer from chronic apathy. What's to be done?
1. Get on the Internet:
I set up a Twitter account, @GM0JHE. 10 tweets in how long? I sense a pattern here.
2. Go to a rally:
Yes, another one. The Central Scotland Mini Ham Radio Convention took place at the Crofthead Farm Community Education Centre on the outskirts of Livingston (isn't everything in Livingston on the outskirts?). My SatNav couldn't cope, and took me to the former mining village of Seafield, which was nowhere near the rally. It turned out that I wasn't the only one flummoxed by the '2nd turning at the roundabout', though that was nothing compared with the hilarious raffle which seemed to go on forever, when in reality it went on for half an hour!
The CSFMG AGM was taking place, so I rejoined after two years. My membership had lapsed due to my stupidity and the lack of a Magnum Rally. I also took the liberty of buying 'The Low Power Spratbook' to add to my collection of books I never read or from which I never build anything.
I bought an old book for 40p from one of the junk stalls, 'Wireless Servicing Manual' by W. T. Cocking, in which there is the inscription 'William L. Cameron Feb 1938', so it really is old. It's in relatively good condition, but I still don't like handling old, dirty books. I may cover it in some way, or sell it in a junk sale.
Some nine and half years after the last one, I bought a Callbook, but my excitement at acquiring the RSGB Centenary edition was tempered somewhat by my details having been changed by someone. However, an e-mail to Ofcom later, and it was sorted. We'll see next year. I didn't buy any of these, though.
and now for a genuine 'and finally':
My trusty Yaesu FT-690R, which I had bought secondhand in 1991, has decided to give up the ghost. With 2.5 Watts, and the built-in telescopic whip, I worked 16 countries (that's a lot for me), the farthest away being Ukraine on CW. I'm surprised that the much older, and much more used FT-290R is still going, but I have to accept the fact that I may have to put my hand in my pocket and buy something else. VHF multimodes are not the order of the day anymore. The closest is the FT-817, but that is now also old technology, and I read on the Internet that parts are hard to come by. Next nearest is, again, a Yaesu rig, the FT-857. That can't be much younger than the 817, and it doesn't get the best of reviews. Most other rigs are base station sets which only go up to 50Mhz, but the 2m and 70cm bands can be useful to have. Decisions, decisions.
When your only antennae are dipoles pinned on the wall, you don't exactly pack a punch. You don't hear much either. A nearby pylon and an even closer cordless telephone base station/charger were my main sources of noise until later in 2008, when I had Sky+ installed. My decoder is a few feet away from my radio, and my aerials. The Buzzcocks were correct; noise annoys. Solar Cycle 24 isn't helping.
In the intervening years, the QRM has become oppressive. I have added, in no particular order, a BT Home Hub 2; a CD player on standby; a DAB radio/alarm on standby; a Freeview+ HD box (don't ask), and two mobile phones. Oh, and I suffer from chronic apathy. What's to be done?
1. Get on the Internet:
I set up a Twitter account, @GM0JHE. 10 tweets in how long? I sense a pattern here.
2. Go to a rally:
Yes, another one. The Central Scotland Mini Ham Radio Convention took place at the Crofthead Farm Community Education Centre on the outskirts of Livingston (isn't everything in Livingston on the outskirts?). My SatNav couldn't cope, and took me to the former mining village of Seafield, which was nowhere near the rally. It turned out that I wasn't the only one flummoxed by the '2nd turning at the roundabout', though that was nothing compared with the hilarious raffle which seemed to go on forever, when in reality it went on for half an hour!
The CSFMG AGM was taking place, so I rejoined after two years. My membership had lapsed due to my stupidity and the lack of a Magnum Rally. I also took the liberty of buying 'The Low Power Spratbook' to add to my collection of books I never read or from which I never build anything.
I bought an old book for 40p from one of the junk stalls, 'Wireless Servicing Manual' by W. T. Cocking, in which there is the inscription 'William L. Cameron Feb 1938', so it really is old. It's in relatively good condition, but I still don't like handling old, dirty books. I may cover it in some way, or sell it in a junk sale.
Some nine and half years after the last one, I bought a Callbook, but my excitement at acquiring the RSGB Centenary edition was tempered somewhat by my details having been changed by someone. However, an e-mail to Ofcom later, and it was sorted. We'll see next year. I didn't buy any of these, though.
3. Buy a rig:
I've been thinking for a while that I need a new HF rig, one with a little more sophistication, but money has been tight for some time. So, what about VHF and UHF? I have a handheld, a Kenwood TH-F7E, a dinky little dual bander (for its time). I bought it at the beginning of 2002, but have barely used it, because 2m here isn't up to much. It's plagued by moron ex-CBers who appear to think that operating practices 'acceptable' on 27MHz are acceptable in Amateur Radio. For example, one morning a few weeks back, I heard someone bemoan the fact that the authorities had confiscated his guns! No one seems to call CQ on 2m anymore, and if there's any activity on 70cm, I have never heard it (apart from a repeater somewhere down the Clyde about 10 years ago). Unless you have a sked with someone, you don't make contact with anyone respectable, and I have no friends. OK, so I have a handheld, some of the natives are far from appealing and I have no friends: why did I buy another handheld? I have no idea.
The Yaesu FT-60E is, as we say round here, Clydebuilt. If I dropped it on my toes, I'd be hopping mad. It's heavy because of the big battery, but heavy means robust, in respect of the case, at least. I went for this over the Wouxun or Baofeng, as they have the reputation of being a little lightweight (and a swine to programme). I may acquire a Baofeng UV-5R for a laugh later on in the year, as they sell for around £30 on the Web. That's not too much money to throw away, as I must eat that much in chocolate every week. Back to the FT-60 and, no, I've not transmitted since I bought it four weeks ago. However, I'm taking it on holiday, so we'll see. Don't hold your breath. Look, here it is
and finally...
4. Erm, switch the radio on an actually go on the air?
That's a bit drastic, isn't it? Well, I did. For a couple of hours this morning, I took part in the IARU contest (nice bit of symmetry that). I worked 25 stations in quite difficult conditions on 10 and 15 metres (where the QSB was my enemy), 20 metres, and had one contact on 40, the RSGB headquarters station, GR2HQ. My other favourites were VY2ZM on Prince Edward Island on 20m; H2T in Cyprus and OH0X in the Aland Islands on 10m (with 5W); and MU0GSY in Guernsey on 15m. Now I'm halfway down the second page of Logbook 2. It's a start, isn't it?
p.s. Somewhere in there, I bought a Raspberry Pi. Let's see if it stays in its wrapping as long as the 70cm HB9CV!
and now for a genuine 'and finally':
My trusty Yaesu FT-690R, which I had bought secondhand in 1991, has decided to give up the ghost. With 2.5 Watts, and the built-in telescopic whip, I worked 16 countries (that's a lot for me), the farthest away being Ukraine on CW. I'm surprised that the much older, and much more used FT-290R is still going, but I have to accept the fact that I may have to put my hand in my pocket and buy something else. VHF multimodes are not the order of the day anymore. The closest is the FT-817, but that is now also old technology, and I read on the Internet that parts are hard to come by. Next nearest is, again, a Yaesu rig, the FT-857. That can't be much younger than the 817, and it doesn't get the best of reviews. Most other rigs are base station sets which only go up to 50Mhz, but the 2m and 70cm bands can be useful to have. Decisions, decisions.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Radio silence
GM0JHE is still inactive, and lacking in enthusiasm. What better way to stimulate interest than a trip to a rally? I decided to return to Blackpool, which gave me the chance to try out their new trams.
For the first time in my life I had a three-figure sum of money in my pocket. Did I buy anything? Well, apart from the almost compulsory book at the RSGB bookstall (from a humourless RSGB representative), I bought absolutely nothing. I wanted to see the new Wouxun 2m/4m handie and the MyDel 4m FM mobile (spot the theme) but I didn't see either. There was plenty of 'junk' on show, but very little (affordable) new equipment. I may have imagined it, but I thought it was busier than my last visit in 2010 so, with any luck, the rally will survive for a while. However, there will be no Magnum Rally this year due to the lack of traders, which could be a sign of things to come for Scotland and the North of England.
For the first time in my life I had a three-figure sum of money in my pocket. Did I buy anything? Well, apart from the almost compulsory book at the RSGB bookstall (from a humourless RSGB representative), I bought absolutely nothing. I wanted to see the new Wouxun 2m/4m handie and the MyDel 4m FM mobile (spot the theme) but I didn't see either. There was plenty of 'junk' on show, but very little (affordable) new equipment. I may have imagined it, but I thought it was busier than my last visit in 2010 so, with any luck, the rally will survive for a while. However, there will be no Magnum Rally this year due to the lack of traders, which could be a sign of things to come for Scotland and the North of England.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Has it really been 2 years?
Well, has it? It appears that I've not posted anything since the 1st of February 2009! What have I been doing since then? Absolutely nothing, or so I thought. I was looking at some old photographs and found one or two with an Amateur Radio theme.
Firstly, from May 2009, yet another snap of the Magnum Rally:
Is it my imagination, or are there more people at this one than in previous years? No, you're correct; it is my imagination. I didn't bother to take a camera in May 2010.
Next, here's a photo from Blackpool in April 2010. I decided to jump on a train or two and have a day out at the seaside. This picture was taken on a mobile phone, which explains why the quality is even worse than usual.
Believe it or not, it was actually quite busy, though not as busy as it used to be, according to two gentlemen representing the RSGB. I was still amazed by the amount of stuff for sale there and felt that it was well worth the journey. I hope to go back this year, and maybe spend some money, though I may have difficulty in remembering where to go. I'm getting old, you see; so old that it was suggested that I join the RAOTA (Radio Amateur Old Timers' Association). It must be the way I walk.
Firstly, from May 2009, yet another snap of the Magnum Rally:
Is it my imagination, or are there more people at this one than in previous years? No, you're correct; it is my imagination. I didn't bother to take a camera in May 2010.
Next, here's a photo from Blackpool in April 2010. I decided to jump on a train or two and have a day out at the seaside. This picture was taken on a mobile phone, which explains why the quality is even worse than usual.
Believe it or not, it was actually quite busy, though not as busy as it used to be, according to two gentlemen representing the RSGB. I was still amazed by the amount of stuff for sale there and felt that it was well worth the journey. I hope to go back this year, and maybe spend some money, though I may have difficulty in remembering where to go. I'm getting old, you see; so old that it was suggested that I join the RAOTA (Radio Amateur Old Timers' Association). It must be the way I walk.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Latest News
Haven't you noticed that this blog is like buses? You wait for ages then three come along!
Apart from blogging about ancient history, today has been devoted to trying to update my web page on qsl.net and making a copy of it on Demon. There is much work to be done. Isn't there always?
Apart from blogging about ancient history, today has been devoted to trying to update my web page on qsl.net and making a copy of it on Demon. There is much work to be done. Isn't there always?
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