Monday, September 28, 2009

International reply coupons - again...

After working the Scandinavian Activity Contest this weekend I wanted to send some of the QSL cards by mail. I was all out of IRCs and visited my local post office to buy more. When asking the lady behind the counter for the new IRCs she told me that they didn't have any. I informed her that according to wikipedia the old IRCs should not be sold after 31 August this year.

I have now tried to order by e-mail from the Norwegian Postal Service (Posten Norge).

Scandinavian Activity Contest SSB 2009

This weekend I worked 50 stations in the Scandinavian Activity Contest SSB. I used the Elecraft K3 transceiver at 5w and a Extended Double Zepp antenna. Thanks to Hans-Petter LA6GOA for providing the QTH and for the excellent dinner!

I joined the SOAB-QRP class and have uploaded my cabrillo log to www.sactest.net.

14MHz: 33 QSOs
7MHz: 9 QSOs
21MHz: 8 QSOs
DXCCs: I, YU, RA, LZ, US, OE, YO, HA, EA6, 4O, SP, DL, UA9, PA, TA, G, LY, 5B, SV, HB, JA, 9A, EA, 4X

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Two new sunspots

The Propfire add-on to the Firefox browser is now showing Solar Flux at 75 and Smoothed Sunspot Number at 26. This is good news for the upcoming Scandinavian Activity Contest - SSB. According to solarcycle24.com this is the first time in about 3 months that 2 sunspots have appeared at the same time.

http://solarcycle24.com/
http://www.n0hr.com/Propfire.htm
http://www.sactest.net/

Friday, September 18, 2009

Scandinavian Activity Contest 2009

I plan to work the Scandinavian Activity Contest SSB September 26, 12.00 UTC - September 27, 1200 UTC. As usual I will be working SOAB (Single Operator - All Bands) QRP.

Please check out the brand new contest site at http://www.sactest.net/

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Puxing PX-777

The Puxing PX-777 VHF Handheld radio arrived from Hong Kong today after exactly 14 days. The quality looks OK and I had no problems programming it when using the quick start guide (PDF) provided by Argent Data Systems.

I have to get used to open repeaters by DTMF or CTSS as the radio does not have a 1750Hz tone.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The GQRP club Mini-Convention

Aage LA1ENA, Kjell LA1KHA, Halvard LA1DNA and myself Mads LA1TPA will attend the GQRP convention 24th October. We will arrive UK Tuesday and stay in Keswick in the Lake District until Saturday before heading back to Ripponden for the convention. We will stay at Premier Inn Huddersfield West.

Hope to see you!

Please check out the new Poll to the right!

http://gqrp.com/rishworth.htm

Thursday, September 10, 2009

NRAU Activity Contest (NAC) on 50MHz

Tonight I worked my first 50MHz contest ever. In fact I haven't worked much 50MHz at all so this was a new experience to me. I worked 2 LAs, 3 SMs and 2 OZs from 7 different grid squares.

LA4LN informed me that I was giving out wrong locator. I was giving JO49ug but the correct grid should be JO49uf. I don't know if this will disqualify me or what. I have written the contest manager to ask him before I send my log.

I used my FT-817ND at 5w SSB and a 88 feet doublet antenna.

Thanks to Aage LA1ENA for the spot on the DX Cluster!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Puxing PX-777 VHF Handheld

I have just ordered a Puxing PX-777 VHF Handheld on Ebay. I plan to use it for APRS with the OpenTracker+ that I built some time ago and my Garmin GPSmap 60. The radio gets good reviews on the Internet although the English version of the manual seems to be rather poor. The guys at Argent Data Systems has prepared a quick start guide (PDF) for the radio.

The package contains:

  • PX-777 (VHF 136-174Mhz)
  • PTT Earpiece
  • 7.2v 1200mah Li-ion Battery Pack
  • Antenna
  • Belt Clip
  • English Manual
  • Desktop Charger

Price: 68USD including postage to Norway!