PY worked with 5 watt

Tonight I managed to break the pile-up and work PY5QW with just 5 watt SSB and a W3DZZ antenna. This is my first PY-station - in fact this is my first South American station ever. Vigand gave me a 44 report and we were able to chat for a couple of minutes. He was truly 57 with me.

My QRP DXCC list now counts 64 countries: http://home.broadpark.no/~mnygaa/dxcc.html

Brendon TCVR completed!

Yesterday I finished building the Brendon TCVR. Now I only need to find a suitable Dynamic Mic to test the radio. I have already tested the receiver and it works very well. The first station I heard was LA9XV.

I have ordered parts to build a simple audio oscillator to align the radio before going on the air. I'm also waiting for the linear amplifier kit to arrive but will test the radio at 1,5W before adding the amplifier.

I found the building instructions easy to follow and I especially liked the test procedures after each building step. This way the builder can be confident that the previous sections are working before a new section is added.

88 feet doublet

On portable operations I use a 2 x 13.4 mtrs doublet that Ken GM0AXY described on the sota reflector. I'm very impressed with it on 20m - 10m, it's working OK on 40m and it's working on 80m. I have read that you can improve NVIS performance by laying a wire on the ground beneath the antenna but I've not tried this myself yet.

Here the other day I discovered an article about the antenna by Casey NA7U.
http://www.tomochka.com/na7u/doublet/w4rnlbackup.html

Building the Brendon phone transceiver

This morning I started building the Brendon phone transceiver. I've already mounted the front panel with all the controls and started to add parts to the main PCB. The instructions are easy to follow.

I have also ordered a linear amplifier kit from Tim Walford to upgrade the rig.

Later I might try to modify it to work on 40m with a 7.159MHz crystal from the G-QRP club shop. I'm aware that the tuning range will be very narrow with this mod.

QRP Day log

I have now e-mailed my QRP day log to Peter G3XJS, the communications manager of G-QRP club. Not too many QRP stations were heard on SSB and I don't know how many QRP stations I worked during the event.

June 17 - International QRP Day

I'm planning a SOTA activation on June 17, the International QRP Day. As some of you might know I always operate at QRP levels on my SOTA activations. To celebrate the International QRP Day I hope for a lot of 2-way QRP QSOs on this activation.

I normally start calling cq on 7.125MHz before QSYing to 14.285MHz.

I'm a G-QRP and QRP-ARCI member and a 2-way QRP QSO will count towards the Worked G-QRP club and Worked All ARCI awards.

FTBasicMMO

I have for some time now wished to synchronise the memories on my 3 Yaesu Radios, the FT-817ND, the FT-857D and the VX-6. Yesterday I purchased a program called FTBasicMMO written by Bob G4HFQ. At first I had some problems getting it to work so I sent Bob an e-mail asking for help. He replied quickly and it turned out I had chosen the wrong type of radio (FT-857 not FT-857D US model). After correcting the setting in the software it all works like a dream.

I have now programmed all the repeaters and simplex frequencies that I use for mobile operating into my FT-857D and will soon do the same thing with my FT-817ND. When it comes to the VX-6 I will use VX-6 Commander written by Jim KC8UNJ.

http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/ftbasic.html
http://www.kc8unj.com/vx6.html

And BTW: My FT-857D is always turned down to 5w ;-)