My QRP, JT65A Saturday Effort and Snow!

Crater Lake Snow

Prior to moving to Oregon, I did a bit or research on weather. I still very much enjoy winter (my mother once told me, the older I get, the more I will dislike winter) and after 9½ years living in the Interior Alaska, I really never minded the bitter cold temperatures that I experienced. Even for the year or so we lived in central MA, we still saw cold winter temperatures with the coldest being about -19°F. I think the most snow I've ever experienced in my lifetime (till now) was the big Blizzard of 1978 in Ohio. When I began reading the average seasonal snow fall totals for Crater Lake National Park, I knew I was in for an entirely new experience. My wife was never a fan of the darkness during the winter months in Alaska, and certainly not the bitter cold -40°F to -50°F temperatures. So, this was a great compromise location to live. I could still enjoy winter, the days are much longer and the temperatures are much warmer. Marital harmony at last? Only time will tell. I do enjoy the much slower pace here over the east coast.  

JT65A on 20 Meters

Getting back in the shack saddle, I decided to fire up some JT65A on Saturday. My shack computer is packed away with the rest of our stuff in some storage building here in Oregon. I brought along our little Dell Inspiron Desktop computer which I loaded some ham radio programs onto. It suffers from the usual small computer configuration by only having one identifiable USB-serial port. This becomes a bit of a problem when you are trying to set up multiple programs to run at the same time and still want full rig control. I'm not really worried about it, as this won't be my main shack computer. I'm only putting software on this computer to get me on the air until we get settled and our stuff arrives. My Icom 703+ communicates fine, so sending and receiving JT65A signals work, I'm just not able to feed frequency data to the JT65-HF software when I'm operating. 

QRP JT65A

If you've read my previous blog, you will see my second story open concept shack layout. It includes internal Buddipole antenna, my Icom 703+ set up on the kitchen table (I do have an understanding licensed but non-HF operating wife) along with many other odds and ends. I'm manually logging QSO's at the moment but just started to load some logging software onto the computer. I still need to update my LOTW data to include this new location but I have time. It's time to get on the air and play a bit. Been a long several weeks. 

I tuned up the rig for 5 watts of output power and after setting up the JT65-HF software, I was CQ'n. I managed a handful of contacts and a couple answered but never came back. It was a successful first run of this mode here and I'm ready to move on to doing some PSK31 next.

More than just a rig's power setting...

One of the things with good weak signal software is some don't realize how much they can wipe out the band when running hot! There is more to running this mode than simply a power setting. When trying to copy weak signals (such as myself using an indoor antenna, as many are weak anyhow, depending on band conditions) it does not take much for me to lose a QSO if one of those hot running stations are nearby. And to top it off, the line you see just under -500 is my computer monitor. My widescreen is very nice but I'm unable to change the displays refresh rate in Hertz, so it's stuck at 60. Being able to change this setting could help eliminate this interference but again, this is not my shack computer so I need to deal with what I have. The screen also broadcasts numerous birdies across most of my bands. Sacrifices we sometimes have to make.

Heard and Being Heard

It's great to be able to see where you are being heard where you are hearing and how strong. The PSK Reporter website is a fantastic digital visual reference tool for any digital operator. Left is a screen shot of my Saturday operation (query ran today, Sunday). With the technology we have available today, it can sure help any operator understand propagation, adjust their rig settings and see the big picture. Obviously this would not be possible without the website owner and those who click their software checkbox to feed the data to the website. One of my other favorite digital reporting sites is HamSpots. HamSpots also allows for live operator keyboard interaction with the chat feature. 

My digital days are just getting started again and I hope to get on a few other modes as I get the software loaded onto this computer. My all time favorite is RTTY and I miss operating that mode, especially in contests. Hopefully as we get settled, I can put up a few exterior HF antennas and get back into contesting once again. With the holidays fast approaching, I'll have a few more days off to play radio. I'm hoping the bands cooperate and who knows, maybe I can bounce some weak signal JT65 off of Santa's ionized trail this week.  

JT9 Transmitted & Received

First JT9 QSO

My very first QSO on JT9 was with PA3FOE just a few minutes ago. Success! I was running my indoor Buddipole antenna with my Icom IC-703+ at 4 watts. Since I was logging with an older version of Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) Logbook, I had to add the mode as it was not in my drop down menu. Once that was added, in the logbook my QSO went. Not a bad start but I'm finding the bands less than favorable today (Saturday). Obviously, this is when software generated weak signals modes will shine. Roughly a 3,500 mile QSO from MA to the Netherlands. Also, my Buddipole is being a bit stubborn today tuning the different bands. Or maybe the coil taps (clips) are bit more challenging for my ageing eyes today. Running a Buddipole indoors is a bit more challenging to tune (obviously) as there is plenty to effect the SWR. 

Bouncing Around the Globe, QRP Style.

TV Tray Set-up

This weekend was yet another JT65A weekend for me. I saw that 10 meters appeared to be active so on Saturday, I set the Buddipole up for that band. It was not long before I was decoding some very nice signals out of Europe. My first QSO came shortly after 1800z with OK1JKV. I was running 3-5 watts all weekend, not exceeding my band defying QRP wattage. And as the sun progressed westward, the propagation did as well. I copied several stations that I would have loved to have a QSO with but a few of the signals were just a bit on the light side. Strong enough to decode but at -24dB, there was not much hope for my JT65A QRP signal with the others also calling the same stations I had an interest in.

Close but No Cigar

One of the exciting moments for me over the weekend was when I saw that VK2QQ answered my CQ. I was elated to finally hear and possibly work into VK'land! Sadly, that's as far as the QSO went. I went back to VK2QQ a few times with no luck. So, it was close but no cigar! I know that I will have future opportunities and if anything, I now know when to start listening. Actually, if it were easy, it would not be as much fun. If you click on screen shot to the right, you will see that VK7DZ was also working stations and I had a copy on a QSO a few minutes earlier from that station. 

QRP 3 Watts

As I've mentioned so many times blogging over the years, 10 meters is my favorite band. You just never know where it will take you when the band opens. You can work the band with pretty much any antenna with great results. Novice Enhancement opened up 10 meters to hams years ago and it's been a great watering hole ever since. It was one of the first bands I really cut my teeth on and some of the best DX I've worked has been on this band. The other advantage to this band is that it's very broad, running from 28.000 on up to 29.700. There is plenty of room to have fun no matter what mode you prefer to operate. 

AK2MA Table Top DX Station

With the weekend still pretty busy, I was able to let the JT65HF software decode and keep an eye on the band as I went about my other weekend activities. When I'm not operating, I will try to leave the software so that it uploads what I'm hearing. When I'm operating, I also like to see where I'm being heard so I keep my iPad handy connected to hamspots. It's always very interesting to see how well I'm being heard in various directions and by which stations. My little corner of the kitchen is just that, little. But for now, it suits me just fine. As I ponder the thought of permanently downsizing my station, I'm trying to put together the best small station that I can. I've been impressed with the 703's ability on the digital modes. It's obviously not my 756PRO but it's a great compact rig. 

DK2HX Indoor antenna to indoor antenna

When I logged into eQSL I had several cards waiting for QSO confirmation. One of which is pictured to the left. This was a bit unique as both Heinz and I were running indoor antenna's according to his comment at the bottom of his QSL card. Heinz was running 8 watts to his indoor magnetic loop antenna and I was running 5 watts (actually a tad less) with my indoor Buddipole. So, a perfect example what is possible when the band is open. A QSO over 3,500 miles away with a few watts feeding into indoor antenna's, both ways. With some good weak signal software and the right propagation, DX easily falls into the logbook just as it did for me this weekend. I'm hoping to venture on to JT9 here soon as well. I've heard a few hams mention it. That's the grand beauty of this hobby, there is something for everyone! 

SKCC's February Weekend Sprint-a-thon

Stacked 

This weekend was the SKCC February Weekend Sprintathon (WES). I know the bands were busy with RTTY and had I still lived in Alaska, I would have been diddling my way across the bands in another low power RTTY effort. Ironically, I just received some RTTY wallpaper and wrote about it on my KL8DX blog. But since I have no way of running RTTY here yet, I decided that any free time I had was going to be directed toward working CW with my straight key.

I began Saturday with only my Yaesu FT-857D. When Sunday rolled around, I decided to pull the Icom IC-703Plus out of the portable box and set it up. I had the power output set for 1 watt. I have a 3 position antenna switch which I use to switch between the rigs. It's an eBay special so the isolation stinks, but it works as it's a quick and easy way for me to switch between rigs. The Yaesu allows me to dial down to 5 watts, however I find the need to go even lower from time to time. 

Rigs 2 Keys

Getting back to the WES, I found that my indoor set up was hearing best on 15 meters. Since I use my Buddipole antenna indoors, I normally will set it up for 40 meters first and then tune around on the different bands. Once I find the band with the most activity, I will re-tune the antenna for that band. Needless to say, there is no quick band switching for me. I started off Saturday on 40 meters, briefly went to 20 meters for just a few contacts and then headed to 15 meters where most of my weekend activity took place. I enjoy the high bands because when the bands are open, I can easily work thousands of miles away. I know that 15 was in great shape for me and my puny setup so there is no doubt it had to be good for those who had outdoor antenna's. 

With shopping on Saturday morning / afternoon and my normal weekend duties to complete on Sunday, I did not have lots of time to devote to the key but I was able to log 57 straight key QSO's. I worked a handful of European stations on Sunday morning on 15 meters.  It was great to finally run into several stations that I've not worked since I pulled the plug in Alaska. The weekend highlight was working my buddy Martin, W3MLK and then toward the end of the contest, working Karen, W4KRN. Pete, N1ABS welcomed me to the neighborhood and by the time the WES was over, I added a few new SKCC numbers to the logbook, too. I wrapped up my effort on 40 meters, the same band I started. My last QSO was with Dan, W9DLN for a WI multiplier. Not band considering and my longest QSO on 40 meters for the weekend. 

CW, The KEY to Success

I miss my 4 elements and my Icom IC-756PRO, which I could pull out of the box however, I'm enjoying my portable set up for now. I do miss working JT65, PSK31 and the other digital modes! I wish I could find my interface cable for my Icom! I'm also not able to find my Cellpro battery charger so that I can charge my A123 portable batteries. Until I can get them charged, I won't be operating /p anytime soon. But for now, I'm just happy being able to get on the air from time to time and having the success that I do. I worked 35 different SPC's (States, Provinces or Countries) this weekend so for me, CW was my KEY to DX success!