Friday, July 31, 2020

"Boing"

If you are using "VAC" by the same name found here: https://vac.muzychenko.net/en/download.htm
Please READ what it says on that page about the Trial version YOU are using (well if this pertains to you).

If you are using VOX to key your radio (or using Remote Ham Radio [in this specific case]) and you happen to notice your are Transmitting every 5-6 seconds - STOP!

If you are using the "VAC" noted above, after 30 seconds it will begin to emit in a female voice the word "Boing".  If you are using FT8 it will do this while you are sending FT8 *AND* while you are in the Receive sequence at least 2 times "Boing" <5 sec> "Boing".

Most folks this happens to didn't read the warning on the download page, and or are not even aware that they're using the "Trial" version.  They are normally shocked that this is Them, and tend NOT to believe it.  LOL what can I say....humans...go figure.

Anyway...the way to STOP this is to PAY for your version (see the URL above!) OR use a truly free version made by someone else.  There are several free virtual audio cable software.

In this case I bring it up because several of us in the Maine and Nova Scotia have spotted this occurring from the FN65, or FN64 area and very strong.  It also coincided with the time that WA9PIE showed up on Remote Ham Radio this morning.  It stopped around 12:42 UTC.

Here's video of how this looks on the Receiving side here.



A follow up to this Mike emailed me back and kindly thanked me for letting him know about this.  It's nice when we hams are able to communicate effectively, and cooperatively to resolve a mutual problem.  So Thank you Mike for that!

Saturday, July 25, 2020

W4HLR/b

Please notice the beacon I'm pointing to first in this video, this is what a 'typical' CW beacon looks like regarding signal quality and bandwidth required.

Then notice W4HLR/b using about 1968 Hz :(

2x "WOS" LFA Stack Update

About a week or so after I put up the two "WOS" LFA's I decided to add 'switching' so that I could have "TOP ONLY" antenna, "BOTH IN PHASE" and "BOTH OUT OF PHASE".  I also moved the "delay line" (1/2 wave length of coax) from the Bottom antenna to the top for the "BOP" (both of of phase).  

SWR for TOP only remains 1.00:1 (I'm still shocked by that)
SWR for BOTH through the power divider I built is 1.2:1 "BIP"
SWR for BOTH in "BOP" is about 1.15:1

SWR does not change when I turn the top antenna and the bottom remains fixed.  

The "BIP" mode (both antennas in phase) works excellent thus far.  There haven't been enough openings to EU to really fully test any of them yet.  

I have noticed in "BIP" the noise drops enough to notice.  1 to 2.5 dB
In "BOP" noise seems to remain about the same as "TOP" only...when the band isn't open.  Just using Baby Monitors to test with.  Not really a good test since I think "BOP" ("UpTilt") really likely only shows a major improvement when the band is open, and signals are coming from High Angles.  But I don't have enough experience with it yet to know.

Last night when I had OH, SM, LA and TF in here "BIP" made the difference.  Without it things pretty much dropped out.  This seems to matter most when in my testing so far when signals are quiet weak.  making the difference between decoding and or hearing the DX vs. NOT.  

I'll need more time with this setup but so far results are really encouraging.

Friday, July 24, 2020

2020 - Season Wrap Up (???)

This has GOT to be premature (I hope!).  The past 1.5 weeks the band took a serious nose-dive here.  It's starting to feel like 'the lady sang' early.  I hope not.  If the band comes back strong again (and that's possible!) I'll update these totals then.

New DXCC on 6m:



  • 9K2GS - http://blog.dxers.info/2020/06/9k2gs-in-log.html



  • June 2, 2020 


  • Kuwait



  • TA1BM - http://blog.dxers.info/2020/06/ta1bm-kn40-eu-turkey-new-159.html



  • June 8, 2020 


  • EU Turkey



  • TT8SN - http://blog.dxers.info/2020/06/tt8sn-jk72-chad-160.html



  • June 9, 2020


  • Chad 



  • UN3M - http://blog.dxers.info/2020/06/un3m-lo61-kazakhstan-worked-161_13.html



  • June 13, 2020 


  • Kazakhstan 



  • ZA/IZ7PMQ - http://blog.dxers.info/2020/07/zaiz7pmq-km09-albania-worked-162.html



  • July 10, 2020


  • Albania

  • New VUCC Grids:

     I picked up about 130 new confirmed Grids this year.  My current totals all confirmed are:


    • FFMA: 259
    • TOTAL VUCC: 610
    • My personal favorite was EM87.  That one has been difficult from most places I've lived but during the CQ VHF contest I managed to find W8ZN for EM87 and he's already confirmed via LotW (Thank You!)
    • I feel like 610 VUCC in 2.5 seasons is pretty decent.  The confirmation rate has been high on LotW which is really nice too!

    Friday, July 17, 2020

    4O3A - Montenegro - JN92 - Worked

    I actually first worked him:

    121000 -7 0.5 2103 ~ CQ 4O3A JN92 •Montenegro
    121016 Tx 2506 ~ 4O3A WW1L -07
    121045 Tx 2506 ~ 4O3A WW1L -07
    121030 -24 0.5 2103 ~ WW1L 4O3A R-09

    He called me later I assume he didn't get my 73's


    121600 -20 0.6 2103 ~ WW1L 4O3A -17 °Montenegro

    121630 -17 0.6 2103 ~ WW1L 4O3A -19 •Montenegro
    121645 Tx 2455 ~ 4O3A WW1L R-17
    121700 -10 0.6 2103 ~ WW1L 4O3A RR73




    Thursday, July 16, 2020

    2x 7 Element "WOS" LFA - up and running

    Today I finally got two 7 EL "WOS" Innovantenna's up on my small tower.

    One at about 43 ft, and one about 21 ft.  I'm using my home built 'splitter/divider'.

    This isn't a very high stack, and I am actually wondering if it'll do more harm than good at this point.  BUT...

    SWR on both antenna's respectively are 1.0:1.  (a FIRST for me! x2)

    When I was putting the second antenna (the lower one) this morning there was an opening into EU.  I needed to test the lower antenna on the line back to the shack  and when I did I was still copying DL's.  Also a good sign :-)  But not unexpected.

    The lower antenna is "fixed" at 50 degrees currently.  Because I mostly care about the Arabian Peninsula area for the remainder of the season.  I've had 9K2's in here up until 7/23 in years past since moved here in 2017.

    Of course the top antenna still turns.  I expected the SWR to shift as I turned the top antenna, but it really doesn't;  maybe 0.0x.  


    I have noticed my local baby monitors remain strong.  I've also noticed that the noise floor remain's low, even when the sun heads towards sunset.  In the past with a single antenna I've seen the noise floor raise in the afternoon.  That might have been some solar noise tho, so time will tell on that.  My point is signals remain high, but the noise floor stays low (yay for that!)

    I'm so far East that it's hard to gauge forward pattern based on PSKR flags, but I did notice this morning that the tail behind me to the 220 deg remained reasonably narrow, more than in the past.  This isn't a really good indicator since propagation has a lot to do with that.  But it's something to consider along with everything else.

    I've also added in a 'delay line' of 1/2 wave on the upper antenna to force 'BOP' all the time.

    My thinking is that most of our propagation until gawd-knows-when will be "Es" and "BOP" (Both out of Phase - bottom one is 180 degrees out) will increase the take off angle by about 20-22 degrees.  I also added in about 5 degrees or so of mechanical uptilt.  This tower is quite low, and the trees are about 6-10 ft higher than the top antenna in most directions.  SO this BOP and slight uptilt may help.

    I'm hoping that at least I've done everything correctly mathematically, and physically.  This is the first time I've ever created or even used a 6m 'stack'.  This is really just a dry run for future upgrades.

    I'm hoping next season to raise the tower up another 20 ft so top would be 63 ft.  I'd also like to obtain a 'ring rotor' or build one of my own for the lower antenna.  I don't want a rotating tower here.   




    I'm planning to add some switching so that I can bypass the divider, and go TOP-ONLY, and also by-pass the 'delay line' and go "BIP".


    Tuesday, July 14, 2020

    OH/SM Late opening




    XQ3SK - FF46 - Chile - Heard





    Spread spectrum @ 49 Mhz

    I am not 100% sure this is 'spread spectrum' but it seems like it could be at least a variant of it.  I see this frequently during summer time foEs.  I'm not really sure where it originates.  I suppose this is most likely a cordless telephone not too far from here.  



    Also seen in this video between 49800 and 49900 are various clear voice baby monitors (not encoded/encrypted)




    Saturday, July 11, 2020

    TF - Iceland Late evening



    Epic JA opening 2020 (finally)

    22:17:15z - 23:20:45z  (so a little over an hour)

    Copied about 140 JA transmissions ranging from -26 to -4











    20200711_221715 -20  0.5  415 ~ K2DH JA9SJI -14
    20200711_221745 -17  0.6  976 ~ N2GHR JR2WYD -13
    20200711_221745 -22  0.4 2088 ~ KF8MY JA2FBY -03                
    20200711_221815 -14  0.4 1828 ~ VE3DS JA2XYO -17
    20200711_221845 -17  0.6 2097 ~ K2TER JR2WYD -14
    20200711_221945 -17  0.4  470 ~ K2TER JE2PUC -15
    20200711_221945 -20  0.5  416 ~ WW1L JA9SJI R-20          ^
    20200711_221945 -17  0.4 2370 ~ CQ EU K9MU/P EN46
    20200711_222004.612(0)  Retransmitting 50.313 MHz  FT8:  JA9SJI WW1L RR73 
    20200711_222004.643(0)  QSO logged: JA9SJI
    20200711_222015 -26  0.5  416 ~ WW1L JA9SJI 73            ^
    20200711_223045 -15  0.6  416 ~ N2WK JA9SJI RR73
    20200711_223045 -17  0.5  922 ~ K8KS JA9KRO R-24
    20200711_223115 -10  0.5  920 ~ K8KS JA9KRO 73            ^             
    20200711_223145 -10  0.3 2710 ~ CQ DX JF2MBF PM85
    20200711_223145 -11  0.5  920 ~ CQ JA9KRO PM86
    220200711_223145 -15  0.4 1106 ~ VE3NH JA7KPI RR73
    20200711_223145 -18  0.4  470 ~ N2WK JE2PUC -15
    20200711_223145 -15  0.5  970 ~ VE3VN JE8BKW RR73
    20200711_223145 -15  0.4 2271 ~ N2CB JA0MVW -12
    20200711_223145 -17  0.5 1338 ~ K8SIX JE8TGI -14
    20200711_223215  -9  0.5  923 ~ CQ JA9KRO PM86            ^
    20200711_223215 -15  0.4 2720 ~ CQ DX JF2MBF PM85        
    20200711_223215 -19  1.1 2551 ~ K8SIX JA2JKE PM84
    20200711_223215 -16  0.4 1110 ~ VE3NH JA7KPI RR73
    20200711_223245 -13  0.5  921 ~ K8GI JA9KRO R-01
    20200711_223245 -19  0.4 2113 ~ N8JX JH2FXK -09
    20200711_223845 -14  0.5 1530 ~ K8GI JH4IFF -14
    20200711_223845 -22  0.5 2601 ~ K8MFO JA5FFJ -19
    20200711_223845 -16  0.3 1718 ~ K8MFO JA4FSH RR73
    20200711_223845 -17  0.4 1413 ~ VE2XK JA5FDJ RR73                 
    20200711_223915 -18  0.5 2119 ~ K1CA JR3REX -15
    20200711_223945 -14  0.4 1077 ~ WY7W JH3FHQ RR73
    20200711_223945  -8  0.4 2113 ~ K1CA JR3REX -15
    20200711_223945 -16  0.6 1982 ~ W1JJ JH4IFF -16
    20200711_224015 -15  0.4 1077 ~ WY7W JH3FHQ RR73          ^
    20200711_224015 -15  0.4  432 ~ WW1L JR3REX -13
    20200711_224015 -17  0.5 1980 ~ W1JJ JH4IFF -16           ^
    20200711_224045 -14  0.4  432 ~ WW1L JR3REX -13
    20200711_224045 -18  0.7 1919 ~ W9IJ JH5OTE PM74
    20200711_224100.155(0)  Transmitting 50.313 MHz  FT8:  JR3REX WW1L R-14
    20200711_224045 -19  0.4  845 ~ K1UO JE3GRQ -19
    20200711_224045 -16  0.4 1077 ~ WY7W JH3FHQ RR73          ^
    20200711_224115 -14  0.5 2418 ~ AC2PB JA3JTG -21
    20200711_224115 -17  0.4  846 ~ K1UO JE3GRQ -19           ^
    20200711_224145 -13  0.4  432 ~ W9VHF JR3REX -16
    20200711_224145 -18  1.0 2695 ~ K8EB JN3TMW -16
    20200711_224145 -13  0.4  846 ~ K1UO JE3GRQ -15
    20200711_224145 -18  0.4  367 ~ KK2I JA5EXW -15
    20200711_224145 -23  0.4 2420 ~ AC2PB JA3JTG -21          ^
    20200711_224145 -18  0.8  627 ~ W1JJ JN4MIV -16
    20200711_224215 -12  0.4  432 ~ W9IJ JR3REX -07
    20200711_224215 -16  0.5 2243 ~ N2CB JH4IFF -12
    20200711_224215 -19  0.3 1719 ~ K8TB JA4FSH RR73
    20200711_224215 -21  0.4  846 ~ K1UO JE3GRQ -15           ^
    20200711_224215 -22  0.4  367 ~ KK2I JA5EXW RR73          ^
    20200711_224245 -20  0.4  432 ~ W9IJ JR3REX RR73          ^
    20200711_224245 -22  0.4  366 ~ KK2I JA5EXW RR73          ^
    20200711_224245 -22  0.4  846 ~ K1UO JE3GRQ -15           ^
    20200711_224315 -15  0.4  366 ~ KK2I JA5EXW RR73          ^                
    20200711_224315 -20  0.4  846 ~ WW1L JE3GRQ -23
    20200711_224315 -20  0.3  678 ~ K8EB JA9LSZ RR73
    20200711_224315 -20  0.4 2388 ~ CQ DX JA5AUC PM63
    20200711_224345 -14  0.4  368 ~ K8TB JA5EXW -10
    20200711_224415 -13  0.4  367 ~ K8TB JA5EXW -10           ^
    20200711_224415 -16  0.6 1507 ~ K8SIX JH4IFF -14
    20200711_224415 -17  0.4 1907 ~ VA3ZV JA4LXY -19
    20200711_224445 -20  0.4  367 ~ K8TB JA5EXW RR73          ^
    20200711_224445 -15  0.5 1507 ~ K8SIX JH4IFF -14          ^
    20200711_224445 -19  0.2 2057 ~ KK2I JH4UYB -18
    20200711_224445 -23  0.4 1904 ~ VA3ZV JA4LXY -19          ^
    20200711_224445 -16  0.8  626 ~ WA1EAZ JN4MIV RR73
    20200711_224515 -16  0.4  367 ~ K8TB JA5EXW RR73          ^
    20200711_224545 -16  0.5 1910 ~ VE3DS JH4IFF -20
    20200711_224545 -19  0.2 2057 ~ N2CB JH4UYB -12
    20200711_224545 -20  0.6 1666 ~ K1SIX JH4IUO -11
    20200711_224545 -16  0.4  367 ~ W9IJ JA5EXW -09
    20200711_224615 -11  0.2  678 ~ VE3NH JA9LSZ -15
    20200711_224615 -15  0.4  367 ~ W9IJ JA5EXW -09           ^
    20200711_224615 -14  0.5 1985 ~ W1JJ JH4IFF -17
    20200711_224615 -16  0.3 1719 ~ WA1EAZ JA4FSH RR73
    20200711_224615 -16  0.6 1666 ~ K1SIX JH4IUO -11          ^
    20200711_224615 -18  0.8  627 ~ W1JJ JN4MIV -14
    20200711_224615 -17  0.4 1903 ~ VA3ZV JA4LXY RR73
    20200711_224615 -22  0.4 2467 ~ KE8FD JO3DDD -23
    20200711_224615 -20  0.6 2706 ~ N8JX JN3TMW -16
    20200711_224615 -24  0.2 2057 ~ N2CB JH4UYB -12           ^
    20200711_224645 -12  0.3  678 ~ VE3NH JA9LSZ -15          ^
    20200711_224645 -13  0.4 2467 ~ KE8FD JO3DDD -23          ^
    20200711_224645 -11  0.5  442 ~ AC2PB JA9SJI -11
    20200711_224645 -16  0.3 2810 ~ W1JJ JF4VZT -13
    20200711_224645 -13  0.5  620 ~ CQ JA9KRO PM86
    20200711_224645 -17  0.6 1325 ~ K8EB JH3VJV -13
    20200711_224645 -14  0.5 3049 ~ N8UR JA3FYC -18
    20200711_224645 -21  0.3 1719 ~ WA1EAZ JA4FSH RR73        ^
    20200711_224645 -19  0.6 1665 ~ K1SIX JH4IUO -11          ^
    20200711_224645 -22  0.6 1985 ~ W1JJ JH4IFF -17           ^
    20200711_224645 -20 -0.3 2895 ~ K1UO JG3IFX -11
    20200711_224645 -17  0.4 1902 ~ VA3ZV JA4LXY RR73         ^
    20200711_224645 -20  0.8  626 ~ W1JJ JN4MIV -14           ^
    20200711_224715 -14  0.5 2476 ~ KE8FD JO3DDD -23
    20200711_224715 -19  0.4 2315 ~ K8EB JF2UPM -14
    20200711_224715 -11  0.7  443 ~ AC2PB JA9SJI -11
    20200711_224715 -12  0.3  680 ~ VE3NH JA9LSZ -15
    20200711_224715 -15  0.6  623 ~ AJ9C JA9KRO PM86
    20200711_224745 -12  0.5  442 ~ CQ DX JA9SJI PM86
    20200711_224745 -19  0.2 2058 ~ N2CB JH4UYB -12
    20200711_224815 -16  0.4 2467 ~ N2TK JO3DDD RR73
    20200711_224845 -18  0.4  367 ~ VE3DS JA5EXW RR73
    20200711_224845 -20  0.4  448 ~ W4VHF JR3REX -19
    20200711_224845 -17  0.4  846 ~ W1JJ JE3GRQ -19
    20200711_224845 -16  0.2  678 ~ VE3NH JA9LSZ RR73
    20200711_224915 -15  0.4 2297 ~ K8SIX JA1WSX -15
    20200711_224915 -19 -0.1 1723 ~ OX3LX JH7RXU -13
    20200711_224915 -13  0.4 1227 ~ WA1EAZ JL1IHE RR73
    20200711_224915 -17  0.6 2761 ~ OX3LX JR7AIW -16
    20200711_224915 -16  0.5  561 ~ N2GHR JA0MVW -16
    20200711_224915 -20  0.3 1947 ~ K8SIX JA1TMG -08
    20200711_224915 -22  0.5  367 ~ VE3DS JA5EXW RR73         ^
    20200711_224915 -20  0.5  394 ~ K8MFO JM1IGJ -15
    20200711_224915 -17  0.5 1575 ~ N2CB JA1UAV -12
    20200711_224945  -4  0.8 1116 ~ KA1W JA8ISU -09
    20200711_224945 -15  0.6 2761 ~ OX3LX JR7AIW -16          ^
    20200711_224945 -12  0.4 2297 ~ K8SIX JA1WSX -15          ^
    20200711_224945 -13  0.6 2046 ~ N8UR JL1RUC -12
    20200711_224945 -17  0.4 1840 ~ N8UR JK1SQI -17
    20200711_224945 -19  0.3 1947 ~ K8SIX JA1TMG -08          ^
    20200711_224945 -19  0.5  393 ~ N8UR JM1IGJ -06
    20200711_224945 -18  0.4 1227 ~ WA1EAZ JL1IHE RR73        ^
    20200711_224945 -18  0.4 1351 ~ N2CB JJ1SKG -07
    20200711_225015  -8  0.5 1116 ~ KA1W JA8ISU RR73
    20200711_225615 -20  0.4 2088 ~ AC2PB JA2FBY RR73
    20200711_225645 -17  0.4 2088 ~ AC2PB JA2FBY RR73         ^
    20200711_225645 -12  0.5  442 ~ K3OX JA9SJI -18
    20200711_225645 -19  0.5  815 ~ K1JT JA9KRO R-10
    20200711_225715 -17  1.3 2671 ~ K1JT JA9IPF -15
    20200711_225715 -17  0.6 1857 ~ K1JT JR2WYD -11
    20200711_225715 -18  0.5  815 ~ K1JT JA9KRO 73            ^
    20200711_225715 -12  0.5  442 ~ K3OX JA9SJI -18           ^
    20200711_230545 -17  0.3  591 ~ KA1W JA1QJI -10
    20200711_230545 -21  0.5 2968 ~ VA3ZV JH1USR QM05
    20200711_230915 -19  0.5  588 ~ N2GHR JA0MVW -11
    20200711_230915 -15  0.3 2095 ~ WZ1V JF8QNF -16
    20200711_230945 -23  0.5  589 ~ N2GHR JA0MVW RR73         ^
    20200711_230945 -16  0.3 2094 ~ WZ1V JF8QNF RR73          ^
    20200711_230945 -19  0.5 2713 ~ K2ZD JA7MSQ -08
    20200711_232015 -19  0.4 2095 ~ VE1PZ JF8QNF -20
    20200711_232042.206(0)  Transmitting 50.313 MHz  FT8:  JF8QNF WW1L -19 
    20200711_232100.147(0)  Transmitting 50.313 MHz  FT8:  JF8QNF WW1L -19                    
    20200711_232045 -26  0.4 2095 ~ WW1L JF8QNF R-05          ^
    20200711_232104.596(0)  Retransmitting 50.313 MHz  FT8:  JF8QNF WW1L RR73    
    20200711_232104.636(0)  QSO logged: JF8QNF

    JA9SJI - PM86 - Japan - Worked



    JA8JEP - QN03 - Japan



    49.750 FM Voice and Music (first heard)

    I was pointed about 340-350 deg. Azimuth when this was recorded.  So it could have been from VE4-Land in Canada or that path, or off the back from the Carribean or SA since BOTH paths were active at the time.

    This is the first time I've ever heard anything besides DX Video Carriers that I could recognize.


    VO1SIX Hears me +44db ? Wowzer

    JW4PUA - JQ78 - Svalbard




    JW7QIA - JQ78 - Svalbard - Worked







    Another good 6m Morning ...

    One of my favorite sights....

    This kind of QSB is always exciting to see start...

    UR4LRG - KO80 - Ukraine - Heard