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Re: Passed the smoke test!
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, May 28, 9pm Local Time, 7.277 MHz
Same here, whatever time I'll keep trying. 7277 was much quieter for me at least between 8-9 PM. 7177 may be ok around 7 PM. Maybe add a digital QSO 30 minutes later as John mentioned?
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Most folks using vertical antennas have lots of radials, finding that ground rods don't always work very well. ?Could try placing a single quarter wave radial along the base of the wall, so you effectively have a dipole. ?The graphics for that "inverted L" make me cringe, imagining all the rainwater that would enter the exposed end of the coax. ?Another option is the end fed halfwave, makes a good stealth or portable antenna though it requires an appropriate tuner where it transitions to coax.
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On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 05:23 pm, Jerry Gaffke wrote:
Bu(t) need a really good ground, best if you can have a bunch of ground rods sunk deep, all tied together in parallel. ?
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To clarify, I've done the current draw test while transmitting and I go from 0.37mA to 0.47mA if that's any help.
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, May 28, 9pm Local Time, 7.277 MHz
Don't forget the mid-west, we would be at 6 pm.? Too early for me, I
have an ERC net at 6 and 3 of the members are QRPers. 7 would be the
earlirst
I could go! I was on 7178 and even with a little higher noise level
I still heard a cq bitx I just couldnt make out the call sign. I
heard one trying to get me
but same problem. 7277 didn't work at all due to high power
stations. 2 weeks ago I did great on 7178 so did Willy. One guy
announced that he was running
800 watts and he was 30 over. Nobody has a chance against him. Lets
see what the others think!
Ed W0OIC
On 5/29/2017 7:57 PM, KC8WBK via
Groups.Io wrote:
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I think that moving to 7pm is a good idea.? It is
quieter.? If propagation is good, we should still be able to make
good contacts.? During the day, it is possible that propagation
will not be good, but that can happen later in the evening as
well.
As the person who posts the notices for QSO night, it is sort of
up to me to make decisions on when and which frequency, since I
write the post.? I would just like to say that I would prefer this
to be a group decision.? If you have an opinion for or against
moving to 7pm, next Sunday on 7277 in North America, 7177
elsewhere, please post it here.? All opinions are welcome.? In a
day or so I will post another notice for QSO night, based on
discussion in this thread.
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Hello all!
I just recently finished my BITX40 build and got the new 1.12 sketch loaded into the arduino and while enjoying a few adult beverages, I figured I'd give it a test. I seemingly transmitted for almost a half hour calling CQ without the antenna connected.... My problem is that I cant hear ANY activity accept the birdie higher in the band. No CW activity, nor any QSOs, let alone any transmission from myself via my SDR. The schematic on the HF sigs website isn't a whole lot of help as I know that the IRF510 is the big player on the v3 board, yet I'm unsure how to go about testing this. If anyone has any helpful threads that I wasn't able to find or any advice, it'd be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Drew, KD9FRW
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Re: First contact today, slightly off frequency?
Thanks guys. Just to make sure, you both speak of this?  I have a pretty good ear and I know how to "zero" in on them. Most of the guys I hear talking are on 5khz steps like John said, and they are normally on an even number. 7.280 is always heard around here.? Is this the 8 pin connector referred to in the "Wire Up"?  If so, I assume the only red wire is the one mentioned. Also, Can I just short this red wire to the battery of my BITX40??
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Re: Check out the BRITX from Indonesia
Filters are on a separate board.? Further information on this here.
Mike K5ESS ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ryan Flowers
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2017 5:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Check out the BRITX from Indonesia ? It looks like the BPF and LPF's are on the same board.
--
Ryan Flowers W7RLF ? ?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Was it RF Connection in Maryland?
Sent by me
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On May 29, 2017, at 8:42 PM, Michael Hagen < motdog@...> wrote: A while back someone posted a favorite place (back east) to buy coax?
I can't find the link.? A small business that was liked?
Mike, in Ca.
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Re: First contact today, slightly off frequency?
Congratulations! We all remember that first HF contact. Really fun
stuff.
Have you done the calibration recommended? If not the BITX can be
off a bit until you do so. Details are in the Arduino sketch but
basically tune to a signal that you know the frequency off and then
set the calibration. After that it will be correct. I used? a net
that I know the frequency of and I know the voices of the net
control so it makes it easy.
Have fun!
On 5/29/2017 7:17 PM, Daniel Acevedo
wrote:
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I made my first
contact as a General today at 5pm PST. I was excited after
countless times trying to make contacts, (even on BITX QSO Night).
I never could until a station 100 miles North of me heard me
calling him today.?
My BITX40 was on 7.2200. He told me that he was hearing me clearly
on 7.222 I believe (the band wasn't too good). He told me that I
should get a frequency reader to see how off I am.?
My question is, is there an easy way to fix this, and what is the
problem here?
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Re: First contact today, slightly off frequency?
The easiest way is to find a frequency with regular activity. Most of the time they will be on exactly 5khz steps. Set your frequency on that exact step. Then put it in calibration mode, and tune back and forth until they sound normal in tone. Then disconnect the calibration wire to save the frequency offset. If you have another transceiver that is calibrated, with a dummy load you could tune for it's signal, or a friends calibrated signal. And use them for calibrating your display with the frequency you are on.
Check the wire up directions. I feel like I am not being clear enough. That's my fault. It's been a while since I calibrated mine.
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, May 28, 9pm Local Time, 7.277 MHz
So far, I have observed that the BITX40 QSO night actually spans several hours as operators across a couple of time zones in the US try to establish a contact with each other. My opinion is to make that official. An evening long event that coincides with optimal conditions. And has flexible hours.? I'll leave the time spread across the zones up you. I have noticed that W1LY comes in clearer around 9:45 PM Central, and is still going well after 10:00 central. For all I know he is working the Mountain zone from his Eastern time zone, or just still working the locals.
I don't feel strongly about any part of it. Just tell me when and where, and I'll show up and do my part to help BITX40 owners determine if it's working or not, and log a contact. So long as they are closer than 1500 miles so I can hear them better.
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First contact today, slightly off frequency?
I made my first contact as a General today at 5pm PST. I was excited after countless times trying to make contacts, (even on BITX QSO Night). I never could until a station 100 miles North of me heard me calling him today.?
My BITX40 was on 7.2200. He told me that he was hearing me clearly on 7.222 I believe (the band wasn't too good). He told me that I should get a frequency reader to see how off I am.?
My question is, is there an easy way to fix this, and what is the problem here?
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Re: Unused Wires On Raduino Plugs
Outstanding, thanks for the clarification. I've been out of town over the Memorial holiday, but should have the Bitx40 completed by next weekend. Looking forward to getting it up and running as received, then working on some modifications. I'm particularly interested in the VK3YE audio improvement and AGC, and perhaps CW functionality. Plus I need to find a permanent enclosure. Right now it's on a piece of plywood with lexan front and rear panels. Enjoying the journey, though.
Mark
W4MAP
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, May 28, 9pm Local Time, 7.277 MHz
I think that moving to 7pm is a good idea.? It is quieter.? If propagation is good, we should still be able to make good contacts.? During the day, it is possible that propagation will not be good, but that can happen later in the evening as well.
As the person who posts the notices for QSO night, it is sort of up to me to make decisions on when and which frequency, since I write the post.? I would just like to say that I would prefer this to be a group decision.? If you have an opinion for or against moving to 7pm, next Sunday on 7277 in North America, 7177 elsewhere, please post it here.? All opinions are welcome.? In a day or so I will post another notice for QSO night, based on discussion in this thread.
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A while back someone posted a favorite place (back east) to buy coax?
I can't find the link.? A small business that was liked?
Mike, in Ca.
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That inverted L looks like good advice. ?It's actually a quarter wave vertical. ? You don't need the 7mhz trap if you are only operating on 40m, just a quarter wavelength of wire (about 10 meters worth) going up as high as you can get it and then over for the remainder of the wire. ?Bu need a really good ground, best if you can have a bunch of ground rods sunk deep, all tied together in parallel. ?Ideally include a tuner and swr meter, as impedance of that antenna will likely not be 50 ohms. ?I'd guess the calibration of most any stock bitx40 is off by less than a khz, so if you have a friend transmitting nearby you'd probably hear something, then a slight tweak of the tuning knob should make it sound right. ?I suggest you go visit some other ham's shack, have them plug your bitx40 into their known good antenna to see how it does.
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On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 05:50 am, richard kappler wrote:
here I'm running a tapped coil whip, which I realize is not the best antenna
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Re: In praise of the BitX and this community
I hear you. ?I bought my Bitx20 about a year ago and have had a few contacts (2) Amid scope, signal generators, burned transistors and problems real and imagined, I have learned quit a Bit(x). ?Now working on the bitx40 and have an idea how to troubleshoot. ?Receiver works fine but transmit is down. ?Im working the power train. ?Next is a 70 watt linear amp which comes with just a handfull of parts and no instructions. ?Another challenge. ?Keep building!
ANG
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Re: Raduino Field version
I put it on Github as well. That was another learning experience.
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Jimmy
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W9ZIM
ekelley
