Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
I worked Willy briefly right at 7EST. Signal reports were 55 & 56, then he disappeared. Heard him really loud a little later, but I guess that was after he cranked up the power.
--
John - WA2FZW
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 06:56 pm, Willy wrote:
Is anyone up for trying late afternoon or early evening?
Well, early evening (IMHO) is when we have the regular get together and we can all see how well that's worked out lately. I'm pretty much available anytime (particularly when the flying weather sucks)! If anyone wants to pick a time and give it a try, let me know. Rather than posting here,?which I may or may not see in time, better to email me: WA2FZW - ARRL.org. ? -- John - WA2FZW
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Hi, Was busy with my Bitx40, and i saw "smoke". I replaced the Power amp. The receiver works, and if I press the ptt it clicks, and the ammeter rises to about 3.2A, but no audio output.
Any help would be appreciated.
73
Evan
ZS6ELI
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
I called and listened up here in Western WA, and heard a station calling around 7:30 or so, but all I could hear was their faint CQ. Maybe we should move to JT65 or FT8? :P -- Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
I was calling around 7 from northern BC, but I heard nothing. By that time, it was completely dark here and propagation appeared to be completely dead.
I had been listening all day to the CQ WW on 7.023 on my pixie transceiver. It was crazy busy, and it made me hopeful that the band would stay active until later.
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On Nov 26, 2017, at 7:42 PM, Ed Kelley via Groups.Io < ekelley946@...> wrote:
Very poor here also. I did work a station in California but I
couldn't do it with my 5watts. I used
my 100 watt rig. I tried calling CQ on the BitX frequencies and
nothing, so I cheated and turned
on the amplifier and tried it with 2KW and still nothing. I turned
on the SDR web stations out east
and couldn't even hear myself with full power. I will try again
later.
Ed W0OIC
On 11/26/2017 8:56 PM, Willy wrote:
Very poor propagation tonight. Only 2 QSOs with QRP
power several with 100 watts as the band faded and then nothing
even with 600 watts.
Is anyone up for trying late afternoon or early evening?
73 Willy?
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
Very poor here also. I did work a station in California but I
couldn't do it with my 5watts. I used
my 100 watt rig. I tried calling CQ on the BitX frequencies and
nothing, so I cheated and turned
on the amplifier and tried it with 2KW and still nothing. I turned
on the SDR web stations out east
and couldn't even hear myself with full power. I will try again
later.
Ed W0OIC
On 11/26/2017 8:56 PM, Willy wrote:
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Show quoted text
Very poor propagation tonight. Only 2 QSOs with QRP
power several with 100 watts as the band faded and then nothing
even with 600 watts.
Is anyone up for trying late afternoon or early evening?
73 Willy?
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
Very poor propagation tonight. Only 2 QSOs with QRP power several with 100 watts as the band faded and then nothing even with 600 watts. Is anyone up for trying late afternoon or early evening? 73 Willy?
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 9:10 PM, Craig Thibodeaux <km4yec@...> wrote: 9:09pm?
I can hear W1LY calling CQ right now¡
KM4YEC
Me thanks too, I will be on 7277 a little later. I have a 6 pm net
to call on local repeater. WiresX c4fm running analog, #40780 room
number.
Ed W0OIC, Gracias a todo
On 11/26/2017 5:06 PM, Tom VE3THR
wrote:
thanks for the
research Willy. I just had 4 great QSO's with guys in PA, MD, WI
and KY on 7.277. Started at 2148 Z to now at 2300 and conditions
generally got worse and worse. The last QSO with PA was cut short
even after moving to 7.285. Conditions just are not cooperating on
40M lately.?
I tend to agree that we are going to have to try earlier time
and/or frequency. Suggest 7.285 the old QRP freq. BTW I wasn't
running QRP this afternoon - only QRP contact was VE3RDQ about 3
miles away! Will be back tonight around 0000Z (7PM LOCAL) on 277
and 285.
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
9:09pm?
I can hear W1LY calling CQ right now¡
KM4YEC
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Me thanks too, I will be on 7277 a little later. I have a 6 pm net
to call on local repeater. WiresX c4fm running analog, #40780 room
number.
Ed W0OIC, Gracias a todo
On 11/26/2017 5:06 PM, Tom VE3THR
wrote:
thanks for the
research Willy. I just had 4 great QSO's with guys in PA, MD, WI
and KY on 7.277. Started at 2148 Z to now at 2300 and conditions
generally got worse and worse. The last QSO with PA was cut short
even after moving to 7.285. Conditions just are not cooperating on
40M lately.?
I tend to agree that we are going to have to try earlier time
and/or frequency. Suggest 7.285 the old QRP freq. BTW I wasn't
running QRP this afternoon - only QRP contact was VE3RDQ about 3
miles away! Will be back tonight around 0000Z (7PM LOCAL) on 277
and 285.
|
Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
Me thanks too, I will be on 7277 a little later. I have a 6 pm net
to call on local repeater. WiresX c4fm running analog, #40780 room
number.
Ed W0OIC, Gracias a todo
On 11/26/2017 5:06 PM, Tom VE3THR
wrote:
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Show quoted text
thanks for the
research Willy. I just had 4 great QSO's with guys in PA, MD, WI
and KY on 7.277. Started at 2148 Z to now at 2300 and conditions
generally got worse and worse. The last QSO with PA was cut short
even after moving to 7.285. Conditions just are not cooperating on
40M lately.?
I tend to agree that we are going to have to try earlier time
and/or frequency. Suggest 7.285 the old QRP freq. BTW I wasn't
running QRP this afternoon - only QRP contact was VE3RDQ about 3
miles away! Will be back tonight around 0000Z (7PM LOCAL) on 277
and 285.
|
Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
I don't know if this isyour problem,but the critical frquency? (which is the easily measurable part of the ionosphere:? ?the? highest frequency a radio- ionosonde station can send upwards (vertically) and get a "ping" back) --- is dropping to really low
levels.? ?By this time in Florida, you can't communicate to nearby cities even on 80 meters.? ?
Here is a worldwide plot of the critical frequency, provided courtesy? of the Austrailian goverment, drawn from readings from ionosondes all over the world.??
--This was the impetus for my efforts to move my bitx40 to 80? meters--
?
Right at this moment, 40 meters? is ABOVE the critical frequency throughout all of the continental USA.? ?That doesn't mean that you can't reach someone thousands of miles away --- but inside your own state or several nearby it may be impossible
Gordon
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Tom VE3THR <muzzmobility@...>
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 6:06 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
?
thanks for the research Willy. I just had 4 great QSO's with guys in PA, MD, WI and KY on 7.277. Started at 2148 Z to now at 2300 and conditions generally got worse and worse. The last QSO with PA was cut short even after moving to 7.285. Conditions just
are not cooperating on 40M lately.?
I tend to agree that we are going to have to try earlier time and/or frequency. Suggest 7.285 the old QRP freq. BTW I wasn't running QRP this afternoon - only QRP contact was VE3RDQ about 3 miles away! Will be back tonight around 0000Z (7PM LOCAL) on 277 and
285.
|
Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
thanks for the research Willy. I just had 4 great QSO's with guys in PA, MD, WI and KY on 7.277. Started at 2148 Z to now at 2300 and conditions generally got worse and worse. The last QSO with PA was cut short even after moving to 7.285. Conditions just are not cooperating on 40M lately.?
I tend to agree that we are going to have to try earlier time and/or frequency. Suggest 7.285 the old QRP freq. BTW I wasn't running QRP this afternoon - only QRP contact was VE3RDQ about 3 miles away! Will be back tonight around 0000Z (7PM LOCAL) on 277 and 285.
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No, he's still running the stock software (v1.01) - the basic sketch doesn't support the Function Button yet.
For some reason his raduino enters the calibration mode at power on.
This normally only happens when the CAL wire (red wire on input A2) is grounded.
Gert, when you measure with a DVM directly on pin A2, what voltage do you see?
Input A2 should be HIGH (5V) when it is open (due to the internal pull-up resistor).
If it is LOW then check for any shorts.
If you are absolutely sure that there is really no short to ground, then input A2 may be blown.
(arduino inputs can easily blow when loose wires accidentally touch +12V on the BitX40 main board)
73 Allard PE1NWL
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Re: Is my BitX output stable?
The "MG" in the Pixie schematic is apparently a reference to "MG Electronics":
? ?
And it's magnetic not piezoelectric, either would work.
That click-on-DC buzzer from Adafruit might be the best bet for the Bitx40 sidetone,
as Allard's code puts the sidetone audio frequency at something reasonable.
Though if you can live with a 3khz buzzer, that frees up a Raduino pin?
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On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 10:02 am, Jerry Gaffke wrote:
You could feed Allard's sidetone square wave into the clicky type transducer from Adafruit.
Or you could feed Allard's 5v DC signal that goes over to the 10k resistor into the modulator
as a source to a steady-tone-with-DC type transducer from Amazon (but choose one that works at 5v).
. . .
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Re: Is my BitX output stable?
Thanks Willy, I got it!? de Karl, KO8S
On Sunday, November 26, 2017 1:43 PM, Willy <W1LY@...> wrote:
Hi Karl, "MG" is a? buzzer which can be disabled by by pulling a shorting tab. It produces a pretty disturbing tone. 73 Willy
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 12:34 PM, Karl Schwab via Groups.Io <ktschwab@...> wrote: A question on the Pixie; what is the "MG" component that is being used for side tone?? Thanks, 73, Karl, KO8S
On Sunday, November 26, 2017 9:16 AM, Willy <W1LY@...> wrote:
Hi Jerry, The link you mention,?, is our club web site and documents our first club build. We built 30 or so Pixies and exposed many to their first soldering adventure. I? would consider the Pixie to be an interesting experiment rather than a viable transceiver, but yes they do work. With much time and patience and a good antenna I was able to work Brazil from New England, one of the few contacts I was able to make.
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
I have been looking at? and the results are very much what I have been experiencing on QSO night. It is also a very good predictor of what other times might produce. I entered my grid square FN41hm, power 10 watts SSB, dipole at 15 meters,and the receiving station antenna as dipole at 15 m also and moved the receiving station around with my mouse to see the likely percentage of a successful contact at any time. At 00z? (my 7 PM) I have less than a 50% chance of working Tom VE3THR at FN04ej around 500 miles and the chances drop to 18% an hour later.My best? ? ? ? ? ? ?chance to work Tom is between 1 PM and 5 PM local when I have over a 90% chance. At 00z my chance of working W0OIC ED EN42qm at around 1000 miles is 74% and stays above 60% til my 3AM when I have my best chance 75% if Ed is still up.
Of course VOACAP is only a guide but a huge amount of time and money was spent building these models? ? Hope to work you tonight, Willy
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 10:06 AM, John P <j.m.price@...> wrote: Just a reminder! See you all tonight, I hope!
--
John - WA2FZW
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Re: Allard's Modifications
Hi Jack, Allard's software with instructions is located at:??
Hope this helps.
Marco - KG5PRT
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 2:06 PM, Jack Purdum via Groups.Io <jjpurdum@...> wrote: All:
I've been out of the country for over a month without internet and have two questions:
1. What/where is the latest release of Allard's Raduino code?
2. I think I remember that someone was going to (did?) write up a doc file on how to do all of the mods that Allard's code supports. If that does exist, what/where is it?
Thanks!
Jack, W8TEE
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All:
I've been out of the country for over a month without internet and have two questions:
1. What/where is the latest release of Allard's Raduino code?
2. I think I remember that someone was going to (did?) write up a doc file on how to do all of the mods that Allard's code supports. If that does exist, what/where is it?
Thanks!
Jack, W8TEE
|
Re: Is my BitX output stable?
Hi Karl, "MG" is a? buzzer which can be disabled by by pulling a shorting tab. It produces a pretty disturbing tone. 73 Willy
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 12:34 PM, Karl Schwab via Groups.Io <ktschwab@...> wrote: A question on the Pixie; what is the "MG" component that is being used for side tone?? Thanks, 73, Karl, KO8S
On Sunday, November 26, 2017 9:16 AM, Willy <W1LY@...> wrote:
Hi Jerry, The link you mention,?, is our club web site and documents our first club build. We built 30 or so Pixies and exposed many to their first soldering adventure. I? would consider the Pixie to be an interesting experiment rather than a viable transceiver, but yes they do work. With much time and patience and a good antenna I was able to work Brazil from New England, one of the few contacts I was able to make.
|
Re: Is my BitX output stable?
You could feed Allard's sidetone square wave into the clicky type transducer from Adafruit.
Or you could feed Allard's 5v DC signal that goes over to the 10k resistor into the modulator
as a source to a steady-tone-with-DC type transducer from Amazon (but choose one that works at 5v).
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 09:54 am, Jerry Gaffke wrote:
A buzzer like this could be used for a sidetone on the Bitx40 as well,
if you don't like how Allard is injecting a square wave into the speaker.
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Re: Is my BitX output stable?
The Pixie sidetone is generated by some sort of piezoelectric buzzer/sounder, rated to sound off when given 9v to 12v.?
These generate a steady tone of maybe 2khz or worse when fed a DC voltage.
Here's one, there's cheaper out there: ?
There are other piezoelectric transducers that appear identical, but these only click once when fed DC.
You would have to feed those a square wave to get a tone out of them.
He's one of those: ?
A buzzer like this could be used for a sidetone on the Bitx40 as well,
if you don't like how Allard is injecting a square wave into the speaker.
Jerry, KE7ER
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On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 09:34 am, Karl Schwab wrote:
A question on the Pixie; what is the "MG" component that is being used for side tone?? Thanks, 73, Karl, KO8S
?
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Willy
Craig Thibodeaux
ekelley
Allard PE1NWL