Today I made a solid SSB contact with ZD8SC in Ascension Island from Toronto Ontario on 17 meters.
I was using an unmodified v3, no mike amp, no compression, into a G5RV at 40 feet.
My wattmeter needle was under the 5 watt tick mark.? Pretty impressive!
This little radio is a lot of fun.
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I posted a photo that shows that I cannot clamp anything outside. It¡¯s a walkway and tweakers will take anything they can scrap. I¡¯m going to get a tripod and just mount the dipole in my window. I can put it outside from time to time.
Chris
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I am using a 'Super Antenna' but it did not come with a 'random length counterpoise.'? I cut two radials (it has male spade connectors on the mount for them) for 20M, where I usually am.? I carefully tuned the antenna for 14.265 (SATERN net freq), clamped it to my balcony railing and ran the radials out.? I first had one of them over the edge of the balcony but it was a little too visible.? The other was 'flung' across the roof of the next door neighbor's.? I recently ran them down the downspouts to camouflage them and I didn't see any degradation of signal, getting good signal reports from around the country.?
Russ
K5FJR
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Re: uBitx v.4 build information
Vic
That v4 looks suspiciously like mine. You can search for Asshar's own words on c81, or tack solder something like 200 pF in parallel,? it might take an iteration but I was happy with the first cap I tried.
Given that the designer chose 470 pF to compensate the transmit chain, and since most v4 are fine as is, I think my suggestion to add a fraction of this value is rather credible. But if someone wants to try 0.01 uF, give it a try. Yes someone here did, and the higher bands? dropped a bunch.
Curt
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Hello
All,
?
The Sasquatch Stomp was a lot of fun, with good
numbers of signals on the band.? Those of you who participated, please go
to
?
?
and go to the bottom of the page and download the
score sheet.
?
All you need to do is fill in the appropriate green
boxes.
?
Such as the year, your callsign, your QTH, your SPC
(QTH), Sasquatch Number given out and your name.
?
Add up all the received Sasquatch Numbers and put the
total in the green box on line 15 as a negative number.? Example ¨C12,
980
?
Put the total number of Yetis worked I the green box
on line 16 and put the total number of contacts made in the green box on line
17.
?
Then, if you used a straight key for the whole event,
put ¨C9,999 in the green box on line 23.? If not, leave it
blank.
?
The form takes care of all the rest, so you can then
email a copy to nb6m@....
?
We will give everyone a week to get their score sheets
in and then the results will be posted on the pnwqrp.org Sasquatch Stomp web
page.
?
A big thank you to wll who took part.
?
73,
?
Wayne? NB6M
?
?
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Re: uBitx v.4 build information
Vic,.
??? This is with 12v power, correct?
Tom
w9kkq
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Re: Nominal power supply voltage
Ok,
I just wanted to ask because I had a commercial rig and for a while I couldn¡¯t make contacts. I had to set the voltage from my supply to 13.8 volts. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn¡¯t making the same mistake.?
I will probably get a small amp, but I don¡¯t plan on running the radio hot. It¡¯s working and I don¡¯t want to break anything.
Chris?
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Hello,
So after reading all of the replies I decided on a way to proceed with a minimum of trying to figure out what to do with radials etc.
Hamstick makes a mount that turns two sticks in to a dipole. I¡¯m just going to buy 2 20¡¯s and 2 40¡¯s and mount it on whatever I can find. Problem solved.
With luck I can sit it outside from time to time.
Chris?
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Re: S-Meter on Nextion Display
I just read the information on CEC website. The diagrams with the yellow lines are for the stand alone analyzer, not for the connected to uBITx S-meter. They S-meter diagram is in chapter 2 not 4.
Maybe I am wrong with this reaction so you might want to check for yourself.
Quote:
4.Connecting by Standalone measurement
This is the way uBITX does not measure the signal,?If you use this method, you will be able to make various measurements without affecting uBITX.
4.1?Setting uBITX Manager
Set the S-Meter to not use in uBITX,?We will no longer measure the S-Meter in uBITX.
--
PE3ES - F4VTQ - Erwin
73
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The touch paddle was from QSKllc.com and was the TP-1. It cost about $179. Barry
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020, 3:12 PM David Barber < wd8ajq@...> wrote:
Hello:
Notice your message as I was clearing out those unneeded messages. Noticed ?your below message on touch paddles.?
Many years ago I had the use of a stand alone iambic keyer with touch paddles. In the end, the owner needed the keyer back. The paddles were ?like the second one you mention below. ?
I injured my right CW hand ?in an auto accident.? Was thinking that touch paddles might be a solution for sending CW with this hand. Wondering where did you obtain ?the second touch paddles from and how much did they cost? ??
Thank You in advance for any info.
73 Dave WD8AJQ
5
On Mar 24, 2020, at 1:17 PM, barry halterman < kthreebo@...> wrote: I have tried various touch paddles in the past and did not like them. One model (home brew), would stop working after awhile. I never found the cause of this issue. The second one I purchased and it had a metal plate to rest one's fist on....paddle worked fair but was tough to get used to as my fingers would tend to wander to the front of the sensing pad and would miss dits or dashes after awhile. Art, W8CIT had an article in QST last year about a force touch paddle that sounded intriguing but I never built it up. Being a mechanical type, I like paddles that have many adjustments available. Good luck with your endeavors. Barry Andy
There are circuits needed to convert touch into closed switch action. A search should turn up US and other sellers of this type of paddle kits.
I find a mechanical paddle more to my liking. Qrpguys and maybe n8dah has paddle kits that are inexpensive.
Have fun exploring.?
Curt wb8yyy
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Hello:
Notice your message as I was clearing out those unneeded messages. Noticed ?your below message on touch paddles.?
Many years ago I had the use of a stand alone iambic keyer with touch paddles. In the end, the owner needed the keyer back. The paddles were ?like the second one you mention below. ?
I injured my right CW hand ?in an auto accident. ?Was thinking that touch paddles might be a solution for sending CW with this hand. Wondering where did you obtain ?the second touch paddles from and how much did they cost? ??
Thank You in advance for any info.
73 Dave WD8AJQ
5
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Show quoted text
On Mar 24, 2020, at 1:17 PM, barry halterman < kthreebo@...> wrote: I have tried various touch paddles in the past and did not like them. One model (home brew), would stop working after awhile. I never found the cause of this issue. The second one I purchased and it had a metal plate to rest one's fist on....paddle worked fair but was tough to get used to as my fingers would tend to wander to the front of the sensing pad and would miss dits or dashes after awhile. Art, W8CIT had an article in QST last year about a force touch paddle that sounded intriguing but I never built it up. Being a mechanical type, I like paddles that have many adjustments available. Good luck with your endeavors. Barry Andy
There are circuits needed to convert touch into closed switch action. A search should turn up US and other sellers of this type of paddle kits.
I find a mechanical paddle more to my liking. Qrpguys and maybe n8dah has paddle kits that are inexpensive.
Have fun exploring.?
Curt wb8yyy
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?I used whatever I was able to. ?Regarding magnet mount, I bought a heavy 4 magnet mount, and installed it, first on a Saturn SW wagon, then a Chrysler Town and Country. ?On the first I tuned a 20 meter whip, and, at night, contacted Sweden, Finland and Russia from Washington State. I tuned the rest of the whips, a group of five, similar to hamsticks. ?Only made contacts on 40 on our way home to Cal. ?On the T&C, I made the error of not readjusting the whips. ?Was on 40, with reduced power, and checked into a net. ?But then I turned up the power. ?Got bitten by RF on the Mike hanger, and the radio kicked off. ?Only got rf burns from that two times.? ?Point being, always check SWR and adjust when you make changes, and ground the rig itself. An autotuner can help, but always adjust at low power first. ?Make do with what you can. ?I recall seeing an ad for a Slinky antenna way back. No idea as to how well it did or did not work. ?I also saw dipoles for limited space in the radio amateurs handbook. ?Zig sagging or otherwise making it shorter while still using full lengths of wire. ?I did that type as well on 75 meters, where I restricted antennas to only over the roof of my home. ?Do what you think may work.
?Wayne WA2YNE
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020, 12:50 PM Ken Hansen < ken@...> wrote: Note: I know a few people with the MP-1 'super antenna' and all report mediocre performance UNTIL they went from the random length counterpoise included to one roughly a quarter wavelength long. One coiled up extra wire, the other cut band-specific counterpoises, both are happy with the performance of this antenna.
Just a datapoint, no personal exp with that antenna.
Ken, N2VIP
> On Apr 4, 2020, at 04:32, David Wilcox via <Djwilcox01=[email protected]> wrote:
>
>? I am going to use an MP1 or BuddyStick vertical sticking out from the building with floor radials next year at our rented condo in Florida.
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Note: I know a few people with the MP-1 'super antenna' and all report mediocre performance UNTIL they went from the random length counterpoise included to one roughly a quarter wavelength long. One coiled up extra wire, the other cut band-specific counterpoises, both are happy with the performance of this antenna.
Just a datapoint, no personal exp with that antenna.
Ken, N2VIP
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On Apr 4, 2020, at 04:32, David Wilcox via groups.io <Djwilcox01@...> wrote:
I am going to use an MP1 or BuddyStick vertical sticking out from the building with floor radials next year at our rented condo in Florida.
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Re: Nominal power supply voltage
I am using a 7812 in mine, and even with supply voltages of closer to 12v, the output is still around11v, which is plenty for the uBitX main board, so don't be concerned if you have low supply voltage. It is there in mine as sort of an insurance policy against high voltages...I see around 14.4v in a car that is running at times, but has not been adversely affected by running on a partially discharged Lithium power pack at under 12v.
=Vic=
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Re: Nominal power supply voltage
=Vic='s suggestion of a three-terminal regulator to drop the voltage from the PA voltage is a good one, as long as you follow the specs for the regulator.? An LM7812 would be one choice as long as the PA voltage will be over 14.5 volts (the spec says a minimum of 2 volts for dropout, but the output voltage specs 14.5 as a minimum).
Others have used buck/boost regulators.? That removes the requirement on the PA minimum voltage.? The disadvantage is finding one that has a low noise figure or adding filtering and shielding (mounting outside of a metal case that houses the uBiTx).
Since I am using a 13.8 volt ham base supply from TekPower, I have installed 2 diodes in series to reduce the voltage to the mainboard.?
73
Evan
AC9TU
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A mistake I see there is that you drilled the hole for the coax under the window. You should have drilled it on top just where your dipole wires are connected to the coax / box and put everything (coax/box) inside except the dipole wires. You can also try an indoor wire loop cut for the lowest band that would fit in your room and hang it a little down from the ceiling and see how it works.It doesn't?have to be exactly square?and you can hang small country, soccer etc flags from the wires to conceal the real purpose Another idea is to put two loops on opposite walls inside your room, one fed and the other (a bit smaller) tuned with a variable capacitor to tune it as a director or reflector which?would provide some gain.. It is obvious that the walls and ceiling would attenuate signals but there's no harm in trying.
As they say necessity is the mother of invention and you have?to try and do whatever you can in your? circumstances
On Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 6:58 PM Christopher Miller < djmalak2k6@...> wrote: Before a brawl breaks out, here are images from my front door. There is no way to be sure people will not touch my equipment. The dipole is hidden in cable tv coax which has worked so far.
Is it possible to get on the roof? Yes. Do I or the maintenance manager want to? No.
The baking sheet is a good idea to start, but the radials are a better option if I can get wire that doesn¡¯t sag. My dad worked for an am broadcast station and we dug up the radials to count them so the more the better.
Chris On Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 9:24 AM Ken Hansen < ken@...> wrote: Not quite sure why you felt the need to flex and get personal, but let me return the favor.
From your initial email:
"Good morning Andy and all: I have had some luck using large steel cookie and or cupcake sheets under a good Mag Mount, preferably lying on the ground but with some luck on a dining room table with visual access to the direction in which I wanted to transmit."
So you've worked HF with an 8 foot hamstick sitting on a "large steel cookie tray" on the dining room table? And were able to successfully work DX in the direction of your dining room window?
Well, as has been clearly established long before this email thread started "Anything can radiate" as proven by QSOs accomplished using 100 watt light bulbs or cantenna dummy loads.
And it has also been clearly established that during the Korean War, propagation was a bit better than it is today. While only going back to the 1980s, my local club, for a public demonstration took a hybrid transceiver and "loaded up" a mattress spring and worked a few neighboring states on HF... but I don't recall that leading to countless hams putting mattress springs up on the roof of their house instead of straining a Dipole or other more conventional antenna.
Given the opportunity to put a modest antenna on top of his apartment building I suspect few would cite a hamstick on a cookie tray as their "go-to" antenna. I suggested, as did a couple other responders, that he consider a hamstick Dipole (efficiency wont be great, but with elevation and horizontal polarization, it could be a great option with minimal visual impact).
So how big were those chain link fence sections? I suspect they were each close to a resonant quarter wave length or odd multiple thereof...
Take care, stay safe,
Ken, N2VIP
> On Apr 3, 2020, at 09:56, Steve & Judy Levine <sandjlevine@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Ken;
>
> So sorry if I offended yours sense of proper RF radiation and propagation.? You may have also objected to my use of two insulated sections of chain link fence mounted on 3 telephone poles with a bare-back KWM 2-A to run a nightly HF link on 40 meters between OSAN AB Korea to our CONUS MNCS in Missouri.
>
> Steve, KC1ASO
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Re: Drill hole in uBITX PCB... safe?
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 07:55 AM, Curt wrote:
Rob
I suggest moving away from PA if all possible, not that I took a picture or remember where my stuff is. I also remember mounting one board in the corner, then mounting a smaller board direct to one of its corners. Hot glue might work if you manage wire tension.? also run wires outside of the board to reduce signal pickup.
Curt
?I'd use the glue. Drilling the foil may lift it or tear it. If you drill, try a test drill hole.?
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Re: Drill hole in uBITX PCB... safe?
Rob
I suggest moving away from PA if all possible, not that I took a picture or remember where my stuff is. I also remember mounting one board in the corner, then mounting a smaller board direct to one of its corners. Hot glue might work if you manage wire tension.? also run wires outside of the board to reduce signal pickup.
Curt
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Re: Nominal power supply voltage
Hi all. While working on the Tulip SDR I had the same problem supplying TDA2822 with more than 12 V. As a matter of fact, many of the "alternate producers" warrant the device to a max. of 12 V supply voltage. Searching the data sheets I found the NJM2073 to be pin-to-pin compatible with a little lower gain. Try this solution as it doesn't generate any cost. 73's de YO3IAZ,Cristian
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Re: Nominal power supply voltage
Just add a simple 3-terminal 12v reulator chip to feed everything except the PA circuit and you will be OK up to 20v or so. You will want to put a heat sink on the chip if you expect to see 14v or more.
=Vic=
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Vic WA4THR