Re: QRPGuys DSB Digital Transceiver
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Bob:
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It's very true that conditions right now suck compared to the 70's. I had regular sked's for phone patch traffic between our military personnel stationed on Guam and the Marshall Islands and their spouses left at home at Offut AFB (SAC Headquarters). However, poor conditions does NOT mean bad ham radio. Indeed, one of my club members worked 160 DX stations during the recent CQ DX contest. It may take a little more effort today than 40 years ago, but the bands still provide enjoyable QSO's if you want them. Isn't it odd the bands are moribund at "normal" times but are actually crowed on FD and other popular contests. Hmmm. I wonder...How much of this "The-bands-are-horrible" crap is because we turn on the radio, tune around for five minutes and, not hearing anything, shut down everything just so you can go upstairs and rearrange your sock drawer. I wonder what would happen if every one of us tuned around for five minutes and, not hearing anything, called CQ for five minutes before giving up? I'll bet you'd make a contact more often than not...especially if everyone else was doing the same thing. I know the science and the sun's being pretty crappy about things at the moment. Still, I wonder what would happen if... Jack, W8TEE On Sunday, November 3, 2019, 9:32:09 PM EST, Bob Macklin <macklinbob@...> wrote:
Part of the problem with ham radio today is ready built radios are too expensive for a lot of us. 70 years ago we could buy a surplus BC-453 (Q5'er) for $5 and build a converter to put in front of it for another $10. Not so today. And the kits like Heathkit are long gone.The Heathkit low power transverters (HW-7, HW-8, HW-9) all go for several hundred bucks on eBay. And they are just direct conversion receivers. A good starting point is the NorCal40. It's single band but it's pretty cheap. And PCBs have been available. Now is not a good time for ham radio. We are at the low point of the solar cycle. We may have just started Solar Cycle 25. I think partially because of this the ham radio activity is at a low point. If you don't have a GC receiver there are a lot available on eBay. I like the Heathkits. I have mostly tube types but I do have a couple solid state units. They will let you listen to the activity on the bands.If you don't hear any activity on one of these you won't hear any on your QRP kit. It doesn't hurt to have a signal generator. Bob Macklin K5MYJ Seattle, Wa. "Real Radios Glow In The Dark" ----- Original Message ----- From: "chuck adams" <chuck.adams.k7qo@...> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2019 4:15 PM Subject: Re: [qrp-tech] QRPGuys DSB Digital Transceiver I second the notion.? Build it, use it and see what it does. |
Jack