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What did you do in the shack today?
- Thread starter CatSnoutSoup
- Start date
UJay
NES Member
Ripped in to the popped MFJ-259b where I popped the detector diodes about a year ago when setting up the New England QSO Party mobile rig and transmitting too close.
Had everything disassembled ready to SMT the heck out of this thing, and cracked open the replacement parts.... which were wrong..... So the carcass remains open until the correct parts arrive this week hopefully.....
Also published a UT video demonstrating/testing K4d diversity RX.... awesome.
UJay
Had everything disassembled ready to SMT the heck out of this thing, and cracked open the replacement parts.... which were wrong..... So the carcass remains open until the correct parts arrive this week hopefully.....
Also published a UT video demonstrating/testing K4d diversity RX.... awesome.
UJay
ToddDubya
NES Member
I stopped at a park on my way to the super secret squirrel location today and got the trusty 857D on the air. Last time I used it the speaker was rattly, like maybe I didn't put it back together correctly, so in the meantime I brought an MFJ-281 Clear Tone speaker. Plus it wouldn't hurt to have a speaker aimed at me instead of up.
Man is that thing nice. I have one on my VHF/UHF FM rig at the house and it works well, but it sounded really nice on the 857D with CW. I had to turn my sidetone way way down to keep it from blasting out the whole forest.
I picked this one up at an estate sale last year, but I'm definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for more. They're only $20 new, but I'm thrifty. I have one other speaker that has an oval shape and it doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the MFJ. Maybe I'll buy them when I need to pad an order to get free shipping.
I got a bunch of contacts on 17m, then wanted to try for 10m but it was an SKCC Weekend Sprintathon and those guys kept answering me so instead of disappointing them every time I just called it quits, headed to the super secret squirrel location and switched to SKCC mode. I only got a handful before I couldn't stand being cold anymore and packed it in.
The MFJ 17' whip mounted to a picnic area grill with a Workman JawMount clamp, and a tuned counterpoise about waist high off the ground was a good system again today.
Is it ever going to be spring? I had on a tshirt, flannel shirt, hoodie, and my heavy hoodie I wear as a winter coat, and I was still freezing. By the time I left my fingers were going numb.
P.S. I think the DX Engineering version is exactly the same, but a few bucks cheaper.
Man is that thing nice. I have one on my VHF/UHF FM rig at the house and it works well, but it sounded really nice on the 857D with CW. I had to turn my sidetone way way down to keep it from blasting out the whole forest.
I picked this one up at an estate sale last year, but I'm definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for more. They're only $20 new, but I'm thrifty. I have one other speaker that has an oval shape and it doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the MFJ. Maybe I'll buy them when I need to pad an order to get free shipping.
I got a bunch of contacts on 17m, then wanted to try for 10m but it was an SKCC Weekend Sprintathon and those guys kept answering me so instead of disappointing them every time I just called it quits, headed to the super secret squirrel location and switched to SKCC mode. I only got a handful before I couldn't stand being cold anymore and packed it in.
The MFJ 17' whip mounted to a picnic area grill with a Workman JawMount clamp, and a tuned counterpoise about waist high off the ground was a good system again today.
Is it ever going to be spring? I had on a tshirt, flannel shirt, hoodie, and my heavy hoodie I wear as a winter coat, and I was still freezing. By the time I left my fingers were going numb.
P.S. I think the DX Engineering version is exactly the same, but a few bucks cheaper.
ToddDubya
NES Member
Today I hiked about 2 miles up a mountain to play radio only to have the wind pick up and it start raining. My weather app said it would stop in 13 minutes so I set up my antenna and waited. Then it said it would stop in 8 minutes. Then 24 minutes. At that point I was getting pretty wet and so was everything, so I called it before I even got started. I checked before I left the house and it was supposed to be cloudy, with single digit chance of rain.
I ended up hiking for around 3 hours instead. I stopped at a radio tower on the mountain and checked it out. Not much interesting except I noticed the chain link fence and barbed wire on top of the fence were grounded with heavy wires. Without knowing what the antennas are for, it's hard to say but I could see the fence building up some pretty good voltages if it weren't grounded. I should have whizzed on it to check.
Back in the car I made it about 1/4 mile before the sky opened up. Man did I time that well.
I ended up hiking for around 3 hours instead. I stopped at a radio tower on the mountain and checked it out. Not much interesting except I noticed the chain link fence and barbed wire on top of the fence were grounded with heavy wires. Without knowing what the antennas are for, it's hard to say but I could see the fence building up some pretty good voltages if it weren't grounded. I should have whizzed on it to check.
Back in the car I made it about 1/4 mile before the sky opened up. Man did I time that well.
CatSnoutSoup
NES Member
I rolled my generator out and ran it for a short period after it having been stored in the garage under a cover with a battery tender attached throughout the winter.
Started right up and ran fine using some of the 20-30 gallons of non-ethanol gasoline I get on my pilgrimages to the Sunoco in Keene.
I was thinking that ARRL Field Day is coming in a couple of months, and I usually run "Class E" with my 12kW whole house generator powering the station, but this year I might string up a temp antenna and run "Class B" from a card table in the backyard.
Not a Honda, or fortunately Honda priced, but nonetheless a quiet and very adequate 4500W inverter generator with remote start.
Started right up and ran fine using some of the 20-30 gallons of non-ethanol gasoline I get on my pilgrimages to the Sunoco in Keene.
I was thinking that ARRL Field Day is coming in a couple of months, and I usually run "Class E" with my 12kW whole house generator powering the station, but this year I might string up a temp antenna and run "Class B" from a card table in the backyard.
Not a Honda, or fortunately Honda priced, but nonetheless a quiet and very adequate 4500W inverter generator with remote start.
CatSnoutSoup
NES Member
Just now in the shack. I turned the radio on before heading up to dinner and managed to log 3G0YA (Easter Island DXpedtion) on 15m CW after no more than two minutes of trying. He heard me calling at 2.5kHz up.
Worked him on 10m phone yesterday.
Yeah me! Now I am going upstairs for a steak and baked potato.
Worked him on 10m phone yesterday.
Yeah me! Now I am going upstairs for a steak and baked potato.
Just worked them myself on 10 SSB @100 watts on my OCFD. I had just settled myself into my chair for what I thought was going to be a protracted wait...set up the split and called them when he said QRZ, listening up. I set the B VFO to 5 up and got them on the first call. Now what am I going to do for the next several hours? I could sit on his TX frequency and yell "HE'S LISTENING UP! SPLIT, SPLIT, SPLIT" when the LIDS show up.Just now in the shack. I turned the radio on before heading up to dinner and managed to log 3G0YA (Easter Island DXpedtion) on 15m CW after no more than two minutes of trying. He heard me calling at 2.5kHz up.
Worked him on 10m phone yesterday.
Yeah me! Now I am going upstairs for a steak and baked potato.
Interesting that I worked them many years ago (1995) as well when a good friend of mine (Joe Rich, N1TU, SK
) was on a DXpedition to Easter Island with XR0Y....it wasn't this easy then and I was running legal(ish) limit...and he was listening for me. Amazing what a few sunspots will do to enhance our hobby.
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Just worked Easter Island again on 15 meters....they aren't banging in like they were when I worked them on 10 the other day but still very Q5....they are about S-5 here in SoMo. Took three calls. I'm actually surprised they heard me because the OCFD I'm using isn't real efficient on 15 (or really any band for that matter, if truth must be told 
) .
) .
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ToddDubya
NES Member
I took the X5105 out for a spin up on a mountain today. Work was too slow and it was too sunny for me to not take the shack in a box out for some fresh air. I can fit everything I need in that admin pouch with room to breathe. My little portable straight key is strapped to my leg, which worked really well. It was about 45 degrees and pretty windy, so my hands got cold and my sending wasn't great, but I had a good time.
Random wire up into the tree, counterpoise on the ground, ATU had no trouble except for 30m which was only a little high. The audio isn't great, and the keyer is a little weird sometimes, but this is a nice little radio. I'm really enjoying it. I meant to try SSB with the built in mic, but I forgot until I had the antenna down. Next time.
Random wire up into the tree, counterpoise on the ground, ATU had no trouble except for 30m which was only a little high. The audio isn't great, and the keyer is a little weird sometimes, but this is a nice little radio. I'm really enjoying it. I meant to try SSB with the built in mic, but I forgot until I had the antenna down. Next time.
....and just worked them on 20 but I had to turn on the amp for that one. Not very strong in MO. They were about S-3 (the bands kinda suck today). I got them first call though. I haven't heard them on 40 or 80 though. Last I saw on their website, they were having issues with antennas on those bands.Just worked Easter Island again on 15 meters....they aren't banging in like they were when I worked them on 10 the other day but still very Q5....they are about S-5 here in SoMo. Took three calls. I'm actually surprised they heard me because the OCFD I'm using isn't real efficient on 15 (or really any band for that matter, if truth must be told
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ToddDubya
NES Member
I took down my DX Commander today, replaced some tape and zip tie, clipped all the zip tie tails I never clipped two years ago, and got it back up mostly plumb. I may need to replace a set or two of radials that seem to have lost a battle with the lawnmower.
Instead of a zip tie or hose clamp, I used a ClampTite tool to make a wire clamp. It took a few tries to get it right, trying to work between all of the wires on the antenna, but I think it's gonna hold. It's at least not going to loosen like the zip tie did.
For those unfamiliar, it makes a clamp like this. I used the style on the left, although either probably would have worked in this application. It's just acting as a stop to prevent the smaller section of the telescopic mast from sliding back down.
One of these years I may have to make a small platform for the mast to sit on just it from sinking into the ground and the grass from growing up all around it. It wouldn't have to be much, just a few inches. Heck, a piece of pressure treated 2x8 might be just the ticket.
Instead of a zip tie or hose clamp, I used a ClampTite tool to make a wire clamp. It took a few tries to get it right, trying to work between all of the wires on the antenna, but I think it's gonna hold. It's at least not going to loosen like the zip tie did.
For those unfamiliar, it makes a clamp like this. I used the style on the left, although either probably would have worked in this application. It's just acting as a stop to prevent the smaller section of the telescopic mast from sliding back down.
One of these years I may have to make a small platform for the mast to sit on just it from sinking into the ground and the grass from growing up all around it. It wouldn't have to be much, just a few inches. Heck, a piece of pressure treated 2x8 might be just the ticket.
Put some 2" rubber ducky antennas on a bunch of Baofeng radios. They work just fine so far for very local comms (which is what I want)
Ya they're probably not much better than a dummy load, but reduced range is the goal.
Ya they're probably not much better than a dummy load, but reduced range is the goal.
ToddDubya
NES Member
Or turn the power down
Man, the bands were rubbish today. I don't know who forgot to pay the ionosphere bill, but they shut that shit off. I was having no luck at home, so I went out to a park while it was still warm, which it wasn't, and I couldn't even get picked up by the RBN. I tried 15, 17, and 20m and called for about 20 minutes with zero luck. Then I tried 30m, nope. Not a single spot from the RBN. I thought maybe I had break-in turned off again like a retard. Then finally 40m worked. I couldn't believe it. Once I got rolling the signals were strong, so it must have just been a rubbish day on the higher bands.
I had stuck a piece of tape over the speaker on my X5105 to stop the constant background hiss. I noticed I had to turn the volume up pretty high to the point it would distort, so I took that off. Damn, that was really blocking a lot. Then I noticed I had the preamp turned on, so I killed that. Good grief, no wonder so many stations were 599+40dB. I wonder how long that'd been on. I almost never use the pre-amp at home, so I'm not sure why I would have turned it on. Probably just while I was fussing with it.
Yep, bands have been pretty rough the past few days. I was listening to ten this morning (didn’t hear anything) and I saw a bright flash through the window in front of my desk and then a very loud thunder clap…WTF! I don’t remember seeing a weather warning for t-storms in my area. I quick shut everything down and unplugged everything. Thunder storms lasted all day…I guess more are due tomorrow and Sunday. I need to keep a better eye on the forecasts.Or turn the power down
Man, the bands were rubbish today. I don't know who forgot to pay the ionosphere bill, but they shut that shit off. I was having no luck at home, so I went out to a park while it was still warm, which it wasn't, and I couldn't even get picked up by the RBN. I tried 15, 17, and 20m and called for about 20 minutes with zero luck. Then I tried 30m, nope. Not a single spot from the RBN. I thought maybe I had break-in turned off again like a retard. Then finally 40m worked. I couldn't believe it. Once I got rolling the signals were strong, so it must have just been a rubbish day on the higher bands.
I had stuck a piece of tape over the speaker on my X5105 to stop the constant background hiss. I noticed I had to turn the volume up pretty high to the point it would distort, so I took that off. Damn, that was really blocking a lot. Then I noticed I had the preamp turned on, so I killed that. Good grief, no wonder so many stations were 599+40dB. I wonder how long that'd been on. I almost never use the pre-amp at home, so I'm not sure why I would have turned it on. Probably just while I was fussing with it.
CatSnoutSoup
NES Member
Just worked Easter Island again on 15 meters....they aren't banging in like they were when I worked them on 10 the other day but still very Q5....they are about S-5 here in SoMo. Took three calls. I'm actually surprised they heard me because the OCFD I'm using isn't real efficient on 15 (or really any band for that matter, if truth must be told
Worked them FT8 on 40m and 20m at 08:45 and 08:55 UTC respectively.
New experience using FT8 to call a specific DX station. I don't use the mode a lot and when I do it is just to grab random folks as they present themselves.
Yes, I turned the power down.Or turn the power down
Man, the bands were rubbish today. I don't know who forgot to pay the ionosphere bill, but they shut that shit off. I was having no luck at home, so I went out to a park while it was still warm, which it wasn't, and I couldn't even get picked up by the RBN. I tried 15, 17, and 20m and called for about 20 minutes with zero luck. Then I tried 30m, nope. Not a single spot from the RBN. I thought maybe I had break-in turned off again like a retard. Then finally 40m worked. I couldn't believe it. Once I got rolling the signals were strong, so it must have just been a rubbish day on the higher bands.
I had stuck a piece of tape over the speaker on my X5105 to stop the constant background hiss. I noticed I had to turn the volume up pretty high to the point it would distort, so I took that off. Damn, that was really blocking a lot. Then I noticed I had the preamp turned on, so I killed that. Good grief, no wonder so many stations were 599+40dB. I wonder how long that'd been on. I almost never use the pre-amp at home, so I'm not sure why I would have turned it on. Probably just while I was fussing with it.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
On the BF888 radios, it can be done by designating the function of the side switch or permanently in the programming.
I choose to use the side switch as a momentary monitor function and program the power to low in the selectable line item in the program.
I'm wanting "100 milliwatt" performance, so the combination of the stubby and 1w should attenuate the signal near that range.
It also lengthens battery life a bit.
Yes, the bands have been pretty poor lately. Some signals on 40m but nothing strong.
I'll have to keep an eye on 40...and for continuing thunderstorms as wellWorked them FT8 on 40m and 20m at 08:45 and 08:55 UTC respectively.
New experience using FT8 to call a specific DX station. I don't use the mode a lot and when I do it is just to grab random folks as they present themselves.
.
ToddDubya
NES Member
At least you didn't get the tornadoes. I don't know if they were worse than normal or if it was just the volume of coverage, but they looked pretty bad. Nebraska, Iowa area.I'll have to keep an eye on 40...and for continuing thunderstorms as well
I didn't hear of any but it doesn't mean they didn't have some. I may jinx myself here by saying this but we haven't had a tornado here within 40 miles of where I live for over 25 years. I live in a very hilly, some here would call them mountains
, and historically, tornados have problems staying as tornadoes around here. The terrain, hills and hollers, tend to break them up. The last one we had here was a F1 or 2 tornado and that was around 1995. It went through about a mile north of me.
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CatSnoutSoup
NES Member
In the shack at the moment I am working Florida stations via CW for their state QSO Party.
Actually a good number on the air and it is good casual fun.
Actually a good number on the air and it is good casual fun.
ToddDubya
NES Member
Is that what I heard yesterday? Suddenly the bands went from nobody to slightly more than nobody and I couldn't make out the CQ. I think people started calling CQ and then were like "Wait, what do I send next?" I was trying to make Flora/Fauna fit, or Field Day. Then I thought maybe it was some French thing, maybe. I could have sworn someone was throwing a 6 in there.In the shack at the moment I am working Florida stations via CW for their state QSO Party.
Actually a good number on the air and it is good casual fun.
Full disclosure I have absolutely done that. VT QSO Party for sure, possibly other things. Is it VQP, VTQP, VT? To make it worse someone answered me right away and I was even more screwed. Even on SSB I usually make a note so I don't sound like a retard first thing.
UJay
NES Member
75 QSOs in the FlQP this weekend... Made them remote through my station at home while we were RV camping in West MA. It worked really well.
We'll be rovering again covering a bunch of counties in MA RI CT (All new CoG's with NewEQP rule change this year) on Saturday and all of VT on Sunday.
Will be good and unusual to sleep at home Sat night.
I am still working out the route. Toughest part is the new CT Thing.
UJay
Easter Island on 17 meters...worked them after a few calls, 100 watts and a wire. I haven't heard them yet on 40 phone but then again, I'm not listening to 40 all day waiting for them with bated breath.
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They may...I'll have to look at how they QSL. I already have a card somewhere from the 1995 Easter Island DX-pedition that my friend who was there hand delivered to me when he got back.
Has anyone seen Easter Island on 40 or 80 sideband yet? I know CatSnout worked them on FT8 on 40 but that's all I've seen about them on 40. I think I can set up an SMS alert on HRD.
ToddDubya
NES Member
It took one of the big 4800 sized cases from China Freight, but I made a go box for my 857. If it wasn't for the side rails it would have been an easier fit. And the headphone on my Heil headset needs to swivel so it's not so fat. But I found a workaround for that, too. The only thing I can't get in there that I'd like is a laptop. I could probably put it behind the top foam and it would be okay. I even stuck a laminated band plan and courteous operator's frequency guide in there.
Some pics:
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Some pics:
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ToddDubya
NES Member
I'm getting my stuff together for a weekend of camping and NEQP. If S ever does HTF I'm screwed. Camping for one person for two nights is damn near gonna fill up the car. Granted two nights or 30 nights most of it wouldn't change, other than food/clothes, but still.
I still haven't tried the Scorpion antenna yet and thought this was going to be the weekend for it, but it looks like rain Sunday, Sunday night, and I'm not interested in fiddling with a new huge antenna in the rain. So I can leave that and the large manual tuner at home.
Yesterday I bailed out of work early, again, and sat up by a new-to-me lake for a few hours playing CW. This past week has been rubbish for me; sometimes the RBN can't even hear me. I've been using the random wire and it's very convenient, but I might have to go back to dipoles for a bit until the ionosphere gets turned back on. I'm hoping that's part of my problem. Or (gasp) use more than 5w, if you can imagine such a thing.
I still haven't tried the Scorpion antenna yet and thought this was going to be the weekend for it, but it looks like rain Sunday, Sunday night, and I'm not interested in fiddling with a new huge antenna in the rain. So I can leave that and the large manual tuner at home.
Yesterday I bailed out of work early, again, and sat up by a new-to-me lake for a few hours playing CW. This past week has been rubbish for me; sometimes the RBN can't even hear me. I've been using the random wire and it's very convenient, but I might have to go back to dipoles for a bit until the ionosphere gets turned back on. I'm hoping that's part of my problem. Or (gasp) use more than 5w, if you can imagine such a thing.
