Messages

811

10/11 meters / 10m/11m/12m Band Activity 7 Feb 2022

« on: February 07, 2022, 1118 UTC »

Airspy HF+ Discovery. Active miniwhip antenna. SDR preamp enabled.

1113z - 27445l ongoing qso
1114z - 27185a Ch19 activity including NA DX
1117z - 27025a Ch6 NA DX slowing picking up
1119z - 27015a Ch5 activity.... local?
1121z - 27395a Ch39 activity + qrm.... local?
1123z - 27205a Ch20 faint activity
1127z - 27545l ongoing qso.... local/regional?
1129z - 27385l Ch38 activity.... local/regional?
1129z - 27285a Ch28 music/qrm over faint NA DX
1142z - 27385l Ch38 local splatter with *multiple* harmonics
1145z - 27385l Ch38 NA DX slowly picking up
1129z - 27285a Ch28 explicit qrm
1159z - 27075a Ch10 sounds like truckers.... local?
1209z - 27305a Ch30 locals
1219z - 27165a Ch10 sounds like truckers.... local?


Took a look at the other side of the big pond via Twente SDR at ~1200z. Various 11m FM activity noted, including an op on 27205 outside of Moscow.


Switched over to an Antron 99 18' vertical mounted at ~20' with four ~8.5' radials. I still need to tune it down like 400-500KHz or so, but "whatever" for receiving purposes.

1306z - 27185a Usual Ch19 activity
1306z - 26975a Ch2 weak signal
1311z - various 12m band CW + digital activity
1314z - 27075a Ch10 locals

1314z - 27505u DX.... Brazil
1316z - 27465l locals including splattering
1330z - 27335a Ch33 intermittent weak signal.... sounds like Spanish or Portuguese

1410z - 27025a Ch6 NA DX
1410z - 27085a Ch8 op tuning up
1412z - 27095a Ch9 DX.... sounds like Spanish
1413z - 27515l weak signal DX.... sounds like Spanish or Portuguese

1440z - 27515l European DX.... England
1441z - 27385l Ch38 Caribbean DX
1443z - 27395l Ch39 DX..... Brazil?
1444z - 27375l Ch37 European DX.... England
1446z - 27555u DX.... Europe? French language
1446z - 27520u European DX.... multiple ops
1447z - 27595u European DX.... France
1449z - 27175a Ch18 sounds like truckers
1451z - 27265a Ch26 activity.... sounds like NA DX of a local(s) group
1453z - 27135a Ch15 likely NA DX.... over-modulated with echo
1455z - 27050a Ch4 DX qso about antenna.... Caribbean?
1457z - 26965a Ch1 Panama DX.... op with lots of echo

1500z - It is now exactly wall-to-wall signals, but 11m DX is open for business here.
1501z - various 12m band digital and SSB activity
1503z - 28400u European DX.... Scotland
1507z - 27765u weak signal DX.... Europe?
1507z - 27550 digital
1510z - 27545u weak signal DX.... mobile? Europe?





2242z - various 10m SSB activity noted
2243z - just noticed the SDR preamp is enabled; now disabled and the noise floor looks better ;)

812

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6955 USB 2136 UTC 6 FEB 2022

« on: February 06, 2022, 2145 UTC »

Instrumental chill-out music at 2140z. SINPO 35344. Some band noise at the moment, but nonetheless a plenty listenable copy.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

813

North American Shortwave Pirate / Philo Radio (Zeeky) 6927 USB 2135 UTC 6 FEB 2022

« on: February 06, 2022, 2135 UTC »

"Book of Love" by The Monotones at 2137z. SINPO 45455. Good modulation.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

814

FM DX Loggings / Re: Maryland FM Broadcast Band Question

« on: February 06, 2022, 2111 UTC »

W261CD 100.1MHz is a low-power relay of WZBA 100.7MHz. ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZBA

815

Amateur Radio / Re: AM Rally this weekend 2/5-7/2022!

« on: February 06, 2022, 2048 UTC »

Anyone here participate or even spot rally activity? I have not followed the lower amateur bands, where I suspect more of the AM activity was, much at all this weekend.

816

10/11 meters / Re: 11 meter activity 6 Feb 2022

« on: February 06, 2022, 2045 UTC »

Moderate 11m activity today.




Some 10m SSB activity at ~2057z. Currently listening to a Canadian op from Vancouver Island on 28320u working the British Columbia QSO Party.

817

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: February 06, 2022, 2041 UTC »

Ya' had to go there. :p I do not even have a home office anymore. I think about doing a radio room or area of sort, but then I think about how often I would actually use it.

818

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: February 06, 2022, 0433 UTC »

Yeah, I ageee the smaller HP Aligent supplies are good options, especially for the price compared to their larger siblings.

I have various power supplies, but I still would not mind a programmable lab supply like one of the Amrel units from years ago. However one of my concerns is getting a supply with a failed unobtanium part.

An example:

http://www.kerrywong.com/2015/05/06/amrel-pps-2322-programmable-power-supply-teardown/

819

Equipment / Re: HF Transceiver/Computer oddity

« on: February 05, 2022, 1524 UTC »

Sounds like common mode. Ferrites on the interface cable, and ferrites on the keyboard cable since this appears to be an input-related issue.

In the meantime, do you perhaps have a different keyboard to try?

820

10/11 meters / Re: 10m/11m/12m Band Activity 5 Feb 2022

« on: February 05, 2022, 1520 UTC »

Around 17' to 17.5' of whatever wire divided by two elements, and pretty much whatever 50- or 75-ohm coax ya' have. ;)

....or....

A magnet mount CB mobile antenna tossed on a car in the driveway and some coax.

....or....

A randomwire thrown out a window into a tree and using an outboard tuner. As short as 29' probably should get ya' on 10/11.


Congrats on the nice contact on 12m. :) Upper HF is looking promising today.

821

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: February 05, 2022, 0806 UTC »

I would not mind an used programmable lab power supply, but shipping for the heavy units usually ends up being quite expensive, plus assuming a seller even bothers to actually check it beyond a power-on test. o.0

Like when I once scored a new Eaton 5PX 1500 UPS on eBay for under $50 with free pickup from an area electronics recycler. It was an ~$1000 UPS, but I suspect few people bid due to how shipping costs were calculated and listed in the auction.

822

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UnID 6950 kHz USB 03:30 UTC 4 Feb 2022

« on: February 05, 2022, 0349 UTC »

Carrier noise and maybe very faint intermittent modulation between UTE activity.

823

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 4185 USB. 00:05 UTC 5 FEB 2022

« on: February 05, 2022, 0247 UTC »

Intermittent modulation in the noise floor at 0247z.

824

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: February 05, 2022, 0204 UTC »

Playing around with the Airspy HF+ SDR setup tonight since I am in the den away from my usual radios.

I already had a KD9SV SV-CMC choke just upstream of my bias tee, plus some snap-on chokes at the mast base of the active minwhip antenna. I just added six turns of RG-316 on a Fair-Rite likely mix 31 or 43 snap-on choke between the bias tee and SDR. I did not measure actual numbers, as the noise floor was already decent IMO, but the waterfall looks a little cleaner in quick skim.

I suspect it was slight noise from the bias tee, as it is powered currently by a wall-wart. The wall-wart is a linear transformer, but it probably could use extra filtering. I have bias tees to which I added filtering caps, but I think this one is still stock.

I might change the bias tee for a filtered one and go back to a regulated linear PSU later tonight. I was trying to clean up some of the clutter by ditching the bigger PSU, but I suppose "oh well."


Went ahead with the components swap to a bias tee with filter caps and a regulated linear 13.8v PSU. Probably not much difference, at least regarding the HF noise floor, but ideally it should be the technically "better" configuration. Anyway.

825

10/11 meters / 10m/11m/12m Band Activity 5 Feb 2022

« on: February 05, 2022, 0122 UTC »

Airspy HF+ Discovery with active miniwhip antenna. SDR preamp enabled.

0121z - 27285a NA DX
0123z - 27395l qso.... locals?
0124z - 27405l qso.... locals?
0126z - 27305a usual locals
0127z - 27025a usual Ch6 DX
0128z - 27165a NA DX
0129z - 27205a qso.... locals?
0132z - 27680l qso

0135z - 28310u qso.... about haircutting o.0

0207z - 27205a locals?
0208z - 27285a NA DX ongoing
0208z - 27135a NA DX
0209z - 27185a usual Ch19 activity
0210z - 27225a CB cq.... likely NA DX
0212z - 27395l local qso(s)
0214z - 27355l qso.... locals?

0258z - 27025a ongoing Ch6 DX
0302z - 27385l mixed activity.... sounds maybe local + DX
0303z - 27445l qso.... locals?

0342z - 27135a intermittent modulation in noise floor
0345z - 27185a usual Ch19 activity
0345z - 11m DX propagation window closed

1209z - 27285a weak signal activity.... likely NA DX starting
1211z - 11m DX propagation window slowly opening
1214z - 26965a intermittent activity.... locals?
1311z - 27305a locals
1312z - 27555u Caribbean DX?
1315z - 27287a music.... likely off frequency
1316z - 27550u European DX
1319z - 27540u sounds like European DX
1320z - 27025a usual Ch6 DX starting up

1424z - 11m DX propagation window open
1425z - 28450u activity noted.... Israel DX?
1425z - 28075 digital
1431z - 28026 cw
1432z - 28560u weak signal, European DX?
1434z - 27455u European DX.... and maybe Central American DX?
1436z - 27600u European DX.... Italy

1439z - 24951u European DX.... Italy
1440z - 24971u European DX.... Italy
1441z - 24915 digital
1442z - 24935u European DX
1442z - 24947u European DX.... UK
1445z - CW on multiple 12m frequencies

1449z - 26570 digital
1453z - 26055a weak signal noted
1455z - 26585a European DX.... Italy
1457z - 26965a European DX activity.... France?

1500z - 11m DX is hopping, able to drop the SDR preamp