Messages

781

General Radio Discussion / Re: US CB to get FM

« on: October 03, 2021, 0356 UTC »

I do hear stories of FM DX though.

I rarely hear them anymore, but occasionally a good 10m band opening can yield FM repeaters popping up, particularly from New England. It might actually be more prevalent assuming ops actively used 10m repeaters anymore. I suspect the ones still in service can go days or even weeks without use.


Assuming anyone actually bothers with it, at least some of the often horridly-designed 11m amps operating in class C mode should sound better in FM than SSB or overdriven AM.

782

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna

« on: October 03, 2021, 0327 UTC »

The Nooelec HF preamp does seem decent for the price. It is hardly high-end, but it does have RF shielding and a purported RF limiter. I am not testing the limiter. ;p

The 4:1 unun is back on the 31' vertical. The YCCC preamp probably helped best around low MW down into LW, and that makes sense given the impedance mismatches alone. However, as noted earlier, it nosedived my low-HF signals compared to the 4:1 unun. So out it goes, and back to the known setup.

I am hoping to one day soon deploy the WiFi-enabled antenna switch. It should help clean up some of my multiple feedlines, or just allow me to deploy yet more antennas. ;) I know my deployed 9' vertical is not connected to anything right now, plus I have an S9v18, a MLA-30 loop, a Chinesium miniwhip, a FM BCB crossed dipole, a small discone, etc. collecting dust and needing deployed.

Also I have a Radio Shack version of an Antron 99 in storage. Alternatively, I have a couple of 11m/10m mobile verticals that would suffice for an easy horizontal dipole on a tripod, too.  Either way I have been thinking about making a portable setup for a little 11m SSB talking at the beach if/when it over cools down.

783

Equipment / Re: Interesting Chinesium SI4732 Shortwave/Air/FM

« on: October 03, 2021, 0012 UTC »

Spotted perhaps a later revision. It has a ground wire from the front panel back to the main PCB for (AFAIK) "display stability." Not seeing one in my pics, and I do not remember one being present. Suppose I will add it when next opening the radio.

Ordered extra encoders and larger knobs, too. Mine still is working, but cheap VFO encoder is a known trouble spot. I might as well change the small VFO knob if/when going through the replacement effort. Sourced via AliExpress, so I might get them in a month or two. Anyway.

784

General Radio Discussion / Re: CHU 6660 kHz

« on: October 02, 2021, 1857 UTC »

Let 'em know. CHU accepts reception reports, plus apparently it will even send a QSL card. Mailing address and email here:

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/nrc-shortwave-station-broadcasts-chu

785

General Radio Discussion / Re: Dumb it down for this crusty, 72 year old fart still, for the most part, living

« on: October 01, 2021, 2316 UTC »

Thanks for the link.

786

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: October 01, 2021, 2306 UTC »

Looks like the YCCC unity-gain feedpoint preamp is staying on the 31' vertical for awhile longer. The Nooelec HF preamp picked up the gain as expected. I am powering it via an Apple USB 5v power supply.

I know there has to be a SNR change, but so far it is not glaringly noticeable, so whatever for now. Largely just improved signal levels, which the setup needed with my usual Kenwood R-2000 receiver IMO. Currently listening to a 75m QSO.

That said, the 4:1 unun might back over the weekend if I feel like bothering with it.

787

General Radio Discussion / Re: Dumb it down for this crusty, 72 year old fart still, for the most part, living

« on: October 01, 2021, 0527 UTC »

They might be available elsewhere, but Scribd has both copies of the Monitoring Times.

https://www.scribd.com/document/374637105/Monitoring-Times-1998-05
https://www.scribd.com/document/374637100/Monitoring-Times-1998-06

Scribd is a paid service, but a 30-day trial is available if anyone is interested. Looks like a 60-day trial coupon code might be available, too.

https://www.retailmenot.com/view/scribd.com


My NC-125 is in great cosmetic condition, and from what I can tell, likely even better than the one I linked. I took a gamble on a ~$200 eBay purchase a few years ago. IIRC, it was like an antique store offering it, so I figure few buyers wanted to take the chance. I was rather surprised with it being in working condition, though I do need to get around to doing some deferred maintenance.

Last time I used it the VFO knob was slipping after warming up, but thankfully the internal VFO and frequency display were both tracking okay if turned inside the cabinet, so it should be a minimal fix.... with the usual non-zero chance of turning into a multi-hour annoyance for me. Fun stuff.

The bigger job is doing a checkout on the capacitors. I suspect they are not originals since it actually works. Still, I have no idea how old they are.

After the caps I might as well do a basic alignment. It is stable but somewhat off frequency. I have been doing the lazy method of just offsetting the bandspread.

788

General Radio Discussion / Re: Dumb it down for this crusty, 72 year old fart still, for the most part, living

« on: September 30, 2021, 2100 UTC »

The R8B is an excellent desktop receiver. Congrats on the good choice.

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Passport_to_World_Band_Radio/RFmNuzg3ufAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Drake+R8B+Passport+to+World+Band+Radio&pg=PA161&printsec=frontcover

https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=494


Given my selection of receivers, I am probably going to be using my Airspy HF+ Discovery if truly needing fine-grained selectivity for some reason.

The stock wide filter in my Kenwood R-2000 is wide enough and the skirts shallow enough that it is pretty good for music content. It has been my primary MW/HF receiver for many years, so its sound profile what I am used to hearing anyway. I have standalone DSPs from MFJ and Timewave available to cook the audio if needed.

Though I rarely use it, actually my vintage National NC-125 with matching speaker is perhaps one of my "best sounding" receivers for MW/HF music assuming decent signal quality.

http://wd4eui.com/National_125.html

789

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: September 30, 2021, 1816 UTC »

SNR is good, but signal levels have dropped considerable on 80m and 160m. Booming signals are now like S1, and many are not even moving the S meter.

Normally I could not care less about S readings, but my primary R-2000 receiver is only so sensitive.

The MFJ-1020B is great for dealing with a significant mismatch on a highly negative-gain antenna, like with my LoG if (rarely) needed. However it is not too great with this YCCC preamp setup, and constant retuning a preselector is not my idea of fun.

I am not spending $150+ on a decent preamp for mostly casual listening, and I do not feel much like building one, so I ordered a Noolec HF preamp. I have no idea what chip it is using, but at least it supports multiple power feed options and has a RF limiter circuit. I will try it inline near the receiver, since coax loss on 80/160 is minimal. If it looks okay, I can derive 5v from the 12v bias tee of the YCCC and place it near the antenna feedpoint sometime.

If I do not like the results, I likely will be putting the 4:1 unun back at the 31' vertical feedpoint. Maybe then later deploy the YCCC as designed with a smaller vertical and just a ground rod as I have a S9v18 collecting dust. That probably will need a second preamp as well, but at least the YCCC input side will have a match and input gain much closer to what it expects.


BTW, about MW in particular, the YCCC appears to excel there. I only took a quick skim, but I could tell signal levels were improved with no perceived loss in SNR. LW looked good as well, including noting several NDBs. I would leave the setup as is if I wanted only a MW/LW solution, as no doubt the YCCC cleans up the match down there, especially compared to my usual 4:1 unun setup at such low frequencies.

790

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna

« on: September 30, 2021, 0318 UTC »

YCCC-style preamp deployed on the 31' vertical. The antenna is little large for the intended preamp design, plus I bonded the RF ground to my existing sixteen ~31' ground radials instead of just a ground rod as intended by the designer. In other words it is dealing with more input gain than intended, though it is handling it okay thus far.

I noted a few trivial harmonics from whatever flamethrowers, but just attenuation usually knocked it down, and it is something I deal occasionally with even without a preamp. Radio Rebelde and Radio Marti might as well be locals with their over S9+60 signals at times. o.0

Gain is slightly up in some bands and slightly down in others. I figured that might happen. It is not a high-gain preamp, but instead it is designed to create a ~75-ohm feedpoint…. technically for a multi-antenna phased array. Just one antenna here. Anyway.

I get why the array design suggests a moderate-gain preamp after the phasing unit. No big deal IMO, as I usually have a MFJ-1020B in-line with that antenna if really needed. I might look into a better preamp later.

The biggest plus I have noted thus far is an improved noise floor, especially at lower HF and MW frequencies. Signal levels aside, actual SNR on lower frequencies seems better than even my 148' LoG, though I would need to hookup a SDR to get actual numbers.

791

10/11 meters / Re: 11 meter activity DX via W3HFU KiwiSDR 1245 UTC+ 29 September 2021

« on: September 29, 2021, 2218 UTC »

Scattered Spanish-language QSOs from ~26.5MHz to ~27.5MHz at 2718z. Mostly AM, though a few SSB ops, too.

27.025MHz is marginally active. There are signals, but nothing really booming into my locale right now.


27.025MHz activity picking up at 2724z. Starting to sound a little more like usual when there is a decent band opening.

792

Amateur Radio / Re: Finally!!! Decent 75M propagation last night!

« on: September 27, 2021, 0604 UTC »

80m SSB from Europe is active right now at 0550 UTC. Some very nice signals. IIRC, one op said he is running a 7-element wire beam towards NA. o.0 40m is active from Europe and Oceania, too.

Just using the 31' vertical with a inline preamp so far tonight. I have a YCCC-style preamp to mount at the antenna feedpoint, thus allowing me to ditch the existing 4:1 unun and get a better match at lower frequencies, if/when I get around to installing it.

793

Amateur Radio / Re: Finally!!! Decent 75M propagation last night!

« on: September 27, 2021, 0127 UTC »

AFAIK, only heard stateside stations so far, but 60M voice is active on 5330.5 right now. Not that I check often, but seems I rarely ever catch 60m SSB activity.

794

Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Progreso 4765 AM 0110 AM 27 Sep 2021

« on: September 27, 2021, 0117 UTC »

Music format. Peaking nearly S9+30 and SINPO 55544 via the 31' vertical. That is no surprise given Cuba is almost in my backyard. What is slightly more surprising is it heard also on 4870, which I initially thought might be Mystery Radio 21. Oh well.

795

Shortwave Broadcast / La Montana Colombia 4940 AM 0029 UTC 27 Sep 2021

« on: September 27, 2021, 0037 UTC »

Music into talk. Mentioning of Columbia, thus helping the ID versus Radio San Antonio in Peru.

Peaking S8 and SINPO 45333 via the 31' vertical. Static crashing and fading present, but nonetheless copyable.