46
10/11 meters / Re: 11 meters is active 2030 UTC 25 June 2019
« on: June 26, 2019, 1601 UTC »
I'm listening to 26.915 now, MonkeyMan is calling out.
Shortwave Pirate Radio In North America And Around The World, And Other Signals That Go Bump In The Night
We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.
Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.
Sorry, just noticed this. I'll check it out today. I start my scans at 26.965 for the obvious reason...I need to get into the "unauthorized" mindset.
It's a good note. I don't do much talking. My forum handle speaks for itself
EDIT:
I had purchased the LNA and injector before I had the discone, height and low-loss feedline. Once I put those all together and heard the improvement, it was like "geez what's the point of this now?"
I have one of these up at about 35' and fed with LMR400. I can hear about half of the Chicago Police Department dispatch frequencies from about 43 miles out, and I can activate a few Chicago-based repeaters with 75 watts on VHF. I hear even further into Wisconsin. Overall I'm impressed with the discone, and it is keeping me operational while I save money for a rotator and some yagis.
I have a small LNA and power injector kit and I'm curious if they can make my ears even bigger.
In my case, I'm looking at 15 watt PEP SSB at most.
I'm not clear on what the dangers are. Is it a concern of an arc between conductors at higher voltages? Impedance problems? Overheating due to too little conductor for applied wattage?
Yes, my pl-880 has this as well. However, my concern is whether they could handle even modest TX powers.
I'm having trouble finding info on this.
I'm morbidly curious about how often amphetamines are officially sanctioned for g-man business, be it military pilots, specops or otherwise.
Could you elaborate on this? Is BNC prone to relatively short mean time-to-failure? I've started using ground-isolated BNC jacks for I/O to Altoids tins that house DC-isolation transformers, and BNC-to-wireforks for connecting to the terminals on the back of several receivers. It's been working well, although the plastic threads and nut on the isolated jacks don't have much mechanical strength. I'm considering super glueing them so the jack doesn't spin while attaching/detaching cable.
I had briefly considered using BNC for connections inside the junction box, but space is tight. The RCA connectors will work perfectly. I'm sourcing solder types for the coax connector and radiator/radial connections, and compression types for the coax ends of my chokes/transformers.
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47
10/11 meters / Re: 11 meters is active 1445 UTC 12 June 2019
« on: June 26, 2019, 1558 UTC »Excellent. Is 26.915 MHz (or nearby) active too?
Sorry, just noticed this. I'll check it out today. I start my scans at 26.965 for the obvious reason...I need to get into the "unauthorized" mindset.
48
Equipment / Re: Notch Filter for the 9330 kHz WBCQ SuperStation
« on: June 26, 2019, 1549 UTC »
I was listening to 9330 yesterday afternoon. The broadcast sounded "hot," heavy audio compression squeezing the voices of both weeneys as they spoke, room noise pumping during pauses. I understand heavy processing for intelligibility while QRP (if I don't make use of serious compression and EQing with my 15W I'm usually not understood,) but pushing a half-million I hope they decide to ease it back some. It was extremely fatiguing to my ears.
49
Equipment / Re: V/UHF antennas other than Disconeys
« on: June 25, 2019, 1458 UTC »If you add a lna you can't tx with that antenna anymore.
It's a good note. I don't do much talking. My forum handle speaks for itself
EDIT:
I had purchased the LNA and injector before I had the discone, height and low-loss feedline. Once I put those all together and heard the improvement, it was like "geez what's the point of this now?"
50
Equipment / Re: V/UHF antennas other than Disconeys
« on: June 24, 2019, 2032 UTC »now I'm using the Diamond J130, with 6M VERT stinger
I have one of these up at about 35' and fed with LMR400. I can hear about half of the Chicago Police Department dispatch frequencies from about 43 miles out, and I can activate a few Chicago-based repeaters with 75 watts on VHF. I hear even further into Wisconsin. Overall I'm impressed with the discone, and it is keeping me operational while I save money for a rotator and some yagis.
I have a small LNA and power injector kit and I'm curious if they can make my ears even bigger.
51
Equipment / Re: Antenna suggestions needed
« on: June 21, 2019, 1731 UTC »
The Wireman sells a thin-gauge stranded wire with a black coating that is essentially invisible from more than 20' away. Any loop, horizontal or vertical, or longwire made from this should work. If you decide you want to transmit, you can rig a covert hoist line with camo or other nature-colored paracord for quickly raising and lowering either self-supporting wire verticals, or dipoles in an inverted-V configuration (one hoist) or even flattop (three hoists.) You can easily hide radial wires and coax in your lawn, and only raise/lower a wire vertical each time you operate.
52
10/11 meters / Re: 11 meters is active 1445 UTC 12 June 2019
« on: June 21, 2019, 1529 UTC »
I'm hearing a bunch on 27.025 and lower right now, picking it up with a discone with VHF-low whip up at about 35'.
53
General Radio Discussion / Re: Historic Trans-Atlantic Contact made on 144 MHz from Cape Verde to Guadeloupe
« on: June 21, 2019, 1418 UTC »
"D41CV later worked FG4ST who was slightly further away at 3,911 kms. This contact was even more amazing as this station in Guadeloupe was running just 50 watts into a simple vertical on FT8."
54
The RF Workbench / Re: Audio jacks/plugs as QRP RF wire quick connects
« on: June 21, 2019, 1413 UTC »Probably depends on how you define "modest" - are we talking less than 1 watt QRP or 4 watt carrier CB power levels or QRPP/Part 15 power levels?
In my case, I'm looking at 15 watt PEP SSB at most.
I'm not clear on what the dangers are. Is it a concern of an arc between conductors at higher voltages? Impedance problems? Overheating due to too little conductor for applied wattage?
55
General Radio Discussion / Re: BBC Annual Mid-Winter Broadcast to Antartica 2130 utc 21 Jun 2019
« on: June 21, 2019, 1354 UTC »
A friend told me Modafinil works wonders.
56
The RF Workbench / Re: Audio jacks/plugs as QRP RF wire quick connects
« on: June 20, 2019, 1627 UTC »Even modern AM/FM/SW portables have 3.5mm audio jacks as their antenna connection.
Yes, my pl-880 has this as well. However, my concern is whether they could handle even modest TX powers.
57
The RF Workbench / Re: Audio jacks/plugs as QRP RF wire quick connects
« on: June 19, 2019, 2017 UTC »
You mean the extra-small audio connector!?! Wild.
58
The RF Workbench / Re: Audio jacks/plugs as QRP RF wire quick connects
« on: June 19, 2019, 2002 UTC »3/32" ANT connector
I'm having trouble finding info on this.
59
General Radio Discussion / Re: BBC Annual Mid-Winter Broadcast to Antartica 2130 utc 21 Jun 2019
« on: June 19, 2019, 1923 UTC »popping coke pills
I'm morbidly curious about how often amphetamines are officially sanctioned for g-man business, be it military pilots, specops or otherwise.
60
The RF Workbench / Re: Audio jacks/plugs as QRP RF wire quick connects
« on: June 19, 2019, 1756 UTC »My original antenna/radio patch board used BNC connectors, but I got tired of the short lifetime. I have since switched to F connectors.
Could you elaborate on this? Is BNC prone to relatively short mean time-to-failure? I've started using ground-isolated BNC jacks for I/O to Altoids tins that house DC-isolation transformers, and BNC-to-wireforks for connecting to the terminals on the back of several receivers. It's been working well, although the plastic threads and nut on the isolated jacks don't have much mechanical strength. I'm considering super glueing them so the jack doesn't spin while attaching/detaching cable.
I had briefly considered using BNC for connections inside the junction box, but space is tight. The RCA connectors will work perfectly. I'm sourcing solder types for the coax connector and radiator/radial connections, and compression types for the coax ends of my chokes/transformers.
