985 Workbench: 2025-03-03

My Week in Radio

  • launched the newly-tuned slim-jim antenna
    • tuned the antenna, soldered in a bit more wire at the top
    • hung right below my quarter-wave
    • compared both antennas simultaneously with the 2 quansheng HTs with dBm measurements
    • lower antenna is for the Btech radio running APRS
    • upper antenna for general scanning and local
  • learned about 900MHz radio at the SPARC meeting
  • learned about satellite work at 21 lunch in Harrisburg
  • had the thru-window cable flake out during check-in

Questions

  • W3JAM, Jeff:
    • Has anyone used delving or divining rods for finding water or power lines?
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • Tried it as a kid with copper wire rods to find water and wires around the house.
      • Seemed much like the Ouija board with wires. Probably just recognized it.
    • KC3OOK, Bill: Had some well drillers do it, but seemed like part of the show.
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • Can’t see how it would work, especially a wooden stick.
      • Would need quite the field to cause movements in the wire
      • Probably easier to attribute it to minute recognitions of the douser.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • Has known dousers for water to use Green Willow Stick.
    • N3OGF, John:
      • His Dad doused for water lots of times.
    • W1RC, Mike:
      • There’s a Dousers Convention in Vermont.
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • His well is 300 ft down.
      • Water doesn’t really “flow” underground.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • Knew a custom home builder who was a douser.
      • If you drilled somewhere else, would there still have been water?
      • Stick would rotate up and back toward him near the water line.
      • Sister tried it and felt it, even though she may have tried to fight the movement.
    • W3JAM, Jeff:
      • Read an article, and he’s trying to find a conductor.
      • Doesn’t think it’ll work.
  • KC3MAI, Joe:
    • QRM, HF Noise on low bands.
      • S5 noise on 40m
      • S3 on 80M and 160M
    • Is a certain amount of noise to be expected? Can it be remediated?
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • QRM vs QRN: man-made vs natural
      • Static from lightning
      • Static from wind
      • Solar panel noise
      • Man-made noise can be fixed if it’s in your house
        • Try running off battery
        • Eliminate electrical things to see if anything fixes it
        • Cut the whole breaker
        • A dead short across the antenna may still see noise: thermal noise
          • noise floor
      • Neighborhood noise might be hard to remediate.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • Has nearby PECO, appliances, Amtrak
      • Searched and found bad wall wart power supplies
      • Neighborhood plasma TV that growls on 75M
      • Has tracked down bad power line hardware
    • KC3MAI, Joe:
      • Has several Rokus that might have unclean power supplies.
    • KC3KFT, John:
      • Pole insulators on power lines can arc depending on weather, humidity, contamination.
      • 6M AM is a good band/mode for searching for noise also 2M AM.
      • Hit the pole with a sledge hammer to see if the noise changes
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • Crackling on hot humid nights near high voltage lines.
      • Wide-band spark
      • Every wire is an antenna, so could be an emitter.
      • CFL or LED lights
    • KD3ZIM, Bob:
      • Had a noise problem several years ago.
      • Called PECO, suspecting power line noise.
      • PECO traced the noise and fixed it.
        • cool receivers and spectrum analyzers
        • checked his scope in his shack and got started.
        • found the line 100-150yds from the house
        • heard the buzzing like welding.
        • cracked insulator on the pole
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • AM transistor radio is a good sensor for the noise
      • W3GMS, Joe, has some experience working with PECO
    • KB3ZIM, Bob:
      • Call PECO or Bob or Joe to get Dennis from PECO to do the search.
      • Power lines can carry the “transmission” miles
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • I’ve seen videos on Youtube of people searching
      • Electric company is responsible for cleaning up those emissions
      • You can build a tape-measure yagi for searching
      • POTA can be low noise area
      • Hear and see the crackles of very distant lightning.
      • Check the radio power supply

985 Workbench: 2025-02-24

My Week in Radio

  • I attended the breakfast and heard a little about the National Traffic System from Vic. I’ve added some nets to my calendar.
  • I’m in the logs for N4T, the DXpedition to Dry Tortugas with some locals.
    • CW and on FT8
  • My favorite radios have new 3rd-party software:
    • Quansheng HTs got F4WHN 4.0 which includes a code fix I contributed
    • X6100 got R1CBU 0.29.2 which has fixes for handful of bugs I reported
  • I continue playing with some mobile Winlink and APRS
  • EFRW was being flaky with high SWR.
    • Cleaned all the connections outside.
    • It’s an unprotected temporary build with alligator clips.

Others

  • KC3SCY, Luke: listening to some CW
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • Led the breakfast.
    • 75M PM/AM Net
    • A professor of chemistry in CT liked our answer on the workbench about ice on the antenna. We never know who’s listening, so make it good.
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • Straight key work since field day
    • POTA, State QSO Parties
    • 15-minute ragchew QSOs
    • Slower with the straight key, so people don’t “recognize” him.
    • ARRL DX contest: used paddles, boring exchanges.
    • Heard his own QSO in a youtube video
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • Working on mobile antenna to clean it up.
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • Jumped up from 35WPM to 40WPM in weekly practice sked, and it was OK.
    • Working on heathkit project
  • KC3TYX, Vic:
    • 2M nets
    • Breakfast
    • Another ARRL DX contest coming up this weekend, giving it a try.
  • AB3AP, Mike:
    • Breakfast
    • Learning about direction of arrival for signals to locate signals of interest.
    • Some CW, but slower than Jim.
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • Planning trips
    • Presentation for Pottstown Club
  • K3FHA, John:
    • Repairing a 65-year-old radio.
    • Implementing a service bulletin to fix AGC.
    • Some HF nets
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • Digging up lost gear
      • Halicrafters S38
      • Heathkit VF1 VFO
    • 6M and 2M work
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • All the 985 activities
    • Simplex Net: 39 check-ins
    • Spending every day in the ham shack
  • AA3LH, Leon:
    • Worked West Coast on 10m.
  • KB3AIS, Tim:
    • Purchased ICOM 2730a for portable radio.
  • KC3YIG, Dave:
    • Breakfast
    • Simplex Net
    • Building some shelves for the radio desk.
    • Contacted N4T on SSB on 20M and 40M.
  • W3MOW, Mike:
    • Good to hear everyone’s favorite interests and achievements in radio.

Questions

  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • NV102 SSB CW transciever
      • CW is working
      • SSB isn’t going out
      • He has the oscilliscope for tracing, 10x probe for attennuation, AC coupled.
      • Looking at all the parts, what is the best way to couple with the circuit without interfering with the circuit?
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • 10X probe should have helped
      • There is a 100X probe with very high impedance
      • Make a 2-3 turn coil of solid wire around a pencil, attach it to a bit of coax, poke around with that.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • Put a little capacitance (2-3pF) in series on the end of the probe.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • Another way to make a “sniffer probe”: small wire loop on a piece of circuit board.
    • K3FHA, John:
      • Since SSB isn’t working, check that audio is getting into the modulator.
  • AA3LH, Leon:
    • He has a 45-ft vertical antenna, end-fed from the bottom. It’s recommended to add an automatic tuner close to the antenna. Is 7-8 feet too far away? 14 gauge, 25ft, red/black twin lead to provide power. Is that too long?
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • power delivery is OK.
      • 7-8 feet is fine. It becomes part of the antenna.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • 14 gauge is fine for auto tuner
      • Agree with Chuck
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • ICOM 2730A can hear the repeater, but no one can hear him.
    • W3MOW, Mike:
      • Thinking it’s a hardware issue, or is it programming?
    • KD3AIS, Mike:
      • Thinks the hardware is good, and the programming is good.
      • Has programmed previous radios for the repeater
    • W3QP, Tim:
      • Has a couple ICOMs.
      • Do you see the frequency shift while TX-ing? (It should.)
      • Try turning off the receive tone.
    • KD3AIS, Tim:
      • No receive tone programmed
      • Sees the shift
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • Do you have RTSystems or other software to program it?
      • He could not program the same radio without using the RT-Systems software.
    • KD3AIS, Tim:
      • Has not yet used programming cable or software.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • There should be lots of indicators on the display for every little feature that’s enabled.
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • Debug from simplex, then use other repeaters, then check configs for 985.
    • W3MOW, Mike:
      • From reading the manual, 985’s split tones could be a challenge.
    • W8CRW, CR:
      • On ICOMs, the correct tone setting is T-TSQL / 100.
    • KC3RFG, Jim:
      • Had that radio years ago, and programmed it the first time with RT-Systems.
  • N3RT, Jay:
    • Meritron amplifier, trying to hit Christmas Island on 15M CW.
    • He flipped it on and it popped the fuse on the 240V line.
    • Can he remove tubes to isolate and test the power supply?
    • Are the ceramic fuses slow blow?
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • Do you have HV experience?
    • N3RT, Jay:
      • Has replaced some things, but always operated with the cover on.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • No problem turning it on with tubes removed.
      • Check manual about the fuse
      • Could be a complex interaction causing the pop of the fuse, like start-up resistor being blown.
  • About my outside connections:
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • There’s a conducting grease for head bolts of an engine that he uses for outside connections, plus black plastic tape
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • Don’t get any on the dialectric (short)

985 Workbench: 2025-02-17

My Week in Radio

  • Wind is nerve-wracking with my “temporary” antennas
    • long wire broke
    • one 1/4-wave ground plane worked itself loose and disconnected.
    • yagi on the aluminum pole is good
  • X6100 was having trouble running and charging its failing internal battery
    • disable charging and it’s OK again.
  • R1CBU 0.29.0 firmeware for X6100
    • finding and filing some bugs
    • they’re already getting fixed
    • will probably need to revert back to the older version
  • Norfolk Island, VK9DX, FT8 on 10M, with only 2W.
  • Radio with a waterfall is amazing to watch during CW contest weekends.
    • something is up!

Others

  • N3ILS, Travis:
    • setup Allstar node for travel
  • KC3SCY, Luke:
    • listening to W1AW on Drake 4TRX for code practice
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • trouble with IC-7300 on battery. blown fuze on one pole.
    • all bands on fan dipole have high SWR after wind damage
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
  • KC3YSM, Steve:
    • working on some DX with the cold weather
    • needed to adjust some audio settings for TX. much improvement.
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • Steve, good clean audio is so important for breaking the DX pile-up
    • hosted pre- and actual PMAM net
    • magneto synchronizer for an airplane, rebuild, repair
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • simplex net: east had some trouble, so running late.
      • 23 contacts
      • drywalling the ham shack
  • KC3TYX, Vic:
    • weekly nets
    • tried a 10M net, went OK
    • hard to tell what was happening on simplex net from his station
  • KC3TRW, Mike:
    • programming up some radios
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • busy on VHF by his paper log, including a little 6m and 10m.
    • sorting parts and cleaning up the benches
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • some CW
    • working on an old heathkit TRX
      • removed some solder and resoldered
  • KD3AKZ, Wayne
    • getting a rig on the air
      • still has a beep
    • studying for general
  • KC3NZT, Harvey:
    • building an antenna on an off-road magmount that was previously recommended.
      • tested well with nanovna
      • very strong magnets
      • mapping out some coax: shorter and better coax is better

Questions

  • N3ILS, Travis:
    • Is it OK to use the internal tuner of the IC-7300 in series with an external tuner at the same time?
    • KC3NZT, Harvey: is it an automatic icom tuner connected by aux port
    • N3ILS: it is a manual MFJ tuner.
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • uses both internal and external tuner.
      • sometimes one tuner gets you all the way there
      • stacking them won’t hurt anything
      • but it’s inefficient.
    • W3CRW, CR:
      • uses Yaesu with 2 tuners in series.
      • heavy lifting with the external LDG
      • fine-tune it with the internal.
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • IC-7300 can be made to match 10:1 in “emergency mode”.
        • it requires some of your power.
      • Does stacking the tuner skew the readings in the radio?
      • has used an automatic external tuner for icom. it disables the internal.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • tune the external tuner with internal disabled to get close
      • then fine-tune to get the rest of the way.
      • combo could result in weirdo impedance between them, if done in the wrong order.
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • what NA3CW said
      • 2 auto tuners will compete and cause trouble
    • N3ILS, Travis:
      • Dave Cassler has a video saying “never stack them”, but that’s auto tuners.
    • KC3RFG, Jim:
      • Dave Cassler’s video is about 2 auto tuners.
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • Why does my SWR go up with ice on the antenna? It drifted from 1.2:1 to 2:1.
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • ice on the antenna changes the diameter. it’s a conductor.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • water dialectric constant is 80, compared to PVC insulation with 4.
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • observed the same thing. jumped to 3:1.
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • 10M vertical dipole fed by old window line with a tuner.
      • any time it rains, the normal settings don’t work.
    • KC3RFG, Jim:
      • he has 40-foot tall bamboo, and he can tap the wire to de-ice it.
  • NA3CW, Chuck:

985 Workbench: 2025-02-10

My Week in Radio

  • Reconfigured fldigi with some more modular macros and used them for a short time for CQ WPX RTTY contest
  • Replaced my 71-foot EFRW with 107-foot wire
    • ATU works a bit harder than the previous, but stretching the counterpoise in a different direction helped.
  • 5W into the wire got me a contact to Japan on FT8

Others

  • KC3SCY, Luke:
    • building out his radio desk
    • new Drake TR-4A and matching transmitter
  • W8CRW, CR:
    • Nets
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • checking out and testing equipment
    • interviewed on podcast: “operation freedom. ham radio in public service.”
    • KB3SVC presented on senior scams at another meeting
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • 11 summits in Virginia!
  • KC3TYX, Vic:
    • VHF nets, No HF.
    • hiking and geocaching.
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • 985 activities
    • tower work at Joe’s when weather permits.
    • acquired merantz professional CD recorder
    • PM/AM net pre-net host. much better at 3:30pm for pre-net.
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • 985 nets
    • South control for Simplex Net
      • 37 check-ins with only 2 controls
    • Passed along some gear to others via Joe
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • drove to Parkesburg, and remembered to bring mobile glass-mount antenna and HT, so could contact to the repeater via RF.
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • working on Omni 6, which is broken
      • getting worse as he diagnoses
    • visited old shack in basement and rearranged it
      • finally returned to MB102 heathkit rig with power supply
      • replaced some capacitors
      • now working!
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • email reminder was appreciated to host the workbench
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • playing with some heathkit lunch boxes.
      • 2m, 6m, 11m
      • doesn’t have the 10m
      • they’re regenerative receivers
      • not very efficient transmitters
    • vibrator power supply for radios that run off 120V AC
    • was convenient back in the day to be able to hang equipment from the old dashboard in cars.

Questions

  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • Given his recent foray into mobile radio and a glass-mounted antenna, he’s looking at mobile rigs. He’s seeming some that are higher-power single band, and some lower-power dual band. Also seeing single-band and dual-band antennas. But no 70cm single-band antennas. Recommendations and considerations?
      • WA3VEE, Ron:
        • Ron just runs high-power dual-band.
        • there are lots of 70cm repeaters around the area.
        • magmount antennas on top.
        • don’t worry about 65W vs 50W. close enough.
      • W3CRW, CR:
        • found a 70cm-only antenna on amazon.
        • still recommend dual band
      • WA3KFT, John:
        • dual band antenna is nicer for 70cm.
        • he dedicates a 70cm antenna and a 2m
      • KC3NZT, Harvey:
        • don’t worry much about power on dual-band radios
        • watch for nicer features
          • full-duplex
          • digital control
          • dual-watch
      • K3YVQ, Jack:
        • has Larson NMO 270 antenna to give away
      • KC3OOK, Bill:
        • recommended a couple radios with those features
      • NA3CW, Chuck:
        • dual-band rigs run less power because they’re a compromise.
        • single-band rig is no compromise, but more limited in features.
        • there are 470MHz antennas for commercial bands
        • feature: wishes his rig had split tones.
      • W8CRW, CR:
        • crossband repeat
        • split tones
      • WA3VEE, Ron:
        • Yaesus generally don’t support split tone
        • ICOMs generally do
      • W3GMS, Joe:
        • ICOM IC-2730A is great
          • split tone
          • good cooling
          • power makes a huge difference when you’re trying to open squelch on a repeater
          • nmo mount is nice, because you can swap specialized antennas.
      • KC3SQI, Wayne:
        • run IC-4730 for split tone and crossband
  • KC3WWC, John:
    • Adding another dual-band antenna outside, probably dedicated to APRS. How close can they be or how should they be arranged?
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • 5 vertical antennas: 10, 6, 2m, 220, 440.
        • 2m and 440 are harmonically related, so separated
        • all mounted on a bar.
        • 440 and 2m are separated 7.5 ft, so they don’t interact.
        • 35 ft off the ground.
        • can’t separate them that much on a car.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • if the antennas are harmonically related, attempt to separate at least 2 wavelengths
      • dual band antennas are
      • DX Engineering has an antenna bar already setup with multiples
    • WA3VEE, Ron
      • Diamond dualband is good. mounted on front.
      • 220 in the middle
      • something else on the far back of the vehicle.

985 Workbench: 2025-01-03

My Week in Radio

  • KC3TMZ, Matt:
    • 3d-printing and building antennas is great
  • Trying to build a tactical delta loop
    • 4:1 balun
    • 2 17 ft whips
    • 25 ft wire for the top
    • 3d-printed base
    • not great so far
    • will be using the 4:1 with other antennas, like rybakov
  • ISS pass with APRS
    • decoded relayed packets from Pittsburgh PA, Smyrna DE, Atlanta GA.
  • Bluetooth control of a radio is pretty convenient, big phone screen

Others

  • KC3TMZ, Matt:
    • ordered a bunch of ferrites, enameled wire,
    • 3d printing some antennas
  • KC3NZT, Harvey:
    • met up with KD3AIS
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • organizing the shack
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • PMA AM Net on 75m
      • it’s moving later due to propagation: 5pm
    • working on Joe’s tower project
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • drywalling the hamshack
    • working on Joe’s tower
      • almost all bolts installed an tightened
      • guided tower with rollers, aligning
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • nets: Packrats, DelVa, Weather
    • spoke to David in Texas on 15M
    • Bob on 10M in Virgin Islands
    • nice band openings
  • KC3TYX, Vic
    • VE accreditation.
    • helped with first VE session.
      • all computerized
      • worked with WA3VEE
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • chasing POTA
      • West coast, 20M
  • K3YVQ, Jack:
    • working on go-box for crossband repeater
    • relay from HT on a hike to car with 50 watts
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • visited KC3NZT
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • preparing for some SOTA activations
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • worked a VE session
    • organizing the shack
    • working on lesson plan for technician review to prep for general
      • short videos / presentations
      • can arrange to do some teaching up here instead of just in delaware
  • N3CRE, Charlie:
    • trying to hook a headset to FTM-500
  • W3EMF, Jerry:
    • originator of the Workbench Net
    • new 2M rig in vehicle to access 985 more

Questions

  • KC3TMZ, Matt:
    • Purchased a new antenna that may want ground radials. What’s the best way to connect temporary radials to an antenna?
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • is removable a requirement?
    • KC3TMZ, Matt:
      • radials can stay, stapled to the ground
      • he wants to remove the vertical element, so dogs don’t tangle leashes
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • terminate all radials to 1 ring terminal and screw that right to a ground rod
      • it’s a 20/15/10M trapped vertical (he sold it to him)
        • doesn’t need guyed
    • KC3TMZ, Matt:
      • liking the idea of a metal pipe into which he can just drop the antenna
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • worked in a AM broadcast
      • drive a pipe into the ground to slip antenna into or onto
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • drive a pipe into the ground, flush
      • has a PVC pipe that holds up an inverted-v
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • copper braid with ring terminals, inexpensive on amazon
      • be careful to not short feed with ground in metal pipe socket
  • KC3NZT, Harvey:
    • magmonut often comes with a length of coax. is there a magmount wiht an SO-239 so you can do use whatever coax you want?
    • W8CRW, CR:
      • make your own.
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • make your own.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • there is a bulkhead mount with SO-239 for the antenna that could be added to the magnet
    • K3YVQ, Jack:
      • there’s an empty magnet mount
  • KC3WWC, John: I have a talent, how do we avoid doubling during checkin?
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • don’t worry about it
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • silent “this is”. grab carrier, drop it, then give call.
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • some nets use “this is” protocol. that lowers the chance
      • net host resolves it
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • click method, and it doesn’t matter
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • bigger issue is digital link people and leaving enough space
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • pulse/click method, silent “this is”
      • net control watches for doubles
      • net contral asks for checkins
  • K3YVQ, Jack:
    • Can I combine 2 batteries of different capacities in paralllel on a bus to get larger capacity?
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • yes, it’ll work.
      • has a bus with power supply and battery on a bus of banana plugs
      • ok if they’re the same voltage
      • plug the batteries on the ends, and radios in the middle
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • batteries are sometimes limited on max current
      • lithium batteries’ voltage drops very late in discharge
      • a deader battery could be a strong current draw
    • K3YVQ, Jack:
      • they have BCM, so they protect themselves.
      • may look into 12V cigarette lighter to power pole charger.
  • N3CRE, Charlie:
    • Having trouble pairing a wireless BT headset with FTM-500.
    • K3YVQ, Jack:
      • check that the bluetooth protocols are compatible
      • maybe a firmware upgrade will fix it

After Party

  • KC3NZT, Harvey:
    • when we lack questions, we should present little lectures on testing and equipment.
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • has demonstrated diagnosing feed line problems
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • some things can be explained verbally, others more visual
    • KC3NZT, Harvey:
      • a list of resourcse and videos could live on 985 website
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • lots of zoom practice with document camera, etc in his shack
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • I’ll bring my balun around for diagnosis on video
      • I have watched a video on using nano vna to test filters and baluns
      • I like to optimistically use it first, then dig in more if needed
      • I think that keeps me doing stuff that I might otherwise not realize to be possible
      • document my beginner experiences on a blog for my reference and others
    • W3EMF, Jerry:
      • echolink in the mobile
      • calling from Elizabethtown

985 Workbench: 2025-01-27

My Week in Radio

  • Really glad to get to field day with 985.
  • Customized my AllStar node for better mobile use:
    • DTMF to shutdown
    • DTMF announce IP address
    • Announce ip with the start up macro
  • Btech UV-PRO with KISS TNC support
    • It does APRS internally
    • KISS TNC for packet to connect apps on the phone via bluetooth
      • AprsDroid
      • WoAD for Winlink and serial terminal

Others

  • W8CRW: field day
  • WA3VEE: field day, photographs!
  • KC3SCY, Luke:
    • Made 50 contacts on CW, goal was 10
    • Got a nice Drake 4x to help with CW and a new key
  • W3FHA, John:
    • Working on a radio crammed with tubes
  • W3JAM, Jeff:
    • Heard W3R on 80M CW, but didn’t really operate
    • Pelican case for Bird meter and slugs for it.
    • Checked into Simplex Net and Welfare Net
  • KC3HQZ, Jean:
    • Fun on Sunday at 985 field day
  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • Winter Field Day
    • Logging contacts for Joe
    • Heard, “I’ve been waiting for you” from AF3Z under another club call
    • Tried Joe’s Begali straight key
    • Making room for a straight key
  • AB3AP, Mike:
    • Bought a QSL card dated from 1949 that belonged to Dick, W3ORU, a recent SK from 985.
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • Worked field day a bit
  • KC3TYX, Vic:
    • Made a few field day contacts, but not much. He didn’t hear W3R.
  • KC3YIG, Dave:
    • Fun at field day
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • Setup for WFD on Friday
    • Didn’t operate the event
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • Great time at 985 field day on Saturday
    • Met Harvey, KC3NZT
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • South control for simplex net: 42 contacts
    • Welfare Net
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • Fun at 985 field day
    • Had lots of RFI from electrical lines and other antennas
  • N3CRE, Charlie:
    • Visited 985 WFD
  • W3MFB, Mike:
    • Saw 985 field day on Sunday
    • Talked to KD3ACF, JT, a bunch
  • K3YVQ, Jack:
    • 985 WFD
    • Learned about CW from Keith
  • AA3LH, Leon:
    • Fun at field day, made some contacts
    • Looking forward to Summer Field Day
  • KD3ACF, JT:
    • Got a cage for 705 and next POTA activation
    • Long chats with W3MFB
    • POTA hunting
    • New AllStar node
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • Operated Cornwall Ranger Station for WFD
    • Indoor station: 2I
    • Jim was their main CW op: 130 QSOs
    • Highlight: Saturday night, 80M, finally found W3R when Keith came to him.

Questions

  • KB3ILS, Keith:
    • When operating straight key,
      • Do you rest your forearm on the table?
      • How do you grip the straight key?
      • Operation tips?
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • 3 fingers on the knob, arm on the table, only wrist movement.
    • NA3CW, Chuck, concurs
    • AB3AP, Mike:
      • European style: float the arm
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • In European style, key is often on the edge of the table.
      • Rests his arm on the table, grip thumb + next 2 fingers
      • Holds the key on his leg when camping
    • KB3ILS, Keith:
      • Luke is the operator he wants to emulate
  • KC3YIG, Dave:
    • Electrovoice 719 mic needs a cartridge replacement. Tips, sources of parts, etc?
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • No experience changing mic cartridges
      • That mic seems similar to the D104 with a crystal cartridges
      • Specific cartridges can be hard to find
      • Some people seem to replace the cartridge with one from Heil
      • With age, cartridges don’t sound right
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • Has a Diamond 510HDM antenna, 17ft tall, can the antenna be placed near trees to hide it?
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • You’re sounding good, so no hurry to put that up.
      • Ron’s antenna is next to a bunch of bushes
      • Foliage won’t attenuate much
      • It’s fine
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • Long antennas have nice gain
      • Tie a pipe hitch to the antenna 1/3rd down from the top
      • Hoist it to hang in the tree
    • NA3CW, Chuck: Feb 2018 QST, “Live Trees Affect Antenna Performance”
      • Did simulations with HF
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • His installation is 3-4 feet away from the tree and elevated on army mast
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • Has a tree in path of beam, and it doesn’t seem to affect anything.
      • Hangs other antennas
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • D300 stuck on a 2-inch piece of PVC attached to the deck railing
      • 10 ft from the ground
      • When he got above the roof, got an extra 2dB into repeater
      • Doesn’t make a lot of difference

2025 985 Winter Field Day

The 985 group held their winter field day at Lines Self Storage. They had 5 stations in trailers and tents. They worked some satellites and mostly HF. There was hundreds of feet of coax feed line all over the place.

I aw KC3NZT, Harvey, operating a satellite station with special hardware. Harvey also called CQ on HF. He’s a machine, logging hundreds of QSOs.

I used a headphone splitter to listen to another operator, Bob. I copied some CW, but not a lot. I listened for some digital and found a bit of RTTY, but it was for the BARTG contest, not WFD. I made some SSB contacts on others’ radios that were setup for the weekend.

I hung my rolled slim-jim to call on 146.520MHz and beacon some APRS, but I heard nothing. I could also check winlink email through the N3MEL gateway in Downingtown. I had looked it up ahead of time. In the notes in WoAD, I list the frequency where the gateway listens for packets.

I visited during daytime on both days, but did not stay overnight like some did.

985 Workbench: 2025-01-13

My Week in Radio

  • discovering some good old packet radio
    • 145.010
    • listen with multimon-ng
    • search for a terminal program for android and linux
  • patched my favorite firmware (f4hwn) to better render the spectrum analyzer for wide or narrow scan ranges
    • built and tested on my own radio
    • patch was accepted to the open source project, so it’ll be in the next release
  • POTA in the cold in prep for field day

Others

  • W8CRW, CR:
    • new radio from HRO
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • after 985 breakfast, at field day site, will be introducing radios for field day
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • first Raspberry PI kit for a Ham Clock
  • KC3YSM, Steve:
    • nets and POTA
      • all US: GA, AL, MI
  • AB3AP, Mike:
    • hanging out on 30m
    • learning to touch-type instead of handwriting from CW
      • ARRL MP3s online
      • 15 WPM typing, 18 WPM is a challenge
      • jots keywords usually to be faster
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • hosted last roundtable
    • net control for simplex net
    • working on ham shack
    • windy: gust of 39mph, antenna survived
  • KC3SQI, Wayne:
    • couldn’t get to the repeater due to lots of QRN from powerlines, trains, etc.
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • SKCC had a weekend sprint-a-thon.
      • operated from Cornwall station as W3CRS
      • they were in 1st place until other clubs started uploading logs :)
  • W3MFB, Mike:
    • experimenting using gutter and down spout and speaker wire as HF antenna
      • 10W and it worked.
      • recommending a similar setup to a friend

Questions

  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • We’re putting together some seminars/classes to share experience and knowledge.
    • What would you like to talk about? theory or operation?
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • get the scope and meters out and discuss impedance, etc.
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • Ron’s discussion on oscilloscopes
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • general approach to trying to fix something
      • how to check equipment: bandpass filters, crystals
    • W3MFB, Mike:
      • understanding solar data
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • propagation
    • KB3ZIM, Bob:
      • revisit antennas and feedlines and their attributes
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • kit night to build something
      • favorite equipment on the bench that others should have
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • soldering technique
      • all basic test equipment
      • NA3CW, Chuck: validating readings from equipment
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • surface mount soldering
      • NA3CW, Chuck: good tweasers
    • KC3RFG, Jim:
      • refresher on setup and use of NanoVNA
    • W3MFB, Mike:
      • soldering coax
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • digital modes old and new
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • sorting out limitations of test equipment, signal levels
    • W3MFB, Mike:
      • tutorial for the young folks, how to build a repeater
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • how do you find an interfering signal, fox hunting.
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • basic circuits
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • understanding antenna gain

985 Workbench: 2025-01-06

My Week in Radio

  • ARRL RTTY RoundUp
  • Testing and repairing a piece of coax
    • no damage in the middle
    • NanoVNA, Smith chart, compared ends
      • one side showed a long spiral
      • other end showed no change upon being connected
      • so I knew I found something
    • compared to a working cable
    • cut off the end and replaced the SMA connector and it worked

Questions

  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • For lifepo4 batteries, what’s the proper way to charge and discharge?
    • W3QP, Tim:
      • depends how often you use the battery.
      • for storage, 50% capacity is good
      • otherwise charge it up full.
      • don’t keep it full all of the time.
      • not much of an issue, though
    • W3MOW, MIKE:
      • researching electric vehicles.
      • whatever you do to treat it better will just prolong battery life a bit
      • there will be better replacements in a couple years.
  • KC3WWC, John:
    • I’m using my 71-foot random wire with a 9:1 unun.
      • I can give it 5W on many bands without the tuner.
      • It’s working, so not all loss.
      • Checked it at with the NanoVNA at different points and it stayed pretty low.
      • Disconnecting the wire definitely ruined SWR, proving to me that power is getting out into the wire, besides it otherwise working.
      • What am i seeing?
    • W3QP, Tim:
      • SWR is great for a rough indicator for reflected energy
      • reactance is more important for efficiency
      • losses can mislead you with SWR
      • any piece of wire will resonate at different harmonnics
      • had a shorter wire was resonant at some harmonics that happened to work
    • KC3SQI, Wayne:
      • with a random wire, the balun takes SWR of the antenna and reduces it by a factor of 10.
      • Tuner can offer extra protection for the radio
      • a random wire antenna is to be a bit off and close enough for most radios
      • he uses his random wire 71-foot random wire he uses for POTA, but barely needs the tuner.
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • every SWR meter is measuring voltage, current, and time.
      • ratio of voltage and current = resistance
      • a resonant antenna can have a high SWR because it’s feed impedence is not matched.
      • measuring voltage, current, reactance.
      • meters can be calibrated for other impedences, not just 50ohm.
      • SWR compares voltage, current, phase (time) with internal 50ohm reference.
      • watch amplitude of voltage and current on scope, and see it out of phase.
      • can have a low SWR on non-resonant antenna
      • can have high SWR on resonant antenna
      • longer pieces of wire can have more resonances
      • resonances may or may not fall in useful places.
      • low SWR does not mean efficient. could be losses.
      • all lengths of wire will have certain resonances.
      • everyone went with 50ohms as a standard.
      • TV coax is 75 ohms.
      • transformers get it close to what the radio wants.
  • KV3JGB, Matt:
    • He has a Vibroplex, single lever, usually thumb is dit, finger is dah, but he’s reversed the dits and dahs for comfort.
    • Does it matter if he works reversed?
    • AF3Z, Jim:
      • probably doesn’t matter
      • he learned left handed first then right
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • read about telegraph keys and bugs (semi-automatic keys)
      • Vibroplex made a mechanical key that’s left-handed
    • AB3AP, Mike:
      • left-handed bugs are more expensive
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • I key left-handed, and I’ll have to reconfigure anyone else’s radio, or flip the key.
      • I just flipped the key to reverse it, and was able to adjust with a moment of practice.
  • KD3AIS, Tim:
    • Who would you suggest to help install an antenna on the chimney?
    • KV3JGB, Matt:
      • lots of people are willing to help
      • antenna launch parties
      • Matt would help
    • KC3WWC, John:
      • try compromised installations for some more independent capabilities
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • come to a breakfast
      • let’s talk about your intentions, site, etc.

985 Workbench: 2024-12-30

My Week in Radio

  • ISS on scan, so I caught part of an image
    • passes are a bit early right now, and low
  • Nice weather
    • local POTA including a couple solid CW
    • some maintenance of the VHF antennas
  • Noticed today I can disable the tuner on my random wire antenna and still get OK SWR
    • sounds like loss to me
    • but putting 5W into the wire is still getting identifiable weak signals to Europe, Alaska, etc.
  • Reading the AllStar manuals
  • Adding 4:1 balun to my list of things to build
    • delta loop
    • Rybakov vertical

Others

  • KC3SCY, Luke:
    • crystal receiver
  • W8CRW, CR:
    • working on a 10m antenna
  • W1RC, Mike:
    • likes SWR tools, since antennas are the final frontier
  • AF3Z, Jim:
    • took the Kenwood mobile out of the car to replace the memory battery
    • how’s my audio?
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • Jim is low
    • arcing in a band switch, so disconnected 10m taps to avoid problems
      • added some feed line and changed antennas, so maybe time to try fixing it to do 10 again.
      • works now
    • finding some bad solder joints in some coax.
    • been in repair mode
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • working on Joe’s tower again soon
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • presenting in Pottstown on Friday on antenna analyzers
    • May be visiting the field day site
  • KC3YIG, Dave:
    • picked up Alaska
  • W3QP, Tim:
    • 2 SOTAs in Western PA
    • new Retevis 25W radio
  • KV3JGB, Matt:
    • fixing some lines to get an antenna up in some trees
      • it’s working
      • first contact on 10M
      • also 15M for a rag chew
    • starting CWOps on Friday
  • KB3ZIM, Bob:
    • published in latest QST, page 20
  • KC3NZT,
    • testing coax with NanoVNA

Questions

  • KC3SWC, Charles:
    • How do 12V batteries apply to Winter Field Day? li-ion, lead acid, deep cycle lead acid, AGM, gold cart batteries, lifepo4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each.
      • WA3VEE, Ron:
        • at field day, we won’t be charging any batteries inside
        • uses AGM and lifepo4 for radios, no trouble in cold weather
        • AGM vents, so ensure it has ventilation
      • W3QP, Tim:
        • lifepo4 is a good choice for amateur radio
          • lighter
          • output amperage is usually only 2x capacity
      • W3MFB, Mike:
        • used marine cells lots
  • W3FES, Fred:
    • Troubleshooting a switching power supply.
    • Rated for 15 amps.
    • Running a radio, 15W output
    • Voltage drops to 8V.
    • What can he do to diagnose the problem in the power supply?
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • need to look at the manual to see ratings
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • switching power supplies are usually working or dead