New Amplifiermabob

Well,

I've been thinking for a while about upgrading the amplifiers I have here for 4/6M and also 2M. Here's the result of my investment:

The 950 deliveres 1KW on 6M (500W on 4M) and the 1000 is 1KW on 2M. Both solid state amplifiers from Beko in Germany.

Given the termoil on the currency markets as a result of Brexit - I might have just timed this right.

Local conditions.

It doesn't get more Bonkers than this!

Well,

The whole concept of bouncing RF of meteor trails is, lets face it, quite nuts:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/cq-on-them-there-meteor-trails.html

It does, however, appeal to me for some reason. Primarily because the WSJT modes are so fantastic and secondly because it's completely insane.

I've just had a great QSO with DL4KUG, thanks Erich!

Cat wanted to play earlier, but only on the condition that he didn't have to let go of the mouse under his left paw:

Fun, egh?

Say something then!

Well,

A while since I have posted; primarily because I am spending far too much time in foreign parts for my employer, rather than playing for me!

Anyhow, been rummaging around in the shack today and finally got round to configuring my MS station for 6M and 4M.

I have the antenna I put up back here for both bands:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/thatll-never-work-will-it.html

And today I have got the digital interface working to my satisfaction into the FT-847:

You will see that I have used a SignaLink USB thingamabob to connect the radio to the PC:

http://www.tigertronics.com/slusbmain.htm

Now, the FT-847 has caused me a load of trouble in the past when dealing with digital modes; primarily in an unsatisfactory delay going back from TX into RX again. I have always interfaced the radio like this:

So here the PTT is combined with an audio line which is then decoupled using the capacitor you see in the graphic above.

This time I have interfaced into the Mic socket and used the PTT and audio in feeds available there:

Now, further inspection of the FT-847 manual today, and I find this:

which looks infinitely more sensible again!

So, I may yet change things once more to enable an easy switch between digital and voice operation.

I'm still using the amplifier I bought from Linear Amp (the DX Shop):

I'm scared stupid I'm going to overdrive this amplifier; I would like to find a way to restrict the output of the 847 permanently to 25W - any suggestions? I may well ask the question on the appropriate owners forum.

Fun egh?

Meteor Scatter - You can't be serious?

Well,

Meteor Scatter has for a long time been established as one mode of radio communication (this is bouncing signals back down to Earth off Meteors) used by the elite. You used to need a large hill, about 10-12 Gigawatts of power and a huge antenna system for your chosen band.

Not any more.

The amazing modes in the WSJT family have made MS more accessible to Muppets like myself.

So, after modifying a few switches and cables in the Shack, I have my TS590 routed to my Linear Amplifier that I acquired back here:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/how-much-power.html

This now allows me to run full legal UK power on 6M to the 4 + 4 element antenna I got here:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/thatll-never-work-will-it.html

So, I then did some research and found this excellent talk in video format from the recent RSGB convention, this is GW8JLY talking about his MS experiences on 144MHz:

http://vimeo.com/77358505

I also have downloaded, printed and studied the WSJT user guide. Here are some screen shots of my MS experience from this morning:

So the bit I have circled in the image above is the signals from DL5WP, you can clearly see a burst of received signals. Here is the other window in WSJT7 showing the decoding of those signals:

There's also a chat room for MS nutters here:

http://www.on4kst.org/chat/index.php

Where you can arrange QSOs and discuss MS stuff.

This morning I've worked DL5WP in Germany and S59A in Slovenia.

Thanks Chaps!