The Booster in the EUDX 2024

PA1B Constuction of the Booster

In the EU DX contest I used the Booster Cylinder Dipole. 
I used the Booster on 15 meters  and on 20 metres . These bands are not always open, but I seized the oppurtunity. Hi.

Bands and Power
The power of the set is 3 W on 21 MHz and 4 W on 14 MHz.
All QSO's are made with search and pounce. S&P. I did not call CQ myself.

QSB
There was some QSB. QSB can be a real showstopper, when working with QRP.
If I am lucky, it is best to start, when the signal strenght goes up.
Then the station will hear my call, before the signal peaks. And the QSO can be completed, before my signal fades again. Hi.

32 QSO's with 17 DXCC's
I am very pleased with the results.
I started on 15 m and after 3 QSO's I went to 20 m, to make 15 QSO's.
Then I went back to 15 m, to make another 12 QSO's.
After that I went to 28 MHz and to my surprise, I could make a QSO with just 800 mW, this time on the Monster Cylinder Dipole. 
In 3 QSO's the signal was so strong, that I reduced my power to QRPp and could make two 1000 Miles per watt QSO's.

Booster
The Booster is a cylinder dipole. The two cylinders, are each made from 6 Energy Booster cans from aluminium, that are cut open and bolted together. The wingspan is 55 cm or 22 inch. Hi.
Click for details >>

Booster in HA DX 2024

Booster - Cylinder dipole

The HA DX contest is a contest with much activity. So I decided to work with my indoor Booster Cylinder Dipole. As a low power enthusiast I always work with QRP or QRPp (less than 1 W) when possible. The stonger the received signal, the lower the power can be. The Booster hangs in the Dormer Window.

The table shows the 17 QSO's that I made on 21 MHz.
21 MHz worked more easily than the other bands. Hi.
Further only one QSO on 14 MHz was made.

PA1B in HA DX 2024 with QRP on 21 MHz
Booster Cylinder Dipole - Wingspan 55 cm

Booster
The Booster is a cylinder dipole. The two cylinders, are each made from 6 Energy Booster cans from aluminium, that are cut open and bolted together.
Click for details >>

The Booster in the dormer window (dakkapel) PA1B

Taps on the coil. One turn apart. PA1B

Monster in DARC 10m 2024

PA1B with the Monster Cylinder Dipole 
Wingspan 35 cm - 15 inch

I took part in the DARC 10 meter contest with the Monster Cylinder Dipole. This cylinder dipole is called the Monster, because it is made of two  Mønster  Energy Drink cans and a coil.
The wingspan is 38 cm which is 15 inch.

In the past I used the Monster cylinder dipole on 21 MHz. On 21 MHz the dipole is doing well.
I was curious how the Monster Dipole would do on 28 MHz.

Indoor antenna with a wingspan of 35 cm
The dipole is hanging in the dormer window (Im Dachfenster) and is connected to the tuner with 300 ohm twinlead. The tuner does not tune the antenna, but is adjusting the impedance.

Strong signals
When I started in the DARC 10 meter contest, I noticed that the signals were strong S+.
Strong signals are a good sign. Please notice that the antenne is very small, so the voltage of the received signal will be very low. 

CW QRP S&P
I always work with CW QRP. 
The first station that I worked was LZ55ZF. I answered his CQ with power of 2.7 Watt. I received an immediate correct respons and logged the contact. The distance is 1100 Miles. Not bad for an antenna with a wingspan of 35 cm or 15 inch. Hi.
I was in the contest for 1 hour and 1 minute and made a total of 5 QSO's. 

4 DXCC's
I could easily work stations over a distance of 1000 miles or 1600 km with just 3 watt.

PA1B in DARC 10m contest
3 Watt in Monster Cylinder Dipole 

Local QRM on 10 meter
The local QRM was strong. It was S9. When I switched the MorseMachine off, the local QRM was S8. The MorseMachine is the main source of QRM. Luckely is 10 meter the only band, on which the MorseMachine will give QRM. Switching the MorseMachine off during listening, does not work. Switching off on receive is not fast enough. I tried in a dry run, but that would in a real QSO result in missing the exchange. So I leave the MorseMachine on during the whole QSO.

I am very pleased with this result.

More info on the << Monster Cylinder Dipole >>

Funny and nice eQSL's

 

eQSL from Archangelsk. Hi.

Rig:            FT-817
Antenna:    End-fed

HA-DX Contest 2023

I had great fun in the HA-DX Contest of 2023. I used my FT-817 QRP transceiver with CW on an End fed, that is fed via 300 ohm twin lead.

Strong signals
When I started just before 15 utc on 20 meter, I heard very strong signals. A signal of S9 can be answered with 1 W or 500 mW. But the signals were very strong: S9 + 10 dB. This gives the possibility to make QSO's with 80 mW or even 36 mW.
When I came on the band, I first looked for the stations that were received with S9 + 10 dB.

In the first two hours on the band I made 12 QSO's with 36 mW and 80 mW. All with search an pounce. (S&P) Only when I am sure the my signal is not heard, I will increase my power and try again.
The lowest power of my FT-817 with CW is 360 mW. This 360 mW is reduced to 36  mW with a 10 dB attenuator. My homebrew power attenuator of 10 dB

Later I made QSO's with 800 mW and 360 mW, when the signal strenght decreased.
When the band closed, I went to 7 MHz. After one QSO I decided to stop because it was too difficult.
My 2,7 W was not heard between all QRO-signals.

On sunday I started on 7 MHz with 2.7 Watt.
Later I went to 14 MHz to make QSO's with 360 mW, 800 mW and 3.6 Watt.
I use 3.6 W when my 800 mW is not heard.

My RIG: FT-817  (3,6W  -->  360 mW)

10 dB Attenuator to reduce below 360 mW.

Antenna: Storm or Wind proof End fed.

eQSL's from the HA-DX 2023

Here are some eQSL card from the HA-DX contest 2023.

The cards show QSO's that are made with low power or very low power.

The QSO's are made with more than 1000 Miles per Watt.

IK2UEX 36 mW 13446 MPW

IV3KKW 80 mW 6600 MPW

 

EA1WH 360 mW 1995 MPW

HG6O 360 mW 1930 MPW

OK7T 360 mW 1151 MPW

My RIG: FT-817  (3,6W  -->  360 mW)

I use a 10 dB Attenuator to reduce below 360 mW.

My antenna is a Storm or Wind proof End-fed.

Gefopt

Toen ik vanmorgen naar Fitness ging, zag ik bloeiende narcissen.
Het is pas 26 januari en dan al bloeiende narcissen. Ongelofelijk.
Vanmiddag zijn we er nog even langs gelopen.
Achteraf denk ik, dat de narcissen "binnen" uitgekomen zijn en
daarna buiten gepland.
Maar toch leuk. Hi.

Paper QSL Cards

Here I show a few paper QSL cards, that I received for QRP QSO's.

DR50AGCW op Tina DL5YL  

Fred DL5YM

Ian MZ5B

Fabian Kurz DJ1YFK - LCWO

eQSL's for 1000 Miles/watt QSO's in OK/OM contest 2022

I had great fun with low power in the OK/OM contest 2022.
On 14 MHz I made QSO's with 360 mW and 4 watt.
I use 360 milliwatt, when the signals are strong.
With 360 mW to OK or OM every QSO is good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.
Within a few days after the contest, I received eQSL's.
All QSO's are made with CW S&P on an Sloping Endfed antenna.

More than 1000 Miles per Watt eQSL's

OM5NA - 360mW - 596 Miles - 1657 Miles/Watt

OM2VL - 360mW - 620 Miles - 1722 Miles/Watt

OM8FR - 360mW - 698Miles - 1940 Miles/Watt

OM3DX - 360mW - 747 Miles - 2074 Miles/Watt

IJsselbos

 Het was vandaag mooi zonnig weer. We hebben gewandeld in het IJsselbos.

SX1T QSL by e-mail

I received a very nice Digital QSL card from Antonis SX1T by e-mail.
Antonis writes that it is not an official QSL card, but I very much like it. Hi.

Antonis writes:
This in NOT a valid QSL. This is a greeting and a message. You don't have to reply with an email QSL. This email was automatically created using the FREE HamTools by PA4R

The distance from my QTH to Greece is just more than 1000 miles.
So I reduced my power to 800 mW before answering the CQ of Antonis, to make a "more than 1000 Miles per Watt" QSO.

We made a QSO with 1634 Miles per Watt.
Over a distance of 1307 Miles between our QTH's and a  power of 800 mW.
As a low power enthusiast I always try to use the lowest possible power in each QSO.

Tnx to Antonis for the very nice QSO and the very nice QSL card.

Narcissen

We hebben vanmorgen koffie gedronken op City Plaza.
Het was heel aangenaam in de zon.
In de tuin staan de narcissen (daffodils) alweer boven de grond.

End fed met lineair loading

Eindgevoede draad
Toen mijn inverted V in mei 2015 zodanig beschadigd was door de wind, ben ik eerst overgestapt op de Cilinder dippool, waarmee ik van 2015 t.e.m. 2016 gewerkt heb. Maar begin 2017 wilde ik weer een antenne buiten ophangen.
Net voor de PACC (2017) heb ik daarom gekozen voor een End fed.

Ik had op vakantie veel ervaring opgedaan met de endfed, die gevoed wordt via een 300 ohm lintlijn met een lengte van 4,80 meter. De endfed in in combinatie met mijn licht gewicht vakantie tuner heeft mijn veel leuke vakantie QSO's opgeleverd.
Zie: https://a29.veron.nl/hams/pa1b/qrp-holiday-transmatch/

Draad
Ik had een lang stuk draad van meer dan 20 meter, dat ik niet door wilde doorknippen. Dus heb ik dat gewoon in zijn geheel opgehangen. Om in de achtertuin te passen moest ik de draad terugvouwen. Omdat ik 12 meter over had heb ik besloten om twee keer 6 meter terug te vouwen. Hi.

Linear loading
Lineair loading is een fraaie term om het gedeeltelijk terug vouwen van een (lange) draad aan te geven. Ik heb de term ergens opgevangen, bij iemand die op deze manier zijn verticale antenne verkortte, zonder gebruik te maken van een spoel ergens in de draad. Door het gedeeltelijk terugvouwen van de draad, kan ik een grotere lengte kwijt in mijn tuin van beperkte omvang.

Staande golf
Op een “zendende” draad staat een staande golf. Op het eindpunt is de stroom nul. En verder van het eind wordt de stroom in de draad groter. De stroom in het teruggevouwen deel loopt tegengesteld aan de stroom in de draad, waarlangs hij teruggevouwen is. Over de lengte het teruggevouwen deel heffen de magnetische velden elkaar gedeeltelijk op, waardoor het teruggevouwen deel vrijwel niet straalt. Het HF vermogen wordt door de rest van de antenne uitgestraald.

300 Ohm lintlijn
In huis wordt de draad gevoed via een 300 ohm lintlijn. Dit kun je ook weer opvatten als lineair loading. Het lint brengt het HF signaal buiten de shack zonder zelf veel te stalen. De stroom in de beide aders van het lint lopen tegengesteld, waardoor de lintlijn vrijwel niet straalt.
Het lint werkt als een impedantie transformator. De tweede draad van de lintlijn werkt als een counter poise. (Tegenwicht) Het antenne systeem heeft daardoor geen aardesysteem nodig.
Als ik op 7 MHz werk schakel ik nog een extra stuk lintlijn van twee meter lengte tussen tuner en het lint naar de zolder. Hierdoor is de antenne dan wel (of beter) aan te passen.

Windkracht 12
Mijn inverted V die ik eerst gebruikte was windgevoelig. Die moest ik meestal één maal per jaar in zijn geheel naar binnen halen, om het lint of de draden te vernieuwen. De eind gevoede draad hangt al een jaar of vier, waarin ik heel af en toe het touwtje tussen de antenne en het schuur dak moet vervangen, omdat het vergaan is.  

Windkracht 12 is wat overdreven, maar deze end fed is veel minder windgevoelig dan mijn inverted V. Hi.

SAQ Grimeton Christmas Eve transmission 2021

Radiostation SAQ Grimeton

Operator Kai in action

SAQ spreads Christmas Joy on Christmas Eve morning, Dec 24th.

During last week I carefully build up my VLF antenna to listen to the Christmas Eve morning transmission of SAQ. This Swedish station was built in Grimeton, just less than 100 years ago, to send telegrams from Sweden to the U.S. on a frequency of 17.2 kHz

My Antenna
The antenna is a loop with a diameter of 1.75 meter. The loop is tuned to 17.2 kHz to receive the signals of SAQ. The loop is connected to an amplifier with feedback to pick up the signal. First I check the antenna by increasing the feedback of the loop amplifier to make the antenna oscillate. After the check I reduce the feedback.

FT-817 + converter
The signal of the loop amplifier is fed into a frequency converter with a SO42P mixer, with a 8 MHz crystal. The signal goes to the FT-817, which is tuned to 8017.2 kHz. To check the complete setup I use an Audio signal generator set to 17.2 kHz. When I can receive this signal, I know everything is all right. 

Excellent reception
When I switched on my RIG on 7:47 utc on Christmas Eve, I immediately heard the signal of SAQ.
So the tuning with use of the Audio Signal Generator was perfect. Hi.
At the right of the loop amplifier and the converter, I had enough room to put my A4 paper to write down the message of SAQ.
I did not copy all letters, though the signal was very good, but had fun in writing down the CW message.

42 wavelengths 
The wavelength of the signal is 17,4 km, so over a distance of 736 km from Grimeton to my QTH there is room for just 42 wavelengths of the signal. Hi.

CQ WW DX CW 2020 Worked DXCC's

Table of worked DXCC's
In CQ WW DX CW contest of 2020 I worked 33 DXCC's, all with search and pounce. A contest gives an excellent opportunity to work many stations in many DXCC countries. When the signals that I receive are  strong, I will reduce my power. 

1000 Miles per Watt
When I work with very low power, I often make more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's. The red numbers in the table are QSO’s that are made with more than 1000 Miles per Watt. 

Time Diagram
In the time diagram you can see the used power from QSO to QSO.
This diagram is gives only the QSO's that were made on 20 meter. Because 20m was the only band where I could wordk with very low power. You can see that the Saturday was the better day, to work with less than 100 mW. When I use less than 100 mW I make use of the PA1B attenuator.

PA1B Time diagram 20 m CQ WW DX CW 2020