NØUN's Ham Radio Blog

XW0ZJZ Laos

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:00:34 +0000

Larry (XW0ZJZ) sure had a good signal from Laos today! (0040Z, Jan 06, 2012 – 14.028 UP). I noticed from the his grid coordinates on QRZ, he’s located right next door to the German Embassy.

Listen: XW0ZJZ and N0UN

QSL Via E21EIC

9X0PY Rwanda

admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:41:54 +0000

I sure am glad I record most of my QSO’s and here’s why.

December 27, 2011 1613Z. I saw 9X0PY spotted from India (VU2PTT) on the DX Cluster and I happened to have my antenna on the longpath to Africa (after clearing a QSO with Andy, 3DA0TM in Swaziland) so I dropped down to CW to see if I could hear 9X0PY (Carl in Rwanda). I heard his call a couple times and pounced. Got’m. Then as fast as he appeared, he disappeared. I don’t know if he changed frequency, lost power or just decided to take a break. Anyway, he’s in the log! It happened so fast I think I forgot I worked him! I’m glad I can listen to the recording and reconfirm the Q.

Recording of 9X0PY and N0UN, 20M CW

QSL Carl via his home call: SM6CPY

Mount Athos, SV2ASP/A

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:17:18 +0000

OK, so I’ve been chasing Mount Athos the entire time I’ve been a licensed Ham Radio Operator. That’s 39 years now. I “THINK” I finally snagged him.

If you have ever wondered what a “barely there” QSO sounds like, listen to this recording of me working SV2ASP/A (Monk Apollo) yesterday on 10 Meters.

A couple items of note on this Q. I never operate 10 Meters, but since it’s an All Time New One (ATNO) for me, I had to take a peak when I saw the Mount Athos spots on the DX Cluster. And how he ever heard me is beyond me. I was running 1,500 watts so I guess it’s possible. I know I gave him a 5/9 in the recording, but the last thing I wanted to do was confuse him with a 3/2 or something like that. If it does indeed turn out that I worked him, maybe it was a little “Divine Intervention” on his part? I have a feeling we’re both praying… lol. Who knows? Heck, I may not be in his log at all (as weak as the QSO was). I had to play it back 20 times to build my confidence and I do believe I have it, a bunch of my radio friends think I have it, but Elder Apollo has the final say here.

What do you think? Is it a “good one”? Drop me your thoughts in the comment box. I’m curious to hear what you think.

SV2ASP/A and N0UN – 10 Meters SSB.

UPDATED. Just got Monk Apollo’s (SV2ASP/A) QSL card today (December 22nd, 2011). Mount Athos finally worked and confirmed, good stuff!

E44PM Palestine Online Log Links

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:42:32 +0000

I’m not to sure we’ll hear him very well in Colorado but Peri, HB9IQB (using the call E44PM) is supposed to fire up on the HF bands tomorrow from Palestine (December 17th, 2011).

My guess is he may be workable on the longpath our morning here in Colorado. We’ll soon see!

Here’s a few links. One to the E44PM Website here:

E44PM Palestine DXpedition Website

And another to his Online Log here at:

E44PM Online Log Link

Good luck working him!

73, N0UN

HK0NA Malpelo Island DXpedition Online Log

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:02:01 +0000

I need Malpelo Island for a DXCC All Time New One (ATNO), but have you seen what these guys have to do to activate Malpelo Island? WOW, talk about some rough terrain! It looks like they have “hard rock” obstructed views of the United States, but after reading their website it is obvious they’ve done their homework and may have the actual antennas up and above the rock at 300M above seal level. We’ll soon see if they are readable! Here’s a few links with pictures, map and their Online Log:

HK0NA Malpelo Island DXpedition 2012 HK0NA pictures, map, breaking news, information and dates

HK0NA Online Log HK0NA online log

73 & Good DX!

ADDED: November 29th, 2011. This is a well thought out lil’ tidbit from the Malpelo (HK0NA) DXpedition Team. I made a $10 Paypal donation to the DXpedition today and I received this from K4UEE (via e-mail) a few hours later:

Certificate of Appreciation to N0UN

Good stuff, thank-you!

8Q7EJ Maldives

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:57:53 +0000

Good signal tonight over the North Pole from the Maldives (9,560 mile “short” path). Sunspots are doing their job!

Here’s a quick recording of me working Maldives station 8Q7EJ on 20 Meter CW:

8Q7EJ – N0UN 20 Meter CW

Note, I zero’d in on the split frequency of the “last worked” station. Good stuff.

ADDED: (November 17th, 2011)

OK, gets even better! Here’s what I just received from 8Q7EJ via e-mail:

Hello Wayne,

I did a Google search on 8Q7EJ when I got back and found your recording. Great stuff. Not bad for a quarter wave, a couple of radials and 100W down 60 feet of lossy RG58. Err, maybe I should mention the Indian Ocean which may have a part to play.

I thought you might like the other side of the story, attached – I have all sessions on MP3.

8Q7EJ Working N0UN

I was amazed that the band was open to the North and South at 01:00 and apparently via long path was better. As described on QRZ.COM the band sounds completely dead of Amateur Signals there at sunrise until I called CQ and was spotted!

Hope to see you again, maybe SSB or a higher band next time if the sunspots are in our favour

Best Wishes

Jim
G3VDB / 8Q7EJ

QRO 4CX10000 Amplifier. “Godzilla”

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:12:00 +0000

Now that it’s gone I can write a few words about my time with “Godzilla”.

Godzilla is kinda’ like a really fast Corvette. If you didn’t get a ticket then you never sped in it, right? Right.

Anyway, Godzilla is a well built homebrew 4CX10000 (in grounded grid) linear amplifier built by a Ham from Kansas in the late 80′s. It’s rated 8 KV at 3 amps on single phase 220. I bought it at a great price from a Ham that needed to move it last November (2010). While it took me some time to fix and modify a few things, and it took even longer to really get my arms around it, I can say it was well worth the time and expense as it was a fun learning experience. This amp is like no other, and there is nothing like high power/high voltage/high current man, nothing!

I recently sold it and downsized my main linear amplifier so my time with Godzilla is over. It’s time now for another Ham to have fun with. The cycle continues…

Here’s a few pictures and a video of Godzilla in action. Of course it goes without saying that for the video (221 watts drive) I ran it into a large dummy load. I did see over 7 Kilowatts OUT under test conditions with a small SB-200 driving it (I didn’t capture that on video), and I talked to an old chap that drove it with a Drake L-7 past 10 Kilowatts OUT years ago. Good stuff!

(Click the thumbnail pictures below to enlarge in a new window)

Laos, XW3DT

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:41:20 +0000

I needed that one! I worked him last year for an All Time New One on 30 Meters while I happened to be at Keith’s (K0KE) QTH, but now I can say I worked him from my home QTH. Laos, XW3DT is now in the log 20 Meters CW – November 14th, 2011 @ 1845Z.

Recording of XW3DT Laos and N0UN

As a sidebar, I also received his QSL card from that 30M QSO, thanks Alex!

XW3DT QSL Card

QSL Confirmation XW3DT & N0UN

4W6A Timor Leste. Online Log Links

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:37:28 +0000

I may have worked Timor back before I lost my logbooks, but I never did confirm them so I needed this one for an all time new one. 4W6A had a great 59+5 signal into Colorado this morning on 20 Meters and I was waiting for them. That’s DXCC number 318 for me. Thanks Fella’s!

Here’s a few links to the 4W6A Website and Online Log: 4W6A Website and 4W6A Online Log.

ST0R Republic of South Sudan

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:07:24 +0000

Man, now that was a pile-up! Almost hard to believe that you could even here ST0R through the idiots, LIDs, tuner-uppers and frequency cops – but we managed to snag him this afternoon on 20 Meters.

The frequency cleared up just long enough to hear him clear as a bell. I captured my QSO on a recording: ST0R – N0UN on 20 meters CW.

Here’s a few links to the ST0R Website and Online Log: ST0R Website and ST0R Online Log.