NØUN's Ham Radio Blog » n0un

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

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!

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

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.

Rare DX. XV2W Vietnam

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:13:27 +0000

I’m not sure if XV2W in Vietnam got my call right this morning, sounds like he may have copied N2UN, I’m not sure. We’ll see if I show up in his log. Ahhhh, the thrill of the DX Hunt!

XV2W – N0UN | 20 Meters | April, 2011

Rare DX. T6TL Afghanistan

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:12:30 +0000

Late tonight I get back from the gym and I’m hoping 20 Meters will be open over the pole. I hear my friend Abdallah from Kuwait (9K2GS) and he’s about 15db over. 20 Meters IS open, this could be fun!

Just about the time I get ready to call Abdallah, I check the DX Cluster and see that a single Austrian spotted Afghanistan (T6TL). I also noticed the spot was already 30 minutes old and nobody else had spotted him. “No chance” I said out loud to myself. Well, I spin over to his last known frequency (14.250) and lo and behold there’s T6TL calling CQ! A couple Russians are answering him, but no Stateside callers. Hmmmm. Time to fire up Godzilla, my “no wait” amplifier.

Terence (T6TL) hears me after a couple calls. He struggled with my call but in the end, we work him twice. Right through the intentional QRM’ers, right through the other stations that kept calling him. Imagine that, how the hell do they think they’ll ever get called if they don’t stop calling long enough to listen? Beats me. Anyway, Five Two, Three Three, same difference, T6TL Afghanistan is in the log. Thanks Terence!

T6TL – N0UN | 20 Meters | April, 2010

T6TL – N0UN | 20 Meters | April, 2011 | 2nd QSO

Rare DX. 9N7AN Nepal with Online Log Link

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 01:41:11 +0000

Finally caught up to the DXpedition in Nepal (9N7AN). I didn’t need them for a All Time New One, but anytime you can work into that area of the world is always good for a rush of adrenalin.

After I recorded my CW QSO with them, they got really loud on the shortpath.

Thanks Fella’s! 9N7AN and N0UN 20 Meter CW QSO

Here’s a link to the 9N7AN Online Log: 9N7AN Online Log. QSL Via DL4SVA

Distracted Drivers, Ham Radio and Death

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:40:05 +0000

This post is about “distracted drivers”. Yep, the Ham Radio dweebs that drive around NOT paying attention while they talk on their mobile radio setups (which I suspect is more than a few). If they operate their cars like I hear some of them operate their radios, we’re all in trouble. Here’s one knucklehead right here: Link to LIDMobile. You’re going to tell me this asshole can drive that car like that? I don’t think so, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell this douchebag isn’t distracted.

Where it really hits home is not so much the dweeb “distracted Ham Radio Operator”, but ANY IDIOT that allows himself (or herself) to be distracted while driving. Cell phones, texting, lipstick, make-up and anything else that distracts their already limited skillset makes for a ticking time bomb. Most people can’t drive for shit anyway, now they’re distracted. Boy, that gives a motorcyclist like me a “warm, fuzzy feeling”, doesn’t it?

If I sound pissed it is because I am pissed. I just lost another good biker friend because of a “inattentive driver” that made an illegal left turn in front of her and her boyfriend. The driver said “I didn’t see them”. Well let’s see; they had loud pipes and their headlight was on, and you didn’t see them? You probably didn’t “hear” them because your boom boom radio was too loud, and you probably didn’t “see” them because you weren’t looking. You want to see just how fast it can happen? Here:

Look. Stop. I’m not picking on safe drivers and I’m not picking on good drivers. I’m not picking on Ham Radio Operators that know how to safely drive their car, truck, RV or bus and simultaneously operate their radios. I’m picking on the idiots that need to have their teeth kicked in to make a point.

If you don’t like my post, I really don’t care. Move on. I’m past caring. I’d much rather pull my Harley up next to a “distracted driver” at a red light, reach in and “knock’em out” to tell you the truth.

Ride with the Angels sweet, sweet Kimmy. Rest in Peace.

Story: Motorcycling Favorite Kimmy Chapman Lauer Killed By Negligent Driver