Great news! I’m once again able to send and receive QSL cards via the Dutch QSL Bureau! As I really love making portable contacts it’s always a special experience. Therefore I decided to confirm these contacts with a QSL card. Just a quick note:➡️ Please don’t send QSL cards for digital contacts (like FT8 or…
XLX880 Multiprotocol Reflector Now Fully Operational! 🚀
Great news! My XLX880 Multiprotocol Reflector is now up and running smoothly. Connections between Yaesu Fusion, DMR (Brandmeister), and D-Star are active on XLX880A. 🔹 DMR users can connect via Talkgroup 2041151.🔹 Yaesu Fusion users can join Room 88880.🔹 Transcoding between all modes is fully functional, ensuring seamless cross-mode communication. Happy QSO and enjoy the…
Modification Icom IC-F1010/F2010 for Digital operation
I recently purchased a number of Icom Trunking radios with the intention of using them for digital use. That is, to use them to create a Hotspot / Repeater for D-Star and/or Yaesu Fusion (C4FM). I had once bought an IC-F1010 to use on VHF for packet radio. The adjustment for this was simple. Because…
Getting Back into Digital Voice Modes: DMR, D-Star, and Yaesu Fusion
Recently, I’ve been diving back into digital voice modes like DMR, D-Star, and Yaesu Fusion. These technologies remain a fantastic way to connect with other radio enthusiasts worldwide. As part of this renewed interest, I set up my own XLX server: XLX880. Using a Raspberry Pi 5, I configured an XLXD server to power the…
Messi & Paoloni POTA Cable
As an avid outdoor enthusiast and radio operator, I couldn’t be happier with my new 6mm POTA cable from Messi & Paoloni, along with the POTA Speed cable winder and the matching carrying bag. This setup has truly elevated my portable gear to the next level! After years of heavy use and admittedly some…
New portable setup for my IC-7300
Last summer I cycled a lot from park to park with my IC-705 and telescopic mast, with various experiments in terms of antennas. I have had a lot of fun with this, and will certainly expand this further for next summer season. The only thing I really missed is the simplicity of setting up something…
New 5 Elements LFA for 2M
There has been a lot of ES propagation lately. With my Bigwheel antenna for 2m I can make very nice contacts. Since the Bigwheel is approximately 5dBi, I wanted a little more gain and especially some forward gain. I have known for a long time about the existence of LFA antennas from Justin G0KSC. On…
New portable Telescopic mast
Last month, I visited the fair in Beetsterzwaag and came across the booth by EPS Antennas. Among their array of intriguing equipment, a +/- 11m telescopic aluminum mast caught my eye. It was a perfect fit for my plans, so I decided to make the purchase. Back home, the excitement of my new acquisition fueled…
Fixing 10/11m 5/8 Vertical
During a field activation I noticed that my 10m 5/8L Vertical occasionally performed poorly. I soon discovered that a solder contact had broken loose. Probably due to transport. With some trickery I was able to temporarily solve this problem. When I got home I soon discovered that there was more going on. The center pin…
Battery Box upgrade
In the summer of 2023 I started using a LifePo4 battery. I had made this in a bag for the time being, with all electronics loose in the bag. Of course this will cause problems at some point. To solve this I was looking for a suitable box. The problem with my size battery was…









