PD5DJ/p

Recently I got a call from my local dealer that I could finally pick up my long pre-ordered Icom IC-9700 🙂 The only antenna at the time I had for VHF/UHF was a Diamond X-30 Vertical. That’s nice for some local/regional work, but not really for some DX. Since I’m not going to place big…

Some time has passed, and a lot has been done so far. Construction Tuning Section First I had to find a way to mount the vacuum condenser on the mounting plate. Because I print a lot in 3D, I had the choice to design and print mounting brackets. Also important to include in the design…

Recently my colleague, Rob PA5RH and I came up with the idea to build an automatic loop tuner. Rob is busy with the software part where I have already started on the mechanical part. As loop, Cellflex 1 1/4 inch Coax cable is used. This has a (copper) outer diameter of +/- 38mm I want…

As I have succesfully built the ATU-100 kit, I decided to go for a beafier ATU kit. Some weeks ago I received a kit from Ali Express. The ATU-1000 Automatic Antenna tuner kit. It is based on the same design of N7DCC, but the board is designed by EU2AV. The same firware is used as…

On friday the 11th of June, there was a lot of good propagation on 10m. Most of the time if there is good propagation is trying to work the N2ROW repeater in New York. Frequency: 29.680MHz Shift: -100KHz CTCSS Tone: 136.5Hz.   Also found a fairly unknow repeater on: Frequency: 29.660MHz Shift: -100KHz CTCSS Tone:…

Do you want a fun game and have famlily indirectly involved with your hamradio hobby? Then play the word guessing game.        

Today I have setup Winlink for the first time. I Always find it handy to have simple backup communication at hand whenever needed. So receiving and sending email over the air is a useful addition. Basic overview of Winlink and Vara HF Modem. I already was playing with various digital modes on HF, like VARA.…

As the WRTC event draws closer and closer to the end, it’s getting harder and harder to complete everything. Over the past few months I have managed to get most WRTC stations worked on 40m / 20m and 10m. I am very happy that my station works quite well, even with rare conditions at 10m…

Recently I purchased a ATU-100 Antenna tuner kit from Aliexpress. I have purchased this kit because the internal tuner of my IC-7610 has a tuning limit of 150ohms / SWR <3:1 as most internal tuners do. My previous IC-7300 had the tuner modification which extended the tuning limit, so tuning my antenna was no proplem…

My current antenna for 10 and 20m is still my old wire dipole. Construction is a wire Fan Dipole, in some slight inverterd V configuration directed East / West. Due the proper height of the antenna working DX is no problem at all.