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G0SBW's November Challenge
Thomas Robinson
Well, the WX was wet and very windy. So operating /P from the camper van was the order of the day.
I planned to start operating at 12:00 UTC. However I was at my first station, Martins Farm Country Park (JO01MT85TT) at about 11:30. I set up the 20m hamstack whip antenna and connected it to the FT857 at 50W SSB and listened. 20m was good so I decided to start my challenge there and then. I had QSOs at 11:41 — Portugal, 11:44 - Italy, 11:50 - South Carolina and 12:01 a Flora and Fauna station in Finland. By then I was thinking the Challenge was going to be a piece of cake - how wrong I was! At 12:00 UTC the bands went wild with a major contest starting. Nothing but contest stations on 20/40. After an hour I managed a QSO on 40m to make up my five QSOs at the location. Almost by mistake I managed to work Peter in Northern Ireland who was SSB QRP with 3.5W from a very early issue FT817 to a low height NVIS antenna. QRP NVIS to a very short vertical whip on 40m ?? I really enjoyed the QSO. So I was only able to leave my first station just after 13:00 UTC. Based on my early QSO rate I had expected to leave just after 12:00.
I drove to my second station, the parking area at the Colne Point Nature Reserve (JO01MS64KW) and decided to try 17m. Here I had a series of issues with the 857. Somewhat haphazardly it had long delays switching from transmit to receive on dropping the PTT switch. Eventually after much plugging in and out of connectors and swapping hamsticks I did manage two QSOs, one with a station in the Ukraine and the other with a station near Boulder, Colorado. I was pleased with this last contact and because there was just 20 minutes or so to complete my four hour challenge period I decided to call it a day and make my way home whilst there was still reasonable daylight to drive over the rough road away from the nature reserve.
So, a worthwhile outing but, It should have been better. A spray can of switch cleaner will be purchased tomorrow.
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Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge - Sat, 11/02/2019
#cal-notice
RaDAR@groups.io Calendar <noreply@...>
Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge When: Where: Organizer: Description:
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N4KGL's RaDAR Challenge Plans Saturday, Nov 2nd (Revised)
Dennis WA6QKN and I will combine Rapid Deployment Radio (RaDAR), Parks On The Air (POTA), and Amateur Satellites along with a fun bike ride. All of this in Wakulla County, Florida. Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio combines the outdoors, amateur radio, and movement. You are welcome to try RaDAR in the field or chase us on the radio. Please check https://pota.us/ for our spots. We will use N4KGL as our callsign. In RaDAR we need at least five contacts to move to the next location. For bikes, we need to move at least two kilometers. Our bike rides will be longer to get from park to park.
Our four-hour clock for the challenge will start at 1300 UTC, 9 AM EDT, with the SO-50 pass at the Wakulla Station Trailhead on the Tallahassee St Marks Historic Rail Trail (POTA K-3661). We will complete our five contacts on HF and ride our bikes to Wakulla State Forrest (POTA K-4643). Then continue the bike ride to Wakulla Springs State Park (POTA K-1862). Our HF contacts will be CW or SSB on 40, 20, or 17 meters. Please watch for our spots on https://pota.us/#/ Our rig will be the Elecraft KX2 with the Elecraft KXPA100 amp. I will use a bike cart to pull the rig and a 30 AH Bioenno battery. The antenna will be a SOTABeams Band Hopper Link Dipole. We may continue this pattern beyond four hours to qualify for one of the RaDAR Awards sponsored by Parks On The Air. Warthog Award: two RaDAR* transitions at or between entities during a 24 hour period. RaDAR rules http://radarops.co.za/index.php/radar-rules/ RaDAR Group on MeWe https://mewe.com/group/5c1156b6a08bc414d0dd76dd RaDAR on Groups.io
Tallahassee St Marks Rail Trail
N4KGL Blog
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Today's /PM Test
Thomas Robinson
Saturday, 2nd November, is the last RaDAR challenge of 2019. If the WX is acceptable I plan to operate pedestrian mobile. Today the WX was OK so I went for a short walk to test my gear. I covered about five kilometres in some two hours. Was good to hear both 20m and 17m open, but not very good. Operating with 10 W SSB from a KX3 to a 14’ (4.3m) whip I managed EW1BJ in Belarus, and TA0TA in Turkey on 20m. On 17m I got SV6/F1RAF operating from IOTA EU075.
Not exactly a bagful of QSOs but I’m pleased the gear is still working OK after a longish layoff.
At this time of the year it gets dark early. A couple of photos show the light at the start of the walk at 14:30Z and at the end at 16:30Z. It seems a 12:00Z to 16:00Z slot is required.
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Re: N4KGL's RaDAR Challenge Plans Saturday, Nov 2nd
Thomas Robinson
Good luck Greg. Sounds like you are going to have great time!
I've been out today testing my /PM gear. Pleased to report it still works - see later post!. Unfortunately latest WX forecast here is 50% chance of rain. Might have to be a campervan portable deployment. Tom G0SBW
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Re: N4KGL's RaDAR Challenge Plans Saturday, Nov 2nd
TNX. You too!
On Tue, Oct 29, 2019, 11:52 AM Eddie Leighton <edleighton@...> wrote:
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Re: N4KGL's RaDAR Challenge Plans Saturday, Nov 2nd
Good luck Greg, have fun!!! 73 de Eddie ZS6BNE
On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 6:48 PM Greg Lane <LaneKG@...> wrote:
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N4KGL's RaDAR Challenge Plans Saturday, Nov 2nd
All, Dennis WA6QKN and I will combine Rapid Deployment Radio (RaDAR), Parks On The Air (POTA), and Amateur Satellites along with a fun bike ride on a rail trail. All of this in Wakulla County, Florida. You are welcome to try RaDAR in the field or chase us on the radio. Please check https://pota.us/ for our spots. Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio combines the outdoors, amateur radio, and movement. Our on the air call sign will be N4KGL. At 1300 UTC, I will operate the SO-50 sat pass and then on to 40 meters HF from the San Marcos De Apalache State Park in St Marks, Florida. The park is POTA K-3652 and the grid square is EM70vd. Note, we need at least one SO-50 contact for the RaDAR sat bonus. We need at least five contacts to leave for the next stop. We will probably try for at least ten contacts to get the POTA activation. Next, we will transition 7.5 miles on bikes over the St Marks to Tallahassee Rail Trail to the Wakulla Station Trailhead. This is six times the required distance for RaDAR but it will be a fun ride. Around 1530 UTC, we will operate HF CW or SSB on 40, 20 or 17 meters from the Wakulla Station. The rail trail is POTA K-3661 and the station is at grid square EM70vf. Then we will ride our bikes back to St Marks. Note 1300 UTC is 9 AM EDT and 8 AM CDT. Bike ride plans RaDAR rules POTA Spots San Marcos State Park Tallahassee St Marks Rail Trail N4KGL Blog
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Re: The Nov 2nd, 2019 RaDAR Challenge is coming up!
Thomas Robinson
WX forecast for Saturday is Cloudy and 18% chance rain If WX is reasonable I will be out /PM. If not will utilise Horace (my 25 year old VW camper van) at /P locations.
Just got back from three week visit to S.W. Germany and North Portugal - so a little bit jaded. However the sun is shining today (and hopefully tomorrow). Also 17m is open - so am charging up the NiMH packs and hope to do a little /PM tomorrow. Best to check everything is working - its been a long time idle 73 Tom G0SBW
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Upcoming Event: Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge - Sat, 11/02/2019
#cal-reminder
RaDAR@groups.io Calendar <RaDAR@...>
Reminder: Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge When: Saturday, 2 November 2019 Where:Anywhere Organizer: N4KGL LaneKG@... Description: See rules at http://radarops.co.za/index.php/radar-rules/
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Re: The Nov 2nd, 2019 RaDAR Challenge is coming up!
Thomas Robinson
Hope to give it a go. Will post intentions nearer the date. Eddie, it’s interesting you are no longer a Ziegu operator. Good luck with the old and reliable
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 21 Oct 2019, at 13:32, Greg Lane <lanekg@...> wrote:
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Re: The Nov 2nd, 2019 RaDAR Challenge is coming up!
Eddie, I am glad you got your radio settled out.
Your RaDAR wave is still going! Thanks, Greg N4KGL
On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 2:44 AM Eddie Leighton <edleighton@...> wrote:
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Re: The Nov 2nd, 2019 RaDAR Challenge is coming up!
Hi Greg, I'll be active. Luckily I have a 817 setup again and dumped the Xeigu :) Thanks for all the promotions. Thanks too for all your inspiring videos. 73 de Eddie ZS6BNE
On Sat, Oct 19, 2019 at 3:32 PM Greg Lane <LaneKG@...> wrote:
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Re: RaDAR Promotional Video
Rick Stoner
Nice! Thanks for sharing. ~Rick / KC3DRU .
On Sat, Oct 19, 2019 at 9:48 AM Greg Lane <LaneKG@...> wrote:
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QSO TODAY EPISODE 028 - EDDIE LEIGHTON - ZS6BNE
https://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/zs6bne Eddie articulates the philosophy of RaDAR, Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. Enjoy, Greg N4KGL
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RaDAR Promotional Video
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Event: Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge - Saturday, 2 November 2019
#cal-invite
RaDAR@groups.io Calendar <RaDAR@...>
Nov 2019 RaDAR Challenge When: Where: Organizer: N4KGL LaneKG@... Description:
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The Nov 2nd, 2019 RaDAR Challenge is coming up!
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500hz Collins filter or equivalent INRAD for a FT-897D
I'm looking for a 500hz Collins filter or equivalent INRAD for a FT-897D / FT-857D radio.
Anyone have a spare sitting around?
Email me at N4NSS at Yahoo dot com or call 727-331-2924 leave a message.
73----------------------- Kyle N4NSS <<click this <<Enjoy the Magic of HF Radio. It's just not a hobby, it's an adventure.
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Re: Icom 703 should have been Icom 705
Thomas Robinson
Typing mistake.. However I was also excited by the Icom 703. I bought one and ams till using it
Tom G0SBW
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