Well, here we are, another month gone with Spring arriving and we will see what the equinox propagation will bring.
Following on from last month, I have been trying to get my new radio to run reliably with my computer log, the CW programs, and the FT8 programs. Because of the problems, I set up the radio with a spare laptop to test it. All went well and with only 5W a good number of USA stations were worked together with 4 new DXCCs added to the year’s target.
The connections to the main PC were a nightmare to get to work reliably with all sorts of settings that sometimes worked and other times caused a complete system lock-up. Having spent a ridiculous amount of time going round in circles, with some help, I eventually nailed down the problem.
The new radio & its cable were picking up signals in the range of 2.5 to 5.1 GHz (Bluetooth & WiFi) well out of its design range. Thanks to Berni he suggested the problem might not be the settings but could be the USB cable in use. So, following his advice I bought a new one that is double shielded and has proper ferrites on each end.
Bingo! It all works as it should have all along using the settings I had been trying. (Many thanks Berni)
Lesson learnt? Don’t rely on junk box components, they are there for a reason HI. HI.
Seriously, I am reminded of all the lessons I learnt from the 'old guys' - most of which I seem to have forgotten.
Back to the DXing.
The 1st of the month brought the ARRL contest which gave me a couple of new counties. The next few days produced D68Z, ND7DX/KH6, VP2MMN, V44KAI, and SV5DZR. On the 7th I managed both Nigel VP8TXF and Ian VP8CIW on their DXpedition on the Falklands. On the 9th I got VK9CU, and the 10th EP4HR, XE2KK, C6ACK, OA1F, as well as MP7DX on Guernsey.
To top-off the first half of the month I managed ZL4TT, the first ZL of the year and the first CW DX on the new rig after the big fix! The third week showed a slight change in conditions with Africa and Alaska on 15m and Korea on 20m. Even Ghana on 60m with 90W and FT8.
In the last few days, the gremlins struck again. This time a really bad noise background to the lunchtime net. It was so bad there had to be a problem somewhere. On reflection my noise floor has been gradually increasing for several months, and it was this that had prompted the new radio. Having checked all the radio settings, I remembered the junk box problem. Surely not again?
So, I went on a loose-wire hunt. Success! The patch coax between the ATU and its power supply made an awful noise when waggled. This cable is one of only two I have ever bought ready-made, although it is five years old. Ten minutes with a big soldering iron and back to good as new. The 15m band went quiet as a mouse and the SWR dropped to 1:1. During the tests after, I managed to work South Africa and Lombok Isl’ with hardly any background noise. Another problem solved!
Attached is another present from the postman. This American Samoa activation used an early version of the Radio In a Box (RIB). These are hopefully going to open-up many protected Pacific islands to DXpeditions in the future.
The 29th and 30th was the big SSB contest that I had been looking forward to having a go at. Unfortunately, medical problems intervened, so not this year. However, the month ended with a score of over 170 for the year.
Next month I’ll be reporting on some real DX. One contact in Haywards Heath and a second outside Brighton Hospital. Both in full colour!
73's
Chris G4ZCS
