Return-Path: Received: (qmail 366 invoked from network); 14 Sep 1999 07:28:59 -0000 Received: from magnus.plus.net.uk (HELO magnus.force9.net) (195.166.128.27) by murphys.force9.net with SMTP; 14 Sep 1999 07:29:00 -0000 Received: (qmail 29682 invoked from network); 14 Sep 1999 07:26:06 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO post.thorcom.com) (212.172.148.70) by magnus.plus.net.uk with SMTP; 14 Sep 1999 07:26:06 -0000 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 3.02 #1) id 11QmqN-00062S-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:17:35 +0100 Received: from apollo.le.ac.uk ([143.210.16.125]) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 3.02 #1) id 11QmqM-00062N-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:17:34 +0100 Received: from pc171.geog.le.ac.uk ([143.210.151.171] helo=kate) by apollo.le.ac.uk with smtp (Exim 2.12 #1) id 11QmqH-0001zI-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:17:29 +0100 From: "kate moore" To: "lfgroup" Subject: LF: Weekend report Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:06:38 +0100 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Importance: Normal Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Sender: Stations worked here over the weekend on 136kHz using normal speed CW: Friday 10/9 PA0CC (14.04UT: gave him 579, he gave me 569), GW4ALG (18.06: 58/99, 599). Saturday 11/9 Called by DJ5DI at 07.03, my TX blew up at start of QSO! Sunday 12/9 GW4ALG (09.11: 599, 599), EI0CF (10.06: 579, 569), OH1TN (20.05: 479QRN, 549QSB). Well, it was certainly an eventful weekend! Friday started very quiet with no-one heard at all on the band during the morning and only a few stations later, despite static levels being fairly low. Saturday was set aside for a visit from Kevin ZL4MD who is one of the very active LF operators in New Zealand. I decided to go on air first thing to make sure everything was set up OK and get a few calls in the log; my first CQ call raised DJ5DI and I had just gone back to him when there was a flash and bang in the PA. A quick look inside through the smoke confirmed that one of the FETs had blown up, so that was the end of any on-air demo... Kevin arrived a little later and we spent several interesting hours swapping notes and photos, comparing the differences and similarities between the European and Antipodean LF scenes. I think he was a little surprised at my tiny TX and simple antenna/ground system, so it was quite disappointing not being able to show him how well it works. Activity was also very low, with no EU stations on whilst we were listening, but Steve GW4ALG kindly supplied a signal using both his loop and vertical so Kevin could get an idea of the strength of signals on 136kHz - thanks Steve. I got up fairly early on Sunday morning to rebuild the TX and left the RX scanning. This was quite frustrating as there was far more activity, with several German stations, OZ1KMR and OZ5N audible at good strength, and contacts being made with OE and OK (although nothing heard here from either of the latter). Interestingly only one FET had actually exploded and I could find no obvious reasons why this time - the last two events were both carelessness on my part, but not this one. Steve and Finbar both confirmed the replacement was working as normal, but I am a little wary of things as I still don't know what went wrong. I called into the 80m net at 19.00UT, but the QRM levels were extremely high and only 5 stations were on, including one non-LFer who just called in for a chat! Come on guys, we need more support to get the net going. During the net Dave G3YXM mentioned that Reino OH1TN was back on LF and said he would look for him after the net had finished. Sure enough, by the time I had retuned to 136kHz Dave was already in contact with Reino! Static levels were very high, but OH1TN's signal was excellent as he has made some improvements to his station - this looks very promising for the coming Winter season. When Dave had finished, I called Reino myself (quite a bit off his frequency) and was extremely pleased to make a solid QSO too..... and the FETs held out! Regards John G4GVC near Leicester, IO92JP ** TX: Synth + 400W RF from modified 'G3YXM' Mosfet PA ** ** RX: TS-850S with 3 x CW filters and 0.5ppm TCXO ** ** Ant: Inv-L 60m long, 6m high at feed end, 12m high at far end **