Message-ID: <002401c096cc$b1f82ba0$2b1686d4@ericadodd>
From: "g3ldo" <g3ldo@ukonline.co.uk>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
References: <004b01c096b7$97954e60$cf81d13e@f9.net.uk>
Subject: LF: Re: T/A 2 and a half way.
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 21:25:01 -0000
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Dave said:

> Brilliant effort, just shows that a full 2-way can be done, indeed HAS
been
> but for a bit of 80mtrs which can only have made it more difficult!

The idea of the remote receiver was not mine; it was John's. Originally he
was to have made (again) the 150 mile journey to VE1ZZ with his receiving
and computing kit. However other considerations, including the Canadian
Winter, made this option difficult and I guess that is why he opted for the
HF link. The idea was put to me by e-mail on Sunday evening. On Monday the
weather was awful and in any case John was visiting friends.
So we planned it, by e-mail, for the Tuesday and without any testing or
practice went straight into the QSO as soon as VE1ZZ came through.

The QSO required a certain degree of dexterity by the two Canadians.  On the
one hand at VE1ZJ; the receiving of my signal with Argo set up for what was
an untested 10second dot period, then switching to 80m and the data transfer
and acknowledgement, then back to 136 to monitor what was going on.

Jack, VE1ZZ, had a different problem. He does not have a computer. He had
rigged up an electro-mechanical device to send in beacon mode but sending
data posed a difficulty. He overcame this by making a device with two relays
and capacitors, one for dots and the other for dashes. He then used a stop
watch to place these dots and dashes to key the transmitter, so VE1ZZ's
transmission was semi hand keyed.
At first I found the keying difficult to read, hence the 'M' report. But as
the QSO progressed, Jack became more proficient at his keying and the signal
strength improved. If you look at the pictures on Dave Pick's site I am sure
you will be impressed at Jack's hand keying.

For my part I had the easy bit. We had visitors and I was able to go and
join them during my transmission periods - although I had difficulty
explaining what I was up to.

My view is that is a splendid effort by the Canadian 'team'.


Regards,
Peter, G3LDO

<g3ldo@ukonline.co.uk>