During this weekend I’ve taken part to the Multi Operator station IQ5FI in the CQ WW RTTY.
IQ5FI is the callsign of the local ARI radio club in Firenze.
I’ve taken part to operations during the Saturday afternoon and mainly later from 20.30 GMT till 01.30 GMT of Sunday 24, and again in the afternoon of the Sunday. Picture has been taken at 01.00 GMT (3 AM local) along to IZ5GUL Luca.
Several other ham radio operators have taken part to the event.IK5GQK IW5EIJ IZ5HQB IZ5GUL IZ5HMK IZ5IMA. Has been funny to work during night hours, on 40 meters band. We operated using the club vertical antenna for 20-15 meters and the dipole for the 40-80 meters. The club station is located in the historic center of Florence, here you can have a look at the Google Map, and you will understand why big aerials are not so easy to setup here. !

Technorati Tags: ham radio, rtty, contest, cq, ham-radio, amateur radio

Here you are a recent picture of one of my laster Buddipole experiences ! Well, I’ve played with this antenna one month, and overall impressions, is really positive. I’ve been able to compare this antenna to my old 3 bands dipole antenna.
First of all, one of the main reason I’ve bought this antenna is the “portability”, even if I’ve choosen the deluxe edition that includes the tripod.
Since my current antenna restrictions does not permit me to have a real antenna on the roof, the portable operations are my current only way to be active on ham radio bands.. (except few sporadic digital activities from home, using this antenna on the balcony).

Well, about gain, you cannot ask much to a portable antenna, what I can tell you is that signal reports received compared to the dipole, 7 meters above the ground, were really comparable in 15-17-20 meters.

Tuning this antenna is very easy in all bands till 20 meters, for lower bands, gain and tuning is really problematic. In 40 meters in example, I’ve never been able to go lower than 3:1 swr. I know that on lower bands is recommended very free space, and some particular procedurres, but really have not had much time to investigate yet on this.

I’ve noticed also that SWR change with the rotation of the dipole, and with the height of the mast. It often increase.

Manufacture of the antenna is good, also accessories, are well done. I’ve just experienced a problem with a pole connector, since the very first day, I will keep in touch with Bud to have some info. The Bag is usefull to carry on everything including the tripod, thta is the biggest thing inside. All the antenna bag, once full, is not heavy at all.

As backup antenna and for excercise I will try to build a home made buddipole antenna, with pvc tubes, maybe a dedicated version for 30 meters band, for my PSK31 nights from the apartment. More info to come.

Somebuddipole antenna related links can be found here, including a modified version that use wires instead of whips.

Technorati Tags: hamradio, antenna, ham radio, dx, amateur radio

Was just having fun watching YouTube , and discovered some ham radio related videos like this one. EA3AJW operate ED3SSB contest station during WPX contest 2006.
Broadband and digital camcoders make this possible today !

Technorati Tags: hamradio, ham radio, contest, video, dxing, amateur radio

Finally I’ve started my activities with digital modes too.
After a lot of years spent on swl-ling and reading, I’ve received today my radio-to-PC interface cable.
I ordered two weeks ago a Donner’s interface for my Yaesu FT-857D. Shipping has been fast (two weeks to italy), but italian taxes are always so expensive… 16 euros for a 40 USD value declaration.

As I expected, I’ve been able to make some contact with extremely low power, 5 Watts into my buddipole antenna placed right out of my balcony.  Currently I’ve setup the Buddipole antenna in vertical mode with a wire on “black” side, and tuned on 20 meters.

First QSO, have done in PSK31 with SP9CV Cezar from Poland, and received a 569. I’ve been testing connections and setup with ham radio deluxe, using the PSK31 Deluxe.

I will take the opportunity to test RTTY and SSTV later on this week.

During the night I’ve done some more QSOs into europe ON OK G all with readable signals. It really looks I’ve found a funny way to be active also from my apartament. I know is not the best, but it works for the moment and let me making contacts.

On next days I will post some more infos on the new buddipole antenna, since I’m getting experienced with this portable antenna expecially on finding the best whip lenght for a perfect resonance.

Last weekend I’ve worked also last special DR2006 stations I needed for the Soccer World Cup Award. Just need to work some more DL stations to complete the requirements, will try next weekend or with my “all-new” operating modes. Hi

Technorati Tags: ham radio, hamradio, psk31, rtty, digimode, sstv,

Yesterday evening, even if in late and for just one hour, I’ve taken part to the IARU contest. As I did for the ARI contest, I’ve just partecipated in real sport-spirit….
The occasion has also been good to test the new antenna (buddipole) on 15 meters band, where I did the most of my contacts.

An interesting info for newbies, about the contest log, that need to be in the “Cabrillo format”.
I use ham radio deluxe as main Logging program, and it includes, as many logging program, functions to export to cabrillo log format, so has not really been a big problem
For those who do not have skills on exporting logs into the Cabrillo log format, you can have a look at this online cabrillo form generator. By submitting a simple text log, by typing in the textarea field, it will generate and sumbit the log in the correct format for you.

Just back from holidays and while testing my new ham radio toy, the buddipole antenna, I’ve done an interesting QSO with YO3FXL Mihali about bazooka antennas on 17 meters band. He told me that his roof is plenty of monoband dipoles, generic dipoles, and he is using a bazooka antenna for 17 meters.
According to him, the bazooka antennas outperforms dipoles, and that he is going to dismiss in this summer all his dipoles in favour of the equivalent bazooka type.
I’ve heard and read someting about this antennas, but never gone in deep with technical specifications. They really looks interesting, for those who looks for cheeap and easy to build antennas.
Here you can find some bazooka antenna plans

I will try to be active on HF bands (mainly 20 meters) from 26th June to 7 July.
QTH will be north-East of Sardinia Island (EU-024)
More info will be posted on this blog.

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Update to 3 July:
I’ve setup my triband dipole in the camping and I can currently works on 20 meters band with an acceptable SWR.
Propagation during the day is very poor but get increasing starting from 17.00 GMT, and during all sunset time.
Done interesting contacts into Europe, with some countries difficult to get from my home QTH on 14 mhz.

“Unfortunately” family tasks, don’t let me stay on air as I would… HI.

Will continue my activities till 7th July.
QSL route: via bureau.

I’ve published this week a new Yahoo! Widget.

It’s a ARI (Associazione Radioamatori Italiani) RSS reader, includes also the ARRL and DXZone feeds.
That’s a new ham radio widget for the Amateur radio Konfabulator community.

Download the widget from the Widget Gallery
or learn what Yahoo! Widgets (aka konfabulator widgets) are…

I’ve coded a couple of widgets more during the last yeat, including an ham radio dx cluster interface… have a look at my works

At least at my QTH and during the few hours I’ve been on air, have noticed a poor condition on mostly ham radio bands.
I’ve been able to make some interesting contacts with just the dipole, beaming N/S.
LA6KOA, ED8OTA/M, 9N7JO, A41NN, 5R8UO, ZR1ADI and 7X4AN mostly on 20 and 15 meters band.

Last weekend I took part to the Ari international ham radio contest. Unofrtunately time to dedicate to the contest has been very low, just a couple of hours, but I’ve dedicated all my “spare time” to the competition.
Has been fun to be aknowledged so easily by so many stations, even being a qrp station. This has been my first experience with an amateur radio contest, and final impression has been positive.
I’m trying now to organize the electronic logbook (i’m going to use UA1AAF - Ari contest software) to send to the Ari HQ. My score has been very low, but as I’ve taken part to the contest just to enjoy myself withour any other goal.