Icom IC-02E
IC-02E Restored
JOTA 2010 in Florence
JOTA Firenze
I’ve been visiting the yearly JOTA site in Florence, this saturday.
The full event has been managed by local hams and in particular by IW5EGT Alessio that were on air using the special callsign II5BP.
Antenna farm this year consisted in a rotary dipole for 20 and 40 meters, along to some VHF antennas used for local contacts.
5V7TT DX with the Ghost ?
a Ghost in the 5V7TT Team ?
Today I finally had the opportunity to contact the 5V7TT DXPedition to Togo. This activation has been managed by I2YSB, an experienced dxer, who knows all tips and tricks of dxpeditioning, and from what I’m seing looks like are really making a fine job and tons of QSOs.
It is said that the team is able to be present in 8 bands and modes at the same time even if officially the team is composed by 7 operators !!! Huuuu… how is this possible ?
If you look at their QRZ.com page http://www.qrz.com/db/5v7tt, you will learn the secret !
Zoom their picture and count legs and foots that appear on the sand… the sum is 16 !!
Well done folks…. hopefully QSL will be a real paper qsl
useless to say… this post is a joke…..but picture is true.. stiamo scherzando gente 🙂
First experience with an SDR
Setting up an assembled PMSDR
Franco asked my help to setup the Winrad software, having just finished to assemble the PMSDR Kit.
This SDR comes in a disassembled kit, and is very small as you can see from the picture. It is connected to the PC via USB for remote control and via the PC soundcard for the audio output while Antenna of course use a standard BNC socket.
Well, I’ve been quite surprised of this toy, since it really works with the 5 volts coming from the USB and is capable of nice filtering capabilities and quick tuning.
We have ecountered some troubles on Winrad setup, even if we have opted for the more clean design on WinradHD.
For those of you that do not know, both software are free windows programs that “define… radio”, the first one is provided to the community by an italian ham I2PHD who also released the code for free, while the second is a remake of the original Winrad by DG0JBJ.
There are many SDR Software on the net, and and increasing number of SDR manufacturers offering interesting products
ARI Firenze as ARES in Sesto Fiorentino
ARI Firenze - ARES
ARI Firenze has been invited as representant of emergency service provider.
In front of our stand, there were local Police and Carabinieri exposition as well as a couple of Protezione Civile (ES) stands.
Our Ham colleagues setup the always present mobile home, a homebrewed project by I5KRD, where someone of us took demonstration of amateur radio operations. Equipment included a vertical antenna for 40 meters and an EH antenna for 80 meters.
I made a short visit to colleagues, and in the few minutes I was there, a couple of visitors asked informations on our activity and hobby. Who knows…
This has been certailnly a good opportunity to promote ham radio.
Mercatino di Agliana PT
Just back from the newest free / exchange market dedicated to ham radio in Agliana in the province of Pistoia.
This first edition, organized by ARI sezione di Pistoia has been hold in the center of Agliana ana there were aproximately 10 exposers. Drive directions where easily visible on the road.
This is certainly a good example of how to easily give opportunity to local hams to exchange second hand equipment.
Firenze Computerfest and Radioamatori
The yearly ham fest announced by Compendiofiere to be held on upcoming week-end at the Leopolda station has been deleted / postponed.
This is what rumors are saying here and a confirmation of this is on the compendiofiere web site , where at the calendar page, Firenze Ham Fest has been removed.
Local hams, loos in this way the opportunity to meet ham dealers.
Upcoming fests are with the Scandicci Market at the end of October.
Six Meter Marathon
Maratona 50MHZ
ARI Firenze hams have issued a brabd new marathon competition on the six meter band.
The first edition of this spring contest, was born on idea of a couple of ham in my city that enjoyed six meters during last springs, and during last winter have decided to setup an official, competion, sponsored and managaed by local ARI section.
Contest Manager IZ5HQB Gabriele has produced an online log and scora tracking system, that permit partecipants to follow their performances and even show an online map of their contacted squares.
Competition is opened to all hams world wide, rules are written also in english, and if you want to take part, just signup and upload your logs.
link to Maratona 50 MHz by ARI Firenze
PM2000AM : New SWR meter on the way
Palstar PM2000 AM
A new Power Meter is arriving in my shack.
I was looking for an accurate and readable SWR Meter for my station, that could cover HF and six meters band, and could support 1,5 – 2 KW.
Budget limitations prohibites high level Array Solutions Power master or Bird Technologies Bird wattmeter, while limited distribution of Autek products in Italy made desist me on evaluatinv the well reviewed VM1.
The choice has been restricted to a couple of products.
The DAIWA CN-801 and the Palstar PM2000 A/M, price are similar, but generally Daiwa product is cheaper.
I choosed the Palstar for the followin features:
True PEP Reading
Average and True PEP Reading Meter in Forward and reflected, looks like the CM-801 offer only Forward and not reflected.
Accuracy
According to reviews the PM2000A offer eccellent accuracy, compared to a Bird meter, while CM-801 looks like accuracy percentage to be higher than what’s documented.
BackLight
CM-801 is missing the switch so, light is always on, and it’s really annoying. PM2000AM offer a front switch.
Extra CORD
The PM2000AM offer an extra cord, permitting to place the Meter almost everywhere in my desk, where room is always rare thing.
Now maybe you are wonderin how much I paid it and where I bought… well I looked among Amateur Radio Dealers in Europe and found a German Dealer offering the product at a very special price, the lowest in the net.
I will reveal the name of the dealer, as soon as the transaction will be completed… you never know.
The Gap Titan DX setup
I’ve taken some pictures during the antenna setup. Assembling the GAP Titan DX is not as simple as it may appear, in particular if english is not your own language.
Technical terms are often obscure to many ham radio amateurs the usually knows ham-lingo…
I don’t hide the fact that more than once, I’ve had to use dictionary to correctly and fully understand instructions.
Of course the Italian manual version of the antenna is completing missing. So i thought that my efforts in assembling and tuning this antenna shoudl have been concretized in a home made documentation.
- Have a look to my GAP Titan DX picture library
While on dxzone you can find more GAP Titan DX documentation and pictures