Amateur Radio news from Italy

IW5EDI Simone – Ham-Radio

Amateur Radio news from Italy

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Relevant articles I’ve recently posted

Habemus LX metris – Italy gains 60 Meters

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The recently updated Piano nazionale di ripartizione delle frequenze, receive and adopt the WRC-15 directives assigning to Italy the new 60 meters band.

The frequency band 5351,5-5366,5 kHz is also assigned to amateur radio service with secondary service status. Amateur radio stations  using the frequency band 5351,5- 5366,5 kHz  should not exceed the maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power of 15 W  (WRC-15)

-freely translated by IW5EDI-

The official text is as follow:

“La banda di frequenze 5351,5-5366,5 kHz è anche attribuita al servizio di radioamatore con statuto di servizio secondario. Le stazioni del servizio di radioamatore che utilizzano la banda di frequenze 5351,5- 5366,5 kHz non devono superare la massima potenza isotropa equivalente irradiata di 15 W (e.i.r.p.) (WRC-15).”

The PNRF has been published on the attachment no. 49 of the “Gazzetta Ufficiale” on 19th October 2018, no. 244, and due to the vacatio legis, it will take legal effect just 15 days after the publication date.

 

 

 

Yamaha CM500 Replacement Ear Pads Cushions

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Yamaha CM500

My Yamaha CM500 with deteriorated cushions

Replacing Yamaha CM500 Parts

Since some years I’m using the Yamaha CM500 headset. It’s a very comfortable headset, with a good microphone and it costs around 50 USD.  I bought it directly in the USA since in europe this product was not available.

Recently I’ve noticed tha the ear pads of my Yamaha CM500 headset has started deteriorating, and therefore I’ve started looking for some replacement cushions or ear pads.

I’ve looked for them on ebay, on amazon and google, but with no success, no results came out from my extensive researches.

A post in my Facebook account, seeking for help, sorted out a link to an interesting audio shop

But even there, thought the assortment is really impressive, it ended up with a not-found.

Unfortunately, after having googled a lot, I arrive at the conclusion that Yamaha does not provide replacement parts at all for this kind of product.

The KOSS SB40

Thanks to a post in a forum I discovered that the Yamaha CM500 is the same of the KOSS SB40 headset, that is available in Italy also via Amazon

At a very reasonable price.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Noise cancelling microphone
  • Full range of sound brings games to life
  • Microphone eliminates excessive background noise for greater ease of use with PC voice applications, such as speech recognition
  • Soft leatherette ear cushions envelop ears for long-lasting comfort and maximum isolation without excess pressure
  • Adjustable headband fits most head sizes
  • Independent 3.5mm plugs for easy headphone and microphone connection

Yamaha CM500 Cushions

After having discovered this alternative,  I started looking for replacement cushions or ear pads for the KOSS SB40, that is also the sister of the KOSS UB20 model, but without boom microphone.

A search for cushions for UB20 returned several options, under the 10 euros even in Amazon.

So, if you are looking to replace ear pads (cushions) for the Yamaha CM500 you could also look for the KOSS UB20 headsets that are more popular and well indexed in several online stores.

Update:  Cushions Replaced

Received the new Yamaha CM500 compatible cushions in two days from Amazon, and I’ve replaced them.

 

CM500 parts cushions

Original Yamaha vs Compatible

As you can note the new cushions are very similar but not identical.
They are half centimeter larger that the original ones, but the internal space half centimeter smaller that  is even better!

Quality from my point of view is better, than originals, keep in mind that these cushions also replace sennheiser headsets….

The fact that they are a little bit larger is not really a big problem since they fit very well and make te assembling process easier.

Just a note about the final assembling, the original ones have 3 pre-made holes in correspondence of the 3 screws thay are used to close the eard pads. I hade to make it with the screwdriver. Dismantle is very eady, reassembly has been more problematic in the earpad hosting the mic boom. But over all easy.

Yamaha CM 500 ear pad cushions replaced with new spare parts

Yamaha CM 500 ear pad cushions replaced with new spare parts

 

 

 

 

 

II5ALL – 1966 flood of the Arno Award

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ponte-vecchio-floodedA large number of amateur radio operators and club stations will be active on all ham radio bands for the “1966 flood of the Arno Award” from October 29th  till November 6th.

The event want to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragic Flood of the Arno river that killed 101 people and damaged or destroyed millions of masterpieces of art and rare books.

With the combined effort of Italian citizens and foreign donors and committees, or angeli del fango (“Mud Angels”), many of these fine works have been restored

A special call sign has been assigned for this event, and will be on air as II5ALL to celebrate this event.

I will take part as Activator with my personal call sing and with IQ5FI club station call as well.

Continue reading→

YOTA 2015 – trip to Florence

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Here you are the YOTA 2015 Team while their daily trip to Firenze today.

Your QRZ on Facebook profile page

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Thanks to an online petition made via change.org  promoted by NW7OR,  starting from today facebook  allow to add your own ham radio  call-sign as altenate name and have it displayed in your public profile page
This should allow others to look for your your by using  your QRZ.

This is how appears now my Facebook profile page… you can notice my callsing IW5EDI just below my name.

ham radio call in facebook

My ham radio call sign in Facebook profile

How I did it ?

Simply by editing my profile page and adding my QRZ as Alternate Name

My QRZ on Facebook as Alternate Name

QRZ on Facebook

What’s new ?

Well, the true is that an alternate name was  possible and accepted in Facebook also before today, but looks like at Facebook someone changed the rules

Yes because those rules since yesterday where quite strict, not allowing to add numbers or all capital letters.

Here you can read a snapshot of the on-line help, that evidently need to be updated by the folks at facebook.

Facebook Alternate Name Policies

QRZ on Facebook

Searching

As a short note, i can tell you that at time writing, if you look for me on facebook by typing my call, you will not find me right now.

I belive the cause is that Facebook need to reindex their data and this may take time… Will try to update this post with latest news.

in the mean time, if you want, you can add me as friend in Facebook.

Update:

Starting from mid august, is now possible to lookup call-sing within facebook.

Just select from the top facebook search field the People Named prefix and type the call sign !

 

Lookup of my call sign

Facebook Lookup of my call sign

 

Award – UCI Road World Championship – Tuscany 2013

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2013 UCI Road World Championships Award

2013 UCI Road World Championships Award

The ARI Tuscany Regional Committee (ARI CRT) – sponsor this award during the week of the
2013 UCI Road World Championships – that will be held in Flonrece, in Tuscany from 22nd to 29th September 2013.

The Award is issued for confirmed two-way radio contacts with Tuscan stations (I5### or I#5###) in
fixed or portable station, from 00:00 UTC on 22nd Sept 2013 at 23:59 UTC till 29th sept 2013,

Tuscan stations are invited to make call to “CQ Cycling Road World Championships Award” or “CQ CRWCA”

To obtain the diploma you will need to achieve the following scores :

  • 90 points – for Italian stations ;
  • 50 points – for European stations ;
  • 30 points – for DX stations .

Stations rewarding points:

  • 5 points – IQ5## ( Radio Clubs ) and IA5 or I#5###/IA5 (IOTA EU-028);
  • 1 point – any station in the call area 5.

 

Download the Award Rules

Stay tuned and keep in touch with the stations operating from the Cycling tracks !

I will take part as IW5EDI and as IQ5FI (club station -5 points )

Florence HamFest 2013

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FlorenceHamFest2013Quadrato250

A new interesting HamFest has been announced from my local ARI club.

The Florence HamFest, is a Flea Market and Ham Radio Convention that will take place on 6 April 2013 in Florence.

Link to english page of the Florence HamFest

During the last year edition, visitors were almost one thousand with 84 expositors.
Along to the flea market, has been reserved a space for local Amateur Radio Associations, including AMSAT, local ARI Sections and some DX Peditions crew like the guys from II0MZ Antartica.

Well this year looks like it will be more ham radio events scheduled, as member of the organization team I’m really pleased to see so much interest and enthusiasm around this event.

If you are interested on joining or simply visiting the HamFest  we can reserve you a place to stay in Florence at a reasonable price.
This could be an interesting opportunity to mix ham radio with a Florence Tourist Tour.

FlorenceHamFest2013Footer

Yaesu FT DX 3000 Sherwood Eng. Review

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FT DX 3000 Sherwood Engineering

As promised me in November by Rob Sherwood, the new Yaesu FT DX 3000 has been reviewed and added to the world famous Receiver Test Data comparison table.

Table is sorted by dynamic range – narrow spaced, means tat when you are listening to stations with signals close up the one you are focusing, you will hear it better…

According to Rob measurements, the latest Yaesu HF transceiver, considering tha dynamic range values, places right under the entry lever line Kenwood TS-590s measured in donwconversion (20 m) and even the smallest FlexRadio 1500 it’s above it.
This confirm the excellent perfomance / price ratio of the 590’s receiver.

 

Personally I expected the Yaesu FT DX 3000 for the price being aproximately around 3000 Euros, to have superior receiving performance, considering that the 590 can be found here in Italy at almost half the price and decreading.FT DX 3000 by Yaesu

Honestly I’m a bit disappointed, since my expectations, reading Yaesu specifications table where much higher. Being a Yaesu Fan.. I expected a receiver performance in line with the price.

Thanks to Rob Sherwood for being in time as promised.. Great job ..as always.

Yaesu FTDX-3000

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Yaesu FT DX 3000

Also Yaesu present during this period a new product, the Yaesu FT DX 3000, a 100 Watt HF and 50 MHz amateur radio transceiver for the casual dxer and for the contester.

By using new down conversion and sharp edged crystal roofing filter technology, this trasceiver is positioned just under the bigger FT DX 5000.
FTDX3000

Along to te FT DX 5000 is the sole Yaesu transceiver with a band scope and full digital display.

Aspect and dimension are very compact.

Price is not yet bee announced.

Yaesu FTDX 3000

FTDX 3000 at Dayton by IZ4GWE