Although I only have the vertical available for 70MHz, I wondered what if anything I would be able to hear. Of course, having the Noble NR4SC readily available means that there is no fiddling around connecting up transverters. Which, on a sleepy Sunday morning might have been enough to to deter activity!
I didn't have many expectations of working very far afield, with 10W to a vertical and the first few contacts were pretty local. However, I was very pleased to find G4TSW from Devon calling CQ on the key and we were able to complete a nice contact (although I had one of those moments of not being able to send my locator properly! The keyer on the NR4SC's timing is just a little different to the others I have here and it takes a moment to adjust my sending to suit). What was particularly nice was that the operator at G4TSW was Paul, G4RRA!
Another nice contact was with Dave G4ASR in Herefordshire - this time on phone. The first time we'd worked on 70MHz in quite a while, I think.
So, enjoyable to find the 70MHz cumulative event - I must try and look out for them again. I remember years ago, Chris G8TFI and I won the series from Cleeve Hill in Gloucestershire.
More SSTV had been planned for the weekend from the International Space Station. Yesterday's activity had to be cancelled, owing to the need for a spacewalk. The amateur radio transmitters are turned off whilst such activity takes place - and you can't argue with that!
Once again, the vertical, FT8900 and MMSTV came up with some nice pictures. The high elevation passes are good, although I found a few bands of noise on the pictures as the spacecraft travelled through the null of the antenna. Some of the low angle passes worked surprisingly well, with good copy down to less that 1 degree.
I also received a few pictures from ISS. Used a indoor antenna en my FT7800.
ReplyDelete73, Gose
PA3GNZ
Hello Tim,
ReplyDeleteYou may or may not recall OZ9QV, Jan from the early 6m days (crossband) .
I have been reading through your blog lately and it has re-kindled some of the enthusiasm for the radio stuff. Thanks for that.
I have been living in the Netherlands (PA9QV) for a few decades now, and I have been very little radio active due to living in a flat.
Before the end of the year I expect to move back to my old QTH - yes same house, and I will be radio active again
I expect to become active on 10/4/6m - and a bit of HF, 2m and 70cm, with modest antennas.
Jan, it's so great to hear from you and yes, I remember our QSOs very well! Thank you for your very kind comments about the blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to a QSO again soon on one band or another!
Vy 73, Tim G4VXE