2019-12-29
I’ve been running as VE3EEE on FT8 over the Christmas holidays, just for a bit of a change-up. So if you see VE3EEE on the waterfall, it will be me, probably with a macaw on my shoulder “helping” as she is wont to do 🙂
2016-06-08
A good reminder for everyone…
This is a primer for anyone searching the web looking for tips on how to use a computer. The language is direct, and intended to be clear and unequivocal. 1. A computer is a dangerous power tool, treat it accordingly As computers become ever more a part of everything we do, there is a tendency […]
2015-12-21
Just for something different, I’ve been using my second callsign lately. I have been doing mostly digital modes, especially JT-65, between 10 and 30 watts depending on conditions.
Despite the solar conditions (K-index between 4 and 6 for the last few days) there has been some DX on all bands from 80m to 10m.
2015-06-29
It’s the end of June and that means ARRL Field Day 2015. Squidette (VA3CEW) and I deployed to the Outlet Beach (FN13jv, right beside Sandbanks Provincial Park) to operate a Field Day station as VE3EEE.
We went out with the standard VE3EEE portable pack:
Cold and miserable with drizzle for basically the entire time. That was not fun at all. Nevertheless, we did have shelter, so it wasn’t the end of the world.
There were geomagnetic storms earlier in the week, but they had pretty much abated. K-index bounced between 1 and 3. 15m down to 80m seemed to be open. I listened on 10 and didn’t hear anything, so I didn’t bother with 6m.
We made 72 contacts between 40m, 20m, and 15m, almost all digital although we threw in a few CW and Phone contacts just for good measure.
We also took the time to drive across the county to visit the Quinte ARC Field Day site in Ameliasburg. It was rainy and miserable there too, but they had a great setup with 4 radios going!
2015-05-04
I will state up front: The knowledge I am about to lay down in print was imparted to me by Roger (GW4NOS). I am putting it here so that a) I can find it again; and b) the internet will archive it for future seekers of knowledge.
Like many people I bought a Yaesu FTdx-1200 and it works very well… except when using WSPR software, there seems to be no incantation that permits CAT control to work. Like the Reverend Mother told Paul Atreides:
It turns out, however, that the software can be made to work in a few simple steps.
Step 1: Select Yaesu FTdx-9000 on the WSPR software. Apparently that radio has the same CAT command set as the FTdx-1200.
Step 2: On the radio, menu 039 must match the setting in the WSPR software.
Step 3: On the radio, menu 040 must be 100 ms or greater. Apparently, the default of 10 ms is too speedy for the WSPR software.
Step 4: On the radio, menu 041 must be “DISABLE”. Nothing I have uses CTS/RTS flow control anyway.
Once that was done, everything worked perfectly!
Darin Cowan - VE3OIJ
@VE3OIJ
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