With the recent introduction of the new JT2/JT4x modes I have been running JT2 QSO's as much as I can find
Here are some Helpful Notes on JT65 usage.
JE5FLM, Tetsu, was one of the driving forces on 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15 meters. He was and still is there twice a day
I had already the software on my computer because of some 144 MHz EME monitoring I had been doing on
For now I am using my TS-850 with an 80 meter loop ( so called Skywire ), running most of the time less
than 25 Watts.
What makes this activity very attractive to me, is the weak signal aspects of doing it. With the
general conditions
So far I have been able to contact many of the active stations, though working Europe presents a problem
Screen Capture from Central Europe of 14.076.00 MHz on a weekday by DL2RMM
I now have plans to rebuild a cubical quad that I had up here some 25 years ago.
If you hear W6SZ give me a call, I have patience to keep on trying....and waiting for those peaks in
propagation.
Others and myself are often in the evenings on 40 or 20 meters, 7076.00 and 14076.00 kHz plus or minus
June 29 2007
Now I have a modified DJ4VM cubical quad up, about 30 ft. The antenne consists out of a tuned loop with
with an open feedline.
For detials see : DJ4VM basics
See also: 2 Elements DK7ZB 5 band Quad
At this point the antenna appears to work better than with the 80m loop, in running with Western Europe. I hear more European
After having contacted a few amateurs using so-called Magnetic Loops, I got interested in these antennas and decided to
Though it is very difficult to evaluate and compare antennas, I estimate the results on receiving between 5 and 10 dB lower than
Just recently I tried the magnetic loop on 10 MHz with good results. The power I can use however
is limited to about 15 watts due to arcing over
During KC2QII's visit to Hawaii and his operation from there, I could compare my magnetic loop to
the cubical guad and I found the difference
For details on WSJT , Google "WSJT", you will find plenty of information.
For a shortcut try WSJT 44/65 by K2UYH
A HF WSJT65A Application Page by W6CQZ.
With the recent introduction of the WSPR beacon mode as well as the so called WSPR QSO mode, my main
mode of operation is now WSPR QSO mode.
For specifics on these new modes see: WSPR QSO mode
and WSPR mode
As per August 10 2008, I made some 40 QSO's with WSPR QSO. One outstanding contact was a QSO lasting over 90 minutes
with VK2AWD and
For the moment my main activity is HF WSJT, using the JT65A, JT2 and WSPR QSO modes on the HF bands,
mainly 20 meter. A few months ago, I just had a peek at the WSJT logger( Terrestrial ) and I noticed
activity on the HF bands.
other amateurs willing to try the new experimental mode. In order to make the mode work reliably, I had to make
some adjustments in the setup here.
I am paying more attention to the sound signals going in and coming out the sound card in terms of audio
levels, mainly to avoid overdriving the transmitter. Also incoming signals should be watched as not to over-
load the input of the sound card.
Audio compression is also strongly discouraged.
I have replaced my onboard computer sound chip, AC97, with a regular Sound Blaster card and the indicated frequewncy
rates are now about 10 times better than before. ( now better than approx +/- 1 part in 1000 error ) the result has been
that most of the JT2 QSO's run without decoding problems.
From the experiences so far, I rate the JT2 protocol very high as communication tool and see the narrow used
bandwith ( under 10 Hz ) as a significant advantage.
indicating that he is running CQ's and would be listening on the bands at indicated frequencies and times.
and off in the past. It was very straight forward to start running HF WSJT.
of the bands, 14 MHz in particular, one finds herself or himself often on the edge of
active propagation or not...
I suppose, the reason is, mountains close by, between this QTH and Western and Northern Europe ( NNE )
a few hundred Hertz, and even as the band seems to be "dead", you might find somebody to contact with HF WSJT.
The antenna is a diamond shaped spider quad and has a feedpoint at the top and bottom of the radiator loop. The reflector
is a closed loop.
Look down the page under "Single loop feed".
stations and I am able to work a few of them now.
build a 20 meter version
The antenna is working well for domestic contacts. For long distance contacts however the gain is not sufficient.
The dimensions are 1.50 m by 1.50 m on the sites and the loop is mounted on a 15 ft pole. The loop is tuned from a point at the
mast. A SWR bridge is at the mast, though the antenna can also be tuned monitoring antenna noise. Tuning
is very sharp. The bandwidth for a given tune is about 50 kHz at 14 MHz.
those of the cubial quad. The background noise with the Magnetic loop is also somewhat lower. This sort antenna is certainly viable
in combination with HF WSJT. Google provides lots of information. { "Magnetic loop" }
the tuning capacitor. Will look for a vacuum cap.
in signal strength to be 10 dB for the quad over the loop
Consistant over an half hour.
using a power level of 100 mW ( 20 dBm )
