******** The Official amateur radio thread ********
- Thread starter Feek
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Excellent news @Cosimo, that's really good. November 2019 to March 2021 from novice to full.
WPX this weekend, I've worked a hundred or so but conditions don't seem too favourable, especially compared to the last week or so where they've been quite good.
I've picked up a few slots with A25RU this week. 20m CW and FT8, 17m FT8 and 15m CW. I was calling them on 30m FT8 and they disappeared into the noise so I stopped calling and switched off. An hour later, I looked at my phone and a friend who had been watching told me that they replied just as I switched off so that was a busted Q.
WPX this weekend, I've worked a hundred or so but conditions don't seem too favourable, especially compared to the last week or so where they've been quite good.
I've picked up a few slots with A25RU this week. 20m CW and FT8, 17m FT8 and 15m CW. I was calling them on 30m FT8 and they disappeared into the noise so I stopped calling and switched off. An hour later, I looked at my phone and a friend who had been watching told me that they replied just as I switched off so that was a busted Q.
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The start of a new journey for me today as I sat and passed my online remotely invigilated Full Licence exam this morning!
Well done, that's a great result, it may give me the push to go for mine, I need to look into how it's done with Covid around.
CongratsI’m going to get my intermediate license done soon, just working through the book at the moment. The full license looks a lot more full on though!
Had anyone come across a half decent and cheap SDR receiver?
I am using an Afedri, which is both (either) USB or LAN connected. I am hugely impressed, I picked it up used off Ham Radio deals a few months back. They do HF only and a dearer one that does VHF as well. Superb support, constant free firmware updates. The originator is not a whatsit hole like the originator of the supposedly also excellent Airspy ones, which is a bonus.
https://afedri-sdr.com/
Good luck, I am now looking to put my 1.8 meter dish up, much to the wife's disgust and do some RX / TX through the geo stationary ham radio satellite, maybe some TV too
The sat stuff is complex, but looks like it could keep me out of mischief until the pubs reopen and settle down.
That’s a bit expensive but looks great. I’ll bookmark it for the future, the one mentioned earlier looks ideal price wise.Well done, that's a great result, it may give me the push to go for mine, I need to look into how it's done with Covid around.
I am using an Afedri, which is both (either) USB or LAN connected. I am hugely impressed, I picked it up used off Ham Radio deals a few months back. They do HF only and a dearer one that does VHF as well. Superb support, constant free firmware updates. The originator is not a whatsit hole like the originator of the supposedly also excellent Airspy ones, which is a bonus.
https://afedri-sdr.com/
Good luck, I am now looking to put my 1.8 meter dish up, much to the wife's disgust and do some RX / TX through the geo stationary ham radio satellite, maybe some TV too
This is the info I got when I contacted them the other week:
We introduced the facility to take the exams remotely during the pandemic last year and over 3000 people have taken the Foundation, Intermediate and Full exams since then. Intermediate exams were enabled in July https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2...s-remote-invigilation-for-intermediate-exams/
The link in that news item will get you through to the exam booking system but please do make sure you read and accept the requirements for taking a remote exam. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and they will be able to help you.
Congrats
Thanks guys.
I nearly gave up a few times over the last six weeks but got there in the end. The Full exam wasn't has hard as I thought it would be.
The Intermediate Exam is not difficult so get on and do it.
The secret to passing all the exams is this book:
Exam Secrets for Radio Amateurs - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
As you work through each section of the course manual work through all the corresponding section/questions in Exam Secrets. There are also exam papers here. All the questions have worked answers to help. The diagrams in Exam Secrets do appear in the real exam.
Remote invigilation exams will continue now but from April clubs will be able to do the same so the choice is yours.
Resuming examinations in clubs - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
Booking is here:
RSGB examination booking - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site
Student information is here:
Student information - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
Book a date and go for it.
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Most SDR receivers are a pretty safe used buy as there's nothing inside to twiddle or engineering menus for someone to try and prove they know better than the manufacturer s to settings, so don't pass by the used amateur radio equipment sites. Very little stuff here was bought new, just my TS-590 transceiver for the previous reasons. I'd say over 50% of my gear is home made or re-purposed.
I just happened to be reading through the first page and saw this which I thought was worth replying to.
Next door to us have recently moved out after being there for thirteen years. She had no problem selling and when I talked to her, she said the buyer hadn't even mentioned it.
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You mean the buyer with the guide dog?
I have managed to locate a site behind the bungalow where my soon to be erected 1.8 metre satellite dish on a six foot tall six inch diameter steel post will not be seen by any passers by or neighbours, yet has a clear view of the necessary geo stationary satellite! The only person of concern with a clear view is `er indoors when she opens the bedroom curtains... But I have something on her to apply pressure if she whines, so should be good to start digging the hole ready for concrete soon.The Intermediate Exam is not difficult so get on and do it.
The secret to passing all the exams is this book:
Exam Secrets for Radio Amateurs - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
As you work through each section of the course manual work through all the corresponding section/questions in Exam Secrets. There are also exam papers here. All the questions have worked answers to help. The diagrams in Exam Secrets do appear in the real exam.
Remote invigilation exams will continue now but from April clubs will be able to do the same so the choice is yours.
Resuming examinations in clubs - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
Booking is here:
RSGB examination booking - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site
Student information is here:
Student information - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site (rsgb.org)
Book a date and go for it.
I have the intermediate book but wasn't aware of the exam book, thanks for the heads up, got one on order now. The electronics side of the course is fine so I just need to go over the radio side of it.
That's a good shout, any recommendations on uk classifieds?
I had the loan of a QuickSilver QS1R a good few years ago, it would pick up a quality signal from nothing more than a wire in the back garden! Must have been close to 10 years ago now.
Nice, Chris. Is that going to be for QO-100?
I picked up an extra slot with A25RU this evening on 30m FT8. It's probably the one I'm most happy with after the busted Q a few days ago.
Sorry - I missed this. A couple of reasons, none of them are very interesting i'm afraid. It was cheap and I was looking for something that would allow me to listen to the radio outside of the shack more easily and someone I know has a broadband noise interference so we are going to try and get a 'noise signature' I know the filtering is not great but I'm hoping it will help identify the source. Also I'm HF only so having an extended RX is helpful.
The final destination was going to be a wideband panadapter using a power splitter on the RX line of my 7600, but it looks like another change of plan and the 7600 is likely to be going.
The start of a new journey for me today as I sat and passed my online remotely invigilated Full Licence exam this morning!
Congrats, well done - are you going to take the M0 online or apply direct by and get a more desirable G? Not many are aware that if you apply by paper you can get a 'G' prefix and i've heard in some instances you can get a Gn+2.
In other news:
I spent a few hours on the contest last weekend. I had about 150 Qs mainly on Sat and Sun night, I was just dipping in and out to give a few points out. I worked loads of US on 40 on Saturday night and quite a few in the Caribbean on 20 on Sunday night. One noteworthy - Afghanistan on 20m Sunday lunch time just as I nipped on for 10 minutes. Panama continues to haunt me, I spent an hour Sunday night trying to get through without success he was probably struggling with USA QRM. That's what i'm comforting myself with anyway - NY Moors to the south, Pennines to the west, Yes i'm in a hole!
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Anyone here had a play with satellite stuff? I have pulled my dish out of storage after 20 years and put a post in the back garden and mounted it, much to my wife's disgust. I am attempting to receive and transmit via the `es hail satellite, initially voice SSB, longer term digital TV. It's a steep learning curve, but for those with limited space for big aerials a very modest sized dish will work and allow some fun and games. The cost of this stuff has dropped dramatically and careful purchasing makes it not too dear a venture.
The German forums are better, IMHO, and mainly in the English language, but for starters there's some info here: https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geo/eshail-2/
German forums here: https://forum.amsat-dl.org/
The German forums are better, IMHO, and mainly in the English language, but for starters there's some info here: https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geo/eshail-2/
German forums here: https://forum.amsat-dl.org/
When I was in my early teens I had a few evening ham radio lessons at a local private school. The teacher was really good and he had a impressive rig which we used to have a conversation with someone far away (I can't remember where exactly). I enjoyed the practical side such as putting together a small FM radio PCB (which still works over 20 years later) but after a while it fizzled out as I found the theory hard going and a bit dull.
It's always been at the back of my mind but I had assumed that ham would be very quiet these days with the internet being so accessible so it was quite a surprise for me when I stumbled on some ham radio sessions with SDR which led me to discover the various clubs around the country.
Anyway it's inspired me to finish what I started all those years ago and pass the foundation test at least.
I've signed up to the essex radio training tonight. I don't think that's the closest club to me as I know there's one in milton keynes but I don't suppose it matters too much.
It's always been at the back of my mind but I had assumed that ham would be very quiet these days with the internet being so accessible so it was quite a surprise for me when I stumbled on some ham radio sessions with SDR which led me to discover the various clubs around the country.
Anyway it's inspired me to finish what I started all those years ago and pass the foundation test at least.
I've signed up to the essex radio training tonight. I don't think that's the closest club to me as I know there's one in milton keynes but I don't suppose it matters too much.
You won't regret it, I've known Pete for years, since before he started playing with amateur radio and he's a great guy. Very knowledgable and very keen to pass that knowledge on.
Most mornings when I get up, I fire the wireless up for half an hour or so - Today I was on 17m FT8 and it was heaving with signals. I called and worked ZS and BY then started calling CQ and worked JA after JA. There were plenty of other countries on but I just kept getting called by JAs, often two or three at a time.
Signals weren't strong enough for CW or SSB so it was nice to have a little run like that.
Signals weren't strong enough for CW or SSB so it was nice to have a little run like that.
Very nice - I keep saying I'm going try FT8, even as far as installing WSJT-X and had it receiving! I keep chickening out thinking I would muck up the exchange and looking for a 'primer'.
I noticed Practical Wireless had a FT8 for beginners which seemed to sense of it all - I really must get round to giving it a go.
It’s really very easy to use. Make sure you have the box ticked to lock your TX frequency though.
I worked Alaska at 23:30 last night on 20m, first Q with KL since 2013 and also picked up a couple of new toys yesterday.
I did post them in the 'items you have purchased' thread but none of the savages there will have a clue
Here I am, part way through a session on 17m.
I worked Alaska at 23:30 last night on 20m, first Q with KL since 2013 and also picked up a couple of new toys yesterday.
I did post them in the 'items you have purchased' thread but none of the savages there will have a clue
Here I am, part way through a session on 17m.