Summer VHF/UHF Field Day Contest - 12th / 13th January 2019

almost end of 2018 and just realised that it only two weeks until the 2019 Summer VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contest.   I missed the Spring Field Day for 2018, so more effort required to ensure I go portable to operate VHF through SHF, obviously a mountain in the western side of Blue Mtns. The plan is to go Saturday morning setup for 12noon start, do 6 hrs stint will be enough. Not serious to win, it's about just getting out portable to give out some numbers to others and build up microwave skillset. I got everything for 6metres and above, but primary focus is on microwave bands.

viewed the demise of a star last night 26th Dec 2018 at 21:57 AEDST

I was out walking dogs last night, just happened to look up towards the saucepan, which was roughly +10deg off TN with elevation of around 60deg, clear skies, I see one star in a constellation, in a direction of about 8 o'clock from the saucepan, it swells up then shrinks until it disappeared, all over the period of about 5 seconds. there was no sideways movement, so not a satellite. It flared up bright white, larger than any other star in the sky, then  it disappeared.  I ripped the phone out of my pocket  to note the time. Amazing.

Internet Speedtest results - Frenchs Forest NSW - pathetic

Here is typical sample  of the Speedtest results at Frenchs Forest, NSW, AU for ADSL connection,
note, I seen much worse than this lately, and  this is after we had the NBN FTTN infrastructure installed, some 12 months or more ago,  I have not seen any difference in speed for past 4 years,  the highest  download speed I have seen is 8Mbps download some time ago, but after rolling out FTTN infrastructure and the FTTN box is sitting 500m cable distance (not direct distance) that I expected that even ADSL would  be faster, up towards the maximum theoretical speed of 12Mbps, considering 500m should be a whole lot better than the 3km of twisted pair copper back to the local exchange, but no, its still poor performing ADSL.
We had the big handover of Telstra infrastructure here in Oct/Nov (handing over of wires and poles from Telstra to NBN Co.) nothing more nothing less, although the emails and letters from Telstra gave the impression that we were getting NBN  (fast NBN) but that was hype, checking both Telstra and NBN websites, it still shows  that "fast" NBN service won't be  available here until approx April-June 2019.  As for the NBN FTTN boxes installed around here, I not even sure now are they functional or not, maybe just sitting there doing nothing. I really need some test equipment to plugin to my phone line to tell me how long the copper pair is,  is it connected  to the FTTN node at 500m, or still connected to the FF exchange at 3km ? I suspect we still connected direct to the  FF Exchange because  the ADSL is still giving piss-poor performance.  No wonder the Kiwis are laughing at us, they got 1Gbps broadband and we still messing around with 5Mbps or less. It just proves that Australia is a 3rd world country.

VKLogger.com to be discontinued

news just received that VKLogger.com to be closed down on 25th March, 2019, due to outdated software technology used to create the application, rendering the application be un-maintainable, without a major rewrite of the code.  Waiting to see if someone else willing to create and/or run a similar type propagation reporting system for Oceanic region. A real shame as VKLogger been running or 14years. Thanks goes to Adam VK4GHZ for creating it and running it all these years.

DX Report 19th December 2018

another opening to ZL yesterday from VK2, on 2metres  and FM broadcast band across Tasman Sea.
ZL2WHO beacons heard into Sydney and Newcastle areas. Interestingly, Hepburn didnt predict much tropo for the day.
For the day before (18th December) good opening  on 2metres between VK4 and VK5 a few contacts.

DX Report 14th December 2018

there been some openings to ZL on 2metres in past couple days, FM broadcast stations from Norfolk Island and ZL received in vk2.

Also open again this afternoon is 6m and 10m, hearing vk3 chatting to vk2's on 52.525 MHz  FM
and some people repetitively keying up 29.620 MHz repeater (VK5RSC) nice strong signal 20/9 for the duration I was driving home and calling on it.

DX report 8th December 2018

driving yesterday, had the quad band FM (TH-9800) scanning it stopped on 29.640 MHz repeater, hear a couple fellows chatting, it was a a VK2 and a VK3 via the VK3RHF 10m rptr,  so first 10m E's opening I have had this summer, nice signals up and down a bit, but peaking at 60/9 that was around 12noon.
Later at night I went out and had  it scanning again, this time  stops on 146.750 Mhz rptrs, a couple fellows chatting, at first I thought it might have been Tamworth repeater, but as qso progressed they were talking about hearing ZL's on 2metres and then realised they were on the Bega 2m rptr, on the far south coast of NSW, this was whilst I driving to Forestville and the signal peaking at time around 20/9 so definitely some coastal ducting.

Adding a snorkel to a V6 Petrol based Holden Jackaroo

I had seen some snorkel kits advertised  for the Holden Jackaroo, they only referred to  the diesel engine versions, no mention if they fitted a V6 petrol motor. Searched the forums, everyone saying the snorkel kits (including Safari kits) will only fit a diesel engine airbox.
Well, not true, a few simple modifications and I successfully fitted a snorkel kit to my 6EV1 V6 petrol airbox. Now my Jackaroo performs better and getting improved fuel economy on highway trips . Refer  to my write up.

https://www.qsl.net/vk2kfj/jackaroo_snorkel.html

RFI from Halogen to LED downlight replacement scheme

I recently had a brochure dropped in letterbox advertising some new Government "eco-friendly" scheme to replace all the halogen downlight and halogen parafloods in my house with LED replacements for free (except for the charge for someone to come and replace them for a fee).
I thought here we go I went to the trouble to replace my 50w downlights with 35w halogen downlights, I did  consider the idea of using LED downlights to save on electricity costs, but the downside of LED downlights is the RFI generated by them, creating RFI that wipes out HF bands.
It's bad enough with all the houses running noisy solar panel inverters creating wide band RFI noise across HF during the day, then start it all again at night when switch on the LED downlights. Thanks, but no thanks, I'll stick to my halogens and nuclear power stations.

VK-DMR update

I bought a Radiodity GD-77 dual band 2m/70cm DMR handheld,  found it has very similiar programming to the TYT MD-380 handheld, however, the codeplug not interchangeable, but menu options and programming layout almost identical, which is handy when having to program both. I have two handhelds so I can monitor and operate on both VK-DMR and Brandmeister networks. Which have gateway connections between the two networks now available, I can actually test  gateway connections. I also bought a JumboSpot MMDVM hotspot to compliment my OpenSpot hotspot. The JumboSpot MMDVM runs the PiStar multi-mode software. So I having fun fiddling with these hotspots and radios.

ICOM IC-9700 transceiver released - tri-band multimode base station

following in the Icom IC-910 & IC-9100 series of multi-mode VHF/UHF/SHF transceivers, the IC-9700 is now out , provide 2m, 70cm and 23cm multi-mode coverage, a must for VHF/UHF/SHF weak signal DX.

DMR (VK-DMR) repeaters in Sydney basin

as on 5th June 2018

VK2RLE - Heathcote
VK2RWW - Dural, I guessing a WICEN rptr
VK2RWI - Dural
VK2RHP - Horsley Park
VK2RCG - GPT city
VK2RHT - Chatswood
VK2RMB - Terrey Hills
VK2RHR - High Range
pretty good saturation of  DMR (MARC) across Sydney basin.

and if you driving to Canberra, then there is coverage at Goulburn and Yass and Canberra.

DMR update - May 2018

 a few locals from my local club (MWRS) getting interested in DMR, so I thought I better check the programming of my TYT MD-380 to add the new club DMR rptr (VK2RMB) details into my radio, while I at it I thought I would check up on what new DMR rptrs there were nearby, as I used to be able to work VK2RHP Horsley Park but hadnt heard it for a while, anyway, I discovered it moved from BM network to MARC network, as had VK2RCG (GPT rptr) switched earlier. 

I thought it is fine, I still have VK2RAG, but after checking the Brandmeister dashboard I see VK2RAG moved DMR to 2metres. I then see VK2RMP is showing 438.725 for DMR,  so I programmed the radio & tested it, nil response, check the Illawarra (IARS) website to find DMR gone and replaced with a Fusion rptr on 438.725.

Damn it, all the Brandmeister MMDVM rptrs are gone in the Sydney basin, so doing a check of the dashboard, I find only these 70cm rptrs running on the BM network here in VK:
VK2RHK Wyee, VK2RGP Toronto, VK2RHX Newcastle, VK3RBA, VK4RBX,VK4RSA, VK4RBY and VK7RCR,  plus a bunch of private hotspots listing themselves as repeaters, I dont know why they doing that, because a hotspot is a hotspot.

Looks like I need to setup my own MMDVM hotspot on a simplex freq to be able to do some experimentation, as there are no MMDVM rptrs running in Sydney basin.
I was looking forward to seeing some more MMDVM type rptrs on the BM network to do some cross mode experimentation, but unfortunately they moved to the VK-DMR (MARC) network which is closed shop network, meaning DMR only, no cross-mode operation.

Registrations for GippsTech Conference 2018 now open

Registrations for GippsTech Conference 2018 now open,  July 7th & 8th .

http://vk3bez.org/gippstech.html

new AnyLocker- radio reference locking board

Glen VK1XX  has designed a new  XRef type board  so you can frequency lock your transceiver with a 10 Mhz locked reference source such as a Rubidium or GPSDO, which is a requirement for doing weak signal digital modes such as WSJT, FT8,  WSPR etc.  See Glen's blog below for details.

I am keen to see Glen's  next project which will use a 1PPS reference as the lock source, which means using any of the cheap ~$5 GPS boards on Ebay such as Ublox Neo series or Telit JF2 boards that provide a 1PPS output from the GPS. Its easier to distribute a 1PPS to multiple Xref disciplined transceivers, as I wish to run multiple bands ie. 6,2,70 & higher.

https://glenenglish.com/2018/05/12/new-anylocker-radio-reference-locking-board/

40,000 km for Valentino Rossi

congratulations to Valentino Rossi for passing the 40,000km barrier for MotoGP races during the MotoGP race at Jerez Spain yesterday. 40,000 km is equivalent to circumnavigating the earth.

SOTA VKFF WWFF

I thought I should mention some useful apps for Android :
SOTA Spotter - this is the spotting app for stations activating SOTA locations. (Free app)
SOTA Finder - this is a database for finding the SOTA locations, ie. tell you where nearby locations are such as when you mobile (Free app)
Pocket SOTA - another SOTA database (pay app)
info on SOTA see  SOTA Australia FAQ

There is a ParksnPeaks iOS app for working National Parks , SOTA and other awards
see ParksnPeaks spotting

George Smart M1GEO's Blog

Often I looking for some info on a amateur radio project I interested in, I do some searching on the web, one site I usually end up on and finding some good info is George Smart's (M1GEO) blog. He trying all sorts of stuff with the hobby (and general electronics too) and find his posts well documented with what the particular subject is about and what he trying to achieve in it and what the results are. Always worth a look here. One such example was compiling up up WSJT for Linux, I found George's article most helpful and I was able to successfully compile WSJT on Linux myself following his instructions.

https://www.george-smart.co.uk/radio/

RFI from Foxtel IQ2 STB's on 10m & 6m bands

I noticed hearing modulated signals across 29 MHz band and 52-53 MHz bands when scanning the FM segments from time to time, not clean carriers but data  modulated carriers appearing then disappearing.  By accident, I just happening to hear this occurring one day and by chance doors were open in the house where I could see through doorways to the TV set where the XYL was flicking through Foxtel channels.  OMG, the modulation on the signal varying as channels are being changed, here was the culprit, our Foxtel IQ2 STB (set-top-box).

I got out the Uniden handheld scanner and did some sniffing around the  STB, but no, it seems to be radiating from the LED flat panel TV,  turned power off to the TV but noise still radiating, unplug power cable from TV and noise still there, unplug HDMI cable to Foxtel STB, then RFI signal drops off drastically.

Sniff closer to Foxtel box, very strong signal from the ethernet RJ45 cable and the HDMI cable.  Remove both cables and noise almost non-existant.  sniff the power cord at the rear of Foxtel STB and noise still very low,  plugin the HDMI and ethernet cables one at a time, pretty equally as strong.
I noticed it detected noise on 2m band too, but much lower levels than that of 10m and 6m bands.

Outcome, the Foxtel box itself not radiating but very bad when HDMI cable plugged into a LED flat panel TV, as it using the TV as a RFI antenna.  As a secondary source of RFI it using the Ethernet RJ45 cable as a nice antenna too. I think from memory the IQ2 box made by Pace.

Solution, grabbed my box of various  sized ferrite clipon cores, added 7mm ID and 9mm ID cores on the power, RJ-45 and HDMI cables, closest to the rear of the Foxtel IQ2 box, this suppressed the RFI  sufficiently, in terms of 10m and 6m bands, could now only receive RFI up to about 1 metre from the STB, whereas my  transceiver antenna could hear it from 20 metres away.   I also tried clamping some ferrite cores over the two coax leads running to the satellite dish LNA but that made absolutely no difference, so RFI not radiating back out via coaxes, that I could see.

new 23cm beacon gone live - VK2RSF 1296.414 MHz Nimatabel

a new 23cm beacon has gone live today,  VK2RSF 1296.414 MHz Nimatabel at grid QF43QL, to compliment the existing two beacons on 144.414 MHz and 432.414 MHz

GippsTech 2018 now offically dated - 7th & 8th July 2018

I can see the GippsTech team doing a call for papers for GippsTech 2018 now.
To be held 7th and 8th July,   with Friday night dinner at Morwell Pub.

GippsTech 2018 conference

re-post from the VK-microwave@yahoogroups.com forum VK3 Microwave QSO Party

Hi Folks,

Just  a reminder that the VK3 Microwave QSO  Party is just a week away!
The event will be held on Easter Monday 2018, April 2, between the
hours 1000 and 1200 E.A.S.T. 

Bands: 1296 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 3.398GHz
Liaison Frequencies: 144.180 MHz USB, 146.500MHz FM simplex and
147.000MHz FM (VK3RGL repeater).

Please consider using the "Contest Radar" website to alert others to
your QTH portable or otherwise.

Calling Frequencies: xxxx.150 Mhz USB, xxxx.225 MHz JT4f (or FT8?)

You can use the time to test a new portable location, evaluate a new
rig or antenna, swap a picture on SSTV, try a digital mode or just have
FUN!

I look forward to working you all.

73's Rob VK3MQ

VK-microwave@yahoogroups.com

microwave activity on vklogger

I keep seeing these guys getting on microwave bands regularly, see them on vklogger every couple weeks at least. Good to see some activity.

VKLOGGER.com

John Moyle Field Day 2018

I actually went portable for John Moyle Field Day this year,  held across Saturday 17th March and Sunday 18th March, I operated just for the 6 hour session on the Saturday.
I had just over half a dozen contacts, not that I was not really trying hard, as I was also testing equipment, checking for beacons and trying a couple sites, helping a few people get some contacts, get some fresh mountain air.

I operated from two spots, QF56cm, near Zig Zag Railway at Clarence, I had a look at a few spots around, before settling on one site at approx 1150m ASL, nice clear mountain top, low level scrub, it was actually discovered by some friends Geoff VK2AVR and Dom VK2JNA, who had stopped  by when I was operating at a nearby location for a 23 on 23 Microwave Day last year.

After a couple hours, I was not having much luck with making some contacts to some specific people, so I packed up and moved to Mt Lambie QF46xm, it is about 1350m ASL, from here I could actually make some successful contacts.

I'll get all this documented on my website with more photos and map details soon.
The first pic at QF56cm,  the 2nd pic at QF46xm.

www.qsl.net/vk2kfj

2018 Events

Easter Holidays  -  30th March to 2nd April -  going to Central West NSW for portable VHF, UHF and SHF portable.

WIA AGM  - 18th to 20th May  -  up on the Gold Coast QLD, at SeaWorld Conference Centre.

GippsTech Conference (VK3BEZ.org)  - 6th to 8th July at Morwell, VIC.

October Longweekend - 29th Sept to 1st October - going to Central West NSW for portable VHF, UHF and SHF portable.