GQRX on Ubuntu Linux with FUNcube Dongle Pro+ (FCD)
On a Ubuntu 14.04 PC I applied upgrades to Linux and then followed these instructions for installing GQRX. As a precaution, I did the clearing-out instructions in terminal: sudo apt-get purge...
View ArticleEs’Hail satellite downlink experiments
I have been experimenting with an Octagon LNB (Low Noise Block) which I’d obtained from the late John Roberts G8FDJ. Originally it had two outputs. John had modified this according to Bernie G4HJW’s...
View ArticleEs’Hail uplink experiments
I had recently taken down my 40 element Wimo yagi aerial, so I put this back up on the horizontal T on the dish pole, so that its elevation would tilt with the dish. I left it horizontally polarised...
View ArticleEs’Hail-2 Dual Band feed with patch tuning screws
I’ve made an attempt at building a dual-band feed for a dish (instructions & examples on this link). I had some thin copper sheet available. I just hand cut the sheet with metal shears. I used my...
View Article18-May-2019 “2m May” contest
I entered this using the K3 driving an old Microwave Modules linear amp giving me about 20W to the 9el yagi. There seemed to be reasonable UK activity and I heard a few continentals. It was lovely to...
View Article21-May-2019 23cm UKAC
For no reason, the problem with the pre-amp had gone away, so I could hear more distant stations. Conditions were pretty flat. Best DX was Jon GM4JTJ.
View Article26-May-2019 UK Microwave Group 3cm contest
There had been some rain about, so I was hoping for some decent conditions. I was disappointed. Unusually, GB3FNY was only 10dB above noise, so I suspected a receive problem. Neil G4DBN said he heard...
View Article6m Trophy 15/16-June-2019
This went better than last year with stronger Sporadic E openings. I managed 15 countries including Pantelleria which was a new one on 6m for me. This was my first contest with the 6m beam back up on...
View Article25-July-2019: Tropo propagation on 23cm & 3cm
I was up early I must have heard some beacons & messaged DL1KDA via the ON4KST site for a contact on 3cm. We were 419 each way using CW (morse code) at 0650 GMT. 622 km to Alex in JO30MP. Alex...
View ArticleProblem: ASUS ZenPad 3s 10 fails to turn on/won’t start magic spell
Generally this tablet works very well. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, it fails to turn on with the Power button (the small silver button about a quarter of the way down from the top on the...
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22-Oct-2019 SHF UKAC 3cm and 13cm
I worked a few locals on 3cm, collecting my partner from the station in between. I could just hear David G4ASR in the noise, but not strong enough to work. I had elevated the dish a tad in order to...
View ArticleUbuntu Linux: “Stopped – Unable to add document to print job” Epson ET-4500...
I accidentally touched the turn-off button on the printer & after that, nothing would print and the printer status in the System Settings/Printers for my ET-4500 showed as: “Stopped – Unable to add...
View Article26-November-2019 – my first contact on the 2.30 GHz NoV band
With the SG-Labs 13cm transverter in a box indoors, I can use a sub-band switch on the front panel of the box to switch between 2.30 2.32 and 2.4 GHz. At 1870 MHz, the LO frequency is rather low for...
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17-Nov-2019 Microwave Low Bands contest on 23cm and 13cm
I put in an appearance in this contest. On 23cm my best DX (longest distance) was Jon GM4JTJ. I seem to have missed him off the map, but he’s there, up North! I had 17 contacts. 13cm was a struggle,...
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26-Nov-2019 SHF UKAC using 13cm and 3cm bands
I hopped about between both bands. On 13cm it was was nice to work Pete G4CLA again. Keith G4ODA was my best DX (longest distance) at 117 km. So my contacts were all pretty local really. I used 25W...
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25-Febrary-2020 SHF UKAC contest
Denis G3UVR was my best DX on 3cm. Keith, G4ODA was my best DX on 13cm.
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Sony proprietary DC connector pin-out and AC-L10B power adapter fault repair...
This was the label on the underside of the PSU/adapter case: On the end of the DC cable was a plug that I was not familiar with. I’m assuming this is a proprietary Sony DC connector. I haven’t seen a...
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2m + 70cm March contest 7/8-March-2020
This didn’t go as well as last year and conditions seemed poor. On 2m I got a few contacts with stations on the continent and it was nice to work Mark EI3KD again. My best DX was DL0XS at 749 km,...
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8-March-2020 Low Bands Microwave contest
After the 2m+70cm March contest I had a spare hour so I gave a few points away in the Low Bands Contest. On 23cm, my best DX was Brian GM4DIJ/P Keith G4ODA was my best DX on 13cm (2.32 GHz). The 13cm...
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17-March-2020 23cm UKAC
Conditions were poor and seemed particularly hard to the North. There seemed fewer planes around for aircraft scatter than usual.
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