Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2017 09:03:20 -0700
If you can use the radios power control to reduce output to the 20-25W range, I've found this to be a simple, cheap and effective solution. I use one of these on a IC-706. I dial down the power and u
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2017 18:34:59 -0700
It also depends on how 'local' you define local. There can be a HUGE difference in signal strength on 6M sporadic E when stations are separated by a surprisingly short distance. I've seen many 10's o
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2017 10:18:22 -0700
But Zack, you're not the guy hoping to cash in on the cellphone app :) -W9RM Keith J Morehouse via Moto G This whole idea of the 3 words seems completely useless to me. 73, Zack W9SZ ________________
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2017 14:40:26 -0600
I will be available for meteor scatter attempts from DM58. Yes, it's a pretty lousy time of day for it, but... Find me on PingJockey or ON4KST R2 VHF/UHF chat. I will hang out both places for the 1st
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2017 08:27:35 -0600
8 Q's and 8 mults.... This is a RECORD score for me in Sprint from DM58 ! I couldn't beleive all the activity - had a hard time with the pile-up's. Sarcasm aside, I worked a few to the east I hardly
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2017 08:43:27 -0600
Clifton Labs used to make a similar board - the Z10000. I've used them in several radios. If you can identify a good tap point, they work well. A quick web search says Clifton Labs is no more - they
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 2 May 2017 09:39:49 -0600
During contests, a lot of guys are sending SMS (text messages) from their cellphones to APRS. I forget if there is an app required, but the guy who started that whole thing is on this list - he'll pr
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Wed, 3 May 2017 06:45:32 -0600
It's not the rarest of grids but not very common, either. I think you would draw a crowd. DXMaps last DN56 spot was in 2012 and guys have gone there on rover expeditions. -W9RM Keith J Morehouse Mana
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Sun, 7 May 2017 12:08:48 -0600
There is a huge amount of commercial point-to-point microwave activity around Chicago in the 5.7 & 2.4 bands (wireless internet). By now, probably in or near the 3.4 band, too. -W9RM Keith J Morehous
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2017 14:29:52 -0600
FT8 for tropo/Es & MSK144 for meteor scatter - either band. FT8 on 50.313 and 144.pickafreq MSK144 on 50.260 and 144.150 WSJT-X, because it's the only one that does either of these modes. Don't be tr
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 07:53:49 -0600
This is gonna cause flames to erupt, but so be it...not the first time. Since this is a VHF CONTESTING mail reflector, I don't think anybody should be too offended. If you are....well.... Marshall, t
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 08:52:55 -0600
Steve, JT65 is surely this way. I have made many contacts that could not be heard. FT8 however, is a different animal. I have sat listening to 50.313 for long periods at a time while in the office an
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 08:52:44 -0600
Zack, I think JT65 or one of the JT9 modes would work very well on any microwave band as long as both ends were frequency stable. If someone drifts, which is likely, I there would be problems. Rapid
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 13:40:04 -0600
That's also how I run WSJT-X during contests. I don't use WSJT-X rig control, just PTT on a COM port using a RigBlaster box. The audio in/out runs through the same RigBlaster but I've also run it dir
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 08:28:24 -0600
I'm very concerned about where the VHF bands (mostly 6M) are heading. The wholesale adoption of JT65 & now FT8 WSJT modes has reduced SSB & CW activity on 6M to near zero. What this means from a cont
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 15:32:46 -0600
After the 2017 CQWW VHF contest (the last VHF contest with any Es on 6), I recall guys quoting maybe 30-45/hr run rate on FT8. They said they were working hard at it. This was close to when the mode
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2017 09:50:38 -0700
MY first though when I saw this announced a few months ago ? ...if this is a SDR based direct-sampled radio, there is absolutely NO reason why they could not have a software load for the US/Canada ma
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2018 09:44:49 -0700
...or they should count for MORE because they take so bloody long to make. When the band is open well, I can make 4-5 QSOs per minute on SSB. The absolute MINIMUM time for a FT8 QSO is 45 seconds and
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2018 16:34:38 -0700
There are serious shortcomings in WSJT-X when used by a contest station that must sign /R. AC0RA found out all about them this weekend - things needs to be changed but, apparently the current keepers
Author: Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2018 08:26:02 -0700
Yes, that is exactly what would happen and what I would do, too, unless the rules specified otherwise. It's all very simple. Just remember that the idea of CONTESTING is to make the maximum amount of