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Re: [VHFcontesting] Making roving fun and interesting

To: Zack Widup <w9sz.zack@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Making roving fun and interesting
From: Alex <alex@kr1st.com>
Reply-to: alex@kr1st.com
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2018 13:26:58 -0400
List-post: <mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Hi Zack,

I use a Raspberry Pi 3 B with GQRX for the bandscope. GQRX has a "demod off" mode which is nice if you only want to use it as a bandscope. Saves a lot of CPU cycles! I do use the KD2C board (formely HupRF) to tap RF just before the first IF and use a RTL-SDR Version 3 dongle ($20). The Pi requires a little over 5V, but I'm not sure how much current it draws. I can measure this for you when I get home. The power supply is usually rated for 2.5A, but it's not drawing that much.

I added an IF tap (with a KD2C board and a NESDR Smart dongle, $20) to a FT-897 and I'm working to add the Pi to that as well. I'm thinking of using a 3.5" touch screen on this one. A Pi with a 3.5" touch screen is about the size of two stacked decks of cards. Right now I just hook it up to a PC/laptop and run SDR Console on it.

73,
--Alex KR1ST

On 2018-08-24 12:16, Zack Widup wrote:
Speaking of bandscopes, does someone know of a fairly small, low power way
of implementing a bandscope? I'm mainly interested in a bandscope for
microwave transverters with a 144 MHz IF. This operation is usually from hilltops and running off battery power, which I need to conserve as much as
I can. I do have a Softrock Ensemble II VHF for 144 MHz to use as a
microwave IF monitor but it's a lot to carry around. I need to use an
external soundcard with it (if I want more than 48 kHz of bandwidth). I did
the mod to my FT817 per W1GHZ but I'm not very happy with that, either.
Maybe I need a better SDR for that than a cheap $10 dongle.

73, Zack W9SZ


On Fri, Aug 24, 2018 at 11:04 AM Alex <alex@kr1st.com> wrote:

On 2018-08-23 15:36, JamesDuffey wrote:

> Also, move people up the bands you have when you work them on the
> lower bands. Before you move, though, always ask if there are others
> on frequency who need to work you.

This point bears repeating. I often find rovers at the tail end of a
contact. I see them popping up on the bandscope, tune to the signal only
to hear that they are moving to another band. It often happens that I
get no reply when I call immediately after the Q ended. Perhaps it's
because they are afraid that they are keeping the other station waiting on the other band. If I'm lucky and caught the new frequency I will will go there if I have the capability. If they are moving to a band I don't
have have (still building, only 6 and 2 for now), then I lost the the
opportunity.

I have tremendous respect for rovers, and I get great enjoyment out of
working them, especially when I can work them in multiple grids. My wife and I roved a few times, and that was in an area where there are hardly
even any fixed stations (SC) to work. It's a lot of work. What we
enjoyed most were the visits from folks who we just worked and drove up
to see our setup. Even the visits from the local authorities were
pleasant. This was one of our attempts to create some interest in weak
signal operations in an area where there was virtually none.

I also enjoy reading the post-op rover stories, especially in blog
format with lots of pictures. So please post those if you can. We never
did that ourselves, unfortunately.

73,
--Alex KR1ST (FN21fk)
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