Along with the kits, Doug included a handwritten letter to me with words of encouragement for my new interest in QRP. I sometimes wonder how many others he started on a similar path, taking pen to paper in those pre-internet days before the convenience of cut and paste.

The kits contained specific instructions and diagrams but Doug also included two bulletins he wrote with instructions on how to wind the toroids and transformers contained within the kits.

Those bulletins also have info on how the number of windings were determined, permeability and other info that was nothing short of magic to me back then.

Almost a quarter of a century later, this info is still pertinent (and often misunderstood) for homebrewers:

Bulletin T-1A (Toroids) 3.7 MB pdf

Bulletin BBT-1A (Broadband Transformers) 3.7 MB pdf

.

.

In fact I’ve just ordered the parts for the following antenna.

When the May/June issue of NCJ Magazine arrived a couple of weeks ago, one article jumped out at me and smacked me upside the head with deja vu. Where had I seen this before?

The article (by Guy K2AV) was about a unique way to build a 160m vertical or inverted L with a ground system that fits on a city lot and offers efficiency not normally associated with compromise designs. As I read the article, it became apparent where I’d seen this before – on W4KAZ’s blog.

From Guy K2AV:

There are NO radials.  The main design point of the antenna is to minimize lossy currents induced in the dirt and confine TX signal current to the FCP and the radiating wire.

A cruise around the internet with stops on the Topband reflector and the website of W0UCE yields a lot of info and offer nothing to disuade me from trying this antenna myself. And, as I mentioned above, the timing is perfect.

Many tall pines were removed from the property earlier this year due to Texas’ drought, but 20 tall & healthy ones remain, with 15 of them being 85+ feet tall. As luck would have it they are ideally suited in terms of placement and the trees that were removed would have been in the way. To every cloud, a silver lining…

But back to this antenna, the keys of which are a folded counterpoise and an isolation transformer.

A lack of adequate space has always prevented me from any serious efforts on 160m. Contrary to what many advertisements would have you believe, a vertical is not a space-saving antenna due to the RF ground system necessary for efficient performance.

The folded counterpoise for the 5/16-wavelength inverted L described in K2AV’s article is only 66 feet long and constitutes the complete RF ground - something most HF-active hams can easily manage.

Using the Reverse Beacon Network as a method of comparing this antenna with some other type at various QTH’s gives promising results which show themselves in real dB values as opposed to “human optimism”.

The best description of this antenna (with plenty of drawings) is at the website of Jack W0UCE. Guy K2AV’s article in NCJ provides a technical description and is available as a pdf file here.

Tom DL2OBO has recently built an 80m 4-square using an FCP as the RF ground for each vertical comprising the 4-square. You can read his description (and hopefully future results) here.

.

.

First, the nitty-gritty: W/VE only, all prices include shipping, money order only. Whatever doesn’t sell in a week will go to eBay. Please email to ensure availability – this page will be updated as items are sold. Thanks and 73.

john at mycall dot com

 .

Assembled kits: All the items in this category work like new. Rather than describing each kit’s features, specs etc, please just Google that kit and read the details if you don’t know them already. Most QRPers already know what this stuff is :-)

• SOLD Wilderness SST30 ($50) with manual,  dual varactors/switch - this particular SST…yep, this exact one…was featured in Dec 2000 issue of QST. I did the write-up, the ARRL did the measurements as part of an article on various QRP kits available at the time. Check out its performance here. I painted the case blue and added a paper label to the front which is easily removed since it’s only held on by the hardware. Photo 1 – Photo 2 – Photo 3
• SOLD Wilderness SST40 ($50) with manual, built-in Tick keyer and 2-varactors/switch – also blue, no front label. I’ve taped a legend on the top cover explaining the functionality of the internal Tick keyer; also a tuning indicator for both varactors and an alignment legend. The hole in the top cover is for the Ticks piezo speaker. The Tick’s pushbutton is on the back cover as well as a seperate jack for paddles. Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4
• SOLD Small Wonder Labs DSW20 ($85) with manual and DSWK chip from Jackson Harbor included but not installed. Works fine. This was my mobile rig for a while and still has velcro (the soft part) on top of case that attached it to the dashboard. The included chip greatly expands functionality. Photo 1 – Photo 2
• SOLD Small Wonder Labs PSK20 ($110) – with manual. I’ve never made a QSO with this rig but Alan Wilcox (Wilcox Engineering) has. He aligned it, replaced a faulty transistor, tuned her up and sent her back to me…and there it’s sat ever since, with a good bill of health from Alan. This is the later version of the PSK20 which only requires an audio interface with the computer – no serial connection required. Photo 1 Photo 2
• SOLD Small Wonder Labs RockMite 20 – ($15) Built into an Altoids tin. Not much to say – works as advertised. Photo 1

Unassembled kits:

• SOLD ATS-3 kit ($170) – complete Photo
• SOLD ATS-3B kit ($200) – complete Photo
• SOLD RXTX SDR Transceiver kit ($95) – a complete, hard-to-obtain kit, excellent online documentation from WB5RVZ. Photo
• SOLD QRP Mini-Tuner ($20) – a kit of parts based on a magazine article. I believe all the parts are here – some good-to-have parts regardless. Photo

Other:

• SOLD APRS set-up ($90)  – comprised of Garmin eTrex, Yaesu FT1802 (with manual), OpenTracker OT1 and all proprietary cabling to interconnect everything and power the OT1+ and eTrex from one 12V automobile plug. The eTrex is ugly and the display effectively doesn’t work – as an indicating GPS, it’s as useless as a eunuch on a honeymoon. It does put out the serial data however and is perfectly suitable as such a source in an APRS application. One small issue with the FT1802′s microphone – the little “nub” on the RJ45 connector that snaps to hold it into the jack is broken off – a new RJ45 would need to be attached to the mic cord to keep it securely plugged in. Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4
• STILL AVAILABLE Cuchcraft A50-3S ($70) 3-element, 6m Yagi with manual (local p/u only). I’m happier with an omnidirectional loop for 6m so this Yagi has to go. Excellent condx, with manual. Photo 1
• SOLD 2 LDG baluns ($30 buys them both)- These are both 1:1 baluns, good to 100 watts. I painted one to match the greenery of the magnolia tree that held it. Photo
• STILL AVAILABLE Emtech ZM2 tuner ($50) – works fine, a little discoloration around the LED. Photo
• STILL AVAILABLE 12 vernier dial drives ($75) - Large & small – all for 1/4″ shafts. Photo
• STILL AVAILABLE Ameritron AL811 for parts ($225) – would need new caps to make operational (local p/u only) Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6
• STILL AVAILABLE Arvin 68R05 transistor radio ($30) – I have no idea when this was made…the 60′s? The volume control is scratchy during adjustment but audio sounds great after adjustment with no “pot QRN”. Comes with original earphones & box. Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3
• SOLD T50-2, T68-2 torroids and 10k-10t pot – That’s 10k, 10 turns…ideal as a plug-n-play replacement for the single-turn tuning pot in the OHR-100A series transceivers, offering finer resolution, even has the proper plug to go into that rig. Comes with 2 bags of ‘roids. Photo 1 Photo 2

.

.

Morning John …hard to tear my self away from this wonderful lil rig this morning! Went to bed at 1AM and up at 5AM with headphones and a cup of joe already worked several stns! Too much FUN! Going out later for goat/KX3 hike and operate portable maybe catch u on the bands! 73 – Steve

The photos step through the assembly process, at the end of which, you’re treated to a video of Steve’s first QSO with fellow blogger Dave AA7EE.

I’m really trying to not buy one of these things but you guys are making it tough!

Some of the photos below are clickable for a larger image (and then click again depending on browser):

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And finally, a video of the finished product in action:

.

.

A DXpedition’s call to not support a competing DXpedition is itself being criticized for its alleged discriminatory policies.

About six weeks ago the the Intrepid DX Group – the guys currently on the air from Yemen as 7O6T – announced plans for an upcoming DXpedition to Somalia this November. Not an easy undertaking and one that involves planning, logistics and expenses of a tall order.

Yesterday, the Italian DX Group announced an upcoming DXpedition to Somalia beginning in 2 days.

Today, Paul N6PSE of the Intrepid DX Group wrote the following to the DX community (emphasis mine):

Yesterday, the Italian DX group, led by I2YSB announced their imminent plans to activate Somalia under the guise of a “Humanitarian DXpedition.”

We believe that merely posing for a photo with an ambulance donated by a major corporation does not rise to the level of a humanitarian mission.

We ask the DX community to not condone, nor support this kind of activity. The Italian DX group has not consulted with us, nor apparently considered our previous announcement.

We believe that it is inappropriate for them to place their DXpedition to this entity ahead of our previously announced plans.

Rich, ain’t it! For a DXer to ask the DX community to not work another DXpedition who’s going to your location six months prior to you…and to tell us that they don’t meet your criteria for “humanitarian”?!

But wait – it gets better:

What is comically arrogant is that Paul N6PSE asks the DX community “to not condone, nor support this kind of activity” as the same calls are being made in some quarters against supporting Paul’s group in Yemen for a possible alleged policy to not work Israeli DXers due to orders from the Yemeni government.

A thread regarding the possible anti-Israeli policy is here, with at least two DXers claiming to have heard such on-the-air announcements from 7O6T to that effect. As I write this, there are currently no Israeli stations in 7O6T’s online log but many from other countries in Zone 20.

BTW, the Italian DX Group’s response to N6PSE is here.

.

I’d better save a snapshot of my call on 7O6T’s online log while I can – it may mysteriously disappear soon… ;-) BFD.

And I already have Somalia.

.

.

A prior attempt was made in 2008 and 2009 by the KP1-5 Project which resulted in K5D to Desecheo, but Navassa still awaits.

Uninhabited since 1945, the island is surrounded by cliffs with no natural harbor, making it difficult to reach by sea – similar to Malpelo. Complicating matters is the fact that the island is claimed by both the US and Haiti.

Simultaneous claims to a an island are nothing new, the most recent one aired being Spratly 9M0C. But the standing of Navassa at #2 on the List is an indication of the diplomatic difficulties regarding this particular speck in the ocean despite its close proximity to many who could financially afford an operation that would put it into logbooks worldwide.

KC4AF

In lieu of anything on the horizon regarding Navassa, some DXers may be interested in taking a look at a couple of past operations.

The first – KC4AF, from 1958, shows the CW ops using bugs. Ah, those must have been the days – operating a bug for hours, non-stop. My wrist gets glassy just from thinking about it.

Fourteen years later, KC4DX aired from Navassa with a team of operators, one of whom was Wayne Greene W2NSD, editor of 73 Magazine. Making use of Swan and Heathkit equipment, a 3-element Yagi (which is still on the island!) and “a ladder that is a bitch to climb”, the team spent 6 days pounding out contacts on phone and CW.

You can read team member Chaz W4GKF’s account here with plenty of photos and Wayne’s article in 73 Magazine here (evidently he really, really didn’t like Neil WB4UPC!). If the online pdf is difficult to read, that entire issue of 73 Magazine can be downloaded here (43MB pdf) or just the article itself from here (3MB pdf).

 .

.