Thanks to Joanne, K9JKM for pointing out that Space Weather Radio is piping audio of Ursid Meteors crossing the radar fence which guards our country from the Ruskies. If you tune in, occasionally you’ll hear a rapid descending tone, caused by the radar bouncing off the ionized trails of meteors. Pretty cool.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
Scrappy
My little feline buddy Scrappy was a feral cat that we’ve adopted. A while ago, we found out he tested positive for FIV, so we decided his days of being a part time inside/part time outside cat were over, and he’s been imprisoned in our house. He seems to have adapted well. Here’s a picture of the little rascal. Feel free to turn it into a LOLcat.
I was bored today, so I aimed my Canon SD1100 at him taking a nap, and took this time lapse video (about six minutes long, and about 90 minutes real time):
I guess since I’m posting video of my cat to this blog, it’s a sign that maybe it’s time my vacation ended and I got back to work.
First real QSO of the year…
With VE3IAC, lost the first part because fldigi crashed on me, but then got this:
Sorry, had a software glitch there. Odd. Anywwhoo… BTU de K6HX..
eneoK6HX de VE3IAC, K6t , de VE3IAC
I an sunning a special setup this evening
ICOM-7000 @ abt 40W,
battery power, about 200AH reserve w/ N8XIK nntter booster
Antenna ns Budidipole configured as Vittial w/ one 28ft coterpose
Locatitn in Algonquin Provincial 8=k.
It is snowing outside, Expect low of -20C
Shelter is Hexagional structure, mild insulation & 2 bunks.
I houe you were able to copy, I did not see the end of your last tx
signal str ogt5l oy took a dip.
BuU ai rk c,X de VE3IAC
VE3IAC VE3IAC VE3IA
VE3IAC de K6HX
Sorry ’bout that, my software is giving me fits. Macro keys are all misconfigured, (or maybe, it’s just me). Got all your info, -20C, brrrr. Too cold for this California boy. 🙂 It’s a nice 60F here, and just a few clouds. I’m operating from the luxury of my dining room table. heh. BTU , VE3IAC de K6HX K
oe rQ K6HX de VE3IAC
ihanks Mark for this QSO from USA
QSP is OK via direct, 73 from Canada and good D –
aopy has poo itt is time too. you are just in my S1 noise le?l., its dark, cold and quiet!!! out here.
K6HX ae VE3IAC SKe1A
VE3IAC de K6HX
Stay warm huddling over your transmitter! 73s, and thanks for the QSO. VE3IAC de K6HX SK SK
Homebrew Satellite Antenna
While I am on the antenna kick, Howard, G6LVB mentioned his page on putting two cheap yagis on the same boom. Very, very nice. 10db of gain for a reasonably small antenna, and RHCP to boot.
The Gray-Hoverman Antenna For UHF Television Reception – Digital Home Canada
While searching for a link for my brother on building antennas for HDTV (you guys are all ready for the oncoming digital TV Apocalypse, aren’t you?) I found this interesting link on an antenna which seems very good, and suitable for amateur construction. Seems like I could use some of the 12 gauge wire I used to make my Cheap Yagi to make this antenna in an hour or so. Might be a fun experiment, although since I live at the bottom of a rather narrow valley, I doubt it will render hdtv service tenable at my current location.
The Gray-Hoverman Antenna For UHF Television Reception – Digital Home Canada.
Addendum: Here’s a link to the general dimensions for the single bay version. It’s got two layers: he first has a pair of zig zag elements, and the “reflectors” are 100mm behind. Should be quite simple to fabricate.
K6HX beaconing on 30m with WSPR/MEPT
Okay, I hadn’t been doing any WSPR beacon operations since before Thanksgiving (which was also before my new callsign) and I was kind of bored today, so I dug out my power supply, tuner and interface and set my computer beaconing again on 30m. It’s a combination beacon: using WSPR above 10.140100, and a visual “MV” written as part of a sawtooth in the visual MEPT portion of the band (between 10.140000 and 10.140100 Mhz). Output power is about 4 watts, split between both signals.
I’d be interested in any reception reports.
Addendum: Click this link to examine the reception reports I’m getting via the automated WSPR logging.
Addendum2:
Today, on Jan 2, I got a reception report from W1BW, and I could faintly see my “MV” appearing on his grabber:
You can see his “flying W” very strongly, and if you stare really close (click on the smaller image) you can see my MV which looks like part of a sawtooth around 23:22 (and other places).
Addendum2: Alan, VA3STL in Ontario also noticed my signal on the 2nd. Here is his screen grab, showing both my MV and my MEPT signal.
