DXCC 322 : Minami Torishima JG8NQJ/JD1

Not the most difficult one, but if you aren't in the shack at the good moment, it can take a very long time to work this DXCC.

While listening for N5J, the hamalert app beeped me up for JD1.  Worked JG8NQJ/JD1 easily on 15m CW.

DXCC 321 : Palmyra & Jarvis N5J

Good one !  The first big RIB-expedition started super FB.  Almost 10K QSO's the first day of N5J...

During the first hours of the expedition I made contacts on both 20m CW and 17m FT8.  I normally wait for a couple of days to start listening, but this time I took time to try to break the pile-ups and with success.

The new SuperFox FT8 method worked excellent !  What a nice evolution in data-transmission.
The coming days I will listen to 15/12/10 some extra QSO are possible.

Optibesteppir on the air

           

The basic idea of using the Optibeam OB5-10 in combination with another antenna has succeeded. The Steppir, which was repaired over the winter, is now working optimally again and utilizes the OB5-10 boom.

Electrically, everything is OK, but mechanically, the concept needs to be revised. I am currently using a U-profile for each element, fastened to the Optibeam boom with two screws. This system is very simple and quick to assemble, but it does not meet the mechanical demands in windy conditions. The risk is too great that lateral movements will cause the screws to bore a hole into the aluminum boom.
I need to switch to a design where the U-profile completely encircles the boom, which essentially corresponds to the mechanical model that Steppir uses. This will be a project for the coming weeks.

                                             

A second adjustment involves providing a suspension because the additional weight is putting pressure on the Optibeam boom. Due to the tilt plate, the suspension is mounted separately. This is working fine.

                                              

But it would be uncharacteristic if everything worked as it should. Two problems have arisen:

1. I was tired of constantly having to replace the ropes that operate the anti-fall plates of the mast. They deteriorate in quality due to UV light every couple of years. My idea was to replace them with steel cables. This works well, except that in a vertical position, the plates no longer fall down due to the weight of the cables. So, a bad idea.
   
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. The old issue with the Karlock has resurfaced.
   When tilting the mast, the hook gets stuck in safety mode, preventing the antenna from becoming horizontal.
   I used to fix this by pulling on a Steppir element and manually tilting the boom a bit, but due to the weak mechanical attachment to the Optibeam boom and the weight of the combi-yagi, that’s no longer a solution.
   I’ll have to come up with something else, and I’m considering using a linear motor to push the hook aside with a rod. This is also on the to-do list for the coming weeks.

So, a lot of work ahead, but thanks to the Steppir, I’ve added two new countries while the 10m band has not delivered what I expected, despite the high solar flux.

IARU contest 2024

A few years ago, I bought the Flexradio 6400 with the primary goal of achieving the 6M DXCC by making contacts in FT8. 

It took a while before I dared to participate in CW contests with this 'black box.' After all, the absence of a tuning knob requires some adjustment. I had never done an SSB-contest with this transceiver before. The old faithful Yaesu FT1000MKV has never let me down, and the external voice keyer works perfectly.

And it's been quite a while since I seriously participated in this type of contest. Unlike a CW contest, this one is a noise-maker in the house. Still, I had decided to give it a try with the Flexradio in the IARU contest as a test. Although this contest is actually meant for multi-band, I created my own category: 'SOSB SSB 10M HP non-assisted.' Participating to rank in 'SOHP SSB' was excluded from the start.

These were my goals:

• Test all the possibilities and parameters of the transceiver related to voice
• Test the panadapter of N1MM+
• Try out the voice keyer within N1MM+
• Investigate whether there is an added value within non-assisted for using a spectrum scope versus the old method with the Yaesu
• At least 70 contacts for the RRDXA ranking, at least 250 contacts for an IARU award, and preferably some hundreds of QSO with some huge short pile-ups to the States/Japan.
• Test the new Optibeam yagi

Here are the results:

• Having a wide bandscope via the Flexradio is an absolute added value. By making the time-out of the contacts in N1MM extra long, new stations appear very easily. For the first time, I also noticed that I receive local QRM, probably from a solar installation a few houses away. Every 50Khz, there is a noticeable peak. Not pleasant, but workable.
  
  
                           

  Flexradio spectrum filled with own spots (no cluster connection)
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't determine extra added value of the spectrum scope of N1MM. Maybe the CQ function if the band is very busy.

 

                                     

• The voice keyer in N1MM works quite well; I still need to figure out why there is a small dead time at the start. Probably a delay setting somewhere.

• Equalizer, voice processor, bias, voice amplifier were tested and found satisfactory by the receiving ham stations.

• The Optibeam works perfectly. Directional, but still just wide enough and a nice F/B ratio.

The 10-meter band, on the other hand, was the biggest disappointment of the entire contest. I did not see this setback coming. On Saturday, the path was wide open to South America and Africa. But the USA and Japan were absent. This costs hundreds of contacts. On Sunday morning, it was like calling into the desert, and this was the case for everyone. For that reason, I had to work hard to find contacts to exceed 250, but then I stopped 4 hours before the end. Time on Sunday is too precious to call without answers. Apparently, conditions improved in the last hours, but this did not matter to me.

                              

Alone in the desert with OP0HQ, DA0HQ, GR2HQ and two QRM peaks.

Some excitement on Sunday when I heard a clubmate running a SSB pile-up with the USA on 28.414Mhz while I could only hear noise in all directions.

It took a few minutes before I realized he was on 14.207Mhz, and his 2nd harmonic was blasting through my receiver.
This is no longer for me: I use the high duty monoband 4O3A filter to reduce possible EMC problems with the neighbors and to keep other bands free from splatter.

Conclusion: 10 meter is not 15m nor 20m.  It's always a risc to go for a 10 meter single band operation. 
But I am ready for the CQWW SSB 10M. Hopefully for more better conditions at the end of October!

                                   

10m highway to South-America

Optibeam OB5-10 up and running

First weeks with the new antenna and good results.  

Worked 72 x PY, 47 x LU, 11x CE stations with 250W.

This weekend, I’ll be active in the IARU contest.

OB5-10 almost ready

 
The OB5-10 is ready for mounting. SWR looks fine, high power balun installed.

Blue arrow : rectangular boom adaptation to fix a OB2-40 element

Red arrows : mounting holes for a Steppir element

My new antenna project : integration of Optibeam and Steppir

Because I am gradually preparing to leave the city and return to the countryside—where my station is set up—I have started a new project for a more efficient antenna system.

I will keep the mast and rotor, as well as the mini-tiltplate.
This means the tiltplate can handle a maximum wind load of 1 m² and a maximum antenna weight of 35 kg, and the telescopic mast can handle an antenna load of around 1m² during heavy weather conditions.

My new plan is as follows:

1. Have a decent monoband yagi for contests.
2. Easily switch between different bands for rare expeditions.
3. Minimize the effort needed to switch between contest and expedition goals.

Therefore, I came up with the idea of installing an Optibeam5-10, a decent monobander that meets the requirements. 
This one can be converted into a 5-element yagi on 15m or a 4-element yagi on 20m. The 7,5m boom can easily be extended to about 10m to meet the 15m/20m requirements.

I use the same boom to mount the 3 motors of the SteppIR and to quickly install the 2 elements of the Optibeam2-40.

I'm still looking for a solution for the OB1-30 dipole.

In this way, I have three different antennas using the same boom, which can remain mounted. I only need to lower the mast and switch to another system in minimal time.

Technical/mechanical preparation has started with the positioning of all possible element on the boom.

To be continued...