Lion's revenge

[altivo]

It's winter again. Snow flurried much of the day, though no accumulation. Temperatures down to 20° at night again. We may have to break out the wagon and buckets again for a few days.

Cleaned off some of the junk on my desk at home. I'm finally getting all the parts in one place to put my FT817 on the air using PSK. For those not familiar with ham radio jargon, that's a digital mode that sends text back and forth over the radio so it looks rather like an IM session. The signal is modulated and demodulated in the sound card of the computer. To the ear, it sounds rather like a rabbit whistling Dixie. ;p

Only half a day tomorrow, and then a long weekend. Maybe by the end of it I will finally have shaken off this cold thing.

Comments

[vimsig.livejournal.com]

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I remember that series of strips. It was a loooooong time ago. :D

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

I've got a lot of peanuts books from 1960's to 1970's and some of the newer reprints from the 1990's and 80's I remember that one all too well :D

He nails it onto a pole and walks in :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's the conclusion, after a lot of dithering and delay.

Librarians found it rather objectionable, actually, because it seemed to paint us as hostile and threatening.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

But to a little kid lots of new things are scary, but as the comic showed there was nothing to be afraid of in the end :)

[swampy.livejournal.com]

I used to work PSK31 a lot a couple of years ago. I used Digipan and an FT857 at about 30w to a dipole. Best DX using that mode was Japan. I'm now pretty much 100% CW, but I'm certainly not one of those awful CW snobs who belittle anyone who doesn't use code. Each to their own, and I would prefer hams just had fun rather than being so critical of each other (IMO).

I worked lots of CW over the past couple of days. The highlight was cracking a monumental pile-up to swap '599' with HV0A based in Vatican City. I'll definitely be sending a QSL card for that contact. I am actually working towards my DXCC award, and so far have 85 worked entities with 40 confirmed with cards. This summer I hope to reach my target and beyond.

73 es DX de Swampy :==)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I've been mostly CW for years myself, with plain old RTTY a close second. I've never pushed my speed hard, though, so I'm most comfortable around 15 wpm. Seems like these days everyone wants to run away from me. I can do contest type exchanges at 20-25 wpm but I don't enjoy it as much.

PSK has had me curious for a while, and I kept delaying because of the need to do all that interfacing stuff, plus my computer was really, really old and I wasn't sure it would do well. I finally got a new computer and that got me to thinking about it again. Had it all hooked up to the FT-817 this afternoon and receiving fine. I haven't tried transmitting except into the dummy load, still have to adjust the levels to make sure I don't splatter anything. Before this weekend's up, though, I should be on the air. I like the fact that it's a mode that works best at low power, and so conservative with bandwidth. While playing with it this afternoon I copied stations all over the place: Spain, Cuba, Venezuela, Guatemala, Uruguay, Western Canada, Puerto Rico, all on 20 m. If I stay awake tonight, I'll check out 80 m.

Back in 2000, when there were still sunspots and the ARRL was doing a special award for 100 countries in one year, I managed to make it to 85. Considering that it was all QRP for me, that's respectable even if I didn't make 100. Most have QSLed since, which is even better. I even got New Zealand twice. Australia once and he didn't QSL, darn it.

I know you moved recently, do you have a station set up where you are now?

[swampy.livejournal.com]

PSK is a great QRP-ish mode. As you say, its very bandwidth friendly, but a badly set up PSK station can cause problems to others if the intermodulation distortion level is too great, caused by having the digital gain set too highly on the rig. I used to adjust my gain so that the ALC was just registering on the meter, and then turn it down a fraction from there. Doing so would ensure that my IMD levels were good, but I am sure I am preaching to the choir here ;==)

We haven't moved yet...the move is taking place next weekend so a lot of packing will occur in the next few days. I fully intend to set up my station again once we have moved, so we could possibly arrange a sched on 20m, either CW or PSK :==)

73

[altivo.livejournal.com]

That would be fun. Be sure and let me know when you're on the air again. I have a handful of UK contacts in the log, but would be glad of more, and especially on a new mode, which PSK31 is for me.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

*listens to all the Jargon and talk for a bit then goes crosseyed* :D

I love how each hobby area has it's own code :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Hah. You're just confused because "transmission" means something totally different to us from what it does to you. ;p

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Is that to a 4 bolt mains?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

*eyes your ears, wondering where best to attach the alligator clips*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Why are you looking at me like my unicorn friend does when he wants to do something to my ears?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Don't mind us equine types. We're far-sighted and have trouble focusing up close, see... *hides alligator clips behind his back*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Actually I've always found Equines to have a rather sneaky malicious streak after they look at me like that. XD

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Aww, what makes you think I'd be mean to a cuddly widdle kitty cat? *slips alligator clips into a pocket to save them for later, considers putting sticky tape on the bottom of your paws instead*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Anyone that uses the phrase of cuddly widdle kitty cat is defintely up to no good. Hear this though, I sneak into my unicorn friends stall while he's asleep if he's been mean and do things to his mane. So consider well your proposed actions before you do anything.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Tsk. I've never done anything really mean to you. Here, have some ham and sweet potatoes. There's home made bread too, if you want some. And sauerkraut with apples and bacon. I'm afraid the dogs beat you to the leftover asparagus, but there's cake for dessert, with cherries, pineapple, and pecans...

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

*looks at the food suspiciously* Are you trying to butter me up? *shrugs and savages the food*

Butter?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Well, there is butter in the cake, but no eggs, Easter or otherwise.