Toots for F4JWJ@mastodon.radio account

Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-16 at 22:48

I discovered 4 things today :

1. Using a #CW bug is not easy.

2. But setting a bug is easy once you understand what to do, and in what order.

3. Adding weight to reduce the speed also make the adjustment slightly more difficult.

4. My first impression is that the #Vibroplex #6 "Lightning" (1950) is incredibly smooth.

Smoother than the Japanese Hi-Mound "BK-100" (2 of them, of different vintage) and the French "Vibro Mors".

[#]CW #Morsecode #Hamradio #hamr #radioamateur

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-08 at 08:45

Seems like there is an UFT contest this morning.

(Union Française de Télégraphie).

Just hearing F5NIB calling CQ in 20m.

[#]CW #Morse #morsecode #hamradio #radioamateur.

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-07 at 18:27

Any feedback on the Palm Nano Paddle and Pico Paddle ?

I can buy one (not clear which model).

All I know is that these paddles are not manufactured anymore since at least 10 years.

(For portable operation, indeed.)

[#]CW #Morse #Morsecode

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-07 at 12:50

It seems that DL7PIA's Mom is DL5PIA.

A true family afair.

BTW, Germany has vanity callsigns ?

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-07 at 12:43

Just got the callsign DL7PIA.

A YL who got her licence aged 12 !

Not the first time I copy this QRZ, she must have a serious amount of watts and / or a big antenna !

https://www.qrz.com/db/DL7PIA

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-07 at 12:42

Is there a contest with the name PCC ?

,

I try to listen to #CW 'bad QRM, as usually) and I barely copy some strang ecallsigns, then I realize it is some sort of PCC prefix.

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-03 at 21:55

[#]CW100days

As I only receive QRM on the HF bands this evening, I had a short #LCWO session.

16 to 20 WPM (and a bit @23WPM).

Using lesson 40 (all chars, numbers, punctuation and prosigns)

I didn't write down or type anything.

After so much head copy training, I know instantly if my head copy is correct or not.

Prosigns and punctuation come much more often in the exercises than in the real QSO phrases I practice on my phone.

Clearly, I have to refresh my "instant recognition" in this area !

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-01 at 16:32

And this time, as I didn't have to fight that much noise, I wasn't forced to use 50Hz or 100Hz bandwidth CW filters, that can induce hearing fatigue on the long term.

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-01 at 16:22

Listening on air is different from using a computer or a phone to learn, I state the obvious...

It is, at least for me, a rather different kind of apprenticeship (much easier, as I've already learned #morsecode).

There is no "Replay" button on air...

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-12-01 at 16:18

[#]CW100days

This morning, my usual S7-S9+ QRM on 20M dropped to S2-S3.

Probably a gift from "above" to reward my hard work learning #CW and #morsecode 😀

I was also blessed as it was not a contest day.

SWLing from 9 am to 4 pm !!

Many different QSO at various speed and levels of proficiency.

Verification tool : Morse Expert (not perfect).

Many callsigns.

A POTA activator from EA (alas, heavy QSB).

And, very rare, people ragchewing for hours (lamenting that ragchew is a lost art...)

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-30 at 19:41

[#]CW100days

Looks like I'm resurrecting my old habit of head copy #CW on my phone while commuting...

Two days ago, I lost the sound in my earbuds. In the mean time, I noticed quick glances of peoples around me in the tramway.

I was blasting CW through the speaker. 😀

DITTO CW is very cleverly designed, and normally it stops sending when it detects an audio output change, just to avoid that.

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-24 at 17:28

@dj5cw

P.S. Listening to QRM and noise thru a 100Hz bandwidth filter for hours, I got a serious headache !

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-24 at 17:24

[#]CW100days

Spent a large part of the day playing with my FTdx10 and my (new to me) 2004 TenTec Orion.

Listened to #CW contets on 40m and 20m.

I was testing how the Orion deals with heavy QRM and QRN, and exploring it's rather special AGC and NR setting.

In the mean time I tried to copy callsigns.

Contesters repeat their callsign ad-lib, and this helps.

Got some, in full or part, between 23 and 28WPM.

I used https://rbn.telegraphy.de/ to check the speed.

(Another Fabian @dj5cw site)

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-23 at 21:34

And zooming before the cuttof frequency (1MHz), we cans see there is almost no difference.

=> View attached media

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-23 at 18:27

[#]CW100days

Did some Ditto #CW on my phone in the tramway this evening.

The previous days, I went back to #LCWO (thanks again Fabian, @dj5cw 🙂)

As is usual for me now my limitation is hitting the wrong keys on the keyboard and finally loosing track.

I mostly try to copy on the air (still very clumsy antenna setup here + heavy QRM).

I mostly receive the "kW big guns" in contest mode : very fast.

I only copy groups of letters, but now, to my ears it doesn't sound anymore like modulated noise!

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-20 at 20:45

OMG!!!!

FreeCAD 1.0 is out !🤩

Only 20 years in the making.

Includes Realthunder's topological naming fix and a new solver / assembly system.

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-20 at 17:37

Salut,

est-ce quelqu'un connaît les fréquences des relais VHF autour de Grenoble ?

J'ai un Quansheng UV-K6 (Egzumer 0.22 firmware) qui s'ennuie ferme.

Et comme je n'ai jamais utilisé un relais, ni touché à la VHF d'ailleurs, il me faudra sûrement un peu d'aide pour les bonnes pratiques, les tonalités, décalages E/R, etc...

Merci d'avance ! 🙏

Les fréquences trouvées sur Internet sont désespéramment silencieuses.

Il n'y a que la fréquence APRS qui soit "vivante".

Bizarre ! (Ou pas ?)

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-16 at 21:42

TenTec Orion Repair. Final Part.

4/n

OK, long posts, but it was no easy task... and I'm quite proud to have resurrected this great machine.

Interestingly, there are 11 years of continuous firmware updates between the first Orion firmware (2002/2003) and the latest v3 firmware (May 2015).

Now that's what I call user support!

(This rig was perfectly aligned. It was maintained by no less than AOR in the UK.)

End of the #Tentec Orion Saga!

[#]radioamateur #amateurradio #hamradio #hamr

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-16 at 21:26

TenTec Orion Repair. Final Part.

3/n

Today, I disassembled again the rig, reinstalled the original hardware mods, and flashed the latest v3 firmware.

Enclosure closed, rig ready to go!

I have compared the Orion running the v1 firmware with a FTdx10.

Then the same running the v3 firmware (the v3 uses the Orion II noise reduction code),

I have to say that the v1 firmware I've tested had seriously rough edges, if not bugs.

The original Orion users were probably true TenTec addicts !

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Written by F4JWJ, Pierre on 2024-11-16 at 21:09

TenTec Orion Repair. Final Part.

2/n

Having failed to reinstall v2 and v3 firmware, I removed the hardware mods from the CPU board and tried to install the old v1 firmware.

The install started fine but failed several times (downloads stopped at 99.9%...), but I finally managed to install a firmware.

I wasn't done yet.

The many cards are plugged into a central motherboard, and the connectors needed some TLC after 20 years.

And The Orion was back to life !

That's where I was this morning.

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