Radio and rails...

I had a dabble with 70MHz FT8 these past few days seeing I have been moving stuff about and can now connect the 70Mhz transverter to the FT817 and not be worried about blowing it up. Only one confirmed QSO but a couple of reception reports today via pskreporter... one in Wales at 181 miles but an incomplete QSO despite me sending several RRR's though we did at least exchange signal reports, and then one reception in EI at 298 miles, plus one more local in England at 56 miles. Not too bad given this is all via a halo in the loft.

Late to the party as always I recently looked in more detail at POCSAG and that led me to DAPNET. I spotted this a while ago but somehow it didn’t register as interesting back then. Signing up to DAPNET was seamless. You first sign up for an account and the only thing that threw me there was the need to specify a RIC. A document suggested just using one’s DMR ID which I did. You need to send a copy of your licence and I keep a PDF handy for just this. I received account information early the next day. You then need a transmitter ID, same form, different option. That came back almost immediately. Details of that go into pi-star and it all worked in that the DAPNET website could see my pi-star, and pi-star started to display incoming DAPNET connections. Given my desire for new toys for old technology I purchased an Alphapoc 602R pager from an eBay trader. This arrived in a couple of days but despite me programming it all up it never received any pages despite pi-star displaying some test ones directed at my RIC. Firmware perhaps? After soldering the wire pi-star could not update…

So I need 28V at 15A for a 2.4GHz linear so I can finally do DATV via QO100. Meanwell do a 27V PSU that is sufficiently adjustable to get the 28V needed and they have a good reputation. I finally got round to ordering one from one of the suppliers I use. I was rather surprised to be told they cannot sell it to me because of the CE / UKCA business caused by good old Brexit. I would need to be a VAT registered business and be purchasing for business use. Drat. I found the same PSU from a UK supplier but again I cannot buy from them as I do not have a business account. Double drat. Ok... they (the UK supplier) have a PSU from a different manufacturer, Tiger, which has the same rating as the Meanwell one. I am hoping that this is of similar quality to Meanwell, has EMC components (rather than just a space where they would be!) and holds up under load. Time will tell. These Brexit benefits just keep on coming...

Getting dangerously close to being portable... after having wired a cable for the Signalink (I have three now!) because the Yaesu cable is always out of stock everywhere and realising that the FT818 was set for RTTY as digital, not User-U, which is why it would not decode any FT8, I have all the bits ready except for a power pack. I do have a lead for the car, and a 40m whip antenna and magmount. The antenna is 2.2m long - don't worry it won't be used mobile, just put on the car once parked up! It all works with wsjt-x on the MacBook. So, I have just two things to sort out (apart from the power pack); how to stop the 6-pin mini DIN plugs falling out whenever they want, and why the MacBook only manages about 20 minutes on battery. While that is long enough for a few test QSOs I really want longer. Unfortunately it's not actually mine so I can't just replace the battery. Maybe an inverter, which I bet would wipe out the band... the car (electric) only has a tiny 12V battery sufficient for short periods of electronics and to 'start' the car,…

The latest toy, an LDG Z-11Pro II autotuner. I acquired this because I want to use the FT817 and a linear on the HF antenna from time to time - usually the only HF set is the FT450D which has a YT-1200 autotuner sat on top. So why the new one? Primarily because the YT-1200 is matched to the FT450D and when the button is pressed it commands the rig to send 25W AM. The FT817 puts out 2.5W the way I run it and even if the YT-1200 would tune on just 2.5W I would need to press the button and then transmit via the radio. Ok, FT8 would do that but then there is the matter of fiddling with antenna connections to get the '817 connected to the tuner input. With the new tuner it's more straightforward. The YT-1200 will now be sold. All I need do now is mount it somewhere convenient, and that, unfortunately means moving a bunch of wires and rigs and other stuff about until I get it all where I want it. So for now it will stay where it is!