Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network

Amateur radio mesh network.

SKYWARN Recognition Day is on December 2, 2017

SKYWARN is a National Weather Service program of trained spotters that provide on the ground information regarding severe weather. You can learn more details and get involved by visiting their website. SKYWARN recognition day is on December 2, 2017. Additional details about the event can be found on the ARRL website.

PSK31 contacts

I was able to make a dozen or so contacts with PSK31 from all across the USA this weekend. It was a lot of fun!

Setting up FT-891, SignaLink USB, and FLDIGI

I'm still figuring this out. I can decode the PSK31 signals, but doesn't seem like I am able to TX correctly.

Physical Connections

The radio cable is connected to the RJ-45 at the back of the SignaLink, and the other end of the cable is connected to the FT-891 through the DATA connection. A USB cable is connected to the laptop and the SignaLink. The external speaker is plugged into the rear of the FT-891.

FT-891 Menu Settings

08-01 MODE DAT: DATA MODE PSK

08-02 MODE DAT: PSK TONE 1000Hz

08-09 MODE DAT: DATA IN SELECT REAR

08-12 MODE DAT: DATA BFO USB

16-03 TX GNRL: HF PWR 20

16-10 TX GNRL: DATA MIC GAIN 50

16-14 TX GNRL: DATA DATA GAIN 50

Function 1

WDH 3Khz

Windows 10 Settings

Default: Speakers Realtek High Definition Audio

Default: Microphone Realtek High Definition Audio

Line in setting: 0 dB

Fldigi setting for capture/playback. The SignaLink USB is selected for both (USB Audio Codec).

Can see PSK31.


Responding to a CQ (or sending one myself) has not received any response. I don't think I have the ALC setup correctly or the TX/RX volume setup correctly. 

Central Kansas Amateur Radio Club

Passed my General exam!

Installing the SLMOD6PM module into the SignaLink USB SLUSB6PM

For the Yaesu FT-891. It wasn't terribly difficult after reading the instructions! Just make sure you're wearing an anti-static wrist band.

Today is Dipole Day

I'm going to the 20 meter dipole antenna in the tree this morning. The apex will be 35' and will form an inverted V.

FT-891 and the SignaLink USB

6-pin Mini DIN Data Port Connector

Module






This is the correct model needed.

Tigertronics SignaLink Radio Interface Cables SL-CAB6PM

DX Engineering

Richard shared this with me

Thank you! Great resource.

Yaesu FT-891 has been ordered!

After a long time figuring out what I should order, I finally picked the FT-891 and ordered it. I also ordered two dipoles from Radiowavez, the 40 meter and the 20 meter. Not sure what antenna tuner I'll choose, but I'm thinking about going with the LDG Z-100 Plus. I'm very excited!

Almost everything you need right here!

From my QTH the radio will be powered by a Yaesu FP-1030A power supply. Ordering an antenna tuner and a SignaLink USB soon. 

Receiving a Gmail email over HF radio with Winlink system

No ATU required for most bands

This looks like a good option for someone not wanting to spend money on an ATU. ZS6BKW Multi-band Antenna. More information about the antenna here.

Another video of the FX9A QRP HF transceiver

Ham radio operators coming to rescue for Puerto Rico

Radio provides a critical lifeline to tens of thousands of people affected by the hurricane in Puerto Rico. The first video is a news story from WTNH News8 about radio operators helping in the recovery effort. The second video is in Spanish.

 

mcHF QRP transceiver

An affordable QRP radio.

Yaesu FT-450D

Yaesu FT-450 HF and 6 Meter – QST – ARRL Product Review

REVIEW: IF tap adds bandscope to FT-450D

Rpi3

RPi3

• Quad Core 1.2GHz Broadcom BCM2837 64bit CPU
• 1GB RAM
• BCM43438 wireless LAN and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) on board
• 40-pin extended GPIO
• 4 USB 2 ports
• 4 Pole stereo output and composite video port
• Full size HDMI

General notes about grounding

There are four types of grounds in ham radio [1]:

(1)  Safety

• All grounds to be bonded together per the National Electrical Code (website).
• Use the electrical safety ground (green-wire ground) for overcurrent protection.
• “The conductive case of equipment is required to be connected to the bonding system, which is also connected to earth ground at the service entrance, so someone who is connected to “earth” (for example, standing in bare feet on a conductive floor) that touches the case won’t get shocked”.

(2)  Antenna

• Create a common reference point potential.
• Minimizes RF current flowing between equipment.
• Must be bonded to safety ground!

(3)  Chassis

• Difficult to achieve equipment bond to an RF (antenna) ground because the wire will have a higher impedance as its length is increased.
• The chassis of equipment should be connected so that no RF current is carried between them at all.

(4)  Lightning

• Low inductance and resistance are required.
• Must be able to handle 20-30 kA.

It seems to me that the antenna and chassis grounds are very similar in function/design.  Here is a visual representation from of a chassis ground (also called a station ground):

When it comes to lightning protection, I think it is easier to disconnect all radio equipment from AC and also disconnect the antenna feedline when not in use.  The topic of lightning protection is very complex and further research is needed (see ARRL Handbook 2014/2015 sections 28.7 Lightning Dissipation Ground, 28.1.10 Antenna Discharge Units, and 28.1.11 Lightning/Transient Protection; The ARRL General Class License Manual for Ham Radio Chapter 9 Electrical and RF Safety).

Update

The primary purpose in lightening protection is to reduce the risk of fire and damage to radio equipment and “the best protection is to disconnect all cables outside the house and unplug equipment power cords inside the home before a storm [2]”.
That is easy to do.  I’ve seen many products that claim to offer lightening protection but I’m not so sure these work as well compared to disconnecting feedlines and power cables.  An example of such a product:

I’m not convinced that a lightning strike is going to be diverted with this device.  Still, this has me thinking that it isn’t enough to simply disconnect the feedline to the radio.  Where should the feedline go after that?  If it is left in the house it could start a fire if a lightning strike were to hit the antenna system.  All that electricity and energy has nowhere to go except the end of the feedline and into whatever else is in the way.  Clearly the ideal solution is to disconnect the entire feedline from both the antenna and the radio, as the ARRL General License manual mentions.  Would it be possible to simply disconnect the radio feedline, and then plug it into something that goes back outside to ground?  Here is what I’m thinking:  The feedline to the radio is disconnected and then connected to another piece of coax that is sent some distance out of the house, to a ground rod.

Some make the argument that a station ground is not necessary. W8JI doesn’t use an RF ground except in certain circumstances [3].  Club station KF6GDJ writes that RF grounds are needed at the HF frequencies but not VHF/UHF [4].  Something interesting to note on the last link is that there is a hypothetical ham radio operator using the second story of his home to operate from.  From there he has a low resistance braid coming down to earth ground connected to a ground rod.  The problem with this is that the ground connection is “not short and direct as possible”.  At some 33 ft, this grounding wire may actually affect other wiring in and around the house.  So what is the solution?  According to the article the operator should have his station placed on the ground floor.  Yes, that is obvious but what do amateur radio operators do when they live in apartments or condos?

Sources
[1]  Lux, Jim. “Chapter 28 Safety” In The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications: The Comprehensive RF Engineering Reference 2015, edited by H. Ward Silver, 28.6. 92nd ed.
[2]  Silver, W. (2015). The ARRL General Class License Manual for Ham Radio (8th ed.). CT: American Radio Relay League.
[3]  http://www.w8ji.com/rfi_rf_grounding.htm
[4]  http://www.ve3sqb.com/hamaerials/kf6gdj/

Decibels

A Tutorial on the Decibel