Moving in to the new shack!

Check out the new ham shack! This sure beats huddling by a space heater out in the garage!

Also in the picture is my supervisor Roscoe.

HRD Net Logbook and metrics/maps

Trying out the online radio logging at HRDlog.net. Here is one of the generated maps available on the site:


Google map of my recent contacts on 10m, 20m and 40m

New PSK contact monitoring site

This looks interesting...

http://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html

Trying it out to see how it works, and where it pulls its data from.

My DX QSO map for 2011

Guess what I got for Xmas!

I guess I was good this year, because I found a Tigertronics Signalink USB interface under the tree this year! I have been playing with it during the holiday break, and have made several PSK31 contacts across the US, Canada and in Russia!

I did shop around for the right digital mode software to use. I settled on a fairly popular package that is pretty much plug and play - Ham Radio Deluxe with Digital Master 780 (DM780). The DM780 application interface is quite nice with a very dynamic frequency waterfall display and TX and RX windows. A very capable macro interface as well - highly recommended! Oh, did I mention it is free? Donate to support the great development here!

Anyway, the Signalink USB interface connects seamlessly between our netbook and the CAT port on my Yaesu Ft-897. Set up for digital mode and we are ready to rock and roll!

I have to say this mode is really interesting. The waterfall display allows you to pick and choose digital "conversations" that are all happening concurrently. You can also easily find an open "spot" from which to start your CQ call. I think I will be using this mode a LOT going forward!

To catch a satellite

I have started to play around with packet radio (again). The last time I messed around with this was in college. During that time, I used a dedicated terminal node controller called a PK-88, hooked to an ancient VT100 data terminal.

We're a little more advanced today.

Digital apps like MixW and DigiPan will modulate the outbound data via the speaker jacks, and demodulate the incoming data via the microphone jack. No dedicated TNC required!

A reason why I wanted to get into packet again is that many of the satellites flying around the planet are fitted with APRS nodes, and should be easy to pick up on their dedicated packet frequency... when they fly over me. That's the trick, and that's what Orbitron is good for. It's a freeware app that tracks (and more importantly, PREDICTS) the location of APRS satellites near your lat/long location, and gives you a date/time to start checking for the fly-by.

Here is a screenshot:

So, using this as an example, I should start checking for the UARS satellite tonight around 9:56pm. I happen to know its packet TX/RX frequencies are both 145 MHz, so I'll be monitoring with MixW around that time!

This is so cool!

Just logged a contact with Nick (RA3QPY) out of Moscow, Russia. Signal strength 5-9 (STRONG) both directions. Still no amplifier used on my side, only running 100A SSB. He could have been nextdoor! Very long reach with this antenna.