Earthlings and Astronauts

This is a must-read article for hams, "Earthlings and astronauts chat away, via ham radio" by Samantha Masunaga

No doubt it will inspire you to learn more Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

1947 Amateur Radio Direction Finding Field Day Film

Wonderful silent archive footage of the Direction Finding Field Day (North of the Thames) on May 18, 1947.  It is so interesting to see radio amateurs of all ages having fun early radio fox hunting.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Science Friday: Earth is a giant iron magnet

Earth is a giant iron magnet

Earth’s core is solid iron.  Around this inner core is a layer of liquid iron. The interaction between the liquid and solid iron is responsible for generating electrical currents and a powerful magnetic field.  The magnetic field is in alignment with the Earth's rotation and extends all the way into space.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Evaluating Radio Fox Hunt Alternatives for a Scout Troop

During the Summer of 2020, I taught the Radio Merit Badge for a troop of enthusiastic Scouts.  The scouts had a great time setting up a wilderness radio station and operating on HF, VHF, and UHF.  Part of the curriculum included discussing various radio related activities that amateur radio operators participate in.  The scouts were really excited to learn about amateur radio fox hunting (also known as amateur radio direction finding).  The scouts asked if they could organize a radio fox hunt for the troop sometime.  The answer was of course was an equally enthusiastic, "Yes!"  (I only needed to figure out how to do it first).

Radio fox hunting (also called amateur radio direction finding or radio orienteering) is a challenging amateur radio sport that combines radio direction finding with orienteering map and compass skills.  Radio fox hunting is a timed race in which competitors use a topographic map, a magnetic compass, and radio direction finding apparatus to navigate through diverse wooded terrain while searching for hidden radio transmitters.

The objective of this hunt is to have fun using leadership skills in an inter-patrol competition while also developing radio direction-finding skills.  Teamwork, skills, and speed are all advantages.

When I started working on an approach for a radio fox hunt I began with the end in mind by drafting a set of requirements:

• Waterproof - We don't get much rain here in Northern California.  However, we can experience huge downpours during the rainy season that starts with the onset of Winter.  The  electronics need to stay dry rain or shine.
• Sufficient Battery - The transmitter equipment for the hunt will transmit on a 50% duty cycle for the duration of a hunt and demonstration / practice prior to the hunt.  The total operating duration will likely be between 120 minutes and 150 minutes.  The transceiver will likely be run on low power.  Battery storage that will support 4 hours would probably be good enough.
• Stealthy - The fox transmitter will need to be hidden from view from both hunters and passers by.  The transmitter profile needs to be discreet and easily hidden behind weeds or inside a bush.  Camouflage or dark color would be appropriate.
• Labelled -  The transmitter needs to be labelled to inform a finder of its purpose in the event of accident discovery.  The label will also help a radio fox "hound" quickly confirm she has found the transmitter during a hunt.
• Secure - Provide the ability to secure the radio fox transmitter to a tree with a bicycle cable lock to deter theft.
• Auto ID - The fox transmitter needs to be able to identify the call sign every 10-minutes per FCC rules.
• Intermittent Transmission - The fox transmitter needs to alternate between sending a signal for the hounds to locate and then going idle with no transmitted signal.  A 50% duty cycle of 15 seconds on and then 15 seconds off would be about right.
• Lightweight - The fox transmitter device needs to be relatively lightweight to promote easy portability as part of backpacking outing or hike.  This limits the weight to a couple of pounds maximum.

Armed with requirements, I researched various options for setting up a radio fox transmitter.  I identified three basic alternatives:

1. Transceiver + radio CW beacon - Use a 2m handy-talkie as a transmitter interfaced with a CW beacon controller.
2. Transceiver + radio fox controller - Use a 2m handy0talkie as a transmitter interfaced with a fox controller.
3. Dedicated integrated radio fox transmitter - These are special purpose radios with a built-in radio fox controller.

Option 1: Transceiver + Radio CW Beacon

Pros

• Lowest cost since existing equipment could be repurposed
• Easy to setup
• Flexible frequency and power (determined by the transceiver)
• CW beacon could be paired with different radios

Cons

• Not a commonly adopted approach for radio fox hunting
• A CW signal could be more challenging for new fox hunters to locate with rudimentary techniques such as body fading.
• Requires an additional battery pack
• Requires a waterproof container to deploy

Option 2: Transceiver + Radio Fox Controller

Pros

• Proven effectiveness in radio fox hunting
• Likely easier for new radio fox hunters to locate with rudimentary techniques such as body fading
• Flexible frequency and power (determined by the transceiver)
• Fox controller could be paired with different radios

Cons

• Additional expense in purchasing a radio fox controller
• Requires an additional battery pack
• Requires a waterproof container to deploy

Option 3: Dedicated Integrated Radio Fox Transmitter

Pros

• Proven effectiveness in radio fox hunting
• Smallest physical size and lightest weight - easiest to hide - stealthy
• No additional battery pack required
• No additional waterproof container required

Cons

• Additional expense in purchase a integrate radio fox transmitter
• Highest cost approach
• Low power with no options
• Fixed frequency / less flexible in terms of frequency

After considering the pros and cons of the three options, I decided to start with Option 1 by pairing a vintage 1990's 2m Kenwood HT with an existing CW-keyer that I had available in the shack.  This option would provide a zero-cost opportunity to experiment with using a CW beacon for radio fox hunting.  In my next post in this series, I will share how I configured my first fox transmitter and what I learned in the process.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Fun completing 18 five-band-WAS contacts today

Conditions were pretty good this morning on the 10m,15m, and 17m bands.  I had a blast completing contacts with 18 different new states that I needed for five-band WAS.  This was an unusually high number of needed-QSOs in a single operating setting.  It is amazing how well amateur radio works even at the bottom of the solar cycle.  

My five-band WAS is ways off yet as I need to make some improvements to my 80m antenna capability first.  I also need favorable conditions on 10m to return.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

2020 Jamboree on the Air

My daughter (KN6JYE) and I (NJ2X) had fun this past weekend (October 16-18, 2020) participating in the annual scouting Jamboree on the Air.  JOTA is the world's largest scouting activity and involves scouts all around the globe getting on amateur radio and having fun.

We had a blast talking with scouts and scouters in The Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, and the USA.  Scouting and amateur radio make a great combination.

JOTA 2020

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

What is a radiogram?

A radiogram is a formal message routed by amateur radio operators through the National Traffic System (NTS).  A radiogram is initially written down using a paper form to help organize and normalize the information.  The radiogram is relayed to volunteer radio operators who also use the radiogram paper form to copy and pass the message onward.

The radiogram has been in use for a very long time in amateur radio and retains its usefulness in emergency situations when fragile infrastructure-based communication such as Internet and telephone fail.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital DXCC Completed!

The digital door to DXCC is available to hams with a transceiver, computer, TNC, and software

I completed my DXCC Phone award back in 2015 and DXCC Mixed award (#57,420) in 2012.  I have been working casually on the ARRL's Digital DXCC Award for the last decade with all contacts confirmed exclusively via the Logbook of the World.  Today (October 9, 2020), my 100th digital DXCC contact was confirmed on the LoTW with BI4XDT.  Woot! Woot! I did it at last!

The award requires completing 100 contacts using only digital modes.  I really enjoy digital radio communication and the various digital modes.  Browsing my log, I noticed I accumulated my contacts using the following digital modes:

• CONTESTI
• DOMINO
• FT8
• JT65
• MFSK16
• OLIVIA
• PSK31
• PSK63
• PSK125
• RTTY

It is amazing that we amateur radio operators have access to so many digital modes.  My list above is only a few of the possible available modes.  Digital modes are fairly easy to use and available to hams having transceiver, computer, communications software, and a terminal node controller (TNC).

Looking forward to exploring new digital modes on more bands with more countries on my way to the DXCC Challenge award.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Calculating the line-of-sight radio path

VHF and UHF radio communication are most commonly based on line-of-sight propagation.  Line-of-sight is the thus the ordinary limiting factor which determines how far your signal will reliably travel.  There is a really great free tool for visualizing the line-of-sight path between two GPS locations.

https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

Recently, I worked a station through the W6CX Mt. Diablo repeater from the summit of Mt. Lassen 292 km (182 miles) away, using my 5W Kenwood TH-F6A HT.  Below is the line-of-sight plot between the two summits using scadacore.com.  I simply entered the GPS decimal coordinates for the two locations and scadacore.com automatically produced the the radio path study and a google map showing the two locations.  This was quick and easy to do.

Radio path study between the summits of Mt. Diablo and Mt. Lassen

You can find GPS decimal coordinates for a location easily using Google Maps.

1. On your computer, open Google Maps
2. Right-click the place or area on the map or type in an address in the search
3. Select, "What's here?"
4. At the bottom, you’ll see a card with the coordinates
5. Click on the card to open it
6. Highlight the GPS decimal coordinates on the card to copy

The scadacore.com google map is interactive which allows you to move the points around and instantly see the plot.  This is a very helpful way to explore possible paths between two locations.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

WSJT-X Automatic Logging Into Ham Radio Deluxe

Ham Radio Deluxe DM780 supports an excellent selection of digital modes.  There are several popular digital modes that HRD DM780 does not support including FT8, JT65, and WSPR.  To run these digital modes, additional non-HRD software is required.

I have found WSJT-X easy to work with especially when combined with JTAlert. WSJT-X implements communication protocols or "modes" called FT4, FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, QRA64, ISCAT, MSK144, and WSPR, as well as one called Echo for detecting and measuring your own radio signals reflected from the Moon.  These modes were all designed for making reliable, confirmed QSOs under extreme weak-signal conditions.

However, by default WSJT-X writes only to its own log when only basic configuration is setup.  This is inconvenient to Ham Radio Deluxe users as there doesn't seem to be an easy way to export/import the WSJT-X log into Ham Radio Deluxe.  Even if there were a manual export/import, who would want a two-step logging process anyway?  Spend less time logging means we have more time for making contacts. 

Fortunately, WSJT-X and Ham Radio Deluxe can be easily configured to work together to enable WSJT-X logged contacts to automatically update the Ham Radio Deluxe log.  The integration involves enabling and configuring "QSO Forwarding" in both applications.

Step 1: Configure HRD QSO Forwarding

• Navigate to HRD-->HRD Logbook-->Tools-->Configuration-->QSO Forwarding
• UDP Send - uncheck "Forward logbook changes using UDP to other logging programs"
• UDP Receive
• Add a check to "Fill in missing fields on Receive"
• Add a check to "Lookup missing fields on Receive"
• Uncheck "Receive logbook changes using UDP from other logging programs (TR4W, N1MM)
• Receive QSO notifications using UDP from other applications (WSJT-X)
• Receive Port: 2333
• Target Database: My Logbook
• MyStation fields should be: Merged

Step 2: Configure WSJT-X QSO Forwarding"

• Navigate to WSJT-X --> File --> Settings --> Reporting
• Check "Prompt me to log QSO"
• Network Services
• Check "Enable PSK Reporter Spotting"
• UDP Server
• Check "Accept UDP requests"
• Check "Notify on accepted UDP requests"
• Check "Accepted UDP restores window
• UDP Server: 127.0.0.1
• UDP Server port number: 2237
• Secondary UDP Server (deprecated)
• Check "Enable logged contact ADIF broadcast
• Server name or IP address: 127.0.0.1
• Server port number: 2333

Step 3: Test QSO Forwarding from WSJT-X to HRD

Note on rig control: I have configured rig control in both WSJT-X and HRD.  This means that I can only use one or the other at the same time to control my station.  With this approach, I simply disconnect HRD rig control when I am going to run WSJT-X.  When I am done with WSJT-X, I close the application and then click the "Connect" button in HRD to re-enable HRD rig-control.  If I attempt to run rig control in both applications at the same time, they conflict and generate an error.

• Complete a contact in WSJT-X
• Log the contact in WSJT-X
• Confirm that the contact was logged in HRD

Voilà!  You have successfully configured WSJT-X and HRD to automatically log WSJT-X contacts in the HRD logbook.  This will save you tons of time from having to manually type your WSJT-X QSOs into the Ham Radio Logbook.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Related posts:

• Migrating Ham Radio Deluxe to a New Computer
• Configuring WSJT-X with a Kenwood TS-480SAT and SignaLink USB

TH-F6A Power Jack Vulnerability

The Kenwood TH-F6A is a wonderful tri-band HT.  I have owned one for many years and enjoyed operating.

The radio's design is flawed in one aspect.  It is important to plug in the power connector into the jack on the radio before plugging it into the wall, cigarette lighter, or other external power source.  This is because an internal surface mount fuse can be blown if an energized power connector is plugged into the radio power jack.  Replacing the fuse is possible though difficult since it is a surface mount component.  This typically requires the radio be sent to Kenwood service for repair.

A better design would allow the power connector to be inserted or removed without risk to the radio.  Also, it would be desirable to design fuse replacement so that it can be performed by the owner and does not require the radio be sent to a service center for an expensive repair.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Transmitting using a vintage Radio Shack center-loaded telescoping antenna

I have a vintage Radio Shack center-loaded telescoping antenna from the early 1990's.  It has a BNC connector and a loading coil in the middle of the telescoping sections.  It ordinarily sits in a box along with other radio odds and ends that I don't use regularly.  Radio Shack made these for ages and you can still find them for sale online.

Radio Shack center-loaded telescoping antenna with all sections collapsed

I was recently working on a vintage Kenwood TH-22AT 2m HT that still has its original rubber duck antenna.  The antenna wasn't pulling-in stations very well so I decided to dig out my old Radio Shack telescoping antenna and give it a try.  I was happy to find that the Radio Shack antenna worked better than the stock rubber duck.

As I was setting it up, I remembered that some adjustment is required in order to use it for transmitting.  The antenna can be used on a transceiver or a receiver such as a scanner.

Receiving: 25 MHz through 1296 MHz

Transmitting: Can be used as a 1/4 wavelength transmitting antenna from 130 MHz through 535 MHz.

• Caution
• When you use the antenna to transmit, you must always collapse the section located just above the loading coil. If you do not collapse this section, you might damage the antenna and your radio.
• When you use the antenna to transmit, you must calculate the 1/4 wavelength and adjust the antenna length accordingly. If you do not do this, you can damage your transmitting equipment due to an improper standing wave ratio (SWR).
• Use this formula to calculate the proper length for a 1/4 wavelength transmitting antenna: 2834 / Freq. in MHz = Antenna Length in Inches 

Common 2m Band Antenna Lengths

• 144.000 Mhz --> 19.7 inches
• 144.500 Mhz --> 19.6 inches
• 145.000 Mhz --> 19.5 inches
• 145.800 Mhz --> 19.4 inches
• 146.520 Mhz --> 19.3 inches
• 147.570 Mhz --> 19.2 inches
• 147.990 Mhz --> 19.1 inches

When receiving only:

• 25 Mhz to 136 Mhz - Extend all nine sections of the antenna
• 136 Mhz to 174 Mhz - Extend only the top four sections
• 174 Mhz to 1296 Mhz - Extend only 1 to 3 lower sections

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Migrating Ham Radio Deluxe to a New Computer

I have been migrating my applications and data to a new computer.  My old computer served me well for many years and has been exhibiting a growing number of issues indicating it was time to be retired. The next step in the transition process was to migrate Ham Radio Deluxe (version 5.24.0.38) to the new computer running the latest version of Ham Radio Deluxe (version 6.7.0.301).

I am very excited about this upgrade to HRD as I am looking forward to running a well supported high-quality application and discovering new features and enhancements.  HRD has been the rug that really tied the shack together.  This will also be the first version of HRD that I have had to pay for as I have always relied on the free version.

My strategy was to migrate my HRD log using a backup as well as custom DM780 macros and then manually configure the application.  I chose this strategy since it was straightforward and would assure a clean migration.  This strategy would also afford me the opportunity to review the HRD configuration for new settings and features that have been introduced since the old freeware version.

I have shared my migration procedures below in case this information is helpful.  If you have any additional tips or advice regarding upgrading and migrating Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) to a new computer, please be sure to leave a comment.

Migrate HRD Log Procedure

1) Install the latest version of HRD on the new computer.

2) Backup the HRD log files on the old computer and save the backup to cloud storage (e.g. Google Backup and Sync, Microsoft OneDrive, ...).

• HRD Logbook --> More --> Backup --> Options
• Change the backup location to use cloud storage
• HRD Logbook --> Backup

3) Restore the HRD backup files from cloud storage on the new computer.

• HRD Logbook --> Backup --> Restore
• Add the cloud storage location of your backup file
• Click Restore
• Confirm the number of records to restore and click, "yes"
• Confirm the number of restored entries and click, "OK"
• Click "Finish"

Reconnect HRD to the ARRL LoTW

1) HRD Logbook --> More --> LoTW --> Download

2) Add the LoTW username and password

3) Click download to confirm it is working properly

Migrate HRD DM780 Macros Procedure

1) Save the old Macros to a file on cloud storage

• Digital Master 780 --> Tools --> Macros
• Save the file to cloud storage

2) Load the old Macros into the new HRD

• Digital Master 780 --> Tools --> Macros
• Load the macro file on cloud storage

Confirm the old macros are available

Reconfiguring HRD Procedure

I choose not to attempt to migrate HRD configuration settings from my old version of HRD to the new version of HRD on the new computer.  I didn't want to deal with having to clean up self-created migration messes to save a few minutes of configuration.  Manually configuring HRD would work just fine for my needs and this would also provide me with an opportunity to discover new configuration settings and options.

1) HRD Logbook --> Callsign (My Info)

• Name
• Locator
• QTH
• E-Mail
• HomePage
• Radio
• Antenna
• Power

2) HRD Logbook --> Clock

• Format - change to GMT/UTC

Reassociate Keyhole Markup Language with Google Earth

During testing, I found that HRD would not launch Google Earth when attempting to do a lookup on a contact.  Instead, Adobe Reader was being launched due to a mis-association in Windows with Adobe and .KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files.  The solution was to re-associate .KML files with Google Earth in Windows.

1. Go to https://developers.google.com/kml
2. Click on "Half Dome hike" to save a .kmz file to downloads
3. Right click on the .kmz file in the downloads folder
4. Select "open with"
5. Select Google Earth and check "Always use this app to open"

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Related posts:

• WSJT-X Automatic Logging Into Ham Radio Deluxe