innismir.net

I’ve recently gotten back into Amateur Radio. Around mid October, I got bit with the bug and have started to get back into the hobby. Over the past couple of weeks, with major help from Steve, KB1MEH, I was able to install a FT-7800R in my car and build a Handi-Tenna courtesy of plans available from K5OE. It’s quite a complicated setup to operate, as I have my FT-60R hooked into the handi-tenna listening to the downlink, while I transmit on the FT-7800, while I sit in my car.

I’m slowly getting the hang of it. I’ve successfully worked a few passes of AO-51 with some success. During one evening, sans, Handi-Tenna I was able to contact N4AC in Georgia solely with my FT-7800. He did fade out just as he was giving his grid square, but I am pretty sure he gave correct one.

I did, however, have my first confirmed QSO with K7WIN in Arizona (DM41), during a moderately high pass using my handi-tenna and my mobile. I haven’t gotten the QSL card yet, but thanks to his web log book I was able to see that it was a success. Go me. I really like the idea of a web logbook. I’m going to take a look at what’s available.

The next step that I’m trying to work out is recording passes. Since I have one hand holding the antenna, the other hand holding the microphone, and my brain trying to pick out call signs out of the noise and making sure that I’m on the right frequency, keep a log book is rather difficult. A constant recommendation is that one should record the passes, and pick out call signs later, so I’m taking that to heart. I have a simple flash voice recorder with an external microphone jack, so last night I went out and tested my setup on a 29degree westward pass:

• Jan 28th, 19:40EST AO-51 pass (MP3, 7:29, 3.0MB)

It worked pretty well, but I’m glad I tested the setup, as I found that the voice recorder transmits a distinct rapid clicking that you can hear for most of the pass. Thankfully, you can only hear the clicking if the recorder is in one of the receive paths of the antenna. Moving it out of them fixed the problem.

Next step, possibly getting a cheap, used, dual band HT solely for satellite work, as I dislike swapping the antenna on the FT-60R due to SMA connector horror stories.