Adventures in Ham Radio

[alfsauve]

INTRODUCTION:

Thought I'd start a thread to share Ham Radio adventures.  Upcoming special events, etc.   I know it's been several years, but now I am really read to work Museum Ships next time.

[alfsauve]

Oh My Gosh.   

What have I been missing.   Got on 40m last night for the first time in decades and of course the first time on FT8 digital.  There wasn't any room for my signal.  The waterfall graph was almost completely red.  Made about 20 QSO.

Got back on at 9am this morning and it isn't quite as crowded but plenty busy.  I just wish the Alaska station on Grid Tracker would show up.  HEre's what it looks like.   All the amber/red "waterfalls" on the top graph represent stations, sometimes multiple stations on one frequency. 

[alfsauve]

Not been a week yet.   I'm becoming addicted to the digital modes.  If you've used WSJT software then you understand when I say, I'm trying to turn all the Blue to Green.  (Green meaning I've already contacted that station)   So here's my Worked All States status as of this PM

[Rastus]

I haven't done the digital thing yet.  I have an FT991A and an FTDX 3000 both of which are supposed to interface to the computer easily.  If I knew what good cheap software to get I may try it.

I think I'll fire up the 80 meter vertical loop tonight and the 6 meter dipole.  Are you going to be on tonight 03-SEPT?

[alfsauve]

... If I knew what good cheap software to get I may try it.

I think I'll fire up the 80 meter vertical loop tonight and the 6 meter dipole.  Are you going to be on tonight 03-SEPT?

Sorry, didn't see your post until just now.   

If you want to get on FT8 mode then WSTJ-X software is free and it's pretty much what everyone is using.  It decodes 3kHz of bandwidth and show you all the stations that you're hearing.    By default, Blue means someone calling CQ you haven't worked.  Green means you've worked them.  You can monitor a single frequency in the right window which you use for QSO. 

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

An add-on piece of software, also free, called, Grid Tracker, will monitor WSTJ software and give you a map with pins for all the stations.  It also gives you a convenient list of stations calling CQ and when you click on any station it has a window that will give you all the details of that station from the call book.

The one No-No is you never want to transmit on the same frequency as the stations you're calling.  Remember the software scans the whole segment and reports anybody using your call in red.   It's possible to conduct multiple QSO's at once, so transmitting on another stations frequency will interfere with their other QSOs.   I've only done two at once, cause it gets tricky.  There's a module which will simplify that but I haven't tried it out yet.

Let me know when you want to try again.  Grands are coming over tonight so I'm QRT in just a little while.

[Sponsor]

[Rastus]

I run Ham Radio Deluxe as a logger.  I know it has some radio functions.  I need to see of it does digital. 

[Jim Kennedy-ar154me]

I haven't done the digital thing yet.  I have an FT991A and an FTDX 3000 both of which are supposed to interface to the computer easily.

I have an FTDX 3000 that has never been hooked up and an FT-847. I hope to have my hustler up before too long!!! (I hope)

[alfsauve]

I run Ham Radio Deluxe as a logger.  I know it has some radio functions.  I need to see of it does digital.

I never got HRD because I wasn't active except on local VHF/UHF.  I mean in the last 15 years I've made maybe 3 HF contacts all from back when I had the IC706 in the truck.  So when I got the FT8 digital bug I just went straight to the WSJT software.   When I get ready to branch out and do CW or Phone or some other digital mode I'll look at HRD.

 

[Rastus]

I use HRD for my logger.  It uses my QRZ membership to lookup the contacts and fill in their information before I confirm the contact.  That I really like.

[alfsauve]

Update:

Still operating primarily daytime and digital FT8.   Slowly adding DX contacts.  Am up to 18 countries.  WAS is getting there with the exception of AK and HI.   Building up my 5 band list though.   Need to spend more time on 10m and of course nights on 80m.    Not concerned about 6m very much.  It was a fluke that I made 3 contacts.   Local mail list posted a band opening and I jumped on it briefly.