 |
| DN28lv, all fat and sassy in an RV Park. Looking southeast. Canada is 6 miles north. |
DN28lv
We found a great RV park in the Tobacco Valley (emphasis on valley after last night's hemmed in QTH) at Eureka, MT. I'm all set up and ready to go. We'll be here two days and then still be in DN28 when we move toward Libby, MT. Off to town, they're having a street fair.
DN38al
Arrived in West Glacier, MT after crossing the Continental Divide. Six meters is dead right now, but I'll scanning and will hit meteor scatter tonight and tomorrow morning. We're in the mountains so not a great horizon.
I was able to get out some on meteors: ND0B, K6EU, KU7Z, KB7ME, and KD7UO worked.
I was able to get out some on meteors: ND0B, K6EU, KU7Z, KB7ME, and KD7UO worked.
DN48kh - more Es action
It was very nice to get an afternoon opening to W9-land. It was plenty strong so after some urging I went to SSB for several contacts. 45 stations worked and some double-hop to the southeastern States mixed in. Best DX W4TV (FL), KJ4E (FL) and K2SX (SC).
Lots of campers moving into this place now for the weekend, so I'll have to be more judicious with my generator use in the morning. We headed to the mountains tomorrow. DN38 here we come.
I'll have my log up on LoTW tonight if the Internet hold up.
Lots of campers moving into this place now for the weekend, so I'll have to be more judicious with my generator use in the morning. We headed to the mountains tomorrow. DN38 here we come.
I'll have my log up on LoTW tonight if the Internet hold up.
DN48kh - The meteor scatter version
I was tickled to work 11 stations on the burns this morning: W7MEM, K7MAC, KB5HMU, K6EU, ND0B, N0KE, KC0HLN, VA7SW, VE6CPP, KB7ME and K9YC. I'm learning that DN48 is a long ways from anywhere!
 |
| Tiber Reservoir campground - An island of trees in the vast northern prairie. |
DN48kh
We had a windy hour's ride over from Havre, MT to 12 miles south of Chester, MT on at the Tiber Reservoir. It was windy enough that the truck's 6 speed transmission spent a lot of time in 4th gear - a true Montana breeze. We found our way to the high spot above the dam in the VFW campground and got all set up. I have a great horizon in all directions.
Guess what - the band opened! A very nice double-hop opening all the way to Maine and points south along the east coast. I worked 53 stations before things petered out. Best DX: K1TOL, K1SIX, N3DB, K3WC, W1IPL, K4QI, VE2DLC, K2ZD and loads of others. I had almost fogotten just how much fun 6 meters can be. The propagation would shift very quickly and some of the stations I worked were here and gone in 15 seconds.
It was great to get some action after one of the slowest weeks in June I've ever seen.
Guess what - the band opened! A very nice double-hop opening all the way to Maine and points south along the east coast. I worked 53 stations before things petered out. Best DX: K1TOL, K1SIX, N3DB, K3WC, W1IPL, K4QI, VE2DLC, K2ZD and loads of others. I had almost fogotten just how much fun 6 meters can be. The propagation would shift very quickly and some of the stations I worked were here and gone in 15 seconds.
It was great to get some action after one of the slowest weeks in June I've ever seen.
 |
| Now that is more like it! |
Travel Day
DN48 bound, only a 70 mile day so we're slow heading out.
This is the storm we followed into Saskatchewan yesterday.
This is the storm we followed into Saskatchewan yesterday.
Day Off But ...
 |
| Ok Yank, let me see that ham ticket before you operate /VE5. From today's Fort Walsh trip. |
 |
| A bit of enhancement let me see KE7NR, Don switching from RR tone to 73 tone. 1045 miles. Probably shouldn't even mention - no Es has appeared in DN58 yet. |
DN58dn - A Small Move
We're urban camping at the Havre Fairgrounds now. Just a 10 mile move to hookups and getting the A/C going as it will be 95 degrees today. Only worked W7MEM, and KB7ME on meteors this morning.
 | |
| Mrs. KB7Q a.k.a. Joyce hanging out reading (not QST). |
PSK2K
It was a slow day here in camp so I decided to try the newest meteor scatter program/mode PSK2K. Why not? It's free and there is enough support now to ensure a good chance of success. After reading the installation instructions several times, and following them carefully, going slowly step-by-step to create the folders and move the files around as specified the program almost worked. It took a few more tests to get the sound card built into my microHam USBIII interface to output PSK2K audio to the rig - WIN7 is all fun and games when it comes to audio handling! Anyhow I was all set by late afternoon.
K7IP and K7EK served as my guinea pigs while I floundered thru a couple of contacts with them. My first impressions are a) my HP 1.6 GHz 3 GB RAM laptop computer is barely adequate to keep up with the hefty processing that happens on a meteor burst b) it really does work well and is worth the time spent exploring, especially if it delivers -8 SNR decoding ability. c) Just like WSJT re-reading the users guide really helps after you have used the program a bit. The buttons and program flow start to make sense d) things are much more automated then FSK441 and you don't get to see much of "what is behind the curtain".
The installation of the program is clearly the hardest part, but if you know WSJT-FSK441 you'll get the idea of how the program functions after a few contacts.
Some PSK2K links:
An Overview
PSK2K FAQs
N5TM's PSK2K Excellent Site & Source of Helping Hands
PSK2K Users Guide
K7IP and K7EK served as my guinea pigs while I floundered thru a couple of contacts with them. My first impressions are a) my HP 1.6 GHz 3 GB RAM laptop computer is barely adequate to keep up with the hefty processing that happens on a meteor burst b) it really does work well and is worth the time spent exploring, especially if it delivers -8 SNR decoding ability. c) Just like WSJT re-reading the users guide really helps after you have used the program a bit. The buttons and program flow start to make sense d) things are much more automated then FSK441 and you don't get to see much of "what is behind the curtain".
The installation of the program is clearly the hardest part, but if you know WSJT-FSK441 you'll get the idea of how the program functions after a few contacts.
 |
| My second contact using PSK2K. |
Some PSK2K links:
An Overview
PSK2K FAQs
N5TM's PSK2K Excellent Site & Source of Helping Hands
PSK2K Users Guide
DN58dj
Another excellent meteor scatter session. K5WE (1117 miles), N0LWF, KB5HMU, W7OUU, K7IP, and KC0HLN (934 miles) logged.
K0YW worked on CW this morning also.
K0YW worked on CW this morning also.
 |
| Nice FSK441 ping and a pinglette from K5WE, 1117 miles. |
 |
| Looking south at the Bear Paw Mountains. |
DN57 --> DN58dj
Still no Es, but a great session on meteors this morning before we broke DN57 camp. WA5TKU, W5KI, KE7NR, K7ULS, N0LWF, N7EA, KO9A, and VA7SW worked.
Packing up now to head toward Havre, MT.
Arrived just south of Havre, MT mid-afternoon at Hill County Park, we have the whole west side of Beaver Creek Reservoir to ourselves. We stopped for a nice lunch in Chinook, MT. Windy, but station is all set up and ready. Es anyone? Anyone?
Packing up now to head toward Havre, MT.
 | ||
| R26 tone from WA5TKU, Texas 1141 miles. |
 | |
| R26 tone from KO9A, Illinois 1105 miles, Jim was running 100 watts. Hint: Just past 15 second hash marks! Burst is from another caller. |
 |
| DN58dj, south of Havre, MT - Big Sky Country! |
DN57gb
Still no Es, so meteor scatter using FSK441 is the only game in town, other then at Lucky Lil's casino. Worked N0KE, KB7ME, N7CW, KB7HMU, and KE7NR this morning. There is always the wildlife to watch!
 |
| Just in case you want to know where the RF black hole is centered. |
DN56 --> DN57
I worked K7MAC, KB7ME, N7NW, and N0LWF on morning meteor scatter using FSK441 to finish up the DN56 stay. Then an easy 55 mile ride up to Lewistown, MT and DN57gb. Quiet right now, but I'm all set up and ready to go. We're off grid in the Kiwanis Club rest area/park, so the generator is ready to run the amp.
The antenna on these trips is an M2 6M5XHP shortened to 4 elements. Director 3 is removed along with that boom section, director 2 is then moved 16 inches closer to the driven element - it rides on a new stub boom piece. This makes for a decent Yagi that is quite a bit easier to transport almost assembled, less of problem in crowded RV parks, and easy to man-handle into position even in wind. The mast is 3 six foot sections of aluminum cement float extension handles. SWR is excellent, as is F/B.
Here are a few pictures Joyce took while I set the Yagi up here on the western edge of Lewistown.
The antenna on these trips is an M2 6M5XHP shortened to 4 elements. Director 3 is removed along with that boom section, director 2 is then moved 16 inches closer to the driven element - it rides on a new stub boom piece. This makes for a decent Yagi that is quite a bit easier to transport almost assembled, less of problem in crowded RV parks, and easy to man-handle into position even in wind. The mast is 3 six foot sections of aluminum cement float extension handles. SWR is excellent, as is F/B.
Here are a few pictures Joyce took while I set the Yagi up here on the western edge of Lewistown.
 | ||||
| Assembled boom and elements ride on the RV's ladder. Coax stays attached. |
 |
| About 5 minutes and a 3/8" nut driver to assemble things. |
 |
| Quick mount place secures the boom to the mast. |
 |
| The antenna is light enough to man-handle into position. Note "rotator" line. |
DN56 - Day 2
I had a good session on meteor scatter this morning. Eight stations worked as far east as IL and south to AZ: KB7ME, KS7S, W7ID, KB5HMU, K9MU, KC0HLN, K9CT, and ND0B.
I tore into the amp last night and found the low power side contacts on the open frame T/R relay to need some TLC. I guess even a 35 year old relay needs occasional service. The amp was back to its usual stable self this morning. The amp is a homebrew 3CPX800a7 I stuffed into an old Dentron case - only the power transformer, power switch, and T/R relay are orginal.
We'll see what treats are in store for this afternoon. Drat - not a peep all the rest of the day!
I tore into the amp last night and found the low power side contacts on the open frame T/R relay to need some TLC. I guess even a 35 year old relay needs occasional service. The amp was back to its usual stable self this morning. The amp is a homebrew 3CPX800a7 I stuffed into an old Dentron case - only the power transformer, power switch, and T/R relay are orginal.
 | |||
| I still want an Elecraft KPA500! |
 |
| Here's another view of our camping area. At least it was a great day. |
DN56bk - Harlowton, MT
An easy 2 hour tow over from Bozeman to a nice town park with big campsites. Got the station set up and then spent an hour messing with the amp, it seems the T/R relay doesn't want to T/R - I'm working on it! It worked fine all last weekend. LOL.
Spotty, quick openings to the Midwest, 30 stations worked so far, all single hop to EN grids. We'll be here all day tomorrow.
QSOs uploaded to LoTW.
Spotty, quick openings to the Midwest, 30 stations worked so far, all single hop to EN grids. We'll be here all day tomorrow.
QSOs uploaded to LoTW.
 | ||
| Lovely camp spot along the Musselshell River. |
 | ||||
| The amp gets stuck under the trailer's sofa to kill the fan noise. |
 | ||
| Harlowton, Montana -- Main Street |
Ready to Go
Equipment: 4 element Yagi @ 25 feet, K3 + pre-amp, 500 watts amp, 11,000 pound trailer pulled by a 3/4 ton Chevy truck.
Modes: Name it, I can do it. :-)
Off we go,
Gene, KB7Q
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)