Upcoming at the OVMRC

The next meeting of the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club will be on October 18th at the Science Museum in Ottawa

Today in my email I recieved this piece of information about the guest speaker/topic for the October Meeting and was asked to share it with you….

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TITLE:  Cognitive Radio Explained to the Radio Amateur

SPEAKER: Michel Barbeau, VE3EMB

ABSTRACT:

I am a  reader of VA3QV’s blog. In a recent post entitled “Goodbye to an old friend” (August 24, 2012), Bob talks about its Yaesu FT897 that he just sold. As the name  of the post suggests, it is as if Bob and the FT897 developed a friendship over  time. This is pretty much what the cognitive radio concept is all about. It is a  radio that can think. It has a sort of brain with memory and reasoning  capability. It is able to sense the channel conditions, understand the  operator’s preferences, use past experience and determine by itself how it  should operate. After a while, it becomes a sort of operator’s good  friend.

The  cognitive radio paradigm has not yet penetrated the amateur radio market. There  are, however, interesting upcoming applications we should keep an eye on. In the  US, UHF spectrum previously allocated to television broadcast has been  reallocated to wireless networks. The software defined radio technology will be  used to make these networks adaptable and perform at their best. Besides, new  interference management models between radio services are being investigated,  such as the concept of interference temperature. The topic “cognitive radio  system” was on the agenda of the last World Radiocommunication Conference  (2012). Input have been solicited from the amateur radio  community.

I will  introduce this new concept and review some of the practical ideas that have been  put forth. All are welcome!

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Hope to CU there

73bob

Some equipment changes at the VA3QV Station

As you might remember…. I did mention it earlier that I sent my FT 897 packing to a new home …  Well I also sent a tuner with it and the new owner was given the choice of a Yaesu FC-40 Auto tuner or the LDG Z100 Auto Tuner.

Above Picture  LDG Z100 Autotuner

Above Picture Yaesu FC 40 Autotuner

Thanks to Universal Radio for the excellent product information on their website

The new owner thought that the LDG would work better for him and it seems he was right as his new station is getting great reviews on the airwaves and making lots of contacts… ( I am told…)

At home I was using my FT 450 with the Z100 into a 4:1 balun to the 43 foot S9 Vertical Antenna.  When I sold  the Z100 as part of the FT897 deal I had hoped that the build in Autotuner in the FT 450at would of been strong enough to keep the status quo in the shack.  Unfortunately…. No Joy on 80m.

The built in Tuner worked great on everything between 6m and 40m but no luck on 80m.  As we don’t have 60m (Yet) in Canada I can’t comment on that band…  So now what to do??? 

Last night I took the FC 40 out of its box and proceeded to install it in the place of the Z100 and the 4:1 balun.  I had read that several hams had had good luck with remote tuners such as the SGC, the MFJ and the ICOM.  After an earlier  email to S9 I was informed that although (to their knowledge) no one had tried it yet after looking at the FC 40 specs there was no reason why it would not work…

Well today I am pleased to inform you that it works…  I’ve got back full coverage between 6m and 80m (can’t comment about 60m yet) and it seems to be functioning great.  Due to where I have it all installed I might have an issue in the damper fall with control cable locations but for now it seems to be great.  A longer control cable would allow me to route it better…  but for now its working so will be ok for a test period…

All I had to do was attach the S9 to the binding post on the top of the FC 40 then attach the ground radials to the Ground binding post of the FC 40.  I then ran the control cable in to the shack along side the coax run (and yes I had to remember to attach the coax to the FC40 as well) and then plug the control cable to the FT 450′s Tuner Plug.  After that it was just a matter or going into the menu system and changing the Tuner Button from Internal to External Tuner and we were in business.

So far so good…  I’ll let you know if anything changes…

73bob

Wednesday at the Iroquois Lock Station

As you know (yesterday) a bunch of us from Ottawa made our way south to the St Lawrence Seaway and set up shop at the Iroquois Ontario Lock Station.  The purpose of this was to have a bit of a “Meet N Greet” with Connie NR4CB as she continues on her summer road trip which is well documented on her Blog…

Doug VE3DLJ and his friend Carmen drove me down and we arrived at the Lock Station around 130pm.  As we arrived and unpacked the BBQ and the Radio Toys (FT 897 LDG Z100 auto tuner and a W3EDP Antenna) we were met by Bob VE3MPG and his fantastic camera.  The following pictures are all courtesy of Bob (unless otherwise noted) and we thank him for providing them and allowing me to share them with you…

FT 897 with auto tuner and Marine Battery for Power

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NR4CB and VA3QV

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And if I remember then you hit this button…

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NR4CB making contacts

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CQ de VE3/NR4CB

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Bionic Nerd on the air

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NR4CB playing radio and having fun

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As I mentioned the above pictures were courtesy of VE3MPG

Our visitor from the Iroquois Amateur Radio Club (who were nice enough not to complain when we were putting out more that a few calls on their club repeater for the afternoon)  was Dave VE3JLV.   I don’t know if we got a picture   If we did I’ll get it posted once I see a copy of it…  But thanks for showing up Dave…

We managed to watch a few ships go through the locks as the operating location was about 100 feet south of the actual lock station and so the view was fantastic…

This one was taken with my camera phone so we can’t blame a poor picture on Bob MPG… 

We also had some visitors from the VE3ORF 3730 Group in Ottawa…  Mike VA3MPM, Darrell VA3RDC, Ed VE3ES and Geoff VE3YCB all made the trip from Ottawa and we all sat around telling lies about contacts made.

Mike also showed us the new Alinco HF Rig…  Being a Yaesu Fan I hate to admit it but the rig looked nice and it had a very large display which will make it easy to read…  When I replace the FT450 it would be in contention as it would be nice to operate a radio without my glasses on…  Thanks to Sean VE3HXP of Professional Radio Service of Kemptville Ontario  for loaning it to Mike VA3MPM so he could show it to us…

Around 1900 local after a great BBQ Supper Connie figured she had better get on the road as her last stop of the day was to be in Watertown NY.  After she left  we packed up the gear and lowerd the antenna and we were on the road by 8pm and made it back to Ottawa by around 9pm.  It was a fantastic day with fresh air…  a great operating location and some some friendly visitors as well…

Hope Connie has the same reception as she continues on her travels…  Thanks to all who attended…

73bob

Getting packed for the trip to Iroquois

Well…  the 897, Tuner and W3EDP are packed up…  The food is ready to be packed in the cooler and I have two green cans of propane for the BBQ…

We’re going to Iroquois….

As you know from the previous blog postings a bunch of us from the VE3ORF/3730 Group are heading down to Iroquois Ontario at the Lockstation to treat NR4CB to a afternoon or Portable Operations…   Its a group effort…

To refresh your memory….

Today (Wednesday) a bunch of us are planning to head out of Ottawa around noon to noon thirty and motor south of Ottawa to the St Lawrence Seaway Lock Station at Iroquois.

Most of the participants so far are from the VE3ORF/3730 Group out of Ottawa and the surrounding area.

View Larger Map

We hope to arrive and be on the air by around 2pm. The purpose of this visit will be to play radio from the Island that the Lock Station Park is located on as well as meet and greet the Bionic Nerd NR4CB as she makes her way west from VE2Land on her trip. If you check her blog (above link) you will see that she has been busy for almost a month now and has been sightseeing along with playing radio along the way…

So like I way saying… We set up a HF station at the park along with a VHF station (we will be monitoring the Iroquois Ontario Repeater on 145.290 with a negative offset) once we get set up but will be jumping also to VE2RM repeater on 147.000 with a non standard negative 600 offset rather than the positive offset your radio will try and do… read the book… in case Connie has changed her travel times… As far as HF freqs go we will use whatever band is open. The rig of the day will be my FT897 along with the W3EDP antenna and the LDG Z100 tuner, The power will be supplied by Doug’s marine battery (VE3DLJ) and as we are not sure of frequencies if you happen to hear us please spot us…

We will have a BBQ set up but food is a bring your own style (you supply the grup but we supply the bbq to burn it on) and there is also a take out stand and gift shop at the lockstation as the picnic area is fairly popular during the summer months…

For a little more info on our destination here is their website.

The times are not carved in stone… We will however be set up by around 1400 and will be staying till it ends… If you want to come and visit concider this your invite… If you want to work us on the air then you know where we will be and roughly what times…

….So that should bring you up to speed

So like I said…  I will be leaving Ottawa around 1230 and should be there around 1330 and hope to be on the air by 1400.  We know that NR4CB reached Cornwall last night after spending a couple hours parked on the 401 wb after a large accident happened miles infront of her in Lancaster Ontario.  She spent the night in Cornwall and will be meeting us in Iroquois around 1400 eastern.  If you follow VA3QV-7  on aprs.fi you will be able to see when we get to Iroquois and I would assume that on the air about 30 minutes later…

Check the clusters for VE3/NR4CB as I’m not sure what bands will be open and what skeds that Connie has already arranged…

Enjoy your day…  A bunch of us will be having a BBQ and Playing Radio in the Great Outdoors so I know we will be enjoying ours…

73bob

 

Between all the excitement

Well lets see now…

The Capitals beat the Bruins and I-C denied developmental licences for reasons unknown…  and I was out playing in the park today with my FT 897 running higher power levels…

Yup…  I actually was running 100w for a few minutes but then dialed it back to 20 and still made the contacts…  Its been a while since this rig has made it outside.  Normally it only heads to the great outdoors for Field Day but this time its a bit different.

I will be using the FT897 on Friday as part of the Communications Demonstration that a few of us are giving to the Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria Ontario.  We will be demonstrating a few different operating modes and I will be attempting to show HF NVIS SSB operations.

That means that I have to use a little more than my regular 5w portable equipment as it would be not really impressive to use the poor band conditions excuse to people who do not understand the hobby or the science of radio propagations…

So seeing that most of my antennas are also QRP Antennas (made with lightweight wire) rather than the thicker wire that can handle 100w I decided to build a new dipole.  Seeing that the dipole was built the next step was to take it out and fill it with RF and see how things worked…

This afternon VA3PCJ and myself headed over to a local park and I strung the antenna up about 4 feet off the ground and fired up the FT897 on 40m…  I set the power for 100w and the built in SWR meter on the radio said that I had done an OK job when I built the antenna as the SWR was fine…  After that I dialed the power back to 20w and spun the dial on 40 to see what I could find…

Even with the lowered antenna which SHOULD OF shortened the first hop the band was very long…  In no time I had a couple of W3′s in the log and a trio of W8′s but no VA/VE3′s…  We managed to talk to VE3HVA on 40m but seeing that we were about 2 miles west of Ricks house I won’t count groundwave…  but I did get a nice signal report…

Finally just before I tore down I did manage an actual contact in Ontario when I talked to VE3PSV on the Trans Provincal Net…

So the antenna worked fine and its also durable and strong enough to handle the 100w of the FT897 which is a good thing but…  It makes me a bit nervous when I have done everything I can and I’m still dependant on the Propagation Deity to ensure the successful demonstation

73bob

Some info from Industry Canada on the 60m “Developmental” Band

After last weeks announcement and subsequent RAC Bulletin on the topic I sent an email out to Industry Canada asking them for the correct information on the topic.

Today in my inbox came the following:

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Good  afternoon Mr. Sharp:

Thank you for your query regarding the  licensing of Developmental Radio Stations utilizing frequencies within the 60  metre radio frequency band in Canada.

In the near future Industry Canada will  be publishing a consultation paper on the opening of the 60 metre band for use  by the Canadian Amateur Radio Service.

Favourable responses to the  consultation would allow radio amateurs access to 5 specific frequencies within  the band with specific emissions designators and power levels on a secondary, no  protection, non-interference basis. This would be in line with what US amateurs  currently have access to.

At this time, the Department is  accepting applications for the use of these frequencies under the authority of a  Developmental Radio Licence. Applicants are required to submit an application  and to pay licensing fees in accordance with the Radiocommunication  Regulations.

An Amateur Radio Operator holding the  Basic + (with Honours) or the Advanced Certificate will be eligible for  licensing on these frequencies.

Application may be made by means of the  Industry Canada form, IC-2365, (Application for Licence to Install and Operate a  Radio Station in Canada) accompanied by form IC-2430, (Radiocommunication and  Broadcasting Antenna Systems Attestation) available at our website at, http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf01700.html#radiocom

The application must  include, the NAD 83 Coordinates and the street address of the proposed station.  The current licensing fee for the month of April is $52.80. (This fee is  pro-rated based on the month that the station is authorized within a given  year.) Immediate payment may be made by telephone by means of VISA or  MASTERCARD.

Authority will be on a non-interference  and no-protection basis and shall not cause interference to the fixed and mobile  operations domestically or of other administrations and if such interference  occurs, the operator may be required to cease operations.

The developmental authority will  be restricted to the use of 5 specific frequencies with no antenna or height  restrictions.

The operating frequencies will be:  5.332 5.348 5.3585 5.373 5.405 (MHz)

Authority will be subject to the  following conditions:

- Transmissions must not exceed an  effective radiated power of 100 Watts (PEP)

- Transmissions shall be restricted to  the following emission modes and designations: 2K80JE3, 2K80J2D, 60H0J2B and  150HA1A

- Transmissions shall not occupy more  than 2.8 kHz (centered on each frequency)

- Operators shall not cause  interference to fixed and mobile operations domestically or of other  administrations

(if such interference occurs, the  operator may be required to cease operations.)

- Operators may not claim protection  from interference by fixed and mobile operations domestically or of other  administrations

- The authority may be withdrawn at any  time by the Department

Applications may be submitted to your  local district office which is at spectrum.ottawa@ic.gc.ca.

Regards,

Sylvia  Lamarche

Amateur Radio Service Centre | Centre de service pour la radio  amateur Spectrum  Management Operations Branch | Direction général des opérations de la gestion du  spectre Industry  Canada | Industrie Canada

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So there you have it….  Quick and easy and to the point…  Spelled out so easily that even I understand it…

If you want the operating privs and you meet the requirement (current Canadian HF Privs) then you can apply for the Developmental License to operate on 60m.  Eventually we all will be allowed there but if you want to get a head start you know what to do…

In my case my FT450 and FT897 need to get the frequencies programmed in as their 60m freqs are from before the USA changed the allotment.  I understand there is a fix coming soon from Yaesu.  My FT817 was the orignal version and does not come with 60m other than the Alaska Emergency Frequency so I don’t see any 60m portable work happening till I get a new radio.  However with everyone flogging their portable rigs to get the $$$ for a KX3 perhaps it might be sooner than later for me…

73bob

 

Looking forward to the Iroquois ARC FleaMarket (hamfest)

Well its that time of the year… AGAIN…

I was reminded by a Tweet from Durham Radio that if I wanted to order any new toys to be brought to Iroquois that I better do it fairly soon..  I spoke on the phone with Larry at Durham shortly after that and with any luck the antenna I asked them to bring will be off loaded from the UPS truck and loaded into their trailer for the trip to Iroquois.  Its as simple as that…

(Below- you can see their trailer behind the mobile antenna platform…)

(Above- they always smile as they take my money…)

On the topic of the Iroquois Hamfest…  I decided to sell off some gear in order to make room for some new toys…  I sent an email to the organisers at Iroquois and found out to my dissapointment that the tables were sold out and there was a waiting list…  Looks like it will be a good turnout at Iroquois if all the tables were sold in advance…  I’m going to buy the new toys before I sell the old ones this time and maybe Liz won’t notice that the pile has grown in the basement…

I guess I’ll have to get my table order in early for the  Ottawa Amateur Radio Club (OARC) Hamfest in Carp Ontario  (outside Ottawa) held the weekend after Labour Day.

But if anyone is travelling into Ottawa before then who is looking for a FT897 (60m version) along with a FC40 auto tuner (boxes, manuals etc) that Liz bought for me new a few years ago let me know…  Price to be argued about but I insist you use it before you buy it…  That way you know it works and I show you it works…  Email me (callsign at rac) works and we can talk… 

If I had gotten into Iroquois I would of set it up there with an antenna to show you it works…  the same will happen at Carp or when you visit Ottawa… I show you it works… you make the contacts with it… you know it works and its a done deal… NO DRAMA that way.

So getting back to Iroquois…  Doors open at 9am and there should be a talk in on their repeater 145.290.  After the event normally there is a large group that heads over to the local truck stop for a late breakfast or early lunch.  Its an unofficial thing but you normally would see a crowd there from Ottawa (you might see me) along with a large contingent from the 3730/VE3ORF group.

I’ve been to Iroquois in the past and I’ve always had a great time… and so have others

Hope to CU There….

73bob

Changes bring results…

The last week for me (Radio Wise) has just been fantastic.  If you follow this blog you know that I have sold off some old toys (FT847 and FT857) and gotten some new toys (FT450at) and lost an antenna (W3EDP) and recently gained a new antenna (S9 43foot vertical).

Above Yaesu FT847

Above Yaesu FT450

Well in the last week I have managed to bring the new toys (radio and antenna) together and to be honest they are working fantastic (for me at least)  In the years I have been living here although I have always been on the air I have had problems with electrical noise and the fact that my antennas had to be stealthy which normally means a compromise.  My signals were always good enough for talking within 500 miles of home on 40m and 80m and my idea of DX was working North America and parts of Europe.  I’m not complaining (much) and I was having fun…

Now the combination of the FT450 and the S9 Vertical comes into play and it has changed the game completely.  The advanced filtering of the FT450 as compared to my FT847 or my FT897 for that matter is the difference between night and day at my home QTH.  Before it was easy to brag that “If I can hear them I can work them” as I only could hear strong stations…  The difference between the Vertical and hidden wires seem to make signal find my transciever much easier as well.

Above FT897

Now I find myself hearing distant stations that I could not hear before and strangely now I can work them as well.  In the last week more DX has found its way into my log than in the last year.  Honest signal reports like 5 x5 and 5 x 7 are now replacing the 5 x 9 (and what was your call again?) .  I am finding it a lot harder to work them after I hear them now as I finally have to compete with pileups…  If I’m getting the station at 5 x 5 then I have to assume that my signal will be close if not lower than that so I have to work to make the contacts but with the help of the S9 they seem to be hearing me…

Part of my new found success has to be given to the improving band conditions as I am hear and working more when I take my QRP Rig out to the local parks ( see previous posts) but…  I am hearing more…  I can filter out my local noise… and I am making more contacts on all bands…

What I did at my station might not work for you but it sure is working for me…

73bob

 

New RADIO in the shack

You might remember that I have been looking for a new rig to replace the Yaesu FT847 which I sold off a few weeks ago… 

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Please welcome to the shack my new (to me) Yaesu FT450 AT…

This little beastie arrived via Canada Post on Friday and I was able to get it up and running with a bit of telephone assistance from Don VA3GFD who is a FT450 AT owner.  Without his help I still would be reading the manual…

So far I have made contacts on 10-20-40 and 80m SSB and the reports are great….  The built in AutoTuner (hense the “AT” at the end of the model number) does work but it has the usual Yaesu  low tolerence of being able to match about a 3:1 swr.  Would be great in the mobile to extend the bandwidth of a hamstick but for the W3EDP or a G5RV its lacking a bit…  

Above Yaesu FC 40

Its a good thing I kept my LDG Auto Tuner but the FT450 is also supposed to work with my Yaesu FC 40 tuner and that one can tune wet string…

 But I am extremely happy with it.  The DSP on the IF section has cleared up most (if not all) of my noise problems.  I can’t wait till I get more used to the radio and then I can really fine tune the filtering and go from there….

So now the shack is looking like this….

HF rig is the Yaesu FT450 AT.  (Above)

Antenna at this time is an inverted “L”

VHF rig is the Yaesu  FT897 (2m, 6m and 70cm SSB) Above

Antennas at this time are Horizontal Loops for 2m and 6m

VHF rig is theYaesu  FT2900 (2m FM)- Above

Antenna at this time is a copper J Pole

APRS rig is the Yaesu FT2400, Rigblaster NOMIC with a laptop running AGWPE and UI View 32 bit- Above

Antenna at this time is a copper J Pole

I still would like to add a multi band vertical to cover 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20m but that most likely will not arrive till the Carp Hamfest in September.  Between now and then the biggest issue would be getting HRD to work with the FT450 and the FT897

There is also a bit of a story about how easy the Yaesu FT 450 was to purchase off the Ontario Swap Shop  but that will be the topic of my next blog post.

For now its all about learning how to use the new rig  and double checking all the coax lines on the reworked antennas

73bob

Is it time for a “Shack Makeover”???

Above Yaesu FT 847

I’ve been thinking about some new toys for the shack….  My direction in the hobby has changed over the last few years and perhaps its time to act my age???  No not really…  but it is getting harder to head out in the boonies to play and their are some other details that come to mind so heres the thought…

Above Yaesu FT 897 with Yaesu FC 40 Auto Tuner

If I was to  sell off the FT847, FT897/FC40 combo and the  FT 857.  The prices to be determined yet,  but I’m pretty sure that if I was to sell all 3 I would be able to pick up a brand new K3 or TS590 without having to open the bank account.  The worst of the three rigs is in “Good” shape and the others are working up towards “Excellent”…  All of them I would concider fully functional, they all work but they have been used..

Above Yaesu FT 857

Liz has given this her stamp of approval and even said it we have to open the bank book so be it…  The biggest issue right now is that I worked so goshdarn hard to get those rigs I kinda hate to sell them.  A lot of scrimping and saving and even more horsetrading got those rigs into my shack and they have all served me quite well over the last few years… 

But right now its a bit of overkill to have a HF (FT857)  mobile I don’t use (and if the Ontario Goverment has their way can’t use) and a Portable Rig (FT897)  I don’t use because I also have a FT817 and as I have mentioned many times the 5ah battery for the 817 is much lighter than the 30ah battery for the FT897 which makes the pack much easier to carry

The thought is there but I’m not sure…  What would you recommend for a HF rig that has all the current bells and whistles…  A Flex???, a FT2000???, a K3???  Whats the best toy…

73bob