A new KL7 QRP Record

ARRL DX CW 2016

Steve KL7SB and Wes WL7F joined me (N1TX) to form a pretty potent multi-single team at KL2R. Band conditions were really good, especially considering how iffy things were in the weeks and days prior.  In fact, it's safe to say propagation was so good at times the team's capacity to log was nearly saturated.  A big surprise was the solid-rate openings on 40m. The phased verticals worked stupendously.  The final claimed score bested a 2014 SO effort (N1TX) by about 350 QSOs and 100k points.

One of several highlights was working Phil AK7DD (ex-KL8DX), who now resides in Oregon. Check out his QRP activity (with an indoor antenna) here. He works us at around 5:30 into the video.

Score Summary

 Band     QSOs     Pts  Sec

   3.5      25      75   16

     7     489    1461   55

    14     636    1908   52

    21     781    2343   57

    28     104     312   22

 Total    2035    6099  202

Score: 1,231,998

Ten-Tec Patriot in the Shack

Recently I have had a lot of chatter with Dan KL1JP, Charles WL7CW, and Neal W7USB about a low-cost beacon and HF monitoring system to be deployed throughout Alaska.  Propagation is very spotty and localized in the high latitudes.  The notion of utilizing skimmers, as well as modes like JT-65, JT-9, and WSPR has a lot of appeal.  The prototype will be based on the new Ten-Tec Patriot Arduino-based transceiver and a Raspberry Pi 2 controller.  The beacon project will be documented in future posts.

However, first a few words about the Model 507 Patriot, which arrived a few days ago.  I placed an order fully expecting a three-week ship date, but I had the box in hand barely more than two weeks later.  Packaging and contents are spartan.  You get a radio and a manual.  Period.  No cables, no connectors, no mic.  

If you look carefully at the photo, you will see what appears to be a rubber cover or button left and below the large tuning knob.  I puzzled over this one a moment.  It turned out to be a rubber foot from underneath, and an easy transplant to fix.  I can only think it was packed that way.

Band, bandwidth, and tuning steps are all selectable using the SELECT and FUNCTION buttons. Mic audio and line in/out signals are on the MIC/DATA connector.  The CW SPD adjustment is actually an additional internal potentiometer available for user programming like CW keying speed. The transceiver does not include an internal keyer.

Three adjustment pots are on the side of the cabinet to set audio levels for mic and line level interfaces on the eight-pin mic connector. 

The rear panel provides connections for power (10-15 VDC @ 1.5A), key or paddle (there is no built-in keyer), and antenna (BNC).  Removing two screws on the panel to the left of the antenna will give you access to the Arduino's  USB port.  Knurled knobs, hinges, or a similar arrangement would make removal easier.  

Access to the interior requires removal of four screws, two on each side, as well as a star washer and 9/16" nut on the BNC antenna connector.  If this radio is part of your go-kit, make sure you include a small wrench or socket as well as a Phillips screwdriver.

The audio is far better than expected as tested through a pair of Heil headphones.  Here are a couple of quick demos from 20 meters:

20m RTTY and CW.

20m SSB

Even though there is no frequency display, the LED in the upper right will illuminate constantly when band edges are reached.

Gee, That Was a Lot of Fun!

If anyone had told me a week ago I could have this much fun running QRP from Alaska, I'd have said they were nuts.  I started the ARRL 10 meter contest at 5 watts just to test the waters, thinking I would soon grow frustrated and go with a LP entry. 

Encouraged by the initial results, I stuck it out at QRP.  NL7YL's CW QRP AK record has stood since 1991, and I crushed it.  Another KL QRP might beat me this year, but the basic score was very gratifying. I could work just about everyone I could hear.  I even had some brief runs.  Conditions were far from spectacular, especially lacking EU.  

Laboring under some disadvantage with tri-banders no longer horizontal after a month of back-to-back ice and wind storms, it's good to know the station still has some competitive standing.  The QSO count exceeds my lifetime QRP achievement by two orders of magnitude.  I can't complain about that.

Call: KL2R
Operator(s): N1TX
Station: KL2R

Class: SO CW QRP
QTH: KL7
Operating Time (hrs): 10.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:  333    68
  SSB:           
-------------------
Total:  333    68  Total Score = 90,576

Weak Signal Redux with JT65A

While I like to operate a fair amount on PSK31 during non-contest time, that mode simply is not robust enough to cope with the flutter and Doppler smearing on the trans-polar paths.  To be fair, the popularity of PSK31 and its performance on a light band make it a valuable asset in the mode arsenal.  However, phase-shift keying detection requires a relatively pristine and stable carrier.  Also, the lack of forward error correction in the data stream makes it completely vulnerable to corruption caused by the peculiarities of a turbulent ionosphere.

Various other weak signal modes on HF have captured my interest for a while, as you can see by reading earlier posts on playing with Olivia during a solar storm and impressive results on QRP via the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network.  Modes based on multi-tone frequency-shift keying are inherently better suited than PSK for rough skywave conditions.  Detection is easier, because the demodulator does not have to lock to an unsteady carrier.  Also, if the data stream carries some redundancy and/or error-detection or error-correction coding, the impact of a lost tone here and there due to selective fading can be minimized.

Over a decade ago, Joe Taylor K1JT began to develop some rather robust modes for weak signal communications at VHF to bring exotic propagation modes like moonbounce and meteorscatter more down to earth for hams unable to erect giant arrays and to run legal limit power amplifiers.  The project evolved into "Weak Signal Communicatons, by K1JT", or WSJT for short.  The protocols now in use include FSK441 for meteorscatter and JT65, which has proven very popular for V/UHF moonbounce and is increasingly used by weak-signal enthusiasts for HF skywave propagation.  JT65 has a number of sub-modes, but you will find JT65A in common use on the HF bands.  If you have a soundcard interface for your radio and can keep the PC clock fairly well synchronized, you have all the fixin's for a JT65A operation once you add some software.

Several weeks ago I downloaded the WSJT 9.0 package, which is available for Windows and Linux.  I must admit to have been a bit overwhelmed by reading through the user's guide, but eventually things started to make some sense.  Getting everything set up and ready to use takes some deliberation, and it helps to have an experienced Elmer to guide you through getting on JT65A.  (The Alaska-Yukon Weak Signal Group is a great resource for us northern hams.)  Those a bit impatient who just want to cut to the chase with a single mode can download JT65-HF written by Joe Large W6CQZ.  The software runs on Windows only.  The interface is  intuitive, and soon you can be pointing and clicking your way to DXCC.

Make no mistake.  JT65A is not a ragchewing mode.  Each transmission and decoding cycle takes about one minute, and messages are limited to 13 characters.  Nevertheless, it is very effective getting basic information exchanged across an otherwise-impossible channel, even more effective than CW when the signal-to-noise ratio dips to the -10 to -20 dB range.  Case in point:  Last night on 40M, I monitored an exchange between ZS (South Africa) and FR (Reunion Island) in the SW corner of the Indian Ocean.  I couldn't hear a thing, and I could barely make out the tones on the waterfall display.  

JT65A is powerful stuff!  Many operators use 10-25W into simple wires or vertical antennas for worldwide contacts.  These are during conditions in which your grand pappy would have had sense enough to go fishing instead.

QRPp and a Magnetic Loop

W0MRZ had an awesome signal into KL2R this afternoon on 20m PSK31.  He said he was running 500 milliwatts and a magnetic loop antenna just delivered.

Update 2 Jan 11:  We successfully made a two-way QSO on 40m just before 0200Z!