Entries by Stephan Paukner

Änderungen seit 12/2022

Folgende 18 Rufzeichen sind verstummt:

• OE1MQS
• OE1OWB
• OE1TJA
• OE1VDW
• OE1XGA
• OE1XOR
• OE1YHW
• OE3FFB
• OE5SLO
• OE6GDO
• OE6RST
• OE7PFI
• OE8DKK
• OE8FTK
• OE8GAJ
• OE8HFQ
• OE8WMQ
• OE9JEV

Folgende 29 Rufzeichen wurden bewilligt:

• OE6DBG
• OE6EGE
• OE6GHZ
• OE6GTL
• OE6HLQ
• OE6JJR
• OE6LPK
• OE6MFX
• OE6MPQ
• OE6ODB
• OE6RER
• OE6SAX
• OE6SDO
• OE6SVH
• OE6THZ
• OE6WGG
• OE6XDH
• OE7GTT
• OE8AGL
• OE8CHO
• OE8CHR
• OE8DVI
• OE8GZF
• OE8HMX
• OE8HOH
• OE8IEA
• OE8TAE
• OE8TRH
• OE8XCF

Quelle: Fernmeldebüro

Dieser Eintrag wurde automatisch erstellt. Angaben ohne Gewähr.

He who does radio communication has stories to tell: During the time as an active a ham, memorable stories are accumulating. I want to document these for me before I forget the details. I’m licensed since four years now, and during the last three years I was using CW almost exclusively on the air. In this short time I was collecting (only) a few special moments which I want to share here.

Under the radar

The count and variety of HF band intruders has risen since the Russian invasion in Ukraine this year. One really annoying case are over-the-horizon radars sending in ham radio bands, as these transmissions always consume a remarkable frequency range. These radars can be recognized clearly due to their buzzing sound and tremendous signal strength, so it is pointless to attempt anything over these blockades. (Some hams however try to deliberately disturb these transmissions, but that’s comparable to a bird yelling at a bulldozer.) This April I was in the middle of a QSO with a Briton on the 30 m band, when suddenly a radar burst in, with us being exactly surrounded by noise. It kicked in during my transmission. I was puzzled when I heard it (I use full break-in to receive between my characters), but I had no choice other than continuing my message. It would be hopeless, I thought, to catch any response from my fellow. But, alas, his CW beeps could be clearly distinguished from the buzzing radar noise! I quickly launched Audacity and recorded the rest of our QSO. Try to hear for yourself: (Warning: Noisy!)

G4GUA_OE3SPR_under_radar.mp3

(I tried to enhance the audio later by filtering around 700 Hz, but every attempt made it worse. CW can be distinguished best from the full radar spectrum, interestingly.) I also made a picture of my SDR receiver’s waterfall diagram after one of my transmissions. You cannot make out my friend’s signal visually, though:

So, despite this heavy QRM, we could continue and finalize our conversation, thanks to the powers of morse telegraphy.

QSL via e-mail

I really enjoy exchanging paper QSL cards, especially receiving them from DXpeditions or DX stations. I decorate my shack’s wall with the most picturesque of them. While it makes past QSOs special by having them materialized in paper form, these processes are mostly automated: The prints are generated out of the log program and a common greeting is added. One kind of extra mile and appreciation of a recent contact, however, is an almost immediate personal e-mail after the QSO. For example, I answered two Brits which appeared to be beginners and to have one of their first HF sessions in each other’s company. I had a nice QRS QSO with each of them, and both of them thanked me kindly via e-mail soon after. I also received an e-mail from a young Indonesian after our QSO on 10 m this April.

One very thankful e-mail was again from England. Usually, the weaker signals are most interesting: Is it from far away? Is the station using low power and might thus not get plenty of answers? Will they be able to hear me at all? Well, it turned out, he was QRPP, sending with only 1 W, but easily bridged the 1200 km between us. He later sent me a picture of his setup on the kitchen table, where his TRX was powered by a 9 V battery. I was almost embarassed by me blowing out 100 W. It might have been interesting if I could have turned my output down to 5 W and still have this QSO.

Easy DX

We are three years into the current solar cycle with DX conditions having clearly improved this year’s summer term. Previously, I operated from a garage where I could use my hex beam in a portable-like setup. Since the pandemic I mostly operate from home, using home-made full-size wire loops for 20 m and 30 m and a home-made end-fed for the lower bands. These aren’t directional antennas, though, but I can use them more often, and they are good enough—good enough to have remarkable DX stations reply to my CQ calls: This May I did an unexpectant CQ call on 20 m, and then someone replied with a crystal clear signal... from Indonesia! We had a very nice QSO with hardly any fading. Sadly, I don’t have a recording. I should systematically record my sessions from now on.

Return at first attempt

This is actually just a side note what difference a directional antenna makes compared to a long wire. What positively surprised me during my first hours with my hex beam continued to be awesome whenever I used it: Often, when I joined the pile-up for a DXpedition or DX station with my 100 W rig, only one or a few calls were necessary on my side to already hear the DX station repeat my call! This was already the case when I did SSB. But also my wire loops enabled me to experience these first-attempt successes, since the solar condx are improving.

Getting licensed close to a solar minimum has the advantage of positive surprises for years to come.

Änderungen seit 11/2022

Folgende 9 Rufzeichen sind verstummt:

• OE1SYL
• OE1TJH
• OE2PLO
• OE3BMA
• OE3HKA
• OE4HPC
• OE6WQG
• OE7OMI
• OE8KFS

Folgende 79 Rufzeichen wurden bewilligt:

• OE1BMA
• OE1LBE
• OE1LBR
• OE1LEL
• OE1MAZ
• OE1OOE
• OE1RCI
• OE1RTA
• OE1SKH
• OE1SPH
• OE1TZI
• OE1WCC
• OE1WFM
• OE1WTN
• OE2GDB
• OE3AYC
• OE3BUA
• OE3FJP
• OE3GHL
• OE3HDH
• OE3HIP
• OE3IBB
• OE3JIM
• OE3JWR
• OE3LUH
• OE3PNG
• OE3PWR
• OE3RJG
• OE3SNA
• OE3TRF
• OE3WRP
• OE5AUM
• OE5AUN
• OE5HCV
• OE5IVR
• OE5JSS
• OE5MYB
• OE5NEF
• OE5PCH
• OE5ROI
• OE6DCG
• OE6DFT
• OE6DVM
• OE7AZL
• OE7CBT
• OE7CST
• OE7CXL
• OE7DME
• OE7GRG
• OE7GSB
• OE7JDT
• OE7JUM
• OE7MDP
• OE7MKX
• OE7MTX
• OE7NOF
• OE7OSC
• OE7RJR
• OE7SRR
• OE7WWN
• OE8ALS
• OE8AWZ
• OE8CWG
• OE8DEG
• OE8DGM
• OE8HAM
• OE8IHT
• OE8INR
• OE8MCL
• OE8MDR
• OE8MLM
• OE8PPK
• OE8RAZ
• OE8SES
• OE8SUS
• OE8WAL
• OE8XWQ
• OE8YML
• OE9VVV

Quelle: Fernmeldebüro

Dieser Eintrag wurde automatisch erstellt. Angaben ohne Gewähr.

Update: Wegen Tippfehler im Original-PDF das abgeschnittene Rufzeichen vervollständigt.

Meine automatisierten Blogposts über die aktuellsten Änderungen im Bestand der österreichischen Amateurfunk-Rufzeichen haben das SNR gegenüber meinen eigentlichen Amateurfunk-Postings dezimiert. Daher sind diese Änderungen nur mehr über den Hauptfeed dieses Blogs bzw. über die eigene Kategorie OE Ham Calls auffindbar, nicht mehr über die allgemeinere Ham Radio Kategorie.

Das ist mir dann hoffentlich ein Antrieb, wieder mehr zu diesen Themen aktiv zu sein.

Änderungen seit 10/2022

Folgende 8 Rufzeichen sind verstummt:

• OE1AYA
• OE3MQ
• OE3RUU
• OE5FMM
• OE5HWP
• OE7SST
• OE7TIR
• OE8WHK

Folgende 20 Rufzeichen wurden bewilligt:

• OE1IOA
• OE3CKV
• OE3FJS
• OE3GLF
• OE3GOT
• OE3GVU
• OE3MEZ
• OE3MJK
• OE3TMR
• OE5AQO
• OE5AZR
• OE5GXH
• OE5LTT
• OE5OZO
• OE5YYW
• OE7EMT
• OE8TIR
• OE8XBQ
• OE9XVD
• OE9YEG

Quelle: Fernmeldebüro

Dieser Eintrag wurde automatisch erstellt. Angaben ohne Gewähr.

Änderungen seit 09/2022

Folgende 7 Rufzeichen sind verstummt:

• OE1APS
• OE1CMW
• OE4XTA
• OE4XWA
• OE5BYM
• OE5HC
• OE6YMD

Folgende 8 Rufzeichen wurden bewilligt:

• OE1RBM
• OE3CMW
• OE4AEH
• OE7LSN
• OE8AKY
• OE8GAJ
• OE8MIJ
• OE8RJX

Quelle: Fernmeldebüro

Dieser Eintrag wurde automatisch erstellt. Angaben ohne Gewähr.

I managed to use APRSDroid (v1.6.2b) on a BlackView BV9900pro (Android 10) with a Kenwood TH-D72E TRX. It works, with a few caveats.

The HT itself needs to be set to the same APRS settings as the TM-D710, which are:

• Com Port
  • Baud Rate (screen 330): 9600 bps
  • Input (331): Off
  • Output (332): Waypoint
• Waypoint
  • Format (340): KENWOOD
  • Length (341): 9-Char
  • Output (342): All

One difference to the TM-D710 is that the TH-D72 has got native USB. Therefore, I also set PC Port Output (screen 350) to On.

I connected the HT with a Mini-USB cable to a USB-OTG adapter which had a Micro-USB plug. Using a USB-C adapter, I connected it to the BV9900pro. A simple USB OTG app didn’t list any USB devices connected, though. I noticed I had to switch on “OTG data exchange” in Settings > System. Now APRSDroid showed a USB device connected, and I could start tracking.

I noticed two caveats, which might be completely the smartphone’s fault. (It performs aggressive internal task killing which can’t even be entirely neutralized by rooting and modding.) Note that the “OTG data exchange” setting shows a description that it would be switched off when unused for 15 minutes. In my case, it switches off anyway, even if the phone’s screen is on and APRSDroid is tracking. The second issue is that when I switch to map mode while the USB connection is on, the app freezes and is cumbersome to stop and restart. I always have to switch off OTG first, then study the map, switch back to list view, activate OTG and start tracking again.

Additional thoughts: The TH-D72 is an aging device. It was introduced in 2010, I bought it new when I got licensed in 2018, and it was discontinued soon after. It is still the only device available [besides the TH-D74] that offers an all-in-one solution for Packet/APRS/GPS that also works perfectly from Linux and Android. Although I’m a ham for a little time now, it always puzzles me how information can be so inaccessible to newbies: Only recently I managed to use Packet Radio at 1200 baud to

• send WinLink messages directly from the HT (called APRSLink),
• send ordinary e-mails directly from the HT,
• receive(!) ordinary e-mails directly on the HT, via APRS radio (what is endgame-awesome), and
• use AX.25 on a Linux machine to connect to WinLink via a Packet node,

all of which are actually old-school meanwhile. It also took me four years to figure out APRS works directly between the HT and a smartphone or tablet. At least I established these options for me now.

The TM-D710 disappeared from the market last year, and I was caught by surprise. After months of searching I could finally buy one used. This mobile TRX also offers APRS on-board which can be directly accessed from Linux.

Änderungen seit 08/2022

Folgende 10 Rufzeichen sind verstummt:

• OE1AZK
• OE1EJR
• OE1PBR
• OE3NEC
• OE4USJ
• OE5TKL
• OE6FKM
• OE6HLF
• OE8AIH
• OE8HPQ

Folgende 29 Rufzeichen wurden bewilligt:

• OE1AOH
• OE1LES
• OE1NEC
• OE3HPQ
• OE3PBR
• OE4FKM
• OE5MHX
• OE5UCM
• OE6DPR
• OE6TWF
• OE8APE
• OE8ARE
• OE8BVF
• OE8CAM
• OE8DKR
• OE8ERL
• OE8JHH
• OE8JRP
• OE8KSI
• OE8MBX
• OE8MBY
• OE8MEA
• OE8NVI
• OE8RJB
• OE8SKY
• OE8TIK
• OE8VIL
• OE8WNM
• OE8WOK

Quelle: Fernmeldebüro

Dieser Eintrag wurde automatisch erstellt. Angaben ohne Gewähr.