ARRL International DX Contest 2009 Award

VR2PM - Silent Key

Our best friend, VR2PM became silent key early this morning.

He was one of the active six meter Dxers in the past years, achieved 6M DXCC in 2004.

He will be missed.

Six Meter Propagation

Six meter propagation going well to the south direction from my QTH. Worked VK8MS, DU7/PA0HIP and 9V1TT last evening in between 12:00z to 13:30z. Also heard YC1MH, 9M6XRO and VK4ADC but not making QSOs. With the increase of sunspots, look forward to have more DX activities through the magic band.

Japan CQ Ham Radio Magazine - RTTY Chat Room

HISAMI DEJIMA san, 7L4IOU sent me email recently for virtual interview, which is for the RTTY column in JA CQ ham radio magazine. Now it is published in the March 2010 Issue. Hisami-san is very active ham in the digital mode and read his callsign everytime in the contest.

2009 CQ WW WPX SSB Certificate

In 2009, I participated in the WW WPX SSB contest, category Single Operator 10M high power. The result came out:

First Place in Hong Kong
First Place in Asia
Sixth Place World

I am very happy with the result.

Annual Dinner Lucky Draw

I am very lucky to win one of the lucky draw in the Company's Annual Dinner. It is a Canon SELPHY CP790 Photo Printer.

The Selphy CP790 features a large 3.0″ LCD screen, an integrated carrying handle, storage basket, optional battery pack, Canon’s Easy-Scroll Wheel, and postcard sized prints in as little as 47 seconds.

The outlook of the printer is very nice.

Wan Chi Keung 尹志強

My primary school classmate, one of our best football team member, Wan Chi Keung 尹志強 passed away yesterday (16 February 2010) at the age of 53.

My sympathy and condolences go to Michelle and his family.

QSL card received - JQ1YGU

Following my reception report of the SEEDS ( Space Engineering EDucation Satellite )to the SEEDS Project Team, a confirmation QSL is well received on today.

Digital Talker - SEED II - CO-66

Other than the SSTV image from the SEED II ( CO-66 ), here is the recording of the Digital Talker and SSTV audio from the pass window at 1252z 18 Jan 2010.

http://www.vr2xmt.com/ra/sat/CO-66%20Digital%20Talker%2020100118%20125237z.mp3

Please click the link above to listen, have fun.

SSTV image - SEED II CO-66

At 1352z on 16 Jan 2010, first time received the SSTV images transmit from the SEED II Satellite (CO-66), downlink frequency is 437.485 MHz. Equipment are FT-736R, 12 ele yagi and software MMSSTV.

http://cubesat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/english/seeds_2_e.html

Marvin Gin, W6VM became SK

Received email from John Baer (W6SL) and Bill Fong (W6BBA)informing that Marvin Gin, W6VM passed away on 1/13/2010.
I am sad to hear that. He was in and out of the hospital with diabetes and lung water problems lately.
He was a great guy, ham friend in Santa Maria, CA, USA. He is very much missed. May he rest in peace.

RDXC 2009 Contest Award

HO-68 First QSO

I got my first few QSO'S on the linear transponder of HO-68 last evening.

The new SAT has a fantastic footprint which allowed me to make it possible working JA when the bird start to climb up from the south horizon. What an excellent signal and audio on any station, it was like 20 meter band on a contest day, finally worked 11 JA, 1 HL and 1 BY.

Congratulations to the entire team---from construction, to launch, to commissioning the first Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite. The hard work is evident and appreciated by ham operators around the world.

QRV on Satellite again

I spent two weekends to put back the simple satellite antennas, including:
G-800SDX AZ rotator
G-500A EL rotator
Maspro - 144 MHz 8 element yagi
Maspro - 430 Mhz 12 element yagi

It finished in the late afternoon today, by chance AO-51 passing through, made three QSOs

1) BD4SY 1010z 59 59
2) UK8GDW 1019z 59 59
3) RA0SBY 1020z 59 59

It works fine so far.

Eyeball QSO with Mirek, VK6DXI again

Last evening, met up with Mirek, VK6DXI again while he routing from KaoShung back home. We have a nice chat in a restaurant in Shatin, where nearby by the hotel which he stay for two nights.

He will return to VK land this afternoon. Look forward to meet Mirek again in the short near future.

15M trap cols

The trap coils are rewinded with 2.00 mm wire.

Also Ok and ready to put it back.

Leszek (SP3DOI) and Krystyna (SP3HDB)

Leszek (SP3DOI) and XYL, Krystyna (SP3HDB) started their trip around the world since 30 November, 09. They are arrived Hong Kong in the afternoon of 4 December and scheduled to depart to the next country (Australia) on 6 December. I told them that is the best time to be here because the 2009 East Asian Games will have the opening ceremony on 5 December evening, set in Victoria Harbour. Also, have Fireworks show as well. Fireworks will be roughly at 2115hrs and last for 15 minutes, local time. He took my advice and went up to the Victoria Peak and has dinner there and watches the big show.

On 6 Dec, Leszek and Krystyna took the MTR to Fanling Station, met up with me and my XYL, Pansy. After lunch, back to my QTH and Les spent an hour in my shack to operate the special event call “VR2009EAG”, made about 50 QSO on 17M, majority stations from Europe.


Then I drove them to the Airport in the late afternoon.

I am happy met up personally with Les after many QSOs in the past years, especially while he was the operator in most major Expedition.

http://www.sp3doi.com/expeditions.html

Create 318Jr 10-15-20M Tri-bander

Early this year, I replaced the driven element trap coils (10/15M)of the Create 318jr tri-bander becasue of high SWR. Today I have the same problem again, so I start to check what happen inside and root out problem sources.
The 10M trap looks fine:

However, the 15M trap coil spacing is not in equal spacing, so I removed the winding and found the coil form was melted.


I need to find suitable time and method to fix it. For the time being, running QRP with the Fritzel vertical.

12M Three Element Yagi

Today I put up the home brew 24MHz three element yagi. The SWR is around 1.2 centre at 24.930 , now is waiting for some DX ...

Six Meter with SB-200

Recently I performed several enhancement work to the SB-200 which converted to Six Meter many years ago, including:

1) change the ventilation fan to box fan, it gave out more air flow towards the 572B
2) change the plate choke, Teflon rod with 0.6mm wire , 60 turns.
3) improve input circuit to achieve as low as 1.1 . It worked very fine and power output significant improving, with 65W in , power output reached 600W.. acceptable result.