(2007)
More HF activities
2007 was a HF contest and SES year for me. First time experiments were made to take part in a 160m band contest.
At least 30 new DXCC where made on this band in a few weeks time. I took part in several contests and did work a lot of nice
new DXCC, although we are at the low side of the sunspotcycle. And of course I took part in the PACC 2007, with
a better result (18th place, but in another category) as last year. I also started with some digital modes and made some
succesfull QSOs. Finally in December I was active as Special Event Station PA25HSG,
celebrating the 25th anniversary of our local radioclub.
Equipment
Some new equipment was bought like a headset with pedal TX switch, a laptop
PC special for radio use, digital modem (the good old soundcard modem was not as good as I thought and this one has VOX TX inside),
a digital voicekeyer, a new PALSTAR antennatuner.
At the end of the year the Diamond CP-6 I had on the mast for 2 years now broke, I already
made some repairs after the stormseason (January/February) but this time I didn't even try. A major contest was approaching and
I needed an antenna fast. I remembered that I had my old 11 Mtr GPA half wave antenne somewhere in the corner of the gardenshack. I did made a 1:9 balun in it, and carried
out some experiments in the summer. Not that I was impressed, but when I put it up into the mast above the 6 elem. logper. it did a better job then the Diamond CP-6
and most important I had no problems with rain anymore like I did with the Diamond.
QSOs made in 2007 approx. 3000 including the SES activation in December. What the next project is,
well I don't know for certain. Total I have some thoughts about converting the 6 element logper. into a 5 elem. 6 mtr yagi and put up my old 5 elem. 10m yagi beneath
it in the mast. Or convert the 5 element 10m into a 5 element 6 mtr yagi?
(2008)
Going digital and HF contests
2008 did bring a lot of changes. First of all I did a made a lot of "digital" contacts in PSK and other modes. Using HRD + DM780.
I even reached the 6th place at the biggest dutch contest of the year, the PACC in the SOAB LP SSB category. Well, then we decided to move to another house
with more space and a bigger garden.
I had to remove the antennemast again...well you can imagine with all the concrete what kind
of work was involved. At the end of the year I started again from a new location which is Roodeschool (JO33KJ).
I also decided that this is my last project description on my homepage as I started with a weblog. You can read all of my new adventures
and projects at: http://pe4bas.blogspot.com
Lots of projects to go. Amateur radio is FUN !