WSPR (Week Signal Propagation Reporter)

First day on WSPR, another one of those projects that I've been meaning to try for some time.

I configured my Flex 5000 on 5 watts and made all these contacts in less than 4 hours on the 20m band.

Two long distance contacts stretch far below the map to Uruguay, and Brazil !!!

Great way to tell you how your antennas are working on various bands or what band conditions are like.

My setup

• Flex 5000a transceiver on 5 watts output.
• 80m OCF Diple antenna at about 30' off the ground with a N/S orientation.
• WSJT-X software ("Weak Signal Communication, by K1JT") version 1.7.0
• 3.4Ghz Intel Quad Core PC, 16GB Ram, SDD, running Windows 7 Pro

UPDATE 8:16pm

By 8pm when I powered things off for the evening here were my final results. I'm just floored I made this many confirmed contacts all in a single day. 

Using the WSPRnet.org website I was able to cross reference and see if I made a contact with the Canada C3 Expedition, CG3EXP Special Event and WSPR station. Sadly not on this first try, but next weekend I'll give it another go. Right now the ship is sailing east away from me along the Saint Lawrence Seaway heading to the Atlantic, then it will sail north to the entrance of the Northwest Passage and sail west all cross northern Canada. I'm sure when it's westward bound I'll be able to make some contacts.

Getting WSPR up and running wasn't easy and I spent a few frustrating hours this past week trying to get it working. As with any challenge I learned a lot along the way and when I was able to get it working it performed much better than expected.

Elecraft - All Kitted Out

I very much enjoyed building my Elecraft KX3 and PX3 kits over the last 6 months and finally have all the accessories I want (for now).

Here's everything listed

• Elecraft KX3 Transceiver (kit build).
• Elecraft PX3 Panadapter (kit build).
• Elecraft T1 Miniature Auto Tuner (an item I owned/reused from a previous QRP rig)
• Cooler KX Plus Heatsink from http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
• Windcamp KX3 Shield Kit (side panels and protective cover)
• Windcamp PX3 Shield Kit (side panels and protective cover)

Everything is assembled and working great.

Explosion Danger Lurks!

I work for an electronics division of Watts Water Technologies, "Explosion, Danger Lurks!" is an early Watts safety film reel that highlights the dangers of unprotected water heaters and the critical

need for Temperature and Pressure (T&P) relief valves. According to The Watts Way (a history of Watts published in 2004), the film was created in the 1930s as part of an educational campaign to get T&P relief valves specified in safety codes around the US.

  

How It's Made - Audio Vacuum Tubes

How It's Made - McIntosh Tube Amp

The Grand Tour: The Official Trailer

Kraft Hockeyville - Oct 2nd 2016 - Lumby BC

Well today's the day. Earlier this year our little town won the national Kraft Hockeyville Contest. We won money to fix up our aging arena building, we also won an NHL game between the Edmonton Oilers and the LA Kings. Alas our little town was just too small to host the NHL preseason game in our arena so our neighboring city of Vernon BC is lending us their facility to host the Practice and televised Game. There were ticket raffles to both events and Kelly and Molly are in Vernon right now attending the Practice session. Other events occurred throughout this weekend including the Stanley Cup in Lumby yesterday and both NHL teams doing a meet and great with our local minor hockey teams early this morning at our arena.

I would like to thank everyone in Lumby who organized and participated in this event. It's been a huge effort for a small community to organize and I'm so proud of the excitement it's brought to my hometown. Thanks also to Kraft and the NHL for making this contest happen each year. Best of luck to all the town's entering in 2017.

Molly and Michela skipped the massive lineup and took a quick photo from behind the Stanley Cup display table.

Elecraft KX3 and T1 Working Together

I did some testing this morning and once I figured it out I needed to document it for myself (and anyone else that's interested).

Attached to an 80m OCF Dipole antenna I tried the tuning sequence between an Elecraft KX3 QRP Transceiver and the Elecraft T1 pocket QRP Auto Tuner.


NOTE the SWR readings off my 80 OCF dipole are higher than normal and I'm fairly certain I know that some branches and leaves are to blame. Another job on my to-list this fall.

This combination actually works very well together even though most KX3 owners have gone the route of adding the internal KXAT3 tuner option. I was on a budget and ordered the KX3 as a kit with no options other than the hand mic. I intend to add options later as I can afford them. My hope was that my existing T1 tuner that I purchased for another QRP rig would integrate well enough with the KX3 that I could use them together until I purchased an internal KXAT3.

As you can see from the quick video demos they do work well together with a few button presses in the correct sequence.

1) Press and hold the PWR/TUNE button on the T1 until the solid green light appears, then release.
2) Within 3 seconds you must press and hold the XMIT/TUNE button on the KX3 until it switches into tuning mode and starts transmitting a CW tone.
3) The T1 tuner will instantly start working and the KX3 display starts showing you the SWR readings and the power output of the radio.
4) When the T1 stops chattering and the KX3 display shows the final SWR reading press and hold the XMIT/TUNE button again until the radio exits the tuning mode and stops transmitting tone.

On a good antenna the sequence is very quick. On a more challenging scenario like a long wire it can take more than 5 seconds to try various options until it settles on the best result.

KX3 Assembled and Operational

My Elecraft KX3 is built and ready.

I wasn't feeling well this week so I did the work over a few evenings, which was easy to do when you assemble the kit one half at a time. Total it was probably a little over 2 hours from start to finish building it and I would guess I also spent about that much time reading the two manuals (assembly and operations). So all told about 4 hours work between Tuesday and Friday.

I hope if I'm feeling better this weekend I'll get a chance to play with it for a few hours and test out the aftermarket heat sink while doing some digital mode QSO's.

So far my first impressions are that it's smaller than I expected but has more features, both of which make me very happy.

There are a few more official accessories that I would like to add, but I'll need to save some money or put a few of them on my Christmas list for Santa.

73

Elecraft KX3 Assembly Part One

The KX3 kit and the 3rd party heat sink has arrived. I am very pleased with Elecraft's excellent packaging and documentation.

Special thanks to Fred VE7FMN from Simply Manufacturing for his very well designed and built Cooler KX Plus heat sink. His kit also includes everything needed plus tools.

Over the last two evenings I started the assembly of the KX3, at first I opened and inspected the contents of the kit and got stuff sorted and organized. Elecraft sorts the bits and pieces in the box, but opening and verifying the contents helped when I got started as I knew where everything was and that I had everything needed to complete the build. Elecraft does a great job of sorting the parts into the two halves of the radio so I could unpack the parts needed to complete each half of the build.

Last night I started the build and got the first half of the radio assembled. For me it was a typical assembly where I made a few small errors, found them quickly and then swapped the part for the right one and continued. The display cover was a good OCD moment for me as I tried to remove every bit of dust from between the screen and the clear cover. I knew going forward that would bother me to no end if I could see something in between.

I have started on the back half of the radio and will resume maybe tonight or tomorrow.

The Ultimate Explorer Vehicle: Test Driving Bran Ferren's KiraVan

KX3 Accessories

You've got to protect your Elecraft KX3 investment, especially if you plan to take it outdoors and camping. When I ordered my KX3 a few weeks ago I spent a lot of time doing research on 3rd party options to protect my new radio.

For mine I ordered the WINDCAMP Workshop side covers and plastic shield, it's a four piece kit with the following;

• Extended left side replacement panel
• Extended right side replacement panel
• Clear plastic face cover
• Fabric carrying bag.

WINDCAMP Workshop

I also ordered a Cooler KX Plus from Fred VE7FMN at Simply Manufacturing. I think his heat sinks are a cut above the rest and I enjoy supporting a business here in my own province.

Simply Manufacturing

They're Made Out of Meat