Introducing the Radio Assistance Network

Another interesting concept I read about this weekend...

Allow me to re-blog:

Please see http://www.obriensweb.com/radioassistancenetwork.html for details and go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radioassistancenetwork/ 

to join the email group for this new idea.  Your input will be appreciated.  The concept draws on comments and thoughts over the past few months about alternative concepts to ARES/RACES and formal groups,  and also on the comments made by those wishing to expand some of the NBEMS HF activities..  Co-moderators for the email group are solicited. 

The website is quite basic at the moment, not even any colors, but will improve it as suggestions arrive and as interest grows.  I'll create a specific domain name if their is sufficient interest.  The group is open to all , around the world.  Perhaps some regional sub-groups in the future.

Of particular interest are your comments on what may seem like a peculiar idea, the 8-8-12 Nets.  

Andy K3UK

RaDAR

I came across an interesting concept this weekend and it's best explained in the words of the creator:

"Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio

Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, often referred to by its acronym RaDAR, is concept for operating an amateur radio station anywhere, anytime and even in adverse environmental conditions. This concept supports the amateur radio service’s emergency communications mandate."

Maybe it's because I've been thinking about the same lines for quite some time.

To read more about this concept, visit the website:
http://zs6bne.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/so-what-is-radar/

vy 73 de Marcus KD0JKM

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http://kd0jkm.blogspot.com/

Monitoring Global Center of Activity, HFLink and HFPack frequencies:

http://mmsn.org/iaru.html

http://hflink.com/emcomm/

http://hfpack.com/air/

SELCALL ID 3455

FLARQ reception reports for today.

Had one connection via FLARQ with PSK31 to Canada today, two US stations who emailed me that they would like to connect, but that we were likely too close for the 14 MHz band to allow this since they did not see my signal.
As can be seen by the attached screen capture taken from pskreporter.info, many stations heard me via PSK31. Regrettably, FLARQ was unable to keep the connection with the Canadian station up and running, the connection was just too bad.
Noticed during my short conversation, that the message pane in FLARQ is quite short, not allowing longer sentences. Guess it was not constructed for long chats :)

FLARQ reception reports for today.

No stations connected to my beacon over a period of approximately 7 hours, at least I did not register any successful attempts. But, look at the reception reports posted on pskreporter.info, the furthest contact I made with PSK31 was 4997 miles! I find that amazing.

Hope you will connect to me via FLARQ tomorrow, for today I've shut down my station.

vy 73 de Marcus KD0JKM

FLARQ

Operating FLARQ this weekend.

Mode: ............BPSK31
Frequency: ....on or around 14071.0 kHz.
Transceiver: ..Barrett 2090
Antenna: .......Buxcomm 7510CF2TD
Power: ..........10W
Time: ............as long as I sit in my chair to supervise my rig :)
Software: ......FLDIGI on OSX with FLARQ
Software found here: http://www.w1hkj.com/Fldigi.html

Hope to meet you on air!

73 de Marcus KD0JKM

QTH locator : EM35MC

QTH locator : EM35MC   or   "lessons learned from using a whip antenna with low branches"

Had a great day hiking in Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas, weather could not have been any better

hiked along the Canyon Trail, which although it is considered "easy" was quite tricky at times due to several trees having fallen across the trail. 

Had my 2090 in the backpack with the whip antenna attached, no counterpoise (would have caught in the underbrush). The whip got quite a beating from low branches and I had feared that the antenna might get bent, but had confidence that the flexible adaptor between the 2090 and the antenna would prevent this. What I did not expect was that the multiple beatings on the antenna would exert a circular force an the antenna and its adaptor, so that the screw in mechanism would work itself free and lead to complete detachment of the flexible antenna from the base. Nearly lost the antenna that way! 

Forgot to mention that I had 2 great QSOs today on the HFPack 20m frequencies while on my approx. 3 hour walk, one to Yellowstone National Park, the other to Pennsylvania. I found it most surprising that I was able to keep up conversations considering that I was in a canyon. A small canyon but nonetheless essentially not allowing direct line of sight with the horizon, especially when considering that I was underneath a high tree canopy. 

I regret that I had to cut both contacts somewhat short due to me having to pay attention to not losing my footing on the trail and/or due to having to work out how to get back on trail, being slightly lost at one stage. Have to also thank my XYL that I could work my transceiver nearly all the way, considering that it was "our time"!

For the future I have a tape antenna on my "to purchase" list, being well aware that it's radiation pattern is even more of a compromise...

73 de Marcus KD0JKM

AT-1743 dipole antenna

AT-1743

Used my AT-1743 Tactical Dipole this weekend. Learned that  one has to be meticulous about slipping the antenna wire into the slots provided on the storage boards after choosing the desired frequency. After my initial set up, I thought I'd just play it safe and let my internal tuner look at the SWR, although theoretically, I should not have needed the internal ATU for the quasi tuned Dipole antenna. But low and behold, the SWR was through the roof. Turned out that one of the wires had slipped and unraveled itself out of the storage board, resulting in a non-tuned setup. After correction, I was able to reach CO and NY from AR with 30W on 20m.

Nice learning point, nice contacts = fun operating! And my XYL meanwhile enjoyed our picnic together, what could be better :)

My review of the AT-1743 at this time:
Plus: tuned Dipole antenna for any frequency
Minus: Weight... which is however due to the high quality wire, which is long enough for a tuned 2MHz Dipole, so is this really a minus? The reader may decide.

vy 73 de Marcus KD0JKM