The Rybakov Antenna

Link to an article I have written on the Rybakov antenna. It consists of a vertical 25′ (7.6 m) wire, matched by a 4:1 unun and with 6 17′ radials. This is a non-resonant antenna, so it does require the use of an antenna tuner.

The Rybakov Antenna

73

Al VE3GAM

 

The PREDator Antenna

Here is a link to the documentation I received from Greg KJ6ER on his Predator Antenna. It is an elevated vertical with elevated radials.

The KJ6ER Predator Antenna

For more information about this antenna and to check out an avid fan of this antenna go to Simon VA7BIX’s Youtube channel at Ham Jazz

73

Al VE3GAM

 

 

POTA Awards

Made my first POTA contact Oct 7, 2021, this shows the number of states that I have had a contact with someone in a POTA entity (usually a park) since that date. The hardest ones to get checked off are Hawaii and Alaska, in that you need to make a park contact with these states and not just a contact.

POTA Happenings: June 9, 2022

Link: VE-5620 Yarmouth Heritage Site

On June 9, 2022, I operated from VE-5620 Yarmouth Natural Heritage Site, located southeast of St Thomas, ON. Conditions seemed to be marginal, although I did make 23 contacts, 3 P2Ps, the most notable contact was with NL7V from North Pole, Alaska. I was very pleased to make an activation of a new park on the POTA system.

Next I hope to activate VE-5617 Calton Swamp Wetland System and VE-5616 Hawkins Tract.

73, Al ve3gam

Field Day Report

Always look for a field day report from this guy on Youtube, this is a video of his field day station this year:

Neophyte Receiver

Working on this receiver:

Neophyte Two Chip Direct Conversion Receiver – VE3OT Version

The original Neophyte Receiver was published in OST, February 1988, and used the new Signetics Si602 oscillator-mixer chip to directly convert radio frequency signals to DSB audio and the National Semiconductor LM386 audio amplifier chip to provide sufficient signal gain to drive headphones or even a small speaker. This receiver uses an improved mixer chip, NE612, which is a direct substitution.

Mitch Powell, VE3OT, modified the Neophyte using parts on hand so that his Fanshawe students could build a simple receiver, gaining circuit building skills while being exposed to the hobby of Ham Radio.

Two 10.7MHz IF transformers are used as an RF pre-selector, tuned down into the 40m ham band by placing about 100pF of capacitance across the main coil winding. A third IF transformer is used as the Local Oscillator coil, suitably tuned by additional capacitance and a variable capacitance diode, or Varicap, biased by a DC voltage from the 10kW tuning potentiometer. Mitch used two common power rectifier diodes, 1N4005, in parallel as a varicap. Audio from the NE612 is bandwidth limited by a simple C-R-C low pass filter, fed into the 50kW volume control, and then applied to the inverting input of the LM386N audio amplifier. The original Neophyte design used both outputs of the mixer and both inputs of the audio amplifier for improved dynamic range and lower noise, but lacked a volume control.

Component Side Printed Circuit Board View with component layout.

Note that a 0.1uF cap has been added to the LM386 power pin (6) for improved stability. The Tuning Potentiometer can be a 50K linear for slightly reduced power draw.

Dave, VE3EI

Link to original document.

CQ WW 2016 SSB Contest

2016 CQ WW SSB Contest

We moved in 2013 and I had not set up any kind of station at the new place since. Before the 2016 CQ WW SSB Contest, I decided to try to make some contacts during the contest so I needed to set up a station with some kind of antenna. I dug the TS50 out of the dust bin and used it. I resurrected 2 20M mobile whips, stuck them up on a pole in a dipole configuration and was on the air. As you can see in the log, I did make some interesting contacts on Sunday afternoon. I did not realize that TM4L was in France until I looked up the call after I shutdown. Nice one, considering there were no signals to be heard on Friday night at the beginning of the contest. Nice restart to a hobby I have enjoyed since 1965.

Al VE3GAM

CY9M St Paul Island

cy9m logo

CY9M July 26 – Aug 1, 2012

DXpedition to St Paul Island is slated for July 26-Aug 1 this year, Here is a link to their website for all of the information about this venture.

St Paul Island CY9M

cy9m team

CY9M Team

cy9m-1

cy9m-2

Bon voyage guys!

CQ WW Contests

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CQWW SSB Contest: 0000Z October 29 through 2359Z October 30 2011
CQWW CW Contest: 0000Z November 26 through 2359Z November 27 2011
Contest Rules

Are you participating this year? Sounds like 10m might be a major playground this year, I have seen some major reports of activity on that band lately.

72, Al