Radio Related Stuff

VHF Contesting

I operate in a multi-op portable station in VHF contests on 50MHz, 144MHz, and 432MHz. We enter RSB VHF Contests, the WAB VHF Contests, and the Practical Wireless 144MHz QRP Contest. Our station is small, but as the saying goes, 'It's not what you've got, but how you use it that counts'. We do quite well in the low power events, although the 'big boys' seem to be entering more these days.

Some pictures of past contesting experiences.

I have written a simple but effective VHF Contest Scoring program for the Amiga computer, that does Practical Wireless 144MHZ QRP, the RSGB VHF/UHF, and the WAB contests.

However, for those of us using the more common PC compatible, there is a good VHF contest logging program from G0GJV available on G0GJV's web site.
The program is free, and works well. It's DOS based to be able to run on the most basic (=cheap) PC that usually ends up being taken portable. Runs in a DOS window under Win95 if required.
If you already use this program, I have recently written a very simple program to take the *.prn file produced by G0GJV's program, and display the contacts and points gained, per degree beam heading. This is my first ever Windows 95 program, so don't expect too much. It does work though.
Download v1.6 (175K) and unzip it to a directory where there are some *.prn files.(There is a sample file included.)
I'd be grateful if all who download it would pass comments back to me.
Click to be notified by email when a new version is uploaded

Our main band is 144MHz, primarily because of the costs involved in aquiring kit for the other bands. We used to use a pair of 19 element MET yagis, but have plans to build 4 x DJ9BV long yagi antennas. Anyone who has built these antennas, I would love to hear your thoughts.

We use a homebrew (by myself, to the NBS yagi design) 6 element 50MHz beam.

The 432MHz antenna is dead at the moment... Maybe some BIG DJ9BV antennas at a later date...(please send your thoughts)

I am always interested in design and build info for 4CX250 based QRO linear amplifiers for 50, 144, & 432 MHz.

Feel free to email me about either. I do have some build info on the yagis.

Packet Radio

I operate on Packet Radio on 144MHz.

This is an internet-like network of Radio Amateurs, all communicating to each others computers via the radio. It has FTP-like file fetching, and a system of bulletins like a multi-topic newsgroup.

Most of all, its free ! (Although a contribution your your local Sysop is always welcome) No charges except electric. And you don't need a huge transmitting station, all you need is to be able to get to the local node ( like your local PoP ).

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