10
Oct

Building a 80M OCF Dipole

I’m going to build and install an 80M offcentre fed dipole. This is a multiband HF antenna (if feed via an antenna tuner).

I built one previously (approx 3 years ago). It was a great antenna. ifed it via a 4:1 balum, and my antenna tuner. Although not as good as the G5RV on 20M, the antenna worked equally well,or better thn the G5RV on the other HF bands. My antenna tuner had no trouble matching this antenna for 80M - 10M.

Details for this antenna can be found here.

10
Oct

Cushcraft A627013S Multiband Bean (6M-70CM)

I have a cushcraft Multiband Bean for use from 6M to 70cm. Info is available here.

Cushcraft A627013S

Cushcraft A627013S

 

Cushcraft Installed - Old Place

Cushcraft Installed - Old Place

10
Oct

G5RV

This is another great antenna. This is primarily my main station antenna currently. Useable from 80M to 6M via an antenna tuner. Additional details of this wonderful antenna are available here.

 

Note however. I have discovered a few things about this antenna. Although I can tune it to 160M with my antenna tuner, it is unwise. 2ndly, I would suggest not using a balun at the end of the feedline (especially if using high power, as core saturation might result). I have ran the feeder directly to my antenna tuner (it has balanced ant terminals). Also, I have simply used 300Ohm TV ribbon as the feeder for this antenna, with good success.

G5RV Antenna installed

G5RV Antenna installed

10
Oct

V Bean

More info on the v-beam can be found here. Basically, I used this simple design. I have to report, that although I am still testing the antenna, and working on a better mounting method, this antenna does seem to perform excellently. Here are some pics, and detail of the hub (made of wood for now).
Mount for v-Beam

Mount for v-Beam

 

V-Bean on the ground - showing it's size

V-Bean on the ground - showing it

 

V-Beam Diagram

V-Beam Diagram

08
Sep

FT857D reboot issue when scanning memories

I had an issue a few months ago with my FT857D. When moving through the memory channels (or scanning), the rig would sometimes reboot.

It was strange, and took me a while to realise that it wasn’t an intermittency with the power lead, and was only happening when changing memory channels.

On further investigation, it seemed to only happen when changing around channel 51 (what I had saved as memory 51, happened to be a VHF repeated in my area). Whenever, I either scanned memories, or changed from channel 51 to either 50 or 52, that’s when the FT857D rebooted. It didn’t happen all the time, only about 50% of the time.

Well, this had me beat! I turned to my friend Google, to no avail. So I decided to try to reload the memory channels, and see if that fixed things. I had purchased some time ago, a useful little memory manager for the Yaesu FT857D called FTBasicMMO by g4hfq http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/ftbasic.html 

Well, much to my surprise, with the help of FTBasicMMO, I re uploaded my memory data to the rig, and the problem went away totally. I haven’t seen it since.

So, in short, (and I don’t know if my radio was the only one with this problem), if you too have this same issue with your FT857D (or perhaps any Yaesu), try re uploading the memory data, or just re save the memory channel in question, and it could very well be your problem too.

I would very much like to hear from anyone else who has this problem, and especially if you tried the above, to success.

Steve VK2TTG

31
Aug

Ham Radio Deluxe

Updated July 10th 2008 V4.0 SP4

Ham Radio Deluxe is a truly fantastic Rig control program for Windows. Written by Simon Brown, HB9DRV, it has truly become my “main” ham software in 1 bundle.

http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com

I personally have been using HRD for several years to control my Kenwood TS2000 and Yaesu FT857D. Simon have recently released a new Digital Mode application to decode/transmit various Digital Modes. It’s called Digital Master 780, and is included with the HRD download.

I also believe that Simon is working on a new Satellite Tracking application for HRD.

16
Jun

Welcome to my new Ham Radio Website

Hi, and welcome to my new Ham Radio Website.

My name is Steve, Australian Ham Radio Callsign in VK2TTG

About Me

Last modified on 2008-10-12 23:31:45 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Ham Radio details about me.

Callsign: VK2TTG - First issued Sydney Australia 2001

Location: Sydney Australia (Belrose NSW) 33.00′S, 151.283′E (QF56me)

Radios: Yaesu FT857D, Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FT90, and a small Yaesu VX-5 HT

Antennas: 80M O/C Dipole, 3Band 2 El HF Yagi, Homemade 2M&70cm 7 El Yagi (none are up currently)

My main interests on Ham Radio are HF, Digital Communications, Software Radio Control and Satellite Communications. I have built several antennas for HF, VHF and UHF.

Although I haven’t been very active over the last 4 or so years, I do operate a Yaesu FT-857D in my car with various antennas that allow me reliable mobile operation from HF 80M (3.5MHz) through to UHF 70cm (420-450MHz).

I am a member of Manly Warringah Radio Society www.mwrs.org.au and we meet most Wednesdays (I’ve had an absence for a few years, but I’m back now).

Finally, here are my Ham details on grz.com at www.qrz.com/vk2ttg and my old outdated website on qsl.net www.qsl.net/vk2ttg

 

Other Info, about Me

I own two businesses, 1 is a Website Designer, Software Engineering and Business Consulting firm called TechOn www.techon.com.au and I also own a Website Hosting Business called Powerhost www.powerhost.com.au

I am married to my beautiful wife - Tomoko. We married 23/4/2006 here in Sydney. Tomoko is Japanese, so we try to visit Japan every year or so. This has an added advantage being a ham, because Akihabra is a great place to buy the latest Ham Radios.

Currently we have 2 dogs, Chakara and Jack.

I have a blog at www.stephenmorton.com.au

My Email address is sm@stephenmorton.com.au.spam.me.not (remove the spam.me.not)