by Cees (PA1CA) | Jun 29, 2014 | HAM Blog
Today I was again in a HAM Radio contest; the Concurso S.M. El Rey de España SSB (the King of Spain contest). I haven’t done many contests this year so I decided that it was time again for this! It gave me an opportunity to test all my antennas again and...
by Cees (PA1CA) | May 30, 2014 | HAM Blog, Rules, Technology
One thing I enjoy from having the full license is that I can use all Radio Amateur bands available. I enjoy the fact that every band has its own peculiarities, almost like a living creature! For instance the 80m band is a night creature. It comes alive in the evening...
by Cees (PA1CA) | May 20, 2014 | app store, Technology
I decided to do a very necessary upgrade of one of my Radio Amateur apps in the Apple app store. The name of the app is “Mircules DX Cluster“, Mircules being the name of my own company. Mircules DX Cluster is an iPhone / iPad app that shows the info found on the...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Apr 23, 2014 | HAM Blog, Popular, portable operations, Technology
Lately I’m trying to improve my portable HAM Radio setup because I want to do some activations for Castles On The Air (COTA) and WorldWide Flora & Fauna (WFF). The idea for the activations is that you take all the HAM radio gear you need to make your contacts and...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Apr 18, 2014 | HAM Blog, operating practice, Rules
Just wondering…. Today I saw the QRZ page of a Dutch Novice radio amateur. He had a Youtube movie on his page in which he made a QSO with an American operator in which he told the American OM that he was using 1 Kilowatt of power. I wonder if the American OM...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Dec 14, 2013 | HAM Blog, Technology
In my last blog entry I wrote about the “code hanger antenna” I put up. It is in fact a MFJ-1795 antenna of course that looks a bit like a coat hanger. I tested it out a bit and decided that it’s not bad, but not really a big improvement over my homemade antennas. I...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Nov 3, 2013 | HAM Blog, Technology
I put up a new antenna; the MFJ-1795. It’s a nice antenna, for people with limited space. It is 3.5 meters long, the big HF antennas are 7 meters long or more. So I’m playing in the minor league when it comes to antennas! Anyway, already 2 of my HAM radio...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Oct 27, 2013 | Contesting, HAM Blog
One of the biggest HAM radio contests of the year was this weekend; the CQ World Wide DX Contest 2013. This is a voice contest (we talk to each other) and the goal is to make as many talks to as many far away places as possible. It lasts 48 hours; the whole weekend....
by Cees (PA1CA) | Sep 12, 2013 | Digital, HAM Blog, Technology
What a strange hobby this amateur radio hobby is! At home I’m trying to have the highest antenna with the biggest radio and the most power. Whereas while traveling I want the smallest antenna with the smallest transmitter; which means, low power. While traveling size...
by Cees (PA1CA) | Sep 11, 2013 | Contesting, HAM Blog
I discovered another use for the new CW filter I put in my FT-817; I found out it also works in digital modes! During my stay in Montreal, working as VA2/PA1CA, I decided to work an hour or so in the 2013 Russian RTTY contest. Because I was using my Yaesu FT-817 I was...
