The K3 and the KX1-QRP!!!!

Hello all,

Well I headed west to my home Qth in Westport, Co.Mayo today where my Dad EI9JA and myself took a visit to Brendan EI6IZ.

I must say what a set up Brendan has he was showing us the Elecraft K3 and what a rig it is too.
That rig and an Acom1000 including a Long Periodic beam antenna made operation on the bands just simply amazing!

I am sold on this rig, its performance is unreal nothing I have ever experienced before, I put a call out on 40meters CW and Bang a pile up before me!
Brendan has done a nice little trick with the K3 and added a KRX3. For those of you that don’t already know The KRX3 adds a second receiver of equal specification to the primary receiver to the K3

Generally sub receivers are useful to help find out where the Dx station is listening in the pileup, to search for multipliers whilst ‘running’ in a contest or to monitor a second band in my case however it was such a useful tool for enhancing the ability to pull individual calls out of the large pileup I had build up. I can safely agree with Brendan on this that diversity holds a lot of promise for weak signal DXing where using 2 separate antennas can help reduce the impact of fading, QRM and noise, maybe radios manufactures in the future could look at putting this in as standard in their latest models.

So as the night went on my DXCC was increasing, Just before I left Brendan gave me his new toy which was another Elecraft but was a KX1 which is a QRP radio and I was amazed with its performance.
The Elecraft KX1 is a backpacker's dream: an ultra-light, multi-band CW station with internal battery and automatic antenna tuner.The KX1 includes a superhet receiver with variable-passbandRIT, S-meter, DDS VFO w/3 tuning rates, 3-digit display, memory keyer, battery voltage monitor, and a 1 to 4-watt transmitter with full QSK. The VFO covers the full 20, 30, 40 and 80 meter ham bands,with the KXB3080 installed, the rig’s DDS VFO allows reception from 1.0 to 16.5 MHz, which includes many popular shortwave broadcast bands. While signals far outside the ham bands are slightly attenuated, it is still possible to copy strong stations even in the commercial AM broadcast band. The KX1 transmits only in CW mode, but can receive SSB and AM signals, thanks to its variable-passband crystal filter.

Soon as we arrived home I connected this rig up to a 80 meter Dipole and made a few contacts on 80 meters first one SM6CW with report of 559 I was amazed at this achievement because Brendan has set this rig to only put out max 3-3.5 watts which I thought was by noways enough but it proved me wrong! I played with this radio for an hour or so and I worked a few Russians one German and one English station on 80 meters and even tried my luck on 30 meters and worked into France. 3 Watts QRP has just blown me away I'm shocked at this radio's performance.

Thanks to Brendan EI6IZ for giving me the experience of these radios.

73's

DX NEWS

GM6UW/P - Monach Isles, EU111. Aug 27 - 28

Monach Isles - EU111

Four members of the Cambridge University Wireless Society (namely G3ZAY, M0ERY, M0FFX and M0SCH) hope to be active as GM6UW/p from the Monach Islands (EU-111) from mid-afternoon on 27 August until mid-morning on the 28th. The operation will take place only if the wind and sea conditions improve.


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A35AU, A35IC, A35SS, A35TE & A35ZS - Tonga. 12-17 Sept

QSL INFO:

• A35AU via JA2AAU
• A35IC via JA2AIC
• A35SS via JA2LSS
• A35TE via JA2ATE
• A35ZS via JA2ZS

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KH6/JA6REX - Hawaii (OC-019) September 14 - 19

Northern coast of the Big island, KH6

QRV from the Big Island of Hawaii during above dates.

QSL via JA6REX

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A52RY - Bhutan. Dec 22 - 31

Bhutan

Frank, I2DMI is visiting Bhutan and will be active (spare time) in RTTY during the above dates. Frank mentions more info in September.

QSL to P.O.Box # 55 - 22063 Cantù.

Weather & Sunspot Cycle 24. Heralding a New Maunder Minimum & Ice-Age?

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Following 'Hotly' or should we say 'Cooly' on the "Climate Change Fiasco" is the news that the the Sun may be entering a prolonged Sunspot Low period of inactivity. Solar scientists universally agree with the the evidence, that Our Sun may be entering the phase of another 'Maunder Minimum'. This would herald the onset of an 18th Century like mini Ice-Age.

Following the end of the Sun's most active period in over 11,000 years, the last 10 years have displayed a clear cooling trend as temperatures post-1998 leveled out and are now plummeting.

Forecasts of a sharp cooling trend are backed by the UK's Armagh Observatory, which has been observing solar activity for over 200 years.

The observatory notes that solar cycles 21 and 22, which were characterized by being short and intense in their activity, led to the natural global warming observed in the 80's and 90's.
"Cycle 23, which hasn't finished yet, looks like it will be long (at least 12 to 13 years) andcycle 24, which has still to start, looks like it will be exceptionally weak," writes one observatory scientist.

"Based on the past Armagh measurements, this suggests that over the next two decades, global temperatures may fall by about 2 degrees C — that is, to a level lower than any we have seen in the last 100 years...."Temperatures have already fallen by about 0.5 degrees Celsius over the past 12 months and, if this is only the start of it, it would be a serious concern," concludes David Watt.

Belfast Telegraph, 14 Aug.

China recently experienced its coldest winter in 100 years while northeast America was hit by record snow levels and Ireland & Great Britain suffered its coldest April in decades as late-blooming daffodils were pounded with hail and snow on an almost daily basis. The British summer has also left many yearning for global warming, with temperatures in June and July rarely struggling to get over 16 degrees and on one occasion even dropping as low as 9 degrees in the middle of the afternoon.

"Summer heat continues in short supply, continuing a trend that has dominated much of the 21st Century's opening decade," reports the Chicago Tribune. "There have been only 162 days 90 degrees or warmer at Midway Airport over the period from 2000 to 2008. That's by far the fewest 90-degree temperatures in the opening nine years of any decade on record here since 1930."
The reason? Sunspot activity has dwindled. There have only been a handful of days in the past two months where any sunspot activity has been observed and over 400 spotless days have been recorded in the current solar cycle.
"The sun’s surface has been fairly blank for the last couple of years, and that has some worried that it may be entering another Maunder minimum, the sun’s 50-year abstinence from sunspots, which some scientists have linked to the Little Ice Age of the 17th century," reports one science blog.

Magnetic imaging of Sunspot Activity for 7 Aug 2008

Magnetic imaging of Sunspot Activity for 10 Aug 2005

Source: The Precision Photometric Solar Telescope
http://lasp.colorado.edu/pspt_access/

Such predictions are of course of little interest to a global PR machine that butters its bread on attributing every weather event, be it droughts, floods, volcanoes or earthquakes, to man-made global warming. But look at the Weather in your Neighbourhood over the last half-decade. Argue that Northern climate change is due to the moving of the 30,000 ft high North-Atlantic Jet Stream to near Scandinavian Latitudes if you will but the Solar evidence appears resolute.

The Sun is Cooling off.
I'm afraid to say!!!

Up Comming Events for EI

SSB Field Day

The SSB Field Day will take place on the weekend of the
6th and 7th of September 2008. More information is
available on the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie.


MRG VHF/UHF SSB Challenge 2008

The annual MRG VHF/UHF SSB Challenge takes place on
September the 7th 2008 between 1500 hrs and 1800 hrs
local time. Any EI/GI operator holding an
amateur/experimenters licence can participate. Clubs
can also participate.

The sections are as follows; Fixed section – 144 MHz /
70 cm SSB only and the Portable section – 144 MHz / 70
cm SSB only.

All completed QSO's count for 1 point per kilometer. A
bonus of 1000 points to be added for completing 10
QSO's on 70 cm.

144 MHz / 70 cm scores to be combined (+70 cm bonus of
1000 points if 10 contacts are worked) to give the
final score.

Exchange is RS followed by a sequential serial number
starting with 001 followed by Maidenhead locator. For
example 59001 IO53AB.

Logs to be forwarded to “ei2mrg at yahoo dot com”,
arriving no later than the 7th of October 2008. Logs
received after this date will not count towards any
award. A trophy will be awarded to the winners of each
section (Fixed & Portable). The complete Contest rules
can be found on www.geocities.com/ei2mrg/page1.htm or
email “ei2mrg at yahoo dot com”.

All the best in the contest!

Better Days Ahead for 40-Meter Band

I noticed something last week where a new U.S. licenced ham recently posted a question on eHam about operating on 40-meter phone. At night, he said, he only hears strong shortwave broadcast stations and very few hams. Don't hams operate on 40-meter SSB at night, he asked? That's a good question and, fortunately, some relief is on the way for 40 meters -- in just a few months. And the change to 40 meters should be rather profound worldwide.

As experienced ham operators know, 40-meter phone at night can be horrible to work because of the ear- piercing interference from foreign broadcast stations.

But some relief is on the way. As of March 29, 2009, foreign shortwave stations broadcasting on 40 meters between 7100 and 7200 KHz are to cease. They will be permitted, however, to continue using 7200 to 7300 KHz. So, that will free a 100-KHz portion of the band from the terrible interference those high-powered stations generate. As such, the 40-meter band will double in size for many of the world's hams.

At present, the band is just 7000 to 7100 KHz in much of the world. (Quite a few countries have already given their hams early permission to use the band above 7100 KHz.)

The 40-meter situation -- with shortwave broadcast stations sharing the band with hams -- has a long and complex history. But here is a short version. Prior to 1938, 40 meters was a worldwide ham-only band from 7000 to 7300 KHz. But in the years leading up to World War II, some governments began pushing to use part of 40 meters for broadcasting. Why? It's prime shortwave real estate and as the world would soon discover, they had war on their minds and wanted good propaganda outlets via shortwave radio. Hence, they obtained international permission to broadcast on a portion of 40 meters provided they did not interfere with hams in North and South America, which comprise Region 2. None of them ever took the non-interference issue seriously and hams in North and South America got stuck with terrible interference and the hams in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Regions 1 and 3, lost their use of 7100 to 7300 KHz as a result.

This injustice was partially rectified five years ago when the World Radio Conference voted to evict the broadcasters from 7100 to 7200 and return that portion of the band to hams in Regions 1 and 3. This has no direct impact on us in Region 2 other than after March 29 of next year, the band from 7100 to 7200 KHz should be free of foreign broadcast stations and all the interference they generate. Although many hams around the world will probably continue operating SSB below 7100 KHz -- as they do now -- many will certainly move up into the U.S. phone band above 7125 to work americans simplex instead of operating split frequency.

Just imagine -- ragchewing at night on 40-meter phone between 7125 and 7200 without BC interference? Or working DX stations right on your frequency without having to listen down below 7100. Or, if you're in Region 1 like me or even in Region 3 , you can operate from 7000 to 7200 KHz.

The spectrum requirements of the amateur services are published on the IARU Web site, http://www.iaru.org

I can't wait.

73, EI5IX

S21 DXpedition to AS-127

S21 DXpedition to AS-127

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St. Martin's Island is a small island in the northeast part of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsula, and forming the southernmost part of Bangladesh. It is the only coral island in Bangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar at the mouth of the Naf River. The local name of the island is "Narical Gingira", also spelled "Narikel Janjina/Jinjera", translated from Bangla, meaning 'Coconut Island'.




Located in Chittagong Region Group, for IOTA, St. Martin's Island is a nice place sure to have a good DXpedition from this “wanted” country.



Look for AS-127 that´s Claimed by: 7.8% of participants.

Dxpedition will take place in December 2008, 4 operator : S21RC and another S21 HAMs will try to do the best to work all QSOs possible in 6 days of operation in the island.

The days of the expedition are to be confirmed.


The callsing is still pending, will be announce further ahead.

They can Only one setup station on the air at the moment, they are looking for support, antennas, power supply, rigs, if you have used ham radio Material, all materials are welcome to them.

Also, The stations that donate will be entered in the QSL card.

If you want to help them , Please email: eb7dx@eb7dx.com

Please visit http://eb7dx.com/ for more information

NEWS UPDATE

COUNTRIES WITH NO QSL BUREAU

Tony Baldwin EI8JK, the QSL Outwards Manager, reports
that every week he gets several cards for countries
that do not have a QSL Bureau. There are a total of 63
DXCC entities without a Bureau, and Tony has now
arranged for these to be listed on the IRTS web site.

Click on the "QSL Service" link that is on the
left-hand side of the IRTS web site www.irts.ie to see
which countries have no bureau. Tony reminds us that
there is no point in sending cards for those countries
to him: cards for these countries must be sent direct.

SSB FIELD DAY

The SSB Field Day will take place on the weekend of the
6th and 7th of September 2008. More information is
available on the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie.



RADIO RECORDS: SOUTH AFRICA TO REUNION ISLAND ON 2 METERS

A new radio record is set in the southern hemisphere. ZS2GK and FR5DN have made the first ever 2 meter VHF contact between Reunion Island and South Africa via the South Indian Ocean path. Take a listen:

Actual contact audio. Hear it in the MP3 version of this newscast downloadable at www.arnewsline.org

At 02:15 South Africa time on August 12th, Glenn Kraut, ZS2GK, heard the FR5DN beacon from Reunion Island. At 03:39 he established a two-way contact with Mondon "Phil" Phillipe, FR5DN on 144.200 MHz SSB. The two also made contact on 144.400 MHz using FM. The signal strength was S5 to S6 with no QSB over the VHF path of 2875 km.

ZS2GK used was 400W on SSB and 200W on FM. At the FR5DN end Phil was running 120 watts on either mode. The two operators also discussed the possibility of trying the contact in the near future on the 70 centimeter band:

According to the South Africa Radio League this is a new record on 144 MHz. Ironically, it took place on the morning of the maximum of the Perseids meteor shower. More information and the full audio files of the contact available (AS1I, audio from www.astrorun.com fr5dn/radio /)

The 2008 ARRL Handbook defines tropospheric propagation as "radio waves that are refracted by natural gradients in the index of refraction of air with altitude, due to
changes in temperature, humidity and pressure. Refraction under standard
atmospheric conditions extends the radio horizon somewhat beyond the
visual line of sight. Favorable weather conditions further enhance
normal tropospheric refraction, lengthening the useful VHF and UHF range
by several hundred kilometers and increasing signal strength. Higher
frequencies are more sensitive to refraction, so its effects may be
observed in the microwave bands before they are apparent at lower
frequencies."

"Ducting takes place when refraction is so great that radio waves are
bent back to the surface of the Earth. When tropospheric ducting
conditions exist over a wide geographic area, signals may remain very
strong over distances of 1500 km (930 miles) or more. Ducting results
from the gradient created by a sharp increase in temperature with
altitude, quite the opposite of normal atmospheric conditions. A
simultaneous drop in humidity contributes to increased refractivity.
Useful temperature inversions form between 250 and 2000 meters (800-6500
feet) above ground. The elevated inversion and the Earth's surface act
something like the boundaries of a natural open-ended waveguide. Radio
waves of the right frequency range caught inside the duct will be
propagated for long distances with relatively low losses. Several common
weather conditions can create temperature inversions."

According to VHF guru and conductor of QST's "World Above 50 MHz" column
Gene Zimmerman, W3ZZ, VHF amateurs have long been aware of long distance
tropospheric ducting across stable ocean waters. "The best known such
duct is the Hawaiian duct which links the West Coast of the US,
especially California with the Big Island of Hawaii. But we have also
known that other such ducts exist in different places around the world,
although the ham populations in these areas are often so low that we
hardly ever experience two way communications. The Indian Ocean is one
such place. This outstanding contact between Phil Mondon, FR5DN, on
Reunion Island and Glen Kraut, ZS2GK, in South Africa confirms the
existence of a path between the mainland and islands in the Indian
Ocean. It follows the detection of FM broadcast stations on similar
paths in the South Atlantic Ocean between the island of St Helena and
Angola, Namibia and Cape Town on the mainland, and reports of reception
of Brazilian FM stations on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic."

"Now that the path is proven, many South African hams
are gearing up to increase the distance over the coming southern
summer."

RADIO IN POLITICS: GEORGIAN NATIONAL HAM RADIO SOCIETY SAYS GEORGIA HAMS NOT CONTACTING RUSSIA

Amateur Radio contacts between Georgia and Russia have ceased. At least that’s what the Georgian national ham radio society is claiming as a protest to the military action and occupation of Georgia by Russian troops.

According to information provided by the Southgate News, the President of the National Associations Radioamateurs of Georgia has said that contacts between Georgian and Russian Amateur Radio stations have ceased. Mamuka Kordzakhia, 4L2M, also asks that all amateur radio societies, who are either members and non-members of the International Amateur Radio Union do the same.

It should be noted that this is a plea coming from a leader of a national ham radio society and not the result of any mandate given by Georgian telecommunications authorities. Neither the governments of Georgia nor Russia have placed any restrictions on hams in either nation during the current conflict.

Its unlikely that the International Amateur Radio Union or its member nations will take any stand on this issue. Historically the IARU has kept its distance from the internal politics of any nation, be it an IARU member or not. (NARG, with follow-up by ARNewsline™)


HAM RADIO EVENTS: OLYMPICS COMMEMORATIVE STATION CONTINUES.

Members of the Hong Kong Amateur Radio DX Association continue to be active as V-R-2008-O, This, to celebrate the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Operations will continue until August 31 st on 40 through 6 meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL direct only to VR2XMT Charlie Ho, PO Box 900, Fanling Post Office, Hong Kong.

Sorry guys but there is no electronic e-QSL or Logbook to the World filings accepted for this rather special commemorative event. (Hong Kong DXA)

News

IOTA Contest

The Islands On The Air contest took place last weekend.
This contest is always well supported in Ireland, North
and South, and this year was no exception.

A combined team from the South Dublin Radio Club and
City of Belfast Radio Amateur Society were again on
Inis Oirr, using the call sign EJ0GI. They have
reported their best ever performance, with more
island stations and more multipliers than in previous
years. Rathlin Island, off the coast of Antrim,
hosted two DXpedition stations: A group from Dublin
and County Down operated from the East Lighthouse
using the call sign GI0MPG, while members of the
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club - who have
been coming to Rathlin for this contest for the past
10 years - operated from the island's village using
the call sign GI3YS.

On the mainland, the Dundalk Amateur Radio Society,
call sign EI0W, were active as were at least 30 other
EI, GI and MI call signs.

Most stations reported that band conditions were better
than in recent years, with good openings on the higher
bands, helped at times by Sporadic E.
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New IARU MS Co-Ordinator for EI

Ger McNamara EI4GXB has been appointed the new
International Amateur Radio Union Monitoring System
Co-ordinator for Ireland. The IARUMS does NOT deal with
licensed amateurs who do not follow IARU rules, band
plans etc. and is only directed against intruders such
as broadcast stations, harmonics from broadcast
stations (usually from 40 meters appearing on 20 meters
or 15 meters), military, diplomatic and illicit private
broadcasts, on our hard fought for amateur bands.
IARUMS has a well-documented system of successful
actions taken against intruders on the amateur bands,
the latest from EI being the church broadcasts on 10
metres FM.

The general release of the 70 MHz band and the
allocation of frequencies at 5 MHz from COMREG, shows
the continual hard work being carried out by the IRTS
to protect and enhance the amateur bands for all
experimenters in Ireland.

Operators in EI are welcome to contact Ger to report
intruders, or for any information on the Monitoring
System on “ei4gxb at gmail dot com” or QTHR. Links are
also available on the Webmasters Choice on the IRTS
website or www.iarums-r1.org.
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