QSL SSTV

Finally got the radio directly connected to the computer using the excellent ZLP Electronics Digimaster Pro+ 
I am very happy with my first two SSTV QSLs, 104 Corsica and 1 Italy, thank you Jean-Noel and Agostino for your QSL.

I have created an album for all received SSTV images here.  SSTV slideshow/link is also to the right of the page.

CQ SSTV

I have been using one of the digital modes today, SSTV (Slow Scan Television) on 27.700 USB. Lots of info on the net about SSTV if your interested. The software I am using is MMSSTV to rx/tx the images, takes around a minute to send/receive a picture depending on the SSTV mode you use.

Here's what I have received so far, poor image quality is due to poor propagation conditions at the time and the fact that I dont have my radio directly linked to my computer at this time : -

 

 

 

 

 

CQ CQ DX

Conditions are looking up on the 11 meter band, especially around the 'gray zone' time (evenings), South America, Caribbean, Middle East and North African Stations could be heard over the weekend, on Sunday afternoon the band was very quiet but I heard a station from Italy, 1RB072 - Max, I gave him a call and he responded, unfortunately conditions were very poor at the time and he did not catch my call sign, but I sent him an eQSL anyway, I was just please he actually heard me during a time of such poor propagation conditions, which makes me very happy with my Radio and Antenna (which is still in it's temporary position on a wooden pole in the garden).

Two Six Division Calling...

At the weekend I got around to temporarily putting up the Imax 2000.  It's mounted 6.3m high on a wooden mast (above image from cb museum with metal mast),  SWR was 1.5:1, very impressed with the RX both local and DX stations.  Have not had much time for TX but I will leave the antenna where it is for now until I can get it moved to a 'better' location.   As other users have mentioned, the Solarcon 2000 makes a suprisingly good SWL antenna.

NEIM1031MKII DSP Audio Filter

My current radio does not have a build in DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to clean up the audio... after researching on the Internet I decided to purchase one of these : -

BHI NEIM1031MKII

I have to say it's not a magic device as some reviewers would have you believe, but it definitely does a VERY good job of cleaning up audio signals and reducing background noise/static on all modes, which is nothing but good news for your ears, the only caveat is that it can take a second or 2 for the filter to start working on recieved audio.

Apart from the obvious improved listening experience the advantage this device gives is with noisy week signals and can make the difference between understanding the other operator and not, of course there is a threshhold where no amount of processing can make you hear what simply is not there.  

Which brings me onto something else I've noticed when using this filter, when monitoring a frequency for a long time listening to processed static, I swear ocassionally I can hear 'something' like a voice, when I know for a fact there is nothing there.  I think what is happening is the filter is trying to process the static noise as 'speach' and my brain is also to trying to process this processed noise trying to recognise speach and so I hear a 'voice' by some random chance, took me a while to figure out I was not going mad or am I?

and so the cycle begins...

Solar cycle 24 officially started on 4th January 2008, the number of sun spots have been slowly increasing and along with it the increasing chance of favourable propagation conditions on the 11 meter band.

2011 was the year to dust off my trusty Yaesu, connect a simple wire antenna and have a listen...

As of April 2011 conditions on the 11 meter band here in the UK have been pretty much non-existent, not disheartened by this, I look forward with great anticipation the coming months and years to favourable DX conditions.   All that remains to be done is to sort out a radio 'hut' and erect my unused Solarcon IMAX 2000.   I hope through this blog to keep you up todate on my adventures during Solar cycle 24!  For now I will have to be content with some SWL.