Unexpected Space Connections [041]

Greetings from the shack...

Documentally

Jun 20, 2023

HERE

Me again. It’s late here in England so will keep this short. Playing catch up with all the photos, video and audio I have gathered recently. Looking at a backlog of editing…but writing this instead.

THERE

I have spent a bit of time in Wales again.

So far this summer I’ve mostly been on the motorbike so radio time has been limited. Hitting the repeaters would be possible with the right set up but it would also increase my chances of hitting something else. Things happen fast on a bike and I’d rather have 100% of my focus on the road.

Besides. Once I go down that path who know's where I might end up.

GEAR

I heard KO4NFA mention he picked up the Morserino-32 (he may even have two) and as cool as it looks I’m not sure I would get the most out it.

As is often the case during the summer, I’m once again, thinking about a mobile shack/campervan. But with even the most basic vans at premium prices right now, I feel I've somewhat been priced out of the market.

But chatting to a radio friend sparked the thought that I could perhaps get a roof tent. As they are also looking they pointed me to TentBox. No idea how compatible they are with mobile antennas but I imagine the aluminium one would offer the best ground plane. Not cheap though.

Not quite the same thing but this tiny shack on wheels is cheaper than a roof tent. I’d be tempted to kit it out and leave it on my dad’s farm in Wales.

ONAIR

I was up just before 6AM this morning. I didn’t have radio on my mind, it was the heat woke me and I figured I might as well walk the dog before the kids get up. I did grab the radio from its charger on the way out of the door though.

It was my FT5D. The radio that I hesitated to buy as the FT3D was so amazing and I saw little difference between the two. It’s certainly the radio that gets the most use though.

It’s in the chest pouch on my motorbike, on my hip or in a small bag while out walking and in my backpack when travelling.

While I’m making little time for HF right now, the handheld has more than paid for itself.

This morning I was chatting on the 6AM net and forgot to turn off APRS beaconing on my second VFO. If I’m chatting I normally leave the modem off and switch it to the Fusion calling frequency or somewhere I don’t expect ant local activity. But today I must have inadvertently flicked it on to the ISS APRS frequency.

As a result I did a little accidental amateur radio when a few pings came through via the space station as it passed over.

I picked up F4EGG from France, CT1EBQ in Portugal, ON7KEI from Belgium and

SQ3KAR from Poland.

All while chatting to others on the local repeater.

As I got home a neighbour walking the dog asked me if i’d been up to much. I lifted the radio and said I was just picking up some European transmissions via a space station. They laughed thinking I was winding them up.

If you’d like to have a proper go at APRS via the ISS there are lots of resources online.

ELSEWHERE

Do you read The Broadcast Bridge?
Radio memories.
NARS (Narwhal Amateur Radio Society) made a pamphlet that they hand out at field days to explain what they are doing and have CC licensed it for others to edit one into their words. Great idea.
This is my other more regular, slightly more eclectic email.

FINALS

Thanks for reading and I hope subscribing.

Please share this wherever you think it might resonate. At time of writing there are 265 subscribers to this email and I have no idea where you came from. All I know is that you must be some of the more curious people in radio to find your way here. ;-) And I thank you.

Over

73 de Christian G5DOC

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