Month: July 2008

July Update

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Not got a great deal to specifically right about, but thought I would write about a few different things here.

Firstly, my friend jw has started a blog jw³ otherwise known as “jw’s cube on this interweb thing…”. Welcome to the world of Blogging jw.

Also made a few changes to my blog.

  • Twitter Feed added
  • Debt Free Countdown updated
  • Updated WordPress to version 2.6

Will be adding some photos soon from my short trip to Isle of Wight. Don’t think I took many, but I had fun drinking 3 out of 4 evenings with my Dad. I came back early as the day I was planning to return there was torrential rain. Glad I left early.

I know this is short, but hopefully next post will be a bit longer.

M2W in IARU HF World Championships

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Contest         : IARU HF World Championships
Callsign        : M2W
Mode            : PHONE
Category        : Single Operator (SO)
Band(s)         : All bands (AB)
Class           : Low Power (LP)
Zone/State/…  : 27
Locator         : IO91VJ
Operating time  : 7h45

BAND   QSO DUP ITU  HQ  POINTS   AVG
————————————–
160     0   0   0   0       0  0.00
80     3   0   1   2       5  1.67
40    21   0   4  13      33  1.57
20    79   0  10  23     201  2.54
15    27   0   4  10      55  2.04
10    14   0   3   6      28  2.00
————————————–
TOTAL   144   0  22  54     322  2.24
======================================
TOTAL SCORE : 24 472

Dupes are not included in QSO counts neither avg calculations

Operators       : M0TZO

Powered by Win-Test 3.21.0       http://www.win-test.com

Was active in the IARU HF World Championships as M2W from Midday (UTC) Saturday 12th July – about 8am (UTC) Sunday 13th July, by which time I was knackered.

I could have probably done as little better, but was also looking after my 9 year old nephew.

Was my first big scale HF contest on my own, although I was going to do with Peter M3PHP, but he had a medical emergency (he is better now).

Equipment used:-

  • Icom IC-756ProIII
    • Yaesu FT-897 for a few contacts on 80m as had better ATU
  • Icom SM-20 Desk Mic
  • WinTest Logging Software (but RigExpert S/D wouldn’t work, so manual band changes)
  • Laptop to keep Nephew amused for hours quietly

OK, wasn’t the best entry, and will not win any awards, but I did better than my CQ WPX entry were I got Zero entries.

Icom IC-756PROIII

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Earlier in the year my Uncle who got me interestred in Ham Radio passed away. When my grandparents returned from first trip they brought back his Icom IC-737, but said there was another radio but weren’t sure what.

Well, a couple of weeks ago my granddad said was some stuff in car & could I help him with it. I was expecting him to bring up a UPS unit. Was I wrong.

There was boxes with a complete setup for an Icom IC-756PROIII HF Transceiver (the ProIII, matching Speaker, PSU, & Microphone). The IC-737 was swiftly replaced in the shack, and by end of that Saturday evening, James M0BOV had helped me sort audio levels, & I took part in the 10m Saturday Home Counties net.

It’s a fantastic radio. Should be as new would cost £1,800. For me the Scope is and the filtering are it’s best features, but it has so much more. Anyway this it not a review, but merely to inform readers of the latest shack additions.

Also if all goes well (lets not think of CQ WPX earlier this year), then Peter M3PHP & myself should be operating in the IARU Contest on 12th/13th July 2008.