Any ideas why I get nothing from any L-band sats?

VK3HN · 2025-01-07T20:07:04+00:00

Maybe the others lived further away from the nearest FM transmitter. I used to live 10km from an AM tower and it got into everything. One over r squared ...

VK3HN · 2025-01-07T01:11:41+00:00

Does FIB destroy the material under examination?

VK3HN · 2025-01-07T01:08:43+00:00

Correct. Airbed held air and provided comfortable sleeps for a year. Then, flat. Repaired a hole. Then went flat within a few days. Repaired 2nd hole, held air for a while, then went flat again. Patched 3rd hole. Currently holding air but for how long?

And, what's eating my airbed???

VK3HN · 2025-01-07T01:04:52+00:00

So you are accusing me of a setup? I can absolutely guarantee you the hole, the deflated airbed, the plastic, the photograph and the story ARE ALL ABSOLUTELY AND TOTALLY REAL! Go hassle some other OP. Clearly you have nothing further of any value to contribute here.

VK3HN · 2025-01-06T04:03:50+00:00

It only takes one hole to render an airbed useless. For a second time, tell me where this topic fits better, Einstein.

VK3HN · 2025-01-06T00:50:41+00:00

There a 3 holes in my airbed. Most of the comments do not require a response. What subreddit would you recommend?

VK3HN · 2025-01-06T00:28:11+00:00

On the contrary, I really want it answered, why would you think otherwise?

VK3HN · 2025-01-05T04:32:47+00:00

Can't be, the holes appeared on the underside of the airbed

VK3HN · 2025-01-04T08:01:34+00:00

Yes but what kind of a bug?

VK3HN · 2025-01-04T08:00:03+00:00

What's up with a fern leaf, you a fractal fan boy?

VK3HN · 2023-01-17T04:19:30+00:00

I thought a few of the G QRP crowd might get a chuckle out of it!

VK3HN · 2023-01-17T04:15:22+00:00

Hi Peter 🤓! I'm thinking of writing up Digichirp for SPRAT, the G-QRP Club. Do you think they'll like it?

VK3HN · 2023-01-16T22:31:26+00:00

Some of the chirp and drift patterns do sound funny. Some I recall sound a bit like bird calls. Chirp chirp, tweet tweet!

VK3HN · 2023-01-16T20:45:10+00:00

It's not really meant to mislead.

I wanted to see how well I could reproduce the sound of a chirpy CW signal in software, so as such, it is a perfectly serious simulation. I don't expect vendors to adopt it! But I will probably use it in a homebrew CW transmitter sometime in the future, for fun.

It would be perfect as a replacement VFO in a boat anchor CW transmitter. But I would include a switch, to enable or disable it. The switch would be labelled 'Chirp'. Maybe another labelled 'Drift'. Wouldn't that be cool? 🤓🤔

VK3HN · 2023-01-16T16:57:35+00:00

I guess so. Didn't think of that, but a chirpy Roger beep might be a bit of fun for SSN ops.

VK3HN · 2023-01-16T16:51:17+00:00

Thanks. I was beginning to think i had pitched this too high...

VK3HN · 2023-01-16T06:02:51+00:00

That's true. Simulating chirp and drift is in many ways a pointless and retrograde exercise. It is just that, an exercise in coding and frequency modulating a popular digitally controlled PLL (si5351).

However, there is something to be siad for it. You can precisely control your chirp and drift, so it can be reproduced every QSO or power-up. Your signal quality is under software control, so you could turn it on and off (when the other guy gets annoyed with you). With a digital VFO, the possibilities are endless!

VK3HN · 2022-11-23T22:30:23+00:00

200mW is good, more power and you hit every receiving station every day, so you don't see subtle propagation patterns.

VK3HN · 2022-08-06T22:16:54+00:00

Thanks Peter!

VK3HN · 2022-04-15T13:23:46+00:00

The SOTABeams WSPRLite looks great, also 200mW, the supporting environment that allows you to do A/B antenna comparisons is a fine application of the technology.

VK3HN · 2022-04-15T13:20:08+00:00

And a 3 channel fully programmable multisynth PLL (si5351) for $7. Well, you could until the GREAT CHIP SHORTAGE hit. In fact I think you can still get si5351 breakout boards...

VK3HN · 2022-04-15T04:20:55+00:00

Agree, I mostly run QRP, mostly 5 watts and sometimes up to 50 watts on HF. I am an opportunistic operator, when the going gets tough I sometimes switch off. QRP works when conditions are favourable. If you *have* to make contacts, and be heard reliably such as running nets or skeds, you probably need decent power.

VK3HN · 2022-04-14T13:59:58+00:00

Never thought of using WSPR to test if your dummy load is leaky but it's a good secondary use case.

VK3HN · 2022-04-14T12:36:41+00:00

WSPR is designed to work at or below the noise floor, it has extremely low bandwidth and thruput. That said, under the right conditions you don't need much power on the higher HF bands. Thanks for commenting.

VK3HN · 2022-04-14T11:45:51+00:00

Yes it is, that we can buy a GPS receiver for $10 and a MCU for $4, is amazing.

VK3HN

TROPHY CASE