CQ WW WPX plenty of slow DX out there

Was a bit of fun this year. Funny so many were used to M1KTA (contest log checker perhaps?)  the short call confused a bit I think.
Ran S&P, pretty sure heard Dave G3YMC just before me with SN8B.

Log.

START-OF-LOG: 3.0
CREATED-BY: Win-Test 4.15.0
CONTEST: CQ-WPX-CW
LOCATION: DX
CALLSIGN: M1K
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
CATEGORY-TRANSMITTER: ONE
CATEGORY-ASSISTED: NON-ASSISTED
CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
CATEGORY-POWER: QRP
CATEGORY-MODE: CW
CATEGORY-STATION: FIXED
CLAIMED-SCORE: 4050
OPERATORS:
NAME: Dominic Baines
SOAPBOX: Couple hours fun with new short call, only qrp. Had to repeat lots
SOAPBOX: sometimes. 40m ant worked well this year.
QSO: 14027 CW 2015-05-30 1554 M1K           599 0001   9A1A          599 1147  
QSO: 14059 CW 2015-05-30 1557 M1K           599 0002   OG30OJ        599 949    
QSO: 14036 CW 2015-05-30 1600 M1K           599 0003   HA6OA         599 450    
QSO: 14026 CW 2015-05-30 1601 M1K           599 0004   OL3Z          599 1355  
QSO: 14024 CW 2015-05-30 1603 M1K           599 0005   YU5M          599 190    
QSO: 14021 CW 2015-05-30 1608 M1K           599 0006   IB9T          599 1543  
QSO: 21034 CW 2015-05-30 1611 M1K           599 0007   OL5T          599 727    
QSO: 21042 CW 2015-05-30 1613 M1K           599 0008   OM3RRC        599 720    
QSO: 21049 CW 2015-05-30 1619 M1K           599 0009   YU5R          599 884    
QSO: 21058 CW 2015-05-30 1621 M1K           599 0010   OE3K          599 1268  
QSO: 21047 CW 2015-05-30 1628 M1K           599 0011   SW9AA         599 1913  
QSO: 21047 CW 2015-05-30 1631 M1K           599 0012   YU1EW         599 1077  
QSO: 21039 CW 2015-05-30 1636 M1K           599 0013   EU1A          599 986    
QSO: 14023 CW 2015-05-30 1638 M1K           599 0014   RK3PWR        599 359    
QSO: 14021 CW 2015-05-30 1645 M1K           599 0015   UA9MA         599 967    
QSO: 14021 CW 2015-05-30 1647 M1K           599 0016   YL3FT         599 1146  
QSO: 14019 CW 2015-05-30 1649 M1K           599 0017   YU7AV         599 1212  
QSO:  7028 CW 2015-05-31 0607 M1K           599 0018   CU4DX         599 2643  
QSO: 14030 CW 2015-05-31 0616 M1K           599 0019   UX7U          599 328    
QSO: 14040 CW 2015-05-31 0622 M1K           599 0020   YT1A          599 1605  
QSO: 14042 CW 2015-05-31 0623 M1K           599 0021   YQ6A          599 1625  
QSO: 14047 CW 2015-05-31 0625 M1K           599 0022   LZ9W          599 1951  
QSO:  7012 CW 2015-05-31 0636 M1K           599 0023   DL3AMI        599 192    
QSO:  7013 CW 2015-05-31 0638 M1K           599 0024   NR5M          599 1135  
QSO: 14012 CW 2015-05-31 0658 M1K           599 0025   IT9RBW        599 1212  
QSO: 14019 CW 2015-05-31 0702 M1K           599 0026   S50R          599 1982  
QSO: 14022 CW 2015-05-31 0706 M1K           599 0027   YT2T          599 1064  
QSO: 14024 CW 2015-05-31 0711 M1K           599 0028   D44AC         599 3062  
QSO: 14027 CW 2015-05-31 0713 M1K           599 0029   OL4A          599 1688  
QSO: 14032 CW 2015-05-31 0716 M1K           599 0030   LY7A          599 1621  
QSO: 14033 CW 2015-05-31 0719 M1K           599 0031   HG5D          599 1703  
QSO: 14041 CW 2015-05-31 0724 M1K           599 0032   IK0YVV        599 1015  
QSO: 14041 CW 2015-05-31 0726 M1K           599 0033   HG6C          599 782    
QSO: 14058 CW 2015-05-31 0728 M1K           599 0034   YL0Y          599 430    
QSO: 14058 CW 2015-05-31 0730 M1K           599 0035   ED5O          599 1544  
QSO: 14059 CW 2015-05-31 0731 M1K           599 0036   RA5D          599 1433  
QSO: 14062 CW 2015-05-31 0733 M1K           599 0037   OH5Z          599 2382  
QSO: 14067 CW 2015-05-31 0736 M1K           599 0038   HA6NL         599 974    
QSO: 14068 CW 2015-05-31 0739 M1K           599 0039   LY8O          599 1707  
QSO: 14001 CW 2015-05-31 0742 M1K           599 0040   YR5N          599 1237  
QSO: 14001 CW 2015-05-31 0754 M1K           599 0041   KD4D          599 2974  
QSO: 14002 CW 2015-05-31 0757 M1K           599 0042   SM5CEU        599 461    
QSO: 14004 CW 2015-05-31 0759 M1K           599 0043   CR2X          599 2028  
QSO: 14005 CW 2015-05-31 0804 M1K           599 0044   RT9A          599 201    
QSO:  7003 CW 2015-05-31 0807 M1K           599 0045   OL4A          599 1070  
QSO:  7010 CW 2015-05-31 0812 M1K           599 0046   DK2DQ         599 387    
QSO:  7011 CW 2015-05-31 0814 M1K           599 0047   PA4O          599 001    
QSO:  7013 CW 2015-05-31 0816 M1K           599 0048   DL8WEM        599 384    
QSO:  7016 CW 2015-05-31 0818 M1K           599 0049   DM3PKK        599 582    
QSO:  7017 CW 2015-05-31 0829 M1K           599 0050   SM6Q          599 358    
QSO:  7022 CW 2015-05-31 0831 M1K           599 0051   DD0CC         599 747    
QSO:  7022 CW 2015-05-31 0833 M1K           599 0052   9A1A          599 1408  
QSO:  7026 CW 2015-05-31 0836 M1K           599 0053   SM5S          599 119    
QSO: 21004 CW 2015-05-31 0851 M1K           599 0054   C4Z           599 1418  
QSO: 21004 CW 2015-05-31 0854 M1K           599 0055   SN8B          599 2520  
END-OF-LOG:

CQWW WPX CW is tomorrow. M1K will be qrv

This can be fun.... I'll have M1K active at some point during the w/e for a more serious entry.

This was my entry from 2013, qrp and only a couple of hours... note I was giving 001,002 etc... just look at the serial numbers I rx in return! The M1 was a rare prefix.

I was testing antennas

START-OF-LOG: 3.0
CREATED-BY: Win-Test 4.9.1
CONTEST: CQ-WPX-CW
LOCATION: DX
CALLSIGN: M1KTA
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
CATEGORY-TRANSMITTER: ONE
CATEGORY-ASSISTED: NON-ASSISTED
CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
CATEGORY-POWER: QRP
CATEGORY-MODE: CW
CATEGORY-STATION: FIXED
CLAIMED-SCORE: 1824
OPERATORS:
CLUB: GQRP
NAME: Dominic Baines
SOAPBOX: Just a quick into the contest whilst tested  setup
QSO: 21015 CW 2013-05-26 0749 M1KTA         599 0001   RG6G          599 1860
QSO: 14049 CW 2013-05-26 0806 M1KTA         599 0002   CS2C          599 1730
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0810 M1KTA         599 0003   9A1A          599 1635
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0811 M1KTA         599 0004   HA30S         599 1225
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0812 M1KTA         599 0005   RT5Z          599 1621
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0813 M1KTA         599 0006   YT5A          599 1222
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0816 M1KTA         599 0007   UZ2M          599 372
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0820 M1KTA         599 0008   OF3I          599 1947
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0822 M1KTA         599 0009   RM5A          599 1437
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0823 M1KTA         599 0010   UX4U          599 1725
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0826 M1KTA         599 0011   RA3NC         599 1027
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0828 M1KTA         599 0012   HG7T          599 1387
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0829 M1KTA         599 0013   YU5R          599 1392
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0834 M1KTA         599 0014   RG3K          599 2146
QSO: 14050 CW 2013-05-26 0841 M1KTA         599 0015   S59ABC        599 1681
QSO: 14049 CW 2013-05-26 1425 M1KTA         599 0016   E79D          599 453
QSO: 14047 CW 2013-05-26 1426 M1KTA         599 0017   ES9C          599 2345
QSO: 14045 CW 2013-05-26 1428 M1KTA         599 0018   SJ2W          599 2575
QSO: 14043 CW 2013-05-26 1432 M1KTA         599 0019   4O3A          599 2335
QSO: 21048 CW 2013-05-26 1435 M1KTA         599 0020   HA8JV         599 1736
QSO: 21039 CW 2013-05-26 1437 M1KTA         599 0021   YT7Z          599 1047
QSO: 21031 CW 2013-05-26 1439 M1KTA         599 0023   9A8M          599 1294
QSO: 21027 CW 2013-05-26 1441 M1KTA         599 0024   RT9A          599 228
QSO: 21025 CW 2013-05-26 1442 M1KTA         599 0025   9A1A          599 1378
QSO: 21020 CW 2013-05-26 1445 M1KTA         599 0026   YT5A          599 1023
QSO: 21016 CW 2013-05-26 1447 M1KTA         599 0027   UP2L          599 1752
QSO: 21057 CW 2013-05-26 1450 M1KTA         599 0028   E73W          599 1159
QSO: 21060 CW 2013-05-26 1451 M1KTA         599 0029   YT9X          599 2978
QSO: 14035 CW 2013-05-26 1503 M1KTA         599 0030   YT7T          599 411
QSO: 14035 CW 2013-05-26 1504 M1KTA         599 0031   S52ZW         599 1010
QSO: 14030 CW 2013-05-26 1506 M1KTA         599 0032   SN7Q          599 2390
QSO: 14026 CW 2013-05-26 1508 M1KTA         599 0033   DP9A          599 1354
QSO: 14026 CW 2013-05-26 1510 M1KTA         599 0034   TM6M          599 2288
QSO: 14025 CW 2013-05-26 1513 M1KTA         599 0035   OH6LI         599 914
QSO: 14022 CW 2013-05-26 1516 M1KTA         599 0036   HA8AAA        599 1023
QSO: 14016 CW 2013-05-26 1518 M1KTA         599 0037   YT3A          599 1650
QSO: 14014 CW 2013-05-26 1521 M1KTA         599 0038   IZ5EKV        599 239
QSO: 14051 CW 2013-05-26 1529 M1KTA         599 0039   KB3WD         599 033
QSO: 14052 CW 2013-05-26 1531 M1KTA         599 0040   YT2ISM        599 652
QSO: 14052 CW 2013-05-26 1532 M1KTA         599 0041   IB9T          599 2341
QSO: 14054 CW 2013-05-26 1537 M1KTA         599 0042   EW7BR         599 1060
QSO: 14058 CW 2013-05-26 1540 M1KTA         599 0043   UA4M          599 2007

Sweden 60m

Post- och telestyrelsen beslutar om tilldelning av radiofrekvenser, övriga villkor samt
tillståndstid i enlighet med 3 kap. lagen (2003:389) om elektronisk kommunikation.
Om tillstånd med samma tillståndsnummer utfärdats tidigare, upphör det äldre tillståndet
att gälla.
Tillståndsvillkor
Tillståndshavaren får använda radiosändare i enlighet med vad som framgår av
specifikationen över radiosändare.
Tillståndet avser användning av en radiosändare för radiotekniska experiment.
Tillåtet frekvensutrymme:
5310-5313 kHz
5320-5323 kHz
5380-5383 kHz
5390-5393 kHz
Tillåten bandbredd: 3 kHz.
De modulationsmetoder som ryms inom tillåten bandbredd får användas. Ingen del av den
utsända signalen får ligga utanför det aktuella frekvensutrymmet.
Sändning får endast ske från antennplats enligt specifikation. Mobil användning är inte
tillåten.
Max uteffekt 100 W PEP
Frekvenserna delas med andra tillståndshavare och störningar får ej orsakas på annan
radiokommunikation.
Anropssignal för amatörradio är tillåten att använda vid kommunikation på de aktuella
banden. Om sådan saknas ska tilldelad anropssignal användas.
Trafik med andra tillståndshavare är tillåten.

or

The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency decides on the allocation of radio frequencies, conditions and license period in accordance with Chapter 3. Act (2003: 389) on electronic communication. If the state of the same permit number previously issued cease the older state to apply.
Licensing conditions
The licensee may use radio transmitters in accordance with what is stated in specification of the radio transmitter. The permit relates to the use of a radio transmitter for radio engineering experiments. Permitted frequency space:
5310-5313 kHz
5320-5323 kHz
5380-5383 kHz
5390-5393 kHz
Permissible bandwidth: 3 kHz.
The modulation techniques that fit within permissible bandwidth may be used. No part of the transmitted signal may be outside our current spectrum. Transmission may only be made from the antenna site according to specification. Mobile use is not allowed.
Max Output Power 100 W PEP
The frequencies are shared with other licensees and interference should not be caused to other radio communications.
Call sign of amateur radio is allowed to use when communicating on the current bands. If this is not available to be assigned to the callsign used. Traffic to other licensees are permitted.

I have the short call SD7B and SM7/M1KTA and will use those.

I have the licence for the whole of July although not there until 23rd.

So those interested in 60m if you want to try please get in touch.

Sweden July 2015 Drive

Was asked what the drive is.... 976 miles.... via the channel tunnel. Pass where I used to work in Belgium and then on through Holland, Germany and Demark then Sweden.

Will stop somewhere mid trip, and probably an IOTA once in Denmark too.

Vacuum Capacitor

Whilst clearing out some of the boxes in the workshop so I can get back to work I discovered a vacuum variable (8" long 3" diameter) I had kept from PhD days (1993-96). The original use I had was a planned magnetic loop (using two joined lengths of 22mm copper pipe (about 6.2m long) just one join using silver solder, to keep the loop resistance down) with a 2m diameter.

Bit like this one (no photo right now)

The capacitor would go across the gap in the loop.
a

The feed point was using an FT240 torrid (-43 I think) with 3 turns to an N type, the copper pipe would have slid through this.

The feed point is at the top of the loop, which sits at a slight angle to the vertical. The capacitor was to be in a length of 4" soil pipe, supported on an old 1/2" thick white chopping board.

The capacitor would be tuned remotely using a spare (NEMA17) stepper motor and a reduction planetary drive from a CNC project.

The loop should have been usable 3.5MHz right up to 21MHz.

However ... capacitors with clear glass envelopes and copper electrodes, if there is any air ingress you will see discolouration of the copper about the electrodes, slowly at first and depending on how humid it will completely darken and discolour. Originally the insides were all shinny, now they are dark so I expect the envelope has been damaged.

When I was a PhD research student in the Chemistry department in Cambridge University the gas handling line I used was maintained by the department glass blowers and I had accurate vacuum pumps. Given this I am pretty sure I could at one point have 'fixed' the capacitor and that was the plan, to glass blow on a small tube to attach to a line, then heat the capacitor whilst pumping down the interior and then to seal it again.

Now you can pretty much assume the pressure inside is at atmospheric not fractions of what it was originally probably near total vacuum. 

I know that capacitors at atmospheric pressure (760 Torr, 1.01 Bar) have a voltage rating about 12-15 times lower plate spacing dependant than that of an otherwise identical vacuum capacitor (at 10^-7 Torr). How do I know this... well lets just say during research if a capacitor failed I'd know about it damned quick. We used a thyratron pulse across a flash lamp at 5Hz and used a bank of vacuum storage capacitors. The voltage was up to 15KV. If one ever failed then audibly as the experiment ran it was like a fizzing as it shorted and the main flash lamp never fired. We used to have a selection of new 'spares' that we'd swap in. I never asked where they came from I think we had an Eastern European post doc in one of the other groups and they had 'acquired them', I never asked or where they went after we finished with them, several researchers before me had often throw them away (such a waste). Used to go through about 2 or 3 a year.

I might just use it in an ATU where the high voltage doesn't matter so much as the capacitance is fine and it requires multi turns 10-470pF.

Back to cleaning up....

Swedish 5MHz application

This is what I sent in...

Workshop almost clear of the old builders rubbish.

Now got to clean all the surfaces and rehome the bikes (new shed needed) and get rid of some last bits and the workshop is back to original use again.

Lots of wood offcuts and old carpet roll and underlay too. The old garage door will have a stud wall built over it and a new table/desk will go infront as wife's craft room comes out here too. (AND not going to be used for building bits storage again!)


Located the boxes of the cobweb and other antennas so they will go up/out when finished as well.

Nice 2m length of network cabinet tray as well.... maybe that could be cut into pieces and used as the cover over PSU and dummy loads.

RSGB IOTA 2015 EU138 Flakskär

I will be on Flakskär  24-25-26 July. Locator JO76ub

It is an island (what else?) in group EU-138 (so not hyper rare) and I have short call SD7B.

Flakskär  has no water or power so I'll be taking everything with me. I have a 100W solar panel setup I would like to use so I will probably be driving from UK, with it plus all the radio kit about 900 miles going via tunnel but might fly, yet to be determined.

See here for what the island is like (in swedish but lots of photos)

http://sm7ucz.se/Flakskaer/Flakskaer.htm

Yes I have asked for 5MHz, expect will have 6m and there will be a qrss/wspr beacon too.

I've also got the workshop back (yipee!).... however, lots of cleaning up to do as I have plaster and brick dust on everything. All components and builds were safely away but all the surfaces have a coating. Once that is done I'll be building again (someone else's K2 to finish first).

BERU 2005 RBN

Lost a few points..... looks like many are the odd dit/dah out I=A, H=F and I 'swapped' a few letters in my head V=B and U=D ho hum... now if only there were an SSB section :-)

Commonwealth Contest Adjudication report for C5/M1KTA : 28000 14/03/15
Date	Time	Call	Correct Call	RST Tx	SN Tx	SN Rx	Correct SN Rx	Reason	Notes
14/03/15	10:39	MW0IUX	MW0IDX	599	17	2		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	11:20	G0IBN		599	28	1	10	Broken:Serial RX
14/03/15	11:22	G0HSI	G0HSA	599	29	3	4	Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	13:13	VE3KZ		599	49	182	172	Broken:Serial RX
14/03/15	13:17	VE3CT	VE3CX	599	51	60		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	13:45	G3HRE	G3HRH	599	63	29		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	14:24	GM3QEH	GM3YEH	599	76	1	49	Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	15:41	VE7UH	VE7UF	599	96	199		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	15:49	GM0WE	GM0WED	599	100	15		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	16:12	G4RKO		599	111	78	87	Broken:Serial RX
14/03/15	16:56	VE4KI	VE3KI	599	122	408		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	17:09	G4KND	G4KNO	599	128	42	62	Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	17:34	GM4ZUK		599	137	90		Duplicate
14/03/15	17:52	GW3WOJ	GM3WOJ	599	140	179		Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	18:00	G3SYM		599	142	90		Incorrect serial #10	Adjudicated Invalid
14/03/15	18:30	G0UKV	G0UKB	599	152	51	52	Broken:Callsign
14/03/15	18:34	G3KMQ		599	153	10		Not In Log
14/03/15	20:12	VE3JM		599	156	62	620	Broken:Serial RX
14/03/15	20:35	G4ERW		599	162	85	95	Broken:Serial RX
15/03/15	05:04	XL3A		599	165	295		Not In Log
15/03/15	05:15	9A2AJ		599	168	1		Broken
15/03/15	05:38	GM0NST		599	170	10		Busted call GM0NAI	Adjudicated Invalid
15/03/15	06:11	G3RFH		599	177	1	154	Broken:Serial RX
15/03/15	07:09	G3WHO	G3PHO	599	202	188		Broken:Callsign
15/03/15	07:28	G4IIY		599	207	441		Duplicate