BERU Africa Team

Bumped to reserve in team as 7q7bp will be active.

BERU 2015

Well it seems I am in the BERU Team Africa (reserve again op running 400W vs qrp not a difficult choice if it is a contest) ...  anyway please help me help you add a rare or ATNO.
Some comments from me for those that might try a contact.... PLEASE SLOW DOWN ALL EXCHANGES.
If you are only in it for the qsl as you want C5 then perhaps try after BERU (BERU countries only during the contest please I will likely ignore you otherwise) Yes I know it is a contest and exchanges need to be rapid but if you want the C5 then please slow down or I might not get the whole exchange correct. The reason is very simple....I may just delete the qso. In 2014 I got fed up being sent a serial number and tu at 30wpm (probably from some macro) and never getting it and I'll not put in 001 entry as I will get penalised, you will get a NIL and will loose points. But if you are from a BERU country AND just want the ATNO DXCC please say on air 'ATNO' (see below). But just BERU countries during contest. I'll not record or require /qrp it is not official anyway and it will probably take you too long to send it all anyway so please don't send it.
I will almost certainly confirm BOTH your serial and mine and I'll not give you my serial number until I have yours.
Please please make sure you think I have BOTH numbers correctly. Very happy to be told I got it wrong and corrected.
So you know what I expect (and I have been practicing these) the example exchanges I will be using are:
If I am operating search and pounce... (I'll probably contact the 'big guns' and calls I know myself in the first few hours and I'll have listened loads so I will probably know what serial number to expect, and will probably be a lot faster than 16wpm!)

abc: cq G3ABC test
kta: C5/M1KTA
abc: C5/M1KTA 5nn  nr
kta: sri   nr agn                      
abc: C5/M1KTA 5nn  nr           or just 5nn cfm nr on the repeat
kta: r 199 nr
abc: tu G3ABC

or
If brave enough to send a CQ (probably into the night and in the morning) I will be sending slower, please do not send faster than I send (obvious?):
kta: CQ C5/M1KTA BERU test
abc: G3ABC
kta: G3ABC 199 nr
abc: 599 nr                          
kta: nr ?
abc: 599 nr                            
....  repeat until OK
kta: tu  C5/M1KTA BERU

If trying for C5 ATNO, then just for you....
kta: CQ C5/M1KTA BERU test
abc: G3ABC
kta: G3ABC 599 nr
abc: 599 ATNO                         
kta: nr ?
abc: 599 ATNO                           
....  please repeat until I cfm it
kta: cfm G3ABC tu C5/M1KTA BERU

I will log the qso and write in 001 for your serial number so if you are taking part in BERU please don't use ATNO. If you hear me in qso with another and try to tail end then please be patient as I try and see if I got your call esp if you sent it quickly. Oh yes I'll be the slow one in contest (expect sub 16wpm).
Please no partials, esp if obvious not in a BERU country I'll not complete the QSO and will move on. Sri NIL...Please try again AFTER BERU.
Note I KNOW these stations should be in BERU from Africa:
5V/G3TXF, 5Z4LS, ZS1EL, ZS1C and 7Q7BP
NOTE if I am QRV in BERU almost definitely NOT on AF-060
Be aware many AF stations might not be in BERU and will be operating in SARL contest some may be from other countries that are in commonwealth but dare I suggest listen on air.
Africa DX contest is on too so I expect might get interesting as I expect I will be cq'ing and will get hassled by the odd stn.

....

Yes I expect to be on RTTY 30m in C5 probably near 10.142

K2 Build

Been working on this for ages (almost a year now).

It is a K2, fully loaded, with 100WPA and ATU in an external encloure.

The Mic the end user will use is different to mine so used the K2 mic rework eliminator... here this is it being fitted. To change mic you adjust the jumpers.

Control board removed this is the rear of the front panel. P1 mike header jumpers already in place. But not configured yet.

rework eliminator in place (I have set the jumpers for the heil traveller headset I have)

 Control board back in place...

 Then the AF filters, dsp and RTC

 Side panel off to show the jumpers.

Testing battery for C5

Got the same type of motorbike battery will have in C5... testing operation...

They sell them dry and you add electrolyte (sulphric acid)... They will then have 9.5AH charge and will run what I need for more than couple hours.

Will recharge constantly at 0.9A from Pro-peak smart recharger, using a PSU.

 

So in the photo.. At the back left, a PSU... actually the workbench one but doesn't matter.... output is 12V... into the Yellow (front left) smart charger (will do Pb, Li, NiMH, NiCd batteries and in all sorts of combinations, mine is the one that has small charge/discharge rates, no fan so silent), from there to the battery... I have meter in series (just to see the charge rate) and a small ebay voltage LED module across the battery. It takes about 12 hours from flat to recharge it.... I should only need it in C5 twice (not this actual battery but another like it.

I can also just shove 13.8V into the battery at 2-3 amps (got a couple limit resistors and 6 amps diodes in a set of leads already (wirewound 10W things) but that will wreak the battery, long term but will recharge in only a few hours, which I might do for the trip last day if I do not need it after. I'll give back to the place I bought it after.

 

If operating from the hotel mains (might be possible) then will use PSU and the recharger at same time ... It is RF quiet I know this already.

30m data from C5

Going to be trying data modes (expect RTTY and PSK) on 30m from C5 for those interested.

C5 in 2015

Once the current build backlog is dealt with (K2 to finish off) I will be off to The Gambia in 12th March for BERU. Will probably activate AF-060 Bijol Island one morning or afternoon when out there (until 17th).

QTH will be the beach again near Brufu. Probably same place as I did last year....

K1N nope NIL..

Hey I got the inverse leader board #1

:-)