The FT-817 in a custom cabinet. For instructions on building your own visit QRP Community: Make Mine "To Go
By Anthony A. Luscre, K8ZT
Contributing Editor
October 19, 2004
Ideas and projects to enhance your operating experience and protect your newly purchased QRP Rig.
Rigs and Reviews
Last month's QRP Community took a look at four commercially available QRP rigs and an online spreadsheet to help you select your favorite. This time, we'll offer a few ideas for putting that new or soon-to-be purchased rig to use.
Quality Reading Time
OK, so in your rush to get that new radio out of the box and on the air, you cast aside the manual without a second glance. Now that you've gotten over the initial rush, it's time to step slowly away from the radio and take a look at the book.
All kidding aside, to get the most of modern radios, it really is important to read the manual, if for no other reason than to learn about its features. I often hear operators say, "I never knew my rig could do that!" Be especially sure to learn how to operate "split" so you won't miss any rare DX that's listening "up 2."
With many manuals now available on the Web, it only takes a little cutting and pasting to create a compact table of functions--sometimes called a "cheat sheet. This assumes that the manufacturer hasn't already included a "quick reference guide" or a section in the manual that covers the basics of putting the radio on the air without having to read the manual from cover to cover. A number of compact operating guides also are on the market for various transceivers.
Online Support Groups
There are currently a variety of e-mail lists or groups that you can subscribe to for Internet support and operating tips for your new rig. Here are a few lists to get you started: Elecraft K2, Icom 703, Ten Tec Argonaut-V and Yaesu FT-817. Don't forget to check if the mailing list has a searchable online archive. Archives are often a quick way to find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Indeed, many lists also have online FAQs as well as photo and file collections.
On-the-Air Nets
On-the-air user nets give owners of a particular transceiver an opportunity to chat more directly. Most of these user nets meet weekly, and some have sessions on different bands to take propagation into account. Additionally, times and frequencies are often adjusted to meet seasonal variations in propagation.
Net styles vary considerably--from the formal and structured to the informal get together. The best thing to do is listen to the net control station and follow the lead of others checking into the net.
Here are a few examples of current nets (times/dates are in UTC).
The FT-817 in a custom cabinet. For instructions on building your own visit QRP Community: Make Mine "To Go |
Protecting Your Rig's Finals
Both the IC-703 and especially the FT-817 have been prolific sellers, so I'm guessing that it's inevitable that there have been a number of newsgroup and reflector postings concerning blown final transistors with these rigs. Because people do not typically post to a list to report their finals are fine, these failure reports likely represent a statistically skewed percentage of those rigs out there within the Amateur Radio community. Even so, when it's your rig, one failure is too many. I have gathered three operating guidelines and a few modifications to reduce your chances of joining the BFC ("Blown Finals Club").
First, some operating guidelines:
Now, some modifications and adjustments. A caveat: Although these fixes have been widely disseminated via various mailing lists and tried by your editor, they are "unofficial" suggestions and do not carry the endorsement of the radio manufacturers. In fact, modifying your radio may well void the manufacturer's warranty.
So, the bottom line is that you attempt these at your own risk, and then only if you are proficient in soldering in tight spots.
 A detailed manual that not only covers operation, but includes construction instructions. You can download a copy from Elecraft's web site |
 One example of many available schematics for Icom interface |
Computer Interfacing
Although commercial computer interfaces/cables are available, many hams would prefer a simple do-it-yourself project and the substantial cost saving (again the usual disclaimers apply as improper construction of interfaces/cables could result in damage to your rig, your computer or both).
The IC-703 interface can be built for less than $10 for a saving of more than $100! (We know that hams are, uhhhh, thrifty.) Greg Ordy, W8WWV, has a very informative page on Icom interfaces. There are a variety of designs. Here are two examples; one using discrete components and one based on the Maxim 232 integrated circuit.
The commercial price of the FT-817 cable is much lower than the Icom equivalent, but a ham can easily build one for just a few bucks. This link has a variety of interfacing and cloning cable circuits.
Once you build your new interface, a great free program to test operation is available from Simon Brown, HB9DRV. Called Ham Radio Deluxe, this program also will work with the Ten-Tec Argonaut V (no interface required) and the Elecraft K2 with optional KIO2 interface module.
Flying Pigs
The Flying Pigs QRP Club has announced its third annual yearlong contest, the International 2005 VUCC Challenge. The stated purpose is "to promote the use of our VHF/UHF frequencies and the building and use of homebrew equipment on Amateur Radio Frequencies of 50 MHz and above."
The primary object is to work at least 100 2x1 Maidenhead grid squares per band as defined by the ARRL VUCC award program. These contacts can be made during casual QSOs or during a contest. You need only submit a total count of grids worked and certify that you worked each contact at the specified power level you are claiming. No QSL cards are needed.
There will be special certificates for the top three totals plus certificates for everyone that works 100 or more grids. Don't miss this chance to utilize your new FT-817's or IC-703's VHF/UHF capacity or add Elecraft or Ten Tec transverters to your K2 or Argonaut V for VHF and/or UHF. You may also want to visit one of my previous columns: "The QRP World Above 50 MHz."
Fall Contest Season is Upon Us
Want to work a few new countries or states? The fall contest season provides low-power operators with many opportunities to make contacts. Four of the major contests occur during October and November. Sponsored by CQ, the CQ World Wide DX Contest (SSB: October 30-31; CW: November 27-28) provides QRPers with a great way to increase their DXCC totals. The ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW: November 6-8; SSB: November 20-22) provides low-power operators a chance to Work All States (WAS) or fill in needed states on specific bands.
Reader Feedback and Author Comments
Thanks for the large number of e-mails on last month's column. As usual, my astute readers caught a number of small errors in my comparison chart. The errors were promptly corrected on the ARRL Web site.
Don't forget to e-mail me information on your QRP club's upcoming activities for possible inclusion in my future columns.
Editor's note: Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, an
ARRL Life Member, lives in Stow, Ohio. He has worked in the field of medical
microbiology for 18 years and is now a Technology and Computer Coordinator for
a local school district. Luscre is an avid QRP operator having earned DXCC, WAS
and WAC using no more that 5 W output. Readers are invited to contact the
author via e-mail, k8zt@arrl.net or
visit his Web site.
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