Greetings Friends!

Well here it is October 2011 and the sunspots are on the rise!  After all the talk of the slow or less-than-usual sunspot cycle 24, it is actually proving to be right about average and tracking just like cycle 23.  10 meters has awakened and I have been working west coast and new england easily as well as DX i.e. Australia, Uruguay, France and Greece with armchair copy!

My Johnson Viking II had been exhibiting some intermittent problems with grid drive on 10 meters but I believe I have found the problem.  A lead from the buffer tank capacitor had become loose from it's ground and it seems to be behaving now that I resoldered it back into position.

My Zero Five Multiband Ground Plane mounted above the roofline sure is working FB on 10 meters!! So tune your equipment to 29.000 - 29.200 AM and join the fun!

73 folks! de KX5JT John

Hello everyone!  Hope to do some experimenting this weekend with different digital modes on 30 meters.
The ZERO FIVE Ground Plane seems to do a good job on 30 meters.

REPRINTED FROM http://www.30mdg.net/multweekend_01.pdf

30 Meter Multi Mode Weekend
When: June 4th and 5th
Where: 10 MHz - 30 Meter Band (10.100 – 10.150)
Objective: To promote experimenting and using different digital modes on the unique 30 Meter
Band.

Where on the 30 Meter Band to find different digital mode activity:
(Note: these are suggested only and observations of known digital mode activity)
10.100 – 10.130 CW
10.132 – SSTV-Narrow (MP73-N) Region 2
10.135 – 10.138 – FeldHELL
10.1386 – MEPT/WSPR
10.138-10.140 – JT65 (WSJT)
10.1405 – PROPNET & PropNet Robots (BPSK31)
10.139-10.141 WSPR (QSO MODE-WSJT)
10.140 – 10.141 BPSK31 QRP
10.140 – 10.142 BPSK31 – DX Region 1,2,3 (or BPSK/QPSK,31,63,125,<125hz)
10.142 – 10.145 RTTY,MFSK,THOR,THROB,DOMINO,OLIVIA,CONTESTIA,etc.
10.144 – 10.145 ROS (Region 2 –note not legal in USA)
10.144 – FeldHELL (Region 1)
10.144 – SSTV-Narrow (MP73-N) Region 1
10.142 – 10.144 – ALE-400hz
10.145 – 10.148 – ALE-2khz
10.147 – 10.148 PSKMail/APRS
10.1491 – 10.1495 APRS

Operating hints for the weekend:

- Do use RSID (RXID/TXID) for the less common/exotic modes (i.e. Contestia,Olivia,Domino,etc)
- Do CQ with RSID for more than just a few of CQ’s, don’t expect to have someone to reply on a
less common used mode the first few CQ’s…give it a while for others to find you and the mode
being used
- Do use good operating habits – clean signal, lowest wattage to complete the QSO, QRL in
common mode first, if band is busy or crowded spread out or use narrower width modes (i.e. if
band is busy don’t use OLIVIA 8/500 in the middle of the 30 Meter PSK 10.141 portion of the
Band-not good operating habit if the band is busy and you will not make many friends)
- Do have fun and compare modes, wattage, antennas, etc with other operators that are interested
to do the same..most the 30 Meter Digital Operators are not Call,599,73 most want a QSO (even
DX)
- Do use http://www.HamSpots.net for spotting, announcements of mode, etc.
- Do use the other digital ops with more experience most seasoned digital ops on 30 Meters are
very helpful and will have the patience to help if needed…also might use and log on to HamSpots

Greetings friends! It's been a couple months since my last blog entry, so I figured it's time to let everyone know what's going on at the KX5JT station. The radio room/ man-cave has undergone a few changes. This was needed due to the arrival of the boat anchors back in February. I absolutely LOVE the Johnson Viking II and National NC-300 combo. But they are huge! You can see them on the front page on http://kx5jt.net and understand the need to make more room. I had a work bench in the same room which was resized and pressed into service as an operating table. My operating position is now L shaped with the boatanchors on one leg, the computer, audio rack and riceboxes (TS-570D and R-75) on the other L.

ZERO-FIVE 40-10 MULTIBAND GROUND PLANE

http://www.zerofive-antennas.com/content/groundplane-10-40-meter-high-performance-multiband-vertical-antenna

 

I am sooo very pleased with this antenna so far. I call cq on 20 meters and get a RUN of people back to back wanting contacts. I use it on 40/30/20/17/15/12/10 meters with my SB-200 pumping 600 watts pep or my Viking II pumping 400 watts pep through my homebrew antenna tuner and it loads fine on all these bands and PERFORMS very nicely. I'm working much more stations farther out (i.e. DX) than I have with the 40/80 meter inverted vees that I had been pressing into operation on these higher bands. Tom at ZERO FIVE is great, answers the phone or calls right back if he couldn't get right too it. He's down to earth and this antenna was built to last with quality CNC machining and craftsmanship that my folks and grandparents were more used to seeing than us.

I've been working SSB phone more (AM too of course). You also might find me running OLIVIA, DOMINO or especially FELD HELL. I really love the feld hell mode since it's really an analog mode. FELD HELL benefits from power (amplifier) because unlike the true digital modes, when the signal fades, the print fades to a lighter shade. The other digital modes put trash characters but FELD HELL is more analog in the way it feels with the fading or darkening of print. Try it sometime if you haven't!

Cya on the air! 73!
John KX5JT

Okay folks, it has been quite a while since I made an entry so here goes.

Back at the end of Janurary, 2011, myself and my 2 sons made an appearance at the Jackson, Ms Capital City Hamfest.  It was great fun and I shook hands and met quite a few of the people I have been talking with on the air.  Brandon, K5IAA was there and allowed me to bring home a homebrew balanced tuner.  I need to get that going with a double extended zepp sometime.  Also there were members of the Pensacola AM mafia!  Great to meet these fellow AMers indeed.  Much fun was had. 

On Feburary 12th, my oldest son and I ventured off to northern Alabama to pickup a classic boatanchor station.  We spent a few hours with Dr. John, KN4ME in Florence, Alabama and helped him get a single conductor fed Windom antenna up in his trees.  Dr. John is another AM enthusiast with a fine collection of vintage Collins, Heathkits and an awesome homebrew 813 rig.  Jerry ex-N5UGW, now WA4JK met us there and I bought the EF Johnson Viking II and National NC-300 combo from him. 

The newly acquired Johnson Viking II/National NC-300 is on the air and working great!  When I first fired up the Viking II and went about tuning it up for the first time, wouldn't you know I let a thick stream of smoke out of it!  The meter switch was in need of some Deoxit and not seeing the plate current register, I blew out an electrolytic filter cap.  I cleaned the switch and replaced the cap and an hour later I was on the air getting some great reports!  These things happen with the Vintage Gear!

Orange, Texas hamfest today!!  As soon as I finish this blog entry, I'll be taking my shower then heading out to visit with my fine fellow AMers from the E. Texas area at the Orange Hamfest.  I'll bring my camera and shoot some more pics.  I am on the lookout for a pair of 3-500Z tubes to get the Henry 2K4 operational once again.

73 my friends! John KX5JT

Hola friends!

It's been a while.  I had taken a little bit of a break from radio during the peak static season (August and September) here in Louisiana.  Also, my oldest son Sean arrived from Guam after nearly 4 years in the U.S. Navy and we have been having a blast spending quality time together!

I was really missing some good radio so I started transmitting again recently.  I received my AMI (A.M. International) number and last Wednesday, October13th, 2010, I checked into the West Coast AMI net successfully for the first time!  I was heard in California AND in NY state!!  Awesome!  My friend Ellen, KB1OKN heard me via the Stickam streams too and it was way cool!

In other news, a few days ago I receive a letter from Joseph Smith in New Hampshire.  He is an avid Shortwave listener who hears me often!  Here is the letter.  I'm very proud of this!  He hand typed this letter as you can see!

Until next time friends, 73 - John KX5JT

July 22nd, 2010

My youngest son Aaron and I took a road trip to Brookhaven, MS to visit Jeff, W0XV.  Jeff was one of my very first AM contacts when I started my AMing back in Nov '08.  In fact when I first put my Heathkit DX-60 on the air, he was the first contact I made with it.  Jeff has always encouraged me and inspired me with regards to vintage equipment and the AM mode.  He is an AVID collector of vintage ham equipment and every peice he owns is in immaculate, museum quality condition.  We had been saying we need to meet in person and visit so I decided with some time off to do just that and took him up on the offer.

It was a 3 hour drive from my location to his, but it was nearly all interstate and very relaxing.  The drive there and back gave me and my 14 yr old a chance to talk and that was nice as well.

Jeff's property is hidden on the outskirts of Brookhaven, MS.  The entry is a long drive quite a way from the road on which he lives.  In fact, one cannot see his home from the road.  The driveway lead to more wooded area until at last his nice 2-story home came into view.  The tall pine trees are definitely a blessing to the amateur for antenna supports! 

We were met by several of the dogs that he and his wife rescued from bad situations.  The are passionate about rescuing dogs!  The dogs were quite excitable at first but after a few minutes they seemed to relax and most really liked Aaron and myself.

Jeff has several operating and work areas for the radios.  It was AMAZING to see all that history in impeccable shape and most of the equipment was setup in stations at different positions.  There was an impressive feedline/antenna/station selection switching arrangement that allows him to use any of the stations with any of several antenna systems.

His darling station consists of a transmitter built by Robert Smith, W0VMC.  Robert built a pair of 4x1000's modulating a pair of 4x1000's inside a beautiful Collins 20v2 AM Broadcast cabinet.  It is truly a work of art!  "Dr" Roy, KB5MD from El Dorado, AK was calling CQ to which Jeff answered and he and I took turns at the mic.  I had met Roy a few months earlier at the Orange, TX hamfest and he is another regular AMer down in mid-south.  A little later Jeff and I checked into the Gulf Coast Mullet Society Net which Jeff was a part of the founding. 

Jeff is a wonderful friend and he made us feel very comfortable.  He is a man of excellence and it shows with his passion for radio.  I enjoyed the grand tour of his QTH. 

The visit was truly inspiring and certainly a welcome phase to our friendship.  Thanks Jeff!

73 everyone

John KX5JT

Hi folks,

Doug Benson, K1SWL, owner of Small Wonder Labs has created a 75 Meter AM QRP transceiver kit!  It is called the Retro75 and puts out about 2.5 watts of AM carrier with about 8 watts PEP.  It has been well received by the AM ganstas and already a few are on the air.  I have received my kit in the mail and at 65 bucks shipped it promises to be a lot of cheap fun.

I will create a retro75 page and post progress and pics.  Here is the link to this incredible small wonder!

http://smallwonderlabs.com/Retro-75.htm

73 fellow enthusiasts! John

Hello there friends.  It's been a while since my last entry.  I've been fairly busy but I have made a few changes to the radio room.  My Henry 2K4 amplifier is a WONDERFUL addition, however a short developed in one of the Eimac 3-500Z's.  This short eventually took out one of the HV rectifiers in the powersupply.  I'll have to wait a while before I can afford the components to repair the amp.  When working, she does a GREAT job as an AM linear (and therefore fantastic for all the other modes as well).  She is rated for continous duty and that is very important for AM and other high duty modes.

I created a new article.  I has to do with ragchewing.  I often find myself at a loss for topics when ragchewing so I put some of my thoughts to print in an effort to help myself and others with this dilemna.

You can find the article at http://kx5jt.net/AM/QSO.htm which is also linked from my A.M. page on kx5jt.net.

73 for now! John KX5JT

Well it seems to have been a while since I posted here.  Some exciting new things have happened and promise to happen.  My beloved New Orleans Saints have won Super Bowl XLIV (44). !!!!  They have never BEEN to a Super Bowl before this year!  Their loyal fans are soo awesome too.  WHO DAT!?

In the radio world.... I have a new pair of 572B's in my Heathkit SB-200 and it seems way happier now.  I was using a pair of Chinese and another pair of Russian tubes and both pairs left a lot to be desired.  The Russians would glow way too hot and the Chinese would also, not as bad but ended up being 30% softer.  The new pair are Chinese but they were purchased via RF Parts as Taylors and have a 1 year warranty.  They run with appropriate color, that is barely blushing a little after a minute or so of carrier.

I also made a wonderful acquisition yesterday on Valentine's day.  It's a Henry 2K-4 console linear amplifier.  This thing is built like a tank and weighs 130 lbs.  It used a pair of 3-500Z's in grounded grid configuration and is rated at continuous duty.  It will make legal limit on AM and SSB if driven hard enough and not even blink.  The pair of 3-500Z's that are inside it are made by Eimac and are showing great output.  I need to wire in some 220/240 volt line into my shack but that is my ongoing project now. 

AM is treating me well and I am making great friends with the mode.  I will attend the Orange, TX hamfest on Febuary 27th and anticipate eyeball qso's with many of my AM brethren from east TX and even W0XV Jeff should be there from Mississippi. 

Bye for now good people and 73!

de KX5JT John

As the winter approaches the low bands particularlly become less noisey and the propogation starts become much more reliable out farther distances.  It makes for the best AM radio at night on 160/80 and 4O meters. 

Winter also means more time indoors and the AM hams have time be in their shack and work on projects.  I have a few projects in mine for the winter i.e. restoring the Johnson Viking I and an Hammarlund HQ-110.  It's the time to improve our stations.  

You are welcome to leave feedback on this post with your Winter Projects you wanna accomplish.