Month: December 2020

Getting started with the QCX Mini

The QCX mini is a high-performance single band HF QRP CW transceiver kit available for just $55 with a 50W amp for an additional $29.50.

My QCX Mini kit from Hans Summers QRP Labs arrived just before Christmas and was sitting under the Christmas tree for me to open. I’ll be documenting the journey with some links to other useful sites along the way. Watch this space!

A bag of goodies! (actually 3 bags, the LPF bag is under the main component bag)
For scale against my watch
Checking the PCB, no obvious errors under the eye loupe
Earlier stages … transformer took about 30min to wind and install after checking continuity is correct and copper wire enamel removed with solder (10 seconds of heat … one thousand, two thousand ….)

Made sure to install the IC holder as far to the top of the PCB as possible to ensure sufficient space for the paddle socket and the TCXO board.

40m transformer
A few more caps fitted
1. BPF and LPF toroids wound and fitted (wondering if I should have wound them differently to allow for adjustment).
2. Multi-turn potentiometers added for alignment.
3. PCB connectors added for subsequent fitting of control board.
Getting there with the main board.
1. All 3.5mm sockets added (bottom right looked a bit skewed but lines up perfectly with side fascia)
2. BNC connector added (although wondering if I should have used an SMA?).
3. Main board almost finished – must remember to add a 10uF electrolytic across D33/voltage regulator IC.

Main Board connects to the display board …. phew it fits 🙂
She’s alive!

Now for a nice cup of coffee before alignment this evening

Alignment now done, no issues (once I had fixed a dodgy soldering joint on the TCXO!). I followed Hans’ video here: (117) Tuning up your QCX+ – YouTube

Oops!

Initial findings are that it’s receiving very well and RF output at 12V is just a shade over 3W.

Having a Bud to celebrate progress so far!

Not a great quality video but enough to show progress, (Dodgy polarising filter over the LCD to prevent it washing out my iPhone camera!).

Transmit test to follow …

Testing the Mini QCX in WSPR TX mode:

My very first transmission tests on WSPR:

And the results – AMAZING – Decoded in Antractica on first transmission, how excellent is that for something that was a bag of components 2 days ago!

39 decodes in one transmission (first ever WSPR on my Mini QCX)

Received on both receivers at DP0GVN – Neumayer Station III
Ekstroem Ice Shelf, Atka Bay, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Top 50 spots, all over 1000Km in less than 10min (note only ONE station is reporting drift). Ignore the power shown as 5W, it’s actually 3.6W!:

Top 50 in 10 mins

… and also DP0POL/MM the German Ice-breaker Maritime Mobile (at this very moment the Polarstern, a German research icebreaker is presently off the coast of Africa en route to the scientific station in Antarctica. )

Time to play with CW I think …

No reply to CQ call but picked up on the reverse beacon network in USA and Russia.

Now to bed … Looking forward to some CW QSO’s tomorrow 🙂 Anyone for a QCX to QCX sked?

I am going to put further WSPR posts here: https://m0icr.com/category/wspr

First CW QSO on QCX Mini – Willi DL2IAD

Very pleased to report working Willi DL2IAD (Herschweiler-Pettersheim, Germany) this morning on the QCX Mini. 599 both ways, a solid QSO. Exactly 600Km IO91SO <> JN39QL.

First QCX Mini QSO – 600Km with DL2IAD

Second QSO on QCX mini GM4ENF 489 (Al in in Cupar, Fife, Scotland)

Boxed up and finished! ( ….. for now!)

A few minutes in the New Year’s Day German AGCW contest on 40m using the Mini QCX

DateUTCFreqModeCallRST SRST R
Jan-01-202111:12:187032.5CWDR7T599599
Jan-01-202111:15:397007CWDR165TESLA599599
Jan-01-202111:17:067013.4CWDL3HAH599599
Jan-01-202111:18:307024.9CWDL4CF599599
Jan-01-202111:19:587038.8CWDR2C599599
Jan-01-202111:21:587018.9CWDL5AXX599599
Jan-01-202111:23:147023.6CWDL1CW599599
Jan-01-202111:24:137027.6CWDL5XJ599599
Jan-01-202111:29:257031.8CWPA3ARM599599
Jan-01-202111:32:557030CWSN1T599599
Jan-01-202111:55:567032CWDL8QS599599
Jan-01-202111:57:067012.5CWDK3QZ599599
Jan-01-202111:59:427027.6CWDF7YE599599

Reference Materials for the QCX Mini

QRP Labs: QRP Labs Kits (qrp-labs.com)
The QCX Mini: QCX-mini 5W CW transceiver kit (qrp-labs.com)
Order your QCX Mini here: QCX-mini 5W CW transceiver (qrp-labs.com)

In the build I will be following some of the useful tips by Ryan Flowers (including his YouTube videos), link here: https://miscdotgeek.com/

I’ve just noticed that David Casler (Excellent YouTube channel by the way) has just received his QCX Mini and will be describing his build here: (117) The QCX-Mini 20m QRP Rig Kit Arrives (#342) – YouTube)

A link to Hans Summers QRP Labs videos including on the QCX Mini and a ‘lab’ tour is here: https://www.youtube.com/c/QRPLabs/featured

Working Japan on HF

QRA Locator Squares Confirmed

Japan QRA Locs cfm - eQSL/LOTW/Paper

LocCallKm6-figm
PL36JR6FC10011PL36ud30m
PM52JR6FRV9505PM52is20m
PM53JA6BZI9446PM53cn40m
PM54JH4ALY9399PM54pc20m
PM63JA5AQC9484PM63iu20m
PM64JH4UTP9458PM64VN20m
PM65JI4POR9341PM65nk20m
PM74JA3PIU9508PM74ss20m
PM75JE4CIL9413PM75am20m
PM84JH2RMU9584PM84il20m
PM85JA2XYO9514PM85gc20m
PM86JA9FKW9407PM86db20m
PM94JE2UFF9668PM9415m
PM95JI1CPN9566PM95rr15m
PM96JH0INP9427PM96CW10m
PM97JG1ITH9441PM97xb20m
QM05JR1IJV9587QM05aq30m
QM06JA7HRM9501QM06EP20m
QM07JA7IC9433QM07EG10m
QM08JA7MOL9339QM08ac30m
QM09JR7ILA9211QM09nq20m
QN00JA7BME9139QN00bc15m
QN02JF8QNF8883QN02qx30m
QN03JA8IZP8877QN03rb15m
QN12JF8LWU8952QN12rw20m
Japanese squares confirmed and worked

Japan Awards

The following site by VK5PAS gives really useful information on the Japan (JARL) awards available. https://www.vk5pas.com/japan-awards.html

I am presently working on the following awards:

AJD – Worked all (10) Japan Districts / Call areas.
WAJA – Worked all Japan prefectures (47 of them!)
Click here for a useful map of districts and prefectures:
Details of these and other Japan awards are at the pdf leaflet hosted on the ARRL site here. For more details look-up the JARL Awards site here.
I am going to use this blog to keep track of progress on AJD and WAJA. Note that presently the JARL does not accept LOTW verification but it does accept EQSL cards (if they are printed out).

Japan Districts / Call Area confirmed on eQSL

Call AreaName40m30m20m17m15m10m
0Shin’etsu 信越JH0INEJR0QKRJH0INP
1Kanto 関東JI1FLBJQ1CIVJS1MRAJG1ERWJL1CPN
2Tokai 東海JA2GTZJR2ATZJR2UBSJE2UFF
3Kinki 近畿JS3CTQJO3TAPJR3IIRJA3EGY
4Chugoku 中国JA4FKXJL4ENSJI4PORJH4HMG
5Shikoku 四国JA5JGYJA5BENJH5MXB
6Kyushu* 州・沖縄JE6HJTJR6FRVJE6JAS
7Tohoku 東北JN7DOSJR7HRO
8Hokkaido 北海道JH8OCVJH8JYVJA8IZP
9Hokuriku 北陸JA9KROJA9NFO

Japan Prefectures confirmed on eQSL

NoPrefectureAreaCall40m 30m20m17m15m10m
01Hokkaidō 北海道Hokkaidō8JH8OCVJH8JYVJA8IZP
02Aomori 青森県Tōhoku7JH7BKNJA7OUV
03Iwate 岩手県Tōhoku7JN7DOSJO7KMB
04Akita 秋田県Tōhoku7JE7GXQJP7TAW
05Yamagata 山形県Tōhoku7JR7RHO
06Miyagi 宮城県Tōhoku7JA7QVI
07Fukushima 福島県Tōhoku7JH7DFZ
08Niigata 新潟県Chūbu0JH0INEJR0QKRJH0INP
09Nagano 長野県Chūbu0JA0IRMJA0MRW
10Tokyo 東京都Kantō1JI1FLBJM1GHTJR1LRTJI1CPN
11Kanagawa 神奈川県Kantō1JJ1QUVJA1BOP
12Chiba 千葉県Kantō1JL1OZIJS1MRA
13Saitama 埼玉県Kantō1JM1XCWJR1EMO
14Ibaraki 茨城県Kantō1JN1BMXJH1EIG
15Tochigi 栃木県Kantō1JG1ITH
16Gunma 群馬県Kantō1JQ1CIV
17Yamanashi 山梨県Chūbu1JA1UXCJG1ERW
18Shizuoka 静岡県Chūbu2JA2GTZJR2ATZJR2PZXJE2UFF
19Gifu 岐阜県Chūbu2JA2HYDJH2NMF
20Aichi 愛知県Chūbu2JH2FXKJR2UBS
21Mie 三重県Kansai2JH2RMU
22Kyoto 京都府Kansai3JF3AHIJA3EGY
23Shiga 滋賀県Kansai3
24Nara 奈良県Kansai3JS3TCQJA3UCO
25Osaka 大阪府Kansai3JF3VAXJO3TAPJI3CWI
26Wakayama 和歌山県Kansai3JG3TRB
27Hyōgo 兵庫県Kansai3JA3KAWJR3IIR
28Toyama 富山県Chūbu9JA9KROJA9NFO
29Fukui 福井県Chūbu9JA9FKW
30Ishikawa 石川県Chūbu9JA9CWJ
31Okayama 岡山県Chūgoku4JA4FKXJA4JKOJH4UTP
32Shimane 島根県Chūgoku4JL4CVGJI4POR
33Yamaguchi 山口県Chūgoku4JH4ALY
34Tottori 鳥取県Chūgoku4
35Hiroshima 広島県Chūgoku4JL4ENSJG4QFGJH4HMG
36Kagawa 香川県Shikoku5JA5BDZ
37Tokushima 徳島県Shikoku5JA5CEX
38Ehime 愛媛県Shikoku5JA5JFBJA5BENJH5MXB
39Kōchi 高知県Shikoku5JA5JGYJA5TX
40Fukuoka 福岡県Kyūshū6JE6HJTJA6JEWJE6JAS
41Saga 佐賀県Kyūshū6JA6MWW
42Nagasaki 長崎県Kyūshū6
43Kumamoto 熊本県Kyūshū6JR6FRV
44Ōita 大分県Kyūshū6JA6VQA
45Miyazaki 宮崎県Kyūshū6
46Kagoshima 鹿児島県Kyūshū6JA6IUQ (*)
47Okinawa 沖縄県Kyūshū6
* indicates paper QSL only



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Welcome

Welcome to my amateur radio and electronics Blog. My name is Carl and I live between Northwood and Rickmansworth on the Greater London / Hertfordshire border. This new blog was started 26th December 2020 although I am in the process of transferring some of the more interesting posts from my old Blogspot pages. My main radio interests are:

* VHF to SHF DXing and contesting
* HF Dxing, digital modes and contesting (particularly RTTY contesting)
* Equipment and antenna construction, including homebrew and kits

My personal contest callsign is G2K. When contesting with ‘The Rats’ you may hear me using either our club call G3RAT or our club contest call G2D, we also have the club call M0HRF but that is used somewhat less now that we have been issued G3RAT.

Despite the fancy Icoms etc and potential to operate up to 400W on HF when the situation is appropriate I still very much enjoy operating low power low cost radio. I am a big fan of Hans Summers and his QRP Labs enterprise. You can find Hans’ website here and his QRP Labs shop here. I particularly enjoy the QCX Mini range of CW QRP transceivers owning one for each of 20m and 40m. See Hans’ QCX Mini Youtube video here.

Drowned Rats Radio Group

I am proud to be a founding member of the Drowned Rats Radio Group, if you want to know more about the Rats check out our webpage at About Us | Drowned Rats Radio Group (g3rat.com). We are VHF and above enthusiasts (although we also do some HF!), we do contesting and more. Recruiting now!

Drowned Rats:
Back to Front: In the operating tent – Gene M0ZRG, Anthony G7LRQ, Stuart M1SMH

Rats on tour – Walbury Hill – NFD

We are always looking for new members to join the team

We welcome newcomers and old-hands alike, full training is given and we have a lot of fun! If you are in the UK and would like more information including how to get involved in the weekly VHF-SHF activity contests and/or to come out with us on one of our field events please contact us on the link above or feel free to email me direct. If you’re new to VHF and above contesting in the UK check out my beginners guide here.

Single 6m Yagi at NFD
2m stack of 4 x 9 ele Yagi
2m stack of 4 x 9 ele Yagi

Falkland Islands on 30m and 60m

Always a pleasure to work the Falkland Islands on any band. This was my first QSO to the islands on 30m (FT4). A nice digital QSO with Donald Betts in Port Stanley on Christmas Day 2020. Over 12,000Km using 100W and a DX Commander Lite vertical. All my previous QSO’s to the Falklands have been with VP8LP (60m, 20m and 17m).

60m digital QSO with VP8LP:

GQRP Convention 2020

Thank you to Steve Hartley G0FUW and all the team at GQRP for the excellent virtual GQRP Convention run over the weekend 5-6th September.

A thoroughly enjoyable event. I have attended a number of the conventions in person over the years and was a little apprehensive about how well it would run as an online event. Whilst I admit I missed the face to face conversations and annual ‘meet-up’ given the circumstances this year I thought the event was a huge success, so much so that I hope the online element continues in future years – if nothing else it provides a much greater global reach and provided a valuable source of videos to watch over again for ideas and stimulation.

A link to the event webpage and links to all the presentation (now on YouTube) is here: http://www.gqrp.com/convention.htm

A direct link to the GQRP YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClhe-ybLZzpnJh80VmFuS-A