The ramblings of Cool Moggy @coolmoggy - Tumblr Blog

The fifth post in the mainly VHF propagation series.

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#amateur radio #propagation #solar activity

Working meteor scatter on 2 metres

Meteors photo by Baris Karagoz with thanks. Back in the Eighties I was active on meteor scatter using high speed course with a keyer at 1000 letters a minute (200 lpm), a modified cassette recorder to copy and slow down signals received, and my trusty FT221R. It is a different world now with the new digital technology, so this is an up-to-date summary of current practice. Working meteor scatter…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #50 MHz #meteor scatter #VHF DX

Working radio aurora

Aurora by Clare Kines Working aurora propagation on the amateur radio bands — especially 50 MHz (6m), 70 MHz (4m), and 144 MHz (2m) — is a thrilling and distinctive experience. Aurora propagation is caused by charged particles from the Sun (usually during a geomagnetic storm) interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, energizing the auroral zone and creating a reflective “curtain” that VHF signals…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #50 MHz #70 MHz #aurora #VHF DX

Sporadic E (Es) propagation

Working amateur radio on 50 MHz (6m), 70 MHz (4m), and 145 MHz (2m) via sporadic E (Es) is an exciting way to achieve long-distance contacts—especially across Europe and into North Africa and the Middle East—without needing high power or large antennas. The most fun in my opinion is in SSB and FM contacts although some prefer sticking to digital modes. Here’s how to time your operation,…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #Sporadic E #VHF DX

Tropospheric propagation at VHF

I have tried hard to get interest in VHF working through my talks at local radio clubs but without much success. Here is a little information for a wider audience. Tropospheric propagation is a key mode of signal transmission in the VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) bands, particularly between 70 MHz (4-meter band) and 1296 MHz (1.2 GHz, or 23 cm band). Here’s a detailed…

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My VHF Journey

VHF antennas at G4MCU In the last few weeks I have given my talk or presentation entitled “My VHF Journey” to two local radio clubs. This is a personal story explaining my starting out in amateur radio and how I came to enjoy mostly working VHF from my early days, and why I enjoy it now. My primary interest is in working DX on 144MHz, 432 MHz and even 1296 MHz if conditions allow. I have quite…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #432 MHz #amateur radio #propagation #Radio clubs #VHF DX

Is your organisation anonymous?

Another business gone! In my role as an Associate of the Institute for Independent Business I have often come across businesses with terrible websites, no marketing strategy, and no direction. They wonder why their sales are so poor and would be asking for help. If anyone wants to stay in business and be successful, they must get out there, have a decent website, and learn to use social media…

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#marketing #networking #planning #reputation #small business #Social media

RSGB and the naysayers.

Kent Hills Conference Centre, site of the RSGB Convention I have been a member of the Radio Society of Great Britain for forty-eight years, since I was first licenced as G8LFJ in 1976. I guess that makes me an old-timer. I hear people saying that membership is not worth the money, so what do we get for the current annual subscription of £72, a lot of which I have benefitted from? A very good…

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#amateur radio #Membership #Radio Society of Great Britain #RSGB

East Suffolk Wireless Revival Rally 2024

This rally has been established many years. I remember going to it back in the eighties. It is currently held at Kirton, near Ipswich. I missed it in 2023 but was pleased to visit this year, on 15th June, courtesy of my “chauffeur” M7SDA (very kind of him) and accompanied also by Mick, M7TRU. The rally seemed quite well attended. There were plenty of people looking at quite a few stalls, selling…

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#amateur radio #radio rallies

My Yaesu FT290R(s)

I really like this radio. The Yaesu FT-290R is a 2 metre transceiver that has been popular among amateur radio enthusiasts since its introduction. Here’s a detailed overview of its features, specifications, and functionality: General Overview The Yaesu FT-290R is a portable, all-mode 2-meter transceiver designed for amateur radio use. It was first introduced in the early 1980s and has since…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #FT290R #SSB #VHF DX

Exciting news! TEP on 144 MHz.

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com Yesterday EI7GL reported on TEP signals being received between Namibia and Greece (31st March 2024), details here. A distance of 6530km. That certainly spiked my interest. Last night, 1st April 2024 I checked DX Maps as I do regularly. It is reported there that 9H1TX worked on SSB V51WW at a distance of 6092km and also subsequently had another contact using…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #TEP #transequatorial propagation #VHF DX

In 1978 I bought my Yaesu Musen FT221R. It was very expensive and cost over £400 if I remember correctly. This new rig was a multimode with FM, CW and SSB.

My latest radio blog.

My Yaesu FT221R

As I mentioned, my Liner 2 started my interest in serious operation on the 2 metre band. The Liner 2 was of course SSB only. It did not take long for me to realise that this was my “calling” in amateur radio; it was what I wanted to do. In 1978 I bought my Yaesu Musen FT221R. It was very expensive and cost over £400 if I remember correctly. I was fortunate in that I still lived with my parents…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #meteor scatter #SSB #VHF DX

My Belcom Liner 2

My latest radio blog post.

I have a Liner 2, recently refurbished and it runs a nice 6-8 watts as it always did. It covers 144.100 MHz to 144.330 MHz. I bought it second-hand in 1977 as an ignorant recently licenced Class B, bored with 2 metre FM from half a dozen rocks (crystals) and one repeater. In a sense I had been mis-sold a basic 2 metres FM rig and an unstable horizontal yagi antenna The very day I got the Liner…

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#144 Mhz #2 metres #amateur radio #Belcom Liner 2 #VHF DX

RSGB Convention 2023 - my perspective

Kent Hills Park Training Centre with GB3HQ van and mast I went to my third RSGB Convention, held on 14th and 15th October, from Friday 13th if you include the Welcome Dinner. The outing started rather strangely on the 13th. I left home early from Essex as I thought I could take advantage of staying in Milton Keynes by combining it with a visit to the Moonraker shop at Woburn Sands. In 2019 I…

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#amateur radio #lectures #RSGB Convention 2023

Tropo opening 7th - 8th October 2023

After such a long and barren period for tropo we were taken by surprise by the exceptional conditions on the weekend of 7th to 8th October coinciding with the 70 cm and microwave contests in the UK and Continental Europe. I know that some contest stations worked Spain on 70cm and there were stories of Italians but that is hearsay. I was pleased to work the French stations down to mid/southern…

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#1296 MHz #23 cm #432 MHz #70 cm #propagation #tropo #tropospheric

A scam or a rip-off attempt

I have posted this on Facebook: Last week someone or some company tried to relieve me of a fair amount of money. They said that we needed to issue a new certificate for the installed loft insulation in our house. Therefore I assumed they represented the original people who did the work. The “inspector” came, crawled about in our loft, and informed me that there were some leaks that needed to be…

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#trust

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The ramblings of Cool Moggy