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CQ QRS
What happened
e You won’t
e A 40m

RagChew

last Tuesday,

and a reminder for the next net.

believe

many

how

were on Tuesday’s

net

Option?

Four dogs and a

Keeping

Noise canceller antennas

stolen dinner.

the smoke

inside a noise canceller

e Artificial Intelligence CW
e

in your browser

Reminder

for 16Jan24

| still can’t quite believe it!

noise elimination

CQ QRS

In the past we’d had a few times when we had

20 stations on or listening to our Tuesday evening CQ QRS Practice QSO

net

- a fantastic number for our small population of amateur operators, and on
a mode that is nowadays completely foreign to most.

Well on Tuesday,

lan

VK1HF was operating portable at Wee Jasper NSW and suggested that we
try an early-bird hour of 40m

before the net started on 80m.

Others had

also suggested that we try other bands... but I’d stoically put those
suggestions in the too risky basket.
Well for what ever reason, although conditions weren’t great for many
people on Tuesday - would you believe, we ended
listening!

37!

up with 37 stations on or

Bloody amazing - congratulations to everyone who was

there and thank you to everyone who sent me reports.... the numbers just
kept growing with every email | received!
And welcome to Bob VK6KRC,

Rex VK5FA and Paul VK3KLE who take

RagChew’s subscribers to over 120!

Great to have you on the net last

Tuesday Rex and Paul, and we’re looking forward to hearing your homemade

key on air on a Tuesday Bob.

And again, a huge thank you to those who took the time to say they
listened in - doesn’t matter whether or not you heard anyone,

listened all

night or only a few minutes - the fact that you were there is what gets me
excited as the host of the net.
Here’s this week’s list of stations heard on Tuesday’s net:

RSS

9Jan24 CQ QRS Net
Total active stations
this week:

Total QSOs (rote tat tis figure woert be correct -Qs02 may be counted twice ormere] = 157
Instructions:

Existing

Users:

ight in your ran

contact Stuart or Mark (click on email actress above] and ask for your callsign {or name if unlicensed] to be added.
Include
a list of callsigns heard or worked, and we'll add the QSOs,

VE2DLF

VEFKPC

VE2KI

| WK3ACU

VE3ACU | VKIKVS

VKSPL

VKBFN

VKSFD

| think we’re going to have to get bigger spreadsheets - so many

people on

and many of them working or hearing so many others - outstanding!
Decision

Time

So from what | could hear, lots of
people had lots of fun on the onehour 40m

prelude to the net;

the

question is... some options - should
we:
e

Have a one-hour prelude every
week and see how it goes?

Have a 40m

night every week

at the normal

net time but on

another night - Thursday or
Saturday for instance?
e Consider it to be just a once-of
opportunity?

Thinking about the options:
e

Should we have a one-hour prelude every week and see how it goes?
o Advantages:
# An opportunity for those who don’t have an 80m

antenna.

= The band is quieter than 80m.
=

Lots of people have 40m

QRP transmitters.

=» Some of the time, the band may support propagation over
medium

distances (intra- and some inter-State - eg NSW to

Tasmania

or SA, Perth to Bunbury, etc).

I’m happy to share

ionospheric predictions with anyone interested.
©

Disadvantages:
=» 40m

is often open to everywhere at that time - we may get

distracted by non-QRS callers which may be a disincentive
for new operators who enjoy the safety of our quiet little
sand pit.
=» Family comes first for me which means

| won’t be able to

attend most of the time - I'd prefer someone to be there
each week to keep track of who’s on and call CQ when
there’s no-one else out there... | want to avoid

“/ tuned up

and down but didn’t hear anyone, so | gave up”, especially
for new people we’re trying to attract.
e

Perhaps a 40m

night every week at the normal

net time but on

another night - Thursday or Saturday for instance?
© Advantages:
= As per the prelude above.
= Terrific for lots of people for whom Tuesday nights are no
good.
©

Disadvantages:
=# Having the net on two nights will dilute the activity - lots of
people can fit in one night a week on the radio - not two.
=

If we don’t have lots of people on, we risk the

“/ tuned

up and down but didn’t hear anyone, sol gave up”
syndrome.
=» Our net has gone ahed

in leaps and bounds over the

last 2-1/2 years - as the Mortein ad used to say - '“ when
you're on a good thing - stick to it”.
# 40m

often goes downhill at night for medium-distance

contacts (eg Perth to Bunbury) with the optimum working
frequency below the band as the ionosphere weakens.
However,

now that we have so many team

members

edges of the continent, cross-Australia propagation

on all

is more

possible than 80m.
=

| would

have difficulty being on two nights per week - so like

the Prelude option, | would

prefer to see other operators in

each area being there to catch new callers and report what
they hear for the RagChew.
e

Or should we consider it to be just a once-of opportunity?
° Advantages:
= Variety is the spice of life.
©

Disadvantages:
=» A number of people have suggested 40m
to 80m

before;

as an alternative

strike while the iron’s hot.

So for this coming Tuesday January

16th, we’ll do what we did last Tuesday

- ie a one-hour 40m

prelude from 0800z to 0900z using 7030 to 7040 kHz,

followed by the 80m

net from 0900z as usual.

But please send me your thoughts on what we should or could do in future
on 40m;

email to me here:

mark.bosma@icloud.com

Reports

& Comments

So here’s this week’s

reports.

From

Chris VK2NAP:

This is my view during the net this
week - sadly no room for my 2.6m
diameter mag

loop for 40m.

Such is

life.
[Heh heh - oh well, we'll hear you
another night Chris].

From

lan VK1HF/p

at Wee Jasper NSW:

What a great night...really enjoyed all that..windy as here now. XYL just
watching tail end of Netflix show and we'll head off home.
Log:
e 40mtrs

: VK5PS, VK7KPC, VK3ACU, VK2TER

e 80mts

: VK2KI, VK3ACU

| think the early bird 40 MTR thing is a goer...next week also?
73,
lan - VK1HF
[Good stuff lan - I’m glad that 40m

worked well for you and that you ended

up with a great catch in your bucket this week.

|’m also glad you joined the

CQ QRS WhatsApp group and used it to arrange a QSO during the week.
More team members needed on WhatsApp CQ QRS!
And terrific to hear James

VK2TER at Terrigal on the net. James Is an avid

QRP and portable CW operator, but is constrained antenna-wise at home;
I’m hoping he will become a regular on the net when we get on 40m].
From

lan VK5CZ

Tnx QSO

VK3ACU

at Clare:
VKILKVS VK5PL VK6FN

VK5FD.

all next week.

Regards

vk5cz.

[Thanks lan - it’s great to have stations in the East, the West and in the
middle].
From Jordan VK3ACU

at Meredith:

G'day mark,
| had loads of fun on the net tonight.

| was running 5 watts from a TR-45
with a home
something

brew 40m

EFHW for

different (sorry for

everyone who struggled with my
QRP).
Once again thanks for all your work
with the Net Mark and thank you to
everyone

who came

up on the net.

My contacts were as below.

VK7KPC
VK2GAZ
VK5CZ
VK3BYD

Who was also running 5 watts.

VKLHF Twice 40 + 80 as we had some 40 M contacts at the start.
VK3KLE Also on 40M
VK2KI
Not only is this the most contacts I’ve made on this net before.... it’s the
most CW contacts I’ve had ever in one sitting... so I'M wrapped.
| was going to aim for 10 contacts, but | really had to be up early for work.
Cheers again
Jordan.
[Thanks Jordan.

By my count,

the summary spreadsheet),
From

Stuart

VK6MK

when you add in the stations you heard (see

that totals 10;

good stuff!]

at Australind:

Hi Mark.

Lots of activity but couldn't make

Ox 2 0 oenl
l

any interstate contacts. | was
operating locally but portable with
29w into a long wire.
Was great to get some early 40m
contacts and not sure if they count

2 iit
24
nain a

. '’

Spgs Ey

0250 Ay =
We

-i

a
mie
val ih. |
ae : H
|

but here is my log.

I’m in Perth next week and will try to get on again with my portable setup.
[Thanks Stuart - and welcome back from the far North of the State].
From

Nic VK7WW

at Legana:

Only had the chance for a quick listen last night.

Heard the following:

VK1KVS, VK2KI, VK2GAZ, VK5PL and VK5CZ
All good Sigs into N Tassie
73 Nic VK7WW
[Thanks for the report Nic - a good catch].
From

Craig VK3CLD/p:

Could only have five minutes to listen:
VK5PH

in QSO with VK1HF/p

Others heard but | probably copied their callsigns wrong.

[Thanks for the five minute report Craig - another station logged on
Tuesday
From

- excellent!]
Doug

VK1ZD)J

at Condor:

Hi Mark,

| have

been

'on

the

edge’

of this

community for a while (Life is busy) -

Henry
- Doug’s trusty Scout radio companion

testinga McHF SDR radio.

Last night, | tuned in and was very
pleased that | could understand
some of the individual letters sent.
It is amazing

how dropping speeds

helps.
| still need

much work, but | feel that

to be able to identify individual
letters was quite an achievement.
Thanks for the net.
Kindest regards,
Doug Jackson
VK1ZD]
[Hi Doug.

I’m really pleased that you’ve come in from the edge!

and before long we'll have you happily chatting on the net.

Keep it up

| know you’re

an active QRP portable operator, and that you will really enjoy operating
CW that way when you're ready.
| vowed to never use CW again when
| passed the AOCP 10 wpm

test in

the early 70s, but | came back up to
speed on CW by listening to the
myriad of VKFF PARKS and SOTA
stations using the Code - and quickly
discovered that most of those QSOs
followed the same format... making
QSOs really easy, even if 1 didn’t
copy everything.

The portable

operators either already used QRS,
or would slow down to match my
speed if not.

Leaving my receiver

muted on 7032kHz would provide
lots of practice most days when
people came up, and then more
recently, the parksnpeaks.org CW
SMS alerts work a treat.
Looking forward to getting some receive reports from you for future nets
Doug.

Cheers, mb]

From

Richard VK6PZT

at Dalyellup:

SIX contacts for me last night Mark
VK6MkK|stuart Portable in back

yardyard|AUS|150]3.560000||CW|Stuart|||20240109|Australind|579|579|
VK6IS]|]|3.555000]|CW]peter|||20240109||579|599
VK2KI||AUS]150]3.563000]|CW]|Mark]||20240109|Bowning

NSW|379|447

VK6KD]|AUS||3.563000||CW|DAVID]||20240109]|599/589
VK6XU||AUS|150|3.563000||CW]|Matt|||20240109]Perth|599|559

His DOG

ate his dinner... hi hi
VK6GAL]|United
States|291]3.563000||CW|Gary|||20240109|Melbourne|599|599
With all the talk of QRM
antenna...... a DOG
a 50m

and noise cancelling, | had a go at a RX

(Dipole On Ground).

run of retic wire on the ground

| just connected
below my END

up a 64:1 UNUN

FED for 80m.

Well |

was expecting great things but alas... it was exactly the same (too my ear)
as the end fed up 3-4m

high.

| suspect that the end fed is nota

particularly noisy antenna to compare
ground

it to.

| might try a loop on the

next but, | suspect the end fed at 4 m will outperform that too.

One disadvantage was manual switching of antennas resulting me
transmitting thru the DOG

occasionally with a very high SWR...

| hope my

radio didn’t suffer too much.
Also | have been trying a few logging programs... I’ve been using the SKCC
logger - seems Ok.
Regards
Richard VK6PZT
[Thanks Richard;

the dog ate my dinner cracked me up!

experiment - did you have a ground on the UNUN?

Terrific antenna

| recall that there’s

someone up in the hills out of Perth who has had success with a Beverage
antenna - no idea how they work - perhaps the antennas on the ground are
acting like big magnetic loops?

Very interested in hearing more about such

experiments].
From

Richard VKG6HRC

at Padbury:

Hi Mark,

Started the session by listening in on the 40mx

net at approx 16:00 WST.

Signals were good and | logged three local stations, | think | missed the
start so will start listening earlier next time!
Stations heard on 40 mx:
VK6IS
VK6MK
VK6FN
Stations heard on 80mx

VK6KHZ
VK6IS
VK6PZT
VK2Kl
VK6KD
VK6XU
A good
usual.

mix of speeds and fists as

Thanks

to all

73
Richard VK6HRC

[Thanks for your report Richard;
Tuesday.

sounds like you didn’t pound the brass on

/t’ll be interesting to watch what propagation we have on 40m

this coming

week].

Also from

Richard

on Wednesday’s

Post Morseum

on the South

West AllStar network:
Hi Mark

A good turn out for this morning's net, five in all:
VK6QI
VK6GAL
VK6KD

mobile

VK6KRC
Bob VK6KRC

said he could not get onto the net last night due to life getting

in the way... not Robinson Crusoe there @.

Anyway

| let him know about

the 40mx session as well - that might be a more suitable time/freq for him.

We kept the AllStar SouthWest net
busy for over half an hour
comparing

notes about all things CW

and the QRS net - thank you all for
taking the time to check in.
Thanks as usual for your support and the immense

amount of work and

enthusiasm you put into the QRS net.
73
Richard

VK6HRC

PS Keiran VK3BTV

week,

was

not heard

on CW

or the 2mx

Post Morseum

net this

busy having fun elsewhere?

[Thank you for running the Post Morseum
for the report Richard;

call-in again on Wednesday,

and

we might need to make it Post Morseum

International - Keiran from The Phillipines last week, and Gary from
Melbourne Florida this time.

Actually Keiran was on the net on Tuesday -

heard/worked five stations despite poor conditions].
From

Donald

VK6JDM

at Dalyup:

Listened from 8:15 to 9:15 Z.
Heard VK6FN, VK6BEK, VK6IS & VK6PZ.
| was using 10 watts but none of the stations heard me;

Did not hear any

East coast stations, despite a quiet noise floor.
| will be away in Perth then Kalgoorlie for the next two weeks, after which i
will be home every second Tuesday and so will join net every second week.

As for Bob, VK6KRC,

| did not hear him and | gather from a QSO with him

this morning on the SSB GOM*
am concerned

net, he was tied up with domestic chores. |

his key having been part of his industrial archaeology site

(his QTH), it may need emery paper to the points and light oil to the
bearings. | have let Bob know | shall attend to this when

| am

in Perth next

week.
Despite not getting any QSOs last night, it was a delight to hear the CW end
of the band come alive essentially all down to your efforts.

Enthusiasm

is a

contagious condition.
73
Donald

Howarth

[* Grumpy Old Men.
Thank you Doctor Howarth.

Pity and strange that you weren't heard -1/

don’t think it was just that they were avoiding you - HI! And like you, | was
pleased as punch to watch the WA and NSW SDRs and to see our I/ittle
segment packed with signals! Just outstanding - and thank you to all for
being there].
And

now

a non-report from

David VK3DBD

at Yakandandah:

Hi Mark.
| was otherwise occupied on Tues all day and
time | had quick look on the

mae

ae
7

Pe
| a
Ae
er ao
a
ee

80m

evening, but just before bed

QRS CW area.

Among all the usual and indeed,

(excessive circa S7-8 noises, | found
ee
VK
2 KI in QSO with VK3ACU at about

Ee
ae

1146z at reasonable copy - 589 and
569 respectively. Then shortly
afterwards Mark was working
VK6PZT who was an iffy 379 in

Yackandandah.
Mount Buffalo
National Park

| also heard VK5FD and VK3ADxX,
my scribble pad.

Rare for me to hear

a VK6 on any band.

But failed to record any kind of report on

It was time for a horizontal

session after a busy day... so

| went QRT at 1209z - QRS less than about 10 wpm

is just too much

hard work for an old timer late at night!
Most

satisfying QSO of my week was | think hearing

calling CQ on 20m one (English)
work’s van near Brighton.
only running 5 Watts.

who was

A nice 559 signal and | soon found he was QRP -

So not to be outdone, | reduced

amount and we had a good solid 559 chat.
communicated

M3KXZ/p

morning on 20m, from his set up in his
my power to same

Not the first time we have

in similar circumstances | recall.

The

20m

band seems to have recovered

ago;

strangely, the 30m

activity - at least when

band

now from the solar flare of a week

has been quite impressive despite the solar

| have tried it.

73 de David VK3DBD...
[That’s a pretty impressive report for someone
before bed - HI!

Thanks David].

who just had a quick look

The

Malusa

Report from John VK5ET

at Hope

G'day Mark, hope all is well your way. Good

Valley:

reading material from the

news-letter.
On Tuesday | had been busy renovating the front yard with Ozzie natives;
by night-fall my CW concentration for sending was gone, so | only listened.
That allowed me to compare signals with the ZS6BKW
much

& much.

& the EFHW - sigs

Lots of noise & weak sigs. lan VK5CZ was only one at 599 ,

other stations RST 229 plus heaps of QSB.
VK5CZ
VKS5PL
VK5FD
Vk2KI
VK6FN
VK1KVA

(?)

73's till next time.
John, VK5ET

[Terrific report John - and I’m glad your concentration problem didn’t
extend to receiving - does this mean

the CW receiving area of your brain

needs less energy than your sending wrist?

We better ask Doctor Donald

that question - H/!]
From

Warren

VK3BYD

at Wangaratta

in response to an invitation

to join the group:
Hi Mark,

| am already on the subscribers list and your newsletters are that long |
don't have time to read

it twice

(much

lol).

Yes, finally a bit of luck with Tuesday
night’s timing.

| did hear lan

VK1HF/p on 40m;

he had plenty of

callers so | left him to it.
a Mono

Band

My rig was

KD1JJV kit which has

been converted to multi band and
hand key.
73,
Warren

Hi Warren.
last

Great to work you on the CQ QRS Slow CW QSO practice net at

(Warren and | have worked many times on CW SOTA / PARKS / QRP

Hours Contest etc) - but system failure.... | thought I'd checked whether
you were already getting the RagChew - but obviously buggered it up - HI!
Re:

“are that long | don't have time to read it twice” ... surprise surprise!

Yes I’m trying to get the newsletter length / compilation time down... not
having much luck so far!
Cheers mate.
From

Kees

There’s just so much going on... which Is brilliant!

mb
VK1KVS

at Wanniassa:

Hello

Mark,

Good to ‘talk’ to you last night and thanks again for the initiative - a good
way to gradually get back into it and develop confidence again.

| attach my

report... not sure if there is a preferred format, but looking at the variety of
entries in the RagChew

newsletter it would seem everyone does their own

thing. | will leave you to complete your log table based on the info |
provided.

If there is anything further you need, please let me know.

Also, is it a requirement to only use straight keys? Or are bugs and paddles
ok as well, provided of course they are QRS capable.

| have all three, so

may swap from week to week and record in my reports what | used, if such
is of interest.
CQ QRS

Report VK1KVS

- 9 January

2024

From 08:30Z (19:30 AEDT)
e

Listening for VK1HF on 7015khz. Could hear VK1HF working VK7, but
extremely faint and much QRN/QSB,

Must have come

RST 229, at best.

in too late to hear others on 40m apart from VK7, if

poorly.
From 09:00Z (20:00 AEDT)
e

Listening for VK1HF on 3545khz and hearing VK2KI

RST 459 withQSB

coming and going. Could not hear VK1HF at all.
e QSO1

with lan VK5CZ on 3553khz. VK5CZ

RST 559, VK1KVS

RST449.

e QSO2

with Mark VK2KI on 3553khz. VK2KI

RST 599, VK1KVS

RST

369.QSB.
Still adjusting to QRS 10-12WPM.
15WPM?

| might have gone a

little too fast, maybe

| need to better recognise spacing at these lower speeds, as my

typed texts looks a bit of a jumble.
My rig: Transceiver: Yaesu

FT-450D;

Antenna:

5 Band

HyEnd Company

EFHW
https://www.hyendcompany.nl/anten
na/multiband 8040201510m;
Morse Key: Phil Boyle GONVT
(final version;

PB213

Phil’s interpretation

the Marconi PS213)
https://gOnvtclassickeys.weebly.com

/pb213.html
All best wishes

and

QRX,

73,
Kees van der Spek
Wanniassa, ACT
VK1KVS
[Hi Kees - wow - fabulous report thank you. - and wow - what a beautiful
key.

Outstanding to hear you on the net for the first time on Tuesday.

Any and all CQ QRS report formats are welcomed with open arms.

Ditto for

CW generation methods... straight key, bug, paddle, horizontal paddle
even, keyboard, Remote text entry, two bits of wire etc... and ditto for
decoding... cerebral cortex, SDR decoder, smart phone app,

big chart on

the wall - whatever it takes... as long as it’s fun and gets people to give the
net a go].
Backing off to QRS is an interesting problem reported by lots of our
professional and old-timer CW operators - both on TX and receive... but
your efforts to do so are much appreciated.

The Farnsworth method just

works so well for this - send at 12 to 15wpm,

but just leave gaps of half to

one second between letters.

In fact, Gary VK6GAL

(W4GAL from

Melbourne... Florida) came up on the VK6SR Remote in Perth last week using his PC’s keyboard to enter one letter at a time into the Remote’s text
CW entry box - his Farnsworth QRS with the keyer set to 12wom

was

beautiful.... then again, Gary’s been using CW for a generation or two!
Cheers and thanks again Kees.
From

Peter VK7KPC

mb]

at Evandale:

Hi Mark,
Heard

Paul VK5PH

Georg VK2DLF
40m.

with Jordan VK3ACU

| then had a QSO with

in Sydney on 7015, followed by another with Jordan also on

| heard a QSO

between VK3ACU

a QSO with lan VK1HF
Syncal

on 7015.

also on 40m.

and VK1HF shortly after, before | had
| was running

15W CW from my Racal

into a dipole.

Later on 80m,

| heard the QSO

listened in to VK5CZ

between you and VK3BYD

and VKIKVS.

Waz, then | also

Called it a night then.

Thanks for coordinating the evening’s reports.
Cheers
Peter VK7KPC
[Wasn't it a great night?

From

Daniel VK6WE

Thanks Peter].

at Cottesloe who joined on TX in for the first

time:
Thanks

Mark.

It's good to have confirmation that |
managed

some intelligible CW!

| did

hear a couple of other stations but
the morse was too fast for me so |
called CQ and got a response at just
(for me) manageable

speed.

There

followed a very tentative exchange
with QRN
times.

making

it very difficult at

| hope to get better at this so

| will be listening and having a go
when

| can.

| had made two previous CW contacts;

the first very structured and guided

and the second with the help of the decoder in my KX3.

This time the

decoder didn't interpret the signal well so | had to do it myself.
Regards,

Daniel.

[Hi Daniel.

| was really pleased to hear you calling CQ on the QRS net on

Tuesday,

| started to scrabble around to get the Southern Electronics

Group Remote going - and | was really pleased when Max called you.
Congratulations - it gets easier and easier as you develop the skill to not
think about the /etters.

| still can't copy 100%

of most transmissions but as

you start to relax | think you'll be able to get enough part words to make
sense.
And there's no shame in replying SRI MISSED

YOUR xxx or AGN?

or PLS

RPT? or the one we should all be using PSE QRS PSE QRS - doesn't matter
whether it’s mental overload, loss of concentration (happens to most of us),
QSB, QRN etc - you'll hear it often on our net.

I'm glad Max matched your

speed - | hope that everyone will do the same for all our stations - but we
have differing experience levels and often people forget.

Sometimes

people speed up by accident (in the groove) - PSE QRS QRS K will remind
them why we're here.
And by the way, there's no harm in replying to a too fast CQ as well with
QRZ? PSE QRS.
Congratulations again Daniel - I'm pleased that you're progressing to a
stage where you can TX. It's been great for me to hear a number of people
recently who have done the same - listeners who now fee! that it's safe to
have a go.
Take care Danial].
From

Shaun

VK6BEK

at Quinns

Rocks:

Last night | had contacts with Max VK6FN

and Stuart VK6MK.

| also heard

Peter VK6IS and Richard VK6PZT.
[When not asking an Al to draw a stylised crystal radio (below), Shaun

was

using the artificial intelligence based RM Noise system introduced below,
and he reports...]
I still had the dropout problem which
was annoying.
WIA 80m

| listened some of the

SSB broadcast on Sunday

and it was the clearest | have ever
heard it here but still some
dropouts.

| escalated the problem to

my ISP which was pretty good and
got back to me with the results of a
48 hour scan of dropouts on my
connection. There were none as far
as they could tell.
problem
mesh

They said the

is somewhere

in my old

network.

| have since found the Microsoft Surface 4 PC | am using has a problem with
the Wifi card.
trying.

One suggestion is to force the card to 5Ghz which | am now

Update - it is working

Tuesday.

much

better but the main test will be next

Regards
Shaun - VK6BEK
[Thanks Shaun - watching your research into this new system for noise
elimination

with much

And

Paul VK3KLE

from

interest.

More about RN Noise below].

from

Stawell

who joined

us on the net last

Tuesday for the first time:
Hi mark

Thanks for the email.

I’m always asking dx stations to QRS;

| have a

tinnitus and my head-reading on a good station maxes-out around

bit of

12wpm.

| can sometimes work a bit faster if not tired and if the other station is
using a standard QSO format. Perhaps something you could document on
how to follow a QSO format to make

it easier for ops that may not yet copy

without paper .
| do use a reader, but on dx they don’t work - same with QRM
straight key - | always have a paddle connected
paddle.

and a bug or

but use a keyboard and the

| often call CQ by hand and do a reply to keep the skill of sending

with a key active.

| use a Hamcrafters electronic keyboard

TS590 and even the FT901D

have Curtis-type chips that send perfect

spacing from a paddle - | recommend
beacon

keyer;

that as it’s easier for the reverse

network to pickup your call.

Having said that I’ll happily connect a straight key to one of my boat
anchored tube transmitters, or if | can be bothered, re-setup the whole
bench with an electronic keyboard.

My favorite is my Eico 720;

it’s moded

per advice from sk AF4K - Brian was very helpful and inclusive.
Of course if | simply put my head down
pop out at 10 wom

and off! go.

and look at my A4 sheet the words

A few years ago when younger | practiced

using my WWII j36bug - its slowest setting is 50 wom

as it has a lite weight

on the arm.
When

| went to radio school at Tafe in the early 80’s they taught CW at

5wpm.

| would only ever recommend

10 wpm

characters speed

Farnsworth speed back to a slower speed - probably 1 2 or 3 letter groups then short common words as the next step.
| haven’t had an 80m
40m;

antenna

patched for 3 weeks , so perhaps | was on

the QRS net is on 80m | think.

I’d be glad to listen out on Tuesday

nights for ops wanting a QRS QSO as | am

mostly at home during day | can

often be found on 40m. Ops tend to hover around call frequency 7.025.
have a new rock that came today for my FR101 Yaesu receiver;

the crystal

is 7.021, that is close to the frequency but far enough away not to bother
anyone.

I’m on the fists down

under discord app as well.

I’m currently using my FT901D and the FR101 as separates so as to doa
semi-QSK. That way I can hear my own TX in CW (always good to monitor
your real RF to air) as well as the receiving station and match frequency.
I’m using a frequency counter in the FT901D and have moded
to get the slight drift and frequency very close . Modern

a micro rx rit

rigs are quite close

and many ops now are using a IC7300, FTdx10 or FT710 etc.
My two TS590s

have the tcxo modules - | just prefer listening to analog

audio without the

digital artefacts. My TenTec Corsair is also very pleasent

on CW.

Actually | recently got a atsATS25-x2

reviver it uses a cheap si 4732 chip

and is a SDR receiver; it has no unpleasant digital artefacts that | can hear.
Also has no tunable front end either - it would pair well with a good home
brew CW transmitter.
I’m also on 10m a bit during the day - we should use it while the sunspot
cycle is so good. | find the reverse beacon

network a reliable indicator for

inter-state and dx paths - most days regardless | can hear the CW
at my QTH. The coax for my 80m

beacons

antennas is currently on my vertical

antenna for 10m. It’s an interesting antenna - physically it’s a 1/2 wave
long end-fed with a centre-tapped

matching coil, except it’s also on a heavy

1/2 wave long mast. As two half’s make a unit it’s a full wave dipole vertical
mounted

- it works into EU quite well.

| think the theory says not much gain

over 5/8 long is worth while, however it does have tin sheds behind it and |
do have a couple of elevated radials on it as well.
I'd think the Discord app is best for pre arranging a contact or just to advise
a few guys at home your calling CQ - works for me anyway.
| have line-of-sight on 6m to Ballarat from Stawell if it’s of interest to more
local VK3 operators.

is hardly used for CW

but obviously no noise to

worry about.
Looking forward to my next CW contact on the net
Regards
Paul
VK3KLE

[Hi Paul.

I’m pleased to hear that you’re very comfortable asking DX

stations to PSE QRS - that’s something I’ve been trying to encourage our
team to do whenever they can - it also quickly identifies where the other
operator either is using some sort of CW generation device... and can’t
easily bring the speed down,

or just as often, can’t read more than the

basic information in the exchange.

To me it’s all about having a

comfortable QSO rather than trying to bust a foofle valve flat out.
The tips for new operators linked at the end of each RagChew includes info
on a suggested standard basic exchange format (for a contest exchange but it works just as well for normal exchanges.

The suggestion is

particularly useful for new operators giving it a go early in their learning, or
for people trying to develop head-reading ability:
https://www.parg.org.au/
files/ugd/ebe236 3ca5ca08bb38429db4eee524b
da2f97a.pdf
Thanks for all the tios and thoughts;

welcome to the team and | hope we'll

hear you as often as you can make it.

This coming Tuesday we'll start at

0800z on 40m,

then move to 80m at 0900z until late (with daylight saving

the band opens up across Australia very late).

After that, we’ll sort out

whether to continue that arrangement, go back to 80m only or do
something else.

Cheers].

From James VK2TER

at Terrigal who joined

in on 40m

on Tuesday:

Hi Mark,
| am still constrained

by available space for an antenna at my home QTH. |

am using an EFRW wrapped
but it is not very efficient.

around

my balcony which | can tune to 40m

If | use LOOW

| can get out ok but | have

difficulty hearing stations especially located to the south of me. | am

not

able to tune the antenna at all to 80m. So | will call in again to the 40m
on Tuesday,
antenna

but of course won't be able to join the 80m

net

net due to the

limitations and | also have a teleconference on at that time.

Regards
James

VK2TER
[Thanks James - terrific to know that you'll be able to be on for future nets
on 40m, and / look forward to catching up with you again,

it'll be unusual

for either you or me to not be in a National Park somewhere].
From

VK6QI

at Bedfordale

via the

and

the

VK6QS

SDR

VK6CRO

at Brookton,

Remote

the VK6SR

Remote

at Carnarvon:

40m
At short notice, lan VK1HF

notified me that he would

- an hour before the net started;

be on 40m from 0800z

| couldn’t come up at that earlier time,

but | flashed an email to the Group advising that we’d try 40m for that
extra hour.

| managed

to sneak a phone under the table during dinner and

being on a single frequency (7015kHz),
VK6QS

it was fairly easy to listen on the

SDR at Brookton and the Tecsun SDR at Araluen NSW.

My phone

would only allow one receiver at a time so | concentrated on the NSW
receiver (see below), but | was pleased to see activity in WA as well.
managed

| only

to listen to one station on the SDR at Brookton - Allen VK5FD

Blakeview was coming

into WA

nicely at around 0850z.

80m
When

| disconnected

my phone and moved

Ron VK6KHZ

at Yangebup

Max VK6FN

at Manjimup

inside for the 80m

had a QSO,

and

before Peter hooked up with Ron.

Next | was really pleased to hear Daniel VK6WE
to which Max responded.

net, | heard

calling CQ while Peter VK6IS at Wundowie

calling CQ from Cottesloe,

Daniel has been part of our Group for nearly a

year while he’s been learning the Code - so it was terrific to hear him on
and having ago.

At the same time | heard Stuart VK6MK

back on after his

sojourn in Broome.
After exchange with Daniel, | heard Max chatting to Nick VK6DV at St
James, and | was pleased to see Nick reporting activities on our WhatsApp
Group through the evening - see the end of this newsletter for the
WhatsApp feed.

And by around

1015z, the band was starting to open up to

the East, and | saw Jordan VK3ACU
Wangaratta

at Meredith working Warren VK3BYD

coming through nicely on the SDR.

About half an hour later, |

saw David VK5PL at Williamstown and VK5CZ at Clare coming through well;
| was amused

(easily done with such a small mind!) listening to two

stations in wine-growing areas (the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley)
chatting using the SDR at Brookton (another wine area) to send the audio
to me near Yass (alSo a wine area).

Had | been on the Southern

Group Remote at Bedfordale, that would

Electronics

have made yet another wine area;

do we need a Worked All Wineries contest | wonder?
| also heard Richard VK6PZT join the net calling CQ around

1050z,

before |

got tied up over East for the remainder of the evening - see the next
section.

Also From

me, VK2KI

at Bowning

using

my TS-50 and

Double-

Extended

Zepp

at Araluen

NSW:

Prelude

- an

antenna

hour

from

of 40m

As | said above, team

home

and also using the Tecsun

SDR

fun

member

lan

VK1HF was operating portable at
Wee Jasper NSW and had said that
he would be on 40m

an hour early -

so with the Tecsun Araluen NSW
SDR on my phone under the dinner
table | tuned in to 7015kHz and on
the dot at 0800z | heard Paul VK5PH
at Glen Osmond
VK3ACU

working Jordan

at Meredith.

| then heard Peter VK7KPC

at Evandale coming through nicely calling CQ

with his 5W Pinntex TR-45

LITE;

it’s great that our net allows so many of

our team to have a go with their QRP gear - isn’t CW just the greatest?
Paul then went on to chat to Georg VK2DLF at St Marys, who then caught
up with Peter.

In-turn, Peter worked Jordan;

single frequency for the net this time - HI!
VK1HF

came

Back

to 80m

the advantage of using a
After finishing his din-dins, lan

up and | heard him working Jordan.

The fun continued after 0900z with Jordan and lan chatting on 80m
before | worked

lan on ground-wave over about 35km;

as well,

there was lots of

QSB on lan’s signal - indicating that the Near Vertical Incidence skywave
was competing with the ground-wave signal.
VK3BYD

at Wangaratta;

| then caught up with Warren

although this was the first time we’d chatted on

this net, we’d worked

before many times on CW from various VKFF Parks.

then heard lan VK5CZ

at Clare working another of our first-timers, team

member

at Wanniassa.

Kees VK1KVS

heard Jordan chatting to Garry VK2GAZ

On the Tecsun SDR at Araluen, | also
at Hobartville;

great to hear Garry

on - must be during school holidays.
As the night rolled in, some of us over East noticed very deep and
unusually sharp QSB which plagued things for the rest of the night.

The

fact that my noise canceller was still on the blink didn’t help - I’d pulled it
apart during the week and thought I'd identified the fault... and got it
working... well she didn’t want to play on the night.
| then worked

Kees - but with the QSB, RST 369 was the best | could report.

Next | heard Max VK6FN

at Manjimup working lan VK5CZ,

and | exchanged

SKCC numbers with David VK5PL at Williamstown who was a comfortable
RST 589 from his end-fed half-wave antenna
VK3BTV at North Ringwood

up 9m.

| also heard Keiran

chatting to Merv VK3ADX

at Ballarat and Allen

VK5FD calling CQ from Blakeview.
By around

1130z the band was

opening nicely across the country,
but so were the

static crashes from

SE Queensland

and the NT.

| chatted to Jordan but with the very
sharp QSB, RST 399 was the best |

al! Telstra >

10:32 pm

@ blitzortung.org

C70

7-7

could report.

at Dalyellup called and | reported

|) Sound
—

Next, Richard VK6PZT

379;

Richard then went on to work

David VK6KD

Delay:

aaa

and | chatted to Keiran

VK3BTV who had returned home
from his Phillipines sojourn;

a Cremeery

sharp QSB made
my end.

the

Keiran only Q3 at

Next | listened to Richard

chatting to Matt VK6XU

at Willetton -

it was good to hear Matt on again...
and | rolled around the floor to the
report that Matt’s dog had purloined
the corn cob from his plate.
Matt went

VK6KD

Quick

on to chat with

David

at Ballajura.

Links

A worldwide, real-time, community collaborative lightninc
location network. © 2003-2024 Blitzortung.org
Contributors

| then noticed that Gary VK6GAL (W4GAL
Melbourne

in disguise, operating from

Florida) had come up on the Southern

at Bedfordale.

Electronics Group Remote

Gary had a QSO with Richard, and | then worked

him

reporting RST 599 from the superb Marconi-Tee antenna, with its 60m
flat-top up 12m.

When

long

chatting to Gary on the South West AllStar network

that morning, Garry had said he’d try to come up to see if we could nudge
our station numbers over the previous record of 20... you did well Gary,
thank you.

A terrific end to a huge night... well not really... another couple

of hours of writing to our new stations, QSL cards, the RagChew
and | finally crawled to bed at 0230.

Other
Other things
From

Chris VK2NAP:

Good

morning

I’ve received

What a

night!

draft etc...

Thank you all.

News
from

our 100-odd

readers.

Mark

Just a quick note to say thank you for the QRS QSO
needed

after some time away from the radio.

My good

ham friend George VK2AOE,

last week.

It was much

clued me in on your net and, a quick

poke around on the web SDRs revealed a few slow signals so | thought it an
opportune time to achieve two things:
1: See if the old Wagner antenna tuner, with the slidy ferrite thing would
me tune my 20/40 end fed vertical pole for 80...which it did
2: Dust off the part of the brain that I recently (late 2019) used to learn to
code.
After our QSO,

| had a bit of a fiddle with the tuner and picked up an extra

2dB to the local RBN VK2RH.

It’s a ground wave to the beacon that’s not

let

too far away in Newtown.
| also tested the Wagner tuner down on 160m, as it was designed to tune
2182, which it did reasonably well, though that band is above my pay grade
given | have a middle license. One of those things | will try to get around to
sorting out
Interestingly enough

| could also get it to tune 7MHz,

but not 14MHz.

| also

tried to get a match on the Echo Charley pirate frequency on 6700KHz,

but

it didn’t / wouldn’t match up. While | don’t operate there, | often tune in and
poke around

between

6665KHz and 6668KHz. There’s the usual fishing

trawlers and other Asian language pirate CB stuff, but there is also some
occasional Morse activity, and there was a QSO on there last night on
6666KHz that | heard after our QSO.

| just couldn’t get a clean enough tune

to pick it up on my radio and it wasn’t a great signal into the SDRs |tried.
That was around

11:00-11:30pm

I've heard stations checking

our time.

in on a net, others, | assume

military, sending

numbers, with replies from the other station. Most of it is 20WPM

or less, so

| can copy bits of it. Some sounds hand sent - probably Russian or
Chinese....or Indian / Pakistani military.

More radio oddities. Love this

hobby
Tuesday nights | often work at Foundry 616 - the jazz club in Ultimo. | work
there mixing bands - it’s not a bad gig;
Depending

a bit of spare cash and great music.

on who is playing I’m usually back in the car between

10:30pm

and midnight, so maybe a little late for the net.
When

I’m not mixing, | occasionally do a Tuesday jam session that | used to

run out Windsor way. I’ve often thrown the home-made

40m whip on the

mag

and got the odd

mount and put out a few calls on the drive home,

short QSO

in.

Never managed

to get the YHOONN

(?) Indonesian club net

on 7025 though some times they’re a solid signal. 20W on a mag

mount

whip isn’t the best....but it’s better than no antenna.
The day is calling me. | must attend to my responsibilities, might jump on
20 or 40 later today if | get some time. Haven’t had a good
Max, VK2ARZ for quite some time. He sits around

17WPM

rag chew with
so a little lively. |

do my best....and use FLDigi....just as a crutch....not a wheelchair.
73 and happy new year
Chat soon
DE Chris VK2NAP
dit dit
[Hey Chris.

Thanks for being there last week - and | look forward to more

chats with you and with George when you're able to get on.]
lambic

Paddle

for Sale:

From Rick VK6XT:

| have a Bencher iambic paddle for sale. The chrome

plated model...as new...$100....
Rick
6xraytango@qmail.com

From

Donald

VK6JDM

at Dalyup:

Bob, VK6KRC

has managed

to fined his key. This is an obvious omen

finding anything at his shack is an achievement worth celebration.
As a deeply spiritual man

he has taken the omen to heart and will | gather

be trying to make a maiden appearance on the net tomorrow....
[There were maidens,

but Bob wasn’t among them!]

From Jordan VK3ACU

at Meredith:

| suppose this might be the right place to ask being QRS CW anyone else
play on 630m

CW 472kHz?

Jordan
VK3ACU
[Anyone up for some LF work?
vk3acu@gmail.com.

Let Jordan know if you’re interested.

| know nothing of how 5 Watts EIRP will work on that

frequency at night - so please share any experiences].
From

Kees

Hello

Mark,

VK1KVS

at Wanniassa:

Many thanks for the emails. Still reading up on things... Just perusing the
latest and comparing with previous editions. | noticed that your link under
‘Tips’ does not work:

| can find https://www.parg.org.au

but you may want

to include a revised link that actually gets ‘newbies’ to the ‘operating
suggestions’.
Much appreciated!
73

Kees

VK1KVS

[Many thanks Kees.
incorrect link!

Ha!

That’s the second time I’ve been told about that

Cleverly | managed to fix it in the RagChew | had on the go,

but not the template - so next time.. sure enough it was buggered-up
again!

Hopefully this time.....

Then again, | won’t actually use the template

until the 30Jan edition (I actually start each RagChew two weeks before the
event would you believe!).... but hopefully this week’s one will work.
Cheers, mb]
From

Herman

Hello

Mark,

VK2IXV

at Kiama:

Your readers may find this article on how to send on a hand-key interesting.
Cheers,
Herman

VK2IXV

Morse code hand sending
technique

Herman Willemsen VK2IXV
RAOTC member No 1384

People often ask what the best method is for gripping the knob of an up-and-down or straight
Morse key. | find this hard to answer, as | believe that there are several styles to send a decent
drop of Morse.
[i

1959, at the Radio-Holland Marine Radio College
in Amsterdam, we were taught to grasp the knob of
the key with thumb and middle finger, and rest the
forefinger on top of the knob. Our Morse keys were
situated at the front of our desks and our forearms were
suspended in free space, more or less horizontal to the
floor.

we Fill.

MV Prins der Nederlanden in Curacao on which!
was assistant Marine Radio Officer in 1961.

In 1965 on board MV Straat Lombok- my style of
sending on a Junker key.

Much later I read that this was called the European
method. To have the Morse key positioned at the far
side of the desk with the operator's elbow resting on
the desk was called the American method.
During sending, with the arm in free space, the down
pressure of the key 1s produced by the mass of the
forefinger and the forearm. The fingers and wrist were
not supposed to move too much. However, because
your wrist acts as a hinge between arm and hand, you

will find that in practice your wrist will flex slightly and
more than slightly when using the American style. But
be aware that too much flexing of the wrist over long
periods could cause the dreaded ‘glass arm’ (RSI).
Should this happen then it is time to reach for a bug key.
To send good hand Morse on a straight key there
are, therefore, many more factors involved than just
holding the knob of the key the correct way.
Additional factors are the location of
the key on the front or the rear of the desk,
the height of the desk, the weight and
design of the key, the length of the lever,
the shape of the knob (doorknob-style, flat,
round,

THE TEA DRINKER

eG
Ib

Peete

a
THE FITCH HIKER

—

}

Poor methods of sending Morse code.
OTN

tall), the presence

of a knob-skirt,

the spacing of the key contacts, the
tension of the spring and whether you are
relaxed or tense. In other words: the factors
are part hardware and part psychological.
I recall that in the 1960s my boss, the
Chief Radio
Officer on
the Dutch
passenger/cargo
ship
Prins
Der
Nederlanden

(radio call sign PGVR)

sent

fast and perfect Morse on his own personal
straight key, on which he had removed the
tension spring.
So my theory is that as long as you are
in control of your key, comfortable with
your own style and speed, and are not
being told in plain language that “you are
sending with your left foot” or by Q-code
QSD or QRK 0-1, then you are doing fine.
a r

— Article Draft

Page

[Thank you Herman - you read my mind!

Seems that back when

we had to

do the Morse Code sending and receiving tests, part of the learning was
about how to correctly use the key.

The testing officers would often

provide guidance on the day as well.

|I’d looked for YouTube equivalent

materials for the operating hints
nttps://www.parg.org.au/
files/ugd/ebe236 3ca5ca08bb38429db4eee524bd
a2t97a.pdf

but without much success;

so interested in more about this

from you and other operators for future RagChew editions].
From

our Quiz Question

Provider Jules VK3]JFP:

| have a broken key If any one can
use It for parts.
Jules Perrin JP
0457585974
VK3JFP
www.julesworkshop.net

[Thanks Jules - guess that’s what happens when you pound the brass too
hard!

I’m sure it'll be lapped up by one of our craftsmen.

Jules’ website has terrific learning material for the amateur licenses - and
Jules has agreed to let us publish the trial exam questions in our weekly
quiz].
And

some

from

Warren

VK3BYD

at Wangaratta:

Hi Mark.
In case you're not aware, www.parksnpeaks.org feeds ALL CW spots out to
Discord as well as SMS. It was via Discord that | was alerted to vk1hf
calling on 3540 tonight as he had spotted on P&P.
moment the XYL decided she needed

Of course that was the

a hand so | did not make

it to the

shack.
| Know the CQ gRS net uses WhatsApp,
messaging

but for me | don't need another

app on my phone given Discord already gives me a range of

SOTA and Parks spots.
This is the invite link to the CW page, https://discord.gg/nkw|Rk24 it has a
seven day expiry.

There is also a separate VK/ZL Discord channel which

has all Modes of SOTA and Parks.
| appreciate everyone

has their own operating preferences but for nights

other than Tuesday | suggest using 3528 which is the nominal QRP
frequency,

it gets very little use but from time to time | do hear someone

calling CQ. Given the small amount of activity on 80 CW

limiting the places

to listen is always a plus.
73,
Warren.

[Thanks Warren.

| get the CW SMS alert from Allen’s www. parksnpeaks.org

website - as you know, it’s just brilliant over this side of the country there’s people calling CQ SOTA / PARKS every day - great practice
opportunity.

If I’m able, I'll sometimes copy/paste the CW alerts onto

WhatsApp - especially if | see that it’s one of the team calling CQ.

| didn’t

know about Discord - another opportunity for practice - thank you - | didn’t
know about 3528kHz either.

So much to learn, so little brain space!

Cheers, mb].

This Week’s

Topic of Interest
Noise

Avoiding

Noise Canceller Tears

Phillip VK6DEV

at Dalyellup had bought himself a noise canceller and we've

had some discussions on WhatsApp about setting it up with his IC-705.
Phillip said he was using the small whip that came with the unit for the
noise signals, and it appeared to be working.

He’d spent a lot of time trying

to get the 705 to trigger its bypass when Tx’ing but by the time of
Tuesday’s net, he’d had no luck as yet.

For the net, Phillip said he’d try a

better local antenna and manually switch the PTT for CW.
According to the manual, a 3.5mm

stereo tip connection on the Send/ALC

connection on the right side panel of the IC-705 should be the go for
switching the noise canceller.

However, according to the oscilloscope,

Phillip seemed

to be getting an audio-type on that line - which seemed to

indicate that he was on the ring (the ALC connection - a negative DC
voltage that varies with transmitter output) rather than the Send control.
The Send

line works either to activate the transmitter if grounded

don't want that!) or goes to ground

(we

if the PTT is activated (we want that!).

So by taking the line from the tip of a 3.5mm

stereo plug through a

blocking diode with the cathode towards the plug, it should drive the noise
canceller.

We might need to consult the circuit diagram to understand

what the audio-like signal is if the diode feed to the noise canceller doesn’t
work.
| recommend

testing carefully before use though - hook up the noise

canceller power and it’s new PTT line with blocking diode, but don't connect
the transceiver's antenna coax to the noise canceller yet.

Power-up the

705 then power-up the noise canceller - when the noise canceller turns on,
we should hear it's internal relay or relays pull in. Select TX on the 705 (or
break-in then touch the key) and if it's wired correctly, you should hear the
relays in the noise canceller drop out, and pull back in when the TX stops.
Inadvertently feeding RF into the noise canceller will instantly destroy one
or more of the FETs - and produce consequent tears.
| also suggested that he shouldn’t get too wrapped

around the axle about

the noise antenna - get it working just using the whip for a start.

A better

noise antenna doesn't always translate to better cancelling - there’s lots of
variables (see below).

| also recommended

strongly that he should not try

manually keying the noise canceller when transmitting!

Hot and excited

during a CW QSO, just one dit - or an accidental touch of the key, and he’d
have a troublesome repair to do! Much much better to get it wired up
correctly before attempting to transmit!
The trick then is to remember whenever the IC-705 has been disconnected
to go portable, always, always, always, reconnect the noise canceller PTT
line, even if not intending to use it!
Noise

Canceller

Antennas

Also recently | had a WhatsApp
canceller pick-up antennas.

discussion with Matt VK6XU

about noise

Matt asked: “What sort of sense antenna do

you use to cancel out your active antenna. Any special type? | have a home
brew end-fed and usually have s8 noise all the time. | know that stations
over east can hear me but | have no chance to hear them.
narrow filters too. Cheers,

| have tried

Matt”.

| suggested that he have a look back over the last three issues of RagChew
where I'd touched on noise antennas, and also in the last edition, about
using different antennas to do different things like static-crash reduction
and antenna

phase steering.

recommend

a simple whip or even a 1m piece of wire connected to the

socket and hanging down

For new users of noise cancellers, |

behind the canceller.

If you’re using an MFJ-

1026, you can try the internal whip with and without the unit’s pre-amp
selected (one-stage or two stage selected via the rather inconvenient
internal jumpers on the board).

Once you're comfortable with the noise

canceller and you’re looking for more consistent performance (I’ve found
that one day I'll get good cancellation, but the next day, poor
performance), you could start experimenting with other noise pick-up
antennas that favour different noise sources.

| have a four way antenna

switch on mine that allows me to switch between the whip, an out-of-band
helical mobile antenna

near the noisy printer and internet router power

supplies in the shack, a “Mini Whip” active antenna

located in the ceiling

near the noisy ducted air-conditioning unit and a 6m wire antenna

running

six inches above the corrugated on the low side of a slope facing my
neighbours who are 100m away. Neither antenna works all the time - often
| end up using the whip which can be just as effective as the others.
Nulling
The other thing is to experiment with the settings of the noise canceller.
I’ve found with the Chinese copy canceller, more often than not if the noise
canceller is adjusted for the deepest noise null, the signal-to-noise ratio
suffers.

It’s sometimes

best to increase the gain on the main antenna side

a little (so the noise comes up perhaps to about $3), then re-null the pickup antenna gain and phase, increase the gain a

little more and repeat.

noise canceller loses one or two S-points of signal when

nulled correctly,

but improves the S/N ratio.
RM

Noise - an Artificial Intelligence

Noise

Elimination

System

from Shaun VK6BEK
Hi Mark,

| spent last night doing some testing on a RM Noise a product which "uses
Al with the goal of removing

noise from a CW or voice radio signal". | had

seen a couple of enthusiastic YouTube videos about it and since it was free
decided to give it atry.

The results were surprising.

Setup
The product consists of client software which runs on a Windows
connected to an audio port on your rig.

In my case the USB gateway port

on the back of the IC-7300, which | use for FT8 and other modes.
to do a simple registration and download the software.

You need

Installation is fairly

easy if you know how to select the virtual incoming audio stream from your
rig.

In no way am | a Windows

audio expert, but any audio gateway (eg

soundblaster) from any rig is ok providing it is 2.8K bandwidth and there is
no noise processing on the audio stream from the rig.

| had to reset my CW

audio and turn off the IC-7300 noise suppression etc.

So basically just raw

audio of a suitable format was required.
The client program
server;

(which you have to log-in to) connects in turn to an Al

there are 2 servers in the USA - one in Indiana and one in Oregon -

and one in Switzerland;

support is based

in Texas.

The server processes

the audio live and returns the processed audio (within 400ms
when things are good (see later).

in my case)

The server runs some expensive GPU

cards and proprietary algorithms - it is not open source.
The software works for SSB and CW

but | have only tried out the CW.

There

are SSB samples on YouTube.
Running

the Program

The client software brings up a log window (which is important) and then a
GUI display of the audio signal.

There are two displays available which are

useful for checking audio frequency range and signal level.

If you can hear

a CW signal on the rig the client will process the stream and return the
audio with the noise removed.

When this works it is stunning - clear CW

with no noise!
| found on 20m

(my noisiest band) | could hear signals that were not even

visible on my waterfall.
Issues

1) It is asking a lot through all the steps for everything to work reliably.

particular there can be delays in the internet connection and buffering is
needed.
7pm

In my case when

my local internet connection got busy around

(lam on shared copper,

not fibre) the buffering requirements

increased and | started to get a lot of dropped packets and over a 1 second
turnaround (lag). This resulted in drop-outs of the audio stream; the
dropout problems are due to my internet connection and these are under
investigation (See next RagChew)...

it is not a RM

Noise issue.

2) The neural net behind the Al software is trained with various sets of
noise which may not match with your local noise environment.

It is

possible to upload your own 30 minute noise samples for training.
practice | found that for CW

it was a bit sensitive to the alignment of the

signal, especially for lower levels, but in general worked well with the
defaults.

You select a profile for the noise removal,

in my case CW at

2.8Khz width.
Usage
| learnt a few things when
Max VK6FN

| started to use the software.

| managed

to work

with the software running.

1) In the excitement, the signal strength you are hearing is not what is
actually going on at the rig - unlike when you use narrow filters like |
normally do.

You can accidentally give an incorrect signal report.

2) The internet can drop out in the middle of a QSO
router or for other reasons.
even make

if RF gets into your

Suddenly there is no signal and you cannot

it out on the radio under the noise. When

you turn up the rig

audio you are a second or two behind even if you can hear it through the
noise.

This can be confusing.

3) The background

noise is so quiet that when you get drop outs,

sometimes you cannot tell... and when the odd dit goes missing confusion
can setin.

It is best to take advantage of a facility on the software and run

at 97% where a little of the noise is still there so you may be able to detect
drop outs.
4) If you have a lag you have to carefully turn the dial slowly across the
band

if you wish to find hidden signals.

5) On the IC-7300 the CW sending (side-) tone cannot be heard through the
USB port audio.
headphone

| used a little mixer from Jaycar to combine the rig

audio at a low level with the headphone

socket on the PC.

always listen with headphones.
e Amusing

interlude. Because

| am completely deaf in one ear | have

modified my headphones to only work on one side;
on the other side | get pain from the audio.

if there is sound

The headphones are

symmetrical except for the cable and in the heat of the moment
installing the mixer | managed

to put the headphones on backwards.

Rig? PC? Mixer? Al dropout? No it was me. Took a while to figure out...
and the cat now knows some
Observations

new swear words.

This was a bit of a game

changer for me.

Not because of the startling

results when

it works, but because it means that with appropriate signal

processing

| may have a chance against local noise even if | don’t use this

product (which I will).

| worked a ZL mid afternoon on 15m with no

problems.
Attached

Audio

| have attached an audio file of two of our local CW
exchange.

Some of the CW

may have drop outs.

rogues having an
| recorded this with my

iPhone and | apologise if you can hear me breathing and rustling in the
background
Download

on occasion.

the audio file

0:00 RM

0:24 Brief example of the actual noisy audio being processed, taken

Noise fully on.

from inside RM

Noise. Note: There is an occasional cracking noise.

sure if it was me,
e

Not

the software, or the cat.

Now to give a comparison with normal

noise handling on the IC-7300.

1:43 | turn on the normal

1:48 | turn on the rig noise canceller - this is normal

rig audio with no audio processing.

2:04 1 turn on my narrowest filter.

This is normal

rig audio.

rig audio and

how | listen with high noise.
Conclusion

The results of using this software are pretty amazing to someone

like me

with a local noise problem which | have been trying to fix for years.
with the lag problems it is worth the effort,
than | have. CW reception becomes

Even

even with a lower noise level

much easier and even possible when

previously it was too hard to understand.
You can learn a lot from the videos and website.
the developers saying they would
looking for volunteers.

| have had an email from

like to have a server in Australia and

It is an expensive piece of kit with the GPU cards

and IT experience is required and they will control the server from
overseas. Hopefully someone will eventually help them out.
Regards
Shaun - VK6BEK
[Wow - thank you Shaun - this is an outstanding article about leading-edge
audio processing.

| can’t help but think back to when spectrum displays

started appearing on a few top-end receivers;

who’d have believed that

most new transceivers not only have a spectrum display, but the even
more useful waterfall display that goes with it.

| wonder how Iong it will be

before Al audio processing starts appearing in amateur radio gear??
Shaun’s article continues next week with some captured images showing
the signal improvements possible, and we may move on to another aspect
of noise management...

if you’ve been good during the week].

Thoughts or comments

about noise cancellers or the new RM

based system?
ideas;

Noise Al-

Please let me know so we can share more thoughts and

email to mark.bosma@icloud.com

Also if you have somethng that

you feel others might find interesting, please let me know.

Brain
How

Teaser
did you go?

Jules Perrin JP VK3JFP has created a terrific resource to help guide learning
for all levels of amateur radio licenses:
https://www.julesworkshop.net/Amateur%20Radio.html
This week’s quiz questions from Jules’ Workshop example test questions:
If current moves
What

back and forth or is cyclic, how is this referred?

does the term

"receiver overload"

mean?

Interference caused

by overcrowding

Interference caused

by a strong signal from a nearby transmitter

of the band

Interference caused

by adjusting the receiver volume too high

Interference caused

by transmitter harmonics

The standard colour code used to identify the earth conductor of a flexible
3-core AC power cord is:
e

green/yellow

red/yellow

brown

blue

The 40 metre amateur band includes the frequencies between:
(a) 40.000 and 45.000 MHz
(b) 10.300 and 10.650 MHz
(c) 7.0 and 7.3 MHz
(d) 26.000 and 26.950 MHz

See - told you they might be interesting!

Answers

next week.

Answers

from

last week’s

Quiz:

If current moves only in one direction, how is this referred?
Answer:

Direct current DC.

e What can occur when

a single-sideband signal is amplified by a

nonlinear amplifier?
©

lower amplifier efficiency

increased

elimination of unwanted

distortion

Answer:
e

readability
sideband

Distortion.

In satellite communications,

Doppler effect causes an apparent

© frequency increase as the satellite moves towards the ground
station
o frequency decrease as the satellite moves towards the ground
station
© frequency doubling at the point of closest approach
° frequency increase as the satellite moves away from the ground
station...
Answer:

Frequency increase as the satellite moves towards the ground

station.
e

No regulations question this week - | had trouble accessing the paper
on Jules’ website... so you get the week off!

How did you go?

Tuesday’s

CQ QRS

Net

Reminder.
So back to the Slow CW QSO

practice net.

Next Tuesday’s

then

Net - 40m

80m

Our CQ QRS Net will be on as always on Tuesday.

As discussed above, this

time we'll again operate as follows:
e

From 0800z to 0900z (1900 to 2000 Eastern,

1830 to 1930 SA, 1600 to

1700 WA time) on 7030 to 7040kHz.
e

From 0900z to around

1300z (2000 to 0100 Eastern, 1930 to 0030 SA,

1700 to 2200 WA time) on 3540 to 3570kKHz.
See below for details.

Stations in the West, East and in-between will start

coming up on various frequencies between
and 3570kHz,

7030 and 7040 and then 3540

calling CQ QRS and listening out for new and old CW

operators - simple exchanges (eg callsigns, RSTs and perhaps names) for
new stations, rag chews for old. It’ll be interesting to see how we go with
medium-angle

skywave on 40m,

skywave on 80m

medium-angle and near-vertical incidence

as darkness falls, then low-angle propagation across the

continent as the evening progresses.
have the very sharp and deep QSB
have fun.
Post

Morsum

It’ll also be interesting to see if we

like last week.

One way or other, we'll

For those who are within earshot of an AllStar node, we hold a quick Post
Morsum

hosted by Richard VK6HRC

Eastern / 0830 SA

on Wednesday

morning at around 0900

/ 0600 WA time (+/- 30 minutes) on the SouthWest

AllStar net (via repeaters and hotspots all over WA).

Doesn’t matter where

you are in the world (as Keiran VK3BTV can attest), all you need is an FM
2m or 70cm transceiver and an AllStar node nearby;
via Echolink or other phone apps.

or you can come

range of an AllStar node, let me know ( mark.bosma@icloud.com
see if | can help;

If you don’t know whether you're within
) and I'll

or if you'd like to find out how to connect your local

AllStar network to the South West network, or how to access the network
via Echolink, drop me a

line.

Teamwork

So thank you so much to our outstanding team of 24 contributors (some
submitted several articles too) this week!

Thanks to:

VK2NAP, VK1HF,

VK5CZ, VK3ACU,

VK6MK, VK7WW,

VK6JDM, VK3DBD,

VK5ET, VK3BYD, VK1KVS, VK7KPC, VK6WE,

VK3CLD, VK1ZDJ, VK6PZT, VK6HRC,

VK3KLE, VK2TER, VK2IXV, VK3JFP, VK6DEV
contributors via our WhatsApp

superb effort - it’s the thoughts of the team
RagChew

and VK6XU...

CQ qRS Group.

so interesting to the 120-odd

VK6BEK,

plus of course our

Wow, thank you team - a

plus the photos that makes

(perhaps 120-plus would

be safer)

subscribers.
Reports
So for everyone,

please let me know by email to

mark.bosma@icloud.com

who you work or hear this coming week on Tuesday’s net, and also send
me anything that you might think might be of interest to your fellow QRS
fans.

The reports are important - because during the netl can only attempt

poorly to listen-in and log QSOs while having QSOs

myself - so | really want

your comments

newsletter interesting.

each week to make our RagChew

And again for those who | work on Tuesday night, please accept my
apologies in advance for the pauses,

repeated dah-di-di-di-dahs etc while |

attempt to pick up and log callsigns that | hear in parallel, send WhatsApp
notes, do one-way propagation tests, etc.
CQ QRS

Group

And a reminder about our CQ QRS group on WhatsApp - we’ve now got a
good bunch who have fun exchanging

alerts and comments

and also spotting QRS stations on at other times.
is below;

I'd like you to join in on the WhatsApp

Stuart VK6MK stujen55@gmail.com
your mobile phone number,

during the net,

The feed from last week
group if possible. Please let

or me mark.bosma@icloud.com

and we'll add you to the group.

€Y CW on Tuesday,

mb
Mark Bosma
VK2KI / VK6QI
Beautiful South Bowning NSW
mark.bosma@icloud.com
non impediti ratione cogitationis
“Without antennas, amateur radio just wouldn't be the same” - author:

dah-dah dit!

know

About

the CQ
Here’s

40m

then

the

QRS

Net

details.

80m

The team will be on again for our usual Tuesday arvo / evening
QSO

Net.

CQ QRS will start at 0800z for an hour on 40m

7040kHz, then on 80m
and 3570kHz.
0030+

0900z until about 1100-1400z+

This translates to 1600 - 2000-2230+

SA Summer time and 1900 - 0100+

Practice

7030kKHz to
between

3540kHz

WA time, 1830 -

Eastern Summer time (I think!).

So tune around and call anyone you hear, or find yourself a quiet spot in
the 7030kHz to 7040kHz segment, then the 3540kHz to 3570kHz segment
and start calling CQ QRS at about 75% of the speed you're comfortable
receiving at;

hopefully responders will match

(or send slower to their

comfort level).
Rhythm
And if you’re proficient at CW and can race along at 20 or 30wpm - terrific,
but please remember, the net’s aim is to encourage, not show how fast you
can hammer the key. Please send slowly where you can and concentrate
on rhythm - listen to your side-tone, get that wrist action going and make a
special effort to make

it sound

like perfect CW;

net, the more | understand just how many
have!

the longer we go with our

non-transmitting

listeners we

If you’re an experienced operator, please try to send nicely balanced

slow CW to give them a chance to practice and gain confidence.... they'll
reward you one day by coming up on air to say g’day and thanks - how
good is that?

And if you're new or like me, just rusty.... ignore the above...

just have a go - the lather of sweat will be worth it and there’s plenty of
time to get the details sorted out as you practice.
Speed
And also for the oldies like me, when you hear someone
their sending speed - or slower.

new, please match

The person you’re replying to may not be

as deft on the decoding as you - it may be their first ever CW QSO remember your first?

Lather of sweat, key that refuses to send that you tell

it, brain that refuses to decode those complex letters that were right there
half an hour ago, etc!

And if someone

copy - “PSE RPT PSE QRS” or “AGN?

is sending too fast to comfortably

PSE QRS” will make

life easier for

everyone.... and might just encourage other listeners to have a go
themselves.

The other thing to remember - most operators are writing

down what they hear... so when you put it back to them, expect a delay
while they read your words of wisdom,
Whose

Frequency?

before replying.

The aim is to give everyone a go at contacting others - no-one owns their
calling frequency on this net.

So unlike working

DX, if you hear someone

signing off - jump in and call - doesn’t matter who was first on the
frequency - we really are all good

mates on this net.... and besides, at the

speed we’re sending, after a QSO

most of us will have forgotten who was

first!

If you really want to move off frequency (eg because of a spurious

switch mode

power supply signal that’s just drifted into the conversation),

you could try sending an abridged callsign of the person you’re after,
followed by “UP 5” or “DN 5” then K;

then call that person on the

designated frequency and keep your fingers crossed, they may have
understood you and followed... or not.
Tips
As always, for newbies, operating suggestions are available from the
operating

hints link here:

https://www.parg.org.au/
files/ugd/ebe236_ 3ca5ca08bb38429db4eee524b
da2f97a.pdf.
There's usually people around until after 1330z - so keep calling until you
catch someone.

| should be on as usual from home

in NSW and via the

Remote at Bedfordale WA, and I'll also be watching the proceedings using
the VK6QS

and Tecsun SDRs in WA and NSW

CQ QRS

respectively.

Traffic from the CQ QRS

Feed

Group.

Here’s what went on on the CQ QRS WhatsApp

message group this week:

[2:17

pm,

08/01/2024]

Peter Scales:

Some

QRS

10m

ATM

[2:38 pm, 08/01/2024] Peter Scales: He is still lonely
[2:56 pm, 08/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

I'll jump on if he is about

[2:56 pm, 08/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

| called for hours this morning very lonely

[8:47

eliminator arrived today.

pm,

08/01/2024]

Phillip Jubb:

QRM

[8:51 pm, 08/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: What did you get?
[8:52 pm, 08/01/2024] Nick VK6DV Austen: Interested in which one you forgot and $$@
[8:54

pm,

08/01/2024]

Phillip Jubb:

I’ll be back

in the shack a little later to install and test

[8:54 pm, 08/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Will send info then
[8:54

pm,

08/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV

Austen:

[8:55

pm,

08/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Thanks

| suppose

Phil.

this might

be the right place to ask being

QRS

anyone else play on 630m CW 472khz?
[10:10

pm,

08/01/2024]

Matt

Dhue:

Hi all, yep

| am

still here.

| have

been

a bit shy after missing

some weeks finalising exams etc and have been trying to copy some qso’s. interested in the noise
cancellers. What sort of “sense antenna” do you use to cancel out your active antenna. Any special
type? | have a home brew end fed and usually have s8 noise all the time. | know that stations over
east can hear me but | have no chance to hear them. Have tried narrow filters too. Cheers Matt
[10:36

pm,

08/01/2024]

Stuart Cumming:

QUU000

[11:49 pm, 08/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: So getting the QRM

eliminator going proved too much for one

evening. Currently running using the small whip for local signals. It appears to be working. I spent a
lot of time trying to get the 705 to trigger its bypass when Tx’ing but no luck as yet. Tomorrow I'll try
a better local antenna and manually switch it for CW
[12:05 am, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming:
[10:58 am, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Will be good to have you on CW tomorrow

Hi Phillip.

trigger its bypass when Tx’ing but no luck as yet.

fingers crossed

Re: "Il spent a lot of time trying to get the 705 to
Pin 3 of the ACC connector - but fed through a

signal diode so that the noise canceller doesn't inadvertently trigger the PTT;
TX to noise canceller, to make sure the diode is the right way around.

Re:

test before connecting

"Tomorrow I'll try a better

local antenna and manually switch it for CW"

Two things:

First:

don't get too wrapped around the

axel about the noise antenna - get it working just using the whip for a start - better noise antenna
doesn't always translate to better cancelling - lots of variables.
of the noise canceller!

Second:

son't try the manual

keying

When you're hot and excited during a CW QSO, just one dit - ore...

[11:10 am, 09/01/2024] Nick VK6DV Austen: Sorry Jordan

- | don’t have the capability (yet?) on that

band
[11:27 am, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:
RagChew

Hi Matt.

Have a look back over the last three issues of

if you still have them - I’ve touched on noise antennas, and in the last edition, using

different antennas to do different things like static crash reduction and antenna phase steering.
new users of noise cancellers, | recommend

For

a simple whip or even a 1m piece of wire connected to

the socket and hanging down behind the canceller.

If you’re using an MFJ-1026, you can try the

internal whip with and without the unit’s pre-amp selected (one-stage or two stage selected via the
rather inconvenient internal jumpers on the board).

Once you’re comfortable with the noise

canceller and you’re looking for more consistent performance (I’ve found that one day I'll get good
cancellation, but the next ...
[12:47 pm, 09/01/2024] Matt Dhue: Thanks Mark, will have a read. | have had some investigating
with a directional loop on a small spectrum analyser and found some noisey items.

The antenna was

copied from qrm guru. Never know if my second hand radio gear contributes to the noise? The yaesu
857 can have filter issues but | do not know if this is the case for me.
[12:54 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Hi Phillip.

Further to our SMS discussion about getting the PTT

line from your IC-705 to drive your noise canceller:

The 3.5mm

stereo tip connection on the

Send/ALC connection on the right side panel of the IC-705 should be the go for switching the noise
canceller.

If you're getting audio, that means you're on the ring (the ALC connection) rather than the

Send control.

See the following image.

The Send line works either to activate the transmitter if

grounded (we don't want that!) or goes to ground if the PTT is activated (we want that!).
taking the line from the tip of a 3.5mm

So by

stereo plug through a blocking diode with the cathode

towards the plug, it should drive the noise canceller.

Test before use though - hook up the noise

canceller power an...
[12:57 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Page 13-3 has an example of using an external relay... same

as the noise canceller - but I'd add the blocking diode to be sure that the relay connection doesn't
key the TX.
[6:57 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Listening on 7015

[7:03 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK5PH calling CQ QRS on 7015.
[7:04

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK3ACU

[7:04 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

also calling on 7015.

I'm returning to vk5ph

[7:06 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Sounds like you two aren't hearing each other.

[7:07 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Maybe

I'm only grp
[7:08 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: You're both
coming in Q 5 to the Tecsun SDR at Araluen
NSW.
[7:08 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Paul's now

calling VK6IS on 7015.
[7:09

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK7KPC

now

calling on 7015.

[7:10 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK7KPC trying to contact VK5PH on 7015.
[7:14

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

[7:17

pm,

09/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV

Bosma:

VK2DLF
Austen:

working

VK5PH

on 7015.

Contact with VK6IS

(with

me VK6DV)

on 7015.

Now vk6lIS to vk6mk
[7:18 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Congrats Georg and Paul.
[7:19

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Thanks

[7:19

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

How

[7:20

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK2DLF

Nick - excellent!

are signals around
and VK7KPC

at the moment

chatting

on 40m

Nick?

on 7015.

[7:24 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming: VK6MK/ and VKGIS also QSO on 7.015 good use of freq.
hearing nothing outside WA on 40m
[7:25 pm, 09/01/2024] Nick VK6DV Austen: Only getting local signals VK6 in Perth- but may be my

bad local
[7:25 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:
[7:25

pm,

09/01/2024]

Excellent signals here so far. Peter is 10 over

Peter Scales:

Sorta working
Were

[7:26

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

[7:26

pm,

09/01/2024]

Stuart Cumming:

Bosma:

[7:30

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

you
CQ

on 40m

hearing

in WA

Stuart 6MK

Nick?

7.016

VK7KPC

and VK3ACU

chatting

on 7015.

[7:31 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: And my keys falling apart haha
[7:32

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Too

[7:36 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

much

stress Jordan!

Changed

Stay on the rails men!

keys all good now

[7:37 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: The pitch sounds the same to me Jordan. Shifted from a major
key to a minor?
[7:39

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK1HF

[7:40

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK1HF

[7:45

pm,

09/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV

Austen:

/p now

calling on 7015.

and VK3ACU
VK6DV

and

chatting
vk6mk

on 7015.

Stu - just finished

[7:45 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming:

Nice early activity on 40m thanks Nick

[7:47

pm,

09/01/2024]

Stuart Cumming:

. Nice QSO

thanks

7.016

[7:48 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK5FD calling on 7015 coming in to WA.
[7:50 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK7KPC and VK1HF/p chatting on 7015.
[8:08 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: vk3acu calling on 3510
[8:11 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6KHZ calling CQ on 3555.
[8:11

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK6FN

and VK6IS

chatting

on 3560.

[8:12

pm,

09/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV

Austen:

Hear them

but with

hi noise and

qsb

[8:13 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: vk1ihf on 3547
[8:17 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: vk2ki and vkihf on 3547
[8:18 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming:

No hearing them at all. Noise is $2

[8:22 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

I’m now calling on 3579

[8:30

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK6IS

and VK6KHZ

on 3555.

[8:32 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6FN on 3560. Someone on 3557 as well.
[8:38 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

New station VK6WE

Daniel and VK6FN chatting on 3558.4.

[8:40 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: VK3BTV and VK5FA just

finished on 7015. B bk on 80 aftera

Whew!
[8:42

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Just took a quick listen very strong

signal from

vk5fa

[8:43 pm, 09/01/2024] lan - VK5CZ: The thunder storms are gone at last should make net tonight.
vk5cz..
[8:44 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Despite his callsign he was strong, Jordan® but a bit quick for
me!
[8:44 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:
[8:45

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

[8:45

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

[8:46 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:
[8:46 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Bit quick for me also

Was

it 5FA or 5FD?

| thought

it was fa

but | could well be wrong it was quick

Did you get his name Keiran?

[8:48 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6MK calling CQ on 3556.
[8:49

pm,

09/01/2024]

lan - VK5CZ:

give bug

a run

if someone

wants

a new

challenge.

vk5cz..

[8:49 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: I’m calling on 3565
[8:49

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

[8:50 pm, 09/01/2024] lan - VK5CZ:

| could

try but its likely a bit quick for me

3.554

[8:50 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Stand by having a qsi

[8:50 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

gso

[8:50

pm,

09/01/2024]

Phillip Jubb:

Be there

in about

30mins

[8:51 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming: You still there?
[8:51

pm,

09/01/2024]

lan - VK5CZ:

Is a qsi bit like a 10 100

[8:54

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Well

| was

but | think there was

a little confusion

hehe

[8:54 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Vk5fa is Rex
[8:54 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Ok ~buhd

ill go down to 3554

[8:55 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Missed his qth
[8:55

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK3BYD

[8:56 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming:
[8:57

pm,

09/01/2024]

Keiran

and VK2KI

on 3565.

Hi Jordan, what’s your call?

Blyth: Jordan

is vk3acu

[8:57 pm, 09/01/2024] Stuart Cumming: Tks and can | have yours just to sort out my contacts

[8:59 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6FN CQ on 3555.
[9:01 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Keiran is VK3BadTemperedvVictorian QTH
[9:05 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6DN
[9:07 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:
here

now

Ringwood,

Stuart@

and VK6DV on 3555.

I’ve just updated my name hopfully it shows my call sign on

also

[9:08 pm, 09/01/2024]

lan - VK5CZ:

3.553 cq qrs

vk5cz
[9:09 pm, 09/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV Austen:

VkK6FN and VK6DV
[9:12

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK5CZ

3553. VK3BYD on 3565.
[9:13 pm, 09/01/2024]

Mark Bosma: VK3ACU

and

VK3BYD chatting on 3565.
[9:14 pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK6FN

calling CQ on 3565.
[9:16 pm, 09/01/2024]

Peter Scales: Max is

59+20 here
[9:17 pm, 09/01/2024]

Mark Bosma: VK6IS

calling CQ on 3555.
[9:17

pm,

so much

09/01/2024]

Max

Faulkner:

on the ball Mark...Mr.

[9:18 pm,

09/01/2024]

Max

Man

U are

Telephone

Head

Faulkner:

No soon

that | called and your response was there
[9:18 pm, 09/01/2024]

Peter Scales: Nooocoo

[9:19 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Someone's tuning up on 3556.... who will it be??

[9:21 pm, 09/01/2024] Peter Scales: Max
[9:22

pm,

09/01/2024]

Max

Faulkner:

[9:22 pm, 09/01/2024] Max Faulkner: Peter still no sign of any eastern guys on
[9:23 pm, 09/01/2024] Peter Scales: Not heard anything
[9:23

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Another

new

member

VK1KVS

is chatting to VK5CZ

on 3553!

It's quite a night - thats for sure.
[9:25 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6BEK and VK6FN chatting on 3555. VK5CZ starting to come
through on the VK6QS

SDR at Brookton.

[9:32 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK2GAZ and VK3ACU
[9:35 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

chatting on 3550.

| think | may have broken my record for contacts tonight on

this net
[9:37 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Good for you Jordan, I've heard fa so far.
[9:37

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

[9:37

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Hopefully

VK1KVS

it picks up for you

and VK2KI

on 3553.

[9:38 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Vk5fa was a good signal on 40, so I'm happy.
[9:39 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Did you want to try and sneak in a contact on 40 if you are

hearing well up there?
[9:39 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Freq?
[9:39 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

7015 again?

[9:39 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: K
[9:41 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Busy freq
[9:43 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: 7013 Jordan?
[9:44 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

SUre

[9:44

THat was

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

way to hard!

[9:45 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK5CZ and VK5PL on 3558

- coming

into WA.

[9:48 pm, 09/01/2024] lan - VK5CZ: CQ QRS 3.558 vk5cz
[9:52 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Didn't hear you

Jordan, but hrd VK3KLE calling u on 7013

[9:55 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6PZT on 3555.
[10:02 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

| ended up having a qso with him. Huge signal. I’m only qrp

tonight
[10:02 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK5PL and VK2KI chatting on 3563.

[10:24 pm, 09/01/2024] lan - VK5CZ: QRT. Tnx QSO VK3ACU VK1KVS VK5PL VK6FN VK5FD. Cu all
next week.

Regards

[10:25

09/01/2024]

pm,

vk5cz.

Max

..
Faulkner:

Tks for contact

[10:26 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

lan..

GN lan.

[10:27 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: vk3acu calling on 3567
[10:28

pm,

09/01/2024]

Max

Faulkner:

all and

many

tks fer nice effort all.73’s de fn

[10:29 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: still a bit noisy here in dalyellup
[10:29

pm,

09/01/2024]

Nick VK6DV

Austen:

Max

[10:29 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: s5
[10:30 pm, 09/01/2024] Nick VK6DV Austen: sk de VK6DV

[10:31

pm,

09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb:

Qrm

eliminator reduces the noise from $5 to S1lish
[10:32

pm,

09/01/2024]

hear vk2-3

at the mo

Richard

Ayre:

are. og

3.564.

roe

"-s#0eD MARKER EXPDISET

can you

[10:33 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Haven't

heard any as yet. It doesn’t make up fora
crappy antenna
[10:34

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard

[10:34

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard

Ayre:

Bosma:

ah
| can

Richard!
[10:35

Ayre:

mmm

that dont count

[10:36 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK3ACU
[10:36

pm,

09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb:

calling CQ on 3563.

My end fed only goes

down

to 40m

so it’s a stretch

using

it on

80
[10:37 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK3ACU

and VK2KI chatting on 3563 - coming into the SDR in

Perth.
[10:38 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Will give it a try on 40 in a while
[10:38 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Either way, the whip down the beach brings in more but takes
up a lot of time
[10:42 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Just hearing the odd dah on 3563
[10:43

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard Ayre:

sig rising to s4 here

[10:43

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard Ayre:

will gove them

a try next

[10:44 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: | get peaks of S2
[10:46

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard Ayre:

2ki s4

3acu still in the noise
[10:51 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

GN all thanks for a great net. | must be off well past my bed

time!
Sorry for anyone who couldn’t hear me | was QRP for a change tonight 5watts only.
VK7KPC
VK2GAZ
VK5CZ
VK3BYD

Who

was

also running

5 watts.

VK1HF Twice 40 + 80 as we had some 40 M contacts at the start.
VK3KLE Also on 40M
VK2Kl
[10:51

pm,

09/01/2024]

[10:53

pm,

09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

everyone who came up

Mark

Bosma:

Jordan.
Thanks

for running

the net Mark really appreciate

it and to

--... ... --

[10:55 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:
[10:55 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Griddling with the knobs and almost made out that last over
Mark
[10:55 pm, 09/01/2024] Phillip Jubb: Twiddling even
[10:58 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Good job both.
[10:58 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: Cant make out other stn on 3562
[10:59 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: 3563

[10:59 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Hrd vk2ki on 3563 but no reply, not great cdx on 80
[11:01 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Try again Keiran.

VK5FD calling CQ on 3568 coming into WA.

[11:01

calling CQ.

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

SRI that was

3ADX

[11:04 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Yup there's wery little activity here in Vic on 80 Mark.
[11:05 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: What fcy are you on Keiran?
[11:07 pm, 09/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

Keiran | did hear you on 40 tried calling you back | guess

you didn't hear me catch you tomorrow hopefully Kieran
[11:07 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Let's say 3560 for arguments sake.
[11:08 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Cheers Jordan, sorry | couldn't hear you.
[11:10

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK3BTV

and VK2KI

chatting

on 3560.

[11:14 pm, 09/01/2024] Matt Dhue: Can hear vk6pzt and Vk6xu on 3.563 but nothing on 3.560 well
can see meter needle bouncing.
[11:21 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Lost u in the noise Mark
[11:21 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

I'll keep repeating your RST.

[11:21

pm,

09/01/2024]

Keiran

Blyth:

[11:22

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

[11:22

pm,

09/01/2024]

Keiran

Blyth:

Get it Keiran?
379?

[11:23 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Close enough!

Very deep QSB from VK3 tonight.

Unusual.

[11:24 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: It was a battle

- but | had 2 other contacts on my first nite

back
[11:25 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

Did you have a nice time in the Phillipines Keiran?

[11:27 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Wonderful!
sweaty,

No rain there either but SIN and MNL are very

MEL is dry!

[11:29 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

MEL is dry - now there's a turn-up - HI!

[11:30 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: corn cob

ahh

[11:32 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: Vk6xu and vk6kd on 3563
[11:32 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6XU

and VK6KD chatting on 3563.

Great to hear you back

on Matt.
[11:33 pm, 09/01/2024] Matt Dhue: Yeah fell of plate cleaning up and we could not get it from her.
[11:33 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: Matts dog ate his dinner

Hi Hi

[11:34 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma:
[11:34

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Concentrate

Matt!

[11:35 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Christmas with family was awesome - | don't think Aussies
have a concept of Xmas in the Phils - it's full on extended families, feasting, drinking and presents at
midnight on Xmas eve, and more eating then! Sus!
[11:36 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Yes | experienced something similar in Malaysia - called Pusing
Balik.

They would have Open House - like a pub crawl but from house to house.

[11:36 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: oh, and without the grog!
[11:39 pm, 09/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: Not much grog at our place either, but the amount of food is
mind boggling.
[11:42 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: tnx guys
[11:42

pm,

09/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

VK2KI

im qrt

calling CQ

[11:42 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: CU Richard.

on 3560.

Hope you had a good night.

[11:46 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: VK6GAL is about to come up on 3563 guys.

[11:47 pm, 09/01/2024] Richard Ayre: giving
skcc logger a whorl

[11:48 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: Richard,
David and Matt, Gary VK6GAL is calling CQ on
|

3563
[11:48

pm,

09/01/2024]

Richard

Ayre:

[raiz0:00z

Gaines

oe024 | 12:19:
204%
,

| 14:

14050000] 2

hey
:30:

“[3s3000] 20M

[11:49 pm, 09/01/2024] Mark Bosma: You're Q5
here now Richard.
[12:04 am, 10/01/2024] Richard Ayre: cool im
bushed

[12:04 am, 10/01/2024] Mark Bosma:
[1:11 am, 10/01/2024] Keiran Blyth: https://images.app.goo.gl/SLWiLN9UuvzkLhpxb8

_| 3.563000] 80m
_[14.016000[ 20m|

[1:35 am, 10/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

[1:51

At least 29 stations on tonight - very

am,

10/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

likely we'll exceed

30 when

the reports come in.
[8:10 pm, 10/01/2024] lan VK1HF

K: Hi All VK1HF here

[8:12 pm, 10/01/2024] Stuart Cumming:

Great to see the net and CW growing. Well done Mark all

your efforts.

[8:13 pm, 10/01/2024] Nick VK6DV Austen: Agreed!!

[8:14 pm,

10/01/2024]

lan VK1HF

K: Calling CQ

QRS 3540 now. Mobile stationary by the lake
Canberra.
[9:10 pm,

10/01/2024]

Richard Ayre:

im on the telly again tonight
has been rerun
[9:13

pm,

looks

but alas im now a

Hard Quiz abc 630pM

10/01/2024]

Mark

Bosma:

Tsk!

The

cost of fame.
[9:14 pm,

10/01/2024]

Richard Ayre:

Celebrity

Mark

For those

as Celebrity does !!!
[9:16 pm,

10/01/2024]

Bosma:

who weren't aware, Richard's Hard Quiz topic
was

of course...

Morse

Code.

Richard

or | can

send you a recording of the show if you miss it.

[9:19 pm, 10/01/2024] Max Faulkner: Will be watching again Richard..
Bet u don’t get a second Mug..
[9:19

pm,

10/01/2024]

Richard

Ayre:

nope

[9:19 pm, 10/01/2024] Max Faulkner: Tough
[9:22

pm,

10/01/2024]

Sri had sked on 70cm

lan - VK5CZ:

VK1HF

lan tnx qso on 80m

repeater.

Sing out on here anytime if you want another qrp qso.
Regards lan vk5cz..
[10:38 pm, 10/01/2024] lan VK1HF K: 100% Cheers for coming up.!
[5:33 pm, 13/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU: Wow Just had a 1

hr long rag chew with VK3ADX

Merv on CW

thanks Merv!
[5:36 pm, 13/01/2024] Mark Bosma:

[10:02 pm, 13/01/2024] +61 401 263 829: 73

de vklte

[10:08 pm, 13/01/2024] lan VK1HF K: Nice...love a ragchew.

Must have had a good circuit and no

QSB
[10:24 pm, 13/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU:

He was only about 45 kms from me at the time started off a

difficult copy then it improved quite quickly

The

opinions

expressed

The

opinions

do not necessarily

Send

in the RagChew

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newsletter are those of the individual

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